All language subtitles for I.Am.Trying.To.Break.Your.Heart.2002

- In some ways, they made their
most ambitious record yet,

and ambition is not
synonymous with record sales.

(laughs) You know?

I mean, this is not,

this is a masterful,

dense, artistic statement.

It could bomb.

(music rewinding)

- I need more piano.

- [Producer] Less noise?

- [Jeff Tweedy] Less noise.

- [Producer] Yeah, I
could take less noise.

- [Glenn Kotche] One, two, three.

# It's my father's voice, trailing off #

# Sailors sailin' off in the morning #

# For the air-conditioned rooms #

# At top of the stairs #

# His jaw's been broken #

# And his bandage is wrapped too tight #

# His fangs have been pulled #

# And I really wanna see you tonight #

No, I'm sorry.

(rain pouring)

(acoustic guitar strumming)

# I am an American aquarium drinker #

# I assassin down the avenue #

# I'm hiding out in
the big city blinkin' #

# What was I thinkin'
when I let go of you #

# Let's forget about the
tongue-tied lightning #

# Let's undress just like
cross-eyed strangers #

# This is not a joke so
please stop smilin' #

# What was I thinkin' when
I said it didn't hurt #

# I wanna crawl through
those brown eyes dreamin' #

# Take you from the inside #

# Baby hold on tight #

# But you were so right when
you said I been drinkin' #

# What was I thinkin'
when we said goodnight #

# I am tryin' to break your heart #

# I am trying to break your heart #

# Yet still I would be lying
if I said it wasn't easy #

# I am trying to break your heart #

- [Jeff] What are you doing?

- Hello. (laughs)
- Hello.

Welcome to our movie.

We are going to be seeing lots of film

about Wilco today.

- I gotta say, we're pretty
lucky that I think Wilco

is in a position

where they can make the
record they wanna make.

I mean, there is definitely...

I don't know if I'd call it pressure,

but there's definitely a feeling

that this is sort of the moment.

- [Jeff] They are very funny guys.

- [Jay Bennett] (laughs)
Give him a cigarette.

- [Jeff] Oh, yeah, yeah.

I need a piece of gum.

- I think,

and of course hope,

that this record is gonna
be a pretty big priority

for Warner when it comes out,

and you don't get that every
time you put a record out.

- [Jeff] So, anyway, I was touring,

was touring on the road with Wilco.

(group laughs)

Oh, here's your gum back.

(drumsticks banging)

(opening notes of Ashes of American Flags)

- [Glenn] One, two...

# The cash machine #

# Is blue and green #

# For a hundred in twenties #

# And a small service fee #

# I could spend three dollars #

# And 63 cents #

# On Diet Coca-Cola #

# And unlit cigarettes #

# I wonder why we listen to poets #

# When nobody gives a fuck #

# How hot and sorrowful, #

# This machine begs for luck #

# All my lies are always wishes #

# I know I would die if
I could come back new #

- You know, there are
two kinds of potential.

There's artistic potential

which I think for them is unlimited,

and there is commercial potential

which is really quite mysterious to us

because there are so many factors

that are out of your control,

and we try not to think about it too much

and just try, you know,

try to make a great
record, and hope, and push

the label to make the right decisions

and do the right things
promotion-wise and so on.

- This is an interactive band.

These are four, five people, you know,

who make music together,

and the music wouldn't
sound the way it does

unless these five people
are together in the room

at the same time making the music.

- It's a constant process.

I mean, we make records and they're, um...

That ends up being a thing,
you know, that you're making,

and you have a million options
as to what that thing can be

and what shape it can be.

(drums banging)

(piano playing)

We generally go for a pretty
straight definitive version

of what the song sounds like it should be,

and then deconstruct it a little bit,

and see if there's some more exciting way

to approach it.

# Echoes in my heart #

# Gravel in my palm #

There's no reason at all,
not to destroy it, you know?

We made it, so it's ours to destroy,

and that's liberating and
exciting in a really creative way.

(upbeat music)

# I need a camera #

# To my eye #

# To my eye, reminding #

# Which lies have I been hiding #

# Which echoes belong #

# I'm counting out #

# The days in Central Park #

# With gravel in my heart #

# With echoes in my palm #

# Phone my family #

# Tell 'em I'm lost on the sidewalk #

# And no it's not okay #

# I smashed a camera #

# I wanna know why #

# To my eyes, reminding #

# Which lies have I been hiding #

# Which echoes belong #

# I'm counting out #

# The days in Central Park #

# With echoes in my heart #

# With gravel in my palm #

I think this record's more
of a leap for the band.

This is probably the closest
to pure collaboration

Wilco has ever got.

- And personally, I'm really happy

'cause Jeff and I have done
a lot of this stuff together.

This is the first time

that Jeff and I have
made a conscious effort

to get together at the
loft and write songs.

- Not that things don't
happen spontaneously

with the Wilco recordings,

but there is a lot of
conferring with each other,

a lot of deliberation, a lot
of, like Jeff was talking,

destroying what we've done,

trying it from the backdoor,
turning it upside down.

# I'm counting out #

# The days to see how far #

# I've driven in the dark #

# With echoes in my heart #

# Phone my family #

# Tell 'em I'm lost on the sidewalk #

# And no it's not okay #

# No it's not okay #

# No it's not okay #

Uh, okay.

- It's the first record

where we've really done
everything ourselves.

And now, we're engineering it ourselves,

and we're doing it in our space.

We're doing two seemingly
contradictory things.

We're making a record in
a very relaxed environment

with no outside input,

but at the same time,

we're accepting a certain kind of pressure

that we're putting on ourselves.

- I mean, it's nice not to
have a producer from Wilco

because we're all, any one
of us, perfectly capable of

directing or shaping a musical moment.

- Everything is just kind of set up,

I mean, to just keep making records.

- I know it's cool to bitch
about your record label,

you know?

But, I mean, they're
letting us make a record

in our loft, and they
haven't heard a word of it.

(laughs)

They're giving us $85,000,

and they haven't heard a word it.

You know? That's trust, right?

They trust us.

You're always playing the...

You're pretty much doing one,
five, six, four on all the...

A lot of times when you're playing,

if you don't have any
sonic landscape behind you,

everything turns into a folk song.

