Article in Sunday Herald-Sun

[Wise Enough]

Saw this in Herald Sun 25/4/10 (Melbourne paper).

 

Triumph of the Wilco

 

The last time Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy was in this part of the world was on a trip to New Zealand to collaborate with a rich array of musical talent as part of Neil Finns Seven Worlds Collide project. Tweedy, 42, says that working alongside the Finn brothers, members of Radiohead, KT Tunstall, Johnny Marr and a host of others made the experience one of the best of his life.

 

It was so positive that Tweedy and band mates John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche and Pat Sansone, stayed on to record most of what would become the acclaimed Wilco (the Album) in Finns Auckland studio, naturally roping in the Crowded House singer for background vocals.

 

"Neil is an incedibly generous and sweet guy and he took such good care of us," Tweedy says. "You shouldn't have Neil Finn hanging around without taking advantage of it."

 

Over seven often wildly contrasting albums, the band has survived a shifting line-up, record label disputes and Tweedys addiction to painkillers to emerge as in one of the most respected, diverse, and unpredictable bands of the past two decades.

 

As the singer and chief songwriter, Tweedys thirst for experimentation and new experiences remains undiminshed. The Chicago-based sextet invited Canadian singer Feist for a duet on its most recent album and Tweedy guested on Rosanne Cash's recent album as well as taking his first stint in the producers chair for gospel great Mavis Staples coming album.

 

"You get more confident as you grow older that you can create experiences and whether they turn out great or not, the process of making music has always been much more important than anything else," Tweedy says.

 

"So when you can add new experiences to that process, I think it's really good for you as a musician and as an artist".

 

Wilco (the Album) and its Grammy nominated predecessor Sky Blue Sky are the first two albums made with the same line up, but Tweedy says that stability certaintly doesn't equate with complacency. The relatively straight forward alt-rock "song based" approach of those two albums contrasted with earlier, more experimental releases such as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

 

But Tweedy says the band is likely to head off into less safe territory for its next release.

 

"I think the last two records have focused on more basic song structure and are presenting the band in a more crystallised and digestible way," he says. "But I'm sure that, after having two records under our belt of doing things we are pretty confident we are good at, next time I bet we will try something that we are not sure we are good at."

 

But don't expect to hear anything new when the band arrives for its Australian tour this week. With a passionate on-line following, Tweedy has found the internet has its advantages and disadvantages. After it was rejected by the band's then-record label, Wilco famously streamed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot free on the internet in 2001 and did it again with last year's Wilco (the Album) after it was leaked online.

 

But Tweedy has found that shared live recordings can make teh album release anti-climatic.

 

"When Sky Blue Sky came out I think there were only two songs on it that people didn't have a live version of if they were really big fans," he says. "That's unacceptable to me as a guy who really used to look forward to going and getting records when they first came out and being surprised with what's on them."

 

Wilco, The Forum May 5 (on sale) and May 6 (sold out).

[Sparky speaks]

But don't expect to hear anything new when the band arrives for its Australian tour this week. With a passionate on-line following, Tweedy has found the internet has its advantages and disadvantages. After it was rejected by the band's then-record label, Wilco famously streamed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot free on the internet in 2001 and did it again with last year's Wilco (the Album) after it was leaked online.

 

But Tweedy has found that shared live recordings can make the album release anti-climatic.

 

"When Sky Blue Sky came out I think there were only two songs on it that people didn't have a live version of if they were really big fans," he says. "That's unacceptable to me as a guy who really used to look forward to going and getting records when they first came out and being surprised with what's on them."

 

Wilco, The Forum May 5 (on sale) and May 6 (sold out).

 

 

Good to hear this.....

[Wise Enough]

Good to hear this.....

 

I agree.. in principle. In real life I was hoping to hear some new songs.

[rockinrob]

Ive started avoiding downloading shows when they start playing the new stuff. Works pretty well. There is something magical about getting a highly anticipated new record, putting it on the turntable, putting on my headphones, dropping the needle and sitting down in my comfy chair for awhile...

[IATTBYB]

 

 

But Tweedy says the band is likely to head off into less safe territory for its next release.

 

"I think the last two records have focused on more basic song structure and are presenting the band in a more crystallised and digestible way," he says. "But I'm sure that, after having two records under our belt of doing things we are pretty confident we are good at, next time I bet we will try something that we are not sure we are good at."

 

Huzzah!!!!

[froggie]

i sort of disagree.. What Light was first played in Bb when they first played it. it sounded great, but the album version sounds flat when played in G. the album version was like hearing something new and unexpected for me

[Beltmann]

But Tweedy says the band is likely to head off into less safe territory for its next release.

 

"I think the last two records have focused on more basic song structure and are presenting the band in a more crystallised and digestible way," he says. "But I'm sure that, after having two records under our belt of doing things we are pretty confident we are good at, next time I bet we will try something that we are not sure we are good at."

That sounds very promising. I hope it turns out to be so.