I was 12 when I first got the KIDS soundtrack on tape, but I never really understood how talented he was as a writer and performer until his documentary, The Devil And Daniel Johnston.
Kind of sad how mental illness took him, but he’s at least still making music.
Any fans?
Favorites:
Funeral Home
Grievances
The Sun Shines Down On Me
Go
I listened to a few tracks on YouTube and it just sounded like some schizo with a Fisher Price tape recorder singing about hummingbirds and sunshine and rain and whatnot. I always seem to miss the supposed genius of artists like this. I don’t know if there’s some element that just doesn’t register with me or if I’m expected to lower my expectations because the so-called artist is mentally-challenged.
Wesley Willis is another example. Yeah, it’s funny to hear the mental kid screaming about sucking a a cheetah’s d**k, or rocking out at McDonald’s, but do we like it because it’s really a great musical or artistic expression or because we can’t help but laugh at the “tards” and the funny stuff they do? I love the novelty of this crap (I own William Hung’s CD, for crying out loud!), but that’s about it.
To me (and I’ll be glad to check a few suggested tracks if you post 'em) Daniel Johnston is a Wesley Willis type but without the funny songs about cheetah d**ks and McDonald’s.
Wesley Willis is another example. Yeah, it’s funny to hear the mental kid screaming about sucking a a cheetah’s d**k, or rocking out at McDonald’s, but do we like it because it’s really a great musical or artistic expression or because we can’t help but laugh at the “tards” and the funny stuff they do?
I saw Wesley Willis live. It became unfunny very quickly. On the other hand, the guy got to play the rock star for a few years before he died and he clearly loved it. So I don’t feel TOO bad.
I listened to a few tracks on YouTube and it just sounded like some schizo with a Fisher Price tape recorder singing about hummingbirds and sunshine and rain and whatnot.
Yep that’s Daniel. I liked the part in the film when his dad is crying while talking about how Daniel grabbed the controls of his helicopter off him and crashed it while flying back from one of Daniel’s gigs.
I think the reason a lot of folk love Daniel is because the lyrics are very innocent and honest…kind of like a 7yr old Bob Dylan.
I like honest & real lyrics sometimes…I’m going to see Aiden Moffat of Arab Strap fame this Friday…his stuff is hilariously honest…check this tune out…
ONE DAY AFTER SCHOOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOK-0-BpRhE
I saw Wesley Willis live. It became unfunny very quickly.
Thank you. Was he an opening act or something? This would just be such an awkward position for me. Whereas, if something sucked under normal circumstances I’d boo and heckle them . . . Nope, can’t really do it to Wesley or Daniel now, can I?
“You suck, Retard!!”
[my homie taps me on the shoulder]
“Dude, remember? He really IS mental.”
“Oh, crap. How many more songs is he gonna do?”
I saw Wesley Willis too. One of the strangest things I’ve ever seen. Place was packed, too.
He was the headliner in a very bizarrely diverse bill. And like Davelybob said, the place was packed.
But again, the fact that everyone there was enjoying Mr. Willis ironically is, I think, offset by the fact that Willis was unironically enjoying his stardom and good for him.
But again, the fact that everyone there was enjoying Mr. Willis ironically is, I think, offset by the fact that Willis was unironically enjoying his stardom and good for him.
Yup. I was probably 24 or 25 at the time. Probably 90% of the crowd was under 21. No one was mean or anything (calling him a retard, etc), but there was a lot of goading him to say crazy shit. Kids yelling they wanted to meet his demons (part of his schizophrenia) and shit like that. He got a little worked up. Something about “fuck the demons in the demon asshole.” or something like that.
Rock over London, Rock on Chicago. Wheaties, Breakfast of Champions.
When I look into their eyes, I see sadness . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtEmcruWTso
I feel kind of the same way about Wesley and Daniel as I do about these kids . . .
It’s fun and interesting for the novelty of it. But I wouldn’t want to hear more than 5 minutes of it. I’m not gonna player-hate. The dudes are doing their thing and as Akbar noted, being “honest”, but it still doesn’t make it “good”.
