Jump to content

Wilco in the non-English press


Recommended Posts

I'll start this with a report that appears today in La Voz de Galicia, a newspaper from Galicia, a Spanish province in the North-Western corner of the country with access to the Atlantic Ocean.

 

The article is signed by journalist Jorge Lamas and is titled: "Wilco to present in Vigo its new album: The Whole Love".

 

The article says that both Wilco concerts in Madrid and Barcelona are sold out.

 

Wilco's Spanish tour commences in November.

 

 

http://www.lavozdega...10G13P36992.htm

Link to post
Share on other sites

Not exactly a Wilco article, but there's a reference to the band in yesterday's Faro de Vigo. Journalist David Garcia has interviewed another Chicago group, the Steepwater Band. An excerpt from this interview:

 

Faro de Vigo: Your hometown is Chicago, so you're almost Wilco's neighbours. Wilco will perform in Vigo after their Cangas show. Do you have any relationship with them?

 

Tod Bowers: This is a really funny story. Our first Spanish gig was at Vitoria's Azkena Rock (festival) where we opened for Wilco. All of the band members where really nice and courteous with us. Best of all was when Jeff Tweedy said: "it's funny that we had to travel all the way to Spain to play with another Chicago band." (laughs).

 

http://www.farodevig...ndo/588278.html

Link to post
Share on other sites

There is growing anticipation for the WIlco concert in Madrid, November 1st. La Vanguardia, the nation's fourth largest newspaper, published on its website an article titled: "Wilco returns to Madrid to present 'The Whole Love'".

 

Translation of the first two paragraphs:

 

"The North American band Wilco returns to Madrid, November 1st, to present their new album entitled 'The Whole Love'. Jonathan Wilson will open this concert which is scheduled for November 1st at Madrid's Circo Price Theatre as part of the (Autumn) cycle of Heineken Music Selector".

 

"It is the group's eight album and the first they publish under the newly unveiled dBpm Records. They return to Madrid to offer a concert where tickets were sold out a few hours after they were put on sale".

 

http://www.lavanguar...whole-love.html

Link to post
Share on other sites

A review of Gentle Spirit in a French web portal. The singer-songwriter provides the following description of Laurel Canyon:

 

"When I moved here, I didn't know the history of Laurel Canyon very well. I settled in a house in front of those where Houdini and Jimi Hendrix used to live. Very soon I understood why the landscape was a source of inspiration: the air is fresh here (and) it only rains four weeks per year. This isn't Hollywood, you can go outside and take a walk all day without crossing a single soul (person)."

 

http://www.lesinrock...prit-du-canyon/

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm confused -- how is that about Wilco?

 

Two reasons,

 

First, Jonathan Wilson is accompanying Wilco in legs of their European tour, opening various concerts.

 

Second, the article mentions that Jonathan Wilson has been trying "to resuscitate the spirit of the sixties" by inviting musicians from other part of the country to take part in "improvised" performances in his Laurel Canyon residence. The article says that Wilco has travelled to Laurel Canyon to participate in these performances.

 

Sorry about the confusion and I hope this is clarifying.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

(Please note that this is about "the non-English press" which is not the same as "the foreign press").

 

Having said this, I turn my attention, once again, to Spain.

 

Having just disembarked in the peninsula, there is no shortage of Wilco features in today's press.

 

I chose a brief review that appeared in El Pais, the country's largest newspaper. It is titled: "Wilco: the price of perfection" and was written by journalist Diego A. Manrique.

 

A partial and rough translation, link to article (in Spanish) below.

 

Wilco's mighty front-end of guitars (often in number of three) also evokes California's hippie deliria of the late sixties --A brief illussion of nostalgia: as a sextet, Wilco isn't indebted to any particular Golden Age (their) songs may follow conventional patterns (a few years ago Jeff Tweedy championed them, acoustic and solo) but they are only launching pads to develop (more) intricate arrangements, 10 minute monuments where elements of pop, noise, new wave, machinery, kraut rock and psichodelia are assimilated. It requires an intellectual exercise to measure the length of this leap forward: Wilco started in alt.country with a wink to their forebears as shown by the recovery of unpublished Woody Guthrie's lyrics.

