Wilco is not a Top 40 band – nor is it a hipster band - Nels

[Albert Tatlock]

And we already know they're not country, so we're running out of pidgeonholes here people ...

 

http://siouxcityjournal.com/weekender/music/wilco-s-hip-alt-country-style-hits-siouxland/article_5a793e08-fcde-50a3-b159-b8d4b0fa44e2.html

 

Wilco is not a Top 40 band – nor is it a hipster band, according to guitarist Nels Cline.

 

“Hipster’s hate us because there are other people who do like us,” Cline said.

 

As with Radiohead, Beck, Spoon and The Flaming Lips, music geeks everywhere trip over one another’s Converse All-Stars and black-rimmed glasses to score the band’s newly released material. Plus, all the important music literature grovels at its feet and the group has been awarded two Grammys. Yet after almost 20 years in the spotlight, the band still isn’t a household name.

 

But as Cline explained, none of that matters at all to its members.

“We do this for ourselves, making the music we want to play,” he said from his home in New York.

 

The guitarist, who was named to Rolling Stone Greatest Guitarists of All Time List, wouldn’t even begin to think of himself as a rock star.

“I’m not into rankings and competitions in general,” he said. “It just made me ponder 100 other people who weren’t on the list … Is Robert Johnson really worse than Slash? It’s all in good fun…but it is silly.”

 

Not an original member of Wilco, Cline joined at probably its most tumultuous time – frontman Jeff Tweedy was in rehab and a few members had decided to split.

“I never had any real deep fear I had jumped on the wrong ship,” Cline said. “It’s continually been positive for me.”

 

After the release of the 2004 album, “A Ghost is Born,” Cline’s intention always was to be a permanent member. Then a journalist misidentified him.

“Somehow it got around that I was a ‘touring member,’ but that was never the case,” Cline clarified.

 

Still as a mainstay in the Wilco lineup for nine years, the California native has always had time to “wedge in” side projects he cares about. Most recently he paid tribute to the Sioux City rock legend Tommy Bolin on the album “Great Gypsy Soul.” The March release featured Cline, Peter Framton and Joe Bonamassa and many more playing “duets” with old recordings of Bolin.

 

“I was intrigued at the prospect of playing with Tommy Bolin in this posthumous sort of way,” Cline said. “I hadn’t heard him since the first Zephyr album that I had gotten when I was 14 and had always admired his playing. It was amazing to me the amount of other stuff he had.”

 

Cline was visiting “Canyon Country” in California last year when producer Greg Hampton got in touch with him to come by his nearby studio to see if he was interested in “recording” with Tommy.

 

“He just sort of threw tracks at me,” Cline said of the process. “I did some looping and jammed. It was very ramshackle. It seems to always go that way. But Hampton tooled it into this … put the album into focus.”

 

Touring with Wilco this summer, Cline said the set list is always a little different as fans are able to suggest songs they want to hear.

 

Have a favorite Wilco song you want to hear played during its Saturday in the Park set? Request it on the band’s website and Tweedy may sneak it in for you between the songs from the new album, “The Whole Love,” and the hits.

 

“Just remember this is an outdoor venue so we’re not going to play too many moody slash-your-wrists-type songs,” Cline reminded.

[jff]

moody slash your wrists type songs...LOL.

[jw harding]

And we already know they're not country, so we're running out of pidgeonholes here people ...

 

http://siouxcityjour...d4b0fa44e2.html

 

Wilco recently did a 7 minute version of California Stars with a bluegrass band sitting in at Red Rocks. Pretty sure that makes them a jamband now.

[tinnitus photography]

I hope they never repeat that travesty

[worldrecordplayer]

I hope they never repeat that travesty

Funny. I wasn't there, but watched the clip and thought it was great. But we come at this from different ends of the musical spectrum.

[Magnetized]

I hope they never repeat that travesty

California Stars with the Punch Brothers at Red Rocks was a travesty? I was there and thought it was a very nice rendition. I'm really curious why you would call it a travesty.

[ThisIsNowhere]

Well, that's a relief.