Semisonic Singer Doing Solo CD

Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson is at work on songs for his debut solo record, which is due for release next year. The album follows Semisonic's All About Chemistry, which was released earlier this year.

While Wilson has been at the helm for the still-together Semisonic for the last six years, he has also contributed his songwriting talents to Evan and Jaron's self-titled debut record, co-writing "Ready or Not" with the Lowenstein brothers.

Wilson will play two solo shows in December, at Schubas in Chicago on the 14th and at the Women's Club in Minneapolis on the 15th. He will also speak at Oxford University's famed Oxford Union on November 28th.

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

More Song Stories entries »

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