August 20, 2008

Legendary rocker Neil Young announced this week that Wilco will be one of the opening acts for his upcoming North American tour. On paper, this sounds like a truly wonderful night of music with two acts that, at times, seem very similar.

There are several common threads between Wilco and Young, including Tweedy and Company performing at Young’s Farm Aid fundraiser back in 2005. In an interview around that time promoting the event, Tweedy listed Young’s Live Rust as his top live album ever. Tweedy also covered Young’s Too Far Gone at several of his first solo shows and included a Roll Another Number lyrical reference in Passenger Side, a Wilco classic and fan favorite.

With Wilco and Young in the same building for seven North American dates, performing on the same stage, the mind has to wander to possible collaborations.

Here are a few suggestions:

Young’s Powderfinger with Nels Cline

Cline, who often employs that fractured-chord sound that Young and Crazy Horse perfected, has gone from newcomer to Conquering Lord in Wilco World. His shredding guitar and frenetic fingerwork has become as vital to Wilco’s sound as Tweedy’s raspy voice, calculated lyrics and witty banter. Cline would simply demolish Powderfinger, one of the great Neil Young classics, that includes several solos that Cline could infuse with his unique sound.

READ ON for more Wilco/Neil Young sit-in recommendations from Luke…

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