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How Nels Cline Saved the Guitar


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Who cares about "Forget the Flowers"?

 

"I'll make you forget yer flowers"

 

Cline's overall versatility trumps Bennett's singular skills in one area.

 

also, Cline knows what it takes to play in a group. he's the quintessential orchestral player. Bennett? More like a solo man, who doesn't know how to turn himself down.

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I didn't like this article at all. Wilco hasn't published any studio songs with Cline in the band, how the hell can the band be broken into pre- and post- Cline eras?? I also like the HiC solo waaaay more on the studio recording, as i do the song in general. Greg Kot's book wasn't shitty, it displayed far more writing ability than whoever wrote this shit did with his article.

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Nels can play the older stuff just as well as Jay could. It's just different. Different people. Nels is a better guitarist either way, but Jay could make quite a sonic landscape. :monkey But I thought you wanted the monkey in there going "OOO AHAHH!"

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Nels can play the older stuff just as well as Jay could. It's just different. Different people. Nels is a better guitarist either way, but Jay could make quite a sonic landscape. :monkey But I thought you wanted the monkey in there going "OOO AHAHH!"

 

 

Honestly, listen to Jay's playing on Forget The Flowers. His Keith Richards-esque guitar on Monday. His Someday Soon. His Kingpin. Summerteeth. Most of the time Nels just does some ill-fated lap steel. He can't play the old stuff anywhere near as good as Jay.

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Honestly, listen to Jay's playing on Forget The Flowers. His Keith Richards-esque guitar on Monday. His Someday Soon. His Kingpin. Summerteeth. Most of the time Nels just does some ill-fated lap steel. He can't play the old stuff anywhere near as good as Jay.

 

You can't accept the fact that Nels is just a better orchestral player than Jay could ever be.

 

Nels plays lap steel to enhance the music, trying to construe the lyrics through his lap steel. Jay just wants to cover Tweedy up, play some "rock" lick that may sound cool, but doesn't help show what Tweedy wants to show in the music.

 

Nels plays collectively, Jay does not. It's as simple as that. Being one with extensive orchestral experience, I can attest to this.

 

And I think most of us here value the collective product itself than the parts themselves.

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you can't accept the fact that there are areas where Jay is better than Nels. i assume you have ears, since you are "one with extensive orchestral experience".

 

I never said Nels was better in all genres. I said overall he's a better guitar player. You misinterpret with malicious intent.

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I have seen this thing go back and forth on this board for a year, and I can't help but get involved everytime. To be really impartial (as if thats possible, you may already know who I favor) stack up the Geraldine Fibbers, or the Nels Cline Singers against ANY Jay Bennett solo release. I will tell you what I think about that contest, but I want to hear your opinions first.

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Does it matter who is best? If it did,I probably never would listen to anything other than John McLaughlin albums.I'd like to read a 'celebrity death match' w/ Cline vs. Bennett like the Ryan Adams/JT one from awhile back :D

 

Oh well...I do have a Cline Singers show that truly blew my mind,I must say. :music

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I have seen this thing go back and forth on this board for a year, and I can't help but get involved everytime. To be really impartial (as if thats possible, you may already know who I favor) stack up the Geraldine Fibbers, or the Nels Cline Singers against ANY Jay Bennett solo release.

 

I've never heard any of Jay's solo stuff, but the Fibbers are my favorite band of all time. To be fair, you should narrow the choice down to Butch, because that's the only album Nels played on. But it's a masterpiece and the 6 or 7 GF shows I saw rank at the top of my list of memorable concerts.

 

And then there are the Singers, the Nels Cline Trio, Scarnella, Destroy all Nels Cline...pretty much anything Nels (or Carla Bozulich) touches turns to gold.

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I never said Nels was better in all genres. I said overall he's a better guitar player. You misinterpret with malicious intent.

 

What are you talking about? That's basically exactly what you said. I keep arguing that Jay is better at the country/rock style. I like Nels, and he is a lot better than Jay at some styles. But there is no argument that he plays his style better than Nels.

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I have seen this thing go back and forth on this board for a year, and I can't help but get involved everytime. To be really impartial (as if thats possible, you may already know who I favor) stack up the Geraldine Fibbers, or the Nels Cline Singers against ANY Jay Bennett solo release. I will tell you what I think about that contest, but I want to hear your opinions first.

 

 

I really don't get why you would compare these. Jay's solo albums focus on his songwriting, not the guitar playing. However, since you did bring it up, take a listen to Jay's solo in "It's Hard".

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What are you talking about? That's basically exactly what you said. I keep arguing that Jay is better at the country/rock style. I like Nels, and he is a lot better than Jay at some styles. But there is no argument that he plays his style better than Nels.

 

Ah, how we all love picking out phrases and make them mean what we want them to mean.

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I agree that Nels plays his style better than Jay (obviously) and he sounds good in Wilco. It just bothers me that fans of Nels won't admit that he can't play the old stuff anywhere near as good as Jay.

 

I've been a fan of Nels since before Wilco even existed, and I'll go on the record:

 

Nels does not excel at country rock guitar playing.

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I told Jeff after last night's show in Wichita to "not let Nels go at any time." He said he wouldn't, that they keep him locked up in the bus after the shows...

it was so exciting to watch him up close last night - he adds such incredible atmosphere to the songs...

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The band really is the most dynamic they've ever been live, and I really enjoy Nels' guitar playing. Impossible Germany, Company In My Back, and Ashes Of American Flags wouldn't be half as great live without him. I still sort of question what he will be like on record instead of live.

 

p.s. His playing on Kamera at the October 10th show is really great also.

 

He made Kamera a completely new song for me at this show! So glad I heard him play it live.

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If you listen back to the studio recordings Jay did with Wilco, you will not find overplaying or "playing some 'rock' lick" that doesn't fit the song. For example, his guitar on I Got You. That lick that comes in at the first chorus is a perfect example of how subtle his playing can be, how perfectly placed it is. The only way anyone can accuse him of not fitting into the song perfectly is if you only listen to the live shows. He did tend to let loose a bit too often live sometimes.

 

and once again, I love Nels. He is perfect for the current Wilco. But there is no way he can play like Jay (refer to the Roger McGuinn & Wilco version of "Mr. Spaceman"... damn!)

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If you listen back to the studio recordings Jay did with Wilco, you will not find overplaying or "playing some 'rock' lick" that doesn't fit the song. For example, his guitar on I Got You. That lick that comes in at the first chorus is a perfect example of how subtle his playing can be, how perfectly placed it is. The only way anyone can accuse him of not fitting into the song perfectly is if you only listen to the live shows. He did tend to let loose a bit too often live sometimes.

 

and once again, I love Nels. He is perfect for the current Wilco. But there is no way he can play like Jay (refer to the Roger McGuinn & Wilco version of "Mr. Spaceman"... damn!)

 

I'm guessing you don't understand we're talking solely talking live here, because Nels has only appeared on one studio recording?

 

and, secondly, does Nels even have to bother with how Jay played, considering that one, they come from opposite ends of the music spectrum, and two, the fact that Nels outplays Jay in everything but that one small niche that is pretty much dead? no.

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