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{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
{{Lead too short|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = John Darnielle
| image = John Darnielle The Mountain Goats HOH Fest 2010.JPG
| caption = Darnielle playing in [[St. Augustine, Florida]], in 2010.
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name =
| alias =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|3|16}}
| birth_place = [[Bloomington, Indiana]]
| death_date =
| origin =
| instrument = {{flatlist|
* Vocals
* guitar
* piano
}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
* [[Indie folk]]
* [[indie rock]]
* [[folk rock]]
* [[Lo-fi music|lo-fi]]
* [[Folk music|folk]]
}}
|occupation = Singer-songwriter, musician, novelist
|years_active = 1991–present
|label =
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
* [[The Mountain Goats]]
* [[the Extra Lens]]
* the Seneca Twins
* [[the Bloody Hawaiians]]
* [[John Vanderslice]]
* the Congress
* [[Wckr Spgt]]
* [[Aesop Rock]]
}}
| website =
}}
'''John Darnielle''' ({{IPAc-en|d|ɑr|ˈ|n|iː|l}};<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005147/http://www.mountain-goats.com/forums/read.php?2,6140 uhm, John Darnielle?] the Mountain Goats Forums.</ref> born March 16, 1967)<ref>{{cite tweet|user=mountain_goats|author=The Mountain Goats|number=312964397628801024|date=March 16, 2013|title=@credfm thank you! '67 though!!!}}</ref> is an American musician, novelist, and actor best known as the primary, and originally sole, member of the American band [[the Mountain Goats]], for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, pianist, and vocalist.<ref>{{cite news|last=Denney|first=Alex|title=Playing for Pride: John Darnielle speaks out on the Mountain Goats' new record|url=http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2800016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117055111/http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/2800016|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 17, 2008|newspaper=Drowned in Sound|date=January 15, 2008}}</ref> He has written three novels: ''[[Wolf in White Van]]'' (2014), ''[[Universal Harvester]]'' (2017), and ''[[Devil House]]'' (2022).

==Early life==
Born in [[Bloomington, Indiana]], Darnielle grew up in [[San Luis Obispo, California|San Luis Obispo]] and then [[Claremont, California]] with an abusive stepfather.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rodrick|first=Stephen|title=God & Worshipper: A Rock-and-Roll Love Story, of Sorts|url=https://nymag.com/arts/popmusic/features/55031/|website=NYMag.com|publisher=New York Magazine|access-date=April 27, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2011/04/spin-interview-john-darnielle/|title=The SPIN Interview: John Darnielle|last=Gross|first=Joe|date=April 1, 2011|website=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> The Mountain Goats' 2005 album ''[[The Sunset Tree]]'' is dedicated to his stepfather and frequently references the dysfunction of his upbringing.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wilson|first=Carl|author-link=Carl Wilson (writer)|date=May 7, 2005|title=He's finally confessed, so hold on|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/hes-finally-confessed-so-hold-on/article18226562/|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

Darnielle often attended [[professional wrestling]] matches with his stepfather at the [[Grand Olympic Auditorium]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Breihan|first=Tom|title=We Took The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle To His First Pro Wrestling Show In 35 Years|date=April 2015|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1788418/we-took-the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-to-his-first-pro-wrestling-show-in-35-years/franchises/cover-story/|website=[[Stereogum]]|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> There, he developed a passion for the sport and local wrestlers like [[Chavo Guerrero Sr.]] His childhood love of wrestling would go on to inspire the Mountain Goats' album ''[[Beat the Champ]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 27, 2015 |title=John Darnielle: pro wrestling is real the way fiction is real |url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/27/john-darnielle-pro-wrestling-is-real-the-way-fiction-is-real |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

