EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/4A7MweH.jpg)
So I recently felt like I was dealing in something illegal.
A couple weeks back, with the passing of Lou Reed, it made me remember my music collection and how much it meant to me at one time. It also reminded me that not all musicians will be around forever. So in turn, I thought about various artists and I remembered the king of punk, the true outsider artist that is Jandek.
I finally made the decision to attempt to order from Jandek directly, through the “Corwood Industries” PO Box which is a piece of musical history in itself.
I wrote the check, filled out a self-made order form, and dropped the letter in the mail. In just a couple weeks I get this package back with the items I ordered…and yes, I ordered so many because if you order 20 or more items from the Corwood Industries catalog, you get half off the entire order, which is always a plus.
It was so odd because of how the entire exchange is both personal between the artist and myself, but also very distant in that Jandek does not seem to speak much with people, offers no letters or thank you notes, just ships your order, no packing slip, just a paper with the Corwood Industries catalog of albums and pricing on it.
It is confusing and like some secret drug deal went down. You do not have contact information except the PO Box. You just trust that when you drop that check in the mail you will get your items. There is almost something nostalgic about it as well. In a world where we are so used to Amazon Prime and fast delivery, I forgot the fun in getting home, finding a box that I was not sure what it could be, almost forgetting that I had ever ordered anything, and finding a treasure trove of musical fun there, just begging for me to open it.
I forgot that aspect of childhood, along with the tortures and pleasures of that wait. I forgot that immediate gratification is not necessary for enjoyment. I am thankful to Jandek for this reminder...and that is part of what makes him one of the most important living musicians to me.
