Jeff Tweedy
Tweedy playing with Wilco in Milan, Italy in 2005.
Background information
Birth name	Jeffrey Scott Tweedy
Born	August 25, 1967 (1967-08-25) (age 39) Belleville, Illinois
Genre(s)	Alternative country Alternative rock
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Bass guitar
Years active	1984–present
Label(s)	Giant/Rockville Records Sire Records Reprise Records Nonesuch Records Drag City
Associated acts	Uncle Tupelo Wilco Golden Smog Loose Fur

Jeffrey Scott Tweedy (born August 25, 1967 in Belleville, Illinois, United States) is an American songwriter, musician, and poet. Tweedy joined rockabilly band The Plebs with high school friend Jay Farrar in the early 1980s, but Tweedy's musical interests caused one of Farrar's brothers to quit. The Plebs changed their name to The Primitives in 1984, but changed its name to Uncle Tupelo in 1987 due to the success of a British band named The Primitives. Uncle Tupelo garnered enough support to earn a record deal and to tour nationally. After releasing four albums, conflicts between Tweedy and Farrar caused the band to break up in 1994. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the city in Italy. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Belleville is a city in St. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Matt Hillyer of Texas-based Eleven Hundred Springs Alternative country is a term applied to various subgenres of country music. ... Alternative rock (also called alternative music or simply alternative; known primarily in the UK as indie) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became widely popular in the 1990s. ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... Ercole de Roberti: Concert, c. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For the trading company, see Dutch East India Company. ... Sire Records Company is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... Drag City is a Chicago based independent record label. ... Uncle Tupelo Uncle Tupelo was a popular music group formed in 1987 in Belleville, Illinois. ... Wilco is an American rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. ... Golden Smog is a loosely connected group of musicians comprised, at various times, of members of Soul Asylum, the Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star. ... Loose Fur is an American rock band comprised of Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche, and musician/producer Jim ORourke. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Belleville is a city in St. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music Musicians can be classified by their role in creating or performing music: A singer (or vocalist) uses his or her voice as an instrument. ... The poor poet A poet is a person who writes poetry. ... Rockabilly is one of the earliest and most important styles of rock n’ roll music to emerge during the 1950s. ... Jay Farrar, (born December 26, 1966 in Belleville, Illinois) is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. ... Uncle Tupelo Uncle Tupelo was a popular music group formed in 1987 in Belleville, Illinois. ... This article is about the alternative rock band, the Primitives. ...

In 1995, Tweedy formed Wilco with John Stirratt, Max Johnston, and Ken Coomer. Wilco has released six albums and found commercial success with their albums Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. The band also released two collaboration albums with Billy Bragg and one with The Minus 5. Jeff Tweedy has been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, including Best Alternative Album for A Ghost Is Born. Tweedy has also participated in a number of side groups including Golden Smog and Loose Fur, has released a book of poems, and has released a DVD of solo performances. He was originally influenced by punk and country music, but has recently reflected more experimental themes in his music. Wilco is an American rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. ... John Stirratt is the bassist for Wilco and the former bassist of Uncle Tupelo. ... Max Johnston is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work on fiddle, Dobro, banjo, and mandolin with the bands Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and more recently, The Gourds. ... Ken Coomer was the drummer for the band Uncle Tupelo as well as the drummer for Wilco until Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. ... Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a 2002 album by Wilco. ... A Ghost Is Born is an album by the band Wilco. ... Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957), known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician renowned for his blend of folk, punk-rock, and protest music, and his poetic lyrics dealing with political as well as romantic themes. ... The Minus 5 began life as a side project from the Young Fresh Fellows Scott McCaughey who formed the band in 1993. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... Golden Smog is a loosely connected group of musicians comprised, at various times, of members of Soul Asylum, the Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star. ... Loose Fur is an American rock band comprised of Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche, and musician/producer Jim ORourke. ...

Tweedy has been afflicted with migraine headaches since childhood. Treatment for the migranes led to a dependency on painkillers, for which he underwent successful rehab in 2004. Tweedy also has been open about the fact that he suffers from clinical depression and panic attacks. For other uses of painkiller, see painkiller (disambiguation) An analgesic (colloquially known as painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain. ... Clinical depression (also called major depressive disorder, or unipolar depression when compared to bipolar disorder) is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individuals social functioning and/or activities of daily living. ... A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than 30 minutes. ...

Early life

Childhood picture of Jeff Tweedy.

