Introduction to Wilco

[woodsy909]

Hola,

 

Been a fan of Wilco for many years now, whilst alot of my friends haven´t even heard of the band. Attempting to introduce a good friend of mine to Wilco (she´s a huge Bob Dylan, Neil Young fan), so shouldnt be the hardest. The 10 songs I downloaded onto her ipod were (in order)

 

1. At Least Thats What You Said

2. Jesus Etc

3. Misunderstood (kicking television)

4. Sunken Treasure (live bootleg)

5. The Lonely 1

6. Via Chicago (kt)

7. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - jeff tweedy solo

8. California Stars - Live

9. Reservations

10. Wilco (The Song)

 

These are personally probably my favourites wilco songs, and I included alot of live versions, as i think this is where wilco are at its best and most accessible. I started off with ALTWYS, as this is the most atypical Wilco song i could think of (silent buildup with a crescending collision of sounds).

 

What are other people´s thoughts??

[Kevan]

Nice! I think the optimal mix is different per the audience. A friend of mine has committed to giving Wilco a shot. I sent him AGiB and a mix, chronologically ordered by release:

 

Box Full of Letters

Outtasite (Outta mind)

Red Eyed & Blue

Sunken Treasure

Nothingsever...

A Shot in the Arm

She's a Jar

Via Chicago

Kamera

Jesus, etc.

(no ghost)

You Are my Face

Side With the Seeds

Wilco (the song)

One Wing (shoulda been Bull Black, alas)

You Never Know

[Sparky speaks]

I try to give them catchy songs first and work up to the heavier stuff later on the second CD mix. Actually made one last night for a long time friend who had never heard them before. All studio versions. If you don't get into these songs as a newbie there is something wrong with you IMO.

 

Hate It Here

You Never Know

Jesus Etc.

Should've Been In Love

Forget the Flowers

Someday Soon

Hummingbird

Walken

One Wing

Heavy Metal Drummer

ELT

You Are My Face

Red Eyed And Blue

I Got You

Impossible Germany

The Thanks I Get

Far Far Away

Glad It's Over

IATTBYH

[rwilson580]

 

Hate It Here

You Never Know.....>

 

Interesting choice for opening song. Kind of a polarizing selection. Hated by many diehards, of course. And I've heard non-fans whose first inclination is to mock the song. I think you're taking a chance on alienating them right out of the box. I like the rest of your choices, though.

[Sparky speaks]

 

Hate It Here

You Never Know.....>

 

Interesting choice for opening song. Kind of a polarizing selection. Hated by many diehards, of course. And I've heard non-fans whose first inclination is to mock the song. I think you're taking a chance on alienating them right out of the box. I like the rest of your choices, though.

 

 

I wanted to hit them over the head with a good rocking song with Hate It Here and probably their most radio played songs You Never Know. I happen to think Hate It Here is one of their best and haven't heard anyone mocking it. IATTBYH is at the end to prepare them for the next CD which will be a little more noisy.

[mpolak21]

I wanted to hit them over the head with a good rocking song with Hate It Here and probably their most radio played songs You Never Know. I happen to think Hate It Here is one of their best and haven't heard anyone mocking it. IATTBYH is at the end to prepare them for the next CD which will be a little more noisy.

 

I am not particularly fond of either of those songs, but the one that would really turn me off on your CD is Glad It's Over, which might be least favorite thing Wilco has ever put out.

 

--Mike

[Al.Ducts]

Here's the approach I would take. I tried to find 3 songs off of each studio release and break the list up into two discs. The songs are ones I found to be the most accessible for a new listener while also putting on full display what sets Wilco apart from other acts. I split the discs between summerteeth and yankee hotel foxtrot to make it as even as possible regarding the number of tracks on each disc while not separating an album between the two. Also I think the area between these two albums represents a more drastic shift in the guys' sound so it works nicely here. Let me know what you think!

