Lessons from Wilco

I’ve been listening to my brother-in-law’s music for the past 17 years but I don’t think I ever appreciated it as much as I have during this past week tagging along on the southern California leg of Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky tour. I can’t/won’t/ shouldn’t comment on Wilco’s music as if I know what the hell I’m talking about but as an attendee of the past three gigs in Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Los Angeles, may I slip on the hat of an erudite music journalist for just a moment and offer my capsule review of the current tour? Here it comes—you may want to grab a pencil and take notes.

Jesus fucking Christ, those guys are good!

I should leave it at that but I feel compelled to add how blown away I am by the artistry of the six musicians in the current Wilco line-up.

I think in past years I was focused mostly on Jeff’s amazing lyrics but watching three shows in a row I was riveted by so much more this time around, not the least of which was Jeff’s killer guitar playing and singing which have never been better. I’ve always admired bassist John Stirratt’s huge contributions to the band (it doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the nicest guys on the planet) and I’m such a fan of drummer Glenn Kotche, surely one of the best percussionists alive, that I’m practically a groupie. I like to watch parts of every show from the side of the stage just to get a better view of Glenn’s furious sweat-soaked sets. But how have I gone this long without paying adequate attention to the genius of guitarist Nels Cline? Having barely recovered from a ghastly case of adult chicken pox, Nels was ON FIRE at every show that I saw, often spinning off on intense and unexpected explosions of sound that contrasted perfectly with the other musicians and secured Wilco’s reputation as one of the most exciting live acts out there today. Particularly effective was the moving ballad “Via Chicago” which the band begins playing as its heard on the “Summerteeth” album except in their live shows the song is punctuated by alternating aggressive freeform riffs by both Glenn and Nels while Jeff continues singing in his slow, soulful style, apparently oblivious to the violent interludes. This song interpretation evokes the turbulent back thoughts we all experience but are often unable to express out loud. In lesser hands, such musical risk-taking might sound like a lot of pretentious noise, but as performed by Wilco, these innovations are so thrilling they never failed to bring tears to my eyes. I laughed when I saw the photos I tried to take during the shows—even when I was able to get the rest of the band members in clear focus, Nels Cline always appears as a red blur, a whirling dervish who plays that guitar with such skill and force that I wondered how he got through a show with all his fingers intact.

One of the coolest things about Wilco, and I’m guessing one of the reasons why the band is able to feature such brilliant musicians, is that all of them are free to pursue other creative projects in addition to their main Wilco gig. I’m looking forward to catching up on John Stirratt and Pat Sansone’s (who plays guitar and keyboards in Wilco) band, The Autumn Defense. Keyboardist Mike Jorgensen is a former sound engineer who used to create computer sound tapestries for the band during the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot tour. Mike has a band out of Brooklyn called Pronto. Nels Cline records with many artists including his own Nels Cline Singers and he was named by Rolling Stone this year as one of the “Top 20 Guitar Gods.” Glenn Kotche has three solo albums and has also recorded with Jeff for Loose Fur and Scott McCaughey’s The Minus 5, and Jeff has a lot of projects going on including his participation in the supergroup Golden Smog. I loved spending time with these guys during the past week and seeing their collaborative creativity in action. Traveling in their tour bus from San Diego to L.A. was a blast, especially watching an old Loretta Young movie while debating our choices for the hottest movie stars of all time. How can you not love a band who would come up with such great examples as Kate Winslet, Charlotte Rampling, and Dominique Sanda?