Jeff Tweedy was born in Belleville, Illinois on August 25, 1967 as the fourth child of Bob and Jo Ann Tweedy. Bob Tweedy worked at Alton & Southern Railroad in East St. Louis while Jo Ann was a kitchen designer.^[1] Jo Ann bought Tweedy his first guitar at age six, although he did not begin to play it seriously until he was eight.^[1] In 1981, when Tweedy was fourteen years old, he befriended Jay Farrar in an English class at Belleville Township High School.^[2] All of the members of Farrar's family enjoyed playing music, causing Farrar to already have knowledge of the musical elements of rock and roll. By this time, Tweedy was a fan of The Ramones and country music while Farrar enjoyed The Sex Pistols.^[3] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (634 × 905 pixel, file size: 192 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Childhood picture of Jeff Tweedy. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 420 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (634 × 905 pixel, file size: 192 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Childhood picture of Jeff Tweedy. ... Belleville is a city in St. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... East St. ... A kitchen is a room used for food preparation and sometimes entertainment. ... Jay Farrar, (born December 26, 1966 in Belleville, Illinois) is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. ... The Ramones (L-R, Johnny, Tommy, Joey, Dee Dee) on the cover of their debut self-titled album (1976), cementing their place at the dawn of the punk movement. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... The Sex Pistols in 1977. ...

Farrar was in a band called The Plebes with his brothers Wade and Dade, which Tweedy joined in order to qualify for a battle of the bands competition.^[4] Tweedy pushed The Plebes away from the rockabilly music that they had been playing, which caused Dade Farrar to leave the band. The band renamed themselves The Primitives in 1984, taking their name from a song by garage rock band The Groupies.^[5][6] Wade Farrar sang lead vocals and played harmonica, Jay Farrar played guitar, Tweedy played bass guitar, and Mike Heidorn played drums. In late 1986, the band decided to change their name to Uncle Tupelo, because a more popular British band was also using the name "The Primitives".^[7] The Primitives went on hiatus in 1986 after Wade Farrar left the band to finish his engineering degree at Southern Illinois University.^[8] While waiting for Wade to return from campus, Jay, Tweedy, and Heidorn formed Uncle Tupelo. Rockabilly is one of the earliest and most important styles of rock n’ roll music to emerge during the 1950s. ... Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that enjoyed its original period of wide success in the United States and Canada, from 1963 to 1967. ... The Groupies were a psychadelic rock group from the Lower East Side of New York City. ... Mike Heidorn, born 1967 in Belleville, Illinois, is the former drummer and founding member of Belleville bands Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt. ... This article is about the alternative rock band, the Primitives. ...

Uncle Tupelo (1987-1994)

Main article: Uncle Tupelo

At his parents' request, Jeff Tweedy enrolled at several universities, but dropped out of them so that he could concentrate on Uncle Tupelo. While moonlighting as record store clerk in St. Louis, Tweedy met Tony Margherita. After Margherita saw the band perform at an acoustic concert in 1988, he decided to become the band's manager. The band began playing regular shows at Cicero's club near Washington University with other bands playing in a similar style.^[7][9] Uncle Tupelo recorded a ten-track demo tape entitled Not Forever, Just For Now in 1989, attracting the attention of Giant/Rockville Records. The independent label signed the band, and Uncle Tupelo's first album, No Depression, was released the next year.^[7] The title song, originally performed by the Carter Family, became strongly associated with the alternative country scene, and became the name of an influential alternative country periodical.^[10] Uncle Tupelo Uncle Tupelo was a popular music group formed in 1987 in Belleville, Illinois. ... The term Moonlighting has two possible meanings: Moonlighting (employment) is doing a second job outside of normal working hours. ... Washington University in St. ... For the trading company, see Dutch East India Company. ... No Depression is the title of an album released 1990 by the alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. ... No Depression in Heaven (or simply No Depression) is a song that was first recorded by the original Carter Family in 1936 [1] during the Great Depression in the United States. ... Maybelle, A.P. and Sara The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded between 1927 and 1943. ... Matt Hillyer of Texas-based Eleven Hundred Springs Alternative country is a term applied to various subgenres of country music. ... No Depression is a bi-monthly magazine which covers the genre of Alternative Country music. ...

