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How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy


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Yep! I posted about that over on the FB group right before the show started. I was searching for the Showbiz Kids soundtrack which someone in another thread said was coming out tomorrow. I was stunned to see it listed. Wonder how long it's been up...

 

And the Showbiz Kids soundtrack is available digitally on Friday the 17th!

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I had a feeling his next book was going to be about songwriting. This should be a great read.

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Can’t wait for that.  When I heard he was writing another book so soon my mind went to Neil Young’s car and pono books and I was hoping it wouldn’t be as niche as those, so this sounds fantastic.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Just got a ebook review copy of this today - can't wait to dig in!

(Yep. NetGalley?) 

 

Not sure how...vocal it's fair to be about it this far out from release, but I'm about 3/4 in and loving it, to understate. 

 

So easy to "hear" it in Jeff's voice, I'm inspired, and I've laughed out loud more than once. 

 

Should probably leave it at that for now. 

 

BR 

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  • 4 weeks later...

There’s also a virtual book tour event with Norah Jones. Each event ticket purchase includes a signed bookplate along with a copy of the book. 
 

Anyone ever have issues with signed bookplates? Does the adhesive still stick?  

354CAE86-0C41-4696-8185-CBFE731F8CD3.jpeg

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Unfortunately since you can't get tickets without a book, and they won't ship the book internationally, this is only open to US fans too. Fortunately a nice US based Wilco fan is letting me ship the book to his house but not everyone has that option!

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  • 3 weeks later...
1 minute ago, calvino said:

The chat with Offerman and Tweedy was a delight - just 2 friends having a chat about creating. 

 

He played 2 songs at the end. One was A Robin Or A Wren - forgot the name of the other. 

 

It was Guess Again

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No interesting tidbits in terms of news, but just a lot of talk about the creative process. I haven't read much of the book yet but my impression is a lot of what Jeff was talking about was covered in the book. It was an insightful conversation, it was nice hearing Jeff be that open and be able to talk in a setting like that. Nick was a great interviewer. 

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This is a cool little book. I'm a compulsive songwriter. Not with the same prolificness as Mr. Tweedy, but I'm certainly not wanting for ideas. That said this book gave me a few new ideas to mix up the process, and overall it eloquently affirmed what I like about doing it.

 

I might be putting my copy in my buddy's mailbox when I'm done with it. He's going through a dry spell.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/18/2020 at 9:52 AM, lost highway said:

This is a cool little book. I'm a compulsive songwriter. Not with the same prolificness as Mr. Tweedy, but I'm certainly not wanting for ideas. That said this book gave me a few new ideas to mix up the process, and overall it eloquently affirmed what I like about doing it.

 

I might be putting my copy in my buddy's mailbox when I'm done with it. He's going through a dry spell.

 

Just finished it last night and I have pretty much the same opinion.  I also write songs at a slow trickle (been writing for about 20 years and I've got around 30 songs to show for it) but I still learned a lot from reading the book.  And it's such an easy read I can see myself reading it again from time to time.  I particularly benefitted from the stuff about writing lyrics because I've always found making the music easier but lyrics are more difficult.

 

I'm quite grateful that he put in the effort to write this book.  He'll inspire more people to make their own art.

 

His idea that the best music for him is the music that inspires him to make his own music really resonated with me.  There are some artists who I hear and all I want to do after listening to them is pick up a guitar and write some songs.  Jeff is one of those artists to me (which he'd probably be happy to hear).

 

After finishing the book I tried the "write a song with a time limit" exercise.  I had one chord progression kicking around for the last two weeks and as I put the kettle on to boil some water, I thought, "let me work on this song until the kettle whistles".  I didn't quite finish the song, but I got some nice melodies, some new related chord progressions, and a few good lyrics.  It's sort of 80% there instead of what it had been 10 minutes earlier, which was just a single chord progression and nothing more.  And I will work on it more today!

 

It was also a nice surprise (though not too surprising, I guess) to hear how much Jeff loves the song "Andromeda" by Weyes Blood.  Such a good one.  For those who haven't heard it,...

 

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2 minutes ago, tinnitus photography said:

so i bought a ticket for the Nick Offerman live stream and i thought it came w/ a copy of the book? haven't seen anything yet... anyone else buy one this way, via noonchorus, and have received their copy yet?

I did the same thing.  My book arrived a few days after the live stream. 

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On 10/27/2020 at 10:57 AM, cosplusisin said:

 

It was also a nice surprise (though not too surprising, I guess) to hear how much Jeff loves the song "Andromeda" by Weyes Blood.  Such a good one.  For those who haven't heard it,...

 

 

Weyes Blood opened for the first of the three end of the year shows that Sleep did in Chicago last year. a weird choice for a metal band but i thought they sounded great and got a good reception overall. 

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6 minutes ago, tinnitus photography said:

so i bought a ticket for the Nick Offerman live stream and i thought it came w/ a copy of the book? haven't seen anything yet... anyone else buy one this way, via noonchorus, and have received their copy yet?

 

I have received my signed copy, via Noon Chorus. Like Chez, it came a day or so after the live stream event.

 

 

 

 

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