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| From | Chris Zajkowski <rocketracket.squire@gmail.com> |
| Subject | Re: Fw: Daniel Johnston collaborates with Jason Falkner on first new |
| Date | Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:04:16 -0400 |
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Thanks Stewart! This is great news! Totally looking forward to it. -chris
On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 1:53 PM, Stewart Mason <craigtorso@verizon.net>wrote:
> Can't say this is a collaboration I would have expected.
>
> S
>
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> Daniel Johnston
> Put the name 'Daniel Johnston' into any Internet search engine and you will
> find
> hundreds of pages about America's most unlikely pop phenomenon. Dating back
> to
> the earliest compilation of Songs of Pain in 1981, Johnston has spent
> nearly three
> decades exposing his heartrending tales of unrequited love, cosmic mishaps
> and existential
> torment to an ever-growing international cult audience. As a result, he
> has been
> hailed as an American original akin to blues-man Robert Johnson and country
> legend
> Hank Williams.
> Johnston is the musician's cult hero, whose music is appreciated for its
> utter lack
> of artifice and undeniable simple brilliance. A wide range of notable
> artists have
> covered Johnston's songs, including Beck, Wilco, Sonic Youth, TV On The
> Radio, M.
> Ward, Flaming Lips, Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes, Tom Waits, and Pearl
> Jam.
> With the October 6, 2009 release of his latest - and possibly greatest -
> work, Is
> And Always Was, Daniel adds another chapter to his artistic legend.
> Is And Always Was is a decided step away from the lo-fi homemade recordings
> for
> which Johnston is famous. "Everyone needs to take their demos and go back
> to the
> studio," says Daniel.
> On this album, Daniel allied with the musician and producer Jason Falkner,
> who is
> known for his own stellar solo career as well as his work with Beck, Air,
> and Paul
> McCartney. With Jason manning the boards, "Is And Always Was" was a project
> that
> aimed to take the rock and roll symphonies in Daniel's prolific musical
> brain and
> deliver fully-realized and professionally-produced recorded songs. "He
> possesses
> that rare individuality that makes the listener wonder where this music
> comes from,"
> Falkner says of Daniel Johnston. "It was challenging to make our minds work
> together
> but I really found myself immersed in his musical world. It's a unique
> place to
> live, that's for sure!"
> While the Beatles may be an obvious touch point - Johnston has often
> exclaimed his
> passion for the Fab Four while Falkner has released two acclaimed Bedtime
> with the
> Beatles instrumental lullaby albums - the Is And Always Was sessions were
> frequented
> by discussions on the shared appreciation for 70's pop-rock icons such as
> Queen,
> Elton John, Wings, and ELO.
> The high-level production is matched by top-notch musicianship. Daniel's
> guitar/piano
> and vocal melodies are backed by Falkner on guitar, bass, and keyboards
> with help
> from Joey Waronker (REM, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins) on drums. As with all
> Johnston
> recordings however, it's the only-Daniel-Johnston-could-write-those-lyrics
> that
> shines throughout.
> On the high-tempo rave-up "Freedom," Daniel sings:
> I want to win
> Freedom talks of Freedom
> I'm just a whim
> I'm so trapped in boredom
> I touched the shore
> How did I get there?
> To go away
> Just to be nowhere
> The album finishes with an epic six minute and thirty-four second
> masterpiece titled
> "Light Of Day" where love triumphs and "life's alright."
> Took a ride in my car
> Traveling far just to see you
> I knew nothing about it
> Destiny's star guided me to you
> Got me thinking life's alright
> In the middle of the night
> I can see the light of day
> Daniel Johnston is 48 now. Within his oversized adolescent frame and
> underneath
> that incongruously mopped grey hair lies a history of crash-and-burn
> volatility
> which co-exists with prolific creativity in music and the visual arts.
> Daniel has said that his goal in life was to become a great artist, and the
> music
> was kind of 'accidental'. While he's always received attention for his
> music, his
> accomplishments in the art world have come to fruition as well. With
> exhibits
> worldwide since the late 80's, Daniel could finally feel he had "arrived"
> when his
> art was included in the Whitney Museum Of American art Biennial in 2006.
> In addition,
> his first formal table-top art book was release in March of this year by
> Rizzoli
> Publication.
> Little surprises Daniel any more. On the heels of the successful 2005
> documentary
> The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Daniel has now signed with Regenerate
> (independent
> filmmakers whose most recent release was My Suicide) for the production of
> a feature
> length movie about his life.
> Now, for the technically savvy, you can even buy an iPhone game that
> features his
> art characters and music.
> His output has been erratic and his career trajectory unpredictable, but
> Johnston
> continues to exert a powerful creative presence despite the demons with
> which he
> is beset. Johnston's personal troubles have sometimes overshadowed his
> music legacy,
> but they didn't derail his prodigious talents. Listening to the amazing
> 11-song
> journey that Is and Always Was, you get the feeling that Johnston is
> feeling a
> lot better and that everything is going to be alright.
> Daniel Johnston is currently on a North American and European tour that
> will go
> through the end of the year.
> Is And Always Was is scheduled for an October 6, 2009 release on Daniel's
> own Eternal
> Yip Eye Music label with distribution in the US, Canada, Europe, Japan, and
> Australia.
> DANIEL JOHNSTON
> 09/03/09 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
> 09/04/09 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos
> 09/05/09 - Vancouver, BC @ The Venue
> 09/07/09 - Calgary, AB @ Knox United Church
> 09/08/09 - Edmonton, AB @ Meyer Horowitz Theatre
> 10/02/09 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Festival
> 10/13/09 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
> 10/14/09 - New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom
> 10/15/09 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
> 10/16/09 - Montreal, PQ @ UK Fed
> 10/17/09 - Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
> 10/22/09 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom
> 10/23/09 - San Diego, CA @ Caines
> 10/24/09 - Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theatre
>
> Daniel Johnston
> Is And Always Was
> (Eternal Yip Eye Music / High Wire Music)
> Street date: Oct. 6, 2009
>
> Mind Movies
> Fake Records Of Rock And Roll
> Queenie The Doggie
> High Horse
> Without You
> I Had Lost My Mind
> Freedom
> Tears
> Is And Always Was
> Lost In My Infinite Memory
> Light Of Day
>
>
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