Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy stopped by The Pageant last Saturday night for a sold-out book tour event that explored Tweedy’s memories detailed in his recently released memoir, titled “Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back).”

The talk was moderated by Tweedy’s longtime friend Jon Hamm. The singer-songwriter and the Hollywood actor discussed how being natives of the Midwest influenced their work and lives. Jeff, originally from Belleville, Ill., recounted some of the more picturesque elements of growing up in a small town.

“We were often…unsupervised,” Tweedy said, recalling how his first bike seemed like the Holy Grail of mobility, extending the borders of independent exploration and good times with friends.

However, also chronicled in his book are Tweedy’s more real struggles with his environment as a kid. His family life was caring but often fraught with tension, as his father was a pattern alcoholic, something that has had a lasting impact on Tweedy and his music. One summer, the lack of supervision led to a bad bike crash, causing Tweedy to have to spend the rest of the summer in bed. However, this was the first time he began to seriously play guitar, and, as he put it, “It’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

Soon after, Tweedy and his close friend Jay Farrar put together Uncle Tupelo, a group that is often credited with defining an entirely new genre that lies somewhere between alternative rock and country (though, in my opinion, it’s far, far more listenable than any modern country). The group released several records, which Tweedy recalled as being the fulfillment of his goals when it comes to music—as he often articulates it, “Everything beyond that has been a bonus.”

Tupelo, however, disbanded after a relatively short run, and Tweedy transitioned into the Wilco era. Mixed in with all of this was a vast expansion of influence, and Tweedy eventually found himself in Chicago, where he now lives.

Hamm and Tweedy also discussed family at length, as “Let’s Go” focuses extensively on this theme, detailing how Tweedy met his wife, Sue Miller-Tweedy, and the influence their two kids have had on him and his creative process.

Hosted by Left Bank Books’ co-owner Kris Kleindienst, the event was also a chance for fans to ask Tweedy questions, which Hamm read from a preselected stack. Among those was a question about Tweedy’s most “Spinal Tap” moment, which he recounted—with no shortage of reluctance—the “two times” that he “s— [his] pants” before a show, and joked that “in my profession, smelling like s— isn’t that unusual.” Apparently, the details of those stories were cut from an original draft of the book.

Hamm eventually yielded the stage to Tweedy, who also performed two songs from his forthcoming record titled “WARM,” from Wilco’s label, dBpm Records. The crowd was ecstatic, giving both Hamm and Tweedy multiple standing ovations, and there was a long line for book signings afterwards.

“Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.” hits shelves Tuesday.