[Jandek] Re: jandek Digest, Vol 54, Issue 162

[Justin Edward Mitchell]

went to see tom waits last night: unreal.
  imagine what we could do here in memphis with jandek. . .

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Today's Topics:

1. Re: Glasgow Sunday DVD review (Danen D. Jobe)
2. Re: Re: jandek Digest, Vol 54, Issue 159 (Frank Hardy)
3. 2 Records (Christopher Hamblin)
From: "Danen D. Jobe" <djobe at uark.edu>
Subject: Re: [Jandek] Glasgow Sunday DVD review
Date: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:50:20 -0500
To: jandek at mylist.net

I've sort of wondered if his refusal to include band info is cause he doesn't know how to bill himself. We call him Jandek, but he's been pretty open that "Jandek" is more of a concept, and "Sterling Smith" isn't Jandek (as we've been told countless times). Jandek is to be an anonymous collective, but that idea worked best on the studio albums, which come from SOME time, but we don't know exactly WHAT time.

In that regard, you'd think he wouldn't mention the date and place of recording, but he does, and that's the part that stumps me - why that and not the players? All are public knowledge.

And then there's the DVD! Camera 1 is entirely focused on the Man, showing that he recognizes that people will want to see this view. And, obviously, he writes the songs (it works musically like a jazz band - everybody contributes but only one guy calls the shots). That makes Jandek more like collectives such as the Fall, the Mountain Goats or Sparklehorse - bands that sometimes have other people around, but that we all know are pretty much one guy.

Historically, most of his albums are closest to the Residents (as far as identity goes - not the music, for the most part) BUT the Residents ALWAYS credited Snakefinger with the stellar guitar work on their late 70's albums. So could Corwood not have said "featuring contributions from Richard Youngs on bass and Alex Neilson on drums," and simply not billed himself? Note that the Seattle show has already been announced "with the same band as the Portland show." After Toronto and Chicago (and I'm now going to BOTH btw - anyone else going to Toronto?) we'll know who those bands - if there are any - are, so why not publish the info?

I don't know, but it's one of the last "rules" that he's sticking with. I can only say that having heard the first three shows by this band, I am continually amazed by the telepathic ability they have to read each other. Everything syncs, and you'd think they'd been playing together for years (was Alex even born when 'Ready for the House' came out?).

So this email's getting too long, but I'd love to hear other people's comments on this. Should he start listing band members on the discs or keep them anonymous? I mean, he's gonna do what he's gonna do regardless - we know that. But how do the rest of you all feel?
I agree that Jandek was sort of a jerk in not crediting Nielson and Youngs. Let's face it, they're the best backup musicians the guy had ever had up to that point. But hey, he's a curmudgeonly old man, may as well let him have his fun. 

SCOTT MCKEATING <scottjames23 at btinternet.com> wrote:   
Hey all,

Review up @
http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/movie_review/glasgow-sunday.htm

Comments welcome.

Best,

Scott


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From: Frank Hardy <soccerdude219 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Jandek] Re: jandek Digest, Vol 54, Issue 159
Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 20:45:52 -0700 (PDT)
To: Jandek <jandek at mylist.net>

  Yeah, but we can't trust what Jandek says either. Remember, he used to deny that he was Sterling Smith. I just like to believe the Providence story, if only because the idea of Jandek and Nancy traveling the country in a hearse is too romantic and awesome to brush aside- but I admit it sounds totally bogus. 
   
  But think about this- the trip across the country could have inspired his "southern travelouge" from Nine-Thirty. And, even though it proves nothing, remember the lyric "Rhode Island’s got my name" from "Phoenix" on One Foot in the North? I always interpreted it as a clue to his family origin. 
   
  Besides, Danen, what could "Josh" or the Yahoo guy do to prove that their information is true that wouldn't compromise Jandek or Nancy's privacy? "My mom knows Nancy and here is her phone number"? 
   
  And come on, it's not like Nancy is ever going to post to this list and be like "yup, it's me." And even if someone did, you'd scrutinize them too, and with good reason. 
   
