Just A Fan: Tribute to Jeff Tweedy & Wilco

Originally recorded this as a home demo version in 2003—Uncle Tupelo’s classic song, “New Madrid,” composed by Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar for the “Anodyne” record released by Sire/Reprise (1993). I’ve loved this song of Jeff’s from the first time hearing it live with ‘Tupelo, to its official release many moons ago, and to today. Took the freedom to rework a few of the words to align itself with the lonely arrangement I came up with in ’03. That original home demo cover of New Madrid, recorded on a Tascam analog 4-track and transferred to ProTools as a session file, bare bones, sat still for close to seventeen years until returning to it to rework in 2020 for the “Just A Fan” Tweedy and Wilco tribute compilation put together to raise pandemic-survival funds for CIVL (Chicago Independent Venues League: https://civlchicago.com). Knowing I was on the verge of destroying the original 17 year old session with too much noise and ambience, I passed a new 2020 rough mix to Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering (Milwaukee, WI) to reel it back into a state of being listenable and done. J.P. saved my 2003 amateur hour home demo-meets-2020’s mud pie mix, and washed the dirt off so that what you hear now is as close as I’ll get to the sound in my head honoring “New Madrid,” Tweedy, Tupelo and Wilco. This version was submitted and accepted for the benefit compilation. I went the extra mile to produce a video from royalty-free stock footage in late 2020 to accompany the release.

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Just A Fan: A Tribute To Jeff Tweedy + Wilco, released October 30, 2020:
https://justafan.bandcamp.com/track/new-madrid

“New Madrid,” Produced, Arranged, Performed and Recorded by Silent Kit (Rockford, IL)
Silent Kit is Dave DeCastris (Rockford, IL)
https://silentkit.com

Mastered by Justin Perkins at Mystery Room Mastering (Milwaukee, WI):
https://www.mysteryroommastering.com/

Art Direction & Film Editing by Andy Whorehall (Rockford, IL):
https://andywhorehall.com

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New Madrid © 1993 Sire Records
Composed by Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar
Original Song Appears On The Album, “Anodyne,” by Uncle Tupelo

ClientJust A Fan: Tribute to Jeff Tweedy & WilcoServicesAudio & Video Production, Performance, Recording, EditingYear2020Linkjustafan.bandcamp.com

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