Jandek...Come On Now

Keith Whitener

Any opinions on this Jandek charecter?

DadaKopf

Yes.

John

I've never heard his music but the likes of The Wire seems to be frothing at the mouth because he's started to play gigs.

Keith Whitener

It's not good. The only reason people are excited about him playing shows is because he's goneover 25 years without performing.

John

That's what I figured, it was more hype because he's never played as opposed to him being great. Bearing in mind I had never heard of him up until he started performing.

DadaKopf

Can it not be both? I mean I've never played Instal, or played in a band with Chris Corsano, but then I haven't made decent music. Who's frothing at the mouth that I'm playing the odd gig? Nobody, that's who.

Jandek on the other hand... interesting stuff.

Then again, I think of Jandek as the JD Salinger of music. I don't Salinger's so great, but he defined something, and he never left his compound. If he went on a book tour, people would be creaming themselves.

DadaKopf

Naw, look, people have been talking about him for ages. It's now he's playing a few gigs, there's renewed, higher profile interest in him. I mean... I wouldn't say it's 'all hype' because people have been talking about him in hushed reverence for years.

Dave Berman doesn't really perform his songs, even though Silver Jews make amazing records. Maybe there'd be some hype about them if he ever started touring, but it doesn't take away from the fact loads of people really love Silver Jews and think they're amazing for all those years before they tour.

Scratch Acid

I have one Jandek album, 'Telegraph Melts', which I find to be very nice.
I find his whole shtick interesting enough.
These are my opinions on Jandek.

John

So where would be a good place to start listening with Jandek? Any particular album for a newbie?