Demographics & Intro

[Skian]

I've been wondering about this group.

What is the range of people here?

Age?

How/when/why did you discover Wilco.

 

(sorry if this has been asked before)

 

I'm 43ish

Business owner

Father of 2

Big fan of Dylan, Grateful Dead, Neil Young, Beatles and the like.

Discovered Wilco thru Mermaid Ave Vol.1

Went straight to Tweedy bootleg (10/21/99) great show.

Wilco bootlegs for a couple years.

Did not buy a studio album until YHF.

Then worked backwards til AM.

A little UT.

Enjoy all Tweedy side projects.

Only 2 live shows. (so far)

Still collect Wilco boots.

Wife likes Wilco.

Employees dig Wilco.

 

Without a doubt (IMO) Wilco is the best working band out there today.

 

Care to share your info?

[Kalle]

15

High schoool?

Favourite bands: Wilco, Beck, Belle and Sebastian, Death Cab, Sufjan, Unicorns/Islands, Morrissey/Smiths, Ryan Adams etc etc.

My Dad (also big music nerd) I found Wilco through him around 2001ish.

Own all albums.

Enjoy all Tweedy affiliated projects.

Have over 30 live shows.

Have virtually all songs the band has put out

Most 15 year olds in Sault Ste. Marie think Wilco is bullshit.

I would say I am a Wilco fenatic.

Meeting Tweedy and the band after the London show this year seriously was the greatest thing EVER! They have to be the nicest and most humble guys ever (speaking of I am going to put my display picture as me and Jeff!).

I am basically the biggest music nerd ever.

Been playing guitar and piano for 4 years now.

I will be majoring in music for University.

Edited July 27, 2006 by Kalle

[Atticus]

Let's see,

 

I'm 35.

 

Attorney (litigator), small firm. No ambulance chasing

 

Married, no kids yet.

 

Play guitar pretty much every other day (though all the electric stuff has been closeted until space (and marital harmony) provides;

 

Discovered Wilco from a friend of mine in Dallas (when I lived there) who was a huge Wilco fan. He took me to a show of theirs in Dallas, which blew me away, although I knew nothing of their music, so some of it was hard to digest on first listen.

 

First album bought was Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Couldn't dive into it at first. Then I bought Summerteeth, which slowly became the only thing I listened to for awhile. Then dove back into YHF, and the same thing happened with that record. After that I got all the Wilco releases. Saw them in Houston April 23, 2005, and again in Fayetteville, Arkansas (what a horrendous road trip that was) on March 18, 2006. Will attend any show within 300 mile radius (or further, if I can handle the flight using wife's airline benefits) from now on.

 

Recently discovered torrents, and have become disturbingly (to my loved ones) addicted to wilco live shows/dvds. In the past 2 months, I don't think I've listened to much of anything else, and I spend at least 2 nights a week out on the patio with the ipod, guitar, some refreshments, and a constant shuffle of all recordings Tweedy/Wilco. Since most of the tab sites I've seen for wilco are sorely lacking, I'm attempting to put together a book of my notations and scribblings for the songs, which will probably take years at the rate I'm going. (better have a decent capo if you want to play tweedy's parts...)

 

At this stage in my life there just isn't any other music that engages me as much as Wilco and Tweedy's solo shows. I have a collection of approx. 600 albums, and will always revert to my standbys like Bob, Beatles, Cowboy Junkies, and a range of others, but for now I just feel really close to the music of wilco. I think that the more of it I've learned by heart on the guitar, the more it speaks to me, and the more nuances I pick up...

 

Back just before the 2005 Houston show, I made my sister in law, then 15 I think, watch "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." Then I took her to the show, and afterwards she was a fan for life, which is nice. Wife likes them alright, as do a few of my friends.

 

I'm about to head off to Colorado for a week of fly fishing and hanging with the fam, and plan on finding a cheap pawn shop guitar and playing wilco for all who will listen in the evenings while the sun goes down, etc.

 

[a.miller]

25

Lab/Marketing Assistant at a Bioscience company.

Have my degree in print journalism from U of Utah.

Discoverd Wilco during the hooplah when YHF came out. I bought YHF without ever hearing it after reading an Acoustic Guitar World with JT on the cover. I was blown away and then got all their other albums.

