Daniel Johnston Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Daniel Johnston (born 1961) is an American singer, songwriter and artist.His songs are typically painfully direct, and often display a disturbing blend of childlike naivety with darker, "spooky" themes. Johnston also draws and paints. He's been classified as an outsider artist.
Johnston was born in West Virginia, but has lived in Texas for much of his life. Johnston suffers from scizophrenia, and has had varying luck with different treatments.
In the late 1970s, Johnston began recording his songs on inexpensive cassette tape recorders, and gave tapes of his music to anyone who'd take them.
His early songs established a number of themes that would persist through Johnston's career: Unrequited love, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and comic book superheroes, especially Captain America and Jack Kirby's other works. "Joe"--A partly autobiographical character--has been featured in a number of songs. Johnston's cited The Beatles as a prime influence.
Johnston gained a cult following in Austin, Texas. Some regarded Johnston as little more than a quaint curiosity, but others recognized a genuine talent: Johnston has a knack for creating great, catchy melodies, while his lyrics are evocative and often use clever wordplay. His songs have been covered by a number of admirers.
A 1985 MTV special on Austin brought Johnston wider attention, and a number of record stores outside Texas began selling his cassettes.
His music has been acclaimed by Sonic Youth, and Matt Groening. Kurt Cobain praised Johnston's work, and often wore a t shirt with a Johnston illustration and a caption "Hi How Are You?"
In 1994 saw the release of Fun on Atlantic Records. The record was produced by Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers, a group who'd long supported Johnston, even inviting him to open a number of concerts for them.
Fun was Johnston's only major-label release, but he has continued writing and recording songs, as well as drawing pictures.
This is an Article on Daniel Johnston. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Daniel Johnston Discography
External links