Nels Cline

Nels Cline (born in Los Angeles in 1956) is an American guitarist and composer, associated by most music fans as the lead guitarist of alternative rock band Wilco, and for his prolific output of jazz-rock instrumental albums under his own name and under the Nels Cline Trio and Nels Cline Singers banners. Mike Watt's fans know Nels for his frequent collaborations with Watt that stretch back to the early 1990's. 
Nels first worked with Mike Watt on fIREHOSE's final studio album, mr. machinery operator, when he contributed a guitar solo to the instrumental "4.29.92", where he was credited as Nels Courtney Cline. 
Two years later, Watt tapped Nels to be one of the many participants on his first solo album Ball-Hog or Tugboat?. Nels would play on "Big Train", "Drove Up From Pedro", "Chinese Firedrill", "Intense Song for Madonna to Sing", "Tuff Gnarl", and "Forever/One Reporter's Opinion", making him the most active guest participant on the album. 
Nels joined Watt's second touring band and first project band to bear a group name, The Crew of the Flying Saucer, along with drummer Michael Pruessner (from Nels' own Nels Cline Trio) and drummer/saxophonist/vocalist Vince Meghrouni. The group did two tour legs in the United States before tensions between Pruessner and Meghrouni manifested themselves. 
Watt and Nels then participated in a new improvisatory group helmed by Jane's Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, Banyan, along with Beastie Boys keyboardist Money Mark Nishita. The group recorded their first self-titled album at the Dust Brothers' studio in Silverlake, California. Banyan would be the most frequent forum for Watt and Nels to collaborate together for several years. 
Nels then joined Watt in a new project band, The Black Gang, for the recording of Watt's second solo album and first "punk opera", Contemplating the Engine Room. He was unable to tour with Watt at first behind the album, however, due to commitments with the Geraldine Fibbers, so his place was taken over by Joe Baiza. Watt had intended to tour behind the album for a full year, however, so on the final leg of the tour Nels rejoined Watt & The Black Gang. To commemorate the leg, Watt & The Black Gang recorded a special single, "This Is a Prayer", written by Nels and released by Kill Rock Stars. This final leg of the tour pleased Watt well enough to decide to continue the Black Gang as a semi-regular band with the Watt/Cline/Lee lineup. 
Mike and Nels also played occasionally under the band name The Real Oh My with Circle Jerks drummer Kevin Fitzgerald, playing sets of Stooges covers. With Watt's and Nels's increased participation in the Stooges and Wilco, respectively, this particular project band has pretty much petered out. 
Mike Watt reunited the final lineup of the Black Gang (Nels Cline and drummer/vocalist Bob Lee) in 2008 for a new album, one of Watt's first post-Columbia Records projects. The album, tentatively titled My Shubun No Hi, is in the can but has no release date as of February 2011, although it is now assumed that the project will see release on Watt's new clenchedwrench label.
Watt and Nels also collaborate in the improvisatory quartet Brother's Sister's Daughter with mi-gu members Shimizu "Shimmy" Hirotaka and Yuko Araki. Two albums worth of material by this group, recorded in Japan, are also in the can and awaiting a label and release dates. The second album was recorded as a quintet with Yuka Honda (ex-Cibo Matto keyboardist). There is also another recorded project between Watt, Nels, Yuka, and composer/drummer Dougie Bowne, Flooded By Four, which recorded an album in New York City in July of 2009 and opened for M. Ward at Central Park Summerstage on August 1 of that year. That album came out on Sean Lennon's Chimera Music label in September of 2010. 
Nels and Yuka became romantically involved during this time, and were married in Japan in November of 2010. Watt and Yoko Ono were amongst those on the guest list. 
All that, of course, on top of Nels' duties both as a member of Wilco and leading his current instrumental trio, the Nels Cline Singers... 
==External Links==
*Nels Cline Official Website
*Nels on Facebook
*Nels on Twitter
*Nels on MySpace