09-2004 / The Guardian / Daniel Johnston

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Stephen Pastel, the Pastels

It's right that Daniel is now talked of as an American classic in the mould of Robert Johnson. Although he's earned this tag "the Godfather of lo-fi", the actual composition is very sophisticated. He's like Paul McCartney in the way he uses melody against chord progressions. There have been periods when his behaviour has been very delusional, but I think his illness has left him with acutely heightened senses. He has that visionary intensity of a great artist. I try not to listen too closely to the lyrics because I tend to think: "Fucking hell!"

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