My Jay and Jeff saga ..
I know its what keeps lists like this going but do we all have to respond everytime some guy who has joined the list that day brings up the Jeff/Jay comparisons AGAIN.......or, another personal fav, drops the old "Jay's new stuff isn't as good as his old stuff". Christ it's dull.
Normally the posts on this board are good but in the last 3-4 months we seem to have endless new-guy-shit-stirrers WHO ALL COME OUT WITH THE SAME CRAP.
Normally the posts on this board are good but in the last 3-4 months we seem to have endless new-guy-shit-stirrers WHO ALL COME OUT WITH THE SAME CRAP.
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re: miss Heidorn more than the boquists???!!! WHAT!???!?!
jay should get down on his knees and... do whatever he has to do to get Jim and Dave to come back... as great as Jay's songs are (or WERE) Jim's harmony vocals and Dave's guitar/lap steel/fiddle/banjo made songs like Windfall, Tear Stained Eye, Creosote and he put the muscle in songs like Route, Drown, and Cemetary Savior. If you ask me(which you didn't) and being an "alt.country"-type singer-songwriter, there's no denying that the quality of Jay's songs has declined (while Jeff's has soared) the thing that is most missing from the last two records is the singular contributions of the Boquists... even the better songs recently like IMHO "Barstow" "Damn Shame" "Voodoo Candle" to name a few would have been infinitely better with the original SV lineup. Maybe with Jay calling the 15 new songs/material "Son Volt songs" means that he has returned to that type of more focused roots/rock of Trace and Straightaways rather than the more experimental and less lyrically focused and musically anchored of the last couple records. Anyway that's just my little opinion.
Mike Hattem
http://www.soundclick.com/mikehattem
http://mikehattem.tripod.com
Mike Hattem
http://www.soundclick.com/mikehattem
http://mikehattem.tripod.com
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Thank you, Antelope, for putting into words what I have been feeling every time these comparisons come up. Popularity and commercial success more often than not have nothing to do with the quality of the music. Jay is obviously not motivated by these things, while Jeff seems to be. Regardless of what popularity and commercial success mean to these two men, they both continue to put out excellent music. And that, my friends, is what motivates me to give a rats ass about them to begin with.Antelope850 wrote:My point is - so what? These comparisons between Jay and Jeff are beyond old at this point. They are different men with different personalities who went separate ways a long time ago. And why does Wilco's commercial success and current popularity have to be some kind of indictment of Jay Farrar's music or personality or decisions that he's made. I love Wilco. I'm happy for Jeff Tweedy. I also love Jay Farrar's music and I'm glad he's making and performing awesome music - in my opinion stuff as good or better than anyone out there. Making your living as a musician and having your own record company and/or an outlet on a label like Artemis is no small feat. I'm sick of the competition angle people have between these guys. Wilco is obviously a bigger commercial act than Jay Farrar is or than a new Son Volt will probably be. There are also a ton of bigger commercial acts than Wilco, most of whom suck. It doesn't mean anything to me. Jay and Jeff are responsible for some of the best - if not the best - music the last 15 years or so - that's the only comparison that matters at this point.
Excellent post, Antelope!
-gk-
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I was at that Maxwell's show too - and at Jay's show the next night in Prospect Park - and his 4 other shows in the NYC area the last 2 years. Jay doesn't have any "attitude" on stage. He's not a guy who smiles a lot or "works the room" or that stuff, but he's certainly not looking at his bandmates with disdain or anything. He puts on a great show and is a true professional. He just has a different personality than some other performers who are more obviously outgoing. This is nothing new. And in my opinion, he clearly enjoys performing live. You can see it come through when you see him live and even when you listen to his live shows. And Jay's not playing dives. Maxwell's is a small club but Jay played two consecutive nights at Bowery Ballroom last year which is a great venue and a nice sized venue. I think Maxwell's was also sort of a warm up gig to get a show in with Mark Spencer and Canyon all together before they played a big outdoor show the next night. And it was pretty sweet seeing them at a small club. I'm blown away every time I see Jay Farrar perform live.
And I was also at Radio City Music Hall to see Wilco this week (I went to Tuesday's show - although I did not meet a cute lass named Sammie - which probably pleased my wife who was with me), and yes, it was an awesome show. And yes Jeff Tweedy shuffles around on stage and works the crowd and is engaging and funny. He's got a killer band and he's a great performer. I think it's awesome that Wilco is able to play these large theaters.
My point is - so what? These comparisons between Jay and Jeff are beyond old at this point. They are different men with different personalities who went separate ways a long time ago. And why does Wilco's commercial success and current popularity have to be some kind of indictment of Jay Farrar's music or personality or decisions that he's made. I love Wilco. I'm happy for Jeff Tweedy. I also love Jay Farrar's music and I'm glad he's making and performing awesome music - in my opinion stuff as good or better than anyone out there. Making your living as a musician and having your own record company and/or an outlet on a label like Artemis is no small feat. I'm sick of the competition angle people have between these guys. Wilco is obviously a bigger commercial act than Jay Farrar is or than a new Son Volt will probably be. There are also a ton of bigger commercial acts than Wilco, most of whom suck. It doesn't mean anything to me. Jay and Jeff are responsible for some of the best - if not the best - music the last 15 years or so - that's the only comparison that matters at this point.
