Who is on Nels Cline's guitar?

[Scott K]

Please look at this photo:

 

 

or

 

http://bit.ly/cxdeon

 

It is a screenshot from a Wilco performance on Austin City Limits in 2008. It is the best view and highest resolution I can manage given the source.

 

I am wondering who is pictured on Nel's guitar. I have some hunches, but wanted to get other folks' takes on it.

 

Thanks.

[jff]

I'm not 100% sure about THIS photo, but I know he has a picture of Kristin McMenamy on at least one of his guitars.

 

http://www.radolgc.com/kristenmcmenamy/

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Model Kristen McMenamy. He's a bit of a fashion fanboy, or at least used to be. In his tour diaries from his tours with Mike Watt, he was always mentioning picking up and reading fashion magazines.

 

Beat me to it, jff

[SarahC]

nels is quite fashionable.

[willywoody]

I was watching that show the other day on the DVR and wondered the same thing myself.

[Moss]

I'm not 100% sure about THIS photo, but I know he has a picture of Kristin McMenamy on at least one of his guitars.

 

http://www.radolgc.c...ristenmcmenamy/

 

She could use a few of those new KFC chicken sandwiches.

[W(TF)]

Ummm, yeah.

 

 

[willywoody]

nels likes 'em tall, she's 5' 10" according to wiki.

[Robby]

Laurie Anderson, possibly?

[jewess_jeans]

Well, he's super tall himself, so... And he likes 'em skinny! His ex, Carla, could also use a hot fudge sundae, or two...

 

nels likes 'em tall, she's 5' 10" according to wiki.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

I saw Carla play in February, and she looked healthy and strong. Not that I wouldn't buy her a sundae, because she's rad, but you're way off base there. She's never been rail thin. You might want to fact check before you make unkind comments.

[jewess_jeans]

I'll admit I've never seen her play live, but in the pictures that I've seen of her she looked very skinny. Anyway, I don't know that calling someone skinny is an unkind comment, it certainly wasn't meant that way. I'd be happy if someone said that about me. Meanwhile, she's adorable, and seems like she's super cool, which she clearly must be if she was married to Nels, so calm down.

 

I saw Carla play in February, and she looked healthy and strong. Not that I wouldn't buy her a sundae, because she's rad, but you're way off base there. She's never been rail thin. You might want to fact check before you make unkind comments.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. One of the things I've always really admired about Carla is that she's beautiful without to ascribing to the unrealistic stick-thin ideals our society perpetuates. I do wish her work was talked about more, both here and in the rest of the universe, because she's one of the best musicians and songwriters around.

 

Anyway, it's definitely Kristen McMenamy on Nels' guitar.

[kidsmoke]

Not only is Carla beautiful and talented, I can speak personally for how kind and sweet she is. Back in November 2004, when I took my daughter Alissa to her first concert (in L.A. at the Wiltern) it was Carla & band she saw first, opening for Wilco. I remember watching Alissa's face then, and thinking to myself how glad I was that she was getting to see a woman rocking out so gloriously! I want my girl to know that the world is open to her & whatever dreams she has, you know? So that was satisfying. Alissa's evening went from exciting to thrilling when, two songs into Wilco's set, Jeff came over to where she was at stage edge, knelt down, and sang her part of Hummingbird. She was beyond dazzled.

 

After the show, a roadie brought Alissa a clutch of aftershow passes for herself and her family (lucky us!) and when we went downstairs, Alissa was bored with the crush of grownups and wandered over to a room where Carla & her band were relaxing. Carla immediately called her in, and sat her in a chair beside herself, and then handed her guitar to Alissa (who went shyer than I'd ever seen her! )! She showed Alissa the right way to hold it, and then spent several minutes showing her some basic chords, carefully guiding Alissa's fingers into place. I stood in the doorway watching, and snapped a couple of quick (& bad & blurry) photos, but my best memories are captured inside my head, remembering how kind she was to my little girl.

 

Alissa is 14 now, and has puttered with a guitar for years. Just the other day, she played me a pretty song she had just written.

 

And just to steer this back on topic, may I add that Nels is every bit as kind and adorable as Carla.

