| Rejected Unknown | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Daniel Johnston |
| Cover: | Rejected Unknown cover.jpg |
| Released: | October 9, 2001 |
| Recorded: | 1998–1999 Waller, Texas |
| Genre: |
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| Label: | Gammon |
| Producer: | Brian Beattie |
| Prev Title: | Why me? |
| Prev Year: | 2001 |
| Next Title: | Fear Yourself |
| Next Year: | 2003 |
Rejected Unknown is a 2001 album by acclaimed outsider musician Daniel Johnston. The title references the decision by Atlantic Records to drop him from the label after the commercial failure of his only major-label album, 1994's Fun. Rejected Unknown was produced by Austin producer and former Glass Eye member Brian Beattie.[1] A 7-inch limited edition EP called Dream Scream, featuring that song and "Funeral Girl", was released in 1998 on Pickled Egg Records.
Following the release of his 1994 Atlantic Records album Fun, Johnston waited for contact from the label on producing a follow-up, but, despite insistence from the label that Johnston had not been dropped, he was never contacted, and a lack of activity and medication caused Johnston to become overweight. In 1995, Johnston worked with producer Brian Beattie on the song "Casper" for the Larry Clark film Kids, which began a prosperous working relationship. Beattie and Johnston submitted a number of tracks to Atlantic Records as material for a potential album, but were dropped by the label instead. Beattie had convinced Johnston that leaving Atlantic was good, as they were 'unsatisfiable' and 'didn't understand.'
During this period, Johnston began to make several live appearances, including five live dates in 1997, six in 1998, five in 1999 and eleven in 2000; with each year featuring performances at SXSW.[2] A June 1999 performance at Radio Fritz, Germany, became Johnston's first professionally recorded live album, Why Me?.
In April of 1999, Johnston recorded and self-released the Danny And The Nightmares album, co-written with Jason Lee Damron. [3]
In March of 1999, it was announced that Johnston had been signed to Tim/Kerr Records and that they would release
This was Johnston's first album to be supported by a tour, which took place between December 2001 and July 2002.
Upon the album's October 2001 release, it was positively reviewed by Pitchfork.[8] In their 2019 Daniel Johnston obituary, NME called Rejected Unknown a 'stunning career best.'[9]
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