Jay Bennett was a master in the recording studio, the type of talent who could pick up almost any instrument and make music on it. On stage, he could be a whirling, chain-smoking, dreadlocked dervish. As a key member of Wilco and a prolific artist and producer for other bands, Bennett had a reputation as a musical obsessive who chased perfection. He was in the middle of recording another solo album in Champaign when he died over the weekend at age 45 ...
Bennett was born in 1963 in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the mid-'80s with degrees in secondary education, mathematics and political studies. He played in multiple Champaign-area bands, including the power-pop combo Titanic Love Affair. The band drifted apart after recording three albums, and Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop when he was enlisted by Wilco founder Tweedy to play guitar. After joining the Chicago-based band shortly after it completed its 1994 debut album, Bennett gradually assumed a larger role as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
Bennett's temperament on stage added to the band's appeal: He was the mad professor trolling between keyboards to come up with just the right sound, or he'd slam out a rousing guitar solo. His collaboration with Tweedy, the band's primary songwriter and singer, reached its apex on the 1999 "Summerteeth" album, and one of its densely orchestrated songs, "Pieholden Suite," later became the name of Bennett's recording studio.
From Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2009
By Greg Kot, Tribune music critic
FAG Contributor: Johanna (48596183) •∼Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco. From 1994 through 2001 Bennett was a member of Wilco. Conflicts between front man Jeff Tweedy and Bennett that would contribute to Bennett's split with Wilco are visible in the Sam Jones film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. Although Bennett sought to act as both mixer and engineer for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy was unsure of Bennett's abilities against those of producer Jim O'Rourke. Tweedy and Bennett frequently argued over whether the album should be accessible to a general listener, or attempt to cover new musical ground. Unbeknownst to Bennett, Tweedy invited O'Rourke to remix "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and the results impressed the other band members — even Bennett. Tensions grew between Bennett and O'Rourke because Bennett wanted to play a more integral role regarding the mixing of the album. O'Rourke cut the contributions of other members on several of the songs; some songs, such as "Poor Places", only featured the Loose Fur trio of Tweedy, O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. The album was completed in 2001, and Bennett was dismissed from the band immediately afterwards.
Bennett was born in 1963 in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the mid-'80s with degrees in secondary education, mathematics and political studies. He played in multiple Champaign-area bands, including the power-pop combo Titanic Love Affair. The band drifted apart after recording three albums, and Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop when he was enlisted by Wilco founder Tweedy to play guitar. After joining the Chicago-based band shortly after it completed its 1994 debut album, Bennett gradually assumed a larger role as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
Bennett's temperament on stage added to the band's appeal: He was the mad professor trolling between keyboards to come up with just the right sound, or he'd slam out a rousing guitar solo. His collaboration with Tweedy, the band's primary songwriter and singer, reached its apex on the 1999 "Summerteeth" album, and one of its densely orchestrated songs, "Pieholden Suite," later became the name of Bennett's recording studio.
From Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2009
By Greg Kot, Tribune music critic
FAG Contributor: Johanna (48596183) •∼Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco. From 1994 through 2001 Bennett was a member of Wilco. Conflicts between front man Jeff Tweedy and Bennett that would contribute to Bennett's split with Wilco are visible in the Sam Jones film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. Although Bennett sought to act as both mixer and engineer for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy was unsure of Bennett's abilities against those of producer Jim O'Rourke. Tweedy and Bennett frequently argued over whether the album should be accessible to a general listener, or attempt to cover new musical ground. Unbeknownst to Bennett, Tweedy invited O'Rourke to remix "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and the results impressed the other band members — even Bennett. Tensions grew between Bennett and O'Rourke because Bennett wanted to play a more integral role regarding the mixing of the album. O'Rourke cut the contributions of other members on several of the songs; some songs, such as "Poor Places", only featured the Loose Fur trio of Tweedy, O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. The album was completed in 2001, and Bennett was dismissed from the band immediately afterwards.
