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Revision as of 00:48, 5 June 2013 by Ivy Hazza (talk | contribs) (→Biography)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Paul "Biff" Rose is an American comedian and singer-songwriter.
Biography
Born in New Orleans, Rose moved to Hollywood where he found a job working as a comedy sketch writer with George Carlin working sometimes on the Mort Sahl show. Eventually, Rose moved to songwriting.
David Bowie covered the song "Fill Your Heart," written by Paul Williams with Biff Rose, on his album Hunky Dory (1971). The song was originally recorded by Tiny Tim as the B-side to "Tiptoe through the Tulips."
Following the release of 1968's The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side, Rose made several appearances on Johnny Carson's The Tonight Show and performed on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and American Bandstand, and Hugh Hefner's Playboy After Dark. He emceed the Atlantic City Pop Festival of 1969, and the Atlanta Pop Festival of 1970. His career has been described as, "a footnote in the annals of 1960s pop music."
By the nineties Rose had returned to New Orleans and worked making decorative paintings on children's faces for a living. Since the 70s, he has often been homeless.
Music
Rose's early work switches between unaccompanied piano and vocals and more heavily orchestrated numbers. His lyrics from this era embrace a left-wing hippie philosophy. By Rose's mid career, musician/critic Richie Unterberger referred to his output as, "more silly than witty... kind of stoned or drunk... not too amusing."
Rose's work of the past ten years differs from his early recordings. He makes frequent use of racial stereotypes and references Hitler in a positive light. A website of his, jewmanity.com, promoted antisemitism and racism, as does Rose's facebook page. Rose has been regularly criticized for antisemitic and racist behavior. A song on his website entitled, "For the Final Solution to Randy Newman, the jews, and the State of Israel" features these lyrics: "Imitating black people can be interesting" and "I need a big Nigg-ar to pick some cotton bales" and "Israel depends on me to help them drop the big one."
Full Length Releases
- The Thorn in Mrs. Rose's Side (1968, Tetragrammaton, re-released on Buddha)
- Children of Light (1969, Tetragrammaton, re-released on Buddha)
- Biff Rose (1970, Buddha)
- Roast Beef (1978, Pacific Arts)
- Thee Messiah Album/Live at Gatsby's (1979, Pacific Arts)
References
- http://howlinwuelf.com/_wsn/page3.html
- "The Ziggy Stardust Companion: Early beginnings". 5years.com. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- "Columns: April 1969". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- "Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour - Episode Schedule". Smothersbrothers.com. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- TV.com. "American Bandstand - Season 13, Episode 21: Joe South / Biff Rose / Rhetta Hughes". TV.com. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- "BR's Classic Rock Photos - Atlantic City Pop Festival". E-rockworld.com. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
- http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2010/06/11/biff_rose_a_singer_with_an_off_color_sense_of_humor/
- http://www.classicrockpage.com/newslet/issues/aug11.htm
- http://www.nola.com/rose/index.ssf/1997/11/60s_folk_singer_biff_rose_is_a.html
- http://jhendrix110.tripod.com/BiffRose.html
- http://www.allmusic.com/album/uncle-jesus-aunty-christ-mw0000952804
- https://www.facebook.com/biffrose
- https://www.facebook.com/notes/biff-rose/gary-guetzlaff-is-the-code-name-for-gary-gets-laughhe-is-a-spy-he-spies-on-randy/10150322197198585
- https://www.facebook.com/notes/biff-rose/you-got-caught-up-in-this-dialogue-because-youre-jewish-and-i-caught-you-up-in-i/10150314980313585
- http://cirkusberserkus.ning.com/profiles/blogs/mamas-undoing-biff-rose-born
- http://biffrose.blogspot.com/2005/08/new-creation-myth.html
- http://www.coolname.com/pipermail/maplepost-mirror/2003-April/014606.html
- http://imomus.livejournal.com/158086.html
- http://www.biffrose.com