Meeting Daniel!

[Mindwalk]

Does any of you ever met Daniel on person? Maybe after a concert...or exhibition....any place....

Share your experiences and tell us how it was.....we are all curious about it!

[timmel78]

Ive had the honor and privledge of meeting him twice before his shows at the ottobar in Baltimore Md..  he is a very nice guy and just loves talking about music and comic books.  When i met him the 2nd time, he told me that he remembered from the 1st time and that was like 2 years ago.
he plays some intense music and his emotions are so indescribable... GO SEE HIM ANY CHANCE YOU GET!!!

[timmel78]

ok im now officially a member of the messageboard.. just wanted to show off my pic now..  TIM

ps- does anyone have any bootleg shows of daniel's on cd/cdr/mp3?

please lemme know

[Anonymous]

Lol, it seem silly, but I dated his nephew (who was part of the crew in Daniels last tour of Europe) for a time.  I never met him, but believe me I wanted to.

[j7on]

This happened last summer, the actual the date was 02.07.2003 on a rooftop bar concert in Stockholm, Sweden, and I live in Finland, ..well, there’s always boats and planes..

I myself was super nervous , I had seen him once before though (also in Stockholm, February 2002) but I was a wreck after waiting a whole day in the city and I was also wildly anticipating the possibility of the sale of some artwork (there was no art for sale in Feb. 2002, there was a separate art-exhibition at the same time on the other side of town but they were all sold when I got there) so when the art actually came I literally jumped them and bought 2 immediately (I think I got the best ones , I hope so cuz I didn’t have any more money ) and then no-one bought anything else..

Well, time for Daniel to walk in from backstage, I was waiting (with my “hi, how are you” book in one hand and a pen in the other) for him in the corridor which he had to pass to get to the stage but he walked really fast straight by/through me and was somewhat in a weird mood so I thought that was it.
But he stopped beneath the stairs of the stage and remained there just standing and looking at the stage, smoking a cigarette, people were quite obviously amazed why he didn’t get on the stage but just stood in the crowd and looked at the stage, he didn’t even talk to anyone, so I decided to approach him (again with the book in one hand and the pen in the other), as I got closer he apparently noticed me and took some fast nervous looks around him as I further approached he began to back up against the stage and looked quite panicked, eyes going up and down (I don’t know why, I look quite normal, as anybody else) so I took it really slow and signalled with the book and pen what I wanted and moved in closer, when I asked for the autograph he’s eyes brightened right up and became somehow more “alive” and said with the clearest possible voice “yeah, sure!”, he signed the book and basically returned to the previous state so I decided not to push it and try to build up a conversation, just thanked him very much, and a second later he was up on stage so I guess it was kind of up to fate that I actually got the autograph (he even drew a little “eternal yip eye” under the autograph).

The show itself was kind of a disaster, not for anyone in the audience but because it was on a rooftop it was quite windy and the wind was blowing the lyrics away and he had to make up the lyrics or start over and you could really see he was not feeling that comfortable, at the end of the show he dropped himself down from the wrong side of the stage where there was no stairs and ran through the crowd to backstage (it was weird that a performer had to walk through the crowd to get on or of the stage).

It was sad to see him stressed but I would want him to know that no one in the audience thought negative of it, I have actually NEVER seen a crowd so quiet and focused when he was performing, you could hear a tear drop, people were overjoyed after the show and I had lots of good talks with people overwhelmed by happy feelings.    

It would have been really nice to really talk with him but I guess it would have to be a more relaxed situation to do that, I still enjoyed every last moment of the show, like I did the first time I saw him.

[dejected]

Just some inside feedback here...  it's really unfortunate that most of what people see is Daniel at his most stressed state - usually just before or after he gets on stage.   He really feels the pressure on stage (he insists he doesn't have stage fright, but...) and he is very self-critical of everything that goes wrong and worries about even the simpliest blunders.

I am still amazed that when he kicks of a song, though, there is still plenty of "magic" to his delivery, and so his performance still "comes through" in these stressful situations.   His performances are almost always well received.  

I was not present, but I have heard stories about what may have been one of the greatest disasters in a show - where Daniel was fighting larengitis (loosing his voice from a cold) and had several strings break, and fnally just set his guitar down and sang acapella (voice only) - and every account of that event that I've heard regards it as a very special experience.

Daniel is a lucky performer to have fans who "alreay know him" enough to overlook his foibles

Anway - all this to say that when you meet Daniel, it is hard to tell what he is feeling and even what he is reacting to when he responds to you.  If he acts impersonal or appears to jilt you at all or to appear rushed or discourteous, please know that you are simply not seeing him at his best.

[Oh brother!]

I knew Daniel in the '70's and early '80's.  He was odd then, but I had no idea just how messed up he (supposedly) was to become.  Saw him again in the early '90's, and by then he had been (I presume) put on psycho-active drugs and looked artificially bloated.  He handed me a copy of his record "Hi, How Are You".  I was shocked at how bad it was when I gave it a spin, and had no idea that he actually had a following.  I guess no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the public.

[Mindwalk]

well, at least you don´t have a following..........but as you said, we can never underestimate.............
 

[Oh Brother!]

