Posted by Avanhizzle in Hand Me Down tuesdaY | 0 Comments
Hand me down tuesdaY: (Re)discover Daniel Johnston
The genius of Daniel Johnston was projected to the masses a couple of years back when a film documenting his life and music, The Devil and Daniel Johnston (2005), first hit Sundance and soon after theaters and many now empty Blockbusters. But prior to the film his popularity was limited to those in the know, those that saw Kurt Cobain wearing the album art to Johnston’s album Hi How Are You on a t-shirt, and those that listened intently as his song “Casper the Friendly Ghost” was featured near the end of the one and only film that I’ve had to sneak into, Larry Clark’s Kids (1995).
But even with his one time limited popularity, Daniel Johnston’s simple but complex songs inspired by the Beatles and Comic book heroes and recorded on cassette sometimes with just a chord organ, had the power and petrol to reach popular musicians. In 2004 Gammon Records released a two disc set of Johnston covers, The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered, recorded by a great list of artists such as Tom Waits, Beck, Death Cab for Cutie and more. While this may be somewhat old news, I think it’s important to continue to promote the whimsical, fun, and complex art the Johnston created and continues to create. Plus, I think it’s interesting how other musicians interpret and sometimes add glitter and flavor to what were originally bedroom (garage) recordings.
While the whole double album is worth your eventual hearing loss, here’s just a couple of the tracks that I’m particularly fond of. I’ll include my favorite Johnston cover that does not appear on that record too. M. Ward’s “To Go Home” featuring Neko Case has got to be the most inspired and ferocious cover I’ve ever heard. I glow nearly every time I hear it. It’s pure magic. Happy Tuesday y’all!
MP3: Daniel Johnston- Devil Town
MP3: Daniel Johnston- Walking the Cow
MP3: TV on the Radio- Walking the Cow