That's pretty much what you do right?

- Yeah.

(guitar playing)

- We just wanted it to not
sound like a little folk ditty,

you know?

So we wanted to have just
some kind of sonic weight

under all of that, and uh,

just something kinda weird and fucked up.

# It's my father's voice trailing off #

# Sailors sailing off in the morning #

# For the air-conditioned rooms #

# At the top of the stairs #

- Tune the A string to a B flat and it...

# It makes no difference to me #

- And then you put them together,

and you'll get some
really magical moments.

# Cried all over, overseas #

# When it's hot in the
poor places tonight #

# I'm not going outside #

- And we thought that might
be rhythmic enough to play to.

(drums banging)

# There's bourbon on the breath #

# Of the singer you love #

- It's kind of, along with
some of the more noise tracks,

but it's rhythmic, so it's something

that they can play along to.

# He takes all his words from the books #

# That you don't read anyway #

- It's about three in the morning.

We're either gonna get something great

or lose our fucking minds.

All these things are just
blaring in here, you know?

That's when it all kind of exploded.

# They cried all over, overseas #

# It makes no difference to me #

# When it's hot in the
poor places tonight #

# I'm not going outside #

(piano playing)

# And it takes all the breath out of me #

# When I cry all over, overseas #

# When it's hot in the
poor places tonight #

# I'm not going outside #

# It's hot in the poor places tonight #

# I'm not going outside #

# I'm not going outside #

# I'm not going outside #

(instruments blaring)

- [Female Shortwave Radio
Voice] Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Yankee

Hotel

Foxtrot.

Yankee

Hotel

Foxtrot.

(car honking)

(harmonica playing)

- Hey, how you doing, man?
- Good to see you.

- (speaking in Spanish)

One, two, three.

One, two, three, call it Rock and...

So, with the community
that you are doing now,

did you play music...

Do you think that your music
reaches out to the children

who don't have a fighting chance?

- Um...

# The moment you know ... #

# It's not even half as nice as you #

# Set my sights on one whispery kiss. #

I'll sign that.

If you know how to spell Simone.
- S-I-M-O-N-E?

- [Tony] That sounds like right, yeah.

- [Jeff] Real pal.

- Your record...

I have an idea.

Does it come out on compact disc?

- Mmhmm.

# Dreamed about killing
you again last night #

# And it felt all right to me #

# Dying on the banks
of Embarcadero skies #

# I sat and watched you bleed #

- Seriously, let's just do a lot

of good crowd control tonight, and,

you know, bring up the
whole political thing.

Just fucking...

Yeah, the whole thing
about women's rights,

lesbian's rights, and stuff like that.

- I'm gonna play to it.

I'm gonna play to the crowd.

- Cool.
- There's um--

- 'Cause you know, I mean,
the DOW is down about 30%,

you know, and soon as I
looked at that I just knew

that we know what kinda
position you're in and stuff.

- I've gotta kiss some major ass to...

You know to get it...

To get... my portfolio back together.

- Totally, totally.
- You know?

I have...
- I hear you, man.

Totally.

- I canned my stockbroker.

- Yeah.
- Two weeks ago.

- How's the place out
in the Hampton's, good?

- Hmm, it's a fixer upper.

I mean, the pool is shit.

It's gotta be replaced.
- Spielberg told me,

he told me, "I went over to Jeff's,"

you know, 'cause he knows
that your fucking music

is all big bullshit thing.

- Right.
- And he was just like,

"I saw his fucking pool," you know,

and he was just, uh...

He's funny.

You know, he reminds me a lot of you.

You are stupid

(music drowns out speaker)

Was that mean or racist, you would say?

# Snipers are harder to see my friends #

# Weeding out your weekend #

# Summer comes and gravity undoes you #

# You're happy because the
lovely way the sunshine bends #

# Hiding from your close friends #

# Weeding out your weekends #

(crowd cheering)

# Candy left over from Halloween #

# A unified theory of everything #

# Love left over from lovers leaving #

# Books, they all know
they're not worth reading #

# It's not for the season #

That's a...

(crowd cheering)

One of the new songs.

From our upcoming Wilco record.

We sound nothing like that

on the record.

Poetry?

Are you saying that my lyrics are poetry?

(crowd laughs)

I like you.

Here's some more poetry
for you. (crowd laughs)

- I wanted to go out and
play some shows acoustically.

It seemed like a good time to do it.

We haven't really toured for awhile,

and record's still being made,

and took a little break from the record

to go play some music
and see how things go.

(Jeff playing harmonica)

# There are rows and rows of houses #

# With windows painted blue #

# With the light from the TV #

# Running parallel to you #

# There is no sunken treasure #

# Rumored to be #

- Jeff, you remember Scott?

- How are you?

Yeah, how you doing?

- Great job, man.
- Well thanks.

Watch out.

- Know my friend Sarah?

- Yeah, yeah.

# In a sea #

# Black with ink #

- Nice to meet you, I work at WEA.

- Hey, thank you.
- Jeff, looks great.

- This is the WEA contigent.
- Mitch? Alright.

All WEA folks?

- Not all.

Hoyt, from Last Record Store

in Santa Rosa, California.

- Pushing Wilco all the way.

- All right.

# Fold it over #

# If I had a boat #

# I'd probably #

# Roll over #

- Hey, is the new record more like,

is it gonna be more like A.M.,

or is it gonna be more like Summerteeth?

- Uh, it's really not
that much like either one

of those records,

I don't think, so.
- Ooh. Really?

# Surely there's somebody #

# Who needs #

# It more than me #

- [Fan] It sounded like it was
a trip hop album or something

with tape loops and samples.

- There are those things,

but it's not like a trip hop record.

# I am so #

# I am so #

# Out of tune #

# I am so #

# Out of tune #

# With you #

I'm happy with it, and
we're almost done with it,

so just have to wait another month or so.

Month or two months.

- And you guys are gonna
tour on that straight away?

- Maybe, I don't know.

Well, hopefully it'll come out in July.

It's, um...

It's got a lot of the drums and holes,

and holes in the songs.

- [Sarah] (laughs) So you're like,

is Courtney Love in them? (laughs)

- No.
- No.

- [Sarah] Sorry.

- Open spaces between
what's supposed to be

the music part.

I don't know.

