Potomac News article - June 12, 1997

Print interview with Rivers Cuomo
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Publication	Potomac News
Interviewee	Rivers Cuomo
Interviewer	Courtney Reyers
Date	June 12, 1997
Title	Weezer hits the road after singer's first year at Harvard
Format	Print
External link	Via Newspapers.com
Associated concert	Weezer concert: 06/18/1997
References	See where this interview is referenced on Weezerpedia

Weezer hits the road after singer's first year at Harvard Author: Courtney Reyers (Potomac News) Published: June 12, 1997 Weezer's founding father, Rivers Cuomo, answered matter-of-factly when asked about the band's future. "I don't know." he said. The singer-guitarist-songwriter might not be a psychic, but the road ahead of him definitely forks in many directions. If being in the band doesn't pan out, Cuomo has another option: his Ivy League education will offer him plenty of other opportunities. Weezer's tour with No Doubt, which comes to the Nissan Pavillon at Stone Ridge on Wednesday, started when Cuomo's first year at Harvard University ended. While on tour in support of Weezer's self-titled debut disc, Cuomo stopped at the Boston area school's admissions office and picked up a transfer application. At the time he had a 4.0 grade point average at a community college in California, where the band is based. He wasn't sure if the folks at Harvard knew who he was. "Well, I wrote my essay on what it's like to be a rock star, so I think that helped," he said with a laugh. Rumor had it that the band was about to call it quits, due to internal squabbling, mainly between Cuomo and bassist Matt Sharp. Some suggested the alleged spats led to Cuomo's exodus to higher education. "As far as I know, Matt's not leaving the band," Cuomo said. "I'd say there's only a 0.001 percent chance of that. I was going to school out in L.A. before the first [disc] came out." The break-up rumor began circulating through the band's fan base following the radio and MTV success of "Buddy Holly," the band's second single, which featured a video by Spike Jonze that put the band in the middle of a "Happy Days" episode. "We were really excited about the success of 'Buddy Holly," Cuomo said. "But we knew we'd always be perceived as a goofy pop band, which I guess we are, but we're also much more than that." More than goofiness comes across on Weezer's latest disc, "Pinkerton." Dwelling on rejection in its many forms, the disc introduces listeners to the darker side of the group. Cuomo, the sole lyricist, does plenty of skilled lamenting on songs such as "El Scorcho" and "Good Life." Another buzz in the rumor mill is that the other band members are dissatisfied and frustrated because Cuomo won't let them contribute creatively. Cuomo brushes it off. "We all have our own things to do," he said. "Weezer's just the main one, and I write most of the songs." Sharp's side project, The Rentals, went to England to record its second album, which is due out in the fall. Guitarist Brian Bell and drummer Pat Wilson (who is married) also have a second band called the Space Twins. The time apart - especially while Cuomo was hitting the books has taken a toll on the commercial success for "Pinkerton," as the band hasn't had much time to tour or do videos, Cuomo said.

See also

• Weezer concert: 06/18/1997
• List of interviews