Uncle Tupelo

Belleville

Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy, with Mike Heidorn on drums from 1984, played in Belleville as the Plebes and then the Primitives, and renamed themselves Uncle Tupelo in 1987 to avoid confusion with the British band the Primitives. The name is said to combine two random dictionary words. They named the Minutemen, Black Flag, Dinosaur Jr., the Carter Family, Hank Williams, Creedence and Neil Young among their influences. Self-released cassettes came first: Colorblind and Rhymeless (1987), Live and Otherwise (1988) and Not Forever, Just for Now (1989).

No Depression (June 21, 1990, Rockville) was recorded in ten days in January 1990 at Fort Apache South in Boston, and its title gave the magazine No Depression its name. Still Feel Gone (September 17, 1991) was produced by Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade, and March 16-20, 1992 by Peter Buck. Heidorn left in 1992, and after a European tour opening for Sugar Ken Coomer took over on drums; Max Johnston and John Stirratt joined, and the band signed to Sire. Anodyne came out on October 5, 1993.

Farrar told their manager in January 1994 he was leaving and agreed to a farewell tour, whose last shows were April 28 to May 1, 1994, at the Blue Note in Columbia, Missouri, and Mississippi Nights in St. Louis. They also played Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Tweedy, Stirratt, Coomer and Johnston formed Wilco, and Farrar formed Son Volt with Heidorn and Jim and Dave Boquist. Rhino reissued Anodyne on March 11, 2003, Legacy the first three albums on April 15, 2003, and 89/93: An Anthology came out in 2002. Farrar and Tweedy have said they do not want a reunion. Wikipedia credits the band as founders of alternative country, a label the members dispute.