― Henry Fowler, Thursday, 20 February 2003 17:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― ara, Thursday, 20 February 2003 18:10 (twenty-one years ago) link
You're just as well off casting runes or rolling a 12-sided die to choose one as having one recommended to you. In my experience, anyhow.
― jodi shapiro (burun), Thursday, 20 February 2003 18:11 (twenty-one years ago) link
really?!
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Thursday, 20 February 2003 18:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 20 February 2003 18:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
You Walk Alone is a really good one if you like the blues. It sounds like Royal Trux.
Anyway, I'd try one of those before I'd get the recent, all-vocal, ones.
Also, if you haven't, take a look at this, a really well done site with little capsules about the records.
― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 20 February 2003 18:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 20 February 2003 19:11 (twenty-one years ago) link
If you're gonna get one of his spoken albums, try This Narrow Road. The way the dictaphone (or whatever he's using to record) cuts in and out has a great effect.
If I remember correctly, the first half dozen or so albums are very similar in sound. So, as others have recommended, get Ready for the House and then skip ahead to the next period (drums! Nancy!).
― Ernest P. (ernestp), Thursday, 20 February 2003 20:06 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Annett (jlannett), Thursday, 20 February 2003 23:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
I like The Living End and White Box Requiem. Also, most of the albums from the collaborative period (with Nancy et al) have some great songs. I don't really get into the first three or four albums quite so much, and the spoken word records are hard going (but very very interesting if you set them to your own music)..
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Thursday, 20 February 2003 23:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
Worthwhile URL: http:// www.jandekoncorwood.com and http://tisue.net/jandek
― Ian Johnson, Friday, 21 February 2003 01:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 21 February 2003 02:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
Ready For The House is absolutely soul-crushing, terrifying stuff. I'd definitely recommend it, but be prepared to be completely creeped out by it -- it's a seriously claustrophobic piece of work. As for the most recent stuff, I haven't heard the latest non-spoken-word CD, but the one before it, I Threw You Away, is pretty wild, full of moaning and howling. I'd say it's worth getting.
Oddly, I have yet to really be grabbed by Blue Corpse, which seems to be a favorite of many Jandek fans. I remember liking Telegraph Melts, though.
― Phil (phil), Friday, 21 February 2003 04:42 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Friday, 21 February 2003 07:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 21 February 2003 10:06 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Colin Meeder (Mert), Friday, 21 February 2003 10:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
― chaki (chaki), Friday, 21 February 2003 13:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 21 February 2003 15:38 (twenty-one years ago) link
― chaki (chaki), Friday, 21 February 2003 21:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 21 February 2003 21:20 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 February 2003 21:21 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 21 February 2003 21:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― lawrence kansas (lawrence kansas), Friday, 21 February 2003 21:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― brg30 (brg30), Saturday, 22 February 2003 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 17:53 (twenty years ago) link
― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:10 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:11 (twenty years ago) link
― Ian Johnson (orion), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:39 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:40 (twenty years ago) link
Alas and alack.
― Ian Johnson (orion), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:41 (twenty years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 18:52 (twenty years ago) link
― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 4 November 2003 23:32 (twenty years ago) link
― jack cole (jackcole), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:30 (twenty years ago) link
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:39 (twenty years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:48 (twenty years ago) link
It's turned into something more involved and interesting than I expected, and is definitely no longer trying to be an exact portrait like the earliest chapters try and be. Somewhere between fanfic and psychological study, eventually. Or so I hope.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:54 (twenty years ago) link
― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:55 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 01:58 (twenty years ago) link
I'll have to set aside some time to read your stuff, Ned...
― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 14:47 (twenty years ago) link
1)
― amateur!st (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 16:05 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 16:10 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 November 2003 16:14 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 6 November 2003 21:37 (twenty years ago) link
― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 7 November 2003 11:59 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 November 2003 14:17 (twenty years ago) link
― amateur!st (amateurist), Friday, 7 November 2003 15:23 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 November 2003 18:08 (twenty years ago) link
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Friday, 7 November 2003 21:11 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 November 2003 21:13 (twenty years ago) link
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Friday, 7 November 2003 21:15 (twenty years ago) link
plz C&P
I can't believe I never picked up on the Six And Six/Robert Johnson photo similarity
just recently discovered the Perfect Sound Forever article/overview, very entertaining
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 04:43 (six years ago) link
Jandek performs at The Festival of Endless Gratitude in Copenhagen at 8:00pm on Saturday, September 14, 2019.
In other news, my mom loved the 9-disc Songs Of Morgan set so much that she bought her own copy direct from Corwood.
― sleeve, Monday, 19 August 2019 17:39 (four years ago) link
luv u jandek. if i ever have a spare 300 quid im going to deck my mantelpiece with 0739 to 0769.
― meaulnes, Tuesday, 20 August 2019 13:52 (four years ago) link
Wish I had known the dude had put out 15 hours of solo piano music when I was putting together pitches for the Wire's "excess" issue...
