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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
 Posted - 07/14/2007 : 06:48:42
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| Any fans here? I tend to think "The Sun Shines Down On Me" is a really beautiful song sometimes. |
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Tiny Team Concerts
- FB Fan -
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 09:26:33
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Everyone at Tiny Team Concerts loves Daniel.
In fact, we just made special arrangements to have him play a rare show in Savannah, GA on August 12th.
Tickets are selling very quickly. If anyone is interested in attending the show, details can be found here:
www.tinyteamconcerts.info
and here:
www.myspace.com/tinyteamconcerts
He has so many releases, but I highly recommend the album 1990, and the duet album he made with Jad Fair of Half Japanese.
For those who simply can't take the raw power of Daniel's own recordings, the OOP Bar/None album Dead Dog's Eyeball by his dear friend Kathy McCarty (of Glass Eye fame), is perhaps the single finest collection of re-worked arrangements of Daniel's music ever released.
It's a must-have for anyone who appreciates clever, profound and bizarre pop songwriting.
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Tiny Team Concerts
"Good music for nice people" |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 13:46:08
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I'm this forum's official #1 Daniel Johnston fan.
TTC's right. 1990 is his best.
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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The King Of Karaoke
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3759 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 15:11:24
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| Love Daniel. I have two t -shirts. "Yip Jump" and "Hi, How are you?" |
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sweetpollypurebred
- FB Fan -
41 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2007 : 15:12:21
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oh yea big fan
held the hand is a great song |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/02/2007 : 06:55:32
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I bought Welcome To My World the other day. It's a compilation of his early works (up to 1990). Hard to pick up 20 songs out of ~250 but it's a solid selection. All the "hits" (Speeding Motorcycle, True Love Will Find You In The End, Casper, Walking The Cow) plus a couple rarities (The Lennon Song is excellent). Great introductory comp for beginners.
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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Crispy Water
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
819 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 10:55:44
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If any of you have seen the recent documentary about him, I would like to know if it's worth the $48 my preferred retailer has not yet wangled out of me.
Nothing is ever something. |
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ObfuscateByWill
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1884 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 11:38:30
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$48 Canadian?
The Devil and Daniel Johnston?
Not a bad documentary at all, but $48 is a little steep.
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It's been on a couple of torrent sites since it's release.
*Take a bite of the chocolate coffin. |
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Crispy Water
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
819 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 15:36:32
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That may not be the exact price, but it's right around there. $44.99 or 48.99 or something like that. I've since seen it for less than half that through three different online vendors, and will remember to tack it on my next order.
Nothing is ever something. |
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Tiny Team Concerts
- FB Fan -
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 20:35:13
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Absolutely phenomenal documentary.
Whether you wind up loving DJ's music or not, it is a supremely well-made and engrossing film. Easily way above average for most indie docs these days.
It purportedly took 8 or 9 years to complete.
The DVD contains a lot of supplemental material (and one PRICELESS bonus short) that expands upon and -in the case of that specific short- adds immeasurably to the poignancy of the movie itself.
$48 is a lot of money for any DVD these days. Yet, I got so much out of this one through repeated viewings I'd be tempted to say it is worth it.
My suggestion, however, would be to buy a carefully maintained used copy online, save a bit of $$$ and if you enjoy Daniel's music, buy some of his albums directly from his website so he gets some of the remaining funds (as he only lives off off the meager earnings from his ultra-indie albums, occasional live gigs and the few expensive one-of-a-kind pen and ink drawings he puts up for sale to art collectors and fans).
Buy Daniel's stuff here: www.hihowareyou.com
Buy a ticket to his intimate Savannah, GA show on 8/12/07 here: www.tinyteamconcerts.info
--
Tiny Team Concerts
"Good music for nice people" |
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mikaelp75
- FB Fan -
131 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 16:52:24
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I love Daniel.
For those who are curious I'd say Fear Yourself is a good starting point. Really classy arrangements/production from Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) and Daniel on top songwriting form. I love that album.
Otherwise The Late Great Daniel Johnston (Discovered Covered) which is a double CD where one is a best of kinda thing and the other is other performers doing the same tracks, such as Teenage Fanclub (with Jad Fair), Tom Waits, Eels, M Ward and Vic Chesnut. |
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misterwoe
= Cult of Ray =
Greece
675 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 13:15:34
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I thinking about going to his show in Nashville on Friday. Anyone else going to that show? What's he like live?
