uncle tupelo today
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- dime in the gutter
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uncle tupelo today
if uncle tupelo had come along 10-12 years later would they be a bigger deal?
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Re: uncle tupelo today
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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much
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Re: uncle tupelo today
whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much
Ssssshhhh...you'll blow dime's cover.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
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
my point is if Unce Tupelo hadn't, someone would've.
I'm inebriated so cut me some slack
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Smitty wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
cortez the killer wrote: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
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Zip City wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Zip City wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Not sure. Really could care less about popularity.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
speaking of pedestals....get some of those up in this bitch.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
dime in the gutter wrote:speaking of pedestals....get some of those up in this bitch.
Got something different in mind. Gonna run it by TC.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
beantownbubba wrote:whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks too much
Ssssshhhh...you'll blow dime's cover.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
I thought I smelled brain fluid burning.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Zip City wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Zip City wrote:tinnitus photography wrote:Zip City wrote: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.
Re: uncle tupelo today
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.
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.
Not forever, just for now.
Re: uncle tupelo today
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.
Not forever, just for now.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
'Scratch wrote: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.
You are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
dime in the gutter wrote:Smitty wrote: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!
Life is not a constant thing, it's only made of short stories.
Re: uncle tupelo today
tinnitus photography wrote:Zip City wrote: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.
Life is not a constant thing, it's only made of short stories.
Re: uncle tupelo today
cortez the killer wrote:'Scratch wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
Hey cg. Good to see u here!
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Re: uncle tupelo today
dee dee wrote:cortez the killer wrote:'Scratch wrote: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.
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Re: uncle tupelo today
dime in the gutter wrote: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?
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Re: uncle tupelo today
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.