I almost feel like there’s an exploiting of a little rip in the rock and roll wormhole somewhere. Because of political correctness (and also general human decency) we can’t just scream “THIS IS CRAP!!!” at the top of our lungs like we would if it were made by any “normal” person.
I don’t know. I just feel kind of used when I’m expected to actually appreciate such stuff. I could probably write a 5 page essay on the topic, but I’ll still feel empty inside, so I’ll just leave it at that.
Or the Kids of Widney High:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcrei6ih0_c&feature=related
or, my favorite, Piranha Man- I found a cd-r at a thrift store in Chicago when I was up there for Retrospectacle, it just said Piranha Man - Blowing Goats on it.
turns out it’s an old Pakistani dude singing karaoke. It’s pretty horrid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXHx0dUbKvk
The last episode of my podcast featured his rendition of “My Way”. And yes, it was extraordinary rendition.
Or the Kids of Widney High:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcrei6ih0_c&feature=related
THANK YOU!!! I was going to mention them, but I couldn’t remember the name. I was thinking Wembley or something.
I heard about that one LONG ago when I read a Mike Patton interview and he mentioned it was his favorite cassette ever. It was years before I found it on the internet. But, yeah, another good example of what we’re talking about.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That Piranha Man one is new to me. That’s awful . . . ly amazing.
Heh, Old Skull. I remember when that came out. Those kids are probably 30 years old now.
Never heard of Old Skull before, but-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Skull
That is fucking tragic.
Spoiler: They’re all dead, Jim!
Heh, Old Skull. I remember when that came out. Those kids are probably 30 years old now.
Yeah, at least. I was just in High School when that came out, so I think it was about 1988. And the kids, as I recall were like 9-10 years old or something. So, they’re definitely in their 30’s.
or DEAD. ^^^^
or DEAD. ^^^^
I wonder if they’re homeless.
You know? People that don’t have homes.
I bet if you looked in their eyes you’d see sadness.
I HATE YOU RONALD REAGAN!!!
EXCUSE ME, I was talking about Daniel. 
BTW, even if you don’t dig the music - see the documentary
EXCUSE ME, I was talking about Daniel.
BTW, even if you don’t dig the music - see the documentary
Sorry to get off track. I’d like to see the documentary some time. I was listening to a couple tracks just now (“Funeral Home” and “I Lost My Mind”) and can understand the Comparison to young Bob Dylan. He does have an interesting delivery style and vocal rhythm which people who are into old Dylan or Tom Waits may find resonates in a soulful way.
There seems to be a precarious balance of innocence and pain which (dammit if I’m overusing this word today) is indeed honest and pure.
Not something I’d want to listen to all the time and I still think he might be a bit overhyped in the “hipster” community, but I guess I understand the attraction and emotional connection that some people will have to Daniel Johnson and I suppose my opening of the discussion to all mental oddballs’ musical trainwrecks wasn’t entirely fair.
Anyway . . . . I probably don’t have any more to add to the discussion regardless. I’ll try to check out a few more tracks tonight.
My old roommate was a big Daniel Johnston fan, and she’s a freakydeaky raving psychotic cunt.
But yeah, he did some cool shit. Especially how when he would put out a tape, he would sit down with a tape recorder and record the same songs over and over to make each tape instead of dubbing copies form a master tape. That’s pretty fucking hardcore right there.
And I like that song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievance”.
And of course, wikiposedly:
“Daniel Johnston worked with Dr. Fun Fun and Smashing Studios to develop an iPhone platform game called “Hi, How Are You”. The game is similar to Frogger, but features Johnston’s art and music.”
And of course, wikiposedly:
“Daniel Johnston worked with Dr. Fun Fun and Smashing Studios to develop an iPhone platform game called “Hi, How Are You”. The game is similar to Frogger, but features Johnston’s art and music.”
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Shark Jumping. Just one more skill that we underestimated the handicapped on.