Jim James discusses Townes Van Zandt

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http://www.austin360.com/music/jim-james-talks-townes-van-zandt-from-the-2049091.html?page=2&viewAsSinglePage=true

Jim James talks Townes Van Zandt, from the book I'll Be Here In The Morning
I e-mailed My Morning Jacket's manager eight years ago. Said I was writing a book about Townes Van Zandt and wanted to include Jim James' thoughts. I had no idea whether James had heard the name let alone the music, but I was asking every songwriter under the sun at that point. James himself replied the very same day. Not verbatim but close: "Sure, man! I love Townes! Let me know when!" (I do know that he used several exclamation points.)
We met a couple weeks later when My Morning Jacket was in Boulder, Colo., to play the Fox Theater. James was utterly earthy as he tumbled out of the tour bus with all that hair and his holey T-shirt. We walked unnoticed that afternoon to a Mexican joint. Ordered Dos Equis. Talked Townes nonstop for at least 45 minutes. When we finished, I told James that my buddy Mike was waiting on the front patio. The day was bright and crisp and James suggested we join him. We did. Then we ordered another round and talked about everything and nothing for another hour until sound check.
— Brian T. Atkinson
Here are Jim James' thoughts on Townes Van Zandt from Atkinson's new book, from "I'll Be Here In the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt":
We played Austin a lot, and some of my buddies there were always trying to get me into Townes. They kept saying, "You gotta hear this guy. You'll love him." I remember hearing about Townes and seeing articles, but back then I didn't really know anything about him. A friend of mine gave me a twenty-song mix in 1999 with a bunch of Townes songs. The first time I listened to it, I didn't like it at all. A few months after that I found the CD again and said, "I'm gonna try this once more," and I've never stopped listening to it since.
I don't know exactly why it took me so long to get deep into his music, but I find that most of my favorite artists or albums are like that. I'll listen to something and think, "Well, that's okay," and put it back for a few weeks. Then I'll find it again, and it'll hit me when the universe somehow knows I'm ready. Lots of times, I think you have to mature somehow before you're ready for something like that, sort of how kids don't like Brussels sprouts until they are much older. It's deep in the melody, the production of his songs — I'm big on soundscape — where the magic comes alive for me. Like the flute on "Come Tomorrow."
I grew up on everything from the Muppets to Janet Jackson to the Beatles, but in high school, like many other souls out there, I gravitated to heavier, sadder sounding music and bands like the Red House Painters and the slower side of R.E.M., who could sometimes sound influenced by traditional country music in very subtle ways. There was a song called "Country Feedback" in particular by R.E.M., as well as seeing Johnny Cash on "Austin City Limits" by chance on TV one night that got me curious about the dark gateway of real country music: Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, John Prine, Waylon and Willie and the boys. After loving those guys so much it was a real gift, the cherry on my country sundae, to find someone like Townes. I thought I had heard all I needed to hear as far as country music went, but the spirits proved to me that that is never true. There is always something new waiting to surprise you. You get a funny Townes song like "No Deal," or you get a really dark song like "Kathleen." There are so many variables, and that's what I like the most. I think that he is great at conveying sadness, but then he'll have something goofy like "Turnstyled, Junkpiled" that's fun and frolicking.
Most of the time when I first hear new music my brain doesn't really pick up on the lyrics. I just get sucked into a song because of the way it feels, the dance that a particular song does and what it does with you, the way Townes' sad music uplifts. You feel it even if you can't quite pick up on literal aspects of what he is saying, or perhaps if what he is saying specifically doesn't even relate to your life situation. There's a comfort in being there and staying in that place. You're there with him, and you get through it. I strive to do that in our recordings, too, to keep it sounding Technicolor but still futuristic. I hope there is some thread within where a person feels it even if the specific song might not be addressing an actual issue in their life. The feeling is there, and we are connected.
I've covered "Be Here to Love Me" sometimes, and I like that one a lot. I've really been into "Come Tomorrow" lately just because it's such a sweet song. We tried to cover "No Deal" on our first Monsters of Folk tour, and we sat around in the basement drinking beers working on it, trying to get to that place, but we couldn't master the delivery. That song is hilarious.
I think the thing that strikes me so much about Townes is that out of all the legends that we all hold up so dear, to me he's one of the most human (and) ordinary people. I think that makes it more special. I just feel like he's touchable somehow. He's such a giant, but he's also a normal guy. Being a musician, you're always living in the shadows of "the greats." Maybe because Townes is a little more current and died so recently, he's more tangible and still feels like "one of us." His voice, his delivery is so real. He doesn't sugarcoat it at all.
You hear about Townes from people you love and trust, (which is) the best way to be turned on to new music and the best way to start a lasting relationship with any artist. Sometimes the world has a way of bastardizing a person's legend, focusing on their social standing or the circumstances around their death or the fact that they're an alcoholic or a drug addict more than the music they made. It's so sad to see someone's legacy get lost in all that. Hopefully by having remained so down to earth, future generations will just focus on Townes' music, which he knew was the most important part.

[subinai]

wooowwwwwwww. that gave me chills. thank you for sharing this.

[ChiefOKONO]

Thank you, very cool indeed!

[weeniebeenie]

I've gotta get that book!!

[Cameron]

i read the book in a few hours.  really good stories and reflections on TVZ.

[mbuha]

good documentary on townes on netfilx too. most you guys probably knew that im guessin.

[Ghosts_on_TV]

good documentary on townes on netfilx too. most you guys probably knew that im guessin.

Be here to love me? I'm assuming that's it, its the only Townes doc that im aware of. But yes, its Excellent.

[weeniebeenie]

good documentary on townes on netfilx too. most you guys probably knew that im guessin.

Be here to love me? I'm assuming that's it, its the only Townes doc that im aware of. But yes, its Excellent.

He's also on that documentary Heartworn Highways.