I'm gone.

(group laughs)

# All #

# Will #

# Return #

# Music is my savior #

# I was maimed by rock and roll #

# I got my name #

# From rock and roll #

(crowd cheering)

(phone dialing)

- [Voice Over Speaker] Yeah, who are you?

- Uh, it's Jeff.

(door beeps)

- Cool?

- Yeah, seems fine.
- Great, that's exactly

the mix you'll have out there.

(cello playing)

# How can I convince you,
it's me I don't like #

# And not be so indifferent
to the look in your eyes #

# When I've always been distant #

# And I've always told lies for love #

# I know this isn't what
you were wanting me to say #

# How can I be closer
and get further away #

# From the truth that proves
it's beautiful to lie #

# I've #

# Got reservations #

# About so many things #

# But not about you #

- And then maybe...

(cello playing)

It's not bad, I don't know, you know.

It's...

- Sure.

- [Jay] Yeah.

- [Producer] It's only a single.

- It's the first time where he does

# I've gotta reservation #

- So yeah.

Yeah, the first one is the double one.

(somber music)

- Okay. (laughs)

- [Jay] Doug, I think he's
gonna stay away from--

- What's that?

Uh, I guess,

next four or five days.

Yeah, we're mixing.

I'm not at the loft.

I'm at the studio.

Tony's here.

All right.

All right.

Well, I'll call you later.

Pajama day?

- This is like,

this is the record that needs to

take the band to another level.

If that didn't happen,

it would be a tragic, sort
of missed opportunity,

and that it would damage the band.

- I think every record I've ever made,

somebody has said, this is the big one.

(laughs) You guys are gonna be huge,

and when I saw the
reality of the situation,

I felt a little dumb for believing it.

# Make no difference ever known #

# It made no difference ever known to me #

- [Jay Voiceover] We do
have a new A&R guy, Neil.

He's really younger and
cooler than our last guy,

so who knows.

Maybe he'll come in and
say something really cool,

you know?

Maybe he'll be great.

# I'm the man who loves you #

- I think this sounds great.

- Yeah, it's just a different song...

Do you wanna hear the new one again?

- Can you guys tell me what it is

about the drums sounds on this

that's not happening?

You said you can't get a good snare sound?

- [Glenn] We can't brighten them up.

- I think that's what's
kinda cool about it.

They're murky sounding, you know?

- This is all you can get out of them.

- I think it's great.

- If the overall song feels good to you,

you're gonna fall in love
with the little parts of it

that are fucked up.

To sum up what I'm thinking,

you can't change one piece of the puzzle.

- Right.

- I don't think well-defined bright drums

with presence and definition would serve

the feel of that song.

- You know, it's a $150 an hour argument,

but that's okay. (laughs)

- Whatever they lack, I'd
say are actually a virtue

in this cut.

- If we go with this new one,
there is more redoing than

Jeff thought before he left, for instance.

What is coming up right
now is exactly what came up

when I first started talking
to Jeff about it which was,

I think this does create a domino effect.

- Did anyone have any
problem with this song

until last night when you started to

try to EQ the snare?
- Yes, absolutely. Always.

Always since day one.

- Maybe we should mix
stuff that we know is done.

- There is no fucking pressure, man.

This is day two in the studio

for this record.
- Three.

- Three, okay.

- (laughs) That's still all the pressure.

I just know if we mix both
of these, we're gonna go,

"Neither one's it."

I just know it.

- I think it'd be great if we just mixed

and leave all tracking for the loft.

Honestly.

- [Producer] Jeff's on his way down.

- Oh, alert the media.

(laughs) Has he been,

was he alerted to the situation?

- [Producer] No, he just
called for a status report.

- Oh, and you said status not good?

- We had a little bit of a work stoppage.

A grinding, you know, grinding to a halt.

Like, well hold on,

"What exactly is the...

"how are we supposed to do this?"

We're like, really readjusting
to how things are gonna work

when we're in a different environment

from our luxurious

little dream world.

We're spending $1,000 a day to be here.

Anytime we get stumped from here on out,

we should just move on.

- That's what we're deciding.
- Yeah.

- Yeah, I think we've
all kind of decided that.

I think, like, I don't
wanna mix them both.

At the same time, I don't
wanna get too hung up on this.

It's an important decision.

Oops, we happened to make
it the day we were here.

Or not make it, you know,
whatever, let's move on.

You know?

We spent a $1,000 in
stupider ways in this band.

Like all that blow in
Amsterdam, that was...

- Oh, I must've missed out on that.

- There's more pressure on Jeff,

you know, externally and self-imposed.

I think,

he is aware that...

the success...

or failure,

artistically, primarily,

of the record, reflects mostly on him.

(choral music)

- Cut, then the real mix
of Heavy Metal Drummer.

- All right, why couldn't we do that

when we were mixing Heavy Metal Drummer?

- Well, why not do it now?

- Because we gotta go
offline, unmute everything

to find out what track that thing's on.

- Can't you just look and see
what track it comes up on?

- Yeah, but I don't know if
it's just one track or two--

- Okay, I--
- Or what part of the kit

it is.

- How would we do it,

how would we overlap it
mixing it separately?

Just out of curiosity.
- Well, we just say

the orchestra at the top
of Heavy Metal Drummer

is there.
- Mmhmm.

It wouldn't have to be a mastering thing?

- Well, no 'cause the orchestra
is in Heavy Metal Drummer

at the top of Heavy Metal Drummer.

- Okay.
- But, it seems,

that seems backwards to me.

Why not mix it up to the cut point

instead of trying to mix the other one

from a new starting point?

Why not mix it to the edit?

You know what I mean?

Instead of making a new edit

for when we mix Heavy Metal Drummer?

- All right, to me

it's the exact same thing.

You mix one up to here or
you start the other mix here.

Mix, start.

(Jay humming)

- Right there.
- All right.

I didn't know that you wanted it to sound

exactly like it does here.

I thought you wanted it to be the noise

going over whatever was really
on Heavy Metal Drummer there.

See what I'm saying?

- I don't want the orchestra
to go into Heavy Metal Drummer.

It cuts right there.

- Right, and I...

Okay, okay, let me try to explain myself.

I didn't know that you--

- This is taking a lot
longer than doing one mute.

