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The idea of music being primarily mankind's greatest consolation was central to the whole idea of what we were hoping to do [on Sky Blue Sky], which was just to sit down and console ourselves, at the very least, about how disheartening this world is.
-Jeff Tweedy |
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Photo by Derek Anderson
JamBase: To jump into it, when you trace the line from Yankee to Ghost to Sky Blue Sky this does seem to be a little bit mellower, more straightforward and less experimental album. What prompted this stylistic shift?
Tweedy: Well... [Long pause] it doesn't feel like a jagged line or an illogical conclusion to those previous two records to me to make Sky Blue Sky. I feel like all of the same interests that the band has had for a long time are present on this record. I personally just feel like the adventures of the previous two records are integrated a little bit more organically into what transpired in the studio, and it feels a little bit less "Frankenstein" to me than the previous two records. I can't change how people hear things. This band really spent a lot of time on the road playing those previous two records and I think if we made A Ghost Is Born or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot today they'd probably sound a lot more like Sky Blue Sky than people really believe.
JamBase: In a recent issue of Harp Magazine when you were discussing this new record you said that you don't think you'll make another record like this, but that you love it. Now those ideas are not mutually exclusive, but it is an interesting dynamic to love something yet not want to do it again. So, I'm kind of wondering what it is you love about this record and why it is you won't revisit this style or this exact angle?
Wilco by Chris Strong |
Tweedy: It's not about whether or not I want to revisit it, I just don't know if I can. I think if we set about using the same process and the same philosophy of music making that we used making Sky Blue Sky the results probably wouldn't lead to another record similar to Sky Blue Sky. I think the whole point of it was to just communicate with each other musically and allow something to happen, and to embrace what happened. I think that's what we did. And I guess I love it because it was so gratifying and we were so successful at just staying out of our own way and making the record that was there to make.
JamBase: When you say "the process" do you mean sitting around in the same room and not having headphones and overdubs? Is that what you are referring to?
Tweedy: I mean focusing our attention on ensemble performance, on the idea that we are all contributing to one thing as opposed to layering parts on something or listening to our part in headphones in a disproportionate relationship to everything else. The idea of mixing ourselves live is something we're really going to continue to pursue. It's a really gratifying way to make music.
Thinking lyrically about these songs, how personal are they? Are you speaking about specific events or speaking to anybody in particular?
Jeff Tweedy by Barry Brecheisen |
There are certain things on the record that are definitely spoken directly to my wife, different feelings and emotions that I felt it would be nice to convey to my wife. Beyond that, I don't think there's anything strictly personal or strictly autobiographical about any of the songs. They're still songs and there's still a lot of poetic license with the narratives of the songs.
One track that I've particularly taken to is "Impossible Germany," and I'm wondering if you can tell me what that song is about?
Ya know, it's gotten really far from what original meaning I might have conceptualized or theorized about. More importantly, I can tell you what the song ended up meaning to me. Ultimately, the only lines that mean anything to me anymore are, "Are you still listening" or "Now I know someone's listening," and here's what I want to listen to and it's a guitar solo.
Continue reading for more of JamBase's conversation with Jeff Tweedy...
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