Grayson Currin ·
25 Feb 2009, 5:07 PM ·
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Jandek (with John Darnielle, Anne Gomez and Brian Jones)
Gerrard Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill
Sunday, Feb. 21
Jandek at showtime in Chapel Hill, Sunday, Feb. 21 (Credit: Casey Throneburg)
Jandek spent the first 26 years of his career removed from the very human perils of live performance. During those decades, the prolific Houston songwriter/ improviser/ label head did just two interviews, made no public appearances, never revealed his true identity, and communicated with his zealous cult following only through a voluminous recorded output, mysterious album art and elliptical handwritten notes. In 2004, however, Jandek broke this embargo, playing a surprise set backed by Brit experimentalists Richard Youngs and Alex Nielson at a festival in Glasgow. Over the next four years, he joined musicians like Tom Carter, Susan Alcorn and Loren Connors for 40 concerts across the world, fronting minimally rehearsed pick-up bands organized by the show’s respective promoter. Sunday night, he appeared for the 42nd time ever, playing Gerrard Hall in Chapel Hill.
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Live Actions: Reviews Anne Gomez, Jandek, The Mountain Goats
Grayson Currin ·
19 Feb 2009, 2:03 PM ·
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In 1985, John Trubee did something that—maybe?–one person’s done since: interview Jandek. Trubee talked to Jandek for Spin, then in its first year, though the 50-minute tape wasn’t released until the 2004 arrival of the documentary Jandek on Corwood. A Jandek fan named Jamie Morrison got around to transcribing the interview last year, posting the results on a Jandek listserv. Download the full transcript here, or read my favorite 300 words (and listen to a bit of it) after the break. Continue reading »
Interviews and Long Cuts Jandek
Grayson Currin ·
10 Feb 2009, 9:46 AM ·
7 Comments
Enigmatic Texas songwriter and improviser Jandek will play the 42nd show of his 31-year recording career in Chapel Hill’s Gerrard Hall Sunday, Feb. 22. Jandek didn’t make a public appearance between 1978 and 2004, finally appearing at a Glasgow festival in October 2004. Since, he’s played sporadic concerts across the world with pick-up, one-time bands. This is Jandek’s only currently scheduled stop.
According to the Chapel Hill concert’s organizers, Richmond’s Brian Jones—co-founder of funk-pop band Agents of Good Roots—will back Jandek on drums for the second time. John Darnielle of Durham’s The Mountain Goats will accompany Jandek on keyboards, and Anne Gomez of Durham’s Cantwell, Gomez & Jordan will join the band on bass. Jandek will play electric guitar. This marks Darnielle’s first public appearance on keyboards since age 9. Continue reading »
Live Actions: New Bills Jandek, The Mountain Goats
