Weezer - Island In The Sun

Interview with Weezer: They Want You To

—by Patrick Slevin, April 29, 2010

California’s Weezer is a band that needs little introduction. But we’ll give it a try anyway. Their debut self-titled, affectionately referred to as the Blue Album, is a bonafide rock and roll mid-‘90s success with its self-deprecating but upbeat songs about love, nervous breakdowns and social awkwardness. And despite the album’s outsider status, you now can’t hear “Undone – The Sweater Song” at a college gathering or bar without being deafened by the crowd sing-a-long.

But the band’s had some down moments as well. Their sophomore album, Pinkerton, was widely panned on release but found a cult audience and has since been heralded as one of the finest albums of that decade. It’s now in the process of getting the deluxe edition treatment from the Weezer camp.

WEEZER - Pork and Beans

WEEZER

by James Bonisteel

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Weezer is a band that has high expectations for themselves and in what they do. They want to really do something with this music business, and so far they are their first album is selling millions. And it's not to be expected, especially after you talk to them. I had a chance to talk to Patrick Wilson the drummer for Weezer on their tour bus. He was over in the corner of the bus playing nintendo when the interview began:

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RAD

Let me ask you how you edited the video for the song "Buddy Holly?"

Weezer

We rebuilt the inside of Arnold's (the restaurant on "Happy Days"), and we dressed up and we would film a scene. We bought some film footage of "Happy Days" and just put it all together. It was really low tagged the way we did it, honestly, except huh well all they did when they filmed us they processed it and made it look a little grainy so it matched the quality of the old footage of "Happy Days." I mean, you can tell when Fonzie does his dance then you see us you can tell it's a different guy and not fonzie. But for the most part it looked really good. I think the thing that makes it really come off is the fact that Al is in it also.

Weezer - Buddy Holly

Weezer

Biography

Weezer is an American alternative rock band. Formed in 1992, they have released eight full length albums, six EPs, and a DVD. Their latest album, Hurley, was released on September 14th, 2010. They have sold over 9 million records in the United States to date.

Weezer formed in Los Angeles, California by Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Matt Sharp, and Jason Cropper, who was later replaced by Brian Bell. Five weeks after forming, they had their first gig, opening for Dogstar at Raji’s Bar and Ribshack on Hollywood Boulevard. Weezer began playing clubs to small audiences around L.A. and recording home-demos. Soon the band began to receive attention from various A&R reps, and were signed on June 26, 1993 by Todd Sullivan, an A&R rep from Geffen Records. The band was signed onto the DGC label (which later became Interscope).

Creating “The Blue Album” (1993-1994)

The self-titled debut, Weezer, commonly referred to as The Blue Album, was released May 10, 1994. “Undone - The Sweater Song”, “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So” were released as singles. The album was produced by former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek. During the recording of the Blue Album, Jason Cropper left the band to take care of his future wife, who was pregnant with their first child. Jason was replaced by Brian Bell, a then bassist from a band called Carnival Art.