Skip to main content

Book Pick: Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)


Since I'm probably the biggest and one of the few Wilco fans I know, I shocked even myself when I was on the fence about reading this memoir. As a kid, I could tell you the names of all the guys in every band I loved and probably even where they were from and their birthdays. But as an adult, I've often tried to distance myself from knowing too much about the artists whose work I really enjoy.  And I have been let down a time or two learning things about folks who I thought were pretty awesome.  I guess I shouldn't be so judgmental, but hey......you either like somebody or you don't.

All I can say is after finishing this book in less than 2 days right at the busy Christmas season, I would have kicked myself if I missed out on it and then learned later what I missed out on.  Make sense?  Not really? Good. Then I'm writing this like a Jeff Tweedy book.

First off, I have to put this out there.....Jeff writes like a real person.  He writes like he is talking to you.....like you are sitting right there having a conversation.  I have been told that I write in this colloquial fashion in my record reviews, and I always took it as a compliment. So there's that.

Second, I was amazed (but not really) by all the characteristics in Jeff that remind me of my own song-writing, guitar-playing, indie-band husband.  It was almost scary in some places.

Third, I always had a feeling that Jeff does not want to be asked "what does it mean?" about all of his songs, and I was right. (She's a Jar....really?  Do we have to talk about that?)

I honestly went into this book thinking it was mostly going to be all about Wilco, which I would of course been cool with, but it was actually all about JEFF which I was super cool with.  Wilco, like all of his projects, is a part of him but not all of him.  I loved how he succinctly described that his only true commitment of a lifetime was to his wife and two boys.  I totally agree and totally get it.  I did love that he spent some time on Sky Blue Sky as that is my favorite Wilco record and went into his songwriting process and the use of "mumble tracks".

He also did very lightly touch on the Wilco tour with Bob Dylan a few summers back, which sadly is the only time I've seen them.  (Sorry, super fans.  This hurt me too.)  His reports on how artists weren't allowed to address Dylan directly or that they had to stay out of his path on the way to the stage just made me sad. Didn't surprise me, but made me sad.  I loved that Mavis Staples was as kind and humble as you would expect and also loved his quick anecdotes about June and Johnny Cash.  If only he'd said more about his longtime friendship with Ethan Hawke......

And for the record, I'm not mad at him about how things ended with either of the Jays.  It had to happen. (P.S. I've never even listened to Son Volt, just sayin.)


And it's true that this memoir is perfectly coupled with Jeff's first completely solo record, Warm.  This record is the perfect sound to the cold, dark winter mornings that I'm driving these days.  My favorite cuts are Some Birds, Don't Forget and Let's Go Rain and I love how they remind me of songs Jeff wrote some time ago.

One of these days, I'd really love to meet Jeff just so I could tell him what his music has meant to me. Maybe tell him how Sky Blue Sky pretty much always makes me cry.  How the guitar parts in Impossible Germany just about kill me.  How Pot Kettle Black and Someone to Lose just somehow fit together even though they were conceived years apart.  But I don't know.....maybe not.  It would probably just get awkward.
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Reclaiming Your Childhood: Priceless

 This story might take a minute to tell. Bear with me. When my sister and I were little girls, my mother took us to a large baptist church in town. Even as a child, I never remember feeling welcome there.  But I do remember the lovely older couple that kept my Sunday School class. They gave us saltines and kool-aid, and I remember thinking they would be nice grandparents to have. At Christmastime, the Sunday School class was set to have a random gift exchange. Every child was supposed to bring a gift that could be exchanged with any other child.....no specific gift designations.  I received the gift of an Avon 7 bead necklace which was very popular at the time.  I loved it so much and was thrilled to have it!  I was somewhere between 5 and 7 at the time. (Back in the 1970's and 80's, Avon was a cosmetic company that was also known for it's inexpensive jewelry.  I couldn't find a price on what this necklace would have cost back then, but apparently there is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Week with Rumor

 My dog Rumor was an experiment.  A trial offer.  And all parties knew that going in.  Except for maybe Rumor. Rumor was an outdoor country dog.  His given name was Ruger (named after a firearm if you don't know, I didn't) which made sense for a dog raised in hunting country.  He was a stray that came to live with a loving family at about the age of 1.  He lived outdoors, slept in a garage crate at night, frolicked with an older dog pack and had a lovely life. We think he was about 4 years old.  He had been neutered, had vet care and was by no means a "rescue". His dad offered Ruger to me on a give-it-a-try basis.  He knew I wanted a dog. He told me Ruger would be sweet to me and also be my protector.  He was right on both counts.  He told me if it didn't work out, I could bring Ruger back to him and his wife.  I could tell they were a little sad when they dropped him off.  It made me glad to see that Ruger came from such ...
Post a Comment
Read more

NYE for $200, Alex

 Can we all just agree that New Year's Eve is the worst of the string of winter holidays?  I would even go so far as saying it's THE WORST of all the holidays.  I loved when Stanford Blatch defined a party as feeling very "forced festive".  To me, most NYE parties feel that way.  The idea that this is a big year-end blow-out and we'd all damn well better make it awesome! The reason I hate NYE is because it combines two of things I most hate about celebrations: cold weather and crowds.  Plus it's during a time of year when everyone has already spent all their money.  AND you usually have to the leave the house.  ADDITIONALLY, you have to stay up late.  It's a big F.U. from me on all this.   I would dare say that some of my happiest New Year's memories have been spent at home in my pajamas with either my child, an S.O. or happily alone.  I remember one unforgettable year of moving into a 3rd floor apartment on NYE.  I rememb...
Post a Comment
Read more