- I know, but can I
explain myself, please?

I didn't know until now
that you wanted it to start

with a little kit, (Jay humming) big kit.

- Well, we can do it both ways, I mean--

- No, I don't give a shit.

You misunderstood what I was saying.

I assumed, apparently wrong,

that it was noise until
Heavy Metal Drummer started,

but now I understand that
it's orchestra until a subset

of Heavy Metal Drummer starts,
then two measures later,

Heavy Metal Drummer really starts, right?

- Sure.
- Okay, I didn't know that.

I thought we were just saying,

"Hey, that would be cool
if the noise went right up

"to Heavy Metal Drummer."

Does that make sense?

- Whatever. Yeah, I don't know,

I don't know what the problem is.

I don't.

- I just want you to understand me,

like understand why I was thinking--

- Why's it so important?

I don't have to understand
you all the time.

(laughs) Like, it's okay.

I don't... we found it, and we can do it.

- Okay, it seems to me like
you're making a big deal

out of not wanting to... (laughs)

- Not wanting to?

Okay, I've just been
sitting here trying to--

- I'm just saying--
- I've been listening

to you explain yourself.

- [Jay] And do you understand it.

- Sure, I understand it.

- Okay, why couldn't you just say,

"I understand what you're saying."

- I did.

- [Producer] So it's
gonna be a drum group.

- Two seconds ago you said,
"Why is it so important

"that I understand you?"

- Well, because it doesn't seem like

you were gonna let me understand you.

(group talking drowns out speaker)

- Is it,

I'm honestly, I thought that was an idea.

Jeff, I don't wanna be
understood about the concept,

I want you to understand what
the misunderstanding was.

- I think I'm gonna throw up.

(Jeff throwing up)

# Done all I could do #

# And I said all I can say #

# I'll tell it to your
mother next pay day #

# I'll tell it to your
mother next pay day #

(toilet flushing)

# I got no sugar baby now #

# I've said all I can say #

# And I've done all I can do #

# I can't along with you #

- [Cameraman] Is it the medication?

- No, I just throw up all the time

when I have migraines.

When I was a kid, I threw up...

I used to throw up like
30 times in a night

and get put in the
hospital for dehydration.

Ah, that feels better.

You're right, it's six of
one half dozen of another.

I'm sorry.
- Damn, I guess

I wasn't explaining myself.

See we have to,

now we have to do all our
outro mutes on everything else.

- Why? Because you cut it?
- Because we...

Well, 'cause we have a
bunch of other things open

still.
- But won't it,

it just cuts right there?

- No, but up to there.

You know what I mean?
- Oh, right.

- Up to there.

- Well, we would've had to do that anyway.

- Yeah, some of that we would've, yeah.

But I was, yeah.

I was just thinking we'd just start

Heavy Metal Drummer that way,

was what I was thinking, you know?

I'm cool, I'm totally cool, all right?

It's over.

- Right now, um,

Reprise Records is in a
pretty serious state of flux

which I'm a bit nervous about.

You know? I mean, I'm not worried

about the record not coming out.

- No, no, no.
The record will come out,

but you don't know whether
we're gonna be getting

the same sort of enthusiasm out of whoever

the replacement person is.

- Right.
- It's just mystery.

- If we do it,

let's do...
- What about Must be High

or Casino Queen?

- Nah.

- I'm just thinking in
terms of rockers, man.

- Yeah.

- (laughs) If we got easy rockers,

we should probably...

- I don't wanna do that anymore.

- Should I write any of those three?

- [Jay] You don't wanna rock?

- What did you say?

- No, I don't wanna just fall back

on a bunch of easy rockers.

- No, no.

I'm just thinking with
four days to practice

and four shows.

- [Glenn] One, two,

one, two, three, four.

(upbeat rock music)

# Why, I wonder, is my
heart full of holes #

# And the feeling goes but
my hair keeps growing #

# Will I set, the sun #

# On a big-wheeled wagon #

# I'm bragging #

# I'm always in love #

# When I let go of your
throat, sweet throttle #

# When I clean the lash
of your black belt model #

# Will I catch the moon #

# Like a bird in a cage #

# It's for you I swoon #

# I'm always in love #

# I don't get the connection #

# This is only a test #

# Hope I do my best #

# You know I won't forget #

# Fold the cold in my jet-lag palm #

# When I soak so long I forget my mother #

# Will I set, the sun #

# On a big-wheeled wagon #

# I'm bragging #

# I'm always in love #

# Drag I snag #

# I'm always in love #

# I'm worried #

# I'm always in love #

# I'm worried, I'm worried #

# I'm worried I'm always in love #

# I'm worried, I'm worried #

# I'm worried I'm always in love #

# I'm worried, I'm worried #

# I'm worried I'm always in love #

# I'm worried, I'm worried #

# I'm worried that I'm always in love #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

- I'd go either way.

- When this record
ended up being finished,

it actually felt fresher to me

than it had felt for
months after we did a bulk

of the recording, you know, over a year

or so, and somewhere towards
the end of that year,

it got to be kind of
nit-picking and going back

and re-tracking songs and knowing exactly

what we were going for,

less exploratory, and,

and that was starting to get kinda rough

by the time we went to CRC to mix.

- We got bogged down in certain
things like redoing drums.

- Right.
- You know, certain calls

that were good that helped us later on,

but for whatever reason,
it just bogged down.

- Doing the record, the
final mixes, at Soma

and hearing them through
Jim O'Rourke's ears,

actually hearing it with
someone who was coming at it

with some fresh perspective,

and being able to collaborate
on the final mixes,

kinda like, well, we're
kinda throwing everything

out the window,

but we're also kinda getting back

to what the original thing was.

- When it went to Jim with
completely fresh ears,

he heard them a little differently,

and right away, as soon as
we heard how he was mixing

I'm Trying to Break Your Heart,
the first thing he mixed,

then it was like,

"Oh, this really works."
- That's why bands

don't mix records.

- I mean, definitely it was like a,

it was a final stage of collaboration.

Like mixing the record,

that's what I always felt
like mixing should be,

like it should be the
last stage of inspiration.

I think we've tried to make it powerful

like with two guitars.

- Can you beef up your tone

a little then or something?
- Yeah, yeah.

