They are a quintessentially American band based in Chicago, IL, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeff Tweedy. They rose from the ashes of alt-country legends Uncle Tupelo in 1994 when Tweedy and fellow Uncle Tupelo songwriter Jay Farrar decided to go separate ways. Over the course of a colorful career now in its third decade, Wilco have released nine studio albums, as well as a multitude of collaborative records, live albums, concert recordings, odds and ends compilations, etc. They've been called America's answer to Radiohead, America's last great rock 'n roll band, and a bunch of other bullshit that sells them and their music short. Their catalog could perhaps be described as a journey from loose, playful and rootsy music through heady, experimental and ambitious music and then back again...but you really just have to give them a listen yourself. Ladies and gentlemen, Wilco!
Bump, they brought out Courtney in Australia for a Bowie, hoping she brings them out in Chicago for that same cover. Cause there are no good videos and I already bought tickets.
watched I Am Trying To Break Your Heart last night and now I'm on a Wilco binge. fun fact about me: I fucking love A Ghost is Born
To match my avatar, for those of us missing Barry O... Also, I am seeing Wilco live for the first time in my life in a little less than two weeks. Been a fan literally as long as I've listened to music (since I was like five or something). Beyond excited. Plus it's a Chicago show!!
I recently heard a few songs from them off of Star Wars and Scmilco. I've never really listened to them but I'm interested so should I listen to those first or one of their earlier ones?
As a long time fan, they've really changed their sound / style on those two records. If you lean more towards country-esque styles, AM and Being There would be right up your alley. If you like the more experimental stuff, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born are worth a listen. SummerTeeth kind of melts all those together and is a little more 60's-70's pop influenced. All of them are really good for very different reasons!
I actually just thought of this... the Kicking Television live record might be another good thing to start with. It is a pretty good representation of their pre-Sky Blue Sky era catalog and features the first tour with their current lead guitarist, Nels Cline. Nels plays like a madman on that record and really adds a whole new element to the band!
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was my first introduction to the band, but I agree that Being There is way more accessible!
Just made some LP purchases on their site...everything is 25% off right now. Even though they're one of my top 5 favorite bands I've never bought any of their older LPs because they are always so expensive in stores. Got AM for $12 and Being There for $15...pretty good deal. Also, Jeff has a solo album of acoustic Wilco songs coming out in June.
Damn I wish I was going to their fest in western MA, they're letting fans vote on which record they play in full! Vote I still voted for Being There just cause I wanna hear the recording though. We've got A+ live versions of all of the YHF songs already
Yeah they are among the very greatest bands of the last 20 years. There's very little junk in their catalog but the trifecta of Being There, Summerteeth, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is as ridiculous a three album run as any band's ever been on. Ridiculously good live too.
lol. well ive listened to Uncle Tupelo before because here in the south theyre considered classic at least my family thinks they are so when i realized that that was Tweedys old band i was like yeah sign me the fuck up
Same here. I've tried for years and years to get into YHF but it just recently clicked... in a big way. At Eaux Claires I'll be seeing 3 Wilco related projects. Really excited.