[Wise Enough]

Not only is Carla beautiful and talented, I can speak personally for how kind and sweet she is. Back in November 2004, when I took my daughter Alissa to her first concert (in L.A. at the Wiltern) it was Carla & band she saw first, opening for Wilco. I remember watching Alissa's face then, and thinking to myself how glad I was that she was getting to see a woman rocking out so gloriously! I want my girl to know that the world is open to her & whatever dreams she has, you know? So that was satisfying. Alissa's evening went from exciting to thrilling when, two songs into Wilco's set, Jeff came over to where she was at stage edge, knelt down, and sang her part of Hummingbird. She was beyond dazzled.

 

After the show, a roadie brought Alissa a clutch of aftershow passes for herself and her family (lucky us!) and when we went downstairs, Alissa was bored with the crush of grownups and wandered over to a room where Carla & her band were relaxing. Carla immediately called her in, and sat her in a chair beside herself, and then handed her guitar to Alissa (who went shyer than I'd ever seen her! )! She showed Alissa the right way to hold it, and then spent several minutes showing her some basic chords, carefully guiding Alissa's fingers into place. I stood in the doorway watching, and snapped a couple of quick (& bad & blurry) photos, but my best memories are captured inside my head, remembering how kind she was to my little girl.

 

Alissa is 14 now, and has puttered with a guitar for years. Just the other day, she played me a pretty song she had just written.

 

And just to steer this back on topic, may I add that Nels is every bit as kind and adorable as Carla.

 

Awesomely cool story!

[jewess_jeans]

Awwww... that is so sweet, on everyone's part! That was very nice of Carla, esp.

 

Nels seems cool as well...the interviews I've read/watched with him always show how humble he is, and how he doesn't take himself too seriously, even though he's probably the greatest guitar player of our time. I wonder what happened between them... they still play together and stuff...

 

 

Not only is Carla beautiful and talented, I can speak personally for how kind and sweet she is. Back in November 2004, when I took my daughter Alissa to her first concert (in L.A. at the Wiltern) it was Carla & band she saw first, opening for Wilco. I remember watching Alissa's face then, and thinking to myself how glad I was that she was getting to see a woman rocking out so gloriously! I want my girl to know that the world is open to her & whatever dreams she has, you know? So that was satisfying. Alissa's evening went from exciting to thrilling when, two songs into Wilco's set, Jeff came over to where she was at stage edge, knelt down, and sang her part of Hummingbird. She was beyond dazzled.

 

After the show, a roadie brought Alissa a clutch of aftershow passes for herself and her family (lucky us!) and when we went downstairs, Alissa was bored with the crush of grownups and wandered over to a room where Carla & her band were relaxing. Carla immediately called her in, and sat her in a chair beside herself, and then handed her guitar to Alissa (who went shyer than I'd ever seen her! )! She showed Alissa the right way to hold it, and then spent several minutes showing her some basic chords, carefully guiding Alissa's fingers into place. I stood in the doorway watching, and snapped a couple of quick (& bad & blurry) photos, but my best memories are captured inside my head, remembering how kind she was to my little girl.

 

Alissa is 14 now, and has puttered with a guitar for years. Just the other day, she played me a pretty song she had just written.

 

And just to steer this back on topic, may I add that Nels is every bit as kind and adorable as Carla.

[jewess_jeans]

No worries at all... things come across strangely sometimes via computer. Anyway, I'm really not familiar with her/her work other than I know that she was married to Nels. I'll check her music out given your recommendation... and I can totally get behind digging someone because they don't fit in to societal ideas.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. One of the things I've always really admired about Carla is that she's beautiful without to ascribing to the unrealistic stick-thin ideals our society perpetuates. I do wish her work was talked about more, both here and in the rest of the universe, because she's one of the best musicians and songwriters around.

 

Anyway, it's definitely Kristen McMenamy on Nels' guitar.

[jff]

I know that she was married to Nels.

 

Is this a fact? Not that it's any of our business one way or the other, but I thought they were just romantically linked, but not married.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Donna, I love that story There's such a generosity to Carla that I think a lot of people miss in her music, because they hear her screaming or her the effects or "noise" and automatically assume she's angry. That's not it at all.

 

We don't really talk about band members' private lives on here, out of respect to them. I think it would be nice if we kept it that way.

[misslaura]

We don't really talk about band members' private lives on here, out of respect to them. I think it would be nice if we kept it that way.