I play guitar, drums, bass, harmonica and keyboard as much as I can find time for.

I have an on going recording project that will hopefully evolve into a releaseable album this fall.

Single, no kids.

No one else in the family is into music, except me.

I also listen to Ryan Adams, Whiskeytown, Nirvana, the Beatles, M. Ward, Josh Ritter, Coldplay, Neil Young, the Band, Dylan, Led Zep...and more...

I have recently gotten into the JT solo stuff, which I love, but not so into the full band live bootlegs.

I've also been an ice hockey goalie my whole life and just recently became infatuated with football (go figure).

I dig playing video games.

I also, like Kalle, am an admitted Wilco fanatic!

[1212]

15 f, highschool, CA

i am probably going to be an elementary school teacher when i grow up if i dont become a music journalist

i got into wilco because my mom had a mix tape with heavy metal drummer on it.

I have all the wilco cds

I like ryan adams, the replacements, the new pornographers, the kinks, the libertines, the band, pete yorn, pavement, the clash, the velvet underground, and lots of other stuff

i love all of jeff tweedy's side stuff too

wilco is my number 1 favorite band, i have seen wilco live once and a jt solo show once

when i try to share my music with my friends, they all take to ryan adams really easily but no big wilco converts so far

Edited July 27, 2006 by 1212

[Groo]

23, M, Chicago, IL

I work out of Oak Brook as a Software Consultant

I discovered Wilco while watching PBS late one night. I was looking to expand my musical palette. I was specifically looking for a band that had some twang. I heard Wilco play California Stars at about 2am, wrote their name down, and downloaded some MP3s the next day. I got a bootleg of Jeff doing Heavy Metal Drummer solo, and fell in love. I have bought all the records, and Wilco even inspired me to learn the guitar.

[TheMaker]

Basic stats: 27, have a Y chromosome, St. Catharines, ON

 

Like another poster, I (almost) have a print journalism degree, but I had to abandon the world of post-secondary education because I just couldn't stand the shit. I'm a human being with principles, and the day I realized that an obvious schism existed between what I was considering to do with the rest of my life and the person I am was the greatest day of my life (no foolin'!).

 

I'm not a yuppie, which most Wilco fans seem to be (desk job, iPod, large urban centre, etc.), and I've decided to start a career in art after a lot of cajoling on the part of my friends and family. Right now I'm doing spot illos for music magazines and my first comic book will be premiering at Wizard World Chicago (if you're going, do me a favour and pick up a copy! It's called Downhill from Here). It's self-published, but it may not be that way for long (fingers crossed). Every few months I take a full time desk-job to keep me in food and rent and help get the creditors off my back. During these periods, sleep is not an option, which is why I'm the official board prick (seriously, let's examine your general comportment when you're snagging around two to three hours a night for two months at a time). In September, I will be working for Apple for a while.

 

Life is interesting! Most importantly, though, it's fun.

 

And that's me in a nutshell.

Edited July 27, 2006 by TheMaker

[darkstar]

I'm almost 40 (jezus.....this October)

Have a degree in Mass Communications, but work for a big corporation crunching numbers and providing detailed financial reports for our clients. Was in the Army for 6 years after graduating college, then resigned my commission, followed the Dead around for way too long, taught and did social work before selling my soul to the corporation. Wouldn't say I'm yuppified (though I do own an Ipod) I drive a 10 year old pickup truck, wear jeans and t-shirts as much as possible, am not married, no kids, 1 very cool dachshund/doberman (seriously!) mix dog. I like my beer, baseball (REDSOX!!!!), football, and music, and the occasional herbage (strictly medicinal....bad arthritis)

 

Music I like includes Grateful Dead, Allman Bros. Pink Floyd, Hendrix, Radiohead, Dylan, Springsteen, and of course Wilco. Got turned on to Wilco from hearing a song on the only good radio station here in Nashville (100.7) forgot what song but it got me interested. That was probably around 2000 or so. I have all the albums except for AM. Probably seen them around 7-8 times, most recently in Atlanta last October opening for the Stones, and back on Paddy's day at the Ryman in Nashville.