Darnielle attended [[Claremont High School (California)|Claremont High School]], located in the [[Pomona Valley]] region of [[Southern California]]. For a short time after high school, he lived in [[Portland, Oregon]], where he developed an addiction to intravenous [[methamphetamine]] and other hard drugs (as referenced in ''[[We Shall All Be Healed]]'').<ref>{{Cite web |title=Episode 366 - John Darnielle |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_366_-_john_darnielle |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=WTF with Marc Maron Podcast |language=en-US}}</ref> Darnielle worked in the psychiatric ward at the [[Metropolitan State Hospital (California)|Metropolitan State Hospital]] in [[Norwalk, California]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-slow-climb-how-the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-became-the-best-storyteller-in-rock-227793/|title=How John Darnielle Became Rock's Best Storyteller|first=Christian|last=Hoard|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> Darnielle attended [[Pitzer College]] from 1991 to 1995, graduating as a double major in Classics and English.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rosner|first=Helen|author-link=Helen Rosner|date=April 24, 2022|title=John Darnielle Wants to Tell You a Story|url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/john-darnielle-wants-to-tell-you-a-story|url-access=limited|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=September 26, 204|title=John Darnielle '95 Novel ''Wolf in White Van'' Nominated for National Book Award|url=https://www.pitzer.edu/communications/2014/09/26/john-darnielle-95-novel-wolf-white-van-nominated-national-book-award/|work=Pitzer.edu|location=Claremont, California|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

Throughout his college education, he continued to record music. In 1992, Dennis Callaci, a friend of Darnielle's and owner of [[Shrimper Records]], released a tape of Darnielle's songs called ''[[Taboo VI: The Homecoming]]''. Around that time, the Mountain Goats were born and began touring with just Darnielle on guitar and a bassist, first Rachel Ware and then [[Peter Hughes (musician)|Peter Hughes]].<ref name="Frere-Jones">{{cite magazine|last=Frere-Jones|first=Sasha|author-link=Sasha Frere-Jones|date=May 8, 2005|title=The Declaimers|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/05/16/the-declaimers|url-access=limited|magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

==Musical career==
{{BLP sources section|date=October 2018}}
Darnielle is best known for his role in the band [[the Mountain Goats]]. Since starting the band in 1991, he has gained a cult following. Despite being dubbed a [[lo-fi music|low fidelity]] artist, Darnielle has always dubbed his work "bi-fi", pointing out that recordings such as his couldn't be made without modern technology.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=SF Weekly |date=September 18, 1996 |title=It's a Bi-Fi World |url=https://www.sfweekly.com/music/its-a-bi-fi-world/ |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=SF Weekly |language=en-US}}</ref> He is known for his prolific output and literary lyrics. [[Sasha Frere-Jones]], writing in ''[[The New Yorker]]'', referred to him as "America's best non-hip-hop lyricist".<ref name="Frere-Jones" /> In its June 2006 issue, ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' magazine named Darnielle one of the "100 Best Living Songwriters".<ref>{{cite web|title=Paste's 100 Best Living Songwriters #81–90|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2006/06/pastes-100-best-living-songwriters-8190.html|website=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|access-date=December 26, 2011|date=June 14, 2006}}</ref>

Darnielle has several series of songs with similar titles or storylines. A series entitled "Going To..." features small stories about various places and includes songs such as "Going to Cleveland", "Going to Maryland", "Going to Georgia", and "Going to Queens".<ref name="annotatedtmg">{{cite web|url=https://annotatedtmg.org/series.html#goingto|website=annotatedtmg.org|title=annotatedtmg.org/series.html#goingto|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref> This series explores the futility of running away from one's problems in stark and cryptic detail. There is no reoccurring main character or strong thematic subject linking these similarly titled tracks, and in a 1997 interview with KJHK-Lawrence, Darnielle has described the series as "real loose, though. it's real loose".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.themountaingoats.net/misc/kjhk.html |title=Interview with john darnielle on KJHK-lawrence |website=www.themountaingoats.net |access-date=January 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011019150430/http://www.themountaingoats.net/misc/kjhk.html |archive-date=October 19, 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> His "Alpha" series predates his musical career and began as a collection of poems called 'Songs from Alpha Primitive'.<ref name="tumblr">{{cite web|url=https://johndarnielle.tumblr.com/post/53493520474/why-did-you-write-so-many-alpha-songs-did-you|website=johndarnielle.tumblr.com|title=William Caxton Fan Club • why did you write so many alpha songs? did you...|date=117 |access-date=January 14, 2022}}[[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]</ref> It is about a distressed couple's marriage and history, with such song titles as "Alpha Incipiens", "Alphabetizing", and "Alpha Rats Nest". The band's 2002 album ''[[Tallahassee (album)|Tallahassee]]'' was exclusively about the couple. "Their broader story", Darnielle writes, "involved an alcohol-soaked trek from California through Nevada and then bottom-crawling across the country until they wound up in northern Florida".<ref name="tumblr2">{{cite web|url=https://johndarnielle.tumblr.com/post/46335170309/the-sleeve-that-held-the-boarding-pass-from-my|website=johndarnielle.tumblr.com|title=William Caxton Fan Club • the sleeve that held the boarding pass from my...|date=238 |access-date=January 14, 2022}}[[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]</ref> Unless otherwise specified in the lyrics, the songs are intended to be sung by either member of the couple.<ref name="tumblr3">{{cite web|url=https://johndarnielle.tumblr.com/post/51682027488/hi-jd-so-long-as-were-sharing-parents-react-to|website=johndarnielle.tumblr.com|title=William Caxton Fan Club • Hi JD: So long as we're sharing Parents React to...|date=136 |access-date=January 14, 2022}}[[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]</ref> There are a number of songs, not all containing the word 'alpha', that are generally considered to be part of the series, and are explored in more detail on Kyle Barbour's site 'The Annotated Mountain Goats.<ref name="annotatedtmg2">{{cite web|url=https://annotatedtmg.org/series.html#alpha|website=annotatedtmg.org|title=annotatedtmg.org/series.html#alpha|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref>