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You're all a bunch of slaves! |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 14:24:35
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Depends on his mood. The one time I saw him it was fantastic, he played for about 40 mins including Speeding Motorcycle and True Love. But it can go way wrong if he's in a bad day. I think you should definitely go though.
I've often wondered about the best way to get into Daniel's music. I started with Fun, which is his most accessible. Haven't heard The Late Great DJ, how's the cover disc?
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 14:31:52
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quote:
Originally posted by mikaelp75
For those who are curious I'd say Fear Yourself is a good starting point. Really classy arrangements/production from Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) and Daniel on top songwriting form. I love that album.
On that recommendation, I'm going to buy this CD this week. In case they don't have that one at my local shop, what else would you suggest?
 There's a perfect explanation for the shit that I've been in. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. |
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Tiny Team Concerts
- FB Fan -
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 16:07:58
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Here's a link to brief descriptions of Daniel's most popular albums (but it's by no means definitive):
http://www.hihowareyou.com/store/pages/music_collection
The Mark Linkous-produced album is great, but it's actually QUITE diferent from much of Daniel's other recordings.
His family and he have put together a compilation called Welcome To My World, that is meant as a sampler/primer for the relatively uninitiated.
It's culled from his early and middle-period stuff - where he actually built his reputation. I don't own it because I had a lot fo the stuff already on other releases, but it might be a grand place to start if you don;t feel like jumping right into the heavily orchestrated Linkous stuff (which I would recommend, though to fans of Jack Logan, Flaming Lips, Cracker and Sparklehorse).
--
Tiny Team Concerts
"Good music for nice people" |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 00:43:10
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It took me a while to get into Fear Yourself. The songs are great but the production kinda put me off at first. It's a great album though.
coastline, try to find Fun, Yip/Jump Music, Continued Story (it's been recently re-released with Hi How Are You on 1 CD), and if you want to try a compilation, Welcome To My World or Discovered Covered.
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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mikaelp75
- FB Fan -
131 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 01:56:20
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quote:
Originally posted by vilainde
Depends on his mood. The one time I saw him it was fantastic, he played for about 40 mins including Speeding Motorcycle and True Love. But it can go way wrong if he's in a bad day. I think you should definitely go though.
I've often wondered about the best way to get into Daniel's music. I started with Fun, which is his most accessible. Haven't heard The Late Great DJ, how's the cover disc?
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say."
It's one of my favourite "tribute" albums, along with Beat The Retreat: Songs of Richard Thompson, and especially September Songs: the Music of Kurt Weill.
I especially like the format. Several less "independently-minded" people I've played it to had had problems getting into Daniel because of his shaky delivery, but the covers CD spotlights his songwriting without his musicianship getting in the way. Suffice to say, they fell in love with some of the songs first and then "got him" so they could then listen to the other disc and appreciate the originals, more often than not agreeing that they're the superior versions. |
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FlexMentallo
- FB Fan -
Argentina
12 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2007 : 07:22:10
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quote:
Originally posted by IceCream
Any fans here? I tend to think "The Sun Shines Down On Me" is a really beautiful song sometimes.
"Life in vain" is better.
And also "I had lost my mind". |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2007 : 11:13:42
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quote:
Originally posted by vilainde
coastline, try to find Fun, Yip/Jump Music, Continued Story (it's been recently re-released with Hi How Are You on 1 CD), and if you want to try a compilation, Welcome To My World or Discovered Covered.
I picked up "Yip/Jump Music" last night. My very initial reaction was one of horror. His voice is childlike, the recording is abominable, and the lyrics are painfully simple. And yet ... there does seem to be something powerful there. I can't turn off a song once it starts, despite my feeling that the whole operation is pitiful and primitive. The first one that grabbed me was "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievances." On the one hand, it seems like a ripoff of other old songs. And his voice is crap. And the recording is, like I said, terrible. Keep the mic in front of you, Daniel! And he doesn't even pronounce "grievances" correctly. Yet on the other hand, despite all that, when I got out of the car and went into the bookstore to do some reading, I couldn't get the song out of my head and I wanted nothing more than to go back to the car and hear it again. I'm totally intrigued. And horrified at the same time.
