Wendy Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 http://www.daytrotter.com/article/642/jay-...ke-and-hardness Jay Bennett: For Your Consideration, Another Poet Through The Smoke And Hardness9 April 2007 tell your friends... Words by Sean Moeller // Illustration by Johnnie Cluney // Sound Engineering by Patrick Stolley Free Daytrotter Session Songs (Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I tend to agree with Jay Bennett about "California Stars". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mountain bed Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Thanks Wendy for that. I'd really like to see Jay get his physical ailments taken care of. He's a performer in the archaic sense of the word...it has to come out & everyone should want to have a healthy JB with us for much more good times & music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Daytrotter needs to hire some better writers. Jesus, that was a mess. It shouldn't discount that the man - this sweethearted man of big frame and greasy hair - has the given ability to percept what a song takes (cream, sugar or blackness) and what a song needs to make it evoke. Per-fucking-cept? Nice interview, glad to see Jay's still getting out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 No shit. It was actually hard to read. But the concentration on Jay's health really worried me. "His duffel bag is filled to the brim with pain medications for the short, couple week tour ... " Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I actually hadn't read the second part - figured I'd save myself the trouble of slogging through it until I got home and downloaded the tracks - sad to hear about Jay being in pain. Probably not the best guy to be carting around a bag full of pain killers. I hope he's able to find something that works, and get off the rest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KevinG Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I love Daytrotter, but I have to agree their "articles" are hard to read. The mix seemed to be a bit off on the Bennett songs. The organ is way too loud and the vocals are muddled. Part of that is Jay's problem me thinks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WilcoFan Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Big frame? Huge Bear of a man? He must be really overweight or something because when I met him I thought he was kind of short. I'm only 6'1". I love his music and never under-estimate his contribution to Wilco. My only complaint with him is that he always has to get little lines in there about which songs he wrote in Wilco. Wilco will never just be "Radio Cure" and "California Stars" to me. I think he should be most proud of the producing/engineering roles he played as well as his excellent musicianship. Just my opinion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Big frame? Huge Bear of a man? He must be really overweight or something because when I met him I thought he was kind of short. I'm only 6'1". He's definitely in the 5'9' range. He has really gotten heavy over the past couple of years. I'm guessing that has something to do with his back pain making him a bit on the immobile side. I saw him open up for a band a couple of months ago and he honestly looked like Brian Wilson during "Smile" era. He is extremely talented and I'm sure he'll pull things together to get back on a healthier track. Probably not easy to get kicked out of one of the best bands of the last few decades. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Wilco will never just be "Radio Cure" and "California Stars" to me. Right. It's also "My Darling". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I have a love/hate feelings towards Bennett because one he is totally full of himself. I mean the three chords he put to California Stars are great, but fuck man, it's just three chords, anyone can do it. But I do love the work he did with Wilco especially the more melodic tracks that did not make it onto YHF. However, I believe his solo records are not good. Nevertheless, I hope he gets better because it seems like Tweedy has dealt with his demons while Bennett lives them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I have a love/hate feelings towards Bennett because one he is totally full of himself. I mean the three chords he put to California Stars are great, but fuck man, it's just three chords, anyone can do it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I mean the three chords he put to California Stars are great, but fuck man, it's just three chords, anyone can do it. To find simple and addictive chords like these must be the dream of every musician. As every metal band tries to find the killer riff that is "You Really Got Me". It's not easy at all! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
people are leaving Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I mean the three chords he put to California Stars are great, but fuck man, it's just three chords, anyone can do it. What's important to mention is Jay's melody coupled with Woody's lyrics are what make the song. The rest = ornamentation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianshaw Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 JB: I have a lot of quite humorous ways (at least to me) to answer this question, but I fear that some folks would mistake the humor for something deeper. I can only tell you how it used to feel, and can’t conjecture on how it would still feel, so suffice it to say 99.9% of my time in the band was nothing but a great experience. I don't really know how "full of himself" Jay may or may not be. Musicians generally have egos, much as old golfers generally wear bad pants. But I will say that for the one question he probably gets asked in 99% of interviews (Wilco) this is a pretty classy answer. "99.9% of my time in the band was nothing but a great experience." Ian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I would like to hang out with Jay Bennett once or twice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Littlebear Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 What's important to mention is Jay's melody coupled with Woody's lyrics are what make the song. The rest = ornamentation. well, it's the "ornamentation" that makes the song to me. Just these harmonies and the way they're done instrumentally. And Jeff's voice. I'm not even sure any other voice would make it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dannygutters Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I love Daytrotter, but I have to agree their "articles" are hard to read. The mix seemed to be a bit off on the Bennett songs. The organ is way too loud and the vocals are muddled. Part of that is Jay's problem me thinks. Heck, I love daytrotter because their studio is in the town I grew up in and it boogles my mind to all hell that there is any kind of indie scene there. They should get some kind of key to the city, all I ever got to see was 311 and winger at the state fair. AND Wilco will be playing at the Adler in the Quad Cities so maybe wilco daytrotter session? maybe.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nettles Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 I kind of felt a little sorry for him when I met him, because of his appearence and what seemed to me a bad state of mind. I don't think people should give him shit for boasting a little of his contribuitions and accomplishments, in the end he got a really shitty deal the way he was portratyed in that movie, and the way he was given little recognition for his part in making YHF after the record got a crazy amount of attention, and alot of people where just hating on him instead, that must of hurt like crazy. I dig some of his tunes, but can only take his voice in small doses. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 To find simple and addictive chords like these must be the dream of every musician. As every metal band tries to find the killer riff that is "You Really Got Me". It's not easy at all! Rock and Roll is simple, which is one of the great things about it because anyone can do it. Seriously, Heroin (one of the greatest rock songs ever) is two chords. Misunderstood is two chords throughout the entire song. Basically, if band such as Wire went into the studio (they did not even know how to tune their guitars), and create a fantastic debut album "Pink Flag." I believe anyone can play rock and roll. I guess I just don't like it when rock stars brag about how much of a genius they are when anyone can do it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Is there no difference between playing rock and roll, and playing rock and roll well? Writing songs and writing songs that speak to people? My God, man. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted April 10, 2007 Share Posted April 10, 2007 Yeah, there is a difference between playing rock and roll and writing good rock and roll songs. But my point is that Bennett should not let his head get any bigger because he's not writing Beethoven's ninth symphony. It's just rock and roll and that's what I love about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Orkie Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Save for three songs on AGIB, Wilco hasn't been good since he left. Shame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Save for three songs on AGIB, Wilco hasn't been good since he left. Shame. which ones? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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