 

Have a few shows on CD, mostly mp3 quality stuff, can't do the BT thing. Agree with Skian that Wilco is the best working band out there these days. Though I like all periods of Wilco, this current line-up is the best in my opinion. Kind of rotate my favorite tunes a lot. Lately the new tune "Impossible Germany" gets a lot of play, but I go back to other stuff a lot as well. Big fan of Company In My Back....can relate to it working for a souless corporation

Edited July 27, 2006 by darkstar

[A Pretty War]

Well, I'm 18 and I just graduated from high school in May. I am going to major in graphic design. I was introduced to Wilco through my ex-boyfriend. I own all of the Wilco albums, but I only have one Loose Fur album. I am interested in getting more of the side projects. I have been to 3 Wilco shows and one solo Jeff Tweedy show so far. Before my first Wilco show I met Jeff and he gave my boyfriend and I front row tickets. It was absolutely amazing. I plan on seeing them play at Lollapalooza next week. I also listen to the Beatles, Death Cab for Cutie, Bright Eyes, and Rilo Kiley among other things, but Wilco is my favorite. I have turned a lot of my friends and my boyfriend onto Wilco.

[explodo]

I'm 22 and AWESOME.

[MunkyKayse]

I'm 30, female. Grew up and lived in So Cal up until a year ago. I moved up to the Bay Area for no other reason beyond wanting to move, which is always the best reason.

 

I have a degree in English/Creative Writing, which is put to little use in my current job with a nameless Cellular company in their regional office...unless you count all the blogs I have crafted on the sly while in the midst of "working." Don't tell anyone.

 

I discovered Wilco through NPR. I remember it like it was yesterday... (cue flashback sequence!) I was driving home from work and listening to KCRW, and a story about Number Stations and the Conet Project was being aired. I was transfixed by the sounds of the recordings. Wilco's YHF was mentioned as having sampled a recording, as well as the band having been sued by the gentleman who produced the Conet Project. I had heard of Wilco before, but never heard a lick of their music. But my current fascination lay with the number stations. When I got home, I hopped onto the internet in search of more info and sounds. And out of curiosity, I began downloading tracks from YHF in search of the tune that had sampled the number station recording. I downloaded about five songs. None of them contained the sample, but I liked what I heard. When I listened to Jesus Etc, I fell madly in love. The rest is history.

 

That was November of 04. I have since purchased all Wilco CDs, except the Mermaid Avenues (given to me by a very generous Wilco fan) and Kicking Television. I've also seen them live in Berkeley, and saw Tweedy both nights at the Fillmore. Own the doc, own the Wilco book and Learning How To Die. Own some Uncle Tupelo... I think that's it.

 

Oh, and I listen to a pretty wide variety of music in general, but Wilco always tops the list.

[froggie]

28 years old..

 

finishing phd in analytical chemistry

 

see wilco once (jan 26, 2003)

 

discovered them with mermaid avenue and worked backwards from that.. still stuck in that era though

[remphish1]

I'm 25 from Jersey work in Real Estate and found Wilco in 1996! I read up on them in the Rolling Stone when Being There came out. Saw them at Irving Plaza Feb 97 from there I was hooked. Have seen Wilco maybe 10 times, Jeff Solo 3 and Met the band oodles of times (Including Jay, Ken, Leroy, Bob Edgan etc). The two times I met Jeff I probably had 20 min conversations each time! Other than that I am a travel and concert junkie!

[moxiebean]

42

married, no kids, dog + 3 cats

MFA in Painting from Penn, work as a curator for visual resources collection for an art college for past 10 years; work on my own art as time allows (a little every day).

Grew up listening to 70's junk on the radio. Discovered punk rock, then 80's indie (REM, 'Mats, Husker du, Minutemen, X, etc.) in college. The Clash were, and are, my favorite band ever (sorry wilco).

 

My old college roomate included some UT on a mixtape for me shortly after No Depression came out - I liked it (and the other UT stuff he sent me over the next few years), but never got around to buying anything until he raved about Being There. He was right. Have gotten (and loved) everything Wilco's put out since. I appreciate their restlessness & that they see their music as art. Have seen them twice in the past 18 months and will catch them any time I possibly can in the future - they are by far the best band currently working.

