uncle tupelo today

[dime in the gutter]

if uncle tupelo had come along 10-12 years later would they be a bigger deal?

[Tequila Cowboy]

Good question. Rather than pioneering a genre they would have been joining an established one. That might have given them an edge. I don't know, maybe.

[beantownbubba]

Nope.

[shakeywaits]

Another question would be whether or not Jay and Jeff would have ever started a band together in today's music scene. Given the popularity of experimental-pop music today maybe Jeff would have seen the type of music he eventually wanted to make (i.e., Wilco) right away and gone that direction while Jay would have jumped into the alt-country/americana scene.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much

[beantownbubba]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much

Ssssshhhh...you'll blow dime's cover.

[cortez the killer]

Love the question/thread dime. Interestingly enough, I've thought about this a lot lately. I view Uncle Tupelo as a "Supergroup" in hindsight. If it weren't for Wilco or Son Volt, would anyone today give a shit about Uncle Tupelo? Aside from hardcore fans (yourself included), I think the answer is no. As TC said, "Rather than pioneering a genre they would have been joining an established one. That might have given them an edge. I don't know, maybe." Would we be using the term "alt.country" today had there never been Uncle Tupelo? I don't think we would. A combination of the suffocating music industry, the times, Uncle Tupelo, and an upstart magazine called No Depression, helped create what we reluctantly call "alt.country" today. There are better "alt.country" bands today and Uncle Tupelo certainly did not create a new sound. They just happened to tap into a certain sound (borrowed from others) at a time when that sound was lacking in a music industry search for "a truer sound." Ultimately, I think Uncle Tupelo gets placed on a pedestal more so for reasons of nostalgia (a "supergroup" in hindsight - what Farrar and Tweedy have done since) and history (get credit for creating/spearheading "alt.country) than for the actual music itself. I do like Uncle Tupelo's music a lot, but I like Son Volt and Wilco a lot more than UT.

[Smitty]

Then who would've taken UC's place? In hindsight, with all that went on in the 80's punk (particularly the Replacements subtle "country" tinges, Jason & the Scorchers,etc) and the awfulness of mainstream country music, it was a natural thing that alt-country occured - so maybe it would've been the Bottle Rockets? I think it would've came outta the midwest...

my point is if Unce Tupelo hadn't, someone would've.
I'm inebriated so cut me some slack

[dime in the gutter]

Then who would've taken UC's place? In hindsight, with all that went on in the 80's punk (particularly the Replacements subtle "country" tinges, Jason & the Scorchers,etc) and the awfulness of mainstream country music, it was a natural thing that alt-country occured - so maybe it would've been the Bottle Rockets? I think it would've came outta the midwest...

my point is if Unce Tupelo hadn't, someone would've.
I'm inebriated so cut me some slack

only diff being those other bands didn't have farrar and tweedy. kind of a perfect storm type deal.

[whatwouldcooleydo?]

Love the question/thread dime. Interestingly enough, I've thought about this a lot lately. I view Uncle Tupelo as a "Supergroup" in hindsight. If it weren't for Wilco or Son Volt, would anyone today give a shit about Uncle Tupelo? Aside from hardcore fans (yourself included), I think the answer is no. As TC said, "Rather than pioneering a genre they would have been joining an established one. That might have given them an edge. I don't know, maybe." Would we be using the term "alt.country" today had there never been Uncle Tupelo? I don't think we would. A combination of the suffocating music industry, the times, Uncle Tupelo, and an upstart magazine called No Depression, helped create what we reluctantly call "alt.country" today. There are better "alt.country" bands today and Uncle Tupelo certainly did not create a new sound. They just happened to tap into a certain sound (borrowed from others) at a time when that sound was lacking in a music industry search for "a truer sound." Ultimately, I think Uncle Tupelo gets placed on a pedestal more so for reasons of nostalgia (a "supergroup" in hindsight - what Farrar and Tweedy have done since) and history (get credit for creating/spearheading "alt.country) than for the actual music itself. I do like Uncle Tupelo's music a lot, but I like Son Volt and Wilco a lot more than UT.

Some might say the same of Buffalo Springfield, relatively speaking, of course

[Tequila Cowboy]

If it weren't for Ryan Adams' brilliance/insanity, would anyone give a shit about Whiskeytown?

Isn't that like saying if there wasn't a patty of beef between the bread on a hamburger would anyone want one? Seriously Ryan Adams was Whiskeytown for all intents and purposes despite Caitlin Carey and a great band. IMHO he's never reached those heights again. Plus he's an asshat. Still Uncle Tupelo was better.

[cortez the killer]

If it weren't for Ryan Adams' brilliance/insanity, would anyone give a shit about Whiskeytown?

Absolutely. I like Brian, I mean Ryan, Adams, but I prefer Whiskeytown much, much more than his solo stuff. It's not even close to these ears.

[cortez the killer]

Not sure. Really could care less about popularity.

