Todd Larson wrote:
> .
>
> On a broader level, I was struck by the smugness of some of the posts which
> reduce UT and the current alt.country phase to just another "ripple" in the
> alt.country pond which we UT fans could see if we' d get our head out of
> our asses and look at the big picture. Even if intended to introduce
> perspective, the effect of these posts is to dismiss the genuine affection
> people feel for these bands as immature, short-sighted and misguided. At
> least as I read it.
I'll jump on the bandwagon and praise Todd for his smart and passionate (chops
and enthussiam) posts, although I also like what Terry has had to say. I don't
there is a lot of distance between perspectives here, but there is some.
This debate brought to mind some stuff I was thinking about in regard to the
Tweedy distancing himself from alt.country or whatever debate. I happened to
catch Man in the Sand (the film about making Mermaid Avenue) on BBC, and I was
a little taken aback by Tweedy's, for lack of a better phrase, chip on the
shoulder. While no one came out and said much about it (at least I think--it
was on real late and I was kind of zoned), there was a fair amount of tension
between Tweedy and Bragg, and you could tell that part of it was what some (not
me) might call a generational thing. Bragg, the sometimes overbearing older
school leftist, perhaps sinking into his lecturing mode, trying to get Wilco to
"see the big picture" about Guthrie and the movement, vs. the once punk band
leader who experienced American disillusionment and alienation in the different
ways of their historical moment. The substance of their disagreements was not
made clear, at least to a sleepy me, but that sure struck me as the
underpinnings.
Tweedy, I thought, said some rather stupid and sullen things (but I've thought
this about much of the punk genre), but also some interesting things about how
getting into the whole Guthrie thing gave him this new sense of pride in being
an American (he said it quite abashedly), that he was discovering it wasn't all
this wasteland of fast food joints, hollow suburbs etc (I can't recall exactly
what he said, but that was the jist). Now this struck me as strange, since
much of Uncle Tupelo strikes me as being quite alert to just this, as they
mined traditional and rural forms to present a clear critique of modern
American society (I wish more bands would sing about sending the dirty
capitalist system to the deepest pits of hell <g>).
In this sense, he strikes me as someone torn and unhappy about it. The guy is
a talent, there's no doubt about it, but he seems to be one who doubts it to
the point of having to muscle himself through some morass he perceives himself
in (i.e. being typecast). I don't know much about the guy, but it seems a
shame he has to conflate the desire of the mass media to fix identites and
characterizations on everything (and their power to do so) with his legitimate
past as bringing American roots music forward once again as an antidote. It's
like the more he struggles the deeper into it he gets. I wish he'd take Neko's
attitude: (from the Mint records website)
> I play country music because I love it. It's not a stab at being retro or campy,
> it's a heartfelt and sincere effort. Thanks to country music and my
> grandmother, Mary Ann Windon, for whom this album was recorded I had
> lots of positive female role models as a kid. Strong, down-to-earth,
> tell-it-like-it-is women like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. These women
> wrote their own songs, called the shots and despite obvious "man's world"
> obstacles, they managed to become hugely successful and influential. Kudos
> ladies, I'm forever grateful.
>
> Since country music is such a huge part of my family's displaced American
> heritage, I'm saddened by its popular, negative stereotype as a "white-trash",
> "red-neck", "corny" genre (which has not been helped by the "new, "young",
> country warship of Billy Ray Cyrus and his ilk). Country music is important
> North American culture that has been the eloquent, passionate voice of poor
> and rural people right alongside blues and jazz. It deserves equal reverence
> and respect.
>
One more comment about the Uncle Tupelo thing via the old personal
testimonial. I came to them long after they were gone. Had never heard of
them. Then I heard this band on the community radio when I moved to Illinois,
and said, hey, I like that. Reminds me of my old favorites like the Burritos,
or Rhythm Aces, or whatever. I went to the indie store to ask for it, got into
a discussion with the owner who told me about this insurgent country thing.
(had never heard of it). He sent me home with Son Volt, and I soon had all the
UT stuff, and a bunch more. I was thrilled to find this whole genre existing
when I thought all that was left was awful formulaic country and that grunge or
techno crap that I have to yell at my kids to turn down <g just in case>. So
yah, I see UT and what it set off as another wave in the big picture, but also
as something just as important as Parsons, or the outlaws, in reviving and
developing and carrying on great American forms of music. Not being of that
scene, I've sometimes wondered why UT struck such a deep chord in the folks who
ended up on Postcard or ND or the rest of that. Then I remember the Bryds and
then Parson, and then Ray Price and Hank Williams and suddenly being hooked on
that certain sound. Anyone care to explain what the hell it is?
Stuart
np: March 16-20
