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228 reviews for:
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.
Jeff Tweedy
4.38 AVERAGE
228 reviews for:
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.
Jeff Tweedy
4.38 AVERAGE
I've read a few 'rock star autobiographies' in my day, but this would have to be my favorite. It's not just about the band, the touring, or the wild times that come with bring a celebrity. Tweedy does a beautiful job of approaching this work with humility and a sense of humor, trusting that his audience is willing to listen to both the big and small stories that have created his life thus far.
This book was an unmitigated delight. If you have any familiarity with Wilco, and if you have ever gotten joy out of listening to them, I highly recommend this book, especially in audio form. Tweedy himself reads it, and he makes you feel like you're at one of his shows and he's just telling you stories between songs. It's fantastic. He's both less and more than I imagined. "Less" meaning, he's a fairly regular dude with some intense personal demons. "More" meaning, he's always seemed like a decent guy and this book shows him to be that and more. Every word of this book was a joy to read. Thank you, Jeff, for so vulnerably sharing about yourself, both in this book and in everything that came before this book.
A poignant and insightful memoir that shines when Tweedy examines his relationships with his parents, his wife, and his children. Wilco was my first favorite band and knowing more about the life and mindset of their lead singer lets me appreciate them in a whole new way.
I am aware that I can't objectively review this. I'm a fan of almost all of Tweedy's work so I was almost guaranteed to like this.
What was unexpected, however, is how vulnerable and humble Tweedy sounds in this. There's so much about his family and friends - it almost feels like the outline for a novel at times - that we learn more about who Tweedy is through those people than we would if he'd simply dropped a bunch of names and accomplishments on us.
I've seen this guy act like an asshole (and heard the stories) but at no point in this book do you think he didn't love everyone around him, flaws and all. He's either really good at "spin" or this is truth. I'm going with the latter.
I have to mention that Let's Go is also really fucking funny. Like laugh-out-loud funny. Or maybe he's just being ironic. Laugh-out-loud ironic? I'm not sure.
Here's the tough part though - I don't know how non-fans will feel about this. I think it might come across as, dare I say it, boring. If you aren't connecting the dots to Tweedy's lyrics and poems I'm not sure that it would be as interesting. I mean, if he doesn't already mean something to you, you're just reading about some person's life. But then again - sometimes that's all you need.
What was unexpected, however, is how vulnerable and humble Tweedy sounds in this. There's so much about his family and friends - it almost feels like the outline for a novel at times - that we learn more about who Tweedy is through those people than we would if he'd simply dropped a bunch of names and accomplishments on us.
I've seen this guy act like an asshole (and heard the stories) but at no point in this book do you think he didn't love everyone around him, flaws and all. He's either really good at "spin" or this is truth. I'm going with the latter.
I have to mention that Let's Go is also really fucking funny. Like laugh-out-loud funny. Or maybe he's just being ironic. Laugh-out-loud ironic? I'm not sure.
Here's the tough part though - I don't know how non-fans will feel about this. I think it might come across as, dare I say it, boring. If you aren't connecting the dots to Tweedy's lyrics and poems I'm not sure that it would be as interesting. I mean, if he doesn't already mean something to you, you're just reading about some person's life. But then again - sometimes that's all you need.
I loves me some Wilco. This book just made me love Jeff Tweedy, Wilco, and all his musical incarnations even more. It was vulnerable, beautiful, hilarious, inspiring, and affirming. I am thankful for Tweedy's music, all music, the small group of people who have helped me become a better human being because I get to play music with them, my non-addicted life, my friends, and my amazing family. It is that kind of book. Thank you, Jeff.
Yes, I did read this on the plane to Wilco's music festival. It was unexpectedly phenomenal, and helped me connect with Tweedy and the music more deeply than I ever have before. He gets people, he gets music, he gets the complications of life, and he gets that he needs to put his own air mask on before helping others.
Great stuff! Being a UT/SV/Wilco, et al. fan for all these years, I was surprised that I only knew about 25% of what was in here. He writes in a conversational way, even including some actual dialogue.
It was more than I expected, beyond the scope of several music bios I’ve read. Including things about lyrics and how some songs became what they are. With both funny and poignant bits sprinkled throughout, I hope for at least another 20 years of live music from Jeff and his kids and all the rest of Wilco.
Another book would be wonderful, too.
It was more than I expected, beyond the scope of several music bios I’ve read. Including things about lyrics and how some songs became what they are. With both funny and poignant bits sprinkled throughout, I hope for at least another 20 years of live music from Jeff and his kids and all the rest of Wilco.
Another book would be wonderful, too.
Two things stand out for me:
1) How little of this book is about being a “rock star.” If this was written by Jeff T, a guy in a popular local bar band, about 95% of the book could be the same. There’d be fewer Grammys, his band wouldn’t open for REM or have Johnny Cash open for them(!), and Mavis Staples probably wouldn’t show up. Not much else would need to change. That’s a pretty remarkable feat.
2) Jay Farrar’s musical family was obviously so important to him growing up, and he has basically emulated that now. I found that really moving.
1) How little of this book is about being a “rock star.” If this was written by Jeff T, a guy in a popular local bar band, about 95% of the book could be the same. There’d be fewer Grammys, his band wouldn’t open for REM or have Johnny Cash open for them(!), and Mavis Staples probably wouldn’t show up. Not much else would need to change. That’s a pretty remarkable feat.
2) Jay Farrar’s musical family was obviously so important to him growing up, and he has basically emulated that now. I found that really moving.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced