Musical Dementia Documentaries

If you dare...dive into two wonderful musical minds that took a departure from reality.  I would like to recommend two amazing doumentaries about two influential performers.  "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" about Daniel Johnston and "You're Gonna Miss Me" profiling the great Roky Erickson from 13th Floor Elevators.  Both men are creative multi-instrumentalists who have written many songs.  Read more after the jump.

Both fascinating films are sad, beautiful, and hopeful portrayals of creative men who suffer psychological and emotional pain.  The journey that each man takes is so remarkably similar to the other.   In the each film we find that Johnston and Erickson,  both influential to many musicians who came after them, travel down a road that literally and psychologically leads them to hell.  Each story touches on the responsibility of family, and the extent of that responsibility.  Ultimately, the films culminate with themes of redemption not just for the musicians, but also for those that live in their world.  If you haven't seen them give them a rent and let me now what you think.

"The Devil and Daniel Johnston"

The Devil and Daniel Johnston on Amazon

"You're Gonna Miss Me"

You're Gonna Miss Me on Amazon