My husband is OBSESSED with this song! He heard it on the radio and couldn't get it out of his head. So what does he do?? He downloads it as his ringtone, makes me listen to it on YouTube and then figures out how to play it on the guitar. Granted, all of this occurred within the first fifteen minutes of him coming home. According to my mom, I was considered the "Disco Queen" as a toddler to the disdain of her friends (my pigtailed self would squeal with delight with anything Donna Summers and Diana Ross) but I believe John is the true Disco Queen of the family. For serious, this song might be my bete noir:



Is he serious?? Sadly kids, I think he is...the truly tragic part? He's 29, been in numerous punk rock bands, loves all the same music that I do and is a virtuoso with the bass-- but I think it's just a sham--I think he was made for disco. To be sure, nothing good can come of this. What's next? People seriously don't know what they're getting into when they mumble the words, "In sickness and in health" now do they?

Today's John's birthday but last night I surprised him (well, I might've surprised him a few days earlier) with tickets to see Daniel Johnston. He is a man who suffers from a whole slew of mental disorders but is a musical genius. Self taught he wrote and recorded his first album Hi, How Are You? and in his weird little way, introduced it to musicians, DJs and just about anyone who would listen to it. And although Daniel isn't known for his singing abilities (he's very high pitched, nasal and off tune) or his ability to play the guitar (he's amazing on the organ/piano but he's a little sketchy with the stringed instruments) there was something magical in his lyrics. People say he's right up there with John Lennon, that his raw talent is greater than Bob Dylan and anything that he produced with the Basement Tapes (this part is stolen straight from the documentary), but I don't think he can really be compared to anyone. Bands such as Nirvana and Sonic Youth (amongst others) wanted to take him on tour with them in the attempt to help him achieve commercial success but his mental problems always have been too strong to allow that to happen. If I can suggest something to you, it would be to rent the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston, click here to see the trailer. Even if you're not a documentary lover (which I am), this movie will do something to you.

The Daniel Johnston we saw last night, is much older than the picture above. His hair is just shocks of white that hang over his thick, dark eyebrows. He's heavier now and his left arm shakes noticeably while he plays and sings; but his lyrics were just amazing and I was moved last night sitting in the balcony listening to him-- just as I was when I learned about his life, his struggles with depression, mania and the desire to be an artist while his family struggles to keep him happy, safe and on his medication which they know stifles his creativity. Believe me when I tell you that his music isn't everyone's cup of tea but there's just something that makes you want to listen to it, that makes you understand the sadness, the madness and the ultimate genius that is Daniel Johnston.

PS. Love you Babe! Happy 29th!

Last night I was afforded something quite unusual. I was allowed to watch John relive his bachelor days. Most husbands would've phoned home and said they had to work late and let the night conceal their secrets. John openly admitted, "This is what I used to do most late nights in the city" as he switched on his computer tower that's now hooked into our 50" TV...so he essentially has a 50" monitor. First I sighed, then I settled in to watch something...perhaps double penetration?

And then he did the unthinkable...

He started loading Cd's into his computer and began ripping and sorting them into the appropriate folders--carefully checking to see which albums he still needed for certain artists. He was updating his digital music library, and with more glee than if he were buying a drink for some Philly waitress hoping to take her home with him.