Hello,
I’m a new (kinda) Wilco fan and I’m starting my descent into the discog. I recently watched the “I’m trying to break your heart” documentary and it was so good but the whole vibe between Jay and Jeff was so awkward and hostile. Obviously it ends with Jay being shown the door and Wilco go on without him.
In the doc Jay claims Jeff wanted his band back and Jeff counters it by saying that whatever Jay was bringing to the band, wasn’t what he knew Wilco as (or something along those lines?) I also heard him say that Jeff was too good of a guitar player and he even started to ask him to play piano sometimes just to balance it out. I guess in pursuit of the rougher sound he had in mind? Which seems strange to me and I’ll come back to that later.
My question is this.
Was Jay and Jeff’s relationship always like as shown during the documentary, did something just change and is there a basic opinion from Wilco fans about the lineup change?
My opinion is (with very very VERY minimal knowledge and evidence) Jay was starting to write more and Jeff didn’t enjoy not being the focal songwriter of the band so Jay was removed. I find faults with Jeff’s reasonings for why Jay was removed from the band. He never really says anything straight and definite, always dancing around the question.
The “rougher sound” point Jeff makes kinda goes out the window when I hear Sky Blue Sky which is such a tight and organised sound. Adding two excellent guitar players and really leaning into what they offer skill wise. In comparison to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot which is looser and rougher sounding (IMO).
Anyway that’s my general understanding of the whole thing. Please absolutely correct me if I’m wrong in anything I’ve said. I’d like to be educated in the whole thing. I have no Wilco friends so I need guidance lmao.
I really like Sky Blue Sky, it’s probably my favourite album atm and I really love that band which I believe is the current band? Really enjoying digging into the discog.
Thank you Wilco Fans :)