Half Japanese formed in the mid-seventies, and the band, which initially consisted of just brothers Jad and David Fair, would go on to have an musical impact on par with fellow primitive rock and roll ideologues Beat Happening and forebears The Shaggs. Kurt Cobain and Penn Jillette both championed their qualities to a larger audience, and their early history is even chronicled in a film entitled Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King by The Devil and Daniel Johnston director Jeff Feurezeig. Even after David left Half Japanese to pursue other things, Jad kept the love lights glowing by recording both under the band’s name and his own, collaborating with many other musicians along the way. ...

With Speeding Motorcycle, Zach Scott Theater has delivered a solid product. The basic story is simple—boy meets girl; boy becomes obsessed with girl; boy really, really can’t let go. The show also deals with Johnston’s stint inside the mental hospital system. we’d recommend it for any Johnston fan, but unlike most of Zach’s offerings, bringing your granny, your momma or your baby sister might be a little problematic....

Accompanying the current exhibition at the Harry Ransom Center, Beat Voices delves further into the doings of Peter Orlovsky, Diane di Prima, William S. Burroughs, and Alfred Leslie. The production's four brief plays run Sat-Sun @1 & 3pm until the exhibition closes on August 3. // The rock opera Speeding Motorcycle at Zach Scott Theater is based on the work of Daniel Johnston and tells the tale of Joe the Boxer's unrequited love for an undertaker's girlfriend. We're betting it won't disappoint. Through March 23, Thu-Sat @8pm / Sun @2:30pm....

Infernal Bridegroom Productions and Zachary Scott Theatre Center have teamed up to bring Austin the Daniel Johnston inspired Speeding Motorcycle rock opera, starting on Valentine’s Day on the Kleberg Stage at the ZACH. The show runs until mid-April. Wednesday evening shows can be attended for a special price of $15 while discounts for seniors, students, and groups of eight or more are also available....

Just how much do you know about local artist Daniel Johnston? Enough to play Captain America or Joe the Boxer on stage? Convincingly? If you happen to have two Johnston pieces in your repertoire, check out this little gem we spotted in the current issue of the Austin Chronicle: "After two wildly successful runs at Houston's Axiom last year, Jason Nodler's original rock opera Speeding Motorcycle, based on the life and music of Daniel Johnston,......

It takes a special artist to bridge the gap between The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, and Norah Jones, and apparently M. Ward is that man. Ward has opened for all of these acts in the past two years, and has somehow managed to appeal to all of their audiences. His wonderful album Post-War met with universal acclaim upon release, ending up on best of '06 lists from The Onion, Paste, The Guardian, and......

To those of you who followed the false Daniel Johnston rumors earlier this afternoon, and especially to those to wrote in to us or left comments: The rumors stemmed from a confusing timestamp glitch in a past news article, which generated a considerable amount of buzz on Facebook, which, in turn, caused a reader to write in to us about it. We confirmed the situation with City Hall, but only later realized that they had......

Update: Thanks to a confounding formatting glitch, it now looks like the previously mentioned rumor of tomorrow's removal of Mr. Johnston's mural was just that -- a rumor. Austinist and our sources at City Hall were both fooled by the mix-up. Our apologies for any confusion caused by this, and good on you to those who exhibited enough care to call in the story. Daniel Johnston's historic mural is safe, for now. -- Ed......

- We've heard a rumor that there are plans to tear down the famous frog mural done by Daniel Johnston on the drag. We're looking into it, but we do hope it is just a rumor. - In other UT-related news, Travis county attorneys are investigating the UT chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity after the death of freshman Tyler Cross in November. Cross died after a fall from a balcony at University Towers.......

If you're a fan of dreamy indie-pop and you haven't spent time with a Sparklehorse album, watch out. The North Carolina-based Mark Linkous and his band play hazy, epic music that is worth getting to know. All of the proper credits are here: production from Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev mainstay Dave Fridmann, a guest spot from Danger Mouse, and even some added credibility via a collaboration with Tom Waits. Add this to prior work......

Tomorrow's your last chance to vote in the PLUG Independent Music Awards, the annual audience-juried awards event that recognizes the most promising artists and members of the independent music community. Beyond traditional music categories like Album of the Year, New Artist of the Year, and genre-specific awards, PLUG also celebrates everything from live venues and music festivals to internet radio stations and music blogs. This year, several Austin or Texas-based bands, stores, and organizations......

Now that we're in mid-January, club bookings for winter and spring shows are beginning to emerge. While much internet browsing has already been done looking for the SXSW 2007 lineup, there are also plenty of great touring shows dropping in outside of those dates (thankfully). New shows from The Roots, Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, and a Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard double bill top the new additions, but there is plenty here for all musical......

Hallelujah! The day the Catholic Church and all of its minions have dreaded for the past few months (or maybe years, who knows what kind of secret prophecies they’ve got locked up in the Vatican – riiiiight??) has finally arrived. No, silly, there hasn’t been a discovery of ancient scrolls written by Jesus himself proclaiming the benefits of condom usage. Birth control and personal responsibility are still just as sinful as ever. We’re talking......

