I think that it would be tough to be an artist who was tabbed with a genre nickname and dubbed its founder. In the case of Jack Kerouac he distanced himself from the 'beat' tag the bast he could but in some ways was unsuccessful. He tired quickly of the trend and the other writers who rode the wave (I am paraphrasing from his letters in the January Atlantic Monthly, I believe). He just wanted to write. In many ways the tag takes over the person. Jack Kerouac -- King of the Beats. It's an easy way out for press and surface level fans to buy the short version of things . . . what about the words and stories?? I try and remember that these people were just doing their thing the best they could and suddenly they are the figurehead of a movement. Tweedy probably never chose the alt-tag for himself. It may appear ungrateful, but he probably has heard that reference 500 times a year . . . and he just wants to keep doing his thing -- music. As far as other successful fringe artists?? Well many of the people Dave named have had very successful major label releases. And maybe Tweedy doesn't want to be a fringe performer?? Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. As a fan I like that the genre remains small and accessable. But when an artist is on a major label it affords him different possibilities and different pressures. I personally don't hold anything against him for his comments or his aspirations. The quote that started this thread was something like "no matter what I do it will be labeled alt-country". If we don't take a defensive posture this statement seems pretty true and not that venomous. And is really more a comment on the mainstream press than on the alt-country fans or it's knowledgeable writers. I really think he is addressing the People magazines of the world who all too easily begin every Wilco headline with Alt-Country Icon Wilco . . . blah blah blah. And just for the record I am not a fan of 'Being There' at all (But I loved AM, Billy Bragg & Wilco, and Goldon Smog). And I am really looking forward to hearing Summerteeth. Anyway I've said enough. -jim ps -- and as to why we don't cease talking about Tweedy if he's not alt-country . . . just because. <g>
