After returning home from a grueling tour, many bands part ways for a few months and unite again to record or practice. But for Wilco, unity at all times is important.

“We have a loft in Chicago,” says Glen Kotche, Wilco drummer. “It’s where we can hang out, listen to records, practice and relax during our time off.”

Kotche says the band practices every night before they go on stage.

“We have a little jam session in the dressing room between mic checks,” he says. “I’ll have a small drumkit, and the other guys will bring their guitars in, and we will jam.”

Lead singer Jeff Tweedy formed Wilco in 1994 following the breakup of his former band, alternative-country rockers Uncle Tupelo. The original Wilco lineup included every member of Uncle Tupelo’s final roster, except for co-singer/songwriter Jay Farrar, who went on to form Son Volt.

Since Uncle Tupelo’s demise, Wilco has gone through several member changes, in addition to releasing four full-length albums, including last year’s critically acclaimed “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.” Tweedy has also collaborated with singer/songwriter Billy Bragg for two albums, which feature unreleased Woody Guthrie compositions.

Despite the band’s recent success, the band members stay humble.

“Whenever a record has come out, the critics have been generous,” he says. “The new record got extra press, because the DVD came out around the same time.”

The DVD, “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” which was released on April 1, follows the making of “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.” The first disc features the film, and the second features a different version of the film as well as band interviews and bonus footage.

Kotche says the band members approach each show differently. They never cater their performances to certain crowds in different regions of the country.

“I think it would be too hard to try to perform a specific way for every show,” he says.

“Each show is its own thing. We do what feels right the night of the show.”

The band will perform for the first time at the Val-Air Ballroom in West Des Moines Wednesday.

Wilco has sometimes been tagged an alternative-country band, a label Kotche says he believes isn’t necessarily valid.

“We got tagged with the alt-country label because of Jeff having been in Uncle Tupelo,” Kotche says. “Our sound changes all the time, so I don’t understand how that can be true.”

Throughout everything, Wilco has met a fair amount of success by operating on their own terms.

“I think throughout history, we haven’t tried to stay the same,” Kotche says. “We sound different on each record.”