Wilco possibly starting its own record label, guarantees "some form of rock" for next album

As reported by Pitchfork, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline has dropped hints that the band is launching its own record label, leaving behind its current home at Nonesuch. In an interview with Express Night Out, Cline is quoted as saying, “I think our main task now is to work on new material and a new album. And now that we have our own record label, there's going to be funny things to come out.” Pressed for details, he adds, “I don't know the name of it. Jeff was basically not wanting to be on a record label for a while—he didn't renew his contract with Nonesuch—so we're striking out on our own, our own label. There might be a 7-inch or something, a little souvenir when we do this Mass MoCA [Solid Sound Festival in North Adams, Ma.] I'm not sure, really. Basically, Jeff and [Wilco manager] Tony Margherita are the masterminds, so I'm just cruising with what they want to do.”

Pitchfork has confirmed with a Wilco rep that the band has indeed let its Nonesuch contract expire, but they apparently did not confirm that the band plans to begin releasing things on its own label—“though it is a possibility.” If so, it’s a bit of a surprise move: Nonesuch famously signed Wilco after Warner Bros. refused to release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and it’s released every album since.

While the band has yet to officially announce the launch of a new imprint, Cline did drop some hints about the next Wilco album, which it plans to begin slowly piecing together this fall: “I think we'd love to make a really up-tempo alienating record—I think everyone agrees that would be enjoyable—but the natural course of music-making kind of precludes that. When things start to take form naturally, you kind of have to honor that. Who knows? There may be ballads. I don't really know, but I do think there is going to be some rocking. You can guarantee a fair quotient at least of some form of rock. “