Jay Bennett was a master in the recording studio, the type of talent who could pick up almost any instrument and make music on it. On stage, he could be a whirling, chain-smoking, dreadlocked dervish. As a key member of Wilco and a prolific artist and producer for other bands, Bennett had a reputation as a musical obsessive who chased perfection. He was in the middle of recording another solo album in Champaign when he died over the weekend at age 45 ...
Bennett was born in 1963 in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the mid-'80s with degrees in secondary education, mathematics and political studies. He played in multiple Champaign-area bands, including the power-pop combo Titanic Love Affair. The band drifted apart after recording three albums, and Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop when he was enlisted by Wilco founder Tweedy to play guitar. After joining the Chicago-based band shortly after it completed its 1994 debut album, Bennett gradually assumed a larger role as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
Bennett's temperament on stage added to the band's appeal: He was the mad professor trolling between keyboards to come up with just the right sound, or he'd slam out a rousing guitar solo. His collaboration with Tweedy, the band's primary songwriter and singer, reached its apex on the 1999 "Summerteeth" album, and one of its densely orchestrated songs, "Pieholden Suite," later became the name of Bennett's recording studio.
From Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2009
By Greg Kot, Tribune music critic
FAG Contributor: Johanna (48596183) •∼Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco. From 1994 through 2001 Bennett was a member of Wilco. Conflicts between front man Jeff Tweedy and Bennett that would contribute to Bennett's split with Wilco are visible in the Sam Jones film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. Although Bennett sought to act as both mixer and engineer for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy was unsure of Bennett's abilities against those of producer Jim O'Rourke. Tweedy and Bennett frequently argued over whether the album should be accessible to a general listener, or attempt to cover new musical ground. Unbeknownst to Bennett, Tweedy invited O'Rourke to remix "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and the results impressed the other band members — even Bennett. Tensions grew between Bennett and O'Rourke because Bennett wanted to play a more integral role regarding the mixing of the album. O'Rourke cut the contributions of other members on several of the songs; some songs, such as "Poor Places", only featured the Loose Fur trio of Tweedy, O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. The album was completed in 2001, and Bennett was dismissed from the band immediately afterwards.
Bennett was born in 1963 in northwest suburban Rolling Meadows. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the mid-'80s with degrees in secondary education, mathematics and political studies. He played in multiple Champaign-area bands, including the power-pop combo Titanic Love Affair. The band drifted apart after recording three albums, and Bennett was working at a VCR repair shop when he was enlisted by Wilco founder Tweedy to play guitar. After joining the Chicago-based band shortly after it completed its 1994 debut album, Bennett gradually assumed a larger role as a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer.
Bennett's temperament on stage added to the band's appeal: He was the mad professor trolling between keyboards to come up with just the right sound, or he'd slam out a rousing guitar solo. His collaboration with Tweedy, the band's primary songwriter and singer, reached its apex on the 1999 "Summerteeth" album, and one of its densely orchestrated songs, "Pieholden Suite," later became the name of Bennett's recording studio.
From Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2009
By Greg Kot, Tribune music critic
FAG Contributor: Johanna (48596183) •∼Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco. From 1994 through 2001 Bennett was a member of Wilco. Conflicts between front man Jeff Tweedy and Bennett that would contribute to Bennett's split with Wilco are visible in the Sam Jones film I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco. Although Bennett sought to act as both mixer and engineer for Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Tweedy was unsure of Bennett's abilities against those of producer Jim O'Rourke. Tweedy and Bennett frequently argued over whether the album should be accessible to a general listener, or attempt to cover new musical ground. Unbeknownst to Bennett, Tweedy invited O'Rourke to remix "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", and the results impressed the other band members — even Bennett. Tensions grew between Bennett and O'Rourke because Bennett wanted to play a more integral role regarding the mixing of the album. O'Rourke cut the contributions of other members on several of the songs; some songs, such as "Poor Places", only featured the Loose Fur trio of Tweedy, O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche. The album was completed in 2001, and Bennett was dismissed from the band immediately afterwards.
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