 

I've avoided the whole bootleg/BT scene because I already have enough obsessions in my life.

[TheMaker]

A lot of us were converted by the brilliance of Being There. That's pretty awesome.

[welch79]

This is an interesting thread to me because I was just divulging some of this info to my buddies the other day on a road trip to the beach. Not about my age and occupation of course but about how I found Wilco and why I like them.

 

27

 

I get to be a kid all day and then bum around in the summer (I teach middle school).

 

Married; wife doesn't really dig 'em (probably cause I listen to them nonstop).

 

Ordered YHF from a CD club in '04 because I had heard of them vaguely and I wanted to expand my listening tastes. I had no idea how much I would like them. Anyway, listened to YHF for like 6 months and then ordered AGIB. This was winter '04 and AGIB has been playing in my head ever since (and in my ipod or cd player at least once a week). I have all the CDs, the documentary, the Kot book and several live shows.

 

Found out that a coworker also is a fan of Wilco and we went to see them when they were in Knoxville earlier this spring. It was a freakin' amazing show! That has been the only show that I have seen, but it will not be the last. My coworker and one other guy I know are the only Wilco fans that I know.

 

I tend to find a band and really dive into them, exposing myself to mainly their music while listening to wide variety of other suff on the side. Some of my past band infatuations are STP, Led Zep, Counting Crows (they suck live), Coldplay and Radiohead.

 

The BTs are pretty cool, epsecially hearing the new material being played.

 

By the way, after listening to a selection of some of Wilco's more approachable work, my road trip buddies were not converted. Their loss.

[dls]

First-time poster, though I drop in here pretty often to read show reviews or to find MP3s.

 

I'm 32, married, and I'll be a dad in 9 weeks. I graduated from the University of Kansas with an English degree. I'm working for a publishing company in Chicago as an editor, but I work from home because I left Chicago over a year ago to move closer to family.

 

I listen to just about everything --- Dylan, Zep, the usual stuff. I'm really in to Lori McKenna these days --- she's worth checking out if you haven't heard her already. I converted the wife as well. She was pretty indifferent until YHF.

 

I was introduced to Wilco in 97 when a buddy of mine from college had an extra ticket to see them at the Granada on Mass St. I had heard Outtasite before, but that was it. I really just went to drink some beers and hang out. My buddy was (and presumably still is) a huge fan, so we got there early and we were in the first row or two. Other than my first concert ever --- Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. tour in Memphis when I was 11 (my mom took me) --- my first Wilco show was the best rock show I've ever seen. Like I said, I was partially familiar with one song, but I didn't care. Near the end of the show, Tweedy jumped into the crowd and landed on my head. I bought Being There the next day and I've been a huge fan since. I've seen 5 Wilco shows, including one of the Vic shows, and one JT solo show. I'm teaching myself guitar right now, but the only Wilco song I can play is California Stars. I can play Birds and Ships, tho!

[Basil II]

I'm 41, married to a wife who likes Bennett's voice better than Tweedy's........

 

-Spent ten years in corporate and small coffee......

 

-Now work for a subsidiary of Williams-Sonoma.....

 

-Worked in three National Parks in the US (Yellowstone,Grand Canyon and Theodore Roosevelt (N.D.)

 

-I thoroughly enjoy Big Sur Bars.......

 

-Lookin' to escape and carve my niche in central Montana as a owner and barista of a kick ass coffee bar someday........

 

-I'm somewhat of an underachiever........but comes through when it really counts.....

 

 

I could go on......

 

--robert.

[fletcher]

I'm a seventeen year old(legal in august!) aspiring journalist (i'm hoping for NYU fall of '07) and I have a girlfriend of two years and a few months, whom I slowly, slowly turned into a wilco fan with the aid of countless mixes and 2 shows (and tweedy in august!). I work at a drycleaner in my neighborhood, and, when it's slow (and it usually is) I love to crank Being There.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have a vivid "first time" moment, although I do believe it was Jesus Etc. I went out and bought YHF instantly, fell in love and have since bought each Wilco album twice (scratched up older copies, on loan ,gave as gifts etc).