- Okay, okay.
- It's just so steady now.

- I thought it was feeling great, man.

God, I thought it felt great.

- No, I mean we can try
the two guitars again

if it feels too weak,

I just think that we tried the two...

I think the two guitar things
might be obsolete, you know?

- Uh...

I'm not sure what that
means, but I'll try. (laughs)

No, I'm just, that felt

great to me, that's all.
- No, I mean...

what's that?

- That felt great to me, that's all.

- No, I--
- I just love fucking rocking,

you know? That's all.

(quiet rock music)

# Jesus, don't cry #

# You can rely on me honey #

# You can combine anything you want #

# I'll be around #

# You were right about the stars #

# Each one is a setting sun #

# Tall buildings shake #

# Voices escape singing sad, sad songs #

# Tuned to chords strung
down your cheeks #

- We, actually, officially
delivered the record

or sent them the final
mixes of the record.

- I must've had 50, 60
definite possibilities

for magazine features, let
alone television appearances

which were starting to...

Offers were coming in, and I just thought,

"Boy, this is gonna be
so great," you know?

It's all set.

I think, the press has always loved Wilco,

but now we're gonna take
it even to another level.

- When we delivered the record, though,

we didn't hear from them for
like two weeks, you know?

So we thought that was
probably not a good thing.

- I knew that I was sitting on something

that people were gonna
beat down the door to get.

And then the advances didn't get made.

So June is rolling along, and I'm going,

"Well, we're losing time, we're
losing people to deadlines.

"They're not gonna be
able to cover this record

"if we don't hurry up,"

and then about the third week in June,

I'd heard there's a problem.

- Next thing I heard was

that...

They asked us to change the record.

I don't know what they
wanted us to change, and

Tony told me that, that
was their response,

and I told Tony that we weren't interested

in changing the record.

- Their A&R representative
was Mio Vukovic,

and what I'd heard,

like I said I'd never talked to Wilco

about the way this chain happened,

but what I heard from my side was that

Mio had some ideas about
changes to the record,

or additional recording, or
mixing, or things like that,

and the band had felt like,

"That's the record. We're finished."

You know, we're not really
in the mind to make changes,

and it's sort of a, "Take it or leave it,"

and I think it went up
to Mio's boss David Kahn,

the head of A&R for Warners and Reprise,

felt like Mio was right and
that changes did need to be made

and if the band wasn't
interested in making them,

then they should probably
be on another label.

- Next thing I heard was
that they wanted to know

if we wanted to leave.

- Well I just think that we've been jerked

around so many times,

and that this is the
ultimate jerking around.

You know, this like,

"We're gonna drop you,"
shit or whatever it is.

Or, "You can get out of the deal."

Either way you wanna look at it,

it's still majorly
being jerked around and,

you know, why should I think
that things are gonna change?

- Actually when Tony first told me

that this was a possibility,

I have to be completely honest,

it hurt my feelings.

It's like a feeling of rejection.

- It's gotta be more than
some sort of promise of,

"We love you, and we're
gonna take care of you."

Do you know what I mean?

Because we've heard all that before,

and I just think that the
wound from this episode

of making this record,
delivering the record,

and getting basically nothing
but headaches in return

is pretty deep and gonna
be pretty tough to heal.

And you're not just dealing,

I'm not the only person
you gotta make feel better.

- We never got too specific

about what exactly

made them hate it.

- Okay, but I just want you
to understand one thing.

This is really important.

Right now, I believe that
the best thing for the band,

for the band, the present
and future of the band,

is to be away from Reprise Records.

- It was at a weird time
in Reprise's inner circle

because Howie Klein,
who had been president

of Reprise for a long time,

since Reprise was reactivated,

he'd also been at Sire when
Uncle Tupelo was on Sire,

and a big fan of the band
had just left the label.

In fact I think the day that
the band turned in the record,

the end of June, right around then,

that was his last day.

- A day or two after I
retired, I got a phone call

from one of Wilco's many,
many, many, many fans

at Warner Brothers.

That was the first of
many phone calls I got

telling me that Wilco was dropped.

- I would guess that if I was an executive

at a record company, high up executive.

I don't mean the people
working in the trenches,

but I mean the guys with, you know,

the gold plated cell phones, you know.

If I was up there and I listened
to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,

I probably wouldn't get it.

Why don't I get it?

Because it doesn't tell
me exactly who it's for,

it doesn't tell me
exactly what it's about,

and it doesn't tell me
exactly how much it will sell.

- You know what, from what I gather,

I think that they didn't
think there was a single

to work on.

- There's pretty stuff in there,

there's hard stuff in there,

there's mystery in there,
there's really sweet

tunes, and there's, you know,
an abrasion in there as well.

But it's all there, and

you really have to kinda sit with it.

You have to allow yourself the time

to get something out of it.

- There's no chance that Wilco
would've ever been dropped

when I was president of Reprise Records.

- We're now in a,

a culture, not just a business,

but a culture in which we
expect everything to happen

like that, you know?

You have people outside
standing around talking

on cell phones, you know.

The gist of the conversation is,

"I'll be there in five minutes."

Who gives a fuck? (laughs)

Just be there in five minutes,

don't talk about it, you know?

People are just so impatient, and

as a result, you know,

we're looking at things

in ways like, "Well, how much time

"do I have to devote to this?"

And it's really sad because, you know,

music, art, literature, poetry,

even great technological inventions.

They're not meant to be done
and done with that quickly.

- It was like kinda just
a shock to be slapped

in the face with, um...

This calculated world

of international, multi-national (laughs)

whatever incorporation.

# I'd like to thank you #

# For nothing #

# I'd like to thank you
for nothing at all #

# I'd like to thank you #

# For nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing #

# Nothing at all #

(crowd cheering)

- I see a band here that is
really ambitious artistically.

It's not a VH1 Behind the Music story.

It's not a drugs, groupies,
celebrity kind of story at all.

This band's story is the music.

Twenty years from now,
they're probably gonna get

more their due than they are now.

I don't think they're a band that fits in

with a lot of what music
gets played on the radio.

The appreciation for its
records is gonna increase

as time goes on.

(Glenn drumming)

- In the making of this record,

I felt like I got no support, zero.

Emotional,

financial,

whatever.