Darnielle has stated that all songs written up to and including those on ''[[Tallahassee (album)|Tallahassee]]'' are fictional, but that ''[[We Shall All Be Healed]]'', ''[[The Sunset Tree]]'', and other more recent works are partially autobiographical.

===Collaborations===
Darnielle is featured on [[Aesop Rock]]'s song "Coffee" (from the hip-hop artist's 2007 album ''[[None Shall Pass]]'') and appears in the corresponding music video.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10583-none-shall-pass/|title=Aesop Rock: None Shall Pass Album Review|date=August 28, 2007|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/6980/new_aesop_rock_feat_john_darnielle_video_coffee/news/|title=New Aesop Rock (Feat. John Darnielle) Video – "Coffee"|date=October 30, 2007|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> Additionally, Aesop Rock remixed the Mountain Goats' "[[Lovecraft in Brooklyn]]".<ref>{{cite news|date=August 13, 2008|title=Aesop Rock finally shows Duluth some love|url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/aesop-rock-finally-shows-duluth-some-love|newspaper=[[Duluth News Tribune]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

He collaborated with [[John Vanderslice]] on lyrics for the 2005 album ''[[Pixel Revolt]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8405-pixel-revolt/|title=John Vanderslice: Pixel Revolt Album Review|last=Raposa|first=David|date=August 25, 2005|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> and in 2009, Darnielle released a collaborative recording titled ''[[Moon Colony Bloodbath]]'', after a shared tour with Vanderslice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/35114-mountain-goats-and-john-vanderslice-release-vinyl-only-ep/|title=Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice Release Vinyl-Only EP|last=Breihan|first=Tom|date=April 17, 2009|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> They toured under the collective name The Comedians,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/the-comedians-j/|title=The Comedians (John Darnielle/Vanderslice) played NYC, JV playing BrooklynVegan Northside Fest show, other dates|date=March 31, 2009|website=[[BrooklynVegan]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref> though their recording is attributed to "the Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice".<ref>{{cite news|last=Baron|first=Zach|date=April 17, 2009|title=The Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice, Together Again: Moon Colony Bloodbath|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2009/04/17/the-mountain-goats-and-john-vanderslice-together-again-moon-colony-bloodbath/|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

In 2008, Darnielle released a tour-exclusive EP entitled ''[[Black Pear Tree]]'', the result of a collaboration with tourmate [[Kaki King]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12305-satanic-messiah-ep-black-pear-tree-ep/|title=The Mountain Goats / Kaki King: Satanic Messiah EP / Black Pear Tree EP Album Review|last=Powell|first=Mike|date=October 20, 2008|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

On September 20, 2010, Darnielle appeared on ''[[Late Night with Jimmy Fallon]]'' as a guest vocalist in a performance of the song "[[Digging for Something]]" with the band [[Superchunk]] (whose drummer, Jon Wurster, is also in the Mountain Goats).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/40123-watch-phoenix-superchunk-the-walkmen-and-chromeo-perform-on-late-night-television/|title=Watch: Phoenix, Superchunk, the Walkmen, and Chromeo Perform on Late Night Television|last=Dombal|first=Ryan|date=September 21, 2010|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|date=August 27, 2013|title=The Funniest Drummer in Indie Rock|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-funniest-drummer-in-indie-rock-184566/|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

