Lately I have been really obsessed with Jandek. I've only heard snipets of his music, but anyone who knows anything about Jandek knows that the music is only the peak of the interest iceberg when it comes to this guy.
For those of you who don't know about Jandek, all I can say is google the name Jandek and start reading. For literary nerds, the guy makes Thomas Pynchon look like social man of the year.
Jandek is probably the greatest artist of the "outsider" category ever. I first heard of Jandek from Jeff Tweedy actually, who told me he had been listening to Jandek. When Aaron Mesh and I were transcibing the Tweedy interview, we couldn't make out what he was saying (I thought he was maybe talking about a band called Jamdeck or something) so it got omitted from the printed version. I found out who Jandek was at Earcandy in Missoula, Scott there had a special interest in Jandek and had even made a documentary on him (the screening was actually attended by Jeff Tweedy in Missoula).
Starting last year, Jandek started performing for the first time in his thrity year career. You can find a live review on Pitchforkmedia.com. But the live shows only add to the bizarrity. Even though people have been attending his shows, no one knows anymore about the guy than they did three years ago, or thirty five years ago.
Why Jandek is necessary from a musical standpoint.
Well from what I can tell he does what he does on purpose. This is because he has done it consistently for thirty years. He has release one album every year since 1978 and according to critics they are consistently good (or bad depending on which way you look at it). He's kind of like the Howard Finster of music. As one article says, when a reviewer mentioned Jandek's out of tune guitar, a representative from his record label Corwood Industries responded with a note that claimed that he does tune guitar, but not to standard tuning and that he had had musical training when he was younger. I am inclinded to believe this. I am even inclinded to believe that Jandek may have some knowledge of non Western music which has influenced his unorthodox conventions. Also his lyrics are quite good.
Why Jandek is necessary culturally.
I don't think anyone has ever done what he's done. He's like an folk art Batman. He doesn't fit a typical recluse profile because he's too prolific. He has remained faithfully anonymous since 1978 even after he started touring last year. There is an article in Texas Monthly by Katy Vine in which she actually searched Jandek out and had a beer with him. He asked her not to print or tell anyone where he lived or who he was and she has kept the promise. He is literally the best kept secret of modern art. Over the course of thirty years he has run his own underground grass roots campaign of bad (or good) music and is name dropped by some of the greatest artists alive, including Tweedy, Thurston Moore, Will Oldham, the guys from Yo La Tengo, etc.
So yes, not only is Jandek important, but he's one of the most interesting artists I've ever heard of. Everyone should do some reading on the guy.
Posted by john at December 8, 2005 05:49 PM | TrackBack