Daniel Johnston

From the early era I much prefer Songs of Pain to Hi, How Are You?

Tux, I think we are living in parallel universes as we have both had obsessions with GBV & Daniel Johnston around the same time.

I got into Daniel in a big way after seeing The Devil & Daniel Johnston in I think 2008, I'll admit I'd not listened to him much in the past about 5 years but his death has re-triggered my love for him & I've been digging deeper than I ever did into his back catalogue. Have you seen the doc Tux? It's essential viewing.

Hardcore Daniel Johnston fans mostly swear by his early lo-fi one-take cassette recordings & often will frown upon the "polished" records that often included collaborations. I've never seen it that way. My favourites have always been where he recorded in a studio, 1990 & Artistic Vice were always my go-to studio records. Though I'd spin the best of "The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered" just as much, which offers one disc of "greatest hits" as well as another of the same songs covered by the likes of Beck, The Flaming Lips & Eels (E's version of Living Life is bloody perfect. Funnily enough "Fun", I'd heard before, but never spent much time with until a few weeks ago & I think it may have overtook 1990 as my favourite Daniel Johnston record. I can see why people aren't fans, the outside influence on the record is huge, though Daniel's personality and songwriting still shine through.

The Cassette records certainly deserve hearing, there's some absolute diamonds in the rough scattered throughout them. None of the records I can admit to truly loving, though imagining Daniel sitting there with his recorder bashing out these ideas make them a fascinating listen, even if there's often huge chunks that are not that memorable. I agree with Barny regarding Songs of Pain, "Hi, How Are You" has become this iconic image for him due to the T-shirt Kurt Cobain made famous, though Songs of Pain & "Yip / Jump Music" for my money are much better records from his home recording era.

Fear Yourself is a bit patchy but has some top tier material on there. Also check out some live material, "Frankenstein Love" released 1998, recorded in 92 is him bashing through his best songs. I'd tread carefully with anything after Fear Yourself, though "Is & Always Is" is an underrated gem from his later years.

Also, check out the chords for his songs, they're real easy so fun to play along to.

I'm listening to this now for the first time since probably 2009 (the year it was released) & it's a lot stronger than I actually remembered. Definitely seek this one out.

Would seem that way   but really, I only started digging into GBV because of your Daily Pollard thread. 

On Daniel Johnston, he's one of those artists who I'd heard a lot about.  Having gotten real big into the whole lo-fi/DIY aesthetics, I thought it would be cool to start checking DJ out.  I'd hear of The Devil & Daniel Johnson, and that it was essential viewing but have never gotten round to checking it out though I have been watching stuff on YouTube and reading interviews and whatnot online.  What a fascinating character.

As I mentioned, I've only really just started dipping my toes into the water so really appreciate the recommendz.  hi how are you? is certainly a challenging listen but it's not without it's rewards.  Not only are there some absolute gems on it, but it gives you a real insight into his childlike fragility and his mind.  I think it's a really great intro to him, as difficult as it is.  I love the absolute rawness of it; there's really no filter.  And I just think it serves as a reminder that all you need is a bit of passion.  It doesn't matter if you can't play well or don't have all of the expensive equipment.  You just need to have that creative desire and the rest doesn't matter.

The Devil & Daniel Johnston is essential viewing, Tux.

was gonna watch it on amazon.

something else u gotta sign up for a 7 day trial for.

getting fed up with amazon and these additional pay subscriptions.

We've got an Amazon Prime subscription active til the end of the month so may check it out tonight.

Tried listening to his records, I enjoyed the albums “fun” and “1990” to some extent - some things last a long time is a great great song, the rest of the songs I heard from other albums were an unintelligible mess, did this guy have a stroke at some point? I’m a sucker for high pitched tortured vocals, but on some songs it sounded like he was physically dribbling due to some medical condition. I was unable to continue.

Ax, watch the documentary mentioned above, as well as being just a great documentary, it delves into all of his 'issues'.

Might check it out tonight x

Watched the documentary, very powerful, I welled up a few times.

Never knew anything about him.

I’m not sure how I feel to be honest. I don’t think I could listen to most of his music on a regular basis, Listening to his music now feels like some weird form of voyeurism. I remember reading about David Gilmore producing Syd Barrett’s “madcap laughs” album, and how he described it as one of the most painful experiences of his life, as each song involved syd having a complete and utter mental breakdown in the studio. At the time I simply thought damn that must have been difficult, and that was the extent of it.

I’m glad daniel’s parents were there for him and that his music found an audience. A great story.

Turns out the DVD of Devil and Daniel Johnston is quite sought after nowadays. Just sold mine on eBay for 20quid after buying it for about 3quid years ago.

Can't wait until Rob Mcvey dies so my Longview collection is worth a fortune.