We all have our pet outsider artist. For lack of a better word, by this we mean idiosyncratic artists working on the fringes of the media due to their unusual personal circumstances or the uncompromising nature of their creations. Hence, it’s no surprise that characters as compelling as Daniel Johnston, Roky Erickson, Jandek, Henry Darger, or Wesley Willis have hard their lives submitted to cinematic examination with great results. But a name conspicuously absent from that list is R. Stevie Moore, a man who has rightfully been called the godfather of bedroom-recorded, lo-fi music. Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore comes to fill that void, focusing not so much on the quirks of Moore’s character or his odd 400 albums, but on his newfound fame. OK, we’re not talking about paparazzis-will-track-your-every-move celebrity here, but going from mailing CD-R copies of your albums to your friends to being profiled by major media (Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, a Wire cover story), is quite the leap. This renewed interest is in no small part due to a new generation of Moore fans breaking into the spotlight, such as Ariel Pink (with whom Moore has collaborated) and a whole cohort of home-producing musicians falling in the intersection of hypnagogic pop, glo-fi/chillwave, eccentric retropop, and neo kosmische muzik.
The idea for the Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore documentary was born after a rare R. Stevie Moore London show. Imogen Putler and Monika Baran were appalled by how little known a musical genius of Moore’s stature was and convinced him to shoot a documentary together. They’ve been following Moore since last year and have recorded hours of him playing music, hanging out at his house, and sharing his thoughts. But Putler and Baran have also had access to countless hours of home videos and public-access television footage, chronicling Moore’s career through the years. You can watch a short teaser below.
Although Putler and Baran have plenty of material ready, including interviews with musicians, fans, critics, and even Moore’s estranged father — a man who used to play bass for rock & roll luminaries the size of Elvis — the film still needs some finishing funds. That’s why the directors have launched this Kickstarter campaign to get R. Stevie Moore’s fans involved in the project. As customary for crowdfunding efforts, there are tasty rewards for your generosity. Perhaps the most savory is the $743 pledge that promises R. Stevie Moore will put music to whatever set of lyrics you decide to send him. There are more conventional rewards in line, too: exclusive posters, signed R. Stevie Moore albums, a Skype chat with the man, etc.
If the pledged sum is reached, Cool Daddio: The Second Youth of R. Stevie Moore is slated for a Spring 2016 release. You can contribute here.
• R. Stevie Moore: http://www.rsteviemoore.com
• Cool Daddio Kickstarter: http://kck.st/1G9auE7