During times when Uncle Tupelo was not touring, Tweedy and Farrar played as Coffee Creek, a short-lived cover band with The Bottle Rockets' Brian Henneman and Mark Ortmann.^[11] Around this time, Tweedy began developing problems with alcohol abuse, leading to tensions between Tweedy and Farrar. While he never refused to play a gig, Tweedy was forced to sit out in place of Henneman at some performances. Tweedy quit drinking entirely after meeting future wife Sue Miller, although he replaced this habit with smoking marijuana.^[12] After releasing Still Feel Gone, the band formed a friendship with Peter Buck of R.E.M., who produced their third album March 16-20, 1992 for free.^[12] Uncle Tupelo left the Rockville label in favor of Sire Records (Warner) later in 1992 because Rockville refused to pay the band any royalties for their albums.^[13] After the signing, Max Johnston and John Stirratt joined the band as Mike Heidorn was replaced by Bill Belzer who was later replaced by Ken Coomer.^[14] The five-piece band recorded Anodyne, which sold over 150,000 copies and debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, but was the last album Uncle Tupelo released.^[15][16] The Bottle Rockets, 2005. ... Brian Henneman is an alt-country musician best known as the frontman for the Bottle Rockets, and his collaborations with Uncle Tupelo and Wilco. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ... Still Feel Gone is the second album by American alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo. ... Peter Lawrence Buck (born December 6, 1956 in Berkeley, California) is the guitarist and co-founder, along with Bill Berry, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe of the seminal 1980s alternative rock band R.E.M.. Biography After spending time in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Buck family moved to... R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in early 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and vocalist Michael Stipe. ... March 16-20, 1992 is the third album by alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. ... Sire Records Company is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. ... Warner Bros. ... Max Johnston is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work on fiddle, Dobro, banjo, and mandolin with the bands Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and more recently, The Gourds. ... John Stirratt is the bassist for Wilco and the former bassist of Uncle Tupelo. ... Ken Coomer was the drummer for the band Uncle Tupelo as well as the drummer for Wilco until Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. ... Anondyne is the final album by alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, released in [[1993]}. The album was recorded at Cedar Creek Recording in Austin, TX in May and June of 1993. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard magazine in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists. ...

Breakup

In January of 1994, Farrar called Tony Margherita to tell him that the band was breaking up, saying that he was not having any fun in the band anymore and was not getting along with Tweedy. Tweedy was enraged that Farrar decided to break up the band without notifying him, and this led to a series of harsh verbal exchanges. Farrar and Tweedy agreed to a final Uncle Tupelo tour, but the concerts were marred by the two not participating in each other's songs. The band decided to play Tweedy's "The Long Cut" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, which further distanced Farrar and Tweedy.^[17] Farrar began to assemble a new band named Son Volt with Mike Heidorn, Joe Henry bassist Jim Boquist, and his brother Dave Boquist. At the same time, Jeff Tweedy formed Wilco with Stirratt, Johnston, and Coomer.^[18] Late Night with Conan OBrien is an American late night talk show on NBC, that is also syndicated worldwide. ... Son Volt Son Volt is a popular music group formed by Jay Farrar in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1994, after the breakup of the band Uncle Tupelo. ... Joe Henry is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer. ... Wilco is an American rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. ...

Wilco (1995-present)

Main article: Wilco

Wilco was signed to Reprise Records (Warner) and began recording A.M. almost as soon as the band was formed.^[19] After recording, Tweedy was introduced to Jay Bennett, who then joined the band. Also during this time, Tweedy quit smoking marijuana after a particularly bad experience with some cannabis brownies, but his habit would not be deterred. ^[20] A.M. did not fare as well as Son Volt's first album commercially, only reaching number 27 on the Heatseekers chart while Son Volt's debut Trace hit the Billboard 200.^[21][22] Dan Murphy of Soul Asylum invited Tweedy to join him in a supergroup named Golden Smog with Gary Louris and Marc Perlman of the Jayhawks, Kraig Johnson of Run Westy Run, and Noah Levy of The Honeydogs. Under the pseudonym Scott Summit, Tweedy released Down by the Old Mainstream with Golden Smog in 1996.^[23] Wilco is an American rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ... A.M. is the debut album of Wilco. ... Jay Bennett is an American singer-songwriter. ... Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject: Magic Brownie Cannabis or hashish can be cooked into a sweet cake, cookie, brownie, or other baked product to produce a psychoactive food. ... Trace is a 1995 album by Son Volt. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... Dan Murphy (born Daniel Murphy, on July 12, 1962 in Duluth, Minnesota) is best known as the guitarist for the band Soul Asylum. ... Soul Asylum is an alternative rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983. ... Golden Smog is a loosely connected group of musicians comprised, at various times, of members of Soul Asylum, the Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star. ... Categories: Wikipedia cleanup | People stubs | Country musicians | United States musicians ... Tomorrow the Green Grass, the second major label studio album recorded by The Jayhawks, released in 1995 The Jayhawks are an American rock band, sometimes described as Alt-country, or more often today, Americana. ... // The story of the Honeydogs begins in Minneapolis in the early 1990. ... A pseudonym (Greek pseudo + -onym: false name) is an artificial, fictitious name, also known as an alias, used by an individual as an alternative to a persons true name. ... Down By The Old Mainstream was Golden Smogs first full-length album, released in 1995. ...

