P.S.: What was it like to record with Laurie again after so many years? (John and Laurie were originally in a band together called The Hilltops.)

JOHN:  It was great. It's really an example of when things go better than planned. The record was kind of a goal in her moving up here (re-locating to Chicago). She had a lot of friends here as well. We were able to get everything together pretty quickly on the record. It took more time actually doing the writing and the arranging. It went off pretty easy and fast so we had a great time. It was great.

P.S.: Can you tell me a little about how you wrote the song We'll Meet Again.

JOHN: It was kind of a car song. It was really interesting. She had a lot of it. There were lines we threw back and forth. We were kind of just arranging it with the guitar while she drove. Then we would take turns driving. It was really fun. I-55 is one of the old stretches of road so you can actually concentrate that much, play the guitar, talk about the song and not be endangering any other drivers.

P.S.: Not like being on the 101 in L.A.

JOHN:  Probably so. Totally.

P.S.: With the career that you've had and all of the different projects you've been a part of, what is an experience or moment that really stands out for you?

JOHN: There have definitely been a lot of moments that were great. Especially when you know that you really like a track when it's done. Like Sunken Treasure, I remember recording that live in the studio for Being There.  I had a similar experience for a couple of songs on this record actually, (Arabella). At the end of it, it was where you felt like it was a moment... I don't want to say transcendent or anything but I guess it sort of is. It feels like you're kind of transported or something. With the song A Merciful Night, there were two or three takes with that and they were all just... it happened so fast and it was so satisfying.

P.S.: How did you originally start playing with Uncle Tupelo?

JOHN: This was back in the late 80's, early 90's when Laurie and I last played together. We actually had a band called The Hilltops. I guess from a genre standpoint, we were pretty similar to Uncle Tupelo. We were really heavy into SST bands but at the same time, we always enjoyed country. We weren't as successful in bridging the different genres as Uncle Tupelo was. We were about two years into our existence when we got a demo tape from the college radio station. It was an early demo of Tupelo. We liked it so much that we invited them down to play a show and we volunteered to open for them to try to get a crowd out and everything. It was really successful. Then we got to be great friends. Later, we opened for them around the Midwest and we opened for their album release party. So we got to be friends with them and then The Hilltops dissolved. I briefly played with another band in New Orleans for a while and then got a call from Tupelo to go on the road in '92. That was when I really started hanging out with them, going out on the road and guitar teching. It was in Europe so I was really excited to go to Europe and do that. It was their first time as well. We went and came back and started demo-ing for Anodyne. By that time I was playing bass and guitar. It was I guess pretty fast but I had known them for three years at that point.  

P.S.: How did the band evolve from Uncle Tupelo to Wilco?

JOHN: Tupelo had been around for so long at that point that I think the strain between Jay and Jeff was there. I guess Jay kind of announced around Christmas '93 right after Anodyne was put out, their last record, that he was quitting the band. It was a huge surprise to us because we were having such a great time. It just didn't seem like there were any problems but I guess there were. He kind of left the band although he opted to come back and play through May. That's how the band dissolved. Then, Jeff approached us and said he was having a great time playing with us and would we like to continue? That's how it started. 

P.S.: Then, you lost another member named Jay. How have the dynamics changed in Wilco since Jay Bennett left following Yankee Hotel Foxtrot?

JOHN: I would say that everyone... It's kind of been in keeping with the personalities of each person. Generally, bands have this period of a few years of tumult. It's kind of natural for people to kind of jockey for position (laughs), and power or something. Although, it was obviously Jeff's record deal. He was the man. I think in the case of Jay, I don't think anyone envied his position or anything (laughs). It was more about people not being able to work with him. But to answer your question, since then it's really calmed down. It's a real sort of consortium or something. It feels as egalitarian as it can be with having a primary songwriter or at least a primary lyricist. Back before, I had contributed a song to the first record. There was a little more instability which is natural.