Jandek plays a very strange and frequently atonal form of folk and blues music, often using an open and unconventional chord structure. Jandek's music is unique, but his lyrics closely mirror the country blues and folk traditions of Eastern Texas.
Barely a handful of people claim to have contacted Jandek, whose steadfastness in anonymity is legendary. Without any conventional attempts at promotion, he releases albums through his own record label Corwood Industries, which is addressed at a Houston post office box. Fans can write to Corwood for a typewritten catalogue and order Jandek’s albums, usually at inexpensive prices. Jandek’s work has been available on vinyl and on compact discs. Many of his albums feature pictures of the same young man (seen above) at various ages; in light of Jandek's live performances it is almost entirely certain that the person featured on the album covers is Jandek himself.
Jandek’s first album, Ready for the House (1978), was first accredited to a band called “The Units” but it was obviously a solo work. Jandek presumably plays acoustic guitar and has recorded much of his work apparently unaccompanied (assuming that the person singing is also the person playing guitar). However many other songs feature female vocals and/or different male vocalists. Others feature bass guitar, electric guitar and/or drums, presumably played by collaborators. No proper credits list has ever appeared on an album, but song titles have included "Nancy Sings" and "John Plays Drums".
Some of Jandek’s allure stems from his small but devoted fan base which has included Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore, Kurt Cobain, Indian Jewelry, and K Records founder Calvin Johnson.
The mystery of Jandek's identity was partially resolved in October 2004 when Jandek performed live in Scotland, at the Instal 04 music festival in Glasgow. This was Jandek's first known live appearance and performed with Richard Youngs (bass) and Alex Neilson (drums). The man on stage was obviously the same man who appears on the album covers. Corwood stipulated that the performance was not publicized in advance. Since then, "The Representative of Corwood Industries" (as Jandek sometimes insists on being called) has played a lot of concerts and recorded all of them for future releases. The last years have seen an even higher release frequency, even for Jandek.
For more information, you may go here:
www.tisue.net/jandek
www.jandekoncorwood.com
Michael
Jandek Lyrics
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Where are you now?
[repeat]
Jandek's song "Michael" is a haunting and repetitive piece that revolves around the question "Michael, Michael / Where are you now?" The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of desperation and longing, as the singer seems to be searching for someone who has disappeared or gone missing. The sparse instrumentation and Jandek's haunting vocals only serve to amplify the sense of loss and confusion expressed in the lyrics.
The ambiguity of the lyrics leaves the interpretation up to the listener. It's possible that Michael is a real person who has disappeared, leaving the singer searching for them. Or, Michael could be a metaphor for something else entirely: a lost opportunity, a feeling, a memory. The vagueness of the lyrics allows for multiple layers of meaning to be explored.
Line by Line Meaning
Michael, Michael
An earnest call to Michael uttered twice that is indicative of a longing desire to locate his whereabouts.
Where are you now?
An inquiry that seeks to ascertain Michael's present location, which is likely of immense importance to the singer.
[repeat]
A prompt that reiterates the previous two lines, demonstrating that the urgency of the request for Michael's location has not abated.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID FISHER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Timmybear
correct. Sadly, Michael and I broke up, but it's still a great song, and we remain friends. :)
Timmybear
@infernus44 - Thank you, sir. Belated regards to your anniversary. :)
motherginsling
That's certainly nice, say hello to Youknowho for me.