Daniel Johnston: The Death Of The Devil (INTERVIEW)

When American singer-songwriter, Daniel Johnston, roamed the streets of Austin as a young man in 1985, passing out cassette recordings of his music, there was not a doubt in his mind that he would be famous.  And it wasn’t long before Johnston’s Beatles inspired music and the comic book art that accompanied his recordings did attract attention. He was only months into his career when he managed to be featured on MTV’s Cutting Edge. Though he was far from a video star, earning a cult-following with his quirky songs and his unique artwork, Johnston became a familiar name to an insider circle: musicians, artists and indie-music followers.

The more mainstream fame that Johnston longed for came quite differently. Diagnosed as bipolar after several troubling incidents, the apparent sabotage of his career ironically ricocheted his musical notoriety.  Just another crazy artist or revered, misunderstood genius was a common debate.  Through struggles with his mental health, he has released more than thirty albums – volumes of work to be minutely dissected, or merely discarded, depending on your view.

Either way, it made for a good story.

Sony released the documentary,  The Devil and Daniel Johnston, in 2005 proclaiming it a “portrait of madness, creativity and love.”  Needless to say, the release rocked Johnston’s world. He took some time off, immersing himself in his home project, Danny and the Nightmares.

It had been a while since Johnston had toured but he had a date at Zaphod’s Beeblebrox in Ottawa, Ontario recently. There was no guarantee of an interview, just a maybe – it depended on how Johnston was feeling that day.

He was standing on the sidewalk beside his brother when I spotted him. They’d just returned from their nightly tour ritual: dinner and a visit to a comic book store.

Johnston sucked on a cigarette, standing beside his brother, as fans flocked to him. Politely he shook hands and nodded hello, a bag of comic books protectively tucked under his arm. Dressed in grey – dark sweatpants and a light t-shirt, his bright white shoes and socks pulled up high – he couldn’t seem to get away from the hubbub fast enough as he hurried downstairs.  I followed closely, thanking the musical gods for their kindness.

We sat down in a long tunnel of a room and fumbled through the beginnings of the interview, Johnston fishing through his pockets for another cigarette, the other still burning in the ashtray, and myself arranging the tape recorder and microphone.

It felt surreal to be faced with such an iconic character. Watching his shaking hands as he fidgeted, the reality of the situation dawned upon me – Johnston was not simply a character in what is now an indie-cult movie, he was real and somewhat fragile. I began tentatively.

So, tell me what’s new in the life of Daniel Johnston?

Well, I’ve been trying to get back into my music. So I’m really excited about these concerts that my brother put together. It’s been fun playing together with different bands. We’re doing a lot of material from Fear Yourself and stuff. I was familiar with Fear Yourself, its was my favorite record so its been good to play those songs again. I like those songs a lot. I think its going to work out again tonight. The band’s going good and they play good music.

Your brother organized this tour for you?

Yeah, he made all the contacts and organized the different shows. And I’m doing a show on MTV. It’s going to be great!

Yeah, he organizes all these shows. He thought it would be good for me to do my music again. He looks after me. We’re doing so well now. I even have a new house of my own. I payed for it with my savings from my music, so I’m doing well.

Tell me about your house.

It’s a great house. It’s a lot like my parent’s house. It’s right next door. They worked on it for four or five months. It’s a great house.  They built it. My dad designed it; he’s an architect.

Do you have a studio in there?

Not yet. But I will. Someday. When I get my big break.

You have an album coming out with Danny and the Nightmares…

Yes. It’s called The Death of Satan. We’ve been working on it a long, long time. We have most of the tracks recorded and we’re looking forward to it. I think it’s a pretty scary album, I think people are going to like it a lot. It reminds me of horror movies and stuff like that. Its fun and its scary.

Is there any deep significance to the title of the album?

No. I like going with shock-value titles. No, there’s no deep meaning. It’s just another crazy title like Fear Yourself

Are you still making movies?

Actually, we made the one movie The Devil and Daniel Johnston. That was more like a documentary, but I would like to make a film, like a musical comedy. It would be serious, sad, horror, a bit like a variety show. There might be some cartoons in it – like in the movie where they used some of my drawings. It would have some of that.  ‘Untitled Motion Picture’ is our working title.

I do have a lot of older movies too, that weren’t in the movie (The Devil and Daniel Johnston). And it would be nice to do something with them. I made a lot of music videos. It would be fun to use them in the movie… so it would be quite strange. I think you’d like it.

In The Devil and Daniel Johnston, people got to see some of the home videos you made. Do you still make those?

When I was in Austin in 1986, I made a bunch of videos with my friends I was living with. I had so much fun I couldn’t believe it. I enjoyed the directing of the videos and working them out scene by scene. I was working with every part. I got to be there and do the editing. I really enjoyed doing that and that is what I would like to do. I want to direct a movie. I want to have control over it. I don’t want to work with a movie I didn’t have control of.

(Daniel pauses, digging both hands deep into his pockets. He starts emptying them; receipts and scraps of paper pile up on the desk. Finally, he finds what he’s looking for – matches. He lights up. Ashes spill down onto his shirt, resting on his stomach.)

You’ve become quite famous since the film was released. How has that movie affected your life?

Well, I go to the grocery store… and girls stand and go, “Hey, that’s the guy from the movie!” I like it.

Has it affected your shows? Are you playing bigger venues?

Things have changed a bit over the years. Tonight they’re charging 17 bucks and they only used to charge $1.00!

$17.00 is a lot of money for a show…

Yeah, you could buy a lot of comics for $17.00 (laughs)

Looking back, how do you feel about The Devil and Daniel Johnston?

When it first came out I didn’t really know what to think. It was really exploitation, in a way. But then I just got to thinking that it was hilarious. I wish they’d put a laugh track on the movie. So people could laugh. I watched it and I laughed. I thought, “I am kinda stupid, l can’t believe I did that.”  I did some really dumb things. I’m such a fool, really. But you know deep inside I am a wise man.

I think that comes out in your art…

Yeah. And you know I keep a sense of humor about things. I think all you can do is laugh and talk about it. That’s what people have to do. They have to talk about things. I’d be in trouble if I didn’t…

Who do you talk to?

(laughs) I talk to interviewers all the time. Interviewers are my therapy.

If you could have whatever you wanted in your career, what would it be?

Money. I have money now. I’m doing well. But my new band, Danny and the Nightmares is one of the funnest times I’ve had. I really think we’ll make the big-time. I don’t have to work, but my friends in the band do. They all have full-time jobs. If I had enough money I would make sure they didn’t have to work. We could just play all day. Now that… that would be really fun.

_____________

 
Johnston went on to play his set, offering up a ruckus of a show. When he finished with “Rock This Town,” he blew the roof off the house, howling into the microphone in a way I could never have imagined a singer-songwriter to do.

He did, in fact, rock this town with an unforgettable performance. And it was so very clear that while Johnston may be fragile in any other moment, in his music he is not. Hanging onto the microphone stand, mid-song, Johnston’s eyes were closed, his voice was strong and he seemed entirely in his element. Immersed in his song, Johnston was whole.

Zaphod’s Beeblebrox, Ottawa Canada, May 4, 2007

Set List

Syrup
Sun Go Down
Mountain Top
Life in Vain
Fish
Casper
Walking the Cow
Funeral Home
Some Things Last
Speedy Motorcycle
Rock This Town
________

True Love Will Find
Devil Town

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