Then at some point in the process,

you start asking yourself,

"What are they doing?"

We don't need the money.

The band can go out and
play gigs and make the money

to pay for the record.

They're not getting the band on the radio.

You know, it's really,

at this point to me,

their value's really,
really questionable to us.

(guitar playing)

(crowd cheering)

(upbeat rock music)

# I got you and it's all I need #

# I got you and it's all I need #

# I got you and it's all I need #

# I got you #

# I got you and I still believe #

# That you're all I will ever need #

# It's you #

# All #

# All the way back in the seventies #

# You were my little TV queen #

# Your Tarzan and your
friend, Janine. I got you #

# I got you and I still believe #

# That you're all I will ever need #

# It's you #

# All #

# (Jay guitar solo) #

# It's the end of the century #

# And I can't think of anything #

# Except you #

# Now it's the end of the century #

# And I can't think of anything #

# But you #

# All, #

# All, #

# I, #

# Need #

(crowd cheering)

# I got you #

# I got you, babe #

# Ooh #

# Ooh, ooh #

(Jeff screaming)

(crowd cheering)

Thanks a lot.

Goodnight.

(relaxing music)

(indistinct chatter)

- Good to see you brother.

Aww.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Wait, wait, wait.

- They won't let you
just do it yourselves.

- Horde it, pig.

- Stealing the band's pizza.

Aw, got busted.

Sorry dude.

Is it cool, is it cool?
- Does anybody have a pen?

- [Jay] Yeah.

- [Female Fan] I don't have
nothing for you to sign.

- Someone sign your ass. (laughs)

I was kidding.

- Yeah, I can do that.
- You can sign my boobs.

Wanna sign my boobs or not?

- Um, actually, would I?

I don't know.

Someone in our band did that once.

- You can sign my ass 'cause I have

nothing else to sign.
- Really?

- If you sign her ass,
you have to sign my ass.

- Oh, my god.
- And if you sign her ass,

you have to sign my ass.

- You can sign my chest.
- No, you sign her ass...

- That's what Jimmy,

oh we saw Jimmy in the--
- Are we going to

lighting stage?

Sound check?

- The straight jackets on the
elevator last night. (laughs)

Remember the guy who did--

- Oh, oh my God.
- Sat in from Jimmy Lester?

What?

- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- Go ahead.

- I met Bob from Sesame
Street yesterday, last night.

Bob?
- Oh.

- Do you know who Bob,

does anybody know who Bob is?

- Yeah.
- I don't remember that.

- How'd you meet him?

- He was in our hotel.

He's doing a kid's show
right now as we speak.

- Oh, man.
- He's like,

"Yeah, I got, Big Bird's
coming in tomorrow."

(John laughing)

- There's Jay right now as we speak.

- So also, although
it's already been going,

but JP asked if we could
steer clear of the stage

for a little while.

(group laughs)

- Until sound check is over?

- Until Jay gets done.

- Has Jay been here since
like six in the morning?

- [Sound Checker] Two, hey, hey.

Hey, excuse me.

- Gentlemen, we have about
35 minutes to do all of this.

Target.

Uh, yeah, we're going Glenn,

we're gonna go Jay Bennett,
entire keyboard world,

and Jay Bennett electric
rig, keep him there.

After Jay, we'll do Johnny
real quick, Mr. Tweedy,

let Leroy get his world sussed out.

We're only gonna have time
to do about two songs.

- Okay.

(drums playing)

(Jay playing keyboard)

- Check, hey, hey, hey.

- Yeah, the delay's not working.

# You have to learn how to die #

# If you want to want to be alive #

# You have to die #

# You have to die #

# You have to learn how to die #

# If you want to want to be alive #

(crowd clapping)

(energetic music)

# I know #

# We don't talk much #

# But you're such a good talker, oh whoa #

# I know #

# You should take a walk #

# But you're such a fast walker, oh whoa #

# Well all right #

# I know where I'll be
tonight, all right #

# Out of mind, out of sight #

- No, Tom's introducing me.

- Oh, okay.
- And then I'll go to you.

- Okay.
- Okay.

When is the new album actually available

for people to go out and buy?

- That's a good question.

# I know you probably hate me #

# That's okay with me #

# All right #

# I know where I'll be #

- Good afternoon, good evening

and happy Independence Day, everyone.

Please welcome one of
America's most exciting

and innovative bands,

Wilco!

# You don't see me now #

# You don't want to any, #

# How, how, how #

# Look out, here I come again #

# And I'm bringing my friends #

# I said look out #

# Here I come again #

# I'm bringing my friends #

# Okay I said alright #

# I know where I'll be
tonight, all right #

# Out of mind, out of sight #

# Out of mind, out of sight #

# Out of mind, out of sight #

Show some gratitude!

(crowd cheering)

- [Interviewer] Well,
let's talk about Jay.

- [Jeff] All right, I probably
won't have much to say.

- Okay.
- Just warning you.

- Okay, it's my understanding
from what I heard

in the grapevine that,

that was sort of an amicable
separation, and, um...

And I don't know that this is true,

but the hearsay is sort
of that he didn't feel

that he had as much a
role in the songwriting

as he wanted to have, or...

- I think that there's some truth to that,

and I think there's an effort
made for it to be amicable.

- Since Jeff's solo tour
and Glenn joining the band,

some dynamics in the band had altered

in many different ways.

- I think Jay's contribution
to the band over time,

and our collaboration, was important

and was valued in the band.

As for the circumstances
surrounding him leaving,

I really think that that's
up to Jay to define,

and as far as, uh,

my, uh, feelings about it,

I couldn't be happier.

- Jeff was convinced that he really needed

to tell Jay directly, and he needed to be

the guy to do it.

- We sat down.

He said, "I don't think I can make music

"with you anymore,"

and I said, Why?"

And, uh...

I'm not sure I ever got an
answer that made any sense.

- Jay wore out his welcome

in a lot of ways.

- It's hard to be working with somebody,

uh,

that needs more than you can give him,

and, you know, I'm more
interested in playing music

with people that I can share with

than give things to.

- Jeff was threatened by me.

It's clear.

By the attention I was
beginning to get, um...

Uh...

He wanted the band back, that's simple.

That's the simple answer, you know.

Jeff went into this big long analogy

about how a circle needs
a center, you know?

