Wilco Book, The (Hardcover)

~ Bern Porter (Author), Mark Twain (Author), Peter Buchanan-Smith (Editor), (Editor), Daniel Nadel (Editor), Boris Mikhailov (Photographer), Michael Schmelling (Photographer), Fred Tomaselli (Author), Wilco (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Between all the critical acclaim, Greg Kot's book on the band, and the introspective I Am Trying to Break Your Heart documentary, you'd think that pretty much everything has already been said about Wilco. But The Wilco Book--the influential rock band's own scrapbook of photos, observations, and random notes--has more than a few revelations for fans. Here we get beautiful photographs of musical instruments (taken apart, being fixed and played) interspersed with quotes about their studio, their performance and recording habits, and their songwriting. Some may think a close-up of a Gibson guitar is a mundane affair, but to Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, that tool of the trade is an important element in the music-making process, worthy of plenty of attention. In addition, there are numerous shots of the band, random images by Fred Tomaselli, a new essay on the ensemble by Rick Moody, and "The Angel Is My Watermark," a piece by Henry Miller that resonates with the group. The enclosed 12-track CD contains previously unheard tracks from the A Ghost Is Born sessions. A couple tunes ("Diamond Claw," "What Good Am I") rank with Wilco's best work, while the rest show the band in the midst of the creative process, making aural sketches. All-told, the poignant randomness of The Wilco Book unfolds like a great Wilco album: it's a wonderful mix of compelling experimentation and heartfelt sentiment. A must-have for Wilco lovers. --Jason Verlinde

Tweedy Talks
Amazon.com Music Editor Jason Verlinde talks with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy about the book, the band's music, and more in our special audio interview:

Jeff Tweedy on The Wilco Book

Jeff Tweedy on Wilco's fame and status

Wilco on Record
Looking for more Wilco? Check out Amazon.com's complete list of Wilco on CD.

From Publishers Weekly

In case fans of alt-country turned art-rock band Wilco didn't get enough pertinent reading material this year—including front man Jeff Tweedy's poetry collection, Adult Head, and rock critic Greg Kot's affectionate band bio, Wilco: Learning How to Die—there's this lavishly designed and gorgeously printed collaboration between band members and the New York design company PictureBox. Meant to capture the soulful, rockin', poetically inscrutable essence of Wilco's art, it collects essays, drawings and random comments by Wilco members, organized by their collective interests, including "The Loft" where they rehearse, "The Instruments" they use and the process of "Making a Record." Accompanied by a CD of unreleased material and generously illustrated with beautiful color photographs by Michael Schmelling, it also features Henry Miller's classic essay on creativity, "The Angel Is My Watermark"; an often tortured look at five Wilco songs by Rick Moody; and a section on how the band's soundman prepares for a live concert that gives a fascinating look at the workday of professional musicians. While the book's beauty can't mask its lack of context—biographical or musical—for anyone with a casual interest in the band, there are plenty of hardcore fans out there who'll find it required reading.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: PictureBox (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971367035
• ISBN-13: 978-0971367036
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #38,185 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coffee Table Art, December 27, 2004

By	Nathan Skinner "laissez-faire" (rochester, ny) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Wilco Book is a great book if you enjoy the creative process. This book is less about the band and more about how they record, why they do it, and what the environment around them looks or feels like while they are doing it. It's an open-minded look at a process most of us don't enjoy on the same scale, but that we can all relate to in our own creative lives.

The accusations of pretense are understandable. But if you are someone who loves the process as much as the finished product this will be an inspiring piece. The cd and the book fit perfectly together in creating a mood of idea exploration. I found this book insightful and a very nice addition to a progressingly great body of work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book For any Wilco Fan, August 22, 2006

By	John Doe "John" (CT, USA) - See all my reviews

Great book for any Wilco fan. Just finished the book today. It also comes with a nice CD of unreleased songs! That was a nice little surprise. Very high quality book with alot of pictures. Good read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gracing my coffee table for years to come, August 5, 2007

By	Sean P. Dolan - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a wonderful buy for all fans of the band. It really brings you into the Wilco circle. Excerpts and essays by and about the band, their methods, and their ideas are attractively presented through a series of pretentiously artsy photos. There is not nearly as much hard info as Greg Kot's magnificent Wilco: Learning How to Die, but the two books are completely different reading expereinces. The Wilco Book is not meant for plowing through; it is meant for experiencing.

The book also comes with a CD. These are not the polished studio gems of Summerteeth or the country rockers of AM. These are sonic experiments from the "a Ghost is Born era", and have a feeling of no pressure. Tweedy and co work together - Glenn's influence is really felt here. "Pure Bug Beauty" is a favorite of mine, although "diamond claw" is cool, "barnyard pimp" struts its stuff, and the alternate version of "hummingbird" will be a highlight for many.