How do you listen to "other" Tweedy songs?

[tstrapac]

I am curious how everyone listens to Jeff's songs that are not on Wilco records.

 

I find more and more than I don't care about the Billy Bragg songs on the Mermaid Ave records. I also don't care too much for the songs that Jim sings on the Loose Fur records and have removed them from my iPhone.

 

Do you guys have playlists of just Jeff's songs off of Mermaid, Loose Fur, Golden Smog, etc?

 

There are so many songs that Jeff plays at solo shows that are not proper Wilco songs that I got to know as solo/acoustic Jeff songs and getting to know then as full band, in the studio songs is great, I just don't care to hear all the other songs on these albums that are not Jeff's.

 

What is everyone's thoughts on this? Am I the only one who does it this way? Am I missing out on the other songs? What songs from each seperate project do you guys like the most? What project overall do you listen to the most?

 

School me people.

[cryptique]

I find more and more than I don't care about the Billy Bragg songs on the Mermaid Ave records. I also don't care too much for the songs that Jim sings on the Loose Fur records and have removed them from my iPhone.

I've been a Billy Bragg fan for well over twenty years, and if I had to choose between solo shows by Bragg and Tweedy, I'd probably go see Bragg.

 

Even though I think that many of Billy's Mermaid songs are inferior to Wilco's, I can't imagine deleting them from a playlist.

[Wendy]

I don't really bother with a lot of playlists on my iPod. I just skip the Bragg, listen to all of Loose Fur and other side project albums.

[Gobias Industries]

I listen to "other" Tweedy songs on ction's terms, to be perfectly honest.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I tend to listen to the entire albums, regardless of what it is. Loose Fur has some GREAT non-Jeff songs. As do the Mermaid Avenue records. You're missing out, man.

[tstrapac]

I don't really bother with a lot of playlists on my iPod. I just skip the Bragg, listen to all of Loose Fur and other side project albums.

 

I don't have a single playlists on my iPhone at all, it just seems like the easiest way to play all the Tweedy/Wilco only songs from Loose Fur, Mermaid, Golden Smog, Chelsea Walls....

 

Maybe I am the only one who wants to do this?

 

I tend to listen to the entire albums, regardless of what it is. Loose Fur has some GREAT non-Jeff songs. As do the Mermaid Avenue records. You're missing out, man.

 

I am the exact same way but then Jim starts singing, I always want to skip the song. Aside from the material in the original post, I only listen to full albums. I kind of look at all these Jeff/Wilco songs cherry picked from other projects as an album to themselves and would listen to them in that way. An album on miscellaneous Wilco/Tweedy songs.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I have a "Tweedy" playlist. But it has every song from those albums. I like the change-up of getting a Jim LF song thrown in there.

 

But I love Jim's voice, so there's that.

[tstrapac]

I have a "Tweedy" playlist. But it has every song from those albums. I like the change-up of getting a Jim LF song thrown in there.

 

But I love Jim's voice, so there's that.

 

I think I am kind of in an interesting position, being a relative new Wilco fan (first album being SBS) I had no idea these other Tweedy projects existed and I got a few solo shows early on and only knew of the LF, GS, and Mermaid songs as solo Jeff songs and had no idea there were "proper" versions of them.

 

As I became more and more obsessed with Jeff's music and found these other projects and "proper" versions of these songs that I have known for a year or so, I really want to be able to just hit play on my iPhone and hear the proper versions of all these songs that I have been missing out on for so long and at this point in time, I am not terribly interested in heard Jim, Billy, or anyone elses songs most of the time.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

If you don't like the other guys singing, don't listen to them. There's nothing wrong with it, obviously.

[mpolak21]

Usually with my ears, I tried using my eyes once and it didn't quite work.

[porkdog324]

Ha... I was waiting for that.

 

Usually with my ears, I tried using my eyes once and it didn't quite work.

[tstrapac]

Usually with my ears, I tried using my eyes once and it didn't quite work.

 

 

Ha... I was waiting for that.

