Jeff Feuerzeig's much lauded (as in darling of Sundance) documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston has hit DVD this past week and we're excited to announce that one of the disk's bonus features is audio (accompanied by WFMU's logo) culled from the legendary Music Faucet broadcast. This program, which was hosted by Nicholas Hill in February of 1990, was an amazing hour of Daniel performing via telephone at home (at times with Yo La Tengo playing along in the FMU East Orange studios), conjuring up a dizzying, primitive rock opera with Johnston performing all the characters' parts in glorious lo-fidelity while playing tapes, cueing records and playing assorted instruments right into his phone. It's such an action-packed sugar buzz of a show that Johnston barely allows Nick to introduce Yo La Tengo ("hi band!" he blurts before moving on quickly), and is an overall stunning snapshot of Daniel in high gear directly transmitting his personal universe right on the spot in a way rarely heard in his other recorded output. As for the film itself, it's rare that a documentary about a musical cult icon traverses interest boundaries to likely appeal to non-fans or those unaware of the hipness quotient that has inevitably attached itself to his entire career. Johnston's psychological troubles (which were riding at high tide during the time of this WFMU show, he had just returned to West Virginia after a harrowing NYC visit which is detailed in the film) are portrayed with sensitivity, and his talent spotlighted very well through the eccentricity. From handing out tapes at an Austin McDonalds to ascent to major-labeldom (mainly spurred on by the Cobain seal of approval) and descent, to the modern day rollercoaster ride of living low key with his parents in Texas while playing to thousands of fanatical fans in Europe, the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Daniel Johnston and the people around him are extremely well-documented herein. Feuerzeig has claimed that the FMU broadcast was his catalyst to make this film all these years, and recently was interviewed on Tom Scharpling's show (Real Audio).You can check out the 1990 broadcast as well here (Real Audio), when it was run on our Aircheck program. You can also view a trailer for the film here, and finally, you can actually see a screening of the film at WFMU's upcoming Record Fair on Saturday, November 4th at 4:00 PM. Feuerzeig will be present for Q&A afterwards (125 West 18th Street in Manhattan).
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