Today I’m mostly listening to…
May 1st, 2007 by Donagh
Daniel Johnston.
I’m coming a little late to the party on this one. Way back in nineteen hundred and ninty four or thereabouts Kurt Cobain sported a Daniel Johnston TShirt while mindlessly promoting his grungy hackwork of an album called Nevermind. Cobain, with the crazed look of man forced to endure the sound of repeated gunfire going off around his ears was invariably asked who this Daniel Johnston was. This would promptly force Cobain to stop his fidgeting n’ twitching and the holding of his hand in the shape of a gun while making kugg-kugg sounds and tell the gormless music writer all about the Austin, Texas based songster (can I say songster? Why not? Try and stop me).
Anyroad, that was the then and this is now. In the meantime Daniel’s profile has risen considerably, first with the use of his songs in the soundtrack for the movie Kids, but especially after the release of The Devil and Daniel Johnston, a 1995 documentary which traces Johnston’s ‘career’ and current existence.
My favourite song is Love Will Find You in the End, which someone has used in this trailer of The Devil and Daniel Johnston.
In the light of a recent discussion here about Ireland’s general ignorance towards mental health (and I don’t think Ireland is that exceptional in this case) the following clip from the movie is informative and heart rendering. But please remember, not all people with acute mental health problems are as talented as Johnson.
Here’s his MySpace page
Splutter, choke, cough…oh sweet Jesus, I’ve just seen Nialler9’s list of gigs for May/June.
These are the one’s I’d like to see in May alone. Bet I won’t though.
10th - CAT POWER - Tripod (€22.85)
10th - SUBURBAN KIDS WITH BIBLICAL NAMES - WHELANS (€16.45) cruel clash!
18th - GRIZZLY BEAR - WHELANS (€18.45)
25th - BATTLES - Temple Bar Music Centre (€19)
Grizzly Bear
He Hit Me (It Felt Like a Kiss)
Battles
Atlas
Cat Power
The Greatest
Suburban Kids with Biblical Names
Loop Duplicate My Heart
Funeral Face