- Austin Nelson
- The band’s current lineup includes (pictured, from left) Patrick Sansone, Mikael Jorgensen, Jeff Tweedy, Nels Cline, Glenn Kotche and John Stirratt.
I've been a fan of Wilco since their first full-length, A.M., released in 1995, but like many other enthusiasts of the Chicago band that I know, I've listened to their new material with less frequency over the past five years.
Nonetheless, I still dig them.
Sound-wise Wilco has gone from rootsy jangle to lush pop to stripped-down ballads to skronky meanderings and back again, so their shows seldom rest on one note.
The current lineup — singer/guitarist Jeff Tweedy, bassist John Stirratt (Q&A below), guitarist Nels Cline, multi-instrumentalists Patrick Sansone and Mikael Jorgensen, and drummer/percussionist Glenn Kotche — can be seen this Mon., May 14, at the Straz Center in downtown Tampa. Purling Hiss opens.
Frontman Jeff Tweedy took the reins around a decade ago after the unfortunate exit of original member and linchpin Jay Bennett, an ordeal filmed in the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-era documentary, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. Sadly for Wilco fans, Bennett died soon after from an accidental overdose. The ensuing reign of Tweedy has been ruled by a balancing act of artistic indulgence and thoughtful collaboration.
The band's 2011 latest, The Whole Love, comes full circle with Wilco’s longest-enduring lineup to date, and I was fortunate to get the opportunity to talk to founding member John Stirratt before the band's upcoming show.
This article appears in May 10-16, 2012.