Pitchfork: Wilco Confirm New Members: Nels Cline, Pat Sansone

Wilco Confirm New Members: Nels Cline, Pat Sansone
John Fahey pouts from beyond

It's another lineup change for Wilco: After losing several members over the past few years, and most recently Leroy Bach in January, the band has secured two new members in time for an upcoming tour on which they plan to premier material from their forthcoming album, A Ghost Is Born. On their official website, Wilco confirm welcoming legendary avant-garde guitarist Nels Cline to their new lineup, as well as guitarist/keyboard Pat Sansone, who plays opposite John Stirratt in The Autumn Defense. The band offers a new rundown of the lineup on their website, like so:

Jeff Tweedy: gtr, vox
John Stirratt: bass gtr, vox
Glenn Kotche: drums, percussion, etc.
Mikael Jorgensen: keys, laptop
Pat Sansone: keys, gtr, vox
Nels Cline: gtr
Everybody: cowbell

Wilco's latest incarnation will make their debut appearance in Columbia, Missouri on April 21st, the first of a seven-date mini-tour that will take them across the Southern U.S. before finally winding up at the Coachella Festival in Indio, California on May 1st. Additionally, the band is scheduled to appear at Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival in late May, and at Manchester, Tennessee's Bonnaroo Festival in June. Dates:

04-21 Columbia, MO - Blue Note
04-23 New Orleans, LA - Orpheum
04-24 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
04-25 Austin, TX - Stubb's BBQ
04-27 Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Theatre
04-28 Flagstaff, AZ - Orpheum
04-29 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
05-01 India, CA - Coachella Festival
05-28 Barcelona, SP - Primavera Sound Festival
06-11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Festival

Lineup changes have practically become tradition for Wilco over the years: Jay Bennett was ousted in the summer of 2001, shortly after original drummer Ken Coomer. Though no reason was given for guitarist/keyboardist Leroy Bach's departure in late January, the split seems to have been on good terms, as the band's statement read, "We'll all miss working with him and, of course, wish him the best in what comes next."

The band is currently preparing for the release of their fifth full-length, A Ghost Is Born, which is scheduled for a June 8th release on Nonsuch. The tracklist, as previously reported:

01 At Least That's What You Said
02 Hell Is
03 Chrome
04 Spiders (Kidsmoke)
05 Muzzle of Bees
06 Hummingbird
07 Handshake Drugs
08 Company in My Back
09 I'm a Wheel
10 Wishful Thinking
11 Late Greats
12 Theologians
13 Less Than You Think