Description

[the_fliz1]

I live in a lonely little shelterd town where nobody has ever heard of Wilco. That being said, after seeing them live in Detroit last week I have been screaming their praises to anybody willing (and sometimes, unwilling) to listen. No matter who I tell about Wilco one of 2 questions come up, "what kind of music is it" & "what do they sound like". I have been at a complete loss as to how to explain them to people. Normally I just bust out the MP3 player when it is available, or I have made a CD for someone also. I have never been one for categorizing music, but it is hard to explain to someone what a band sounds like with out some sort of reference. I have heard the media label Wilco as "Alt. Country". I personally hate that phrase more than anything because the minute you mention country, no matter what is in front or behind it, people automatically think of rednecks driving big trucks, spiting tobacco and line dancing. Obviously Wilco is about as far from that as you can get so I don't like to use that phrase. I have heard them labeled as "American Alternative", "Folk Rock", "Roots Rock" and the stupidest one I have heard - "Electric Folk". The best I have able to come up with is to tell people that they are a cross between Neil Young, and Frank Zappa with a little C.C.R. thrown in. Mind you, most of these people are fairly oblivious to anything outside of mainstream music so I had to stay away from the more obscure references. I tried a Replacements comparison once but just got a blank stare. Does anybody have a better way of describing Wilco's music?

[badger]

Unrestricted.

[froggie]

to describe the overall whole career - "pop/rock with a bit of a twang"

[cryptique]

I'd start with "Have you seen a VW commercial lately?"

[you ever seen a ghost?]

>I'd start with "Have you seen a VW commercial lately?"

 

that's exactly what i do.

 

-justin

[yermom]

I live in a lonely little shelterd town where nobody has ever heard of Wilco. That being said, after seeing them live in Detroit last week I have been screaming their praises to anybody willing (and sometimes, unwilling) to listen. No matter who I tell about Wilco one of 2 questions come up, "what kind of music is it" & "what do they sound like". I have been at a complete loss as to how to explain them to people. Normally I just bust out the MP3 player when it is available, or I have made a CD for someone also. I have never been one for categorizing music, but it is hard to explain to someone what a band sounds like with out some sort of reference. I have heard the media label Wilco as "Alt. Country". I personally hate that phrase more than anything because the minute you mention country, no matter what is in front or behind it, people automatically think of rednecks driving big trucks, spiting tobacco and line dancing. Obviously Wilco is about as far from that as you can get so I don't like to use that phrase. I have heard them labeled as "American Alternative", "Folk Rock", "Roots Rock" and the stupidest one I have heard - "Electric Folk". The best I have able to come up with is to tell people that they are a cross between Neil Young, and Frank Zappa with a little C.C.R. thrown in. Mind you, most of these people are fairly oblivious to anything outside of mainstream music so I had to stay away from the more obscure references. I tried a Replacements comparison once but just got a blank stare. Does anybody have a better way of describing Wilco's music?

I usually say something along the lines of, "It's rock n roll! But, good, you know? (huge grin) ...and intelligent, and the writing is amazing." Then I stumble through some more grinning and gushing and usually finish with, "If Wilco started a cult in which fans shaved their heads and lived on a farm together, singing Wilco tunes day and night, I'd probably join that. That's how good they are." I'm pretty sure I never really manage to get the idea of exactly how they sound across. I just manage to make people think I'm totally nuts.

[andshewas]

one record store i shop calls them "insurgent country"

[along with johnny cash, etc. etc. etc.]

 

i would much rather go with "roots rock," however, because it has been years since they produced anything close to country...they are best at purveying rootsy-tootsy kinds of rockyrockrock!

 

 

 

{{{ew...sorry}}}

[stvanderwoude]

I'd go with "alt-country", "the American Radiohead", or "dad-rock".

[PopTodd]

"Do you know what Britney Spears sounds like?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing at all like that."