Tweedy and Wilco began to explore new styles and broke from the style of previous recordings on the seminal sprawling double album Being There in 1996. Tweedy did not write music for many of the songs ahead of time, and welcomed unexpected sounds into the recording. Wilco recorded nineteen songs for the double-CD album, and wanted the label to release it with a retail price comparable to a single-CD release.^[24] Being There was a commercial success, selling 300,000 copies and peaking in the top half of the Billboard 200.^[25] Reprise records invested $100,000 in the single "Outta Mind (Outtasite)", but received little radio exposure.^[26][27] While on tour, Tweedy began to spend time reading books by William H. Gass, Henry Miller, and John Fante. As he read their books, Tweedy decided to place more of an emphasis on writing.^[28] Representatives in the A&R department of Reprise wanted a radio single from Summerteeth, and Wilco reluctantly agreed to a re-working of "Can't Stand It". The single was a top five hit on adult album alternative radio stations, but failed to cross over to a larger audience.^[29] Being There is a dual-disk album released in 1996 by the alternative country band Wilco. ... William H. Gass (born July 30, 1924) is an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, critic and former philosophy professor. ... Henry Miller photo taken by Carl Van Vechten, 1940 Henry Valentine Miller (December 26, 1891 – June 7, 1980) was an American writer and, to a lesser extent, painter. ... John Fante John Fante (April 8, 1909 – May 8, 1983) was a novelist, short-story and screenwriter. ... Cant Stand It is a 1999 single by American band Wilco from their album Summerteeth. ... Adult Album Alternative (also Triple-A, AAA, or adult alternative) is a radio format broadcast mostly on FM. A spin off of the Album-oriented rock format, its roots may have been established sometime during the 60s from what was called underground music and later progressive. ...

Before the release of Summerteeth, the daughter of the late folk legend Woody Guthrie contacted folk rock singer Billy Bragg, who in turn contacted Tweedy about recording an album of unreleased Woody Guthrie songs. Tweedy was indifferent to the idea of recording Guthrie's songs, but Jay Bennett's enthusiasm about the idea convinced Tweedy to get the band involved in the project. As a result of Tweedy's feelings on the political nature of some of the lyrics, Bragg recorded mostly political songs while Wilco recorded more neutral songs. Almost all of the songs that appeared on Mermaid Avenue and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II were recorded over a six day period in December 1997.^[30] The first Mermaid Avenue album and a second Golden Smog album (Weird Tales) were released in 1998, Summerteeth was released in early 1999, and Mermaid Avenue Vol. II was released in 2000. Tweedy received his first Grammy nomination when Mermaid Avenue was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1999.^[31] Bob Dylans folk-rock album, Blonde on Blonde Folk-rock is a musical genre, combining elements of folk music and rock music. ... Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957), known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician renowned for his blend of folk, punk-rock, and protest music, and his poetic lyrics dealing with political as well as romantic themes. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Cover of Mermaid Avenue (1998) Mermaid Avenue is a 1998 album of previously unheard lyrics written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie, put to music written and performed by British singer Billy Bragg and the American band Wilco. ... The rest of the recording sessions from recordings of obscure Woodie Guthrie songs. ... Golden Smogs second album, released in 1998. ... The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album was first awarded in 1987. ...

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Cover of the album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Reprise Records dropped Wilco from their label after receiving the album. It was released a year later on Nonesuch Records.