Darnielle appeared on [[Kimya Dawson]]'s 2011 album ''[[Thunder Thighs]]'', featured on the song "Walk Like Thunder."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kimyadawson1.bandcamp.com/track/walk-like-thunder|title=Walk Like Thunder from Thunder Thighs by Kimya Dawson|website=[[Bandcamp]]|access-date=January 31, 2023}}</ref>

==Writing==

[[File:John Darnielle, Universal Harvester.jpg|thumb|Darnielle giving a reading from ''Universal Harvester'' in 2018]]
Darnielle's first book, ''Black Sabbath: Master of Reality'', was published in April 2008 as part of the [[33⅓]] series.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://openlibrary.org/books/OL16897294M/Master_of_reality|title=Master of reality|first=John|last=Darnielle|date=November 19, 2008|publisher=Continuum|isbn=9780826428998 |ol=16897294M |via=The Open Library}}</ref> Unlike other entries in the series, which are non-fiction books that focus on an album's production or legacy, Darnielle's book on ''[[Master of Reality]]'' was instead a fictional narrative in the form of a novella, centering around a young man held in a psychiatric facility in the mid-1980s who is attempting to retrieve his confiscated [[Walkman]] and tape of the album.<ref>{{cite web|title=Book Review: 33 1/3: Black Sabbath's Master of Reality by John Darnielle|url=http://www.tinymixtapes.com/features/book-review-33-13-black-sabbath8217s-master-reality-john-darnielle|website=Tiny Mix Tapes|access-date=January 10, 2017}}</ref>

Darnielle's first novel, titled ''[[Wolf in White Van]]'', was published on September 16, 2014,<ref>{{Cite book |isbn = 978-0374292089|title = Wolf in White Van: A Novel|last = Darnielle|first = John|date = September 16, 2014}}</ref> and was nominated for the [[National Book Award for Fiction]] two days later.<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 Longlists for the National Book Awards|url=https://www.nationalbook.org/awards-prizes/national-book-awards-2014#.VBx36CiZorU|publisher=National Book Foundation|access-date=September 19, 2014|date=September 18, 2014}}</ref> His second novel, ''[[Universal Harvester]]'', was published on February 7, 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/08/mountain-goats-john-darnielle-details-new-novel-universal-harvester/|title=Mountain Goats' John Darnielle details new novel, Universal Harvester|date=August 1, 2016|language=en-US|access-date=September 30, 2016}}</ref> Darnielle's third novel, ''[[Devil House]]'', was published on January 25, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/devil-house-john-darnielle-novel-review-mountain-goats-1848397972|title=John Darnielle untangles the knotty ethics of true crime in the fictional Devil House|website=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=January 25, 2022|language=en-US|access-date=January 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |isbn = 978-0374717674|title = Devil House|last = Darnielle|first = John|date = January 25, 2022}}</ref> One year later, it was nominated for an [[Edgar Awards|Edgar Award]] for Best Novel.<ref>{{cite web|title=2023 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominations
|url=https://edgarawards.com/2023edgarnominations/|publisher=Mystery Writers of America|access-date=January 20, 2023|date=January 19, 2023}}</ref>

From 2004 to 2011 Darnielle created and wrote the [[webzine]] ''Last Plane To Jakarta'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lastplanetojakarta.com/archive.php|title=Last Plane to Jakarta {{!}} Archive|website=lastplanetojakarta.com|access-date=May 15, 2016}}</ref> citing other projects as the reason for its abandonment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://johndarnielle.tumblr.com/post/50833076342/did-you-abandon-the-last-plane-to-jakarta|title=Did you abandon the Last Plane to Jakarta?|website=William Caxton Fan Club|access-date=May 15, 2016}}[[Wikipedia:SPS|{{sup|[''self-published'']}}]]</ref> He writes the "South Pole Dispatch" feature in ''[[Decibel Magazine]]'' every month.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2012/09/06/south-pole-discharge-john-darnielle-s-metal-covers-set-is-nigh/|title=South Pole Discharge: John Darnielle's Metal Covers Set Is Nigh |date=September 6, 2012|work=[[Decibel Magazine]]|access-date=May 31, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Darnielle also guest edited the poetry section of [[May Anthologies|The Mays]], an anthology of the best creative work coming out of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2015}}

