JAY BENNETT - "The Palace At 4AM": Ex-WILCO Sound-Sculpter Brings Fresh Sonics To Classic Moves!

JAY WALTER BENNETT (11/15/1963 - 5/24/2009) Was An American Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer/Songwriter, Engineer, Sound-Sculpter And Producer, Most Well Known For His Contributions As A Member Of WILCO From Its Inception In 1994 Until 2001.
JAY BENNETT Was A Founding Member Of Both TITANIC LOVE AFFAIR, HIS BLOOD KIN, And GATOR ALLEY In The Early '90s. He Drifted Into Music After An Unsatisfying Stint As An Electronics Technician And Then As A Middle-School Math Teacher In Champaign-Urbana, Illinois In The Mid-80s.
From 1994 - 2001 JAY BENNETT Played An Integral Role In The Sound & Direction 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 & Engineer For "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," TWEEDY Was Not Confident Of BENNETT's Abilities Against Those Of Producer JIM O'ROURKE. BENNETT Claimed He "Tried To Stay away From The Mixing, Having Been Reminded That O'ROURKE Didn't Like A Lot Of Folks Around When He Was Mixing." TWEEDY & 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 & 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. BENNETT Claimed He Contributed Organ, Guitars, And "The Noiz Section" To "Poor Places." The Album Was Completed In 2001, And BENNETT Was Dismissed From The Band Immediately Afterwards.
"A Circle Can Only Have One Center." - JEFF TWEEDY
JAY BENNET Died Unexpectedly In His Sleep On May 24, 2009. He Had Been Putting Off Hip Surgery He Couldn't Afford, And Accidentally Overdosed On Pain Medication. A Sorry End To A Brilliant, Creative Light.
I Pulled The Title Track To JAY BENNETT's First Solo Album, 2002's "The Palace At 4AM," In Which You Can Viscerally Hear The Contributions He Made To WILCO.
JAY BENNETT Has Seven Solo Albums, Two Of Which Are Posthumous.
Purchase Physical Media, Please!
PPMP!!
Give JAY BENNETT The Overdue Props He Deserves!
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Keep It Surreal.