If you are not one of the fortunate few attending the invite-only performance of Daniel Johnston tonight at the Alamo South, fret not. The living legend, whose story has been told in the wonderful The Devil & Daniel Johnston, will be doing an in-store performance at Waterloo Records today at 5pm. This is a special treat, as Johnston rarely plays in Austin, and has most recently been touring only in Europe. We imagine the lines/crowds......

MONDAY [8] [music] Art Brut, Birdmonster, The Robocop Kraus at Emo's (link) [music] She Wants Revenge and OKGO at Stubb's (link) [music] The Lashes at Waterloo (Free, 5pm) (link) [film] Amelie (with FREE crème brulee) at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (link) [film] L.A. Confidential at Austin Java (8pm, FREE) (link) [film] Anime Monday at Ventana del Sol (7:30pm, FREE) (link) [film] Wet Hot American Summer at Rounders Pizzeria (6pm, FREE) (link) [film] School of Rock at......

The whole world is at your fingertips. Check it out... Shanghaiist probably knows a little more about China than the Chicago Sun-Times. Giving them the benefit of the doubt on that one. The city does too have a music scene. Don't even front like they don't. They also have Dorito bananas and white guys shopping for wives. What they don't have is any more tolerance for jaywalkers. Bostonist sees Boston and Somerville each whip out......

FRIDAY [5] [music] The Paul Green SCHOOL OF ROCK Presents "A Tribute to the Ramones" -at Redrum ($10, 7pm, also Saturday at 6pm) (info) [music] Mute Math, Love Drug, and Radiant at Stubb's (info) [music] Eisley with Simon Dawes, Brighten at La Zona Rosa (8pm) (info) [music] Sonya Kitchell at Waterloo Records (Free, 5pm) (info) [music] Zom Zoms CD release at End of an Ear (Free, 6pm) (info) [music] Ugly Beats, Bad Rackets, The Remainder......

*The Devil and Daniel Johnston A Portrait of the Artist as a Manic Depressive. Excellent documentary. Mission: Impossible III Earlier in the week we were challenged to make it through this without mentioning the word 'placenta.' Nope. An American Haunting Sissy Spacek is, like, totally goth, y'all. Ok, we'll bite. As long as you hold our hand. Celestine Prophecy You (and your mom, and your aunt and the woman next to you on the......

In the creation of art there tends to be waste. Chunks of clay hit the floor. Dollops of paint dried, and unusable on a palette. Volumes of words that go unread. In the echelon of genius, it can be the artist himself that becomes the sacrifice of the pursuit. It’s this idea that is borne out of Jeff Feuerzeig’s, The Devil and Daniel Johnston, a chronicle of the life of a living artistic icon......

You are a self-professed Daniel Johnston obsessive. Can you remember when you first heard about Daniel Johnston? I was a college radio DJ [in New Jersey], and word was trickling up from Austin, Texas, through this underground network of people--before there was an internet—through fanzine culture. I was reading a lot of fanzines, which was an underground publishing network. Word was trickling up through this network of a few hundred people around the country from......

The Devil and Daniel Johnston directed by Jeff Feuerzeig has been receiving a ton of buzz, and for good reason. The film tells the heartfelt and compelling story of one of Austin's most famous musical icons. It is a portrait of the artist as a troubled man, a movie that confronts the painful issues of mental illness and its effects on not just the artist in question but all with whom he comes in contact.......

MONDAY [1] [music] Islands, Why?, Cadence Weapon, Wilderneess, Year Future, Parts & Labor at Emo's (info) [art] Opening reception for hovel jumbles, with works by Paul Gigliotti at End of an Ear (Free, 6pm) (info) [music] Richard Buckner with Doug Gillard (Guided by Voices) at Cactus Café ($12, 8pm) (info) [film] The Boys of Baraka at Alamo Downtown (7pm) (info) [film] The Wild Angels at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm , $1) (info) [film] Anime Movie Monday......

There's a whole wide world out there, and here's the proof: DCist revels in The University of Maryland's basketball triumphs, marvels at Metro's security strategy, and applauds DC local Katie Couric's new gig. Bostonist has the best local papers! While The Globe reports on a baby shower gone bad, the 'Herald coins a gruesome new term. They put down the paper long enough to comment on an election that has gone to the dogs, and,......

Singer, songwriter, artist and Austin icon Daniel Johnston was admitted to the hospital over the weekend for what looks to be lithium poisoning. The 44-year old "outsider musician" has long suffered from both bipolar disorder and diabetes, and as a result has his blood sugar levels tested daily. After becoming "incoherent with trembling arms and hands, unable to speak coherently or even to walk," Johnston was taken to a hospital in Tomball, Texas where......

The rain has come to wash away all the sins of SXSW, and believe us, there was a lot of sin. Amazingly, it also appears to have washed away most of the live music -- looking at the music listings for this week, we see almost nothing but DJs and karaoke. Where have all the rockers gone? Answer: Rehab. But all is not lost. There are a few choice shows to go see, some art......