Jeff Tweedy wants you to write a song. Just one.
He wants you to become so focused on writing that one song that you lose yourself in it, you "disappear ... there isn't anyone else's image of who you are to compete with. In fact, even the image you have of yourself can take a breather."
And maybe, as he writes in his new book, you'll come to understand that doing something is more rewarding than being something. You might even learn something unexpected about yourself.
We spoke with Tweedy, leader of the Chicago band Wilco, about his new book, "How to Write One Song," and his new solo album, "Love Is the King." Both, he said, were conceived during the pandemic, projects he dug into once Wilco's tour dates were canceled.
"I like to keep busy. I like to make stuff, and I figured it would be a good time to see if I could get my thoughts down," he said.
The book, due out Tuesday, is a generous and thoughtful argument for carving time out for creativity. He attempts to demystify songwriting, offering both encouragement and practical tips that from anyone else might read as self-help. But instead, Tweedy strikes a tone that's more like that of an exuberant friend: You have to try this, man. And you'll want to.
Listening to the new album, out Oct. 23, deepens the reading _ and vice versa _ as sounds emerge from songs in ways you might not have heard before. Snippets of lyrics mentioned in the book unspool, transformed.
Tweedy spoke to us from his cabin in Michigan via Zoom. Here's what he had to say, edited for space and clarity.
