jeff or jay?

fygmynt · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 67 Location: fort collins, CO

now: being there versus trace...that might be a worthy match-up. honestly, i don't know which i'd choose. trace has been the more recent favorite, but i fucking grew up on being there. it was my alt.country awakening. fantastic album.

but AM? no. AM, well, on any scale, in any context, just isn't a very good record. i mean: "passenger side"? it's dreck, is what it is. thank god he eventually came into his own.

~fygmynt
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SonWilco · Joined: 25 Jun 2003 Posts: 154

I think if you look at Wilco's tours current and past you will see that they are on the road most of the time and only break to record. They certainly tour more often than Jay. Open tunings are easy to play in and you should know that just from the word open. When playing in open tunings you can fret a chord with one finger, not to hard if you ask me. Neither Jay or Jeff are going to win a shred contest it's not their strength. If you listen to Trace an AM they almost sound like the same record. At that time both guys were fresh out of UT and it sounds like it. Both records are great and will always be close to my cd changer.

Haggischomper · Joined: 17 Jun 2003 Posts: 190 Location: Chicagoland

11of16 · Joined: 22 Aug 2003 Posts: 2

Why compare the two? They have distinctly different styles now and if they hadn't been together for Uncle Tupelo comparisons probably would not be being made much today. I was about 20 when I first heard No Depression and I've been a Jay and Jeff Junkie since. It took me a long time to like Wilco.(I did not turn on to them until Summerteeth and the Billy Bragg/Wilco recordings). I guess my point is that it is not a competition and just enjoy them for what their music means to YOU.

rgk · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Posts: 108 Location: Vermont

you know 11of 16, you are absolutely right. I have thought many times that we shouldn't be comparing Jeff and Jay anymore. And, it's annoying when the press can't mention Jay without Jeff's name attached to it.

But....it is kind of fun to discuss here on the board. I guess that's why we still do........... Wink

eamon · Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 172 Location: Madison Wisconsin

If you did know today is Jeff Tweddy birthday August 25, 2003. Wonder how old he is Question

I'm thinking close to fourty Question

princess buttercup · Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 203

really....i didn't know that....Happy Birthday Jeff

i think he is a couple years younger than me....I would guess he's turning 36 today

saratoga jay · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 1:26 pm Post subject: ...I'm kidding.....!

Not for nothing, but aren't you reaching Old Maid Buttercup soon?.... Cool

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criminals · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 1:50 pm Post subject:

They both graduated from high school the same year as me (1985, different school), so I'm guessing Jeff is 36, possibly 37 but I doubt it.
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Coffee Creek · Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 3:23 pm Post subject:

I do believe you're right, criminals.

Happy Birthday, Jeff!

-- CC
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handshakedrugs · Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Posts: 2

when i watched the film, i noticed how jay b's personality conflicted with the rest b/c of his personality, while the rest of the members rarely spoke nor argued with jeff about anything.
i have seen a few wilco shows and i've seen UT. and with what i do with most any band or music i become partial to, i "back step" into the progression of where they were to bring me current. i can see that the split between jeff and jay in UT may have been because no one band can have two leads, and the constant creative strife of strong conflicting ideas finally gave. i can see that in jay b's departure - a band must have a lead. a lead.

as far as the "summerteeth" comment. have you not listened to "loneliness"?

wilco1836 · Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 80

No reason to voice favorites here, but... Jay Bennett gave Wilco a great sound with his guitar talent but wasn't as strong in the writing dept and his use of pills, downs, it was rumoured led to his ousting. A great musician but a sideman. UT seems to have suffered from Jeff's emergance and Jay's independence, I can hear it in Anodyne. Not a bad thing considering both could have called it quits. My opinion is Jay is more of a "my thing" guy and Jeff more of a music guy. Wilco shows great variation while Jay stays true to his original sound. Both guys are awesome. TRACE VS AM, a great argument but a difficult one.

Consider AM is UT including B. Henneman and the rest of the unit after Anodyne without Jay. Jeff's role was bigger at the time and the songs (writing credit) were split almost 1/2 on Anodyne. I've read that most of AM was written while Jeff was in UT, saw it in a G. Louris article about Golden Smog in 1995. Jay was the guy who left UT and left Jeff with the band. Most of Jay's stuff on the first two sound like his Lilli Schull era stuff he even remade the song. In the end I feel Jay was confined by UT's pop'n'punk stuff and liked the more roots type sound and we were blessed by his work with SV. Amen

princess buttercup · Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 203

well, if you think 38 is old....I guess I am Smile

everyone guesses that i am 26, so that should be worth something

i can't believe this thread has gone on this long

saratoga jay · Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:20 am Post subject: ...old maid...

Princess, I was teasing.... Laughing

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muteseh · Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 86

Taking sides is for high school cheerleaders and Evangelical christians.