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Tuesday, 20 August 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
hahaha me too! I quite like it as Satie-esque background ambience
― sleeve, Tuesday, 20 August 2019 14:08 (four years ago) link
not sure if i've ever posted this one before. . .
https://i.imgur.com/LQGHApf.jpg
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, 19 December 2019 22:28 (four years ago) link
Happy 75th birthday today!
― Elvis Telecom, Monday, 26 October 2020 21:32 (three years ago) link
heavens, I didn't think of how old the representative of corwood industries is, but I did know he was in his mid 30s in 78 when "ready for the house" came out so I guess this shouldn't surprise me.
happy birthday
― here comes the hotstamper (jim in vancouver), Monday, 26 October 2020 21:35 (three years ago) link
An early fave ever: https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/jandek-and-me/
― dow, Monday, 26 October 2020 21:53 (three years ago) link
aw, HBD you freaky dude
― howls of non-specificity (sleeve), Monday, 26 October 2020 22:23 (three years ago) link
The Representative was responsible for one of my favourite gig-going memories of all time.
Jandek have just played a successful set in a small disco, to be released as Camber Sands Sunday, as guests of Devendra Banhart as part of the Various US Curators of All Tomorrow's Parties. The Representative is joined on stage by Richard Youngs and Alex Neilson and the set is improv blues that veers at times into a distinct New Wave direction with a Talking Heads reference. It's neither particularly well received or attended, with many of those curious not lasting 10 minutes.
Some time after the set we are at the bar in the room while nothing is on there - I think Vashti Bunyan was playing an uninspired set upstairs with a drinks ban firmly in place - and the Representative comes out with David Keenan (who is the designated handler) and also stand at the bar next to us. It's not clear - as this is only about the second time he's performed in the modern era - how the Representative will interact with the public so we are chatting to David while the Representative listens in. In something of a relief, Ramblin' Jack Elliott (who had played earlier) comes out from backstage and strikes up a conversation with the Representative.
After about ten minutes, another person comes over. He goes to Jack and the Representative Android asks for a photo, holding out a camera. The Representative looks taken aback someone has asked for a photo with him, then a little panicked, before he realises it's Ramblin'Jack the punter wants a photo with and takes the proffered camera. He looks at it for what seems like an eternity before Keenan takes it from him, tales the picture and hands it back. The Representative then hands it on, acting as if he had done as requested himself, then goes backstage again after such sustained fan interaction.
― pedantly admonishment (aldo), Monday, 26 October 2020 22:52 (three years ago) link
one of his early drummers post-Neilson/Youngs was a former ILX poster who kept fairly mum about the gig.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 26 October 2020 22:57 (three years ago) link
I actually believe it was a 2-drummer lineup around that period (2005-2006?)
Happy birthday, guy least likely to perform in huge record store for free but who actually did
― Master of Treacle, Monday, 26 October 2020 23:00 (three years ago) link
haha aldo that's great, thanks
― howls of non-specificity (sleeve), Monday, 26 October 2020 23:04 (three years ago) link
I'm totally wrong, it was about the tenth time he'd played but before that sustained burst of shows in the US.
― pedantly admonishment (aldo), Monday, 26 October 2020 23:12 (three years ago) link
j0hn d.. also played with Jandek so I think there are two Jandek ILXors?
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 02:24 (three years ago) link
part of me wants to do a Jandek podcast, one ep per release. has anyone ever attempted this
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 03:38 (three years ago) link
i love that idea, simon h.
― sean gramophone, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 03:59 (three years ago) link
DO IT!
― Pre-Isis (FlappyPants), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 05:06 (three years ago) link
Damn man, I've been yelling on Twitter about wanting to do a Jandekcast for several years now. Sometimes I've been conceiving it seriously - or as something completely different while the Jandek album in question plays in the background.
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 05:33 (three years ago) link
Basically, the Jandekcast should be to podcasts what Jandek is to all other music. Or something.
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 05:34 (three years ago) link
Would be interesting doing track by track analysis with some of those albums,with snippets
― here comes the hotstamper (jim in vancouver), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 05:53 (three years ago) link
Would definitely subscribe to the jandekcast patreon. Especially if elvis telecom made guest appearances.
― Fetchboy, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 06:29 (three years ago) link
At risk of liver damage, if our voices could make a Jandekcast work and worthy of the Rep - I'm in.
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 07:15 (three years ago) link
you need a separate podcast just for the LP covers. will never not be in awe of the countless non-chronological portraits captured of the rep throughout his life.
i think i could spend forever thinking about jandek.
― maelin, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 13:23 (three years ago) link
I would 100% kickstart a moderately expensive coffee table/art book with good 12x12 reproductions of the original album covers
― Elvis Telecom, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 13:45 (three years ago) link
So one time the Rep from Corwood played a gig in Mankato, MN and his band featured some friends of mine so post-gig we end up at a little house party & the Rep himself was there, in all black, big hat, etc. And so obv no one is talking to him & it is all very awkward and weird, like this is a REALLY small place.