Why do you love him so much, Denis? What's the draw? (I'm not being accusatory; I'm trying to figure out what it is I'm drawn to, because I can't understand why I don't just turn off this awful recording.)
There's a perfect explanation for the shit that I've been in. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 00:50:08
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Alright. MAYBE it wasn't the best record to begin with. I have to admit that some songs on it are a bit demanding (it takes some strength to sit through the whole 5 minutes of "King Kong"). But you got a bunch of hits on it, Speeding Motorcycle and Casper being among his most "famous" songs. And behind the ultra-lo-fi production, ugly organ playing and weird singing, I think there are perfect pop songs, and the lyrics are not "simple" to me but very direct and honest. It's worth listening to it a couple more times, you might end up enjoying it, who knows...
Anyway sorry if my recommendation fell flat. He's done some very different stuff (production-wise) so don't give up. Fun and [Fear Yourself] have waaaaay better production.
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 05:15:40
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You may have misunderstood my post, Denis. I recognize there's something there, but I can't put my finger on what it is. I like him, but I don't know why. I keep asking myself: "Am I liking this only because I'm a music snob and I read he's a cult hero from Austin, which makes him strangely cool, or do I really like these songs?" Since my last post, I've done some reading, and I'm starting to see at least *why* this album is such a shitty recording, but I still don't quite get why it wasn't re-recorded once some record producer recognized how good the songs were.
I'm just rambling, trying to figure out my attraction to this guy who, on the surface, does seem a bit repulsive. Like Julia Roberts must have thought when she met Lyle Lovett.
What's interesting is that my kids, who are 5 and 8, are really drawn to him. I had the album on in the car and the house yesterday, and they kept stopping what they were doing because they heard something in a song that intrigued them. "King Kong" was the one that really stopped them. I've always said a song is good if it reaches both adults and children. That's one thing I love about FB -- my kids understand songs like "Horrible Day" or "Headache." Daniel Johnston's directness seems to appeal to my kids, and maybe it's what I like about him too.
There's a perfect explanation for the shit that I've been in. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 05:43:56
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I played 1990 to my 10-months kids the other day, and they started to cry but I couldn't really figure out if it was because of the music or if they were just hungry. To be honest, it really is a very depressing album.
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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sweetpollypurebred
- FB Fan -
41 Posts |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 13:42:13
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Thanks, swp. That second one is chilling. I'm really falling for this guy's music. His soul is so naked, and it seems like he is so pained.
Has anybody heard the Dead Milkmen's version of "Rocket Ship"? I had no idea that was a cover -- I thought they wrote it, but it turns out it was Daniel.
There's a perfect explanation for the shit that I've been in. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. |
Edited by - coastline on 08/09/2007 15:46:19 |
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IceCream
= Quote Accumulator =
USA
1850 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2007 : 17:46:45
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
Thanks, swp. That second one is chilling. I'm really falling for this guy's music. His soul is so naked, and it seems like he is so pained.
I think you just hit the nail on the head. It is very difficult to convey emotion through music. When I think about it, there's really no effable way to describe how one conveys sadness or honesty through a series of vibrations in the air. But somehow Dan exposes his soul and lays it out for us on each and every bit of music, conveniently available for us on the tangible CD and LP formats. |
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Tiny Team Concerts
- FB Fan -
USA
57 Posts |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 00:28:00
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That was a pretty good interview. Some are painful to read cause the journalist is so condescending, it's not the case here.
Is the Savannah gig sold out yet?
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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SPEEDYMARIEGONZALES
- FB Fan -
127 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 04:47:39
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thanks for posting i really enjoyed the interview
quote:
Originally posted by Tiny Team Concerts
Here's a brand-new article and interview with Daniel that some may find interesting.
http://www.connectsavannah.com/show_article.php?article_id=2746
--
Tiny Team Concerts
"Good music for nice people"
Manuel wants to keep his pet rat.
Manuel: Mrs. Fawlty, please understand. If he go, I go!
Basil Fawlty: Well, goodbye! |
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 07:33:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Crispy Water
That may not be the exact price, but it's right around there. $44.99 or 48.99 or something like that. I've since seen it for less than half that through three different online vendors, and will remember to tack it on my next order.
