the tribute cd cover

[wickedwill]

i dont know about you guys but that cover is almost creepy!! was that Daniels idea? lookin at it is somewhat bothersome. Daniels health in not so great of shape its in poor taste if he himself is not behind it. was hopin for some really cool cover not that depressing image

[Anonymous]

Although the photo is very beautiful, it´s kinda depressing as well. I don´t know, I always liked that celebration of life which is in DJ´s music, despite of all the sadness. I´d also prefer a cooler and happier CD cover.

[Farmer Williams]

that was me, forgot to log in.

[stareyedsquirrel]

I got a hell of a shock when I first opened the page, before recognising Daniel by the graveside, and realising it was the cover for the tribute CD...

[Stress Records]

Even more disturbing is that I now read that it's going to be a double cd with the second disc being Daniel's original recordings of the songs. What's wrong with this you ask? In theory nothing but in reality I'm afraid it will allow Gammon to treat this release just like any other Daniel Johnston album and cross-collateralize, meaning they can apply the profits from this release towards the rather large losses incurred by their previous Daniel Johnston releases. In other words if you thought this was some kind of "benefit" project for Daniel guess again. Sounds more like a benefit for Gammon. I sincerely hope I'm wrong about this. Please say it ain't so Jordy.

[Gammon Records]

Jeff, this is so wrong it's really not fit for an answer.  Cross-collateralize for music I didn't pay for? I have worked a deal with Daniel's folks.  We are all happy with so keep to yourself.  You run your label and I'll run mine, ok?

[Stallion]

Well.....what else can I say but I hope Jeff is wrong.  Even though.....

[j7on]

I am sure it is great for the tribute album that the cover is making some noise and raising questions - waking up a deeper interest.

But, no matter who had the idea, it is not a pretty sight and not funny at all, it shocked me, i don´t like it.

[wickedwill]

yep, its a real bummer. i find it to be morbid as all get out    

[notdaniel]

Well, I actually like the photo. Now that we've gone from knocking off Townes van Zandt to mocking up another legendary songwriting Texan (Phil Ochs, who used the same gag on his "Rehearsals For Retirement" LP*), the problem I have with the album title is lessened somewhat. Still...

I wrote the following rant awhile ago, but didn't post it at the time cuz I decided I'd rather not make waves. Since there's already a typhoon or three blowin' in the wind now, I've decided to add my own gusts to the existing ones:

Jordy, the more I think about the "late, great" thing in the album title, the more my mind screams BAD IDEA!!! Coincidentally, I've recently been chatting on the great standup comic Shelley Berman's board (we worked together briefly in the 80s), and what started with a fan saying they were glad to discover that Shelley wasn't dead has quickly escalated into a source of frustration and worry on Shelley's part.

Why, you ask? The tiniest misunderstanding as to the current live-vs-dead state of a performer/artist can be *devastating* to their career, not to mention damn near impossible to reverse once it hits the mainstream. (Can you say "Abe Vigoda"? I thought you could!)

The play on the old Townes album is respectable, but obscure enough so that even I - a music-savvy Austinite - didn't get it right off the bat, especially what with Townes actually *being* dead for awhile now. To expect that enough people will get the joke to overcome those who think Daniel is no longer with us is absolutely absurd and a pipe dream of the most dangerous variety.

If you *must* use the title as is, I implore you to at least plaster a bi-i-ig sticker on the front of the CD noting the current breathing status of the tribute's honoree. Even this, however, will likely do little in the face of the title appearing unamended in ads, reviews, charts (hopefully!), on radio and numerous other situations where the luxury of a disclaimer is impractical.

The CD is a fantastic fete for Dan, so don't use it to shoot him in the foot.

Opinions wanted: agree or disagree, and to what degree?

  - Not Daniel

* http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004YL2J.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

[wickedwill]

good point! i am still taken back by the cover. it does seem like a bad idea title and all. the title alone was hard to swallow but the cover is something i dont think i can digest at all. i myself find most of daniels songs uplifting even the bleak ones have a uplifting moment but that cover is downright sad. i always thought a tribute was like a way to celebtrate something make others aware of it greatness....this picture of Daniel looking at his on grave,date and all doesent seem like a reason to celebrate at all! bums me out good and proper  my first impression of it was a TIME\LIFE war memorial tribute or something.knowing thats Daniels health is poor at best makes it even more disturbing

[Henry Long]

My 2 cents:

Well, I think the cover is just GREAT!
I hear all your concerns, and you are right in suggesting the idea may confuse a few people, but since when is that a bad thing?

