David Berman

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David Cloud Berman (born David Craig Berman, 1967-2019) was an American guitarist, singer, poet, and cartoonist best known for his work with the Silver Jews, an indie-rock band.

Although the band was mainly a recording project during its existence, the Silver Jews toured regularly from 2005 to 2009.

Berman, a literary consultant and public relations consultant for the alcohol and tobacco industries, among other things, committed suicide in January 2009, aiming for a meaningful way to undo the harm that his late father Richard Berman (a lobbyist and public relations executive for the alcohol and tobacco industries, among others) had caused on society.

Berman returned to music in early 2019, with the debut of a self-titled debut album in July 2019.

Berman was discovered dead in a Brooklyn, New York, apartment on August 7, 2019.

His death was declared a suicide.

Early life

David Craig Berman was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, on January 4, 1967. Richard Berman, then, served as an advocate practicing labor law for the United States Chamber of Commerce, while his mother was a housewife. He came from a secular Jewish family, but he said he had no literary or artistic aspirations. He was born in Texas but did not know or contact with many other Jews. He later said he had identified with Jews because he "felt like an outsider" in his youth. Berman referred to himself as "ethnically Jewish" but not religious for the bulk of his life. His mother was converted to Judaism without the presence of an Orthodox rabbi, and for this reason neither she nor he would be deemed Jews under those conditions.

When he was seven years old, Berman's parents divorced. He divided time between each parent's household and college from the time he started attending college. His father migrated to Dallas for a job as a lobbyist for foodservice companies, while his mother stayed in Wooster, Ohio, and became a tutor. He later described his childhood as "grindingly painful" and that he remained "mostly free of family stuff" into his adulthood. While his father was an infant, he rose to fame as a business lobbyist for firearms, alcohol, and other industries. Berman began to dislike his father at an early age. Despite his wishes to the contrary, he was forced to live with his father after 1979, despite his wishes to the contrary.

He attended Greenhill High School in Addison, Texas. His father referred him to see a psychiatrist in the teen years. Berman suffered with depression throughout his life and later discovered that the disorder had become resistant to treatment. He began using "every drug in every way" and admitted to smoking PCP on a daily basis throughout his second year of college.

The burgeoning new wave scene in Dallas served as a early source of musical inspiration for Berman. He was particularly keen on a friend's rare Fairlight keyboard, as well as the music of bands like Art of Noise, Prefab Sprout, X, The Replacements, the New Order, and the Bunnymen. He began to experiment with poetry in high school by writing to girlfriends, considering the phrase "a cartoon lake." Wolf on skates" will be his first true foray into poetry. Berman hoped that his poetry would resemble the lyrics of punk singers Jello Biafra and Exene Cervenka. When he was 14 years old, Henry Miller's The Rosy Crucifixion: "It gave me permission to enjoy life." Berman said that reading a lot of books enriched his compassion, particularly for those who were also affected; he cited William Faulkner as a source of his influence;

In 1985, Berman went to the University of Virginia. He had been "too lazy" to enroll in college by his own admission, so his father's secretary took care of him. Berman met fellow students Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, and James McNew at university. He attended concerts, sold albums, and mingled with Malkmus and Nastanovich, having first met the former in a carpool to a performance. Ectoslavia, the quartet, was formed. He obtained his bachelor's degree in English literature in 1989.

Berman, Malkmus, and Nastanovich, along with Berman, Nastanovich, and Nastanovich, all migrated to Hoboken, New Jersey, where they shared an apartment. They adopted Silver Jews and played discordant tapes in their living room in 1989, the same year that Malkmus' band Pavement opened their debut extended play (EP). Slay Tracks: 1933-1969. The Whitney Museum of American Art (where Malkmus and Berman served as security guards) and its material (such as Bruce Nauman's Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sherri Levine, and Louise Lawler) was an influence on Berman. During working shifts at the museum, he wrote lyrics and poems, occasionally in collaboration with Malkmus, who, along with Berman, would "get high" at Central Park on their lunch breaks. Kevin Guthrie, Malkmus, and Berman had a unified relationship, and Nastanovich praised both artists' creativity, according to Berman's longtime friend. "It was mostly drinking beer and seeing grunge bands" during this time period and recalling that Berman appeared as a "scary goth" in the sense that he was keen to be involved with Jewish history, Malkmus said.