[quarter23cd]

I have given up talking about Wilco. I mean, you guys here are ok (mostly ), but I figure if I can't even convert my wife to teh Wilco, what chance do I have with random strangers? Back in the days when I used to make mix tapes/cds, I'd throw some Wilco tracks on there and see what kind of feedback I get. But that's about as far as my Wilco-pimping ever went.

[Wilco Worshipper]

I'm pretty sure I never really manage to get the idea of exactly how they sound across. I just manage to make people think I'm totally nuts.

 

 

Same

[Kalle]

"Alternative."

[evol79]

"Hey guys, listen to this, these guys f%#king rock!"

[froggie]

I'd go with "alt-country", "the American Radiohead", or "dad-rock".

 

 

you forgot krautrock...

 

even wikipedia says so

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krautrock

[a_quiet_domino]

I'd go with "alt-country", "the American Radiohead", or "dad-rock".

 

Wilco isn't the American Radiohead, Radiohead is the British Wilco

[shoesgetcold3]

My advice is instead of moving backwards by trying to convince small town (sometimes small minded) people to love your favorite band, move forward and love them here on the big ol' world wide web (internet) Then continue moving forward to bigger and better places where a smart young chap like yourself will meet (in real life) like minded people who have not only heard of Wilco, but also like them and want to talk about them, listen to them, and go to shows with you.

 

That came from reading way too many Savage Love columns over the years. I apologize. Describe Wilco as cool, everyone will eventually get it.

[keylime]

I know a lot of people that like them through work (record store) and some of my friends like them, but I don't meet a lot of random people that know who they are. When people ask what type of music they play, I often say "good" because I don't know what else to say. The day after I saw them in Detroit, my friend and I were out and met 2 university guys who were from Chicago, and I blurted out "We saw Wilco last night!" assuming that they would know what I was talking about. One of them was like "I think I've heard of that...is it a place?" At that moment, I gave up trying to talk to people about them. For now.

[jimtweedy1977]

"the devil's music"

[Tweedling]

Wilco isn't the American Radiohead, Radiohead is the British Wilco

[the_fliz1]

Wilco isn't the American Radiohead, Radiohead is the British Wilco

 

 

You, my friend, are gifted and wise beyond your years.

[poppydawn]

I live in Belleville, Illinois. You know, Jeff's hometown. And even here, people don't know Wilco.

 

Case in point: I went to a framing shop downtown today to pick up my print from the Columbia show and drop off my print from the KC show. The woman working in the framing department was probably late 30s/early 40s and judging from her accent, a local. She asked me where I got the prints, and I told her that when "the band" (assuming she'd know who I was talking about) does shows, they do limited edition prints and I collect them, blah blah blah.

 

Her: Well, what kind of music do they play?

Me: Ummmm ... Jeff Tweedy, the lead singer's, from here. In Belleville. Their new album has a song that takes place right here on Main Street. They've won several Grammys...

Her: But what kind of music do they play?

Me: Uhhhhhhhh ... Tweedys? Do you know any Tweedys? Do you remember a local band called Uncle Tupelo?

Her: No. They're probably not my kind of music. So Wilco's local?

Me: Well, no. They're based in Chicago.

 

Etc. etc. etc. I didn't even attempt to describe the music because it would have been lost on her. I thought there was a better chance of her saying, "Oh yeah! Jeff! We used to pick on him in high school. I'd wondered what he's been up to," than there was of adequately answering her question.

 

Eventually she started talking about certificates of authenticity, and how I should see if I can get them for the prints in case we'd happen to lose them in a fire or burglary. "If the band ever makes it big, these prints might be worth some big bucks!"

 

I guess it's true. Nobody likes you where you're from. Or even knows who the hell you are, in this case.

[yermom]

Eventually she started talking about certificates of authenticity, and how I should see if I can get them for the prints in case we'd happen to lose them in a fire or burglary. "If the band ever makes it big, these prints might be worth some big bucks!"