SarahC Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 just read through the thread. how sad. i thought it would share my jay bennett story... he came through chattanooga when i was 16, my dad was really cool and took me to see the show. they were having technical problems that night, and we ended up having to leave before even seening jay play/ however, my dad had talked to the sound guy, and asked if jay would sign my copy of palace. dad and i were sitting at this table, and jay actually came and sat down and talked with us for the better part of an hour. we talked about music and i told him i was learning to play the guitar and he told me to never give it up because music is the best therapy out there. he was such a genuine person, and it seemed like he really honestly was touched when he met the people who liked his music. RIP, Jay. You will be missed. i'm gonna go give "palace..." a spin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 (just pasting this here because the rockproper label's blog in time will have other news and advertisements etc on its blog, but mostly because it is an awesome tribute no one should miss reading)That's a great tribute. It's great hearing everyone's thoughts. I'm still processing this and it's great to have somewhere to go. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 just read through the thread. how sad. i thought it would share my jay bennett story... he came through chattanooga when i was 16, my dad was really cool and took me to see the show. they were having technical problems that night, and we ended up having to leave before even seening jay play/ however, my dad had talked to the sound guy, and asked if jay would sign my copy of palace. dad and i were sitting at this table, and jay actually came and sat down and talked with us for the better part of an hour. we talked about music and i told him i was learning to play the guitar and he told me to never give it up because music is the best therapy out there. he was such a genuine person, and it seemed like he really honestly was touched when he met the people who liked his music. RIP, Jay. You will be missed. i'm gonna go give "palace..." a spin. So many great stories like this it seems. Very cool and thanks for sharing that. Didn't Townes Van Zandt die of a Heart attack right after hip surgery? Seems very similar (although we don't know yet). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NoOneKnowsMe Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I'm surprised nobody has mentioned The Magnificent Defeat. I loved that record when it came out a couple of years ago, and I thought it was some of his best work in years. Just my opinion though. I'll be spinning that one today. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigRay Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 This is such a strange weekend for me. The joy of having my daughter born, and grief at Jay's death. Jay era Wilco was the backdrop of my coming of age. I emailed him regularly, asking him for advice, talked about his new albums, etc.. he was such a kind, generous soul. The following email probably isnt of interest to anyone that IS NOT a gearhead...but I feel that it really captures the essence of what Jay was about. Man, I miss the guy... here is a conversation I had with Jay a couple months ago. Probably not of much interest to non-gear heads, but it shows how generous and kind the guy was. Had it not been for the birth of my daughter friday, id be deep down in the doldrums. Me: Jay, great album, Sir. Great sounds. Id love to know how you approach micing the guitar, vocals, etc.. compression vs no compression... Again, love the album. Keep up the good work, ill give you a holler monday. Jay: Hey Ted, thanks for the words, I appreciate it! Hope all is well with your band and recording...so..FINALLY, some easy questions. thanks, very direct ...you will get much out of me, if you continue framing your questions in this manner. best overall mic ever AKG 4050, hands down...nothing it can't do...and it's cheap, which plays into my equation here... VOX MIKE: I love the blue mouse...a 414 can be good, but has TONS of (annoying?) high end...SM7 (not sm57) is great ROCK vocal...also perfect when band is live in room with vocalist or for folks with low voices... KICK drum...have to admit,...haven't found one that does the trick every time...sennheiser made some pretty cheap thing a few years ago, that was GREAT for rock drums...i WISH I knew the answer to this...I mean, I make do...and have tried all the standards...but "the one" alludes me. ACOUSTIC GTR technique---one high quality condenser at 15th ish fret ( where body and neck meet) pointed flat at fret board....4 inches away ?...second mic, a "personality" mic, I use an old sony c37 p (now, this is a very rare and expensive "personality" mic, but you don't need to go that far)..this one points at bridge...from below or above, but not straight on...again 4" away...I use a good SOLID STATE pre...Amek 9098...one of the few applications where I will go fo ss over tube...put the low end roll off on the pre...check for phase between two mics...you will not notice a totally in phase vs totally out of phase thing, it will be more like...which one sounds better, a matter of taste, not right or wrong... Then i go through a pair of API 550's (4 band parametric)...boost something in 800 to 1.2K...and then 2.5 K as well...the high and low of the EQ I usually don't touch Then the perfect compressor, is a tube tech stereo ..i forget model number..it just interfaces with ApI's so well...I always EQ pre compression when recording...in many cases it doesn't matter, BUT in this one it does.. could go on for hours about this...hope this gets you started...i know I'm talking about some pretty expensive gear here,...and there are other ways to do it...starting form that mic set up (which is the crucial thing) ALSO...play a good sounding acoustic..with broken in (NOT NEW) strings (this is a big mistake people make)...mid 60's gison small to medium bodies are the best...stay away from things with tons of low, and tons of shimmery high ( unless u r in nashvillle) NEVER mike the sound hole... love Jay...hope that helps Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CalebMac Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Thank you Jay for all of your years of beautiful melodies. Beautiful noises. Rest in peace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
magcat Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Wow, I was off the internet yesterday and missed this terrible news. RIP Jay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