Jeff Tweedy was invited to play at Chicago's Noise Pop festival, and was told that he could collaborate with a musician of his choosing. Tweedy chose Jim O'Rourke based on his fascination with O'Rourke's Bad Timing album. O'Rourke offered to bring drummer Glenn Kotche to the festival, and the trio formed a side project named Loose Fur. The other band members of Wilco had written a number of songs for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but Tweedy was unsatisfied with them because he believed that the songs did not sound like the ones he played with Loose Fur. Tweedy became such a fan of Kotche's playing style that he decided to dismiss Ken Coomer from band in favor of Kotche.^[32] Tweedy had strong feelings about how songs should be sequenced, which clashed with Jay Bennett's focus on the songs themselves. Because Bennett was mixing the album, this led to a series of arguments about how the album should sound between songs. Tweedy asked O'Rourke to remix several songs on the album that had been mixed by Bennett, which caused tensions within the band to escalate. The album was completed in June 2001, and Tweedy was insistent that it was in its final form.^[33][34] Tweedy also fired Jay Bennett around this time, believing that Wilco should only have one core member.^[33] Cover art of Wilcos Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (fair use; image owned by AOL/Time Warner) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Cover art of Wilcos Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (fair use; image owned by AOL/Time Warner) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ORourke in Stockholm 2005 Jim ORourke (born 1969) is an American musician and producer. ... Bad Timing is an album by American musician Jim ORourke. ... Glen Kotche is an American drummer, best known for his involvement in Wilco. ... Loose Fur is an American rock band comprised of Wilco members Jeff Tweedy and Glenn Kotche, and musician/producer Jim ORourke. ... Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a 2002 album by Wilco. ...

Reprise Record's parent company Time Warner merged with America Online in 2001, and the recording company was asked to cut costs. Howie Klein, the CEO of Reprise Records, considered Wilco to be one of the label's core bands, but was offered a lucrative buy-out by AOL Time Warner. A&R representative Mio Vukovic was placed in charge of Wilco, and he believed that the album was not commercially viable. Vukovic called manager Tony Margherita and told him that Reprise was not interested in releasing the album, a point of view shared by the head of the A&R department, David Kahne. Kahne agreed to release Wilco from Reprise records under the condition that Wilco got to keep all legal entitlements to the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album.^[33][35] After an article in the Chicago Tribune publicly described these managerial practices, Reprise Records fired both Kahne and Vukovic, and CEO Gary Briggs quit.^[36] Shortly after leaving the label, Briggs remarked: Time Warner Inc. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Howie Klein was the president of Reprise/Warner Bros. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ...

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was originally scheduled to be released on Reprise on September 11, 2001 prior to the band's departure from Reprise. Seven days later, Tweedy decided that he would stream the entirety of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot on Wilco's official website.^[37] Over thirty record labels offered to release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot after the departure from Reprise was official.^[38] One of the thirty was Warner Brothers affiliate Nonesuch Records, who signed Wilco in November 2001. AOL Time Warner paid Wilco to make the album on Reprise, gave them the record for free, and then bought it back on the Nonesuch label.^[39] The album was released on April 23, 2002 to significant critical acclaim, including being named the best album of the year by The Village Voice.^[40][41] The album became the biggest hit of Jeff Tweedy's career and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 500,000 copies.^[42] September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (114th in leap years). ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Village Voice is a weekly newspaper in New York City featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... The RIAA Logo. ...

A Ghost Is Born and side projects

Cover of the DVD Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest.

Scott McCaughey contacted Tweedy about recording an album together for a The Minus 5 release. They scheduled a meeting for September 11, 2001, but were reluctant to enter the recording studio after the terrorist attacks. At night, McCaughey and Tweedy decided to begin recording songs as a way to calm down. A few more tracks were later added to the album with the rest of Wilco, and it was released with the name Down with Wilco in 2003.^[43] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Scott McCaughey is the leader of the Seattle-based bands The Young Fresh Fellows and (with Peter Buck) the Minus 5. ... The Minus 5 began life as a side project from the Young Fresh Fellows Scott McCaughey who formed the band in 1993. ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... Down With Wilco is the fifth album by American rock band The Minus 5. ...

In November 2003, Wilco began recording a fifth studio album. Unlike their previous albums, all of the songs were originally performed in the studio and then later adapted for playing at concerts. Wilco released A Ghost Is Born on June 22, 2004, and it attained a top ten peak on the Billboard 200.^[44] The album was awarded with Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package in 2005.^[45] A few weeks before the album's release, Tweedy released a book of forty-three poems entitled Adult Head on Zoo Press.^[46] The following year, the band released their first live album, a two-disc set entitled Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, recorded at the The Vic Theater.^[47] Wilco recorded twelve tracks for a sixth studio album entitled Sky Blue Sky, which was released on May 15, 2007.^[48] A Ghost Is Born is an album by the band Wilco. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... The Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album has been awarded since 1991. ... The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package has been presented since 1974. ... The Victoria Theater, most well known as The Vic Theater is a musical venue located in Chicago, Illinois. ... Sky Blue Sky is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Wilco. ... May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (136th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the CE era. ...

