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Daniel Johnston

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Daniel Johnston

Daniel Johnston
My first encounter into Daniel’s world, because that’s what it is when you discover him, it’s his world and you’re just passing by, as Daniel famously sang in his song “Peek A Boo”, “You can listen to these songs / Have a good time and walk away / But for me it’s not that easy / I have to live these songs forever” was by watching the 2005 documentary on the man, titled The Devil and Daniel Johnston. I hate to admit it, but sometimes a film will turn me into a fan. Even a Hollywood bio-pic like Walk the Line. But this documentary really spoke to me. I was in high school feeling like an outcast, and most the time I would just play music in the basement whether it be drums or keyboard. Then I came across this documentary on this mad-man who was doing the same thing I was, just 20+ years previous. Instead of recording through a computer mic like I was doing on my dad’s PC, Daniel would record his songs in the basement of his parents’ place, record them on cassette and hand them out. He made hundreds of tapes and passed them out, his own loony D.I.Y. scene. I identified with the craziness that is Daniel’s world. The documentary was great and I soon went down the rabbit-hole of Daniel’s discography and there is a ton to seek through. I would direct newbies to start with his compilation of his most well known songs, titled Welcome to My World: The Music of Daniel Johnston. Most people won’t get farther than that. Daniel is a polarizing figure in the sense that you will either love him and appreciate the artistry or see complete trash. Daniel did a lot of artwork too that I’m a fan of. It’s crazy how much you can truly love an artist, someone you have never met, but I felt a strong connection with Daniel and I still do. Unfortunately we lost him last year [2019]. Here is a great obituary by New York Times. His legacy will live on forever. He was the first true bedroom artist. A troubled soul with a talent for writing honest, disarming great, direct songs. 
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Daniel Johnston

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