Who is on Nels Cline's guitar?

[jewess_jeans]

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.

 

 

 

I read the same article Miss Laura linked to... I didn't realize that he had been married before, so I assumed (incorrectly) that his ex-wife & Carla were one and the same...which, I guess, is how rumors get started. Thanks for helping me clear that up! So, to clarify, are he and Carla still an item?

[misslaura]

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.

 

Thanks for the clarification - I will have to check out this tour diary.

[jff]

I read the same article Miss Laura linked to... I didn't realize that he had been married before, so I assumed (incorrectly) that his ex-wife & Carla were one and the same...which, I guess, is how rumors get started. Thanks for helping me clear that up! So, to clarify, are he and Carla still an item?

 

 

 

 

He said in that interview that he's been dating a bit lately, so probably not. Leaving romance aside for a moment, it was super cool of Carla to support Nels in joining Wilco, knowing that it would likely disrupt her musical life.

[Hixter]

Personal lives are just that: personal. Who really cares?

 

Carla's European tour kicks off tomorrow. Hopefully some of you will be able to catch a show or two as they're certain to be fantastic.

 

Carla Bozulich Duo w/ Francesco Guerri, cello (Bologna, It)

 

April 16, 2010 Bologna (IT) Si (Teatro San Leonardo)

April 18, 2010 Padova (IT) Pixelle

April 20, 2010 Rimini (IT) Domus di Bacco

April 24, 2010 Dijon (FR) Why Note Festival

April 27, 2010 Zagreb (HR) Zedno Uho Festival

April 30, 2010 Brighton (UK) Freebutt

May 01, 2010 Newcastle (UK) The Culture Lab

May 02, 2010 Hull (UK), Adelphi

May 03, 2010 London (UK), Cafe Oto

May 08, 2010 Umea (SE), MADE Festival

 

EVANGELISTA (US, Constellation)

Carla Bozulich (voice , guitar)

Tara Barnes (bass, Voice)

Dominic Cramp (Keys, Laptop)

Michael Tracy (drums)

Andrea Serrapiglio (cello)

 

May 07, 2010 Krems (AT), Donaufestival

May 10, 2010 Copenhagen (DK), Loppen

May 11, 2010 Oslo (NO), Cafe Mono

May 12, 2010 Bergen (NO), Landmark

May 14, 2010 Goeteborg (SE), Koloni @ Kulturhamnen

May 15, 2010 Rostock (DE), JAZ

May 17, 2010 Berlin (DE) Hebbel am Ufer w/ The Psychic Paramount

May 19, 2010 Groningen (NL), Vera

May 20, 2010 Krefeld (DE), Kulturrampe

May 21, 2010 Brussels (BE), Maison des Musiques

May 22, 2010 Bielefeld (DE), Bunker Ulmenwall

[jewess_jeans]

Clearly some people care, and, as MissLaura said, if they talk about it in an interview, why can't we talk about it here? Speaking for myself, when I like a band, I like to know about the people in it. I know I'm not the only one as I've seen people on this forum talk about Jeff's personal life in some detail. Anyway, it's an open thread, and if you don't care, don't read/comment.

 

@jff - I think that was really cool of Carla! The more I read about her, the cooler she seems...

 

 

 

 

Personal lives are just that: personal. Who really cares?

 

Carla's European tour kicks off tomorrow. Hopefully some of you will be able to catch a show or two as they're certain to be fantastic.

 

Carla Bozulich Duo w/ Francesco Guerri, cello (Bologna, It)

 

April 16, 2010 Bologna (IT) Si (Teatro San Leonardo)

April 18, 2010 Padova (IT) Pixelle

April 20, 2010 Rimini (IT) Domus di Bacco

April 24, 2010 Dijon (FR) Why Note Festival

April 27, 2010 Zagreb (HR) Zedno Uho Festival

April 30, 2010 Brighton (UK) Freebutt

May 01, 2010 Newcastle (UK) The Culture Lab

May 02, 2010 Hull (UK), Adelphi

May 03, 2010 London (UK), Cafe Oto

May 08, 2010 Umea (SE), MADE Festival

 