Jeff Tweedy has performed several solo tours, on which he typically plays acoustic music.^[49] On October 24, 2006 Nonesuch Records released Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest, a live DVD by Tweedy. The disc includes performances and conversations gathered over five nights on Tweedy’s February 2006 solo acoustic tour, with footage from concerts at Seattle’s Moore Theater, Portland’s Crystal Ballroom, Eugene’s McDonald Theater, Arcata’s Humboldt State University, and The Fillmore in San Francisco. The DVD was directed by Christoph Green and Fugazi’s Brendan Canty, the creators of the documentary series Burn to Shine.^[50] October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Fillmore (also known as the Fillmore Auditorium or, for several years, The Elite Club), is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by Bill Graham (1931–1991). ... Fugazi may refer to: an Italian slang term for something that is fake/not authentic. ... Burn to Shine is an ongoing series of music DVDs created by Trixie DVD, a collaberation between filmmaker Christoph Green and ex-Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty. ...

Musical style

Jeff Tweedy's musical style has varied over his music career. Tweedy's vocal style is considered nasal, emotional, and scratchy, and has been compared to that of Neil Young.^[3][51] His first exposure to music was through gramophone records that his siblings left behind when they attended college, and he particularly liked The Beatles' White Album. Tweedy would frequently read issues of magazines such as Rolling Stone, and began to purchase punk rock albums such as The Clash's London Calling and X's Wild Gift. Belleville crowds did not respond well to punk music, so while Tweedy was a member of The Primitives they played covers of country songs at much faster tempos.^[52] When Uncle Tupelo formed, the band began composing its own songs influenced by Jason & The Scorchers and The Minutemen.^[9] Wilco's first album shared many musical similarities with the four previous Uncle Tupelo albums, but on Being There, Tweedy began introducing more experimental themes into his music. He claims that he wanted to rebel against the belief spread by the No Depression periodical that Wilco was primarily a country band.^[53] One of the most influential albums for Tweedy was Bad Timing by Jim O'Rourke, which helped to inspire Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born.^[54] Neil Percival Young[1] OM (born November 12, 1945, Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film director from Winnipeg, Manitoba. ... It has been suggested that Childrens gramophone records be merged into this article or section. ... The Beatles were a British rock band from Liverpool whose members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. ... The Beatles is the ninth official album by The Beatles, a double album released in 1968 (see 1968 in music). ... This article is about the magazine. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... The Clash were an English punk rock band who were active from 1976 to 1986. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... X is the name of two punk rock bands formed in the late 1970s, one from the USA and one from Australia. ... Wild Gift was a 1981 album by X (US band). ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Jason & The Scorchers were an Alt country band led by Jason Ringenberg whose sound combined punk with country music. ... The Minutemen were a punk rock band from San Pedro, California comprising singer/guitarist D. Boon, singer/bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley. ... Bad Timing is an album by American musician Jim ORourke. ...

Personal life

Jeff Tweedy has been prone to chronic migraines throughout his entire life, forcing him to miss forty days of elementary school in one year.^[33][55] These chronic migraines caused Tweedy to become dependent on painkillers. While he attempted to regulate his use of painkillers, he was never able to stop their use for more than five weeks. Tweedy attributes this to comorbidity with major depressive disorder and severe panic attacks. In 2004, he entered a dual-diagnosis rehabilitation clinic in order to receive treatment for an addiction to prescription painkillers.^[56][57] Tweedy quit smoking the next year; John Stirratt claimed afterward that this significantly improved the focus of the band.^[58] It is common to feel sad, discouraged , or down once in a while, and anyone in this state might say they are suffering from depression. ... A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than 30 minutes. ... For other uses of painkiller, see painkiller (disambiguation) An analgesic (colloquially known as painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain. ... The cigarette is the most common method of smoking tobacco. ...