It was also very moving watching the fans at the different Wilco shows. Forever frozen in my mind is a young couple who stood in front of me during the San Diego show, the man behind the woman, his arms tightly around her. They remained like that during the whole show, swaying in closed-eye ecstasy while mouthing the words to every song. I saw people of all ages with huge smiles on their faces for over two hours as well as fans openly sobbing during poignant songs such as “On and On and On,” “Jesus, Etc.,” and “I’m the Man Who Loves You” which Jeff always dedicates to my sister. Lots of fun people came to the shows, from Citizen of the Month’s Neil Kramer to insanely funny Fred Armisen to our rabbi and her wife as well as a spattering of Wilco-lovin’ celebs including James Spader, Catherine Keener, Sandra Oh, and Mandy Moore. A highlight of the L.A. Show at the Greek Theatre was when Jeff scooped up my slightly terrified nephew Sammy and brought him out onto the stage to the roars of the crowd. I really loved every minute of these three shows and was sad when they came to an end. Everyone in the band as well as the Wilco management and crew were great to be around. To end my fawning with the most unhip reference I can think of, I felt like the Margaret O’Brien character in “Meet Me in St. Louis” who remarks to older sister Judy Garland, “Wasn’t I lucky to be born in my favorite city?” My version is “Wasn’t I lucky to be related to my favorite rock band?”

On Thursday we had the added fun of going with Wilco to “The Tonight Show’s” NBC studios in Burbank for a taping. It was Leah’s first time in a TV studio and she was thrilled, especially when she got to meet the orangutan and baboon that were guests on Thursday’s show as well as the three current stars of the move “Superbad,” Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. We haven’t seen the film yet (even the “Superbad” guys recommended waiting until our kids were 14 or 15!) but the actors couldn’t have been nicer. We loved Michael Cera on “Arrested Development” and it turned out the talented Jonah Hill was a big Wilco fan, very excited to take a picture with Jeff and making my sister promise to email it to him. How amazing that these three very normal young guys are suddenly huge stars, in the middle of an international tour for the film. Jonah told us that he’s already made plans to attend Rosh Hashanah services at a synagogue in Rome and he talked to Spencer, who is beginning Hebrew School in a few weeks, about his own Bar Mitzvah. Wilco performed “Either Way” from Sky Blue Sky which was great and there were a bunch of Wilco fans in Jay Leno’s audience but a TV studio performance can’t hold a candle to seeing them perform live in a concert setting. The guys got on the Wilco bus after the taping and were off to tonight’s gig in Denver as they continue their tour. My sister and nephews left yesterday, ending three weeks of family togetherness.

Now I’m back at Farmers Market, wearing a Wilco T-shirt (oy!) and eager to return to my normal life, as soon as I remember what that is. It's definitely time to throw myself back into my work. While I’ll never have the experience of being a rock star, God knows, I will carry with me the memory of being around such exciting, fulfulling artistic collaborations and I will work hard to simulate such a feeling in my own life as a writer and editor.

Comments

[tamarika]

Danny,
What can I say? I am literally drooling with envy ... about everything ... your loving family ... being with Wilco ... TV appearances ... knocking knees with celebs ... everything. And, also, very happy for you. As for the review? - Tom will really enjoy reading it because he is such a huge Wilco fan!

[nabbalicious]

Word -- you are so lucky to be related to the coolest band on earth!

I love Wilco so much that I don't even consider how brilliant they are to be up for debate. And they have only gotten more amazing with time, and Jeff has surrounded himself with people who make their own mind-blowingly good contributions. How many bands have you seen where it's just as fun to watch the drummer or the bassist or the guitar player as it is to watch the singer??

Thanks for sharing this -- it's great to see that not only are these people awesome musicians, but awesome people, too.

Side note-- do you know John Lee? He shot photos of them during "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," and a number of his pics appeared in Greg Kot's book. He's a good college friend of mine, and a lucky bastard, to boot.

[Neil]

I wish I could be like the last commenter, Nabbalicious, and say "Word --" but it just doesn't sound right coming from my mouth.

As I mentioned to you earlier, if you google search Wilco Greek Theater on Technorati you will find quite a few blog posts talking about the show... hardcore fans who think Wilco is the greatest band that ever existed. They thought the band was "on fire." It is great that you have such cool relatives, but thank God you aren't in the band because I know YOU wouldn't be able to handle all the ego-stroking and would become a diva bigger than Streisand and Liza combined.

The show was terrific. I sort of recognized Nels Cline, and then remembered he used to perform with an experimental music group in West LA every week.

And only in LA do James Spader and your rabbi go to the same show!

[churlita]

How awesome for you. I'm totally jealous.

And your sister looks WAY better at fifty, than I did at twenty. No fair.

