Nels! I’m embarrassed to say he wasn’t really on my radar until he joined Wilco. But his solo stuff is great.
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
- Jun 30, 2010
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
As an ex mid-westerner, I can simultaneously see the beauty in that picture... and know the reality...
Oh. And I have to mention his work with James beginning with Laid and several albums after that. An amazing producer.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,974
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I was happy for him when he started to gain attention. I still have the copy of a guitar mag that had his b&w mug on the cover. (first one) I had Nels sign it! It was a turning point for him - from cult obscurity to higher profile cult-hero/guitar god. Wilco (Jeff Tweedy) gave him the freedom to carry on with his projects on his terms. (as he always did, but in poverty) I'm not a Wilco fan but saw them a few years ago - it was a great show/presentation, but I can't imagine what they were like w/o Nels.
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Right?!
Love Link Wray too! Blessed to have seen him live a couple times.
Also very lucky to have shared bills with Nels Cline in the early 80’s when he was playing in Rhthm Plague with our fellow TB’r, @steubig on bass. Such a fun band and were amazing even all those years ago when we were kids
Every once in a while, we get real snow on the Wet Coast. It’s still mild compared to many places.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,974
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Oh man - one of my all-time favorite live shows was "Stinkbug" - with Nels and Stu on bass, at a joint called "Bruno's" in the Mission/SF. (many years ago) An LA guitarist named G.E. Stinson was also in the ensemble, along with East Bay'r Scott Amendola on drums. A super cool set! Friends of mine and I got there early and we grabbed seats that were next to an lovely young lady, so we got into a casual conversation. At one point G.E. came over and made some sort of comment informing us to "steer clear" of his gf... ? We just laughed because from our side it was pretty harmless and he was obviously feeling jealous, for whatever reason. Anyway - long story short, that night was recorded and it ended up on a CD many years later. It was one one those nights when you think - if this was only recorded... and then it is on a CD! Love minor miricles!
- Mar 8, 2011
- 12,232
- 51,187
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,974
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I love that album. I was so into Yes, ELP and Genesis around that time that anything that was remotely similar was in the rotation. Amazing stuff.My favorite PFM record
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
As a Wilco diehard, all I can say is that they were great before Nels. They’ve remained great since he joined in ‘04. But before him it was a band of Tweedy and Stirrat with people coming and going with each album/tour. After Nels arrived, the band became a model of stability.
No thank you...I am very broad minded and have eclectic taste, but that is pretty bad.
We referred to them as Pure F*****g Magic because none of us could pronounce the Italian words PFM was short for.Italian prog rock band from the 70’s
- Mar 8, 2011
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Matter of opinion and I respect yours. I have no problem believing it ain’t for everyone, but ‘bad’ aint the right word. All the best popular artists (like Wilco) borrowed from more forward thinking, yet inaccessible bands of their day and took those ideas and made em palatable to the masses. Outcasts like Captain Beefheart, John Cage, Pierre Henry, Harry Partch and the like opened the doors for younger, prettier folks with more marketing savvy.
All that to say, everything comes from somewhere. I can tell you for certain, Tweedy is influenced by a lot of stuff you may consider ‘bad.’
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
I had that album! Their live set at Cooley's was a superset of that.
"... Four holes in the ground."
And I yours. You’re absolutely correct. Bad is a harsh word, I shouldn’t have used it. It is all a matter of opinion. And mine change often.
Speaking of Captain Beefheart, a hippie cousin exposed me to him when I was a young kid, so I don’t consider him an outcast at all. Been listening to his stuff for fifty years. Too bad there isn’t more of it.
- Mar 8, 2011
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- Authorized greenboy designs builder/Owner of BNA Audio
Beefheart is such an anomaly. Folks seem to either think Trout Mask Replica is a masterpiece or unlistenable junk. Some even think both
