Let’s Go Reviews and Discussion

[randomname]

Went to my local bookshop this morning and they happened to have copies on the shelves. Didn't buy it, as I have a copy on preorder, but I did sit on a couch in the store and read about the first 100 pages. Impressions (without discussing specifics): 

 

It's about inspiration, music, self-discovery, written with an uncompromising empathy. To me, it's this kind of awareness and honesty that makes the voice in the book sound a lot like the voice I know from the music. The parts about growing up and falling in love with music, (and finding and holding on to inspiration) are beautifully done. Some artist's memoirs seem to engage in either a self-mythology or self-condescension when reviewing their youth. This book doesn't do that. It's about getting to the source of what first turned on the inspiration to make music, and what kept that inspiration going.

 

It's wonderful, and I can't wait to read the rest.  

[lost highway]

I was thinking about that excerpt, and other than reiterating to me that there simply must be a 33 1/3 book about AGIB, I was especially struck by one idea:

 

One major reason for Bennett's firing was Jeff knew he needed to be away from addicts. This would seem to be common sense, but it never occurred to me.

[kidsmoke]

Went to my local bookshop this morning and they happened to have copies on the shelves. Didn't buy it, as I have a copy on preorder, but I did sit on a couch in the store and read about the first 100 pages. Impressions (without discussing specifics): 

 

It's about inspiration, music, self-discovery, written with an uncompromising empathy. To me, it's this kind of awareness and honesty that makes the voice in the book sound a lot like the voice I know from the music. The parts about growing up and falling in love with music, (and finding and holding on to inspiration) are beautifully done. Some artist's memoirs seem to engage in either a self-mythology or self-condescension when reviewing their youth. This book doesn't do that. It's about getting to the source of what first turned on the inspiration to make music, and what kept that inspiration going.

 

It's wonderful, and I can't wait to read the rest.

I love this mini-review! Sounds wonderful.

[remphish1]

First date or book tour tonight! I go on Tuesday can’t wait to hear about these shows

[knotgreen]

First date or book tour tonight! I go on Tuesday can’t wait to hear about these shows

I’m attending Boston show in a few days. Has anyone seen any mention of who is moderating that one?

[Oil Can Boyd]

I’m attending Boston show in a few days. Has anyone seen any mention of who is moderating that one?

 

WBUR's Amelia Mason

[u2roolz]

Yes. All of the moderators are now listed on the Wilcoworld show listings. 

[Boss_Tweedy]

NPR's take on the book:

 

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/13/667336084/in-lets-go-wilco-frontman-jeff-tweedy-details-his-struggles-and-joys

[Alone in the Zone]

FWIW, I knocked out a few chapters of the audio version read by Jeff this morning, and I loved it. Laughed out loud a few times during intro.

 

Hearing Jeff read it is the way to go. In a couple of places, his reading affects the meaning of the text. This is true of most good memoirs, of course, but if you’re reading this, you probably already think Jeff’s voice and inflection are the key to why his banter is great.

 

So far, I would say that anyone who reads this board or has been to SSF will enjoy this very much.

[chuckrh]

just picked up the book at B & N. next up on the read pile!

[calvino]

Will be picking it up from my library today - looking forward to reading it. 

[brownie]

Got the book in the mail today. Looking forward to reading it, hopefully I’ll get to it this weekend!

[kidsmoke]

From an update email from writer George Saunders:

"I also just read a galley of Jeff Tweedy’s forthcoming memoir about his time in Wilco, “Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back.)” He is such a gifted, natural, and funny writer and this book is full of gems about the creative process and also about addiction and recovery. The Tweedy you love in his songs is here in his prose as well: loving and wry and wide-open. (I also got to interview Jeff, for GQ, during my Chicago trip and he was, not surprisingly, brilliant, especially on the subject of songwriting and how the essence of a person’s creativity involves taking stock of one’s strengths and adjusting one’s approach accordingly."

 

 

[chuckrh]

I haven't started reading the book yet (in the middle of the latest John Sandford, a fave) but I flipped through it. A little disappointed that there are no pictures!

[Alone in the Zone]

Fair warning: there is stuff in the later chapters that will definitely choke you up. The story about the inscription on Jeff’s father’s grave about broke me in two.

[TCP]

I haven't started reading the book yet (in the middle of the latest John Sandford, a fave) but I flipped through it. A little disappointed that there are no pictures!

Without spoiling anything, there's ONE thing that's visual, at least. I wonder how it'll translate for the audiobook.

[u2roolz]

I haven't bought the audiobook yet on iTunes, but it does come with a comic strip.

[lost highway]

I finished it.

 

It's an easy page turner. There were a half dozen times it made me laugh out loud which rarely happens when I'm reading. Also, I have a habit of dog-earing the bottom of a page if it contains a quote-worthy wisdom. I found several of these; when he explains why he loves playing music I think he captures something I've felt for the last two decades of my life playing rock and roll that I could never put into words, and I think my sister feels the same about dancing, and my friend about photography. Inspiring stuff.

 

At points when his wit is sharp, his sentence structure solid, he's almost like Chuck Klosterman which is high praise for me. I can't think of anyone who writes amusing insights into rock and roll and life in a more masterful and enjoyable way.

 

That said, there are a few moments where he segues from an ongoing larger life narrative to a different issue or era. It seems to be kind of tangential and interferes with something I was enjoying. At a few points (more later in the book) he pulls off these associative lapses, but some of them felt random. Like he had a different idea for a chapter but it wasn't long enough so he dropped it into the middle of another chapter as an aside.

 

Minor quibbles. I think this is one of the best memoirs by a non-writer that I've read. He's more giving than Dylan was in his Chronicles book. Good stuff.

[chuckrh]

I'm about 4 chapters in. Very good so fa, better than most of this sort of thing. The story about not being able to get in to see the Ramones is priceless. & very accurate I think. I hung out with the Ramones a bit after a show just before Dee Dee quit. They obviously weren't getting along. Johnny stormed out to walk (long ways) back to the hotel. The way Jeff characterizes Dee Dee & Joey were exactly how they talked & acted. Very funny: "its raining, let me get my galoshes" haha. I would bet Joey actually said that. The show with Replacements opening for X sounds like it was a doozy.

[remphish1]

I’m about 200 pages in and am shocked no mention of Gary Louris or Golden Smog

[chuckrh]

I’m about 200 pages in and am shocked no mention of Gary Louris or Golden Smog ! Am I missing something? Still great read so far and I laughed at his meeting of Michael Stipe

Ya, that was pretty funny. I saw Wilco open for REM around the time of Summerteeth. Great double bill. I miss REM!!!!

[moxiebean]

Last night I had a dream that Jeff was working as a bagger at Kroger as part of his nationwide book tour. If you were lucky & picked the right checkout line you could ask him questions about the book or whatever while he was bagging your groceries.

[Boss_Tweedy]

Ya, that was pretty funny. I saw Wilco open for REM around the time of Summerteeth. Great double bill. I miss REM!!!!

 

I saw Wilco open for R.E.M. at Red Rocks in '03. Yesterday was the tenth anniversary of R.E.M.'s last ever concert. So hard to believe. I miss 'em too.

[calvino]

Same here - REM/Wilco in St. Louis in 99 and again at saw them both at Red Rocks in 03. Thought Wilco put on the better show in 03, while REM beat them out in 99.

[summerdai]

Wilco opening for REM in 1999 was when I discovered them (I did have Mermaid Ave already), to be fair Wilco absolutely blew REM off stage. They were my favorite band at the time, but were never the same after Bill Berry left.