‘Hi, How Are You?' is the sixth self released album by artist Daniel Johnston., writes Max Lequeux of Logan Park High School.
Recorded in 1983 while Johnston was working at a MacDonald's in Austin, Texas, this album is without a doubt his most famous work to date.
What really endears this album is Johnston's sincerity and increasing musical ability, creating what can only be described as incredibly lo-fi pop music. Although not a major record label album, Johnston managed to make a significant mark in the American music scene.
A shameless self promoter, Daniel would go out in the streets and hand out free copies of his self-recorded tapes to, as he puts it, ‘anyone who looked like they liked music.' His persistence was well received and he even got a guest spot on MTV show The Cutting Edge, just by turning up.
The terrible recording quality of his Sanyo monaural Boombox even adds to the uniqueness of his music, making it strangely more enjoyable. As I see it, the album is an ode to Daniel's decreasing mental stability.
Many of the songs' lyrics describe Daniel's misunderstanding of other people and of life outside his mind.
The first song, Poor You, epitomises this; ‘Every morning he got up, dreading each moment he had to be awake [...]But late at night, he had a mistress, in his dreams, in his sleep, And she would say "poor you, poor you", No one understands you, poor you."'
It is an incredibly interesting album, with lyrics that are so natural, seemingly thought up on the spot, and yet they sound so good.
In ‘Hi, How Are You?' Daniel experiments much more with his voice than in previous albums such as Don't Be Scared.
The interchanging between the songs where there are only vocals and where his organ, or guitar, come in, give a very flowing feel to this album, which makes it more of a whole, rather than 15 songs.
Considerably well received at its time within the Texas music scene he even attracted the attention of such artists as Sonic Youth and The Butthole Surfers.
However increasing drug use and a declining mental state caused him much distress within these circles.
The generally accepted term for Johnston's music is ‘Outsider Music'; yet, I find that this doesn't give a very clear idea of what the album really is.
Music nowadays seems to have drifted so far from the artistic roots that spawned it.
An image has become so much more than actual talent, the ugly are kept behind the scenes, writing songs for the likes of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus.
I ask you to widen your horizons and give the odd and wonderful a chance, because, as much as people seem to believe it, Lady Gaga really isn't such a quirky musician, she just wears odd clothes.
To encapsulate this whole masterpiece as ‘out of the ordinary' does not even come close to describing it.
It is raw, inspiring, emotional, and above all well executed.
Daniel Johnston doesn't look to get a certain sound, or if he does, it is the sound of his feelings.
He projects himself into his organ, or guitar, or keyboard, and gets pure gold.
I would give it an 8/10.
- Max Lequeux is a Year 13 pupil at Logan Park High School