Despite Berman's occasional annoyance with the belief that Silver Jews were just a side project to Pavement, the association resulted in his signing with indie label Drag City, which would eventually release all of his albums. The band's link to Pavement was responsible for their amassing of a "national audience," a note that Berman did not have to tour because of the subsequent sales. (EPs) The band's first extended-plays (EPs) Dime Map of the Reef and The Arizona Record were not particularly well-received, but they did pique their interest. Kim Gordon, a fan of the Reef, was a fan, and Will Oldham said that Dime Map of the Reef inspired him to bring recordings to Drag City.

Berman began studying for a master's degree in poetry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst following the EPs. Matthew Shaer, a 2006 Boston Globe article, speculated that Berman's extended time reading may have been an attempt to distinguish himself from Pavement. Berman reflected on his stay in the city three years ago: after "meet[ing] grown men who play with fucking words all day," he felt he had "permission" to try for the profession. He attempted to have poems published in the American Poetry Review, but was turned away as he increased his interest in music "despite scarcely knowing how to sing or play guitar." Berman's public appearances mainly consisted of poetry readings as of 2005.

Silver Jews had enough material for their debut album Starlite Walker by October 1994. The indie rock bandwagon earned a following, but there were some detractors. Malkmus and Nastanovich were unable to be present for the forthcoming Silver Jews album The Natural Bridge, due to the work of Berman and Peyton Pinkerton. Berman, who became suspicious of fame and resented the people with whom he met, deemeding them "cruel" after their triumph, was difficult. Despite the fact that the circumstances allowed little else, he felt somewhat abandoned by Malkmus and Nastanovich. Berman's personal life was influenced by his friends' deaths, which would have an effect on his songwriting. At this time, a close relationship between Oldham and Berman was formed, and the two conceptualized a joint venture named Silver Palace.

Silver Jews was one of Drag City's seminal bands, including Smog, Pavement, Royal Trux, and Palace, and were one of many of the group's "moment in underground music" of songwriters who were looking to the 1970s and 1980s for inspiration, and they were one of the bands that "made American music threatening" by tapping into its "most tangled roots." Berman wanted to "distinish his brand of songwriting from the 1990s rock's depressive-narcissistic strain" and later tried to move away from Drag City's "cryptic and prankish" style. Berman, the band's primary songwriter and "key creative catalyst" who remained the group's artistic direction from the beginning, regularly updated around the lineup. "Malkmus and Nastanovich [were] there to promote their ideas rather than offering their own," Exclaim!'s Ian Gormely said.

Berman's resignation in The Natural Bridge (1996) was distraught; he seemed to be "haunted by ghosts" and was hospitalized with sleep deprivation. "I got darker in my life when the songs were recorded," he remembered, while also noting that "recording was a process of de-escalating myself"—but doing so was so "searing" that I couldn't listen to music." Mark Nevers, the album's engineer, "had sort of held Berman's hand," according to Oldham. Although it received positive reviews in music magazines, the singer now "established himself as a world-class rock lyricist"—but he decided not to tour due to a fear of performing. Berman considered touring as too costly a commitment and found the strain to be bearable during this period. Playing live seemed to him as "like some unnecessary post-invention promotion attempt" and that although they had done so, no one expressed much "satisfaction" when he had done so. Berman decided after the Natural Bridge that he wanted Malkmus and Nastanovich, both of whom were trampled by Berman's hostility against them, to be included in all subsequent Silver Jews albums.

Berman's agony around The Natural Bridge led him to the creation of a new Silver Jubile album with Malkmus, American Water. It was significant to Berman and the band's development. They had now "stepped out of Pavement's shadow" — a gynical description. This was clearly his idea and represented his imagination," his songwriting was at the forefront of the former album's success. He seemed secure in his musical career by this time. Berman's drug use continued, and he was using them during studio sessions. Berman, despite his personal turmoil, wanted the album to be lighter than "other people's" rather than gruesome. The band had intended to tour in late 1998, but plans were scrapped due to a fist fight that culminated in his eardrum rupturing.

Berman's first collection of poetry was published in 1999 by Open City Books, which had been established to publish the collection. The real air have been awarded critical acclaim—Carl Wilson said it was "even better than [Berman's] albums] — all of which were praised. Berman's musical career was boosted by the book's unusually high sales of over 20,000 copies. Its promotion was similar to that of an album, which contributed to its success; Drag City and record stores were the main avenues from which a "serious portion of these sales" emerged; He was given a postgraduate degree in 2001 and was given a job as a poet-in-residence. Berman was entlighted by the prospect, but he decided not to apply out of fear. "I should stay away from the rock clubs and the English departments if I can," he said in an interview when asked if he'd accept a lecturing job at university.