  Hey "Josh" (magneticring at telus.net ), if you're still on the list, do you care to provide any further evidence of your original claim, if possible? Do you think she'd consent to an interview? I bet she'd do it for enough cash, and we could finance it if we pooled all of our money together... It'd be the interview of the century. Then we can have a bidding war between Mojo, Wire, Spin, and Pitchfork over who gets to run it and we'll make all our money back and then some. We could call it "Nancy Speaks". 

  -F. Hardy
  
"Danen D. Jobe" <djobe at uark.edu> wrote:
  Two reasons it wasn't in the documentary:

1. The makers respect Corwood's wish for privacy, and this would violate that, even as speculation. They had a good deal from Corwood and part of that was respecting that his private life be left alone. Note that nobody's ever come forward and said, "hey, I was on a Jandek album, let me tell you about it." It's about respect.

2. Look at the yahoo posting in particular: rule of thumb on urban legends is never trust anyone who says "this comes from a close friend, not a friend of a friend thing." In fact, that posting looks suspiciously (to me) as if somebody read the EARLIER posting and then rewrote it into a "hey, look at me" post. "It's well informed." So's the Weekly World News. I wouldn't trust that "now you know" by any means.

The other (the list posting) carries more of a feel of truth. I remember that email and that we hashed out at the time, and as I remember the person involved never said it meant Jandek "grew up" there, or that it meant anything really; it was just speculation. 

Mostly, if Corwood says he hasn't been to Providence, I'd say that it isn't a game he's playing trying to get people to say "aha! that's where he's from" but rather him saying "don't go there." In no way would I credit those postings as saying he's 'from' there. Mostly, btw, because neither one is from the PERSON in Providence proported to be "Nancy," or even the friend of Nancy. The most suspicious thing is that both are from second (and even third) hand sources. 

Sorry if I sound like I'm flaming - I'm not. I just don't think this is enough info to say "now you know."

Danen
    
This is amazing info. How come it wasn't put into the documentary? 


  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Frank Hardy <soccerdude219 at yahoo.com>
To: Jandek <jandek at mylist.net>
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 10:15:25 -0700 (PDT) 
Subject: Re: [Jandek] jandek's hometown....
  It's been confirmed by two different people, one on this list, and another on Yahoo, that Jandek grew up in Providence and recorded his early material there, at least the stuff up until Nancy dissapears: 
   
  in random conversation with a girl i know from providence, i discovered that her mom, who was also one of my high school english teachers, used to 'date' jandek back in her younger years. they apparently traveled the country together in a hearse, and she sang on one of his records..'nancy' or something like that. weird huh.
   
   -ren
   
  and
   
  A friend from Providence, Rhode Island¹s mother is good friends with the
woman known as "Nancy" on some of the early recordings. She lives in Providence and sterling visits her on and off. Supposedly he grew up there. And this isn¹t one of those a friend of a friend of a friend told me..... Its well informed.

Now you know.
   
  Now, Jandek flatly denies having ever been to Providence, but of course we can't trust him. I bet he just doesn't want people searching out his family. In fact all you'd have to do is go down to Providence town hall and search the birth records for a Sterling Richard Smith born on October 26th, 1945... 
  



Alimarea Vasquez <beachdame125 at hotmail.com> wrote:
  I am very interested at why you feel that he grew up in Providence, Rhode 
Island

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Subject: [Jandek] 2 Records
Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 16:22:49 -0400
To: jandek at mylist.net

I'm feeling a bit like a giant dork, but I came home today to find my very 
first package from Corwood Industries containing "Chair Beside a Window" and 
"The Place." I'm so very excited about it. I'm not even able to open them 
just yet. In repsonse to my request for permission to learn some of the 
material, the note enclosed said:

LeARNiNg, PeRFORMiNg OK
RecoRdiNg NOT.


I close a production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch tonight, which I'm music 
director and pianist for, so it's a great day.

Christopher

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