 

You guys are mean and I am going home.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I skip all the Bragg stuff, minus Walt Whitman's Niece. I just can't stand his voice.

 

I listen to all the songs on the Loose Fur albums. Jim's shit on there is amazing.

 

I love all of Weird Tales, but it's the only GS album I have. I just downloaded the Tweedy stuff off of the others.

[slice_oftheday]

I love "Answers To Your Questions"

[W(TF)]

I've been wondering lately, whether Jeff will release a solo record at some point in time.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I have a playlist for Wilco/Wilco-related stuff that has favorite live tracks, Jeff solo stuff, Loose Fur (including Jim's songs), Jeff's UT songs, Wilco's Mermaid stuff and Jeff's GS stuff. I rarely listen to it, actually - I usually just pop on whatever record or show I want to hear. I only tend to use that playlist when I want to hear a certain favorite live track, and when that's done I just leave it on shuffle.

[lamradio]

I've been wondering lately, whether Jeff will release a solo record at some point in time.

 

Has anyone ever asked him this in an interview or anything? He's done just about everything else one can do with a music career. He pretty much has to do one..

[sonicshoulder]

Suprised no love for Minus 5 yet, the "Down with WIlco" stuff is in my opinion their best and what a coincidence Jeff's involved. As for the 1st Loose Fur cd, I jam it from begining to end, even the instumental. Tweedy is great but that cd had Jim O'Rourke's stamp all over it. There was actually a time when I was skipping chinese apple. Sorry

[Guest Speed Racer]

Suprised no love for Minus 5 yet, the "Down with WIlco" stuff is in my opinion their best and what a coincidence Jeff's involved.

 

Oh right! Love that one. That whole CD is also in the playlist.

 

I would argue that Jeff hasn't done a solo project yet because he's just so damned crazy about collaborating with people. The solo shows seem like a fun tour for him, and a fun way to blow off steam and try out new songs, but by all accounts he's never been a guy to tool around a studio by himself for hours on end - he always seems to have a partner. I'd probably be a bit disappointed if a Jeff solo record was just him and an acoustic, and I do love his cover of "Crack a Smile" - a lot a lot a lot - but he just doesn't seem interested right now in doing that.

[Maggie]

My take:

 

 

• I often skip Jeff's songs when I listen to Uncle Tupelo! Not always, but often. I usually break out the Tupelo when I'm in need of some Farrar.
   
  
• I enjoy most of Billy Bragg's songs on the first Mermaid Ave. album, not so much on the second. As a result I've only listened to the second album a couple times. I badly in need of a custom made playlist for the Mermaid stuff.
   
  
• I love Gary Louris and find the other Golden Smog guys, so that one isn't an issue for me. There are many super catchy non-Tweedy songs on Down By the Old Mainstream and Weird Tales. Give the other guys a chance.
   
  
• I think Jim is responsible for a couple of Loose Fur's best songs. And this is coming from someone who doesn't own any of his solo stuff.
  

[mtt_wojo]

I have two playlist as far as Jeff's stuff goes in my iPod. One is titled 'Wilco Collection' and the other is called 'Jeff Tweedy Related Projects'. The Wilco collection is mostly every song, rarity, b-side in chronological order. I also lumped the Mermaid Avenue stuff in there that only Jeff sings. It actually is a nice flow from the Being There stuff and then into Summerteeth. I think it works. Under my 'Jeff Tweedy Related Projects' playlist, I just created a mix that I thought had the best flow to it (excluding any covers. I'm all about the originals). If anyone's interested, it goes like this:

 

