John Darnielle doesn't like attention, which is partially why he relocated to Durham more than a year ago rather than a big city. However, he says, his main reasons for moving included "the nearness to the ocean, the weather and the widespread availability of boiled peanuts."
Darnielle is the frontman and brainchild of one of the world's most influential independent rock bands, The Mountain Goats. Often referred to as the founders of lo-fi-the genre that features minimalist guitars and drums and focuses no lyrics-Darnielle formed the band while he was still in nursing school in California, and he hasn't looked back since. Recently, The New Yorker called him one of the best lyricists of our time, a big compliment to Darnielle because he always writes lyrics before the music. "Naturally," he said, "I feel pretty good about it."
Earlier this year The Mountain Goats released The Sunset Tree, their 13th full-length album named after a 19th-century hymn, into the eager hands of fans. Luckily for the fans, however, they did not have to wait long for the album. Since The Mountain Goats first formed, they have been putting out at least one album per year, sometimes up to three.
In the past, Darnielle made news by releasing each of The Mountain Goat's albums on a different record label. "Back in the day I moved around because I wrote more songs than most labels wanted to release," he said. "Everybody loves this 'one album per year' business model, which I think is kind of lame if an artist is writing three."
Over the past four years, however, Darnielle has begun to slow down and record just one album per year, sticking with one 4AD, a large independent mainstay. "My output has decreased as the quality of the songs increased, so it makes sense for me to stick with 4AD these past few years."
Because of the frequency of his releases, Darnielle rarely gets to rest. "The cycle I follow," he said, "is simple: I write an album, record it, wait for the release, tour 'til I drop, and then repeat."
Despite his overwhelming success and international audience, Darnielle still chooses to stay a part of independent world. "Independent labels obviously offer a high degree of personal involvement which is very nice, from both personal and business perspectives," he said. "And the amount of personal connection I get to the people who listen to my songs is better than gold, and so important to me."
However, the decision to remain indie has not been an easy one, and Darnielle often asks himself if he should cross over to the mainstream side of music and sign to a major label. "Because I'm also a husband," he said, "it obviously makes me feel good to be able to provide for my wife. So if going mainstream could make it easier to do that, and maybe take me off the road long enough to be able to have children without having to feed them gruel, I might do it. But one reason I have no kids is that, regardless of being in an independent or mainstream band, constant touring doesn't allow a person to be a good father."
Unlike most indie bands, however, Darnielle does not shun or dislike mainstream music-he simply chooses to ignore it. "Recently, the audience for [independent music] has broadened," he explained. "People who listened to that type of music when it was more obscure have now attained positions of influence. But I value obscurity-I love a lot of things that are nearly invisible. But I also think it's a little ripe to ask that one's favorite music remain secret-why should it? Then again, secrets are nice, and once they're not secret, part of their niceness is gone forever."
Despite this internal conflict, in the end Darnielle is content with his life and is also very happy with his and his wife's decision to move to Durham. Since the move, he has discovered and become familiar with the Triangle-area music scene, quickly name-dropping local favorites Bellafea and design artist, record label founder and local legend Ron Liberti. "I'm kind of a hermit," he said. "But everyone I do meet has been really nice to me."
For now, he is content simply making music, although he hopes to begin to settle down. "For me," he said, "I'm going to stick with my rigorous workout schedule at [Martial Arts Dojo] Quest Center and have some downtime with my wife. As for The Mountain Goats, we're going to record a new album early next year and then tour Australia again shortly thereafter." Many have speculated that Darnielle will not stop until he dies, and he does not refute it. "I plan to make music and do what I love for as long as I possibly can," he said.
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