[Jandek] Re: jandek Digest, Vol 56, Issue 172

[Aunt Acid]

I am not sure how "valid" I think my own theory is, but I have mentioned it to this list before, about how the name could be referential to a unit of military men. I think there's alot of stuff that points to him possibly serving in Vietnam during his late teens/early twenties, including "Ready For The House" possibly representing either his readiness to return home or a readiness to die (ready for the house of god, etc). This would also support my theory (and Chris Robinson's in the previous post) that alot of the band stuff was his "teenage rock band" and that perhaps things like RFTH and the other solo records were what he recorded upon returning home from the war. I've always felt that, when compared to later more "compilation" records like "Modern Dances" and "On The Way", RFTH and "Six And Six" are undeniably records that were conceived as full records, and not just a collection of songs. With that in mind, I tend to feel that they were made at a
 different time than the band material, and like Chris said alot of the earlier stuff REALLY sounds like it was a bunch of teenagers having fun.

Of course, this is all just wonderful speculation, but that's what makes Jandek so interesting sometimes!

Cheers,
Brian





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From: "jandek-request at mylist.net" <jandek-request at mylist.net>
To: jandek at mylist.net
Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 12:00:33 AM
Subject: jandek Digest, Vol 56, Issue 172

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Today's Topics:

   1. re: the units theory (26) (Chris Robinson)
   2. Re: re: the units theory (26) (Simon Greenwood)



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Interesting idea.  I've always wondered if "The Units" was the name of the band that appears on the full band recordings.  It definitely sounds like a garage band kind of name.  Of course, this theory only makes sense if you think that most (if not all) of the "band" material was created prior to 1978 (and I do).  

Furthermore, I've often wondered if the one-man band stuff (i.e. "The Rocks Crumble," "Interstellar Discussion," maybe the version of "European Jewel" from Chair Beside A Window) could be a later attempt to singlehandedly approximate the more chaotic garage band material.  But I don't know.  I've always felt that albums such as "Foreign Keys," "Modern Dances" (most of it at least), "Follow Your Footsteps" (most of it) and "Telegraph Melts" were recordings made by Jandek as a younger man.  There is a lot of youthful energy present on those records.  Later full band stuff like "You Walk Alone," etc. I'm not so sure about.  

But I don't know.  I'm just throwing ideas out there.

-Chris
The Units is a very good anonymous name - very punk/new wave as is (yes, 
is - they're still going) the other band of the same name. I quite like 
26's theory as the boxes that Corwood received from the pressing plant 
would say '50 units' on them or something like that, and it fits in with 
the Rep's ongoing need to hide in plain sight.

s/

Chris Robinson wrote:
> Interesting idea.  I've always wondered if "The Units" was the name of 
> the band that appears on the full band recordings.  It definitely 
> sounds like a garage band kind of name.  Of course, this theory only 
> makes sense if you think that most (if not all) of the "band" material 
> was created prior to 1978 (and I do). 
>
> Furthermore, I've often wondered if the one-man band stuff (i.e. "The 
> Rocks Crumble," "Interstellar Discussion," maybe the version of 
> "European Jewel" from Chair Beside A Window) could be a later attempt 
> to singlehandedly approximate the more chaotic garage band material.  
> But I don't know.  I've always felt that albums such as "Foreign 
> Keys," "Modern Dances" (most of it at least), "Follow Your Footsteps" 
> (most of it) and "Telegraph Melts" were recordings made by Jandek as a 
> younger man.  There is a lot of youthful energy present on those 
> records.  Later full band stuff like "You Walk Alone," etc. I'm not so 
> sure about. 
>
> But I don't know.  I'm just throwing ideas out there.
>
> -Chris
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> jandek mailing list
> jandek at mylist.net
> http://mylist.net/listinfo/jandek
>  



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