Photographers Doug Van Doren and Liz Fish and I ventured up to Chicago to interview Wilco in their amazing loft space. The Wilco Loft feels like equal parts hostel (there’s a kitchen and a few bunk beds scattered about), storage space and what could easily be Chicago’s best guitar store (sadly, nothing is for sale). Here, the band rehearses, hangs out, does some recording and plots their next moves. These are some outtakes and extra shots from our Fall 2009 cover story.
Tweedy holds his 1960s era Guitorgan.
Color coordinated Jerry Jones guitars adorn one of the walls.
Tweedy plays an Epiphone Casino, one of dozens of guitars he has in the loft.
Tape used on the band’s mixing board is stuck to a pillar in the loft.
A few bunk beds / desks are scattered amidst the loft for band members that need a place to crash.
Some of Tweedy’s pedal collection.
More pedals. Cline puts tape over his Klon Centaur Overdrive so it doesn’t blind him with stage lights.
Autographed pictures by Bob Newhart and Don Rickles (who, we’re told by Nels Cline, are close friends) can be found in the loft. The Wilco stereo (a Dynaco tube hi-fi set-up) is behind.
On the day of our shoot, a Gibson J-185 Tweedy had repaired had just arrived.
Tweedy with his J-185.
Tweedy in his section of the loft, speaking into a Shure SM7B microphone.
In 2007, Breedlove announced the release of a limited edition Jeff Tweedy signature model guitar (the Breedlove Revival 000-12 JTLE Deluxe). Here’s Tweedy’s own Breedlove, in front of his Victoria amp. You can see his Kay Thin Twin (similar to what Jimmy Reed played) in the background.
More Wilco gear…it never ends!
Wilco, and Cline in particular, have quite a collection of effects pedals.
Nels Cline’s 1959 Jazzmaster has seen years of playing and abuse. Engraved into the tailpiece, you can just barely make out an engraving saying “Watt,” a reminder that Mike Watt originally owned this guitar.
A Studer tape deck at the Wilco loft. Believe it or not, but this classic, analog 2″ tape deck isn’t vintage, the band bought it new.