Well, he was gonna be the center, right?

I wasn't gonna be the center.

- It's hard for me to talk about.

Um, I mean, I've known Jay
for (tongue clicks) 16 years,

17 years?

And,

our friendship had, uh...

Run its course.

- There's a lot of power
related issues in Wilco,

and people are,

they don't wanna lost their gig, man.

And so they don't wanna step
outside of their little, uh...

Scripted role 'cause if they
do, this is what happens.

- I think we all knew
everyone would be happier

in the end, and I think Jay
would totally agree with that.

- It did not come as a total
shock to me to be asked

to leave Wilco.

It had been in the back of my mind.

In fact, I'd talked to Leroy
about this extensively,

that to quote myself,

"My days in Wilco are numbered."

I had thought very, very, seriously

about leaving the band.

I just happened to be beaten to the punch.

- When you're Jay Bennett or
whomever and you leave the band

you have to kind of start over.

You're going back to playing
for 35 people or 100 people

or whatever from sold-out theaters.

# So sleep now #

# My darling #

# And I'll keep all the bad dreams away #

# And breathe now, breathe easy #

# And I will say all the
right things to say #

# Because we made you, my darling #

# From the love that was in our hearts #

# We were a family #

# My darling #

# Right from the start #

# Grow up now #

# My darling #

# Just don't grow up so fast #

# Be careful #

# My darling #

# To make all the good times last #

- [Tony] They delivered a great record,

and I think it's the record company that,

for whatever reason,

can't handle that type of
great record, and so fantastic

let's go do something else.

- I don't know how to
make something other than

the record we made, and

I think to...

Entertain any of their half-ass,

fearful,

frightened

bullshit would be to compromise

something that is a big part of my soul.

(laughs) You know?

Like it's a part of my heart.

And I don't have any interest
in doing that anymore.

- I think it's a really,
really, really strong record.

I think it's a statement,

I think it's the right
record for them to make now

in their career,

and I think there are dozens of labels

that would be ecstatic to have it and who,

if you delivered this record,

would call you up and be excited about it.

That's all. That's what I'm
tired of, is no enthusiasm.

Why is Wilco dropped

24 hours after they deliver

a record like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot?

Um...

I mean, we've contemplated that question

at great length over the summer,

and in the end, I think
Tony and I both just sort of

put our hands up and said,

"Well, I guess we're glad
that it just happened,

"and we won't try to
over-intellectualize it any further,"

but I really think looking back on it,

it's because of marketing,

and it's because you have
an artist like Jeff Tweedy

who's put out, you know,
four or five records in a row

with a record company,

and they haven't been able
to bring sales up to a level

where it's really significantly affecting

their bottom line.

They, I guess, stopped thinking about it

from a pure artistic level, and just say,

"We don't make money on this guy,"

and then he delivers a record
which, for whatever reasons,

they evaluate as being difficult to

raise to the next level of public appeal.

So they say, "Well, okay,
we're not going to,"

I guess to use a phrase,
"Throw good money after bad.

"We've spent $200,000
recording this record,

"but it's gonna cost us another $300,000

"or whatever to launch a
marketing campaign for it,

"and we just don't think we're
gonna make our money back."

So, they drop the artist.

This of course creates a situation for us

where we have a finished
record, and we wanna put it out.

- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
has actually turned into

a kind of metaphor.

It's now a measure of
what record companies,

or not even so much record companies,

but the corporations that
own record companies,

are willing to put up with.

- Ultimately, what it came down to

was they had told Jeff Tweedy,

"We don't like your album,
we don't wanna release it."

- In the end, you know,
it doesn't really matter

who puts the record out.

Eventually, either in the near future

or in the way far distant
future, someone's gonna get it.

As long as music is available,

someone will hear it.

- The record label must have
found it to be something

of a public relations problem

because of all of the,

the press really latched
on to the situation

as something of a...

Using Jeff something as
a poster boy as to what

problems were going on in
a lot of record companies

and in particular Warner Brothers

with their artist rosters,

and they didn't want it to blow
up any further than it did,

so they, um,

after a certain amount of

anxiety-ridden conversations,

said, "We think the right thing to do is

"let you take your record somewhere else,

"wherever you like."

- Every time we put out a record,

the length of time

that a record company's willing
to actually even humor you

about working on your
record has gotten shorter.

- Music is not limited to what happens

in a business quarter, and...

You know,

this

is a record, okay?

This is something that
probably someone will buy,

they'll pay 15, 16 whatever bucks for it,

and that's cool but,

what's encoded somewhere in
the bottom of this thing,

this dopey little disk, you know,

that's what matters.

This, the artifact, the
actual object does not.

What's encoded in here, if it's any good,

you'll hear it.

And you'll either get it, or you won't.

And,

just as,

as a writer,

as a fan, as a guy who just
listens to music a lot,

if you don't get it, I just
think that's kinda too bad.

(light music)

# There's a magazine called Sunset #

# And a tape machine that won't let #

# Me ever forget this
impossible longing for you. #

- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
has been finished now

for about six months.

The band have done a
little bit of touring.

Word got out that the band
were out of their deal,

and we started getting a lot of calls,

and basically we started
talking to people.

I think we were dealing with

about 25 or 30 labels initially,

and then as time passed,

we have been whittling the list down,

and we're now talking to,

five or so,

and hope to have that resolved
in the next week or two.

- I don't have any money.

- Don't worry.

Oh, I only have six dollars.

You want something to eat, Sammy?

- Yes.

I want something to eat.

- What do you want?

- Want soda!

- Soda? Honey, I don't have enough money.

- I'll go get some money.

- Never in my wildest,

most optimistic moment

did I think that we'd be sitting here

in the position we're in right now

which is with a finished record

that

is ours to take wherever we want.

You could certainly
say that they fucked up

by letting the band go and
walk away with the record.

It's really an opportunity
that maybe comes along

once in a career.

- The claw machine ripped him off.

No, it...

It went by itself.

- Tony smell Sam's butt.

- No, thanks.

- I need to know if he needs a diaper.

- I think he does. (laughs)

- I was surprised at the
number of record companies

that were willing to pay
a large amount of money

to be sort of in the Wilco picture.

(hands patting)

- Recognize it?

- Was is it?

