If you are reading my blog and you have not seen the documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" I demand you run out to your local video disc dispensary and search relentlessly until it is in your possession. Do not give up. I repeat DO NOT GIVE UP. It must be seen before you continue to read this post. I'll wait.
The DVD cover looks like this, you're welcome.Okay, since you've watched the movie now I'll continue, because have you ever seen a more captivating figure than Daniel Johnston? (The answer is no, you haven't) Have you ever listened to more passionate music that makes you want to rip your heart out of your chest and give it a big hug? (Again, no, you haven't) Didn't it make you want to run up to every wannabe pop skank and punch them in their smug, talentless faces? (Yes, it did... for me at least) I honestly can't remember when I have felt this moved by a documentary; which is why Daniel Johnston, songwriter, guitar player, chord organ maestro and all around ambassador of all things awesome, is the second person to be inducted into the "I Like You..." hall of fame.
I'm not a music nerd, nor have I ever been, but for a brief moment in time I was really, really into music. Specifically, Martin Sexton, Radiohead and The Doors. If you were in my car or at my house there was a very good chance you'd catch me smoking a cigarette, listening to "Kid A" and trying very hard to keep from going as insane as the music. You could say the same for The Doors, because morning, noon and night I had some form of Morrison and Co. playing in the background, and once again I listened to the music as a reminder of how crazy I was trying not to become. Then there's Martin Sexton. Sweet, sweet Martin Sexton and his out of this world voice and song writing style that harkens back to a simpler, less complicated musical era, but somehow managed to remain modern and hip and just damn good to listen to. I spent an entire month listening to nothing but Mr. Sexton, because I'm a big, obsessive cumpulsive nerd. Well, Daniel Johnston bitch slaps all three of them and makes me wish I never wasted that much time and money on music.
Two weeks ago I was blessed by circumstance. My girlfriend had suggested I put "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" on our Netflix Queue and I did, but it was 3 down from the top, because to be honest I wasn't that interested in seeing it, so I had Patton Oswalt's newest stand-up special ("My Weakness is Strong" also a must see for you Last Thursdayers out there) and "Adventureland" at the top of the queue. But, because God is present in all things good, there was a short wait for both and when I checked the mail a couple days later hidden behind the red Netflix envelope was "The Devil and Daniel Johnston." I was prepared to be bored and unimpressed, because I am the hipster d-bag boyfriend who folds his arms and stares at things he doesn't like just so the people in the room know for sure that I am their superior and incredibly condescending at all times. But when the movie opened up and I heard Daniel Johnston introduced as "the greatest living songwriter" my attention piqued and the rest of the movie felt like I was riding on the back of a rocket named "Holy Sh_t This is Incredible." (Yes, I'm aware that's a long name for a rocket, but f_ck you, it's my imaginary rocket)
If you followed the rules and watched the movie you know that Mr. Johnston has spent the majority of his adult life battling manic depression, and not just your garden variety run of the mill manic depression, but the "hoo haa that is horrifying" type that would make most of our brains melt. Not Daniel Johnston. Sure, he had some bad times, like when he crashed his father's plane and threw a lady out of a window. Okay, I'm making that seem less horrible than it actually is, but Mr. Johnston didn't know what he was doing, and if he did he thought he was doing the right thing. That's how terrible his illness is. He thought crashing a plane was okay. He thought the devil pushed an old lady out of a window while he watched. I've had my fair share of issues, but nothing compares to what Daniel Johnston has been through; which makes the music he has created that much more unbelievable.
I have a hard time getting through the day and I'm "normal." This blog is as close as I've ever gotten to doing something meaningfully creative, and it's not even very good. No one is going to call me a genius and I won't develop a following because of the wit and insight I put on display, nor will I ever be able to plum the depths of my soul and produce something timeless. I'm not there yet and I'm pretty sure I never will be, but Daniel Johnston, for the past 25 plus years has put out album after album of unforgettable, chilling and just really f_cking good music. His lyrics are a lesson in how to write songs. They are simple and easy but full of metaphor and underlying meanings that take a few listens to pick up on, but, if you go into it knowing the man is (for lack of a better education on my part) trapped inside his own head... constantly...without reprieve, then the impact of what he's created is just jaw dropping.
My girlfriend put it best, because, as usual she makes the smart comments and I make the snarky ones, anyway she said "it's incredible because he has no outside influences," and even though Mr. Johnston was a huge fan of The Beatles and idolized them on many levels, his music isn't a thinly veiled tribute or a blatant rip off of their material, but it's just as good. There, I said it, Daniel Johnston by himself is just as good (if not better than) the entiriety of The Beatles. Paul and John never wrote lyrics like Daniel Johnston writes lyrics, but they were much better guitar players; which is nice if you like that sort of thing. I can't really explain it, because like I said earlier I'm not a music nerd, so I apologize for any lack of coherrence, but I know awesome when I hear awesome and Daniel Johnston is awesome. I don't care if he is crazy and I don't care if he ever breaks into the mainstream and becomes a certifiable rock star, and to be honest I'd be happy if that day never came, because the world isn't ready for you, sir. It's just not. And it might never be, but I'm happy to have had a chance to learn about Daniel Johnston, to hear his music and to finally know what people mean when they say "suffering artist." Mr. Johnston has blurred the line between genius and insanity more than any individual I can think of and somehow the message always come across crystal clear. Mr. Johnston is more than a genius, he is a force of nature.
