Jeff Tweedy Opens Up About Jay Bennett's Death
- Posted on Jul 6th 2009 11:30AM by John D. Luerssen
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Jeff Tweedy has spoken out about his relationship with Wilco's former multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett, who unexpectedly died in May from an overdose of painkillers. In a new interview with WBEZ Chicago Public Radio, Tweedy speaks about Bennett's tumultuous exit from the band, the shock of his passing at age 45 and the lawsuit Bennett filed against the band for breach of contract earlier this spring."A lot has been made of the relationship that Jay and I had as if it was in a vacuum and not as a part of a band," says Tweedy. "The problem is that when Jay left the band everybody in the band was having a difficult time making that relationship work and be fruitful and having it thrive. And sadly that was just an untenable situation for all of us."
"I think a lot of people always have theories about a songwriter needing an artistic foil," Tweedy adds. "And certainly we've been happy to acknowledge all of the amazing contributions that Jay made to the band. I have trouble talking about it to be honest because it was such a long time ago and at the same time this shock of him passing is really new. The tragedy of it isn't lost on any of us."
"Jay was an extremely talented man and a brilliant man and a gifted musician," Wilco's frontman explains. "And we would have all been very, very happy to see him thrive and flourish, especially in the years after the band. I think it's very, very tragic that he isn't around anymore and that music isn't going to get made."
As for Bennett suing Wilco for unpaid royalties, Tweedy says, "There wasn't anything unresolved on our end, unfortunately. There was something unresolved for Jay. And that is very tragic. I don't have anything else to say about that. It's a really really unfortunate timing and turn of events but what are you gonna do?"




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