How do you know whether or not I have a following?  What difference does that make anyway?  My post was directed about Daniel, not about myself.  Why the gratuitous remark?  For your information, I do in fact have a following, but that is irrelevant to my previous post, and is only relevant to your pointless attempted put-down.  I merely expressed my surprise, at the time, that Daniel had a following, based upon what I heard on the record.  The topic is about people who have met Daniel, and what they thought about him.  The topic is not about me or whether I have a following or not.  Please stay on topic.
Thank you.
Oh Brother!

[Mindwalk]

Staying on topic.....we can never underestimate......

Well, when i said about your following, i was mentioning the following of "People who don´t like Daniel Johnston".......

And to keep "logic", this is a Daniel Johnston´s FAN FORUM......
Feel free to set up your own Forum for "non-fans"......        

[Oh brother!]

i'm a fan of daniel johnston.  that doesn't mean i can't be critical, does it?  is blind praise all that is called for here?  i knew him when he was younger, and he turned me on to the beatles, so that's enough for me to consider myself a fan of his.  over and out.

[Mindwalk]

I´m very Surprised....

Most Daniel´s fans think that "Hi, How Are you?" is one  (if not the most) of his best albums.....you´re first "fan" i heard saying that doesnt like this album........

Maybe you´re more into his new stuff.....recorded in studios.....i can understand.....

We all love the beatles!

[MeOrTheMoon]

I've met Daniel a couple of times.  The first time was in Columbus, Ohio.  I tried talking to him, but he seemed pretty nervous, as he was due to get up and play pretty soon.  I said, "Hi my name's Matt, and I just wanted to say how much your music's meant to me over the years, and I just wanted to say thank you"
He shrugged his shoulders and laughed a little, and said "My pleasure"

I tried making a little conversation then, but he was pretty decent, so I just sort of gave up, and said "Good luck" and he suddenly sprang to life and said, "Thanks!  Good luck to you, Matt!"

Then, in April 03, my band had the oppurtunity to open for Daniel, at the Southgate House in Newport, KY.  I have lots of memories of that night, and had plenty of time to talk to him, and just hang around.  He was in very good spirits, it seemed, and was very flirty with all of the girls around.  I gave him a kalimba as a gift, and a Captain America beach towel.   Later on, my girlfriend and I took him and Don (the Soft Skull publisher guy, who was incredibly gracious all night) out to eat at a greasy spoon in Kentucky.  Daniel spent most of the meal hitting on my girlfriend, but in a fun, playful way.  He suggested to her that she get rid of me, and I said "You're lucky I'm laid back, Dan", and he immediately demured, and apologized, "Sorry, sorry you're right, just kidding"

What a kick, here I was having to STRONG ARM my hero cuz he was trying to steal my girl!  (she's gone now anyway, stolen by someone much less worthy than DJ)

I remember he talked a lot that night, then would be very quiet for periods too.  I think the highlight of the night was when he first walked into the diner and saw "the band"..........This diner has a jukebox, and whenever the jukebox comes on, a TOY BAND in the corner lights up and starts moving around.  One of the original figures was lost, so they stuck a Ken doll in its place.  It's CHINTZY, is what I'm saying.  Daniel stood there, in the middle of the dining room, laughing hysterically for a while, and shouted, "LOOK!  G.I.Joe's playing drums!!!"

Early at the show, Don and Dan went to have a nap, and didn't return until half-way through our set.  It was a very quiet, sad song that we do, and the audience was very attentive.  Suddenly, the back door of the club swings open, and Daniel bellows, "Where's the bathroom??!!"  I didn't even know it was him til someone told me later.  Anyone else, I'da been pissed, but it was all part of the night.

There's more, but that's all the reminiscing (sp.) I kin do for now.

Matthew Shelton
me or the moon
www.mymagnet.no-frills.net

[j7on]

Thanks Matthew for sharing your story!

It is always nice to read someone elses experience and imagine yourself in it, i really enjoyed it and had to drop you a note for it.

"..and he suddenly sprang to life and said, "Thanks! Good luck to you, Matt!" - That is so Dan Johnston!

This Tuesday started good!

-jason-

[frogdaemon]

I've met him twice......been in his presence three times.

The first time was at TT the Bears in Cambridge, Mass in late 2001. I was beside myself, because I never thought I'd ever get a chance to see him. Since after the show, they were nice enough to let fans go into the dressing room, It was more than I bargained for.  I just jabbered away, because I couldn't believe I was in his presence after all these years of being his fan. He patiently said, "uh huh, yeah" to whatever I had to say. while doing a Duck drawing for me in my sketchbook. He pumped my extended hand, then I was on my way.

The next time was a year and a half later or so, at the Middle East, the club next door to TTs. I was told by somebody who was touring with him that Daniel was in an ok mood, and that it was ok for me to go talk to him backstage, before the show. I just went in and he was smoking a cigarette, sitting down. This time I was more chill, and I calmly and simply asked him to sign my "Fear Yourself" CD. He did, I thanked him, he was nice and cordial, then I let him be.

A couple weeks ago I saw him at TTs again. He just walked right out the door after the show, and when he passed I just said "Thanks for the music, Daniel."

that's really all there is to it.