[dime in the gutter]

speaking of pedestals....get some of those up in this bitch.

[cortez the killer]

speaking of pedestals....get some of those up in this bitch.

Got something different in mind. Gonna run it by TC.

[dime in the gutter]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much

Ssssshhhh...you'll blow dime's cover.

[cortez the killer]

I thought I smelled brain fluid burning.

[tinnitus photography]

If it weren't for Ryan Adams' brilliance/insanity, would anyone give a shit about Whiskeytown?

Ryan Adams' petulance and general assholeishness has kept me from listening to anything the guy's ever done.

[tinnitus photography]

If it weren't for Ryan Adams' brilliance/insanity, would anyone give a shit about Whiskeytown?

Ryan Adams' petulance and general assholeishness has kept me from listening to anything the guy's ever done.

your loss. there's some brilliant stuff in his catalog

i've got 6,000 other records to choose from.

['Scratch]

I got into Son Volt and to a lesser degree Wilco because of Uncle Tupelo. And I became a Ryan Adams fan because of Whiskeytown. I was exposed to them first and they led to the others.

And in response to the question would UT be as big a deal now. It's almost a chicken and the egg question. Sure there have been great country rock bands in the past, but Uncle Tupelo brought a punk/grunge attitude that redefined a genre and defined an era. Can any new band that plays country influence garage rock/punk be a big deal now? No. Even the best alt country/rock/Americana/whattheHeveryouwanttocallit bands out there now are just adding to the tapestry bands like UT, WT, Jayhawks, Blue Mountain, Lucero, etc. started.

['Scratch]

PS - the second disc of Whiskeytown's Deluxe Strangers Almanac is so fucking good, excuse my language, that it's worth listening to even if you think you don't like Ryan Adams.

[cortez the killer]

PS - the second disc of Whiskeytown's Deluxe Strangers Almanac is so fucking good, excuse my language, that it's worth listening to even if you think you don't like Ryan Adams.

P.P.S. - ALL of Whiskeytown leading up to Pneumonia is fucking untouchable. I'll straighten out tinnitus. And I say this with the utmost of respect for tinnitus and his impeccable and unrivaled taste in music. Dude is borderline legendary.

[merrikat]

Then who would've taken UC's place? In hindsight, with all that went on in the 80's punk (particularly the Replacements subtle "country" tinges, Jason & the Scorchers,etc) and the awfulness of mainstream country music, it was a natural thing that alt-country occured - so maybe it would've been the Bottle Rockets? I think it would've came outta the midwest...

my point is if Unce Tupelo hadn't, someone would've.
I'm inebriated so cut me some slack

only diff being those other bands didn't have farrar and tweedy. kind of a perfect storm type deal.

...referring to Tweedy and Farrar as "the perfect storm" is now my new favorite thing ever. :D!

[merrikat]

If it weren't for Ryan Adams' brilliance/insanity, would anyone give a shit about Whiskeytown?

Ryan Adams' petulance and general assholeishness has kept me from listening to anything the guy's ever done.

He's certainly...well, yes, petulant is a good word. And he does tend to release every single thought he has as a single. (Keep some for your b-sides, Ryan, seriously). But then I listen to Jacksonville City Nights and I flail around a lot over how amazing the lyrics are.

[dee dee]

PS - the second disc of Whiskeytown's Deluxe Strangers Almanac is so fucking good, excuse my language, that it's worth listening to even if you think you don't like Ryan Adams.

P.P.S. - ALL of Whiskeytown leading up to Pneumonia is fucking untouchable. I'll straighten out tinnitus. And I say this with the utmost of respect for tinnitus and his impeccable and unrivaled taste in music. Dude is borderline legendary.

I can't decide between Trace, Stranger's Almanac, or Faithless Street as the best alt-country album ever.

[cgoodwin]

Nope.

[beantownbubba]

Hey cg. Good to see u here!

[cortez the killer]

PS - the second disc of Whiskeytown's Deluxe Strangers Almanac is so fucking good, excuse my language, that it's worth listening to even if you think you don't like Ryan Adams.

P.P.S. - ALL of Whiskeytown leading up to Pneumonia is fucking untouchable. I'll straighten out tinnitus. And I say this with the utmost of respect for tinnitus and his impeccable and unrivaled taste in music. Dude is borderline legendary.

I can't decide between Trace, Stranger's Almanac, or Faithless Street as the best alt-country album ever.

All top-notch works. I'll go with Decoration Day for $1000 Alex.

[never going back]

if uncle tupelo had come along 10-12 years later would they be a bigger deal?

Maybe. I started listening to Uncle Tupelo in the early 90s and there was nothing out there like it. I picked up on The Jayhawks, Big Star, etc. a few years later and realized that sound was alt country.

Who coined that term by the way?

[StevieRay]

The answer is yes. There is a timeless quality to UT: and their talent level would set them apart in any era. Ask this question of any transcendent band - Velvet Underground, for example. Either the music stands up or it doesn't.