 

My first few transcending memories of Wilco are listning to Summerteeth and aimlessly driving up and down a newly finished highway. I remember thinking "She's a Jar" summed up everything I love about music in 6 harmonica notes. I also remember my mind being blown this past March at the opening night at Chapel Hill. I paid $290 for four tickets, two of which I sold (i'm still out fifty bucks). I don't regret a single dollar. I drove three and a half hours from richmond virginia on a school night. That's a story in itself.

 

 

My computer says I have about two GBs of wilco material.

 

 

 

I think Jeff Tweedy is undoubtedly the best songwriter of the past decade or so. Easily. I won't go into detail, I see no use in preachin' to the choir.

 

Also, this is the best thread ever. I love being able to read about these people I see comment so much.

 

I also love this board. Ever so much. Money is always short on this end, but I should have some money coming my way, and I will gladly donate.

[Alisa]

I am 20 soon to be 21 live in Northern California in the Central Valley and can't wait to get out and move somewhere with mountains.

I was 18 and still in high school I growing tired of the stuff on the radio and went looking on message boards for something new to listen to. I had grown up on country and just started getting in to more rock music when I was 17. I bought a copy of The Old 97's Fight Songs at a record/used CD store and discovered the alt country genre. Somehow I noticed everybody was talking on various message boards about this band called Wilco who had a new cd out. I shrugged it off. One day I was at Wherehouse and saw a copy of A.M. I thought the cover was to odd for my taste and didn

[explodo]

I'm a seventeen year old(legal in august!)

Look for me outside your window come August. I'll be the naked guy.

[you ever seen a ghost?]

I'm 24, graduated from James Madison University with a degree in Sociology and Political Science. Now live in downtown Richmond, VA and work an office job at a law firm. Discovered Wilco back in 2002 when YHF came out because I am a huge music nerd myself. As far as Wilco goes, I like the Mermaid stuff, but mostly listen to Summerteeth, YHF, AGIB, the two EPs, Kicking Television and the bootlegs (live and outtakes). Also into: Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles, Robert Johnson, Beck, Iron & Wine, Radiohead, Talking Heads, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, My Morning Jacket, The Roots, The White Stripes, The Flaming Lips, Springsteen, Bright Eyes... Also into film and literature.

 

I guess some of you would call me a yuppie because I work at an office, own an iPod (I own it because I listen to music non-stop, so why wouldn't I?) and live in a large urban area. My favorite movie at the time is I Heart Huckabees (not favorite of all time, but favorite at this moment) and i'm currently reading Kafka. I also like to dress nicely, drink only good beer, have been to Europe and eat a lot of Thai food. So sue me.

 

-justin

[sam]

22

just finished college

i am a photographer. i currently work part time at a newspaper and just quit my other p/t job because it sucked and now looking for another. choices now are a civil war medical museum or the census bureau.

getting married in september

from wv, but now living in maryland

love all tweedy related projects.

first heard of wilco when the outta site video came out. just stuck it in the back of my mind for a while and rediscovered them in college.

went to some shows

watched the movie

read the books

i think BAITUSA is the best album EVER.

i've gotten my mom into some tweedy stuff.

i have a friend who calls him jeffrey tweedy (he's slow..)

i have 3.5 GB of wilco on my computer.

[LouieB]

This far down the road..no one wants to know....

 

LouieB

[Kicking_Television]

15

High schoool?

Favourite bands: Wilco, Beck, Belle and Sebastian, Death Cab, Sufjan, Unicorns/Islands, Morrissey/Smiths, Ryan Adams etc etc.

My Dad (also big music nerd) I found Wilco through him around 2001ish.

Own all albums.

Enjoy all Tweedy affiliated projects.

Have over 30 live shows.

Have virtually all songs the band has put out

Most 15 year olds in Sault Ste. Marie think Wilco is bullshit.

I would say I am a Wilco fenatic.

Meeting Tweedy and the band after the London show this year seriously was the greatest thing EVER! They have to be the nicest and most humble guys ever (speaking of I am going to put my display picture as me and Jeff!).

I am basically the biggest music nerd ever.

Been playing guitar and piano for 4 years now.

I will be majoring in music for University.

 

WHOAAA Sault Ste. Marie, even though that's canada i'm sure you still know where marquette is, that's where i am