I know there’s hope, but the madness has a pretty good grip on the kid. I have suggested that he be given the bi monthly Risperdal injectable shot rather than rely on him to to be med compliant every day. You feel fine. You stop taking medication. Thats no good when your “illness” is chronic. His head is exploding with creative thought, and I hope that the support he will be getting now can help keep the demons at bay enough for him to have a decent quality of life from here on out. Likely, the structure he will now be getting will improve his circumstances vastly. He’s been teetering on the edge of homelessness in a party town tourist trap…. Thanks for your thoughts.

EM, I don’t think it’s possible to answer questions about Daniel or anybody else for that matter without actually talking to that person (and even then, sometimes not). I was just referring to the way The Devil and Daniel Johnston was put together. I really liked all the recordings they found (who would have thought there would be video of Lee Renaldo and Thurston Moore searching for Daniel in New Jersey?). They obviously did a lot of research and put a lot of thought into how it would all fit together.

I did see the Daniel J. documentary and … it had alot of good footage and photographs, but it didn’t really answer any questions for me about him.

It’s difficult for me to criticize mentally unhealthy artists. Everyone is just one reference blip on a screen and anyone can fall prey to the darker constructs of the mind. It’s easier for me to talk shit on the delivery of musicians like Dash Board Confessional than it is to poke a stick at the corpse of artists who did hard time in their time in life and at least gave something. What a surprise that I would feel that way.

After listening to his live album, I’ve grown to like his delivery more. Of course, he’s no Celine Dion, I’ll give you that.

There’s something about not being fake and continuing to put out music, even when some of it is crap. There’s something that you get from someone that is really writing poetry and singing it to you that you don’t get in any other situation.

I don’t know, but I do know that I listened to the same Townes Van Zandt album on my way to work every day for a year after graduating from college. And now every time I hear any of those songs, I desperately neeeed a breakfast taco from Mi Madre’s.

I’ve queued up the movie, so I’ll report back if my opinions change.

Also, here’s a story: Toto, Josh, Evan and I went to Memphis to record that great lost Springhill Mine Disaster album, “Small Pony, Large Pony” at Easley studios in winter 1996 and we got to start a day early because the people who had been there before us had left early. Over the week we learned that Steve Shelley and Townes Van Zandt had been there recording an album, but Townes had gotten sick and then we found out that he died while we were finishing our album. As far as I know those recordings haven’t ever been put out.

For what it’s worth, I thought the Daniel Johnston movie was better done.

I agree that TVZ’s delivery leaves something to be desired however I like his lazy melancholy style as a counter balance to some of the more over the top music I listen to.

Oh also thanks for reminding me to put this one in the queue.