J. Tillman, aka Father John Misty, has Big Sur running through his bloodstream.
From epiphanic psychedelic experiences in trees perched on cliffs high above the Pacific to week-long solo refuges at a cabin in an undisclosed Big Sur locals, Tillman has felt a deep, and undeniable, connection to Big Sur from the moment he first visited.
The connection includes the Henry Miller Library as well—in 2013, Tillman performed an unforgettable solo acoustic show for the 10th annual Henry Miller Library Benefit.
In a conversation a few days before the benefit, Tillman expressed a deep adoration for the library's philosophy:
“I love that it’s sort of this really elegant joke: People come and expect to find this historic museum or something, and it has this stately name, and it’s funny to see people walk in and read a couple posters on the wall or something and then look around confused," he says. "There’s supposed to be nothing there, and I’ve spent a lot of time doing nothing at that place, and in that way I’ll always be a champion of places dedicated to nothing.”
The self-proclaimed "champion of places dedicated to nothing" is in the middle of a fruitful month of February.
FJM's masterful second full-length record I Love You, Honeybear hit the streets on Feb. 10, and a few days later, Tillman performed a mesmerizing cover of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" during a session for Sirius XMU.
His stripped-down take on the grunge classic was one of the best Valentines I got this year.