Local music hero Daniel Johnston passed away yesterday. Most of you all who don’t live around Austin are probably asking, “who?” I’ll go with the easiest answer. You may remember Kurt Cobain wearing a shirt with this weird frog on it saying “Hi, how are you” That was something Daniel was known for alongside being one of Kurt’s inspirations.
He did get a brief revival after Nirvana was the biggest act on the planet but it never translated beyond cult status.
I knew about Daniel on the peripheral of my mind yet never saw him perform. Hell, I don’t have any clue what his music sounds like beyond him being a musician’s musician (see Big Star, Velvet Underground, Vic Chestnut). Maybe we’ll get a stronger idea because death is sadly a good career move in sealing immortality before mediocrity sets in: Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, etc.; or can lift others from obscurity: Stevie Ray Vaughn, Nick Drake, Ian Curtis.