Darnielle wrote the introduction to the June 2016 book ''[[The Empty Bottle]] Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing'', about the eponymous nightclub.<ref>{{cite web |title=Curbside Splendor Publishing: The Empty Bottle Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing |url=http://www.curbsidesplendor.com/books/the-empty-bottle-book-twenty-plus-years-of-piss-sht-broken-urinals-pre-order |publisher=Curbside Splendor |date=2018 |access-date=October 25, 2018}}</ref><ref name=EBbook>{{cite book |title=The Empty Bottle Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing |publisher=Curbside Splendor |author=Dugan, John E. |date=June 2016 |isbn=978-1940430546 }}</ref>

==Podcasting==

In 2012, Darnielle guest starred in [[John Hodgman]]'s [[podcast]] ''[[Judge John Hodgman]]'' serving as an expert witness<ref name="Judge John Hodgman Episode 73: Gavelbangers Ball">{{cite web|url=http://maximumfun.org/judge-john-hodgman/judge-john-hodgman-episode-73-gavelbangers-ball|title=Judge John Hodgman Episode 73: Gavelbangers Ball|author=MaxFun Intern|date=August 30, 2012|publisher=[[Maximum Fun]]|access-date=January 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Judge John Hodgman Episode 74: The Split Screen Decision">{{cite web|url=http://maximumfun.org/judge-john-hodgman/judge-john-hodgman-episode-74-split-screen-decision|title=Judge John Hodgman Episode 74: The Split Screen Decision|author=MaxFun Intern|date=September 6, 2012|publisher=[[Maximum Fun]]|access-date=January 14, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Judge John Hodgman LIVE at SF Sketchfest">{{cite web|url=http://www.maximumfun.org/content/judge-john-hodgman-live-sf-sketchfest|title=Judge John Hodgman LIVE at SF Sketchfest|author=MaxFun Intern|date=January 2, 2013|publisher=[[Maximum Fun]]|access-date=February 16, 2013}}</ref> and musical guest.<ref name="Judge John Hodgman LIVE at SF Sketchfest" />

Since 2017 he has co-hosted the podcast "I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats" with [[Welcome to Night Vale|Joseph Fink]]. Each episode of the podcast explores one Mountain Goats song in great detail.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/06/night-vale-studio-debuting-two-new-nonfiction-podcasts.html|title=The Studio Behind Welcome to Night Vale Is Debuting Two New Nonfiction Podcasts|first=Nicholas|last=Quah|date=June 22, 2017|website=Vulture}}</ref>

In August 2022 Darnielle appeared as a guest on [[Margaret Killjoy|Margaret Killjoy's]] podcast "Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff". Darnielle appeared on the episodes "[[Diggers|The Diggers]], [[Levellers|the Levelers]], [[Ranters|the Ranters]] and John Darnielle" part one and two.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=magpiekilljoy|number=1561715690440105994|date=August 22, 2022|title=on this week's Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff, I talk to @mountain_goats about the Levellers, the Diggers, and the Ranters, some of the 17th century radicals who wanted to get rid of kings, farm communally, and abolish the concept of sin, respectively.|access-date=August 24, 2022}}</ref>

In March of 2023 John appeared on [[Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal]] for a career-spanning interview.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 20, 2023 |title=Ep326: John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats) |url=https://www.protonicreversal.com/ep326-john-darnielle-the-mountain-goats-2/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=[[Conan Neutron's Protonic Reversal]]}}</ref>

==Acting==
In January 2023, Darnielle made his acting debut in "[[Rest in Metal]]", the fourth episode of [[Rian Johnson]]'s television series ''[[Poker Face (TV series)|Poker Face]]''. He portrayed Al, a member of a one-hit-wonder metal band called Doxxxology.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/how-john-darnielle-ended-up-in-tvs-poker-face/|url-access= |title=How John Darnielle Ended Up on TV's Poker Face|last=Torres|first=Eric|date=January 27, 2023|website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]|access-date=January 27, 2023}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Darnielle has lived in [[Grinnell, Iowa]]; [[Colo, Iowa]]; [[Ames, Iowa]]; [[Chicago, Illinois]]; [[Portland, Oregon]]; and [[Milpitas, California]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} He currently resides in [[Durham, North Carolina]] with his wife Lalitree Darnielle, a botanist and photographer (who was featured playing the [[banjo]] in the band's 1998 EP ''[[New Asian Cinema]]''<ref name="artistdirect">{{cite web|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,1650670,00.html|author=artist direct|title=New Asian Cinema (album)|website=ARTISTdirect|access-date=January 14, 2022}}</ref>), and sons Roman and Moses.