Despite releasing some poems afterward—his poems have appeared in journals such as The Baffler, Open City, and The Believer—and he had reported on a sequel, Real Air was his only book of poetry. Berman stopped writing poetry in his later years due to a lack of inspiration and a sense of partial inadequacy in comparison to younger writers; another collection did not appear due to a lack of inspiration and innovation. His impression of songwriting and poetry as united by 2003 was no longer valid, and his older age made him less suited to working in both mediums. "Poetry can never respond to the propaganda." A song may be able to" be able to."

Berman, who no longer "had" to work, estimated he made $23,000 a year, and by 2001, he made $45,000 from his music. The Silver Jews album Bright Flight, which starred his wife Cassie Berman, was released in that year. They began two years ago at a party; Berman awakened Cassie's house and discovered every Silver Jews album. "I was really distraught and had nothing to lose at the time." I was so ugly." Cassie was a point of relief for Berman and she made him feel young, while Berman later considered their marriage as the "best thing that ever happened to me." They lived in Nashville for 19 years, helping Berman's music career; later buying a house in Berman's hometown was a relief to Berman to live in a city where pursuing a career in music was encouraged.

Berman began taking hard drugs in 1998, at a time of extreme depression. He began to take heroin, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine with the latter's use reaching a point of addiction; nonetheless, he remained dependent on opioids, causing degeneration and death. Several of Berman's acquaintances died in the years that followed, including Robert Bingham, the founder and editor of Open City, who died in 1999 after a heroin overdose. Berman was twice unintentionally overdosed; one incident occurred after the Bright Flight launch party. The album's more sombre tone reflected his struggles with heroin use.

Berman attempted suicide in Nashville on November 19, 2003, by ingestion of crack cocaine, alcohol, and tranquilizers. He wrote a short note to Cassie, which Berman would later regret—put on his wedding suit and headed to a "crack house" he frequented. Cassie was uncovered on a forensic basis, he spat out and refused treatment. He was eventually admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he awakened three days later.

Berman's son's insurance paid for drug therapy, but his mother and Cassie encouraged him a year later. Berman said he had relapsed but that he did not use drugs by August 2005. Berman embraced Judaism after his rehabilitation; he began to study Torah and became a "better person" who was "easier" to Cassie and staff at Drag City; he'd soon consider Judaism as an important part of his life, which he planned to continue laboring over. Reading the Torah made him learn more about poetry; David, who was also a king of Israel and Judah in the Hebrew Bible, was a source of Berman's influence. Judaism has had an affirmative effect on his life, according to him.

Berman reflected on his suicide attempt five years ago, stating that he was not wealthy and without work opportunities, but that was not apparent at the time. He began taking antidepressants in a huge amount, and his sobriety made him more receptive to candidacy. Tanglewood Numbers were released in 2005, with a line including Cassie, Malkmus, Nastanovich, Bobby Bare Jr., Paz Lenchantin, and William Tyler. The band began touring in 2009, with 100 shows from 2006 to 2009; to cope with the chaos, he became "a daily pot smoker." Occasionally, Berman made caricatures of supporters, finding them more enjoyable.

Silver Jews had sold 250,000 units by this time. Berman and Cassie were also having financial difficulties; Cassie worked in an office job; and Berman was unable to obtain medical insurance for the removal of a keratoconus; eventually acquiring it from the Country Music Association. Jeremy Blake enlisted Berman for Sodium Fox, a experimental artwork centered around Berman, in 2005. The suicide and Berman's eye surgery will have a big effect on Blake's upcoming Silver Jews album—long before the operation Berman said it made him "less aggressive and less tenacious." Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, was released in 2008 to lukewarm reviews. The album was their most commercially profitable.

Berman's decision to tour, however, was based on his experience, his expanding discography, and a desire to engage with his audience, which in turn "softened his naturally gruff exterior." Berman's time in Cassie helped ease the pain, although he had mixed feelings. He considered her a vital part of his formula, and predicted that if he were alone, he would likely do something to his harm.