 

http://www.elpais.co...elpepucul_7/Tes

Link to post
Share on other sites

Interview with John Stirrat:

 

´Our fans want Wilco to surprise them´

 

 

http://www.laopinion...mos/547996.html

 

I ran this through Google translator and found this to be a really good interview. I used to be reasonably good at Spanish, and comparing this translated version to the original, I think the translation misses a lot of subtleties and idioms and mixes up pronouns, but still, you can glean most of the intent from this sorta garbled translation. So, for what it's worth, here's the translated version:

 

John Stirrat, bassist and founding member of Wilco only-with-Jeff Tweedy talks about the Spanish tour of Wilco, who has spent this week in Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián and now reaches Vigo. The musician and spokesperson for the band, Tweedy barely gives interviews, has the details of the gestation of the new album, 'The whole love', and the expectations of fans of his music and his tour. Critics have spent all the accolades possible to describe Wilco concerts in Spain these days, which have sold out. Galicia was not going to be less, and for the show at the Auditorio do Mar and no locations

 

RAFA LOPEZ | A CORUÑA the phone from San Sebastian, where Wilco was going to act last night (Kursaal), John Stirrat is a type extremely friendly, which begins by thanking the reporter for their time. A lesson in humility that other artists should learn not so great. For its warmth nobody would Stirratt and her band carries all week across Spain by road.

 

-They travel by bus, airplane Nothing?

 

-No, all the time on bus. It's a small challenge. Airports are the hardest part of touring, I prefer the bus.

 

And they can see the landscape of Spain, not only Madrid and Barcelona ...

 

Yes, but usually traveled at night, just after the concert, which is pretty tired. I have traveled to Spain as a tourist and is a very beautiful country.

 

Santiago-performed at a couple of years. What differences are there with that gig?

 

Primarily, the new album. We play many songs by The whole love, we are proud of him and enjoyed playing it. Many of the songs are sounding very good live, we are delighted.

 

- Is this a good show to watch from a chair? There have been complaints.

 

'I think we're a band convincing enough to see us sitting, but I miss the room environment in Spain, that enthusiasm. People become more formal when in a theater. We played a beautiful (the Palau de la Música in Barcelona) last night (by Wednesday) and it looks like a church or something. Our rock music you can enjoy perfect sense, but you miss the energy that the public will back.

 

-Madrid opened the concert with One sunday morning, a very quiet on the album lasts 12 minutes.

 

We've always tried to challenge that logic. A Jeff (Tweedy) likes to call public attention in different ways. Sometimes we go to Art of Almost or another rock song, but with this issue get attention. It's like a test, you test the public to see how much is involved, and feel a sense of relief afterwards. It's a provocative song by its duration and causes people to latch on.

 

Jeff Tweedy, has acknowledged that many fans were somewhat disappointed Wilco in the absence of experimentation in the last two records. Do your fans like to challenge them?

 

-I think so, to some extent. They expect something different. We have always been the best judges to say what kind of disc we take in each moment (laughs) and I think you could argue that. Sky blue sky marked both distances A ghost is born ... Although it was the album that had to leave at that time. We realize that our fans will like Wilco rare, not so much with humor Wilco Wilco (the album) (Laughter). I like being surprised, and Sky Blue Sky was a surprise, a hard rehabilitation, redemption. There was a very good narrative on that album, thematically, rather than on Wilco (the album), which is a hodgepodge.

 

-The whole love song opens with a seven-minute avant-garde rock, Art of Almost, that audacity has been compared to Radiohead.

 

Yes, comes from a kind soul sound. The melody and lyrics of Jeff are very convincing. It often happens, as in this song, a tune that takes you from one place to another. Glenn (Klotche) had a drum beat that we found interesting, and put a vocal existing on top, producing the song from there. It took a long time to complete, but is a good way of working that gives its rewards.

 

This album-release his own label, Anti, and have a song called I love my label (I love my label). Do you feel grateful that before a major label did not have creative freedom?

 

-To be honest, I think we almost always had creative freedom. Even in recent times with Warner, because the company did not care. We were also released at the time of Nonesuch, is not something new to Wilco. But it feels good collecting more royalties (laughs), hence the t-shirt, I think. Before working on an oil field structure, very hard, which is difficult to collect royalties and live music. So we're happy with our new label.

 

-You mentioned that song about 12 minutes, One sunday morning. It may be that his former company had not made a cut amused so long ...

 

-Absolutely. I talked about earlier, there is some boldness that was missing from the last record, or in the last two. A musical personality that was missing before. It's like a punk rock act (laughs), that begin and end with two songs so long ... He concludes the natural progression of the disc: it goes from the artificiality of the first cut to the sound of the last pure and organic. I think there is a dramatic idea behind it.

 

-You said you have 'deconstructed' the songs for this album to be built.

 

I do not remember well, but with Art of Almost had a bit of construction and deconstruction. We take elements of the song to create something different. I do not want to overstate what deconstruction, there was also a lot of construction, as in I Might rock and other issues, we started with only three instruments and add layers later.

 

-The rock is almost off the charts. R.E.M. U2 just leave it and is wondering if it is necessary to release another album. Is it the end of rock as we know it?