EVANGELISTA (US, Constellation)

Carla Bozulich (voice , guitar)

Tara Barnes (bass, Voice)

Dominic Cramp (Keys, Laptop)

Michael Tracy (drums)

Andrea Serrapiglio (cello)

 

May 07, 2010 Krems (AT), Donaufestival

May 10, 2010 Copenhagen (DK), Loppen

May 11, 2010 Oslo (NO), Cafe Mono

May 12, 2010 Bergen (NO), Landmark

May 14, 2010 Goeteborg (SE), Koloni @ Kulturhamnen

May 15, 2010 Rostock (DE), JAZ

May 17, 2010 Berlin (DE) Hebbel am Ufer w/ The Psychic Paramount

May 19, 2010 Groningen (NL), Vera

May 20, 2010 Krefeld (DE), Kulturrampe

May 21, 2010 Brussels (BE), Maison des Musiques

May 22, 2010 Bielefeld (DE), Bunker Ulmenwall

[kidsmoke]

Speaking for myself, when I like a band, I'm naturally interested in the personalities that go into it. That interest, however, has ethical limits in a medium that is open to the eyes of the world, as the Internet is. To gain some perspective, consider how you'd feel if the person under discussion was your brother, or sister. Or son, or daughter. Discussing their music or their art or interests is one thing. Discussing the details of their most personal lives is crossing the line. Everyone, regardless of whether they are in the public eye, has a right to a personal life that is private.

 

We've had discussions of this kind come up before, and found that it wasn't uncommon for them to veer into territory that was inappropriately personal. For this reason, the administration here at Via Chicago established the following rule, which is to be founds among our "Rules and Regulations", in the Announcements forum. Allow me to use this opportunity to encourage all members to give these rules a read-through, whether as a refresher or as a first read.

 

The pertinent rule, from the Via Chicago Rules and Regulations:

 

Threads and posts which request personal and private information about the band ("Does anyone know the address of Wilco's recording studio?") are in very poor taste and are tacky and stalker-ish. Don't.

 

This thread originated with a question about a picture on Nels' guitar and has unfortunately devolved into an inappropriate discussion of his love life. Let's get it back on track, please.

[jff]

Speaking for myself, when I like a band, I'm naturally interested in the personalities that go into it. That interest, however, has ethical limits in a medium that is open to the eyes of the world, as the Internet is. To gain some perspective, consider how you'd feel if the person under discussion was your brother, or sister. Or son, or daughter. Discussing their music or their art or interests is one thing. Discussing the details of their most personal lives is crossing the line. Everyone, regardless of whether they are in the public eye, has a right to a personal life that is private.

 

We've had discussions of this kind come up before, and found that it wasn't uncommon for them to veer into territory that was inappropriately personal. For this reason, the administration here at Via Chicago established the following rule, which is to be founds among our "Rules and Regulations", in the Announcements forum. Allow me to use this opportunity to encourage all members to give these rules a read-through, whether as a refresher or as a first read.

 

The pertinent rule, from the Via Chicago Rules and Regulations:

 

Threads and posts which request personal and private information about the band ("Does anyone know the address of Wilco's recording studio?") are in very poor taste and are tacky and stalker-ish. Don't.

 

This thread originated with a question about a picture on Nels' guitar and has unfortunately devolved into an inappropriate discussion of his love life. Let's get it back on track, please.

 

Fair enough, and I completely agree with the rule, but it should be noted that all of the "personal" info in this thread is nothing more than a discussion of information that was freely shared by Nels in interviews, or written by Nels with the express purpose of publication on the web.

 

Unless I missed something, nobody seems to be trying to find out anything Nels (or anyone else in the band) wants to keep private.

[watch me fall]

It's still tacky. And a little creepy, too.

[Moss]

I think it's Morty from accounting.

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

It's still tacky. And a little creepy, too.

[jff]

OK -- so who the hell is on the guitar??

 

See posts 2 and 3.

[jff]

I did and was still confused because that pic on the ax looks nuthin like the person on the web site.

 

OK, well I could be wrong about who it is. Maybe you could wait around outside Wilco's tour bus, or the side door of the venue...don't worry, that's not creepy ...and when he comes off the bus, you could ask him who it is.