Berman disbanded Silver Jews on January 22, 2009, and their final performance, which was held at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, Tennessee, was held the following week. "I always said we should stop before we got bad," Cumberland Caverns's performance said. "I always wanted to go out on top, but I much prefer this." Silver Jews' influence on Nashville's mid-2000s music scene, according to Nashville Scene's Sean L. Maloney, was "a chapter in this city's cultural transition closed."

Berman revealed for the first time that his father was the lobbyist Richard Berman, who he viewed as remarkably disgustsome and from whom he had been deposed since 2006. Berman revealed owing Richard money and once contributing to a rumor of Richard deposition that was started by the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, who called for the Internal Revenue Service's involvement. Upon considering modern musicians' commercialization, he began to see his and Richard's lives intertwining; Berman's guilt about his father and a hint of contemplation were the reasons he left Silver Jews, according to Berman.

Berman became a recluse after the disbanded Silver Jews were disbanded. According to a 2008 interview, the "hermit, solitary part of [Berman]" was dated, although Nastanovich recalled two years ago that Berman had "become more reclusive." Berman said, "it's been lonely up to now, but it seems that times are changing for the better/worse" since he was confronted with the question of whether he had chosen vulgarity or loneliness. His public perception became intertwined with fantasy — significant doubt regarding his suicide attempt had reportedly occurred before this date, according to reports. According to Stephen Hyden of Uproxx, his seclusion sparked a petty "mythology."

To mixed feedback, Berman wrote The Portable February, a collection of surreal, minimalist cartoons published in 2009. Kunath and Berman will collaborate on the book You Owe Me a Feeling (2012), which contains paintings and poetry by Kunath and Berman, respectively. Cassie wanted to work in pediatric therapy. In 2010, he talked about his struggles with writing a book about his father, aspired to become his "nemesis"; HBO nearly adapted the story, but Berman decided not to glamorize his father. Derek Robertson said that a significant portion of his personal life was a "explicit rebuke" to Richard and an effort to evade institutional authority, as well as a personal one.

Berman had lived through the deaths of both his uncle Dave Cloud and his mother, which compelled him to use Cloud as a middle name and write "I Loved Being My Mother's Son." He was still in contact with Malkmus and maintained a close friendship with Silver Jewish drummer Brian Kotzur. According to Nastanovich, Berman had intended to write new Silver Jews songs at one point, but eventually became more interested in a new style. Berman soon "inaugurated..." a new artistic phase with a collection of songs about disappointments of hope unfulfilled, contrasting the "odes to the open field of possibility" that closely followed the Silver Jews' conclusion, as noted by Jewish Currents' Nathan Goldman.

Berman and Cassie became estranged in 2018. He lived in a room above the label's Chicago office in June and died from royalties from Drag City. According to Berman, they "never had the kind of conflict that results in divorce," but they did have a "kind of need to live [their] lives without the other one." Berman thought he was "unfit to be anyone's husband" because of his chronic depression. Cassie and Joe had a joint bank account and owned a house together, but Cassie regarded her as an integral part of his family. He was briefly resident in Miller Beach and Gary, Indiana. At one point, he begged a friend to give him opium, but he was turned down, because he didn't use heroin or cocaine since October 2003.

He had grown disillusioned with Judaism, saying he lasted from 2004 to 2010, but in 2008 he spoke of a disconnection with Judaism, positioning himself as close to Jews. "I fixed" himself in Jewish history in his departure, Goldman and Arielle Angel of Jewish Currents said, portraying Berman as the archetypal of Jews. His once-passion for Judaism made him excited to visit Israel; there, he met Yonatan Gat and helped him get him signed to Drag City; "The" shows we saw in Israel were certainly the most amazing experience of my life." Berman co-produced Gat's album Universalists in 2018. Berman had conceived a more robust return to music by that year: the Purple Mountains, a new moniker.

An eponymous debut album was released in July 2019, following the release of two singles under his new moniker. Berman's album, "instantly mythologized," attracted more interest and praise: "Purple Mountains seemed to be the start of an unexpected second act for David Berman." Berman worked on Purple Mountains with Woods and Berman's friend Dan Auerbach, whom he had worked with in 2015; Auerbach referred to Berman as "one of [his] heroes."