Darnielle prays regularly and identifies as a Christian.<ref>{{cite web |last=Joffe |first=Justin |title=The Mountain Goats on Going 'Goth,' Christianity and the Age of Trump |url=https://observer.com/2017/05/mountain-goats-band-john-darnielle-interview/ |website=[[The New York Observer|Observer.com]] |date=May 18, 2017 |access-date=November 5, 2018}}</ref> His music often includes religious themes, including ''[[The Life of the World to Come (album)|The Life of the World to Come]]'', on which each song is named after a Bible verse. He is a fan of Christian singers [[Amy Grant]] and [[Rich Mullins]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Shellnut |first=Kate |title=The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle Loves Amy Grant, Rich Mullins, and the Book of Jonah |url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/august-web-only/mountain-goats-john-darnielle-loves-amy-grant-rich-mullins-.html |website=Christianity Today |access-date=October 11, 2018}}</ref>

===Activism===
Darnielle became a [[vegetarian]] in 1996 and by 2007 identified as a [[vegan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=John Darnielle|url=http://veganradio.com/bumper/john-darnielle|publisher=Vegan Radio|access-date=December 26, 2011}}</ref> In the same year, he performed at a benefit for the animal welfare organization [[Farm Sanctuary]] in Watkins Glen, New York. He performed again at Farm Sanctuary in 2009.

In 2011, Darnielle performed solo in support of [[Planned Parenthood]], at the Stand Up for Women's Health Rally in New York City.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Berihan|first=Tom|journal= [[Pitchfork Media]]|title=Video: The Mountain Goats and Kathleen Hanna Support Planned Parenthood at New York Rally|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/41737-video-the-mountain-goats-and-kathleen-hanna-support-planned-parenthood-at-new-york-rally/|publisher=Pitchfork Media, Inc.|date=March 2, 2011|access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref> In an interview with [[BuzzFeed]], Darnielle identified himself as a [[feminist]], and was described as a "frequent Twitter commentator on women's issues, [[social justice]], and [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]]."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Darnielle |first=John |subject-link=John Darnielle |interviewer=Anna North |title=The Mountain Goats' John Darnielle On Pussy Riot, Feminism, And Joni Mitchell |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/annanorth/the-mountain-goats-john-darnielle-on-pussy-riot#.hcO78erJG|date=September 13, 2012|access-date=July 1, 2015}}</ref>

==Bands in which Darnielle has played==
Darnielle is also a member or former member of the following bands:

*[[The Extra Lens]] formerly known as The Extra Glenns (along with [[Franklin Bruno]])
**Releases: two full-lengths titled ''[[Martial Arts Weekend]]'' & ''[[Undercard (album)|Undercard]]'', as well as a double sided 7-inch EP titled ''Infidelity''
*The Comedians (along with [[John Vanderslice]]). The band's only studio recording was credited to "the Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice"
**Releases: ''[[Moon Colony Bloodbath]]''
*[[The Bloody Hawaiians]] (along with Joel Huschle (Furniture Huschle), Mark Givens ([[Wckr Spgt]]), Caroline)
**Releases: ''The Magnificent Bloody Hawaiians'', ''Bastard Son'', ''[[The Threegos]]'', "Lemon" on ''Cool Beans #4'')

==Bibliography==
===Novels===
*''[[Wolf in White Van]]'' (2014)
*''[[Universal Harvester]]'' (2017)
*''[[Devil House]]'' (2022)

===Novellas===
*Black Sabbath: Master of Reality (2008)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*{{official website|1=https://www.mountain-goats.com/|2=Mountain-Goats.com}}

{{The Mountain Goats}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darnielle, John}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Pitzer College alumni]]
[[Category:Writers from Bloomington, Indiana]]
[[Category:Musicians from Bloomington, Indiana]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American folk rock musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:People from San Luis Obispo, California]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:The Mountain Goats members]]
[[Category:Musicians from Durham, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Christians from California]]
[[Category:Christians from Indiana]]
[[Category:People from Claremont, California]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Indiana]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from North Carolina]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from California]]
[[Category:Claremont High School (California) alumni]]

John Darnielle - Revision history

WikiDwarfBOT at 09:58, 22 July 2023