Turning on to Jay

[Barnum]

I went to Afghanistan in Dec '01. A few months earlier, I saw Jay in Nashville while he was touring for Sebastapol. We were living in Clarksville. My buddy, who is now in Iraq, was big into Son Volt, so we went and got drunk like good soldiers, but I really had never heard him. Sitting in the theater, the crowd was rather reserved (read: really fucking quiet). I sat down in the chair, and since it was a stressful time, I was tired, and I was drunk, I fell asleep for about two songs. Woke up as he started Windfall.

I was hooked. Brought Trace with me to the 'stan. Windfall became kind of the song we played when the sun was going down, and we were sitting around, thinking of home.

Turned a lot of people onto it, because it was one of the few CD's we actually had.

[countryBoy]

Have you ever heard his Tammy Wynette covers? Very cool.

[Hank Snow]

Speaking of classic country, One of the neatest covers I have ever heard Jay do is "Is Anybody Going to San Antone" the old Charlie Pride tune. How weird to hear that, then go see him in concert and hear a 10 minute Lucifer Sam with huge guitars and feedback and noise. He seems to be as eclectic as this fan is. He is quite incredible, and it is as many have said, you either get it, or you don't.

[countryBoy]

Jay's always had roots that went back to classic country not the Brooks and Dunn or Shania Twain pop pap that they try to pass off as country. He's covered a bunch of good old country stuff and has said in interviews he's a classic country fan. A little twang goes a long way especially for those who don't like country in any of its forms. Most Jay stuff is plenty twangy but he also has a blues feel.

[rgk]

I find it interesting people think Jay's sound is really "country", and that those interested in country music would be attracted to him. Although there is some harmonica and a little twang (and even less over the years), I would think the typical country fan wouldn't be interested.

Jay's definitely in a class by himself....

[keith21]

People around me have gotten into Jay on their own terms, it takes them a while. My musician budddy, after me playing UT, SV, and Jay for a few years suddenly asked to burn all my SV and Sabastopol, now he digs Jay.
My 12 year old sister loves Trace, its on her Itunes amidst New Found Glory and the like.
And my 19 year old brother, after never ever taking an interest in Jay, copied a bunch of music off my computer and told me last week that he can't stop listening to No Depression. I just told 'em "no shit, you're just paying attention now?"
I never tried to get anyone into Jay cause I figured few would get it, and I think they do on their own time.

[Mahalia]

Just say no to Yes.

[mcarlton]

Starship Trooper, Go sailing on by....
Had not thoght of yes for a long time until Steve Howe shows up on my acoustic guitar magazine on the cover a month os so ago.

[Mahalia]

I take exception to that crack about 'chicks' not getting into Jay's music. A male friend introduced me to Uncle Tupelo around the time of Anodyne, and I loved them right away. Last year I was playing Trace while driving my friend's teenage daughter to my house for a photo shoot, and she liked it so much, she asked me to make a compliation cd for her. But you're right, he's an acquired taste for a lot of people. It's taken a while, but my husband will actually listen to Jay/UT on his own! But I still won't listen to his Yes cds ...

[princess buttercup]

getting people to like something new is just never easy. i am a music snob and i know it's hard for someone else to get me to like something new as well. i have to discover it for myself most of the time and it can be difficult to find the time to do that and to digest new music. luckily, we have good radio, good music stores, and the internet to help out if i can find the time to seek things out. i will never understand commercial radio and why people listen to it.

Karla

[stretch]

Amen...There are people who are 'music' people who will listen and say ..Like or dislike...but not hate. Some 2 chord shedder types can hit the one in an interesting way. However, folks that don't give music a chance are....not in my book. by the way , I can't get Jay and Mark's live disk out of my car stereo. I'm leaving to rehearse right now and I'll pretend I'm Spence.... Drive my partner out of his mind.

[missY1]

five of my "music" friends love and have always loved jay, ut, alt country, etc, and two of them are girls, so that's three of us right here,
and i know there are women on this board! several of the people
i know don't really have any music as a major part of their lives,
and just think of it as a background noise kind of thing; those folks
are just plain unreachable by any means. they're just going to listen
to norah jones and there's nothing you can do about it.

[Bigb]

I'm not super surprised that people are having trouble turning their friends/family on to Jay or Son Volt. I haven't had any trouble really. Most of my friends and family have been fans since the Son Volt or Uncle Tupelo days so it's a natural progression to continue liking Jay. I am surprised that your having trouble with the Jayhawks. I have had so many people (read - 3 or 4 ) ask me about the Jayhawks after hearing them at my house. Most quickly become fans. Jay may sound "too country" for some (read - idiots ). I think he's brilliant but I certainly wouldn't try first exposing someone to Terroir Blues. Not a good starting point.

[scalzunfield]

give someone terroir blues when they have a long nightime drive ahead of them. tell them to listen to the whole disk. the next day they should have a weird look about them.

I think I would fall asleep with that on at night. I'm more in favor of Trace for nighttime driving.

I've tried getting friends into Jay's stuff and it hasn't worked once. I can get them into the Old 97's, Wilco, and some Tupelo (almost all Jeff's stuff). However, I can't get them into old Ryan Adams (not that new shit *cringes*) or The Jayhawks.

I usually try Trace or selections from Wide Swing or Straightaways first and if that doesn't work it's pretty much a lost cause.

My first Jay disc I heard was Wide Swing Tremolo and that spawned my love for Tupelo, Son Volt, and Wilco. Frankly, Wide Swing wasn't the best place to start. Only about half that album is worth repeating IMO, but it got me to Trace and THAT album is absolutely amazing which is why I always start there.

There's no way I would bother trying the new (solo) stuff with friends. Seeing as the newer stuff has kind of turned me off to Jay's newer work (a la Ryan Adams but I still have the upmost respect for Jay) and has turned a couple friends who WERE fans of Jay's off, I wouldn't even bother trying that.

I guess what I'm saying with all of it is I'd make a disc for friends and put nearly all of Trace on it with a few songs from Son Volt and solo work on there and that's about it. If that doesn't work, they just don't get it.

[countryBoy]

Music is a funny thing and what someone thinks is killer others will hate. To each their own. I'll never understand why people like Steve Earle but most love him , no biggy .