[Jandek] Re: Would you read a Jandek bio?

[SAMUEL_MATHESON at acdi-cida.gc.ca]

I have to admit I'd read a straight-up autobio and probably an
"investigative" unauthorized bio as well.  It's a bit like the Residents -
I want to know who they really are/were but don't want to know, as the
mystery is part of the appeal, but nevertheless would likely read through
any "exposé" to satisfy my base curiosity and given that any revelations
would probably be revealed soon enough in the real/virtual alt-music
circles I frequent, given Jandek's new visibility.

And in any event, if it's something the Respresentative did himself, well,
why not read it?  Just by its nature it would be part of the overall
"Jandek Story", and I wouldn't be too handcuffed to maintaining the mystery
in that event, even if it would be a bit disappointing to have years of
intriguing speculation put paid to by mundane fact  (although in some
instances the real stories are almost as intriguing as the speculations -
fans of horror B-movies will likely know the story behind "Last House on
Dead End Street", for ex, which was subject to years of speculation about
who made it and under what circumstances, and when the real story was
revealed it was pretty much a match for any speculations).



----- Message from Matthew Elliott <soccerdude219 at yahoo.com> on Mon, 16 Jul
2007 09:06:41 -0700 (PDT) -----
                                                                           
      To: Jandek <jandek at mylist.net>                                       
                                                                           
 Subject: Re: [Jandek] The Bowery, Beacon Hill, Biography, Brooklyn        
          Wednesday                                                        
                                                                           

Interesting response, Danen, but it seems my question needs clarification:
I meant if his autobiography were straight up, an unartistic narrative of
his life, as if it were a Wikipedia page. The purpose of the question was
thus: if Jandek changed his philosophy and became a "public" figure,
granting interviews and writing said book, would his fans accept it or
consider him to be comitting an act of self-heresy?

"Danen D. Jobe" <djobe at uark.edu> wrote:

 >  Which leads me to another question: if Jandek suddenly published
 > his autobiography, would you read it?
 He - for real - publishes it? Doesn't seem to be his focus, but what the
 hell. If HE really put it out, why not? As a collector, I'd have to have
 it, and I'd be interested to see how he phrased it, how the prose
 connected. Judging by recent lyrics I'd say it would read like a Beckett
 novel, and that most of the "events" would be indecipherable in a
 realistic sense. But I don't think he's interested in autobiography from a
 "novelistic" point. How his life works into this strange dream that is
 Jandek's world is, I think, the main focus of the albums post-"The
 Beginning." But it could all be fiction. That's part of the fun.


  Another scenario: a crack
 > team of investigative reporters find "Nancy", etc. and piece
 > together the story of Jandek's life without his consent. Would you
 > read that book?
 Under no circumstances. He's the artist - his personal life, and the lives
 of those involved as part of "Jandek," should be left alone.  May "Nancy"
 have found happiness, wherever she may be. It would be so not right to
 publicly expose that. But that's me.

 P.S.: Brooklyn's coming. 4 CD set (both sets of show). I have no idea how
 much, or exactly when, but it's next in line. THAT I'm excited about.
 That's also all I know about it. Man, I can hardly contain myself.