comments from john darnielle on taboo vi: the homecoming.
05.29.97

        A few words from John regarding Taboo VI: the Homecoming
When I wrote and recorded Taboo VI, I had no idea that anyone outside
of a few friends would ever hear it; neither did I hope that anyone
outside of those friends would ever express any interest in it. A
couple of the things on it (Going to Alaska, Eleven Bands, Solomon
Revisited, the Hank Williams song) are things I'd stand by if pressed,
though I wish I'd've known how to sing better back when they were
recorded. While I completely understand the collector's urge, I would
offer the following caveat to anyone trying to hunt down Taboo VI: it's
not what you think it is. Its successor, the Hound Chronicles, represented
an abrupt and total change in direction, and is the stylistic starting
point for all that followed. While I can't and wouldn't disown Taboo VI,
I'd like to offer this note of caution to those who like the later stuff
and are trying to get their hands on my first efforts: you probably won't
like it much, and if you pay an inflated price for it, you'll probably
feel cheated. Having said that, if you still feel inclined to hunt it
down, I do hope that you enjoy it on its own meager terms. It means
well and didn't want to hurt anyone. Except for maybe that one guy.
I hate that guy.