our origin story

Brian Sussman (Vocals, guitar)

It seems so obvious in retrospect. I’d just seen Wilco play three amazing shows in Mexico. A week later I was at The Roseland watching Dark Star Orchestra pay tribute to The Dead. I googled Wilco tribute band as soon as I got home. There were no results.

Mike Team (Bass, backup vocals)

Mike showed up with beer. I liked him already. This was May of 2020, perhaps not the best time to start a band, so we set up outside. We opened a couple. It sounded good. We opened a couple more. Even better.

Michael Backus (Lead guitar, backup vocals)

We tried to stick to the one-Mike-per-band limit, but when Michael plugged in, we knew we'd have to make an exception. He was fearless. A chameleon who could change styles on a dime and juggle three parts without even breaking a sweat.

Brock "B-Rock" Nunn (Drums)

He even knew a drummer. His old bandmate Brock was new to Wilco at the time, but his playing was impeccable and his instincts were spot-on. And he was such a nice guy that he didn't even mind boring discussions about chords.

Rich Landar (Keyboards, backup vocals)

We somehow managed to play without a keyboardist for two years. Then Mike’s buddy Rich came along. He added exactly what we needed and lifted us up in the process. He wasn’t even afraid of the high harmonies.

The friendly faces of Wilcommunity

If we've learned anything, it's that Wilco is even better zoomed in. The songs, the playing, and of course the fans. They come out to celebrate this amazing music but bring something equally amazing to it. 

My blurry photo of Wilco in Mexico (Jan 2020)

I wanted people to feel the joy of those shows in Mexico, to experience the memories those songs can bring back, and to make new memories. I wanted to share my enthusiasm for Wilco somehow. Wilclone was the way.

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