Blowfly is the pseudonym of Clarence Reid, who had some success with his bona fide name and the conventional music he started out with. But, it was as "Blowfly" that he made a more lasting impression. Blowfly was the course, indecent, and smutty spoofer of popular songs of his day, very much like "Weird Al" Yankovic only X-Rated. Reid joked that he must be doing something right since he was banned in Alabama. Some retail stores faced charges for selling Blowfly albums. He made over two dozen. He was sued for doing a parody of Dinah Washington's "What a Difference a Day Makes" with "What a Difference a Lay Makes".

Clarence Reid was born in Cochran, GA on Feb. 14, 1945. His family moved to Miami when he was still young. His grandmother heard a young Reid playing the piano and singing a disgusting parody and told him he was nasty, "... no better than a Blowfly." When he was older he met Henry Stone, a producer with Dade Records, and Reid made several rhythm and blues albums. He also wrote songs and did production work for Wilson Pickett, Joe Tex, Betty Wright, and K.C. and the Sunshine Band.

In 1970 he recorded the first Blowfly album with some musician friends in the studio after hours. Dade Records would have nothing to do with it so Reid pressed the album himself. It was called The Weird World of Blowfly and it sported a picture of him on the front cover standing on a garbage can dressed in a fly-suit. His vulgar work included songs such as "Shittin' on the Dock of the Bay" and "My Baby Keeps Fartin' in My Face". He recorded a couple of holiday singles, "Jingle Fuckin' Bells" and "Queer for the New Year" and he's worked with 2 Live Crew and Flea of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Several of his albums were reissued on CD including The Best of Blowfly: Analthology. Reid says he doesn't smoke, drink or take drugs, he's just naturally screwed up in the head.

Sources:

Wayne Jancik and Ted Lathrop. Cult Rockers. New York. Simon and Schuster, 1995
Stuart Mason, All Music Guide. Blowfly Biography Rollingstone.com (http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/bio.asp?oid=1346756)

Blow"fly` (?), n. Zool.

Any species of fly of the genus Musca that deposits its eggs or young larvae (called flyblows and maggots) upon meat or other animal products.

 

© Webster 1913.

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