questions for Jeff Tweedy interview?

Tragabigzanda · Post by **Tragabigzanda** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:45 pm

So I met with TJ Doherty @ Sear Sound for the Tape Op interview this past Friday (see the thread here: http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=53443), and came away with some great stuff (and as a bonus, I got to listen to some of Walter Sear's philosophies, too!). I'm actually going to be interviewing Jeff Tweedy for a sidebar to the TJ interview (not sure yet if Larry will decide to run it), so I wonder what sort of questions you all might have for him? Try to keep them at least relative to TJ Doherty, Sky Blue Sky, or perhaps Sear Sound.

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Mon May 05, 2008 11:35 am

Most singers that have recorded a number of albums have a favorite mic for their voice. Do you have a 'go to' mic for your vocals, and if so how did you arrive at that choice?

Working with TJ how much does the line between producer and engineer blur? Is he strictly an engineer, or does he take on more subjective and musical aspects of the recording process?

Will you be working with him for the next album?

How did the Sky Blue Sky process inform some desicions you might make during the next record?

Tragabigzanda · Post by **Tragabigzanda** » Mon May 05, 2008 12:05 pm

Those are great, and they got my gears turning for some other new ones, too! Thanks!

sad iron · Post by **sad iron** » Mon May 05, 2008 2:57 pm

losthighway wrote:Most singers that have recorded a number of albums have a favorite mic for their voice. Do you have a 'go to' mic for your vocals, and if so how did you arrive at that choice?

I know for a very long time Jeff used the SM7 for a lot of his vox. I don't know what his signal chain has been on the past two records.

Still a good question for the interview though.

And how about this: Has changing band members so frequently been a decision based on a looking for a sound he hears in his head and wants players he thinks will help him achieve that sound, have the line-up changes been due to attrition and personality,or any combination thereof? (I think I know the answer. Or at least I know what my answer would be. Curious to know what he says.)

jckinnick · Post by **jckinnick** » Thu May 08, 2008 1:17 am

I was wondering how they got that great guitar tone on Incinerate? What was the set up like for the song Do You Believe In Rapture?

darjama · Post by **darjama** » Thu May 08, 2008 11:28 am

Do you remember that time when you were in Uncle Tupelo and you recorded Anodyne? That was awesome!**

**Must be asked in a Chris Farley voice.

kuene · Post by **kuene** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:39 am

How did you typically lay down the basic tracks for Born Again in the U.S.A.? Specifically something like Apostolic - there are just the 3 of you, but much of this complex interlocking stuff does not sound like overdubbed arrangements.

This is perhaps the driest, warmest album I've ever heard. The closeness/presence is so intense, yet its not a loud record. The guitars especially. What is the secret?

Do you think you will take to producing records for other bands? Is that a hat you want to wear?

I want to know if On The Beach is your favorite Neil Young album.

myleftfoot · Post by **myleftfoot** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:36 pm

So this didnt end up running with the Sear piece after all? I dont think so anyway. I would like ot read a Jeff tweedy interview though, can it at least go up in the bonus section on tapeop.com?

Post by **TapeOpLarry** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 10:30 am

Uh, the Sear interview ran ages ago and was a different deal. TJ Doherty will run soon. The Tweedy interview never happened.

myleftfoot · Post by **myleftfoot** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:52 pm

Ok. Sorry!

sad iron · Post by **sad iron** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:01 pm

Tweedy, that bastard. Talk to us, man. Or don't. Impossible Germany indeed.

Tragabigzanda · Post by **Tragabigzanda** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:00 pm

Just to clarify: Jeff answered some questions for me via email. He was generous and gracious, but his answers ultimately added nothing to the article, so I never submitted them.

lobstman · Post by **lobstman** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:49 am

darjama wrote:Do you remember that time when you were in Uncle Tupelo and you recorded Anodyne? That was awesome!**

**Must be asked in a Chris Farley voice.

Yeah, Uncle Tupelo was a great band... what have you been up to since?

asmara · Post by **asmara** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 1:55 pm

My questions for Jeff
(1)what do you do to stimulate creativity in your song-writing? (any tips that help with writer's block for you specifically)
(2)how are lyrics done in relation to a given song? (written first or last)
(3)is a melody generally the first thing that is made or a chord structure?
(4)how did you go about selecting gear for the Loft. Esp. Mics and Preamps.
(5)what qualities in a guitar do you look for in terms of recording a song and also writing a song.

I know much of this is touched in the Wilco Book but not in great detail. If Jeff is open to starting a thread here to answer directly that would be awesome. I have not followed much of the viachicago discussions since it was closed down- perhaps this has already been covered already online someplace.

losthighway · Post by **losthighway** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:27 am

The viachicago forum is alive and well. There has been a fair amount of discussion with Mr. Tweedy about his feelings on different guitars and his somewhat extensive collection. I can't recall ever reading (I read a lot of interviews as a fan) anything he has said concerning more tech type studio issues except comparing the Pro Tools process to the Tape process, or his ideas about a band recording live in the same room without headphones. He strikes me as a guy that is way more interested in being a musician and likes to work with other people that are musical, but can take care of the tech-dork stuff as well.

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questions for Jeff Tweedy interview?

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