The last thing you ever want

Recently, a friend was intrigued by all this talk of a certain band and she asked "can you make me a CD of their songs?" Since this is my blog and I can talk about whatever, whomever I want I thought this would be a great time to try to figure out what songs I might pick out for someone. It was pretty nerve racking -- picking these 20 songs and I ended up wussing out and just burning Kicking Television because I can't pick 20 songs by Wilco.  The list I started had 50+ songs on it and I tried to pick something out from every album. It's hard. I tried to do this with u2 and Radiohead a few years ago and I was just as stressed out. Kicking Television was just a good place to start and then I began to think "CRAP, I left out stuff from Sky Blue Sky AND Wilco (the album). The things that stress me out in my life! AHHHHHHH.

I presented her with the CD. I think I was more excited about giving it to her than she was excited about it. Then I waited and agonized over if she liked it and then I asked and she responded she was digging it. I told her she didn't have to lie. The demo on Wilco fans is 25% women .. 75% men.  If you're a fan of top 40 radio or Nickelback, you won't like it. My brother, whom was a big influencer in my musical tastes, loves Nickelback. He quite doesn't get Wilco. My husband said it best .. you have to look past the pretty faces and enjoy the layers.  Anyways, she said she wasn't lying. She liked it. (I think).

OK, so back to this dilemma.  This is the playlist I gave my friend:

[caption id="attachment_666" align="aligncenter" width="526" caption="Wilco Kicking Television Playlist"][/caption]

I was a little nervous about starting out with "Misunderstood." Back in 1997, this was my favorite Wilco song. I was so in love with Being There - Disc 1 that when my brother would get in the car (the Black Saturn and the Silver Saturn) he'd be like, "Really, you're still listen to this?" It's a good disc. I used to listen to it when I couldn't sleep. BUT the song is not for the new to Wilco crowd (esp the screaming at the end, which really I can't stand when it's sang live -- there I said something bad about Wilco -- please Jeff Tweedy, stop screaming). The rest of the disc is pretty safe though Spiders (Kidsmoke) is another song that is risky for a Wilco newbie.

Then I got to thinking, why don't I group the songs by decade ... Here is my 90s list:

[caption id="attachment_667" align="aligncenter" width="468" caption="Wilco 90s Playlist"][/caption]

Who knew I was such a fan of Summerteeth? Oh yea, that CD seems to be in rotation in my Honda. I must say I prefer "Kingpin"  live vs. the album. Of that list, "Casino Queen" was most played on my iPod which surprises me as I really don't listen to A.M. that often.

Onto the 00s

[caption id="attachment_668" align="aligncenter" width="522" caption="Wilco 00s Mix"][/caption]

So I recently discovered that I like A Ghost is Born over Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. You see, I have never actually owned these albums until about a month ago (I hear gasping). I did a horrible thing ... I got YHF off the internet and then my computer crashed and I borrowed it from someone. With Ghost, I checked it out from the library but the first song was messed up so I didn't hear the whole version until I saw it live and got Kicking Television. The most played song is "War on War" which starts off all my runs, followed by Spiders (Kidsmoke) and I'm the Man Who Loves You.

One thing I did discover, I'm not a fan of Sky Blue Sky. I'm having this dilemma with the new Flaming Lip's album right now along with U2's latest effort. Someone said that it all had to do with Nels Cline joining the band but I actually like Nels Cline and think he's a pretty amazing guitar player. I guess I'm only human by saying there is something about Wilco I don't like. I do like it more than A.M. which is just Wilco playing a bunch of songs meant to be played by Uncle Tupelo.

After I see Wilco in Portland, I will take a break and dig out my U2 cds in preparation for June.  I told my husband that if Wilco does tour this summer that The Flaming Lips will trump them when it comes to traveling UNLESS they play Bend or Edgefield (cause that place is a blast). We already know Wilco won't be playing the Sasquatch Festival since they will be in Spain that weekend and if the Flaming Lips play Sasquatch, well, Lil B might be going to his first concert. How cool would that be; Flaming Lips as your first concert???? I guess we'll all find out Feb. 16 when the line-up is announced.

If Wilco does play Bend, I am going to try my darnest to fulfill my latest aspiration ... being picked to play Spiders (Kidsmoke) which means I will have to get early and front/center to the stage and kick all the little kids around me away because I'm gonna be that chick picked to play it. (I know, I'm delusional)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Some kid playing Spiders (Kidsmoke)"][/caption]

Did you even have to guess?

Guess what I checked off my bucket list? I mean, did you even have to guess? Here are a few gems from the show ...

Full post to come --It's more for me than you so you don't have to read it.

Year 2000 - Yes, I was a Phishead

[caption id="attachment_471" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Greatest jam band? Phish? Really?"][/caption]

It's probably pretty obvious to my readers that I have bad taste in music. So it should not come to a surprise to you that at the turn of the century, I was really into Phish. I don't even know how the whole Phish thing got started but one day I was this normal college student in Nebraska and the next day I was eating veggie burritos in Wisconsin on shakedown street. The funny thing -- no one in my family really knew that. They knew I liked Phish (they still think Phish is my favorite band -- which they never have been -- U2 holds that top spot). They knew that I might have went to a show but they didn't know about the driving to Minneapolis or heading to Wisconsin or the shows in Kansas City or the time I had tickets to five shows in a row. Many miles on my '95 Saturn coupe to see what Rolling Stone calls America's greatest jam band (doesn't that title go to the Grateful Dead?).

