How good are the Daniel Johnston books?

[madnell]

this doesn't have anything to do w/ the original subject but..

b.b.,

i was turned on to dan's music 20 + years ago and i never forgot
but i've only been obsessed since february 2007!

could daniel possibly afford a personal trainer/yoga instructor/ holistic doctor/ nutritionist/blablabla to guide and support him through a midlife metamorphosis!?!  wouldn't that be a priceless investment?
and once he started to reap the very real benefits of such disciplines maybe he'd stick with it.. most of the time.

i'm sure we've all heard him mention more than once how he wants
to lose weight, etc.  so, who's interested in getting together and launching a daniel johnston health campaign!?! seriously.  how can we, as friends/fans, encourage dan? how could we approach it? but of course, how well would he respond? .. is this just too far-fetched?

~ m

[fifbeat]

Good idea. That's the first thing I thought when I first noticed how different he looked. I mean, he looks REALLY different. That's almost what drove me to him (when I first saw The Devil & Daniel Johnston trailer).... i was like "where has life taken this guy?"

A similar situation was Brian Wilson. I remember how big, bloated, drugged up that guy was; and he, at least physically, was able to get himself to top shape... almost better than he ever way. And this was when he was in his mid-40's I believe.

[gina164]

Thanks for the book corrections, notDan

About Dan's meds - I'd be shocked to learn that he's on anything 'super heavy'...and no amount of fitness is giong to take away his need for antipsychotics, that I know of...as that is the nature of severe manic depression... it's genetic.

I DO wonder if getting gluten proteins - found in wheat, barley, and rye and many processed foods - out of his body might make a difference, though...and maybe even eliminating casein - milk protein...

Removing these helps some autistics. These proteins have also been linked - especially the gluten - to manic depression.

Just a thought to put on here for the family to read.

BUT, for even a non-mentally ill person to eliminate these substances, or get fit, is a big undertaking...to expect Dan to is not too rational, sad to say.

[Henry Long]

As I've said, the book is worth getting. I see no agenda in it whatsoever, other than a celebration of Daniel Johnston's unique vision. And although I have quite an active, creative and rewarding life separate from Yip! Jump Board, I am simply here because I love Daniel's music and art, and enjoy sharing that love with anyone else who feels the same way. I don't think that makes anybody a "bloodsucker," or have similar "issues," as the always constructive Ghost Jr. suggests...

This forum is FILLED with creative, interesting, intelligent and kind people. People who write, make music, paint, sing, dance, make film, play in punk bands and practice dentistry. Also people who are simply excited to find a place to talk about all things Daniel. Although there may be a variety of "posters," there's not a single "poser" here. In fact, I think it is the single most caring and positive forums I've ever seen, with no trace of anyone's "personal agendas" other than a mutual excitement and an encouraging word for all, Mr. Johnston included.

Anyway, if you're into Daniel, you're gonna try to acquire whatever you can. Music, tapes, t-shirts, books, whatever. And it's all good.

[ghostjr.]

For the record, I wasn't caling anyone on the board here a blood-sucker. That was in reference to the folks that Daniel has as default business partners, etc. Folks not limited to but including goede. This point would be hard for anyone to argue.

I was not pointing fingers at ken or henry or jeff or anyone in particular here. I think it's cool that you guys do this stuff. Interestingly enough, I learn of a few things peeking at this board once in a while. Message boards are sort of weird because of the bizarre theorizing and mythological musings that occur on them. It almost seems like it takes away from things sometimes. Like bad magazine or newspaper articles or books. I think of all folks, Daniel is unique to a point that certain informations that are disclosed only serve to take away from his appeal. Get my drift?

I take it all back, I take it all back, I take it all back...(not really)

Always constructive,
ghost

[notdaniel]

Message boards are sort of weird because of the bizarre theorizing and mythological musings that occur on them.

Also, it's worth noting that there are three distinct types of boards, and all of them have completely different "vibes":

1) The standard fan board.

2) The type which includes both fans & personal acquaintances of the subject (like this one).

3) The type that my friend* Shelley Berman [Curb Your Enthusiasm; Boston Legal] had for awhile, in which the subject actually maintains his own board and enters most or all discussions.

That last type can become a real psychedelic experience, to put it kindly (see also http://forums.joerogan.net/).

  - notdan

*Okay, there's my agenda: incessant name-dropping! Full disclosure -- I have made music with Shelley (in a production of Fiddler on the Roof w/him - Tevye & me - Motel), but never with Joe -- though we have discussed the "face on Mars" at great length (he disputes my claim that it is in fact a giant three-dimensional portrait of Yoko Ono made by Fluxists from the future). Hmmm... It almost sounds like I actually do have a life -- or at least I did have one at some point!. Anyway, I gotta get back to thefuselage.com -- we're all still in shock there over the death of Benjamin Linus' daughter Alex...

[fifbeat]

I don't care who wants what, egos, etc. I just wanna read the book.

Speaking of which, how long does it take for the reject store to ship?

It has been a few days, and the order status says it has not been shipped. Don't mean to sound snobby, but I'm excited to read it, and standard turnaround rate for shipping like 24-48 hrs...

[Henry Long]

Dear Ghost: Well said. I think I misunderstood, which is not unusual...

And I know what you mean about the boards/magazine articles. When I first discovered the tapes, what happened beneath those headphones was indeed a mythic, surreal, resonating experience out of the shadows of my own dark personal journey. I had no idea who this strange beautiful music belonged to, or what the story behind it was. I spent a year trying to find out, and this was back before any web sites or forum boards. It was magical, and has always remained so for me. I think the people who come to Daniel through the film miss out on some of that experience.