And I was also at Radio City Music Hall to see Wilco this week (I went to Tuesday's show - although I did not meet a cute lass named Sammie - which probably pleased my wife who was with me), and yes, it was an awesome show. And yes Jeff Tweedy shuffles around on stage and works the crowd and is engaging and funny. He's got a killer band and he's a great performer. I think it's awesome that Wilco is able to play these large theaters.
My point is - so what? These comparisons between Jay and Jeff are beyond old at this point. They are different men with different personalities who went separate ways a long time ago. And why does Wilco's commercial success and current popularity have to be some kind of indictment of Jay Farrar's music or personality or decisions that he's made. I love Wilco. I'm happy for Jeff Tweedy. I also love Jay Farrar's music and I'm glad he's making and performing awesome music - in my opinion stuff as good or better than anyone out there. Making your living as a musician and having your own record company and/or an outlet on a label like Artemis is no small feat. I'm sick of the competition angle people have between these guys. Wilco is obviously a bigger commercial act than Jay Farrar is or than a new Son Volt will probably be. There are also a ton of bigger commercial acts than Wilco, most of whom suck. It doesn't mean anything to me. Jay and Jeff are responsible for some of the best - if not the best - music the last 15 years or so - that's the only comparison that matters at this point.
Re: what is alt country ?
OK, you're wrong. Apparently that haze was when you took one hit too many.chairguy wrote:crock stirer checking back.. As I recall thru my haze .. it was a smoke fill room in seattle .. 95/96ish .. It was an alt cnty band opening up called kitchen radio.. (seatlle band).. they had a great tune .. you wiped your ass with my heart.. anyway then wilco came out .. followed by sun Volt.. Then the next thing I remember was someone yelling Whiskey Bottle !!!!!!! then all i saw was people cashing money and money getting away.. Please tell me I am wrong and I will go away for ever.. hugs and kisses..
DS is right. The only time they played the same bill was in 97 at Wavefest in SC.
http://www.nodepression.net/archive/nd1 ... hello.html
(about half way down)
As for Seattle in 95/96. When Wilco was playing in Seattle in May of 95, Son Volt hadn't even played their first show yet. When Wilco played in Dec of 96, Son Volt was somewhere in the bayou.
I've seen Son Volt a few times and Jay solo. I don't see an attitude, he's just not overly animated. The only time I remember seeing Jay get wild at a show was during "Last Time Around" when he's do all the feedback. He's never been one to jump around and go wild. He's more into being precise and deliberate. Hell, when I was 19 and saw Son Volt I was at the front of the stage leaning against Jay's acoustic amp he was using as a monitor...he joked a few time about me giving him his amp back...I wanted to take some pictures so I asked if it was cool to use a flash...he just laughed and was like "I play with my eyes closed, so I won't even see it."
I think Jay is just a quiet person. I'm a quiet person in a large room. I am a person who is completely outgoing and talkative in small groups, but completely quiet and withdrawn in large groups...it's just the demeanor of some people. He's not rude or anything...
Also, Jay had the studio booked, he announced the reunion of the original group...I'm sure a lot of the blame lays on the other members and that is what caused the restaffing of Son Volt. It's really weird seeing a different band...honestly, if the Boquists would have left and Heidorn stayed, it wouldn't have bummed me out as much, but Mike is a close friend to Jay over the years, and his exclusion makes it seem like something bad happened.
I think Jay is just a quiet person. I'm a quiet person in a large room. I am a person who is completely outgoing and talkative in small groups, but completely quiet and withdrawn in large groups...it's just the demeanor of some people. He's not rude or anything...
Also, Jay had the studio booked, he announced the reunion of the original group...I'm sure a lot of the blame lays on the other members and that is what caused the restaffing of Son Volt. It's really weird seeing a different band...honestly, if the Boquists would have left and Heidorn stayed, it wouldn't have bummed me out as much, but Mike is a close friend to Jay over the years, and his exclusion makes it seem like something bad happened.
What attitude? I have read here and on the Wilco board, where this is a hot topic, that Jay has some attitude when he performs. Just because he is not animated, that he sings with his eyes closed and doesn't move much, does not mean he is not into it. It doesn't mean he is mad or has an attitude, it is just how he performs. Same way for as long as I have seen him. Different musicians have different traits and characteristics when performing. What is the big deal?
what is alt country ?
crock stirer checking back.. As I recall thru my haze .. it was a smoke fill room in seattle .. 95/96ish .. It was an alt cnty band opening up called kitchen radio.. (seatlle band).. they had a great tune .. you wiped your ass with my heart.. anyway then wilco came out .. followed by sun Volt.. Then the next thing I remember was someone yelling Whiskey Bottle !!!!!!! then all i saw was people cashing money and money getting away.. Please tell me I am wrong and I will go away for ever.. hugs and kisses..