neener.

Thbbbt back atcha. I bought tickets for one of the Austin shows. I wasn't going to, just because they're damn expensive, but what the hey, I loves me some Nels Cline & can't wait to see what he does with the Wilco catalogue.

How 'bout a quick primer for one who generally loves both Wilco and Hayden's musical taste, but has no clue who this Nels Cline guy is?

My portable CD player leapt to it's death last week. So I'm wondering if I should replace it with another CD player or get an MP3 player. Can anyone pimp the MP3 player to me? What are the benefits? Drawbacks?

Nels Cline bio from AMG. I am pretty stunned that he is going to be a member of Wilco. I couldn't believe it when I read it.

Guitarist Nels Cline is best known for his work in the group Quartet Music (with brother Alex Cline, bassist Eric Von Essen and violinist Jeff Gauthier), as well as other projects in the jazz, rock and avant-garde idioms, and for his involvement in the West Coast's improvisation community, in general. Born in Los Angeles in 1956, Nels began playing guitar around the age of 12, when his twin brother, Alex, began learning the drums. By the time Nels reached his 20s, he was heavily involved in LA's improvisational community and, in 1978, appeared on his first recording, Openhearted by multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia. He has gone on to appear on over 70 releases, lead several of his own groups -- including the Nels Cline Trio, and the sextet that followed, Destroy All Nels Cline -- and tour internationally with a variety of bands. As a composer, Nels has scored two films in addition to writing much of his own material. He has also produced albums for himself, G.E. Stinson and Jeff Gauthier, among others. Bassist Eric Von Essen and Nels met up in the late '70s, began working together and recorded an album of duets called Elegies that was released in 1980 on the 9 Winds label. Von Essen got involved in an orchestra with violinist Gauthier, and it wasn't long before the three formed a group of their own. Nels' brother Alex sat in on their first concert, and eventually joined on permanently, resulting in the group Quartet Music, which remained together throughout the 1980s. In addition to his work in Quartet Music during this decade, Nels worked with Liberation Music Orchestra West Coast, was a member of a rock band called Bloc, worked with Julius Hemphill as well as Charlie Haden, and released his first album as leader, Angelica, which included members of Quartet Music, saxophonist Tim Berne and more. The first half of the '90s found his new Nels Cline Trio hosting a weekly improv series for four years and recording as many albums. During the 1990s, Nels also worked with Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Mike Watt (Minutemen) and the Geraldine Fibbers. 1999 brought the release of a duo recording by he and percussionist Gregg Bendian covering John Coltrane's Interstellar Space for the Atavistic label. That same year, the California Music Awards named Nels Cline Outstanding Jazz Artist of 1999; Inking followed in mid-2000.

I couldn't believe it when I read it.

It's a little like Charlie Haden or John McLaughlin joining the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970.

I don't find it stylistically strange -- the Geraldine Fibbers mined the same territory as Wilco.

I don't find it stylistically strange -- the Geraldine Fibbers mined the same territory as Wilco.

Very true. But Nels has been doing a lot of jazzy/improv stuff for a long time.

Btw, did you all know that Sandie Shaw covered Led Zeppelin's "Your Time Is Gonna Come"? She sounds exactly like Robert Plant. I'll just file this next to Tina Turner's "Whole Lotta Love" on the odd Zep covers shelf.

Also, Outkast is on the cover of RS, and Andre says he wrote "Hey Ya" (five years ago) after some friends of his turned him onto The Ramones and The Smiths. This amuses me.

It's a little like Charlie Haden or John McLaughlin joining the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970.

In 1970 McLaughlin was recording Jack Johnson with Miles & rocking way harder than the Burritos ever did, not that rocking out was really their shtick (signed, "The Heretic who still doesn't really get the Gram Parsons fuss"). In 1970 Charlie Haden was leading the original Liberation Music Orchestra - I assume the version Nels Cline was in was one of Haden's/Carla Bley's periodic reformings of the group - and while he never joined the Burritos he did make a couple albums with Cream's Ginger Baker 25 years later. Going Back Home, which also features Bill Frisell, is really great.

I don't find it stylistically strange

Not stylistically - but from everything I've read and after seeing I am Trying to Break Your Heart (the movie about the making of YHF) it seems to me that Jeff Tweedy is kinda crazy. Brilliant and crazy, while not an unusual combo for a band leader, isn't someone I'd want for a boss if I could help it. And Wilco is a band which has had many a member leave over the last few years. And - Cline seems like he was having a fine career on his own with the occassional collaboration. It's hard to tell how long his commitment to Wilco will be - but he is along for the whole of the tour to support their new album - which will be a big one, I would presume.

So - he just seems too mature and successful to want to do the crazy dramatic rock band thing - but - I'm not complaining - I just think it's odd. I can't wait to see them - like Hayden - imagining what he could do with some of their songs is pretty exciting.