Fifbeat: The store is mostly family run, I believe, and as such, family comes first. It ain't Amazon. So you might see your book in a week or two. There's nothing "standard" about Daniel!

[K1r0ft]

It usually takes about a week or less depending on the time of the week I place my order.
I’ve ordered shirts and cds – they’ve always taken good care of me :^>

[fifbeat]

It's not family first.

It's... let me take fifbeat's money, THEN family, then send out his book...

lol just kidding.

Cool guys. Thanks for the info. I guess I'll be a little patient.

=)

[madnell]

About Dan's meds - I'd be shocked to learn that he's on anything 'super heavy'

the documentary suggests otherwise, throughout his adult life. 
and didn't he nearly died of lithium poisoning at the end of 2005? 
obviously it's all had a cumulative effect.  it makes me wonder where the manic depression ends and the meds take over.

i'm not suggesting 'no meds', but a supportive, restorative, holistic approach towards balance. he's a stubborn man, no doubt. he's also an intelligent person. with the right help, he may be capable of more positive change and growth than he's given credit for.  maybe he's ready to stop being the ghost of daniel johnston. what might spur him to take better care of himself?

heck, it's none of my business anyway, but i can't help speaking out. 
dan seems to elicit  concern from more than a few of his friends and fans.
 

[madnell]

A similar situation was Brian Wilson. I remember how big, bloated, drugged up that guy was; and he, at least physically, was able to get himself to top shape... almost better than he ever way. And this was when he was in his mid-40's I believe.

yes... but he lived in an environment of extreme intervention
for a long time to achieve it.  and his doctor turned out to be a blessing and a cursing.

anyway, i believe daniel could be a lot healthier ( and happier? )
if only he had the right help and support. 

[gina164]

About Dan's meds - I'd be shocked to learn that he's on anything 'super heavy'

the documentary suggests otherwise, throughout his adult life. 
and didn't he nearly died of lithium poisoning at the end of 2005? 
obviously it's all had a cumulative effect.  it makes me wonder where the manic depression ends and the meds take over.

i'm not suggesting 'no meds', but a supportive, restorative, holistic approach towards balance. he's a stubborn man, no doubt. he's also an intelligent person. with the right help, he may be capable of more positive change and growth than he's given credit for.  maybe he's ready to stop being the ghost of daniel johnston. what might spur him to take better care of himself?

heck, it's none of my business anyway, but i can't help speaking out. 
dan seems to elicit  concern from more than a few of his friends and fans.
 

YES, speaking out is hard not to do, when it comes to Dan's welfare...
I've been in his home, seen what was in his frig and cupboards and seen how he likes to eat when taken out.

But, he is an adult and cannot be controlled to any great extent. When I visited, I cooked for him and his folks - we ate very healthily, but also not cheaply...and Dan wouldn't eat the salads due to not wanting to wear his teeth that hurt his gums.

There are many variables that effect his health.
His folks are very old now, and in no way able to control him.

About the lithium poisoning - it was related to an infection I believe and complicated by his diabetes, from what I recall. Lithium salts alone are not highly dangerous, nor a 'heavy drug.' Yes, there are blood tests that are routinely run to make sure the serum (blood) levels are not out of whack...but, Dan's poisoning was unusual.

I imagine that he is also on an anti-psychotic which is more heavy, in terms of psychotropic meds, but given in the right dose, it would also not be dangerous to him, and would only make him more functional.

You ask, 'What might spur him  to take better care of himself?'

 LOVE. Not familial love, nor friends-only love, but romantic love...and a woman to cook the healthy fare for him.

His heart is fragile...he is a real sweetheart, and still waiting for his princess. I hope she's out there, and that they find one another...and, if so, that she is into health and cooking.

[dk_3712]

just in case anybody was wondering about the books....as far as I know, there's those two books....one is the first edition, "The Definitive Daniel Johnston Handbook" (which was in a run of 3500)....it has a painting of Daniel on the front.....it was published in 1999.....the other is the second edition that came out in 2006 (post Devil and Daniel Johnston movie) called "The life, art, and music of Daniel Johnston".....the second edition is probably 60 or so pages longer.......there's a good chunk of pictures and stuff in the books..........there's noticeably more in the second edition than the first.........I got both editions because both were available at the time in the websites store.....it was something like 35 dollars for both......it wasn't like some expensive art book or something....I could part that much money......the first edition is kinda like a collectable thing, now that there's a second edition.....I think the books more geared to his art more than his music.....anybody interested, just keep it in mind....to me, the stuff that was most appealing was the stuff relating to his music...the section that was about his Tour supporting the Rejected Unknown album was cool....with  pics and stuff for each city....and then there's the movie stuff.....cool pics in that section.......considering the price and the size of the second edition, I'm satisfied by it I think it's a nice thing to have and look at and read

Doug

[fifbeat]

Finally got around to reading the book.

Not bad. Not great. It's safe to say that doors are still wide open for a better book. Hopefully one that revolves around his music and his creative process.

And I agree about what someone said about Ron English. That guy is mentioned way too many times. With all due respect to Ron, I don't care about him or his art. I bought the book for Daniel Johnston. It's obvious that the author(s) had a soft spot for Ron...

Imagine reading a Beatles book where Mick Jagger is mentioned on every other page for no reason at all. :/