Wildgirl

Who is Wildgirl?

Wildgirl is an artist and former WFMU deejay. Through the late 1980s and early-'90s, her Saturday night radio show, "Wildgirl's Rockin' Racing" and her "Wildgirl's Go-Go-Rama" live shows at the Coney Island Sideshow helped to define the east coast garage rock scene, give birth to the go-go and burlesque revivals, and bring hot rods, drag racing and "Kustom Kulture" into vogue. In addition, her artwork and jewelry has been displayed in galleries and boutiques worldwide, and featured in films including "Hiding Out" and "Slaves of New York".

Born in Michigan and raised in suburban Chicago, Ericka began designing and selling jewelry to downtown boutiques before she was in her teens. After attending college in Michigan, she attended graduate school at New York University, and worked at the ground-breaking Franklin Furnace gallery in Tribeca. During the early 80's heyday of the downtown art scene, she began making art under the trademarked name "Wildgirl", while performing as a dancer in the last of the old-time go-go bars in nearby New Jersey under the name "Sandy Beach". During this period she also assisted in the reopening of the Coney Island sideshow, performing for a season as "Serpentina", snake handler and contortionist.