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Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums, guitar, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Scott Shriner (bass, backing vocals, keyboards). The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992. They have released nine[10][11] full-length albums, six EPs, and a DVD. Weezer has sold over nine million records in the United States to date.
The band is best known for their successful singles “Buddy Holly”, “Undone – The Sweater Song”, “Island in the Sun”, “Beverly Hills” and “Pork and Beans”. The band’s eighth studio album, Hurley, is released on September 14, 2010 on Epitaph Records. Additionally, a deluxe release of their 1996 album Pinkerton and a compilation of rare and unreleased songs titled Death to False Metal were released on November 2, 2010. They also plan to release a new studio album in 2011.
Weezer had their first practice on February 14, 1992, and their first gig was opening for Keanu Reeves’ band Dogstar shortly thereafter. Weezer signed with Geffen Records on June 25, 1993 and recorded their debut album with producer Ric Ocasek at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. During the recording, guitarist Jason Cropper left the band and was replaced by Brian Bell. The band released Weezer (also referred to as “The Blue Album”) in May 1994. The record label originally did not wish to release a single, to see what sales could be generated by word-of-mouth alone. Soon after the release of Weezer, DJ Marco Collins of the Seattle radio station The End started playing “Undone – The Sweater Song” after being urged by Chris Swenson (manager of Seattle pop-punk band Flop), leading Geffen to release “Undone – The Sweater Song” as the first official single. The music video was directed by Spike Jonze. Filmed in an unbroken take, it featured Weezer performing on a sound stage with various amusing studio antics, including a pack of dogs swarming the set. The video became an instant hit on MTV.
Jonze also directed the band’s second video, for “Buddy Holly”. The video featured footage from the television sitcom Happy Days spliced with the band performing in a remade “Arnold’s Drive-In”, a familiar setting from the series. The video achieved heavy rotation on MTV and went on to win Jonze and the band four MTV Video Music Awards, including Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Music Video, and two Billboard Music Video Awards. The clip is also featured on the companion CD for the Microsoft Windows 95 computer operating system. A third single, “Say It Ain’t So”, followed. Weezer is currently certified triple platinum in the United States, making it Weezer’s all-time best seller. It is certified double platinum in Canada.
Many modern bands, such as Cymbals Eat Guitars and The Fall of Troy list Weezer as an influence. Weezer themselves have listed several influences, among them KISS (with direct references in the song “In the Garage”), Nirvana (who were their labelmates at DGC for a very brief time before Kurt Cobain’s death), Pixies (especially early on in their career), Sonic Youth, Oasis, and Wax. Early Weezer demos, such as “Paperface”, have very obvious musical ties to the Pixies and Nirvana. Also, the song “Susanne” originally contained the lyrics, “Even Kurt Cobain and Axl Rose”, before being changed to “Even Izzy, Slash, and Axl Rose” after Cobain’s death. There is also a direct reference to Nevermind in “Heart Songs”, a track found on The Red Album. As a side project, Weezer also briefly played Nirvana and Oasis covers under the stage moniker “Goat Punishment”. In 1998, Weezer covered “Velouria” by the Pixies for a Pixies tribute album, and in 2005 briefly got to tour with their idols for a few dates. Green Day has also been said to be an influence (there is a direct lyric about Green Day in the song “El Scorcho”), and it has been acknowledged that the two bands are friends and enjoy each other’s music. Weezer contributed the song “Worry Rock” to A Different Shade of Green: Tribute to Green Day. Rivers Cuomo also covered “Brain Stew” in a 2009 AOL Sessions set.
Current lineup
Former members
Touring members
