The Acoustics in This Place Are Great

I was just listening to a Jeff Tweedy performance from January 2000 – a 27 song farewell performance to a former Chicago staple, Lounge Ax. Even if you don't live in Chicago, you may recognize the name from High Fidelity - it's where Lisa Bonet sings Frampton. Peter fucking Frampton. Anyway, Tweedy has always played solo, acoustic, so it's no surprise his sets are amazing and that his songs transfer well to the acoustic realm. And even though MTV made playing acoustically a popular alternative for rock bands, it's always interesting to hear how these bands break down their songs and pull them out of the electric buzz, fuzz and feedback. But it doesn't always shock me that they pull it off, being that I’m sure many are like Immortal Lee County Killers’ Chet Weise, who once told me he writes and develops most of his punk blues songs on an acoustic guitar.

I wish I had a couple of those acoustic ILCK tunes to share, but hopefully these choice tracks – a mixture of studio and live recordings – will please you just the same.


Jeff Tweedy - Shot in the Arm
Original studio recording from Summerteeth

Smashing Pumpkins - Dancing in the Moonlight (Thin Lizzy cover)
Live Thin Lizzy recording from Bad Reputation

Radiohead - Creep
Live version of Creep

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Live version of Maps from Peel Sessions

Jimi Hendrix - Hear My Train a Comin'
Live version of Hear My Train a Comin' from Woodstock

Social Distortion - Ball and Chain
Original studio recording from Social Distortion

T Rex - Planet Queen
Original studio recording from Electric Warrior

Johnny Thunders - Eve of Destruction (P.F. Sloan cover)
Original P.F. Sloan recording from Songs of Our Times

The Breeders - Cannonball
Original studio recording from Last Splash

*Note: If you can't read it, Whiskeytown, Guitar Wolf, Elliot Smith, Neutral Milk Hotel, Will Oldham, and Nashville Pussy are all listed on the Lounge Ax calendar.