FYI, the DVD is sold for $19.95 at the official DJ online store:
http://store.hihowareyou.com/shop/music/
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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Tiny Team Concerts
- FB Fan -
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 10:15:53
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The Savannah date is not yet sold out, but tickets are going pretty quickly with only two days left before the show.
This will be held in the same intimate venue where we were proud to have FBF and the Jarvis/EDF/Block band last October.
Anyone within driving range, please consider coming to the gig!
(Tickets can be securely charged online through Sunday afternoon at www.tinyteamconcerts.info)
Daniel is only playing New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, Athens and Savannah...
--
Tiny Team Concerts
"Good music for nice people" |
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sweetpollypurebred
- FB Fan -
41 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 10:49:42
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i really wish he was coming to florida
tell him we have good pizza and soda here |
Edited by - sweetpollypurebred on 08/10/2007 10:50:28 |
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whoreatthedoor
> Teenager of the Year <
Spain
2873 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 11:29:01
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Does he only know three chords with the guitar? no, seriously.
This time we ride roller coasters into the ocean
We feel no emotion as we spiral down to the world |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 12:22:41
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
You may have misunderstood my post, Denis. I recognize there's something there, but I can't put my finger on what it is. I like him, but I don't know why. I keep asking myself: "Am I liking this only because I'm a music snob and I read he's a cult hero from Austin, which makes him strangely cool, or do I really like these songs?" Since my last post, I've done some reading, and I'm starting to see at least *why* this album is such a shitty recording, but I still don't quite get why it wasn't re-recorded once some record producer recognized how good the songs were.
I'm just rambling, trying to figure out my attraction to this guy who, on the surface, does seem a bit repulsive. Like Julia Roberts must have thought when she met Lyle Lovett.
What's interesting is that my kids, who are 5 and 8, are really drawn to him. I had the album on in the car and the house yesterday, and they kept stopping what they were doing because they heard something in a song that intrigued them. "King Kong" was the one that really stopped them. I've always said a song is good if it reaches both adults and children. That's one thing I love about FB -- my kids understand songs like "Horrible Day" or "Headache." Daniel Johnston's directness seems to appeal to my kids, and maybe it's what I like about him too.
There's a perfect explanation for the shit that I've been in. As soon as I find out, I'll let you know.
i don't know this daniel johnston guy, but i'm not surprised icecream is a fan. this is exactly how i feel about his cover of letter to memphis. so many things wrong with it, yet i am entranced when i listen it. it took me a while to decide, but i love it.
"Idiot" is just her sig. |
Edited by - PixieSteve on 08/10/2007 12:25:31 |
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The King Of Karaoke
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3759 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2007 : 13:48:19
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"The Devil and Daniel Johnston" is amazing. So tragic. I bought five copies at the local video store and then gave them to friends.
On a personal note, that movie really hit a nerve with me because I grew up with my mother going through much of the same things he's gone through. Diagnosed schizophrenic and subsequently being institutionalized is one of the worst things I can imagine anyone ever having to try to live through. It was tough enough just watching it go down as little kid. I would rather die than be institutionalized. It's a living hell. Shock treatments, drugs, the insane enviroment you are forced to live in, halfway house to institution to halfway house, to home, to intitution on and on. The men in white coats taking you away. Literally. Even the dioctors are nuts. Then suddenly being released as "cured" and the subsequent homelessness (Thanks Gipper). Thirty years later my mother is still living in that hell. Her mind is completely burnt. Her memory on current happenings in her day to day life runs on a five minute loop. Ash trays full of cigarettes that have been lit, put down, then frogotten about. "Post it" notes hung EVERYWHERE. And worst of all, she spends her days alone in a dark, smokey, tiny studio apartment in an assisted living complex. That's been for twenty years now.
Well, maybe worse than that is that nobody really wants anything to do with her. Lots of issues in that closet.
Too much info maybe but... I guess that's what forum anonymity allows.
Anyway, I posted one of my youtube videos that featured one of Daniel's songs on his Myspace page and he wrote me a personal message thanking me.
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http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
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vilainde
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Niue
7438 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2007 : 13:53:37
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quote:
Originally posted by whoreatthedoor
Does he only know three chords with the guitar? no, seriously.
Who gives a shit? How many chords did the Ramones know?
Denis
"Can you hear me? I aint got shit to say." |
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
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Daniel Johnston