We declared last night "Rock Doc" night. I have a few rock docs in my DVD library and my husband said he'd never seen Phish's Bittersweet Motel doc about The Great Went shows in Maine, I humored him and took a ride back in my past. You see, I secretly find reasons to get in the car on Sunday to listen to 92/7FM's Jam in Your Ear because I might catch a Phish bootleg song. Every once and a while, I drag a Phish CD out and listen. I'm becoming my mother, listening to 8 Tracks from the 70s in the 90s except I only do this in my car and only subject myself to it. My husbands likes Phish. He also is a Dead fan too. Can you like both? This movie talks about that and actually shows the leader of the band dissing phan. What the? I forgot about that part.

Phish reminds me of all the embarrassing things I did in my 20s. It's a good reminder that you need to have fun because someday you need to grow up and become an adult.

The last Phish show I attended was in 2000. They bounced on trampoline. Trey and Mike did their little dance. 2001 was played. Run Like an Antelope blared. My friend thought Phish actually wrote "Roses are Free." Umm, no -- that was Ween. Then my boyfriend and I broke up. And I moved on. I couldn't listen to Phish (even though I did the breaking up, it brought back all these memories I didn't want to re-live).

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I last saw Phish. In that time, they've broken up. Formed side projects. Got arrested for drugs and then re-grouped in 2009 for a reunion tour. I was tempted to head to the Gorge to see them but I only could go see one out of town show this summer and you all know who that was.

I don't wanna pick sides. I'm Switzerland.

If there were three people you could meet … who would they be? Without any question, I would rattle off Bono, Jeff Tweedy and Thom Yorke. If you would ask my co-workers what gets me animated it would be stretched logos, LOST and Wilco. Wilco is not my favorite band. Wilco is my third favorite band. (By my “who would I like to meet” list, you can probably figure out who the two favorite bands would be).

[caption id="attachment_402" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="The Grandfathers of Alt Country Rock - Jay and Jeff"][/caption]

I am not an expert in music. I try not to follow the rules. I still don’t know if Lady Gaga is a band or woman. But there was one rule bestowed upon me in 1996 – you have to choose sides, Wilco or Son Volt. I really didn’t want to choose and honestly, I wasn’t a big Uncle Tupelo fan. I believe my brother was but I thought they had a neat sound and who doesn’t like a banjo. But Uncle Tupelo are the pioneers of progressive sounds – the godfathers of alternative country rock. One time my dad was driving in the car with me and Uncle Tupelo was playing – “who is this? That’s an interesting sound.” Godfathers of Alt Country Rock dad. My dad likes Willie, Waylon and the boys. He liked Uncle Tupelo.

(Uncle Tupelo breaks up in 1994. Two bands are formed - Jay Farrar forms Son Volt. Jeff Tweedy and the rest of Uncle Tupelo form Wilco)

So back in 1996, I was working in television. My co-worker was playing Son Volt while we were waiting for the 10 p.m. news to get going. “Uncle Tupelo?” No, Son Volt. “What the?  Sounds like Uncle Tupelo.” No, it’s Son Volt. “Wow, Jay doesn’t diversify.” This opened a WHOLE can of worms. How you have to pick sides. You can’t like Jay and Jeff. It’s just wrong. You pick one.

[caption id="attachment_403" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Is that God shining down on Jeff Tweedy? No, just light from the hallway"][/caption]

I picked Jeff.

Years later, I was dating a guy who was really really into Wilco. (In fact, he looked like Jeff Tweedy. I believe he went as Jeff Tweedy, the pain killer years (aka Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) for Halloween once.  Ideally you would think that would be a perfect match but that was when Kid A and Amnesiac came out and well, I was really into Radiohead then. My music tastes go along the lines of who has a good album and who is a touring. Wilco is always touring. U2’s last album wasn’t very good and Radiohead is off building their next masterpiece. You can see why a gal like me is a little Wilco-centric. They are always playing a show. That’s why they’re the biggest touring band you’ll never hear on the radio. Their sound is unique. So unique, it will never make Top 40 radio. Where was I – I posed the Jeff/Jay question – and well, he totally agreed. You can’t like both. You pick sides.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago. My friend tells me Son Volt is coming to Bend. Now I’m the one saying you can’t like Son Volt and Wilco. It’s just wrong. You pick sides. Who have I become? This is the gal who doesn’t have music rules. Screw it. I like the new Son Volt songs but I just can’t bring myself to buy the album. I feel this allegiance to all things Wilco. I feel as if I’m betraying Jeff Tweedy. But in all honesty, would he even care? Really? If I meet him ever, the first question I will ask “are you ok that I listen to Son Volt?” He would probably say something brilliant that translates to “I really don’t care. Go forth and listen to Son Volt.”

So, I will just believe I have his blessing.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Third row -- Edgefield. I was the girl yelling "BREEDLOVE""][/caption]

Babies at concerts?

What is your stance when it comes to babies at concerts? I'm on the fence on this one. There were a ton of babies at the Wilco show last night. Kiddos anywhere from 3 months - 12 months. I'm all for a night out with my husband but it would be cool to expose our child to music we like.