Berman's new music was inspired by his financial challenges, his marriage's breakdown, and Drag City's president Dan Koretzky's support for his new music. In a 2005 interview, Berman said he planned to settle the $100,000 in loan and credit card debt he had amassed as a result of his drug use; "I've got a credit card rotisserie system that would dazzle the ancients." He said that this was the only reason he wanted to tour. Berman discussed the possibility of a joint tour with Bill Callahan and Oldham, but it didn't happen. He expressed reservations about the tour and warned the accompanying band that his anxiety might have caused him to impede, but was excited for his "solitude to come" until it came.

"I was positive I wouldn't make it to the morning about 100 nights in the last ten years," Berman said in June 2019. Berman died in an apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, on August 7, 2019. According to Dan DeLuca of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Berman's suicide was either spontaneous or deliberated upon; "The warning signs were all over Purple Mountains." Berman appeared as a "grim visage" by the time of the publication of Purple Mountains, stricken eyes, his neck-length hair was thinning and reedy, and a pursed, lifeless expression graced [his] face. On August 16, "Mates and families, as well as the Jewish community," paid a visit to the Met Breuer Museum in New York, the former Whitney Museum's former home, where the Whitney's former home, Lance Bangs, took place.

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Attempt suicide, reconstruction, and career progression were all in play between 2003 and 2008.

Berman attempted suicide in Nashville on November 19, 2003, by ingestion of crack cocaine, alcohol, and tranquilizers. He wrote a brief note to Cassie, exposing Berman's brevity, put on his wedding suit, and headed to a "crack house" he frequented. Cassie's son fought out and refused medical attention as he was discovered. He was eventually admitted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he woke up three days later.

Berman started opium therapy, which was paid for by his father but was urged by his mother and Cassie about a year later. Berman said he had recovered but that he wasn't using opioids by August 2005. Berman embraced Judaism during his recovery, choosing to study Torah and becoming a "better person" for Cassie and staff at Drag City; Judaism would come soon, and he'd continue to practice Judaism as a "important" factor in his life; he'd soon consider Judaism as a "better one" who would continue to work on it. Reading the Torah taught him more about poetry; David, who was portrayed in the Hebrew Bible as a king of Israel and Judah, was also a part of Berman's. Judaism had an affirmative influence on his life, according to the poet.

Berman said he was not wealthy nor unemployed, without job opportunities, five years later, although this was not apparent to him at the time. He began to take antidepressants excessively, and his sobriety made him more open to candidity. Tanglewood Numbers were released in 2005, with a lineup including Cassie, Malkmus, Nastanovich, Bobby Bare Jr., Paz Lenchantin, and William Tyler. Soon after, the band began touring, with 100 shows from 2006 to 2009; to cope with the whizzery, he became "a daily pot smoker." Before Berman's tour, he made caricatures of fans, finding them more enjoyable.

Silver Jews had sold 250,000 copies by this time. Berman and Cassie were still having financial difficulties; Cassie worked an office job; and Berman refused to obtain medical insurance for the removal of a keratoconus, eventually receiving it from the Country Music Association. Jeremy Blake enlisted Berman for Sodium Fox, a experimental art centered around Berman, in 2005. Blake's suicide and Berman's eye surgery will have an effect on the upcoming Silver Jews album, according to Berman, who said that the operation was "less aggressive and less tenacious." Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, was released in 2008 to lukewarm reviews. The album was their most commercially profitable.

Berman's decision to tour, although no longer dependent on opioids, was motivated by his older age, his expanded discography, and a desire to engage with his audience, which eventually "softened his naturally gruff exterior." Berman's touring with Cassie aided in the learning, of which he had mixed feelings. He considered her a vital component and said that if he were alone, he would probably do something to his harm.

Berman disbanded Silver Jews on January 22, 2009, and their last performance was held at Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, Tennessee, the following week. "I always said we should stop before we fell bad," Cumberland Caverns said, "I always wanted to get out on top, but I much prefer this." Silver Jews' influence on Nashville's mid-2000s music scene, according to Nashville Scene's Sean L. Maloney, was "a chapter in this city's cultural evolution closed."

Berman revealed for the first time that his father was the lobbyist Richard Berman, who viewed him as highly suspicious and from whom he had been deposed since 2006. Berman reported owing Richard and once contributed to a slew of suspicions surrounding Richard, initiated by the Washington watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, who called for the Internal Revenue Service's involvement. Upon considering modern musicians' commercialization, he began to see his and Richard's lives intertwining; Berman's remorse with his father and questions of his care were the reasons for his removal of Silver Jews, according to Bernice Berman

Berman became a recluse after the disbanded Silver Jews. According to a 2008 interview, Nastanovich recalled that Berman had "becomed more clumsy." Berman said "it's been lonely up until now, but it seems that things are changing for the better/worse" since being asked whether he had opted between vulgarity or loneliness. His public image was increasingly intertwined with fiction, with rumors that his suicide attempt took place before this time. According to Stephen Hyden of Uproxy, his seclusion concoted a false "mythology."