Jeff Tweedy is married to former talent booking agent Sue Miller. Tweedy first met Miller when he was trying to get Uncle Tupelo booked at Cubby Bear, where Miller worked. Miller opened a club in Chicago named Lounge Ax in 1989, and booked Uncle Tupelo for sixteen shows over four years. Miller and Tweedy began dating in 1991 and they were married on August 9, 1995.^[59] The Tweedys have two children; Spencer Tweedy was born in 1996 and Sam Tweedy was born in 1999.^[33] Spencer has been the drummer for pre-teen rock band The Blisters since December 2003. The band does not tour, but has played major events such as Lollapalooza and the opening of Millennium Park.^[60] The Cubby Bear is a sports bar, eatery, and music venue located at Addison and Clark across from Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. ... The Lounge Ax was a music venue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. ... August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lollapalooza is an American music festival featuring alternative rock, hip hop, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. ... Millennium Park is a prominent new civic center of the City of Chicago in Illinois and an important landmark of the citys lakefront. ...

Selected discography

Main article: Jeff Tweedy discography

The Jeff Tweedy discography covers albums that he played with Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, and various side projects. ...

Uncle Tupelo

See also: 1989 in music, 1990 in British music, other events of 1990, 1991 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // January 21 - MTVs Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident... No Depression is the title of an album released 1990 by the alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. ... Dutch East India Trading is an independent record label based in Rockville Centre, New York. ... See also: 1991 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1991 Record labels established in 1991 other events of 1991 list of years in music 1990s in music // 1991 was the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. ... Still Feel Gone is the second album by American alternative country pioneers Uncle Tupelo. ... Dutch East India Trading is an independent record label based in Rockville Centre, New York. ... See also: 1992 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1992 Record labels established in 1992 other events of 1992 list of years in music 1990s in music // 1992 was a pivotal year in the development of music. ... March 16-20, 1992 is the third album by alt-country band Uncle Tupelo. ... Dutch East India Trading is an independent record label based in Rockville Centre, New York. ... See also: 1993 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1993 Record labels established in 1993 1990s in music. ... Anondyne is the final album by alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, released in [[1993]}. The album was recorded at Cedar Creek Recording in Austin, TX in May and June of 1993. ... Sire Records Company is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. ...

Wilco

See also: 1995 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1995 Record labels established in 1995 other events of 1995 list of years in music 1990s in music // January 18 - Jerry Garcia wrecks his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California. ... A.M. is the debut album of Wilco. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ... See also: 1995 in music, other events of 1996, 1997 in music, 1990s in music and the list of years in music // January 8 - Madonnas stalker, Robert Hoskins is found guilty and convicted on five charges of assault, stalking, and threatening to kill the singer. ... Being There is a dual-disk album released in 1996 by the alternative country band Wilco. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ... See also: 1999 in music (UK) other events of 1999 Musical groups established in 1999 Record labels established in 1999 list of years in music 1990s in music // January 7 After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation. ... Summerteeth is an album by the band Wilco. ... Reprise Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, operated through Warner Bros. ... See also: 2002 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2002 Record labels established in 2002 other events of 2002 list of years in music 2000s in music // 2002 was marked by significant trends in Rock Music. ... Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a 2002 album by Wilco. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... See also: 2004 in music (UK) other events of 2004 list of years in music 2000s in music // January 1 Vienna New Years Concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna, conducted by Riccardo Muti Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol January 3 - Britney Spears marries Jason Allen Alexander, a... A Ghost Is Born is an album by the band Wilco. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... See also: 2005 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2005 Record labels established in 2005 other events of 2005 list of years in music 2000s in music January 1 - In most of Europe, copyright expired on a number of classic pop and rock and roll songs recorded in 1954... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ... See also: 2000s in music. ... Sky Blue Sky is the sixth studio album by American alternative rock band Wilco. ... Nonesuch Records is currently allied with Warner Bros. ...

Notes and references

The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City by Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ... The Village Voice is a weekly newspaper in New York City featuring investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts reviews and events listings for New York City. ... MTV News is the news division of MTV, the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTVs related channels around the world. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago. ... It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the magazine. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion (US$7. ... Filter, the publication that promises us that Good music will prevail, is a seasonal American music and off-beat entertainment magazine for the intelligent reader. ... This article is about the magazine. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ...

References

• Kot, Greg (2004), Wilco: Learning How to Die (First ed.), New York: Broadway Books Retrieved on 2006-12-18

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... In the Gregorian calendar, December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years), with 13 days remaining until the end of the year. ...

External links

• Official Wilco website

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