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Wilco proposals for 33 1/3


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The 33 1/3 series recently had an open call for proposals, and they've posted the results today. There are a handful of proposals for Wilco or Wilco-related books--five for Wilco albums (two for YHF, and one each for BT, AGIB, and the new album), one for Mermaid Avenue, and three for Uncle Tupelo albums.

 

They received several hundred proposals, but I'm sure I'm not the only one thinking it's high time they have a Wilco book in the series. Granted, I did submit a proposal, so maybe I'm a little biased :lol

 

Their blog is here. Check out the list of submissions and comment on which books you'd be interested in seeing for the series!

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The books that are accepted based on these proposals won't be published until 2010 and 2011, but I still think it's pretty bold to decide you'd like to write a book about an album you don't even know if you'll like! The editors usually base their decisions more on how the person pitches the idea rather than on the album itself, so anything is possible.

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I made an argument on this topic a while back that AGIB is the best candidate (not only because it might be my favorite record). The tale of YHF is obviously a good one, but it has been well documented by magazines, IATTBYH and the Kot book. AGIB was detailed in some ways by the Wilco book, but that had more to do with the mechanics of the band and what the loft is like than what the AGIB process really felt like. I think there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed in the AGIB process: first album without Bennett, health problems etc. Also you have the added interest that it was the first record with Jorgensen on board, Leroy was on his way out, and it's the only Wilco record that had O'Rourke through the whole process. I see the album as something beautiful coming out of something horrible, with a fair amount of reflection in its lyrics.

 

It would make a great story.

 

BT would be a good one, but it was pretty well covered in the Kot book. That doesn't mean someone can't hit it from another angle.

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I made an argument on this topic a while back that AGIB is the best candidate (not only because it might be my favorite record). The tale of YHF is obviously a good one, but it has been well documented by magazines, IATTBYH and the Kot book. AGIB was detailed in some ways by the Wilco book, but that had more to do with the mechanics of the band and what the loft is like than what the AGIB process really felt like. I think there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed in the AGIB process: first album without Bennett, health problems etc. Also you have the added interest that it was the first record with Jorgensen on board, Leroy was on his way out, and it's the only Wilco record that had O'Rourke through the whole process. I see the album as something beautiful coming out of something horrible, with a fair amount of reflection in its lyrics.

 

It would make a great story.

 

BT would be a good one, but it was pretty well covered in the Kot book. That doesn't mean someone can't hit it from another angle.

I agree with you 100%.

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I made an argument on this topic a while back that AGIB is the best candidate (not only because it might be my favorite record). The tale of YHF is obviously a good one, but it has been well documented by magazines, IATTBYH and the Kot book. AGIB was detailed in some ways by the Wilco book, but that had more to do with the mechanics of the band and what the loft is like than what the AGIB process really felt like. I think there was a lot of blood, sweat and tears shed in the AGIB process: first album without Bennett, health problems etc. Also you have the added interest that it was the first record with Jorgensen on board, Leroy was on his way out, and it's the only Wilco record that had O'Rourke through the whole process. I see the album as something beautiful coming out of something horrible, with a fair amount of reflection in its lyrics.

 

It would make a great story.

 

BT would be a good one, but it was pretty well covered in the Kot book. That doesn't mean someone can't hit it from another angle.

 

 

I found out about the deadline for the last round of proposals only a few days in advance, so I couldn't put anything together. At the time, I was also working on my dissertation, so I knew I couldn't start seriously thinking about another book project. I'd been kicking around some ideas for a book about YHF, but I'm glad I had the extra time to think about it. I remember you starting a thread about what a great candidate AGIB would be, and you really swayed me.

 

There could be a great book about either BT or YHF, but it would be retreading familiar territory. I felt, from both a writer's and a fan's perspective, that a book about AGIB could add something new to what's already been written about the band.

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AGIB is my least favourite Wilco disc, but I agree that it'd make for the most interesting read for all of the above stated reasons. You've got my vote of support!

 

 

Definitely AGIB. We already have about 30 pages on each record pre-2004 in the Kot book, and a dvd about the making of for YHF and AGIB (well the bonus dvd.)

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Definitely AGIB. We already have about 30 pages on each record pre-2004 in the Kot book, and a dvd about the making of for YHF and AGIB (well the bonus dvd.)

You mean SBS, right? I will soil my trousers if there is a making of AGIB dvd.

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  • 2 months later...

My AGIB proposal got rejected in the first round. I wasn't all that disappointed since I've got another writing project going right now, but I do think somewhere down the line there needs to be a book in the series that looks at Wilco's post-YHF output. I was glad to see the YHF book on the shortlist didn't make the cut, because there's been so much written about YHF already. I'd much rather read something new.

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AM is totally a classic. See the real Wilco rankings:

 

AM

BT

ST

YHF

AGIB

SBS

 

It's at the top of the list, so it has to be the most classic. What gives?

 

 

But if we go by the NME definition of a classic, which is NEWER IS BETTER...and nothing you were listening to ten years ago is worth a damn, except when it was 10 years ago...it goes.

 

SBS

AGIB

YHF

ST

BT

AM

 

 

Which if you average our list rankings...makes all Wilco albums equal, thus disproving rankings, and NME, mathematically...I think.

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