Sir, I congratulate you on being the second member of the "I like you..." hall of fame and would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for everything you've ever done for the world of music. As usual I will be sending you a free "I like you..." hall of fame inductee t-shirt, a bottle of Mountain Dew and some coupons for McDonalds.*
*there will be no t-shirt, coupons or Mountain Dew... actually, I might just send those out this time.
I'm not a music nerd, nor have I ever been, but for a brief moment in time I was really, really into music. Specifically, Martin Sexton, Radiohead and The Doors. If you were in my car or at my house there was a very good chance you'd catch me smoking a cigarette, listening to "Kid A" and trying very hard to keep from going as insane as the music. You could say the same for The Doors, because morning, noon and night I had some form of Morrison and Co. playing in the background, and once again I listened to the music as a reminder of how crazy I was trying not to become. Then there's Martin Sexton. Sweet, sweet Martin Sexton and his out of this world voice and song writing style that harkens back to a simpler, less complicated musical era, but somehow managed to remain modern and hip and just damn good to listen to. I spent an entire month listening to nothing but Mr. Sexton, because I'm a big, obsessive cumpulsive nerd. Well, Daniel Johnston bitch slaps all three of them and makes me wish I never wasted that much time and money on music.
Two weeks ago I was blessed by circumstance. My girlfriend had suggested I put "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" on our Netflix Queue and I did, but it was 3 down from the top, because to be honest I wasn't that interested in seeing it, so I had Patton Oswalt's newest stand-up special ("My Weakness is Strong" also a must see for you Last Thursdayers out there) and "Adventureland" at the top of the queue. But, because God is present in all things good, there was a short wait for both and when I checked the mail a couple days later hidden behind the red Netflix envelope was "The Devil and Daniel Johnston." I was prepared to be bored and unimpressed, because I am the hipster d-bag boyfriend who folds his arms and stares at things he doesn't like just so the people in the room know for sure that I am their superior and incredibly condescending at all times. But when the movie opened up and I heard Daniel Johnston introduced as "the greatest living songwriter" my attention piqued and the rest of the movie felt like I was riding on the back of a rocket named "Holy Sh_t This is Incredible." (Yes, I'm aware that's a long name for a rocket, but f_ck you, it's my imaginary rocket)
If you followed the rules and watched the movie you know that Mr. Johnston has spent the majority of his adult life battling manic depression, and not just your garden variety run of the mill manic depression, but the "hoo haa that is horrifying" type that would make most of our brains melt. Not Daniel Johnston. Sure, he had some bad times, like when he crashed his father's plane and threw a lady out of a window. Okay, I'm making that seem less horrible than it actually is, but Mr. Johnston didn't know what he was doing, and if he did he thought he was doing the right thing. That's how terrible his illness is. He thought crashing a plane was okay. He thought the devil pushed an old lady out of a window while he watched. I've had my fair share of issues, but nothing compares to what Daniel Johnston has been through; which makes the music he has created that much more unbelievable.
I have a hard time getting through the day and I'm "normal." This blog is as close as I've ever gotten to doing something meaningfully creative, and it's not even very good. No one is going to call me a genius and I won't develop a following because of the wit and insight I put on display, nor will I ever be able to plum the depths of my soul and produce something timeless. I'm not there yet and I'm pretty sure I never will be, but Daniel Johnston, for the past 25 plus years has put out album after album of unforgettable, chilling and just really f_cking good music. His lyrics are a lesson in how to write songs. They are simple and easy but full of metaphor and underlying meanings that take a few listens to pick up on, but, if you go into it knowing the man is (for lack of a better education on my part) trapped inside his own head... constantly...without reprieve, then the impact of what he's created is just jaw dropping.
My girlfriend put it best, because, as usual she makes the smart comments and I make the snarky ones, anyway she said "it's incredible because he has no outside influences," and even though Mr. Johnston was a huge fan of The Beatles and idolized them on many levels, his music isn't a thinly veiled tribute or a blatant rip off of their material, but it's just as good. There, I said it, Daniel Johnston by himself is just as good (if not better than) the entiriety of The Beatles. Paul and John never wrote lyrics like Daniel Johnston writes lyrics, but they were much better guitar players; which is nice if you like that sort of thing. I can't really explain it, because like I said earlier I'm not a music nerd, so I apologize for any lack of coherrence, but I know awesome when I hear awesome and Daniel Johnston is awesome. I don't care if he is crazy and I don't care if he ever breaks into the mainstream and becomes a certifiable rock star, and to be honest I'd be happy if that day never came, because the world isn't ready for you, sir. It's just not. And it might never be, but I'm happy to have had a chance to learn about Daniel Johnston, to hear his music and to finally know what people mean when they say "suffering artist." Mr. Johnston has blurred the line between genius and insanity more than any individual I can think of and somehow the message always come across crystal clear. Mr. Johnston is more than a genius, he is a force of nature.
Sir, I congratulate you on being the second member of the "I like you..." hall of fame and would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for everything you've ever done for the world of music. As usual I will be sending you a free "I like you..." hall of fame inductee t-shirt, a bottle of Mountain Dew and some coupons for McDonalds.*
*there will be no t-shirt, coupons or Mountain Dew... actually, I might just send those out this time.
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