The Portable February, Berman's 2009 book of surreal, minimalist cartoons, received mixed feedback. Kunath and Berman would collaborate on the book You Owe Me a Feeling (2012), which features paintings and poetry by Kunath and Berman. Cassie wanted to work in pediatrics. In 2010, he talked about his struggles with writing a book about his father, aspiring to be his "nemesis," but HBO barely adapted the story, but Berman said he didn't want to glamorize his father. Derek Robertson said that a substantial portion of his personal life was a "explicit rebuke" to Richard and an attempt to flee institutional control, as well as a personal one.

Berman had suffered with the deaths of both his friend Dave Cloud and his mother, which compelled him to write the poem "I Loved Being My Mother's Son" respectively. He was still in touch with Malkmus and maintained a close friendship with Silver Jews drummer Brian Kotzur. According to Nastanovich, Berman intended to write new Silver Jews songs at one point, but he later became more interested in a new style. Berman soon "inaugurated...a new artistic phase with a series of songs about a new degree of possibility," contrasting the "odes to the open field of possibility" that closely followed the Silver Jews' conclusion.

Berman and Cassie were divorced in 2018. From June to July, he lived in a room above the company's Chicago office, owing to a lack of funds and living off royalties from Drag City. They "never had the kind of fight that results in divorce," Berman said, but they did "actually have to live [their] lives without having the other one." Berman felt that his persistent depression made him "unfit to be anyone's husband." Cassie and John Cassie had a joint bank account and bought a house together, but he considered her a vital member of his family. He lived in Miller Beach and Gary, Indiana, for a brief period of time. At one point, he begged a friend to give him heroin but he was refused, for which he was grateful because he didn't use heroin or cocaine since October 2003.

He had been disillusioned with Judaism from 2004 to 2010, but in 2008 he voiced a disconnection from Judaism, portraying himself as a member of Jews. In his resignation, he "fixed" himself in Jewish history, according to Goldman and Arielle Angel of Jewish Currents, who see Berman as the archetypal of Jews. His once-passion for Judaism made him eager to visit Israel; there, he met Yonatan Gat and helped bring him to Drag City; "The" shows we saw in Israel were probably the most thrilling experience of my life." Berman co-produced Gat's album Universalists in 2018. Berman had planned a more awaited return to music by that year: the Purple Mountains, a new moniker.

Following the release of two singles under his new moniker, an eponymous debut album was released in July 2019. Berman's album, "instantly mythologized," attracted increased interest and praise: "Purple Mountains seemed to be the start of an unexpected second act for David Berman." Berman spent time in Purple Mountains with Woods and Berman's colleague Dan Auerbach, who had worked with Woods and Berman in 2015; Auerbach referred to Berman as "one of [his] heroes."

Berman's new music was inspired by his financial challenges, the breakdown of his marriage, and Drag City's president Dan Koretzky's. Berman said in a 2005 interview, he hoped to settle the $100,000 in loan and credit card debt he had amassed as a result of his drug use; "I've got a credit card rotisserie system that will dazzle the ancients." He said that this was the only reason he wanted to tour. Berman discussed the possibility of a joint tour with Bill Callahan and Oldham, but it didn't happen. He was worried about the tour and told the accompanying band that his depression might interfere, but he was eager for his "solitude" to come.

"I was probably 100 nights over the past ten years when I was positive I wouldn't make it to the morning," Berman said in June 2019. Berman died in an apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York, on August 7, 2019. According to Dan DeLuca of The Philadelphia Inquirer, it's unclear if Berman's suicide was spontaneous or deliberated upon: "The warning signs were all over Purple Mountains." Will Reisman of SF Weekly reflected that Berman appeared as a "grim visage" upon the publication of Purple Mountains, as his neck-length hair was thinning and reedy, and his head-length hair was a stout, lifeless face. On August 16, "Friends and family, as well as the Jewish community, held a private funeral at the Met Breuer Museum in New York; the former Whitney Museum's Met Breuer Museum.

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