 

DISC 1:

 

1)I Thought I Held You

2)Passenger Side

3)Shouldn’t Be Ashamed

4)Someday Soon

5)Monday

6)Red-Eyed And Blue

7)Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway (again)

8)I’m Always In Love

9)A Shot In The Arm

 

DISC 2:

 

10)Pot Kettle Black

11)Jesus, Etc.

12)I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

13)Hummingbird

14)Handshake Drugs

15)Theologians

16)Sky Blue Sky

17)Impossible Germany

18)You Are My Face

19)Wilco (the song)

20)Deeper Down

21)One Wing

[MunkyKayse]

I've only made one successful Wilco convert, but I didn't go the mixed-CD route. I just shoved a few CDs in his hand and told him to listen to them. Since I had told him that Wilco is sometimes referred to as the "American Radiohead" I informed him that YHF is the album that best illustrates this. So that was the first one he listened to. Since then he's learned a few YFH songs on guitar, seen IATTBYH and gone to one Wilco concert. He's made me so proud.

[W(TF)]

I would just give them KT and if they don't get it, they don't get it.

[radiatortunes]

I would just give them KT and if they don't get it, they don't get it.

 

Would have to agree with you on this. Worked for me.

[ditty]

I bought my buddy a ticket to the Red Rocks show. His favorite venue, in his home town and my favorite band. The best way to experience Wilco

[spongebob]

I would just give them KT and if they don't get it, they don't get it.

 

 

Amen.

[SeattleC]

I've tried to sway the uninitiated, and it isn't easy. .....I don't care anymore..... I don't care anymore.....but you never know, you might convince a few people.

 

KT is a good stumbling block. They'll love it or hate it, but it will be settled, and you won't waste your time either way anymore.

 

 

[Kevan]

I would just give them KT and if they don't get it, they don't get it.

 

That was one of the first things I heard and didn't dig it. A few years on and Wilco is second to none for me, and I certainly enjoy KT now. I think you just gotta know what speaks best to your audience. Which, of course, could be KT.

[woodsy909]

Interesting Choices.

 

I was introduced by way of Kicking Television and is by far the most listened to album on my ipod. Alot of songs suggested are personal favorites, but may alienate a first-time listener. I also wanted to limit my selection to 10 songs, to give it a simplified feel to it. We shall soon see the results.

[Al.Ducts]

If all else fails just throw on Impossible Germany

 

That got 3 of my friends started.

[euthe]

Hola,

 

Been a fan of Wilco for many years now, whilst alot of my friends haven´t even heard of the band. Attempting to introduce a good friend of mine to Wilco (she´s a huge Bob Dylan, Neil Young fan), so shouldnt be the hardest. The 10 songs I downloaded onto her ipod were (in order)

 

1. At Least Thats What You Said

2. Jesus Etc

3. Misunderstood (kicking television)

4. Sunken Treasure (live bootleg)

5. The Lonely 1

6. Via Chicago (kt)

7. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - jeff tweedy solo

8. California Stars - Live

9. Reservations

10. Wilco (The Song)

 

These are personally probably my favourites wilco songs, and I included alot of live versions, as i think this is where wilco are at its best and most accessible. I started off with ALTWYS, as this is the most atypical Wilco song i could think of (silent buildup with a crescending collision of sounds).

 

What are other people´s thoughts??

 

 

Give them the YHF demos.

[woodsy909]

Here's the approach I would take. I tried to find 3 songs off of each studio release and break the list up into two discs. The songs are ones I found to be the most accessible for a new listener while also putting on full display what sets Wilco apart from other acts. I split the discs between summerteeth and yankee hotel foxtrot to make it as even as possible regarding the number of tracks on each disc while not separating an album between the two. Also I think the area between these two albums represents a more drastic shift in the guys' sound so it works nicely here. Let me know what you think!

 

DISC 1:

 

1)I Thought I Held You

2)Passenger Side

3)Shouldn’t Be Ashamed

4)Someday Soon

5)Monday

6)Red-Eyed And Blue

7)Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway (again)

8)I’m Always In Love

9)A Shot In The Arm

 

DISC 2:

 

10)Pot Kettle Black

11)Jesus, Etc.