1. Golden Smog: Radio King

2. Loose Fur: The Ruling Class

3. Loose Fur: Pretty Sparks

4. Uncle Tupelo: New Madrid

5. Loose Fur: Laminated Cat

6. Golden Smog: I Can't Keep From Talking

7. Uncle Tupelo: The Long Cut

8. Loose Fur: Wanted

9. Golden Smog: Please Tell My Brother

10. Uncle Tupelo: Black Eye

11. Loose Fur: Hey Chicken

12. Golden Smog: Long Time Ago

13. Uncle Tupelo: Gun

14. Loose Fur: Apostolic

15. Uncle Tupelo: Fatal Wound

16. Loose Fur: You Were Wrong

17. Jeff Tweedy: Inner Voice

18. Golden Smog: Lost Love

19. Uncle Tupelo: Wait Up

20. Golden Smog: Pecan Pie

21. Uncle Tupelo: We've Been Had

22. Minus 5: The Family Gardener

23. Uncle Tupelo: No Sense In Lovin'

24. 7 Worlds Collide: What Could Have Been

25. Loose Fur: Chinese Apple

26. Uncle Tupelo: Acuff-Rose

27. Loose Fur: Wreckroom

28. Golden Smog: All The Same To Me

 

I know I'm missing a few here and there but I just picked out my favorites and made a mix. Some of the other stuff I either forgot about or just doesn't grab me.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

[*]I often skip Jeff's songs when I listen to Uncle Tupelo! Not always, but often. I usually break out the Tupelo when I'm in need of some Farrar.

 

Oh no. Jeff's stuff from UT is amazing. So is Jay's - don't get me wrong. Jay was clearly the more polished songwriter, but Jeff's youthfulness on those early UT albums was a beautiful thing. I don't skip either's songs (except Grindstone - can't stand that song). I encourage you not to either.

[Maggie]

Oh no. Jeff's stuff from UT is amazing. So is Jay's - don't get me wrong. Jay was clearly the more polished songwriter, but Jeff's youthfulness on those early UT albums was a beautiful thing. I don't skip either's songs (except Grindstone - can't stand that song). I encourage you not to either.

 

I like Jeff's Tupelo stuff, but the fact is I listen to Jay a lot more in general. This has to sound strange to those who think of Jay as a one note, but I never get tired of the guy. On the other hand, there are days when I don't really feel like listening to Jeff's voice (particularly the earlier stuff). I may be in the mood to listen to "Still Be Around" any day of the week, but often times the transition to "Watch Me Fall" doesn't work for me. Other days it's great!

[W(TF)]

• I love Gary Louris and find the other Golden Smog guys, so that one isn't an issue for me. There are many super catchy non-Tweedy songs on Down By the Old Mainstream and Weird Tales. Give the other guys a chance.
• I think Jim is responsible for a couple of Loose Fur's best songs. And this is coming from someone who doesn't own any of his solo stuff.

 

I like Another Fine Day better than those two, and Jeff's input on AFD was minimal since he was too busy that year.

 

Yes..O'Rourke is a major part of the genius behind Loose Fur, not to mention his work with SY and Wilco. His solo stuff is great too.

[W(TF)]

I would argue that Jeff hasn't done a solo project yet because he's just so damned crazy about collaborating with people. The solo shows seem like a fun tour for him, and a fun way to blow off steam and try out new songs, but by all accounts he's never been a guy to tool around a studio by himself for hours on end - he always seems to have a partner. I'd probably be a bit disappointed if a Jeff solo record was just him and an acoustic, and I do love his cover of "Crack a Smile" - a lot a lot a lot - but he just doesn't seem interested right now in doing that.

 

Interesting. I think I'd be inclined to argue that he has a ton of material and would have no difficulty banging out an album of solo originals, even a full disc's worth of songs no one's ever heard. He'd have no problem getting the musicians he wants to play on it...it would sell ok...it would probably receive a decent reception with critics. I think the issue is that Jeff is both image-conscious and quite self-aware. Collaborating helps keep his ego in check and maybe prevents him from getting too self-obsessed about his songs, and keeps things real (and fun). He seems realistic about his musical abilities and cognizant of the fact that his bandmates are tuned into his compositions, and that they lift him above 'the mediocre', time and time again.

 

An album of solo acoustic and vocals would be nice, but it would too easily fall under the Folk umbrella of categorization, which Jeff has no use for and thinks is a crock of shit, as he's said many times. He seems to want other people involved in the recordings as Lauren said, and I think he'd be reluctant to release any project like that under just his name. JM2C...