By now, you may have heard that Jay Bennett died Sunday at the age of 45. Like most people, Bennett entered my consciousness with Wilco, a gig that began promisingly with sweet guitar licks and great change-of-pace piano songs. Then things happened. I hope I’m wrong, but I’m afraid Bennett’s legacy will be too informed by his role as “The Villain” in Sam Jones’ farcical romp, I Am Something-Something Migraine Barf Showdown. Fuck all that.
I’m gonna miss Jay Bennett because he was a shit-hot guitarist, with a crunchy, fluid quality in his playing. He forever won me over on those glorious Wilco shows from 1995-97. However, my favorite recorded Jay Bennett moment is sans Mr. Tweedy and his tousled, furrowed countenance.
Jay Bennett & Edward Burch – Junior
400 Bar, Minneapolis
August 10, 2002
Jay Bennett & Edward Burch – Junior
In 2002, Bennett and Burch were touring in support of The Palace At 4 A.M., released that year on Undertow Records. Even better, the touring band included Scott Danbom and Will Johnson of Centro-Matic, playing keyboards and drums, respectively. Yeah, not a bad starting lineup. This must’ve been a great, loud, debauched performance … and that’s just the audience.
This isn’t a sad bastard piano song. I want to remember Jay Bennett kicking ass on guitar, having fun, being self-deprecating, witty, and over-the-top ridiculous. Let’s get one of the good nights in the time capsule.
LD follow-up (5/27): In listening again to this recording, Bennett clearly says at the beginning of the show, “Some of you way in back probably don’t notice that we don’t have a bass player. So, forget that I called that to your attention.” Mystery solved. Bass duties were handled by the dazzling left hand of Scotty Danbom.
LD follow-up, pt. II (7/28): This post originally included a zip file of the entire 400 Bar gig. If you’re interested in obtaining a copy, feel free to email me offlist. Thanks.
One possible quibble, I think Scott was playing keys for most of those shows on that tour. They had some guy who was on summer break and was a math professor or something playing bass. I saw 4 of those shows that summer. It was the summer of the “shirtless loadout.”
Bennett seemed to oooze rock and roll joy, and without him Wilco became almost a humorless band with sourpuss Tweedy at the helm. It’s a shame that Bennett became somewhat of a footnote after his ouster, and an even bigger shame that he couldn’t afford the proper health insurance. I can’t believe how hard his death hit me when I found out about it yesterday. Just a brilliant, down to earth guy, and I gotta go now because I’m starting to tear up again… But thanks for the post; typically succinct and on the mark.
Heh heh … awesome. I wish I was at this show, so any details are welcome. I’ll amend accordingly.
Hi, I doubt anybody who’s paying attention will see him as a villian. Listen to Wilco before and after Jay’s time there. Without Bennett, Wilco is a mildly interesting (at best), easily forgotten pop band.
gary mccluskey
if this whole 400 Bar show exists, please post it somewhere, somehow.
My wife and I were there that night, and it was a truly memorable show.
Bennett-Burch were a gem not to be missed…
Gary, that’s your opinion. I like to think I’m a person who pays attention, but maybe you have a better attention span than mine. Happens…
So Being There, Summerteeth, YHF and the two Bragg Mermaid Avenue lp’s are mildy interesting? Hmmm… I guess they were genre-breaking pioneers on the next two records. My loss there.
I’ve listened to Wilco before and after Jay’s time there, otherwise how could I have said what I said! I see it another way and stand by my original statement. Honestly, you sound a little pretentious there, Gary, deciding what is and what is not easily forgotten. I always thought it depends on who’s doing the remembering.
I saw Jay and Ed in Buffalo back in ’02. I’m sure that show is remembered well … Jay said he wrote “Junior” for John Anderson and never heard back from him. JA’s loss! I do know JB did a nice studio version of this.
While I technically agree that anyone paying attention wouldn’t see Jay Bennett as a villain, I’m not holding breath waiting for the average American music fan to pay attention. Plus, 50-100-200 years from now, when Wilco is long gone, that damn movie will be alive and well, Jay Bennett encased in poopypants-flavored amber for future generations to dislike. As I said before, I hope I’m wrong.
RE: Upping the 400 Club show in its entirety, that’s an excellent idea. Gimme a day to tag it and whatnot and I’ll add it, for awhile anyway, to the main post.
That Will Johnson opener to the 400 Bar show remains one of my favorite live recordings. Great version of Flashes and Cables, a cover of Money Changes Everything and Love Has Found Me Somehow with Bennett and Burch which was not part of the east Coast dates I saw at the beginning of the tour.
Gary — I’m sorry. I TOTALLY misread your first comment. I thought you were saying Wilco was forgettable WITH Bennett. I feel like such an ass.
My reading comprehension skills are going to pot… maybe literally.
Here I am calling you pretentious. I agree with what you said; after Bennett left I kind of fell off the bandwagon.
Again, Gary: I’m sorry!
Sad news, really. Bless you, Jay.
Thanks for posting. I didn't have this show.
Re: the first response, the reference to Danbom and the bass (though he is perfectly capable of playing bass), I think the reference was to his left hand on the keys (where the bass notes reside).
Of all the songs I can't imagine playing without Jay, “Junior” tops the list–and this performance shows why.
Jay could f*ckin' play guitar…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kQourDDHBY
Thanks Don, that's great stuff. Y'all sound Meat Puppety. And Jay could bring it, no doubt. For all his pop genius, when it was time to kick out the twang, he was all business. More than just the Bakersfield feel, too. He's playing Danny Gatton, Joe Maphis, Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West hot rod guitar. I could listen to that Jay all day.