[Fiona]

Danny,

I am jealous I'm hopping mad and very JEALOUS! I'm also wiping my eyes a wee bit because this post makes me feel happy, as well as the old jealous.

It's wonderful to read about people like you who love their families so much and find this kind of richness in life. You love food and films and writing and fun and most of all your family and your favourite rock band is lucky to be related to you.

I am also taking a big trip back home to Northern England and Ireland next week to see my family. I live in Melbourne Australia with my husband and two little boys and even though I will not be living my Wilco dream which you have just done ( God, I'm jealous) I will be taking a leaf out of your book and really enjoy this time with all my lovely family.

I did see Wilco three times in one week back in April in Melbourne and Sydney and that will just about keep me happy until their return.

[Elisabeth]

I am not really a Wilco fan (and God knows that I have tried getting excited about their music, but it's not really my cup of tea, for some reason. I do not dislike it, but I cannot get any passion in my gut for them. I do, however, know a good number of people, mostly my daughter's age, who worship the band.)

I have to say, though, that I have enjoyed immensely your post about going to these shows. What you keep on reminding us, here, Danny, is that, well - dammit, Jeff Tweedy and all of the members of Wilco are just regular guys (OK, they are very talented musicians, something that not everybody is...); hell, they even get bad cases of adult chicken pox (yikes! Must have been very painful!). By mentioning the conversation with Jonah Hill, you also stressed the fact that he is a very down to earth Jewish guy.

You are privileged to be part of the Wilco family in a literal sense. It's kind of cool to have your perspective on the band and on its members.

[Ian]

This is really thrilling. An insider's look at a rock tour, but an enthusiastic and fond account. Your excitement shows with every word and I think that is so great.

I love live music, that's why my house is littered with hundreds of tapes. I know how awesome Wilco is for two reasons. I got to see them on the first day of Bonnarroo in 2004--they blew me away--and a couple of years ago I listened to "Kicking Television" on my way back and forth to school practically everyday for a month. I must see them again. It also seems to me, from your account, that these are just great guys. What a pleasure to read about them and you.

[Big Daddy]

Dude,

It seems you are ALWAYS writing about Jesus.

But in the most hateful & perjorative way.

Why is that?

Thanks!

Big Daddy

[therapydoc]

And even better, your b-i-l can say HE'S related to you and is on the same family tree as your grf, great-grandfather, etc. Lucky guy.

[Dunja]

Great post as always, made me well up in memory of the 3 shows we saw in a row in May over here. *sigh*

[melanie]

I am SOOOO jealous that you got to see three shows from the sidelines.

Love the band. Amazing stuff. thanks for sharing this experience with us. not like being there, but its wonderful to see your passion about it.

[Andrea]

I just had Nels Cline as a passenger on a recent flight back to LA (Super COOL Guy!!) and I told him to check out this particular blog entry, as it sings his guitar hero praises. I told him I was a fan of this blog and he told me what a super cool guy YOU were as well...

[Leigh]

I saw WILCO on Austin City Limits for the first time this past winter...(why didn't someone tell me about them sooner?!) The next day I ran out and bought Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tickets went on sale for them at Cains Ballroom here in Tulsa, it sold out immediately! ...what an amazing show! I know Bob Wills was smiling that night. Jeff makes you feel like you know him personally.One of the best shows I've seen in at least 5 years. I agree with the comment posted by someone else that it's as much fun watching the rest of the band as it is watching Jeff. You are blessed with an amazing family...and so am I. Cherish the moments! Love from Tulsa.

[Leigh]

I saw WILCO on Austin City Limits for the first time this past winter...(why didn't someone tell me about them sooner?!) The next day I ran out and bought Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tickets went on sale for them at Cains Ballroom here in Tulsa, it sold out immediately! ...what an amazing show! I know Bob Wills was smiling that night. Jeff makes you feel like you know him personally.One of the best shows I've seen in at least 5 years. I agree with the comment posted by someone else that it's as much fun watching the rest of the band as it is watching Jeff. You are blessed with an amazing family...and so am I. Cherish the moments! Love from Tulsa.