Helen Wheels (musician)

Helen Wheels (born Helen Robbins; 6 May 1949 – 17 January 2000) was an American singer and songwriter. She was from a Jewish family.[1] During the 1970s she was involved with punk in New York and got the name Helen Wheels from Handsome Dick Manitoba of The Dictators.[2] She was lead singer of the Helen Wheels Band, and also wrote several lyrics for songs by Blue Öyster Cult.[3] In 1981 she became a bodybuilder.[4] Robert Crumb was a friend of hers and drew the album cover for her 1998 compilation album "Archetype".[5] She died in 2000 at the age of 50, after developing an infection following back surgery.[4]

  1. ^ Beeber, Steven Lee (2006). The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGB's: A Secret History of Jewish Punk. Chicago Review Press. pp. 185–187. ISBN 978-1556527616.
  2. ^ Hall, Oliver (2017-12-29). "Helen Wheels, NYC punk bodybuilder, Blue Öyster Cult songwriter and UFO abductee". DangerousMinds. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  3. ^ "Rock: Helen Wheels Band". The New York Times. 1978-05-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  4. ^ a b "Punk Legend Helen Wheels, 1949-2000". www.nypress.com. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  5. ^ Ivers, Emily Armstrong and Pat (2013-01-11). "Nightclubbing | Helen Wheels, 1979". Bedford + Bowery. Retrieved 2022-12-24.