![]() Those issues aside, the track has good lyrics and again, a catchy melody. “No One Else” is a catchy, if not slightly misogynistic anthem about a man wanting to control his girl. The track is super catchy and sets the tone for what is to come. Kicking off with “My Name Is Jonas,” which starts with a little acoustic intro before the full band experience kicks in, with a ton of Pixies-inspired chord progressions to follow. The album itself is ten blasts of power pop earworms, without a dud in the bunch. The videos for “ Undone (The Sweater Song),” and “Buddy Holly” were both directed by Spike Jonze and helped propel Weezer into the mainstream. Rivers Cuomo gave Sharp a year to get the band a record deal, as he also had a scholarship offer to attend the University of California in Berkeley. Matt Sharp, besides being the bassist, was also Weezer’s de-facto manager at the start. Cuomo then re-recorded Cropper’s guitar parts for the record, but Cropper still garnered a writing credit for the intro of “My Name Is Jonas.” Due some issues, Cropper was fired from the band and subsequently replaced by Brian Bell (guitar). To start, Weezer’s lineup consisted of Rivers Cuomo (guitar vocals), Patrick Wilson (drums), Matt Sharp (bass), and Jason Cropper (guitar). To be honest, Weezer’s entire debut record could be released as a “single.” That’s how stellar these songs are. River Cuomo’s songs have a combination of melody, mixed with a slight heaviness, bookended by smart lyrics. Weezer was more or less introduced to the world through “Undone (The Sweater Song) but it was the song “Buddy Holly” and the Spike Jonze-directed MTV smash-hit video that truly launched Weezer to stardom. Weezer’s 1994 debut aka The Blue Album was produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars, so going in, you knew the production would be slick. Weezer was a bit different but still came onto the scene around the same time and in a big way. Green Day came along and made punk viable commercially, so lots of bands were getting deals. The grunge and Seattle scene had left their lasting imprint, and record companies were signing bands like crazy. The early 90s was an especially vibrant time in music. As they enter their second decade, the members of Weezer are still pursuing the rock & roll dream on their own comic terms.All images courtesy of Weezer Facebook (official) ![]() In 2001, The Green Album was released to a Top 5 welcome, fueled by the infectious tracks/videos “Hash Pipe” and “Island in the Sun.” The following year saw the release of Maladroit, a record that solidified Weezer’s reputation as a band with a rock-solid musical heart.ĭuring their current Make Believe world tour, Weezer has performed before a massive, marquee-like “W” insignia that is an obvious aesthetic homage to their childhood influence, KISS. The band’s 1997 sophomore disc, Pinkerton, won raves and gold certification. The group emerged from their hiatus with their pop instincts intact. Cuomo attended Harvard, while Sharp and Wilson worked on extra-curricular music activities. Produced by Ric Ocasek of Cars fame, Weezer’s self-titled debut album sold over two million copies on the strength of three singles/music videos: “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “Say It Ain’t So” and “Buddy Holly.”įollowing several tours, Weezer took time off to discover itself. Founded on Valentine’s Day, 1992, the band was signed to DGC Records (Geffen) after a mere 16 months together. Treading the road less traveled is a habit for the members of Weezer. The result is a broadly appealing fantasy clip that combines the self-deprecating humor of Nirvana, the bling-brandishing charm of rap videos, and the wink-wink cheekiness of vintage Weezer. The band’s affection for the underdog is apparent in their video “Beverly Hills,” in which the quartet bemoans its misfit social standing while romping with fans and Playmates at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy mansion. On their new album, Make Believe, singer/songwriter Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell, drummer Matt Sharp and bassist Scott Shriner continue to cast their lot with the world’s working class heroes. Yet despite their current status as rock & roll major leaguers, Weezer hasn’t changed. By critical consent, the band’s pop-injected rock songs paved the way for the post-punk “emo” sound. The band’s approach was manifest in the hit single “Buddy Holly,” which detailed the plight of a haplessly nerdy couple tyrannized by local bullies.Įleven years and several lapsed musical trends later, Weezer towers as a musical force to be reckoned with. Heartily breaking with decades of jock-rock tradition, Weezer’s self-titled 1994 debut album was that rarity of rarities: a pop record that farcically celebrated willful underachievement.
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