 

'Well ... is curious. I wonder if it will continue that kind of stadium rock and roll after Coldplay ... (Laughs). And Coldplay did not even reach the level of U2. Yes, it is likely that the groups have finished filling stadiums. I do not think you can consider that this is rock and roll (laughs). Perhaps it has been for years, but the rock and roll there is a much smaller levels: house parties, at low ... and not even in theaters, at least in the United States. But the rock is alive and well and I think the album format live long, young bands appreciate the album as a work of art.

 

Jeff Tweedy, acted alone in the summer of 2010. What do you think the other members of his solo tour leader does?

 

-Always have been many side projects about Wilco. I remember that he started in the nineties ... Most of the songs from Wilco are theirs, so no one would say you can not touch them. He tries to stay as close to the songs as you can, and this helps, I like it.

 

-After many changes in the group, is the only founding member of Wilco is left with Jeff Tweedy in the band. What is the reason for their survival?

 

Yes, we were friends before the group to be created, we knew each other before playing together. It's not like other members of the band, who knew just when Jeff started working with him. It helps. And stand together, especially the last five or six years has been because we share an appreciation for what we do, maybe more than many people our age who are dedicated to this. It is the feeling that we are very fortunate to be here.

 

- Do you share musical tastes?

 

Yes, much more music he listens to me. Their children are slightly older. I have less time, because I have a little daughter five years. But yes, I have recommended great music, and I him. There is no consensus, but we share tastes.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I ran this through Google translator and found this to be a really good interview. I used to be reasonably good at Spanish, and comparing this translated version to the original, I think the translation misses a lot of subtleties and idioms and mixes up pronouns, but still, you can glean most of the intent from this sorta garbled translation. So, for what it's worth, here's the translated version:

Friend, glad to speak. I offer help if you have a struggle with English of garbled style. It seem of fierce good sense to my ears. I just make struggle with the 'hodgepodge'. Is this kind of animal I am thinking?

 

My goose has pimples at other news from Mr Jeff Tweedy: "We want to make pop music. I love pop music." He is of the Abba for sure with this principle at heart. This is fine thing to have in mind as sleep arrive! But you are still with rumble belly all waiting for saucy ribs and the molasses in your timing zone. Happy munch to you! Welfare!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Friend, glad to speak. I offer help if you have a struggle with English of garbled style. It seem of fierce good sense to my ears. I just make struggle with the 'hodgepodge'. Is this kind of animal I am thinking?

 

The word they're using is "batiburrillo" I am not familiar with it, nor I had heard of it before. (They use a different Spanish in the peninsula).

 

According to the Spanish Royal Academy, a "batiburrillo" is: "a mix of unrelated things that have no relation to each other".

 

(The French would say "un mélange").

 

Stirrat is comparing the albums Sky Blue Sky to Wilco, saying that while the first had a clearly defined theme that ran through the album, the second (Wilco) was a "batiburrillo".

Link to post
Share on other sites

The word they're using is "batiburrillo" I am not familiar with it, nor I had heard of it before. (They use a different Spanish in the peninsula).

 

According to the Spanish Royal Academy, a "batiburrillo" is: "a mix of unrelated things that have no relation to each other".

 

(The French would say "un mélange").

 

Stirrat is comparing the albums Sky Blue Sky to Wilco, saying that while the first had a clearly defined theme that ran through the album, the second (Wilco) was a "batiburrillo".

 

"batiburrillo" is a word of very common use in Spain for things that do not mix well at all. No good connotations...

Not sure whether that is the verdict of John, the journalist or both on W(TA)...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Friend, glad to speak. I offer help if you have a struggle with English of garbled style. It seem of fierce good sense to my ears. I just make struggle with the 'hodgepodge'. Is this kind of animal I am thinking?

 

My goose has pimples at other news from Mr Jeff Tweedy: "We want to make pop music. I love pop music." He is of the Abba for sure with this principle at heart. This is fine thing to have in mind as sleep arrive! But you are still with rumble belly all waiting for saucy ribs and the molasses in your timing zone. Happy munch to you! Welfare!

 

The Whole Love is coated in saucy ABBAness! Happy munch to you to Lotti!

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The January 2012 issue of Blitz, a Portuguese magazine, is to contain an interview with Jeff Tweedy. Apparently the journal had the opportunity to sit down with the band while they were touring Spain, last Fall.

 

More on that issue, including page samples, here: http://blitz.aeiou.pt/gen.pl?p=stories&op=view&fokey=bz.stories/78469

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

I love Nels, but his haircut is very matronly in that photo.

 

Nels is 56. He's going to have a big boy haircut

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...