Songlounge.com interview with Rivers Cuomo - September 2002
Quirky, original and cool are a few of the words that come to mind when we think of the band Weezer. A band that seems to care about one thing above all: GOOD SONGS. Songlounge had a chance to catch up with the band's main creative force, Rivers Cuomo, at the Reading Festival in England.
Songlounge: How do you begin writing a song? Do you have a particular method or system that you adhere to when writing? Do you begin with the music or the vocal line (melody)?
Rivers: In general, my favorite method is GUITAR, then MELODY, then LYRICS.
SL: In your opinion, what is the special ingredient that can transform a bland pop song into a quirky and edgy one like the ones you write?
Rivers: Don't try to be quirky; just write from your personal experience and it will automatically have an individual style.
SL: Do you rely on musicianship or instinct when crafting a song?
Rivers: Only instincts are worth a damn when it comes to creating. That's not to say, however, that you shouldn't TRAIN yourself with rules until they become INSTINCT.
SL: Do you think that collaboration can lead a song astray? In other words, can a song lose its focus if there are too many cooks in the kitchen?
Rivers: I think collaboration is essential to creating complex, well-rounded music.
We would like to thank Rivers and Weezer!
- Maladroit, Weezer's latest album, is in stores now! CD comes with 7 mini video clips!
- New limited edition EP, The Lion And The Witch, out Sept 24th!