I see it like this:
The cover is a metaphor for REBIRTH!
That is why Daniel himself, in the flesh, is standing over the grave. The connection to all those "Funeral Girl" and "Funeral Home" etc. songs couldn't be clearer. Not so much as rising from the dead, but more like Steve McQueen at the end of that great film "Papillon": "I'm still here you bastards! I'm still here!!!"

Daniel's songs could never be "buried," and they WILL still be here, long after we've become worm fodder.

Creativity is always about equal parts destruction. The drawing that gets partially erased, the painting that gets rubbed away with turpentine or painted over, the song which get discarded except for the chorus, and so on.

Art is Kali incarnate!

I think it is a clever, amusing and inspiring cover, up there with Jane Addiction's "Nothing's Shocking," and sharing a similiar irony.

I'm also glad it's not a "Bat Boy" image like "Fear Yourself." There can be plenty of Daniel's artwork in the packaging, but for this TRIBUTE, I find the photograph at the gravesite beautifully fitting, along with the title. The roses are a nice touch as well.

It is a tribute paying respects to the genius/painful/human talents of Daniel Johnston. The twist, like a good Marvel Comics ending, is that Daniel is the one saying goodbye! What awaits? What will he do next? Be sure to get the next issue of "The Amazing Daniel" to find out!

I hope they release a few on vinyl. I'll frame the cover.

[Gammon Records]

Wow Mr Long!  Thank you very much.  I like that fact we have a buzz going on the cover, both good and bad.  Either way it will be talked about and this is what we want in the long run.  Today I was on the phone with Japan about the release (bty, the project will be released two week before the US release) and they are going nuts over the cover.  

When I have poster and postcards I'll let you know how to get set up as a mini street team.  Hey, all the help we can get, right?

Also, I want all of you to know I'm thinking this may be my last post here for a while.  

[dejected]

The pros and cons of this kind of thing can go on endlessly - and I'm not here to try to stop it - but maybe just point out that the controversy likely outweighs the very real incidence of mis-understanding.

Let's think of another album cover name, for example.  What will it be?   "Resurrection"  "Lost Recordings III" "Crazy Love" "Discovered Covered".  It almost doesn't matter, because almost any other title you might come up with must either have compensating attention-getting and controversy, or be "lost" in the long list of album titles released every month.

It will likely be mentioned in every review that "Daniel Johnston is in fact NOT dead" and anyone drawn to it thinking he is dead or alive will drawn to it "more" because of that ambiguity.

Most who hear the album title will not have the benefit of seeing the PHOTO on the front, and then if they do they may not know enough about Daniel to understand (right away) that that is Daniel over his own grave.  

If you're imagining that some venue or tour manager will think "oh, I can' invite Daniel now, because he's dead" - that may happen - wait - it WILL happen - albiet remote.  But again, the controversy and dialogue that follows to "straighten each other out" out-weighs the real potential for mis-understanding.

The charter of every album cover and album title is to "get attention" and "create conversation".   This works awfully well.

Regarding the "morbid" side, my thought is that it is not all that inconsistent with the strain of morbidity in Daniel's art, lyrics, and sense of humor in general.

[notdaniel]

Wow Mr Long!  Thank you very much.  I like that fact we have a buzz going on the cover, both good and bad.  Either way it will be talked about and this is what we want in the long run.
Also, I want all of you to know I'm thinking this may be my last post here for a while.   :|

Hmm. You like the controversy but are considering ducking out...? I hope that your impending decision is not out of worry over violating some kind of internet "prime directive" - certainly, on many web fan boards, the presence of the subject's business associates has made fans uncomfortable and skewed things for the worse as far as the natural environment of a fan assembly place. However, the same could be said of input by the subject's relatives, friends and erstwhile bandmates (myself counting among the last two). I think this forum has proved itself capable of not just surviving but benefiting from the unusually high traffic by "insiders".

If you do split, though, at least e-mail Henry and let him know that if there aren't any plans for vinyl, at least the promotional plans will involve printing some 12"x12" album flats, so he'll still have something to frame!

  - Not Daniel