12)I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

13)Hummingbird

14)Handshake Drugs

15)Theologians

16)Sky Blue Sky

17)Impossible Germany

18)You Are My Face

19)Wilco (the song)

20)Deeper Down

21)One Wing

 

Definitely a good selection from a broad range of Wilco albums. Will put under consideration

[rwilson580]

I've built more Wilco fans than I have any other band, ever. There are at least four rabid ones out there, with a couple more on the fence. It makes me very proud. As I mentioned in another thread, I've found SBS to be a good entry point for some people. The same "a little close to the mainstream" aspect that bothers some long time fans makes it a good gateway for new people.

[standenup]

If your friend's a big Neil Young/Bob Dylan fan I'd say some Being There would be called for.

[michaeljameshall]

Hi, this is my first post here - it's a pleasure to be on the boards!

Had a great couple of Wilco recruitment days recently.

Took three people to see their headline slot at Green Man, two of whom had never before heard them.

There was a lot of hugging, high-fiving and I believe the phrase 'They're obviously the best band in the world' after the set.

Result!

Then took a very hard to please friend to the Troxy show who had heard but was not fond of YHF (!!!) - suitably blown away they now have tickets for the next London show.

I'm thinking that just dragging people to a show is the definitive way to 'convert' the uninitiated. I get so frustrated with making compilations or spotify lists that people say they will 'get around to eventually'.

Am trying to get as many friends as possible to that next london show at the forum - was even considering an 'I will buy your ticket and if you dont like it don't pay me' policy.

Sounds risky but I don't think it is really.

Nice to meet you, peoples!

[yankhotelfox]

The way I've done it in the past is to make a nice chronological disc, using my favs off each record. Then maybe burn the entire KT since its sound quality is good and the band is really on fire during this run. I stress turning people on to the live stuff since that's really what Wilco is all about.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I started my older brother off with full copies of A.M., Being There, and the Mermaid Avenue releases, since his tastes lean towards the country-folk-rock stylings. He ate those up, so then I gave him some samples of Summerteeth and YHF, to "ease" him into the changing sounds. Then it was K.T. and Ashes, which he really loved. So then, the other day, he goes on Lala and checks out AGIB for himself. He enjoyed some of it, and noted, that in his opinion, the live versions were better.

 

Then he gets to "Less Than You Think," and as we're chatting on gmail, he says, "hmm...this is kind of a pretty tune..." Two minutes later: "huh, now it's just feedback." Two minutes later: "how long does this go on?" Five minutes later: "Seriously, how long does this go on?" I was just waiting for him to get there...it was hilarious.

 

His opinion overall of Wilco, being a newbie? Loves "Casino Queen," "Monday" and "Hesitating Beauty" a lot. Thinks newer Wilco is better.

 

Great story, I know...

[JessieOK]

I've converted three people so far...my husband, by dragging him to a show. He's been in love with them (and hopefully me) ever since. My best friend- I made her a playlist on itunes, threw in a few of my faves from AM all the way up to SBS, plus some from Sunken Treasure and Mermaid. The last person, I just got lazy with and there was some distance between us and, well, I wasn't going to mail him a mixed tape so I told him to plug in Wilco on Pandora. The beauty of that was that he was able to experience not only Wilco, but some other tunes and artists he was already familiar with. This way, for someone who had never heard of Wilco he was able to put a better label on exactly who they are, what they do, and where they fit in. As far as I know, all three of my converts are still loving Wilco.

 

 

ETA** And I'm working on my parents, as I'm going with them to Farm Aid next weekend. I figure, they fostered a pretty well rounded musical environment for me to grow up in (my first cassette tape at age 8 was Born in the USA) so I should return the favor and turn them onto Wilco before they're too old to appreciate it!

[jmacomber68w]

I have a real good pal who is a HUGE music buff like myself. We agree on 99.9% of all bands, however he cannot get into Wilco. The thing that pains me is he loves bands such as Ryan Adams, Radiohead, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Dead. I would imagine if you were into that combo of bands you would HAVE to at least appreciate some Wilco