And we were kind of told by the host of the party that we probably shouldn't talk to him but one of my friends who I rode down with was like "we gotta talk to Jandek, but I don't know what to say" and my friend is not like a shy person at all but we were all a bit starstruck.
I decide, dude is from Texas, I know how to talk to someone from Texas, so I go up to him
"Hey, uh good show man"Rep From Corward, totally stone faced: "...""Yeah...so, hey if I went to Houston where is the best place to get BBQ?"
At this point his eyes light up, he gets this little grin and sez: "huh, well I make the best BBQ in Texas" and from that point on I cannot get Jandek to shut up, we talk whiskey, hats, wild javelinas, BBQ, but anytime we even get close to music or anything he gets really quiet.
It was a weird night man, HBD weirdo
― chr1sb3singer, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 21:13 (three years ago) link
haha fucking brilliant. i feel like he's a normal bloke who doesn't want the spirits his house have given him. hank hill and the rep have a lot in common.
― maelin, Tuesday, 27 October 2020 21:37 (three years ago) link
lmao that's an amazing story
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 21:49 (three years ago) link
perhaps it's just me but I really cooled on Jandek after that two-part interview in The Wire - like, I know he didn't actually say much but it was still kinda too much information
much preferred having a speculative relationship with the Jandek project
having said that the one time I saw him live (Melbourne, with David Keenan and Heather Leigh) was extraordinary
― umsworth (emsworth), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 22:48 (three years ago) link
Was disappointed by the show I saw — he had an amazing band (Loren Mazzacane Connors, Matt Hecker, and Chris Corsano) but played synth and recited poetry all night instead of going improv noise-jam like you normally would if you had those three behind you. LMC got a couple of good solos off, though.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 23:07 (three years ago) link
xp I'm pretty sure 90% of that interview was total BS
― howls of non-specificity (sleeve), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 23:23 (three years ago) link
Saw three shows in the space of a week and were all very different from memory. Two Youngs/Neilsons bookended a Mick Flowers/Chris Corsano show which was probably the noisiest? Third show was most structured and had some definite angular/post punk tunes you could probably have hummed the tune to. One even had a dance routine of sorts, or at least defined arm waving.
Actually the thing I remember most is the Representative carrying around what seemed to be his musical wordly goods - lyrics sheets, song notes, strings - in a supermarket carrier bag that he held overly tightly.
― pedantly admonishment (aldo), Tuesday, 27 October 2020 23:26 (three years ago) link
I'm pretty sure 90% of that interview was total BS
BS as in it was deliberately trying to twist the tail of Wire-reading chins-strokers? Or BS as in made up?
Either way it was kind of a drag
― umsworth (emsworth), Wednesday, 28 October 2020 00:25 (three years ago) link
completely made up, imo
― howls of non-specificity (sleeve), Wednesday, 28 October 2020 00:29 (three years ago) link
he had an amazing band (Loren Mazzacane Connors, Matt Hecker, and Chris Corsano) but played synth and recited poetry all night instead of going improv noise-jam like you normally would if you had those three behind you.
this is the jandek way. he's not going to ride the wave, he's going to try to fuck it up and be alienating wherever possible. and recite poetry.
― real muthaphuckkin jeez (crüt), Wednesday, 28 October 2020 14:12 (three years ago) link
about to start marathon listening to entire corwood discography, one LP a week. groovy! who's in? ...anybody? ...
― maelin, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 15:00 (three years ago) link
I'm in for a while, first 22 at least
― howls of non-specificity (sleeve), Wednesday, 11 November 2020 15:04 (three years ago) link
I would be very down for a Jandek listening thread/discussion
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Wednesday, 11 November 2020 15:24 (three years ago) link
I'm in
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 11 November 2020 20:16 (three years ago) link
Jandek...the book.
Jandek New BOOK Release:0127 The Rays Of Light That Did Not Illumine https://t.co/s2obsK93TT pic.twitter.com/SLwvEDCEIR— Sheila Smith (@veganloca) May 17, 2021
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 19 May 2021 15:18 (two years ago) link
I'm assuming poetry...but hoping for confessional autobiography.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 19 May 2021 15:30 (two years ago) link
Then it turns out it's just nothing but accounting figures.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 19 May 2021 15:33 (two years ago) link
"1990, good year."
Hoping for horror stories, expecting lyrics
― remind me not to read the comments on that one (Matt #2), Wednesday, 19 May 2021 16:39 (two years ago) link
hoping for political cartoons
― intern at pelican brief consulting (Simon H.), Wednesday, 19 May 2021 16:43 (two years ago) link
given the title and shape I'm guessing LP cover photobook
― ( X '____' )/ (zappi), Wednesday, 19 May 2021 21:06 (two years ago) link
friend of mine got it20 page prose poem
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 27 May 2021 20:38 (two years ago) link
only $10 on the website!
― sleeve, Thursday, 27 May 2021 20:40 (two years ago) link