[upnorth]

I did and was still confused because that pic on the ax looks nuthin like the person on the web site. But, OK. I thought it looked a lil' bit like David Jones -- you know the dude before David Bowie.

 

I say it looks like the love child of Laurie Anderson and Nels. How's that for a trying to start a rumor? You know what I mean though.

 

Here is a pretty cool interview with him:

 

He mentions the picture on the guitar there.

[Hixter]

"I have a 1962 Jaguar that I bought in the ’90s at Black Market Music for $300. I had it painted with a picture of [fashion model] Kristen McMenamy. I kind of adored her whole vibe at the time—I liked that she was older than all those other girls and just came along with this androgynous look. I played that on “Hummingbird” and some of the more country numbers because it has a nice twang."

 

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2010/May/Interview_Nels_Cline.aspx?Page=2

[Atticus]

I have a nice twang

[jewess_jeans]

 

Nels states that it is, in fact, Kristen McMenamy on the guitar... it's at like 6:25... if you aren't a total guitar nerd the whole video can be a bit boring to watch...

[Wendy]

 

Nels states that it is, in fact, Kristen McMenamy on the guitar... it's at like 6:25... if you aren't a total guitar nerd the whole video can be a bit boring to watch...

 

Yes. We've already seen that link ... Upnorth beat you to it earlier today, 3 or 4 posts ago.

 

Now, I don't mean to pick on you or anything, so don't take it that way, but I can't not comment on your "a bit boring" statement above -- I respectfully disagree completely. See, I'm not a total guitar nerd, can't play one at all, and yet the whole video to me was quite fascinating and I didn't want it to end. I find Nels sharing his passion for the Fender guitars he owns and demonstrating the techniques he uses to be infintely more interesting than the identity of some woman on a guitar. But hey, to each her own. I guess there's something for everybody in this thread.

 

Actually, I'm sorta surprised nobody dredged up links to all the old threads that asked this same question over the years.

[jewess_jeans]

First of all, I'm sorry for not checking all the links before posting something that answered the question definitively. Just trying to answer the question at hand...

 

Secondly, I didn't say that I found the video boring... I just said that it can be a bit boring. I didn't think it was, I was just giving people a heads up. That's why I posted the minute/second count where you could find the answer, so that people who just wanted to know the answer to that specific question wouldn't have to wade through 6 and a half minutes of guitar talk before finding out what they wanted to know. I don't play guitar either, but I am a guitar nerd (to use my own term). I think the stuff Nels does is fascinating, I've never seen anything like it before! His playing blows my mind, and I was thrilled when I first saw that video, because I was dying to know about his pedals, and the fuzz factory, and, of course, his guitars.

 

Thirdly, just because I (or anyone) want to know certain things about members of a band doesn't mean that A) I'm a stalker or That I think that Wilco are the Jonas Brothers, or something. It just means that I (or anyone) like to know, and discuss, different things than you do about bands I like. I'm more than happy to respect the rules of this forum, and will do so from now on, but I don't think asking who so-and-so is dating is akin to asking the address of their house, or keeping a vial of their sweat around my neck or something (a joke). However, rules are rules, and I won't ask a question like that here again.

 

Lastly, starting a sentence with "Now, I don't mean to pick on you...", is a good way to ensure that someone feels that you are picking on them. Just sayin'.

 

Anyway, I'm moving on... I just wanted to respond.

 

 

 

Yes. We've already seen that link ... Upnorth beat you to it earlier today, 3 or 4 posts ago.

 

Now, I don't mean to pick on you or anything, so don't take it that way, but I can't not comment on your "a bit boring" statement above -- I respectfully disagree completely. See, I'm not a total guitar nerd, can't play one at all, and yet the whole video to me was quite fascinating and I didn't want it to end. I find Nels sharing his passion for the Fender guitars he owns and demonstrating the techniques he uses to be infintely more interesting than the identity of some woman on a guitar. But hey, to each her own. I guess there's something for everybody in this thread.

 

Actually, I'm sorta surprised nobody dredged up links to all the old threads that asked this same question over the years.