Juggernaut Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Hey - I was wondering if anyone has read the new book, Wilcopedia. I haven't seen it mentioned here so was curious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted January 9, 2020 Share Posted January 9, 2020 Cool - thanks, did not know the book was out there. Just put it on hold at my library. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted January 10, 2020 Share Posted January 10, 2020 I have the book and it’s definitely a good one. It’s different from Learning How to Die and Sunken Treasure in that it’s more of an encyclopedic reference book, hence the name. I highly recommend it. The author, Daniel Johnson, is a big fan who lives in the Raleigh NC area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted January 11, 2020 Share Posted January 11, 2020 I have it, too. I have enjoyed other Wilco books much more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 I have it, too. I have enjoyed other Wilco books much more.That’s what I’ve heard too. I’ll probably pass. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 I know the author is around various online Wilco communities and sounds like a good guy.But...For the life of me I can't understand why this isn't a wiki. There's no advantage of having this sort of thing in book form in this day and age. A fandom wiki can be updated with new developments. It's open and accessible for everyone. Errors and mistakes can be corrected. A book is (likely) already outdated with the release of Ode to Joy. Information like this should not cost money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
summerdai Posted January 13, 2020 Share Posted January 13, 2020 I know the author is around various online Wilco communities and sounds like a good guy.But...For the life of me I can't understand why this isn't a wiki. There's no advantage of having this sort of thing in book form in this day and age. A fandom wiki can be updated with new developments. It's open and accessible for everyone. Errors and mistakes can be corrected. A book is (likely) already outdated with the release of Ode to Joy. Information like this should not cost money. Conversely. not everything has to be free. People have the right to try and earn a living. And it's not as if the marketplace is flooded with books about Wilco. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Conversely. not everything has to be free. People have the right to try and earn a living. And it's not as if the marketplace is flooded with books about Wilco. Nah. Encyclopedic information like this should absolutely be free in 2020. A biography where the author conducted interviews like Learning How To Die, sure. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but a book like this is just sourced from already available information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Nah. Encyclopedic information like this should absolutely be free in 2020. A biography where the author conducted interviews like Learning How To Die, sure. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but a book like this is just sourced from already available information. Most , if not all "encyclopedic information" is free, if you want to search for it. If you want it all compiled in one place by someone else's labor, you might have to pay for it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 Most , if not all "encyclopedic information" is free, if you want to search for it. If you want it all compiled in one place by someone else's labor, you might have to pay for it. That's my point, if there is a demand for this information, a Wilco wiki would be a better format for this and one of the reasons for that is because it wouldn't have to come from one person's labour.I don't know why I'm getting push back on this, I have said hundreds of more controversial things on these message boards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Doug C Posted January 14, 2020 Share Posted January 14, 2020 That's my point, if there is a demand for this information, a Wilco wiki would be a better format for this and one of the reasons for that is because it wouldn't have to come from one person's labour.I don't know why I'm getting push back on this, I have said hundreds of more controversial things on these message boards. I didn't intend to push back. I just meant to have a dialogue. I apologize for offending.Your point is well taken, but until someone starts a Wilco wiki and everything Wilco gets added to it by contributors, this guy's book is it. Also, I'm sure this was a labor of love, but I'm also sure that the main reason he put the labor in was to get paid. I won't be buying it, but I don't begrudge the people that do nor the author for marketing it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I didn't intend to push back. I just meant to have a dialogue. I apologize for offending.Your point is well taken, but until someone starts a Wilco wiki and everything Wilco gets added to it by contributors, this guy's book is it. Also, I'm sure this was a labor of love, but I'm also sure that the main reason he put the labor in was to get paid. I won't be buying it, but I don't begrudge the people that do nor the author for marketing it. I'm sorry, I was stressed at work and came across more defensive than I should have!Fair enough. Someone should start a Wilco wiki. .....Not me though! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
summerdai Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Nah. Encyclopedic information like this should absolutely be free in 2020. A biography where the author conducted interviews like Learning How To Die, sure. But, correct me if I'm wrong, but a book like this is just sourced from already available information. I don't have the book, but may well get it. Doesn't the author also actually write stuff, give opinions etc. I doubt it is a book that consists exclusively of lists of which musician played what on each track etc It is also available in an electronic version at a much cheaper price for Kindle. Presumably this version can be updated as new information becomes available. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 I don't have the book, but may well get it. Doesn't the author also actually write stuff, give opinions etc. I doubt it is a book that consists exclusively of lists of which musician played what on each track etc It is also available in an electronic version at a much cheaper price for Kindle. Presumably this version can be updated as new information becomes available. Maybe? I mean, an encyclopedias typically don't give opinions. Maybe someone who has it can comment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted January 15, 2020 Share Posted January 15, 2020 Maybe? I mean, an encyclopedias typically don't give opinions. Maybe someone who has it can comment. If you click on the look inside Amazon link on the book cover, you can read that the author gives a bit of commentary on the tunes and such. I am still waiting for the book to come in my library. https://www.amazon.com/Wilcopedia-Comprehensive-Guide-Music-Americas/dp/191103653X Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bböp Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 Maybe? I mean, an encyclopedias typically don't give opinions. Maybe someone who has it can comment.I got the book a while back (gotta keep tabs on the existing literature...haha) and it’s basically a song-by-song compendium of everything the band has put out. And I mean everything, including the Wilco Book tracks and every cover they’ve done and even every TV or DVD appearance by the band. Each entry is basically a roundup of facts about the song, anything Jeff has said about it at a live show, existing criticism and other primary sources. All of that is spun into a little blurb about the track that’s fairly well written, I have to say. The author doesn’t inject a lot of his own opinions, at least not in the entries I’ve read. He uses a fairly objective, journalistic style, basically just reporting on what’s out there, been said, etc. It’s basically kind of like those song-by-song books about the Beatles and whatnot. I haven’t read the whole thing, and it’s more of a kind of jump in at random points or related to your interest in a certain track, but I guess it’s a decent resource to have to refer back to. Again, I haven’t read most of it but those are my general impressions. I guess this guy put in the effort to research and write all this stuff, so he deserves to recoup his labor (and anyway, I really don’t see this as a huge money maker). As to whether there should be a Wilco Wiki, that’d be cool but someone would have to set it up, monitor it, etc., so maybe it’s just as well that stuff exists in print form. Or maybe I’m just old fashioned. I do agree that some of the material will become gradually outdated unless they keep printing updated editions... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 I actually picked this book up from a local bookseller here called Amazon. Well done to Daniel Johnson, it's well researched and compiled. I've been looking for a reference manual for a project I'm involved with, and while I still think a Wilco wiki would be a worthwhile endeavour for us as fans to do, this book is definitely useful. I was trying to use Greg Kot's book but without an index at the end, it's hard to use (not to mention Greg's book now has more years of Wilco's history that came after the book was published than before!! Greg, where's the update??). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.