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Gewee

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Posts posted by Gewee

    Wilco (the album) artwork

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    I, in my infinite wisdon, will now give you the FULL and UNABRIDGED close-reading of the Wilco album cover and reveal, once and for all, with no room for dissension, the meaning behind it all.

     

    1) The Camel (that large furry creature in the center standing in profile) is an central Asian variety (2 humps) versus the arabian variety (single hum), signifying (a) the band's long standing foreign policy agreement that Afghanistan should be the central focus of our war on terror and not Iraq, (See Journal of Foreign Policy, Aug 2003, "Wilco, the Wisdom of a Two Front Land War in Asia and What is To Be Done", pp 64-66) (B) the band's preference for Mongolian BBQ over falafel and © that the great old vaudeville joke (What's better than two camels with one hump? One camel with two humps!) is still relevant in today's modern society.

     

    2) The party scene (see birthday cake, party hat on aforementioned camel, arrangement for party including 6 empty chair) is a tribute to forthcoming baccanalias. You will notice that except for a hat and a very scantily furnished lead and harness, the camel is 100% NAKED. The 6 chairs represent each member of the band while the three legs of the table (did you notice that the 4th leg is skillfully hiddden?!) is a paean to the performance of "3 is a Magic Number" that Jeff Tweedy gave at a Wiggleworms class at the Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago in 2001 with Tim Rutili and Jon Langford. Note that though there are 6 chairs and Mr Tweedy warned us that 3 is a Magic Number. There are only 2 Dixie cups, signifying that though all are welcome, only 2 of 6 or 33% will be served, the 33 a nod to the rpm of the vinyl record, the obvious band preference of media for this recording. The cake is uncut and whole-- no knife or other carving device is present-- signifying that the party is still in the future. More on that later (see Knight's Bar below). That the cake is banded in orange, and matches well with the camel's hat color-wise (see 1 above), is no accident. Orange is Wilco's 33rd favorite color and is another not so subtle reminder to buy vinyl. (Nels's 33rd pair of socks in his rotation are also orange but this is simply a coincidence and nothing further should or can be divined from this) But there is more at play here with the color orange. Wilco, addicted to rhyming, is warning us all " next time, no ryhmes. And we mean it. Nothing rhymes with orange." Heavy heavy stuff.

     

    3) The background: You will note through the sweeping back gate, a half of a red car. You might be tempted to think this is an entire car, with only half showing, but this is actually half a red car. Taking half of the letters of "red car" as Wilco instructs us and you can make several words, the 6 most important of which are: Err, Cad, Rad, Ace, Arc and Ade. These 6 terms are in fact the internal code names of each band member that they use for security, taking turns paying the bill at the Waffle House and rehearsing stage blocking (Example: "Begin Shot in the Arm. ACE turns to CAD grimacing while ERR and RAD sway hypnotically.")

     

    The restaurant in the back, Mader's, is a German restuarant founded in 1902, the same year the term WILCO was first used in its modern understanding. In the Knight's Bar portion of the restaurant, where german wheat beer is served and specialty drinks are all the rage, there are several specialty drinks worth noting: The Naked Camel (2 parts Mongolian bourbon, one part water carried in a two hump camel for at least one month on the steppes of Arkhangai Aimag), The Half Red Car (Grenadine, Hawaiian punch and champagne) and the Jay Jay (Old Crow and Bitters). The party, prior to the surprise naked camel, orange cake (remember nothing rhymes with orange) and ample seating, is already in process at the Knight's Bar, with all 6 super secret security names in full usage (Red leader1 " Ade is low on ice REPEAT. Ade is low on ice"). Once they band members have gotten silly on Naked Camels, they will attend the party. Mader, sends his regrets however. He is attending the Grammy-winning Foo Fighters show at the Roxy that evening.

     

    Finally, the name "Wilco" floats majestically above the fray, the font mirroring the Mader font, signifying the popular ascendance of good earthy rock-and-roll over German restaurants in Milwaukee, though I think that battle is far from over.

     

    I hope this clears up any questions regarding the meaning of this album cover.

     

    PS The building behind Mader's is known to locals to be haunted and those large silver tenticles on top are the beginning of it's very long and complex metamorphasis into a killer robo-dwelling. More on that soon.

    Wilco ex-member sues frontman Tweedy

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    He's a Czar, complete:

     

    He's a czar

    With a funny beard

    So fierce and feared

    A circle's-center

    With money hid

    And now he begs me not to sue him

     

    He says forever to pull a ruse

    We could use

    A handful of cash

    For a day off

    And a broke hip

    However, he won't feel

    Your claim is real

     

    When I forget how to talk, I blog

    Won't you please

    Bring that tune to shine

    And turn my face red

    Untill you pay

    And my hip gets sick

    Stuck, like a check left uncashed

     

    I'd climb aboard

    If someone could help me

    To my fragile legal team

    And watch me summon, inches above,

    The people underneath

     

    Please beware the quiet court room

    I warned you

    Before there were things to sign

    I warned you not to lie

    Dry your eyes, you poor devil

     

    Are there really claims like these?

    The ones I file

    Float like leaves

    And fall to spend skeleton cents

    I went through before I sued you

     

    I believe it's just because

    Jay B's payday is not enough

    Oh I believe it's all because

    Jay B's payday is not enough

     

    I'd climb aboard

    If someone could help me

    To my fragile legal team

    And watch me summon, inches above,

    The people underneath

     

    He's a czar

    With a funny beard

    So fierce and feared

    A circle's-center

    With money hid

     

    And now he begs me

    not to sue him

     

     

    I am contsacting the Grammy's Parody Committee. This is one Grammy the Foo Fighters probably won't beat us out on

    Wilco ex-member sues frontman Tweedy

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    I don't really have any interest in reading the thread, but I'll take a stab at summarizing it anyway:

     

    95% of the VC Faithful talk about what a horrible monster Jay Bennett is, and probably take a few cheap prick shots at his rather serious health issues in the process.

     

    2% of the forum clumsily attempts to "crunch the numbers" while playing Armchair Litigator and determine things like the potential value of an out-of-court settlement, whether Bennett is actually entitled to his beef, etc.

     

    The 1% of the board who self-identify as "Jay Bennett fans" feebly attempt to stick up for the man and are rewarded for their efforts by being excommunicated from VC's (y)upp(i)e[r echelon] clique.

     

    The most fanatical 1% of the board overreacts to the charges and can see them only as a conspicuous personal attack on Jeff Tweedy.

     

    The rational 1% of the board knows enough to stay out of ongoing litigation pertaining to its favourite band and mostly remains mum about the whole damned thing.

     

     

    What about the other 1%? Everyone knows that here at VC we give 101% every day!

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