- Guess, it's one of your songs.

- It's one of my songs?

I'm Trying To Break Your Heart?

- No.
- Uh, I Need A Kamera?

- No.
- Dreamer In My Dreams?

- No.

(hands patting)

- No?

Casino Queen?
- Uh, uh.

- California Stars?
- No.

- Tell me.

- It's something with a drum in it.

- Heavy Metal Drummer.

- Yes.

- How's that go?

(hands patting)

# I sincerely miss those
heavy metal bands #

# I used to go see on the
landing in the summer #

# She fell in love with the drummer #

# She fell in love with the drummer #

# She fell in love #

# Shiny, shiny pants and
bleached blonde hair #

# A double kick drum by
the river in the summer #

# She fell in love with the drummer #

# Another and another #

# She fell in love #

# I miss the innocence I've known #

# Playing Kiss covers,
beautiful and stoned #

# Unlock my body and
move myself to dance #

# In the warm liquid,
flowing blowing glass #

# Classical music blasting
masks the ringing in my ears #

- The record had started
to leak a little bit

from labels and so on,

and copies were starting
to float around and,

initially we tried to

slow it down.

We knew we couldn't stop it,

and then at some point,
I think we just decided,

"You know what? It's out there.

"Let's embrace it and make it available

"through our website if
people wanna hear it."

- For the most part, a lot
of people were really aware

of the new songs to the point
where I think a lot of people

in the front row, at
least, knew all the words.

# Playing Kiss covers,
beautiful and stoned #

# I miss the innocence I've known #

# Playing Kiss covers,
beautiful and stoned #

# Playing Kiss covers,
beautiful and stoned #

# Playing Kiss covers,
beautiful and stoned #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

# Woo-Hoo, hey #

# Woo-Hoo, Woo-Hoo #

# Woo-Hoo, hey #

- After,

months of

discussions and ruminations,

we have decided to sign,

the band's gonna sing to Nonesuch Records.

We've agreed to all the major terms, so

the record will come out
on Nonesuch in April.

I do find it ironic

and a little humorous

that Time Warner is the parent company

of both of these labels,

Reprise and Nonesuch.

- Are you Jeff?
- Yeah.

- Nice to meet you.
- You, too.

- [Josh] One way to put the
reason for picking Nonesuch

is that they were the best combination

of a business deal and a creative home.

- In hearing the record,
in the first 30 seconds,

I felt that there was something going on

with this record that I hadn't heard

in a Wilco record before, and that was,

it sounded brave to me.

It may have been the same 30
seconds that convinced Reprise

that they didn't wanna put out the record.

(pages flipping)

- [Josh] Okay, you ready
to start signing things?

- Mmhmm.

Yeah, looks good.

- (laughs) Hold on.

- [Josh] One more, yup.

This is to get paid.

- Definitely sign that one.

- Okay, and I sign here.

- You sign there.

And you're back in the fire.

- Thanks.

- It's a deal.

(guitar playing)

# Be not so nervous #

# Be not so pale #

# Someone watches you #

# You will not fail #

# Be not so nervous, be not so pale #

# Be not so nervous, be not so pale #

# Be not so sorry for what you've done #

# You must forget them now, it's done #

# And when you wake up #

# You will find that you can run #

- [Tony] We're about two months away

from the record coming out.

Advances are here.

Jeff is in town doing press,
he goes to Europe next week

to do press, it all begins now.

# Be not so fearful, be not so frail #

# Someone watches you #

# You will not leave the rails #

- [David voiceover] What are
we, almost eight or nine months

since the record was
originally planned to come out

on another label?

It's been a long road,
but it's the beginning.

# Be not so fearful, be not so pale #

# Be not so sorry for what you've done #

# You must forget them now, it's done #

- [David] We couldn't be more excited

about the longterm prospects of being able

to work with this band.

# You will find that you can run #

# Be not so sorry for what you've done #

- It's a long road to here, but you know,

it's a new chapter now, and we're,

couldn't be more optimistic.

(drums playing)

(crowd cheering)

Choo-Choo Charlie had a plenty good band

# But he couldn't understand
why no one would go #

# The World Record Players
on a tour of Japan #

# Charlie's fixing his
van with a left arm tan #

# He said, #

# Monday, I'm all high #

# Get me out of FLA #

# In school, yeah #

# I fooled ya #

# Now I know I made a mistake #

# Blister on a turnpike, let me by #

# I only want to wonder
why when I don't die #

# Ooh, I shot you, yeah, I know #

# I only want to go where my wheels roll #

# Monday, I'm all high #

# Get me out FLA #

# I fooled ya in school, yeah #

# Now I know I made a mistake #

(upbeat rock music)

(Jeff whistling)

# Everybody's wondering where'd he go #

# He must be down in Pensacola
hiding from the snow #

# The World Record Players
on a tour of Japan #

# Charlie's fixin' his van #

# He's waiting for a postcard #

# And he said #

# Monday, I'm all high #

# Get me out of FLA #

# Well, I cut class #

# In school, yeah #

# Now I know I made a mistake #

I made a big mistake

(Jeff screaming)

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

# All right #

(crowd cheering)

- [Tony] That's the coup,

that's like the coup of all time for us.

To basically get, you know,

one of the biggest entertainment
corporations in the world

to release us from a contract,
essentially scot-free

with a record that they
had already paid for

and then sell it back to them
for three times the money.

They disliked the record
so much that they paid

for it twice. (laughs)

- [Voiceover] Hold your breath,

make a wish, count to three.

# Come with me, and you'll be #

# In a world of pure imagination #

# Take a look, and you'll see #

# Into your imagination #

# We'll begin with a spin #

# Traveling in the world of my creation #

# What we'll see will defy #

# Explanation #

# If you want to view paradise #

# Simply look around and view it #

# Anything you want to, do it #

# Want to change the world #

# There's nothing to it #

(light music)

# There is no life I know #

# To compare with pure imagination #

# Living there you'll be free #

# If you truly wish to be #

# If you want to view paradise #

# Simply look around and view it #

# Anything you want to, do it #

# Want to change the world #

# There's nothing #

# To it #

# There is no life I know #

# To compare with pure imagination #

# Living there #

# You'll be free #

# If you truly #

# Wish #

# To be #