magnetmag Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 We just posted some old Jay-related articles on magnetmagazine.com in memory of him. Though we had the occasional difference of opinion with Jay over the years, we remained fans of his work in and out of Wilco and had tons of respect for his musical accomplishments. He will be missed. 2002 Wilco cover story detailing the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as well as Bennett Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rareair Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 my condolences to his family and friends. sad news, indeed. 11.23.97 (tweedy/bennett) will start a long stretch of music today in appreciation of a wonderful musician. thanks, Jay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mamacint Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 http://beta.wilcoworld.net/news/jaybennett.php We are all deeply saddened by this tragedy. We will miss Jay as we remember him -- as a truly unique and gifted human being and one who made welcome and significant contributions to the band's songs and evolution. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in this very difficult time. Jeff Tweedy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mastershake Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 wow unbelievable. this is very unexpected news. well jay you were a huge part of wilco's most creative years, always a huge talent that worked underneath the radar, and if this board is any indication (which it is) you were widely dismissed even amongst the wilco fan base and never given proper credit for what you brought to the band. wilco would not be what it is today without you, and i'd say it would be 1/10th as popular if you had never brought your direction and your ideas to the table. the jump in the level of artistic quality and songwriting that came between AM and Being There was just monumental - it has to rank as one of the all time best transformations in all of rock history - the likes of Radiohead moving from Pablo Honey to The Bends. Pretty much anyone who had been following Uncle Tupelo listened to Tweedy's Wilco debut and thought "mmkay, that's nice... but Uncle Tupelo was so much better." I think few could make that argument after BH, Summerteeth, and YHF. you were/are a musical genius and i think time and history will eventually look favorable upon you for your contribution to this band we all love (at least more so than has been the case in recent years). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JUDE Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Wow. RIP, Jay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Hollinger. Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Anyone have Palace 1919? I can't even find a copy to buy... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
poppydawn Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Jay even made the Belleville newspaper, albeit via the AP. The local paper never mentions anything Wilco or Jeff-related. http://www.bnd.com/breaking_news/story/781639.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Basil II Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Holy mother fuck of god...........this is just......i'm beyond words at this point. Thanks Donna and Scott...... -Robert Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I was just watching a DVD of the 1999 Rockpalast show, and pointed Jay out to my daughter, who is four. Her only reply was, "Is he a girl?" Man, Jay's hair was a blast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wilco75 Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Anyone have Palace 1919? I can't even find a copy to buy... same here i can't find it anywhere! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Jay was a cool dude! I loved what he added to Wilco on the albums and definatley in the live setting. I had met Jay maybe 3 times. Two with Wilco and One a one of his solo shows. He was nice, easy to talk to and very cool. When I saw him at the TT Bears at a solo show in Massachusetts I maybe talked to him for 15 minutes. He was delighted to talk about anything. I still to this day believe no other incarnation of Wilco was better than Wilco with Jay Bennett in it. Jay RIP you will be missed. My sentiments as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bruce_berry Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 What a time for a first post! I'd like to thank the guy who posted the "Blackbird" lyrics--I think they're very fitting for JB and this somber occasion. The minute impression I have of JB--IATTBYH and some his Wilco work--is that of an extremely talented artist with music oozing out of his pores and his soul. Sometimes this kind of creative genius has a way of manifesting itself in unorthodox, perhaps unintended ways, to the point where it skews people's perceptions of who that individual really is. It also seemed apparent that JB was wrestling with some really heavy shit, and I'm sure that also had a profound influence on the art he created, his personality, and ultimately the way he was perceived by others. It's heartening to read about some of the encounters you have all had with the man, if not very meaningful personal relationships--he appears to have been an extremely thoughtful and generous soul. I'm hopeful that with his passing, people will bury the hatchet they *might* have had and remember that a great artist who fought valiantly against his demons finally has peace. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ThisIsNowhere Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 I am at a loss for words. RIP my good friend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 i am really sad listening to Summerteeth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mastershake Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 dammit this sucks. i always felt jay got shit on in his life, and it was usually partly his fault, but that still it wasn't right that things turned out for him the way they did. he was on top of the world in 2001 and just his personality and his obsession and his idiosyncrasies got the best of him and the band voted him out... and he's been basically in a rut creating solo albums for the past 7 years. he seemed to me to be someone immensely talented but not blessed enough to lead a full band on his own. his voice was just too polarizing to create mass appeal. i think he could create all the songs, write all the lyrics, but still he'd just be hurt having to sing the songs himself. if he had been just born with a better voice he'd be equivalent to the likes of jeff and others, but he got the short end of the stick on that one. and then now this premature death he again gets crapped on. poor jay, sometimes life just isn't fair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
theashtraysays Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Thoughts and prayers to friends and loved ones. All the thoughts and stories here show what great people you all are. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Papillon Parade Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Holy mother fuck of god...........this is just......i'm beyond words at this point. Thanks Donna and Scott...... -Robert I've heard you are quite a big fan...*BIG HUGS* Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cooperissup3r Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 dammit this sucks. i always felt jay got shit on in his life, and it was usually partly his fault, but that still it wasn't right that things turned out for him the way they did. he was on top of the world in 2001 and just his personality and his obsession and his idiosyncrasies got the best of him and the band voted him out... and he's been basically in a rut creating solo albums for the past 7 years. he seemed to me to be someone immensely talented but not blessed enough to lead a full band on his own. his voice was just too polarizing to create mass appeal. i think he could create all the songs, write all the lyrics, but still he'd just be hurt having to sing the songs himself. if he had been just born with a better voice he'd be equivalent to the likes of jeff and others, but he got the short end of the stick on that one. and then now this premature death he again gets crapped on. poor jay, sometimes life just isn't fair. in perspective, his life wasn't *that* unfair...he got to make music for a living. while he may not have made the greatest living off of it, he was still blessed enough to get to do what he loved. i don't think he'd say that's unfair at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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