Dear Jeffy (Go Ask Susie): Forgotten Beans
Thoughts on Beans, Films, and Humidity
Ami: There was a Tweedy Show ep where, if memory serves, the whole fam raves about Susie's beans. Susie says they are the best beans ever and, I think, had to be ordered online? I can't remember which ep it was. Did I dream this? If not, I'm curious to know the brand and curiouser to know the recipe? Love + thanks! :)
Sally: As a huge fan of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture (visited his buildings all over Chicago, Wisco, AZ, Buffalo, NY, etc), I am wondering if you and Susie are too? I mean, you do live in one of his adopted hometowns, so I’m guessing the answer is yes, but just curious.
Susan K: You’ve both mentioned films you enjoyed as kids, but are there any you especially remember from your early times together?
Paul: So, is it the heat or the humidity?
Roy: Dear Jeffy, do your consider yourself a curmudgeon or a reformed curmudgeon?
This Week In Wilco, Etc.
2021 / October 12 and 13: Wilco plays the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA with the Young Fresh Fellows opening. Night two closes with a lead vocal by Scott McCaughey on The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.” These two shows can be found on Roadcases 91 and 92.
1993 / October 15: Uncle Tupelo plays The Vic Theater in Chicago. The show was recorded by WXRT, but never broadcast. However, five of the songs were later used on the promo-only CD called The Long Cut + Five Live: “Fifteen Keys,” “Anodyne,” “We’ve Been Had,” “Truck Drivin’ Man” and “Suzie Q”, with Brian Henneman on guitar,
2005 / October 15: Wilco opens for The Rolling Stones at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA.
Curmudgeon conversation could be its own Substack 💟
It's funny what Jeff says about the meet-and-greet, because I had the exact same experience recently, but from the other side of the fan-artist relationship. I went to see Josh Rouse (whom I first became a fan of when he opened for Wilco back in '98 or '99 in support of his first album) at a very small venue (about 150 seats). After the show, he came out to chat with folks. He lives in Spain and doesn't tour in the U.S. very often, so it would be a rare opportunity to say hello (and I've never met him or interacted with him in any context). But, as I stood there, watching him have conversations with other people and waiting for my turn, and trying to think of what to say, it felt incredibly awkward and eventually I just left.
It was probably for the best because the most interesting thing I thought I might bring up was to tell him that I played one of his songs at my cat's funeral. I figure he probably gets people telling him every week that they played one of his songs at their wedding or some other festive event, but it's probably only a few times a year that he hears that his song was part of the program at a cat's funeral, so he might think it was weird.
For the record, no Wilco was played at either of my cats' funerals, although "Hate It Here" did make me cry the first time I listened to it after the first cat died.