 

To play devil's advocate, I don't know why everyone is so quick to put the kibosh on any talk of people's private lives on this board. I read a Nels interview where he was discussing his divorce - if he can talk about it during interviews why should we not talk about here? Isn't this an open forum for discussion about Wilco? Already this discussion about Carla led to an interesting story.

 

There are obviously at least 2 people wanting to discuss this - why should they be shot down?

[LouieB]

Laurie Anderson, possibly?

She is married to Lou Reed....

 

LouieB

[jff]

To play devil's advocate, I don't know why everyone is so quick to put the kibosh on any talk of people's private lives on this board. I read a Nels interview where he was discussing his divorce - if he can talk about it during interviews why should we not talk about here? Isn't this an open forum for discussion about Wilco? Already this discussion about Carla led to an interesting story.

 

There are obviously at least 2 people wanting to discuss this - why should they be shot down?

 

I don't want to dig into anyone's private personal matters, but Nels mentions his wife several times in his diary from the tour on which he met Carla (see below). I've read every interview or article I've come across on Nels since the late '90s, and I've never once seen him or anyone else state that he and Carla were married.

 

I don't know one way or the other, and it doesn't matter either way, but I just found it odd that it was presented as fact.

 

His tour diary from Mike Watt's Shine Box tour is worth a read (as is his diary from Watt's Clam Blow tour):

 

http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_nelsshinebox1.html

 

Excerpt:

 

I keep thinking about Carla and the Fibbers. Listened to the album as I drove today maybe someday I'll comprehend why the opener, "Lilybelle", almost causes me to break down every time I hear it. This morning it was the usual goosebumps, but this time accompanied by the welling up of tears (which has happened a couple of times before). What's the deal? Only later did I sit in the car outside the Mo' 6 and inspect the lyrics which actually are quite intense, with an air of confrontation and tragedy. But it was/is simply the music that destroys me. Godgiven moments.

 

Time to call Darling Wife.

[misslaura]

I don't want to dig into anyone's private personal matters, but Nels mentions his wife several times in his diary from the tour on which he met Carla (see below). I've read every interview or article I've come across on Nels since the late '90s, and I've never once seen him or anyone else state that he and Carla were married.

 

I don't know one way or the other, and it doesn't matter either way, but I just found it odd that it was presented as fact.

 

His tour diary from Mike Watt's Shine Box tour is worth a read (as is his diary from Watt's Clam Blow tour):

 

http://www.hootpage.com/hoot_nelsshinebox1.html

 

Excerpt:

 

I keep thinking about Carla and the Fibbers. Listened to the album as I drove today maybe someday I'll comprehend why the opener, "Lilybelle", almost causes me to break down every time I hear it. This morning it was the usual goosebumps, but this time accompanied by the welling up of tears (which has happened a couple of times before). What's the deal? Only later did I sit in the car outside the Mo' 6 and inspect the lyrics which actually are quite intense, with an air of confrontation and tragedy. But it was/is simply the music that destroys me. Godgiven moments.

 

Time to call Darling Wife.

 

Maybe I took an interview too literally, or maybe he was talking about someone else. Come to think of it, I don't know a ton about Nels' personal life - maybe he was married to someone for 17 years and then met Carla? I read the following and assumed he was talking about Carla:

 

John: What are your feelings on dating? Does being on the road a lot make relationships difficult?

Nels: Oh god. I have never been much of a dating person. I didn't do it as a young man -- and I was married for 17 years, until 10 years ago

 

Here is the full interview:

 

http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/nels_cline.shtml

[jff]

- maybe he was married to someone for 17 years and then met Carla? I read the following and assumed he was talking about Carla:

 

John: What are your feelings on dating? Does being on the road a lot make relationships difficult?

Nels: Oh god. I have never been much of a dating person. I didn't do it as a young man -- and I was married for 17 years, until 10 years ago

 

Here is the full interview:

 

http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/nels_cline.shtml

 

Thanks for the link. I'm not sure I read that one when it came out.

 

In the above quote, Nels was referring to his ex-wife D.D., who he mentions several times in the Watt tour diary.

[bigshoulders]

Here is the full interview:

http://www.indexmagazine.com/interviews/nels_cline.shtml

 

That was a good read. Thanks. misslaura!