Weezer: Difference between revisions
→History
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On [[November 15]], Karl updated fans with exciting news. First, Karl announced that the third Weezer album had been green lighted by Interscope/Geffen and recording would begin in December. Second, Karl posted the cover to the new [[Christmas CD]]. Karl noted that Ric particularly enjoyed "[[The Christmas Song]]" and suggested the band have it remixed in a professional studio. Accordingly, the song was remixed the next day. On [[November 19]], the Christmas CD was finished. | On [[November 15]], Karl updated fans with exciting news. First, Karl announced that the third Weezer album had been green lighted by Interscope/Geffen and recording would begin in December. Second, Karl posted the cover to the new [[Christmas CD]]. Karl noted that Ric particularly enjoyed "[[The Christmas Song]]" and suggested the band have it remixed in a professional studio. Accordingly, the song was remixed the next day. On [[November 19]], the Christmas CD was finished. | ||
In total, there were 75 contenders for the Green Album. | In total, there were 75 contenders for the Green Album. The majority of recording took place in LA during December and January. In Mid January, the band relocated to Miami, Florida, for mixing and finishing the record. | ||
====Release==== | |||
Weezer's third album, self titled as ''[[Weezer (The Green Album)|Weezer]]'', was released on [[May 15]], [[2001]] and received mostly positive reviews. The album's debut single, [[Hash Pipe]] was a smash hit. An entire new generation of Weezer fans was created as Weezer climbed the radio charts and their videos got extensive play on MTV. | |||
Shortly after the filming of the first [[Island in the Sun]] video, [[Mikey Welsh]] was mysteriously hospitalized. His whereabouts were previously unknown, as he mysteriously went missing before the filming of the second video for "Island in the Sun". Weezer was prompted to find a temporary replacement for Welsh. Through a mutual friend, Cuomo received [[Scott Shriner]]'s number and asked if he was interested to fill in for Welsh. Shriner accepted the invitation. Cuomo would later say, " just called this guy in L.A. that knows a lot of musicians and I said, "Send the baddest, meanest, most evil guy you got." And he sent Scott. And I said, "OK, cool. You're in." [It was] that easy. He's got a gold tooth. There's no requirements. It's like, "Come on in. Let's see what you can do, and I'll give you plenty of support and just give you plenty of space to be yourself, and encouragement. Let's see what happens." That's what it was like. It's not like there was a predetermined role that I was trying to fit him into. " Many of the details of Mikey's departure seem to be clouded and fuzzy, but it is known that he was having depression, was suicidal, and was hospitalized for his own protection. Weezer has never officially stated why Mikey left the band, but Mikey felt incredibly betrayed by Rivers. It was not until ''[[Make Believe]]'' that Mikey and Rivers became on good terms again. | |||
===''Maladroit''=== | ===''Maladroit''=== | ||
{{Main|Main article: [[Maladroit]]}} | |||
[[Image:Weezer180_Goofy_glasses.jpg|left|300px|Weezer Spin magazine poster]] | [[Image:Weezer180_Goofy_glasses.jpg|left|300px|Weezer Spin magazine poster]] | ||
====Writing and recording==== | |||
With Scott Shriner freshly in the Weezer lineup, Rivers began to turn to a harder rock. At the time, Rivers was reading lots of Nietzsche. He said in a magazine, "I want to conquer far and wide in the name of Weezer." Determined to make Weezer the greatest band in the world, Rivers ironically took an approach that upset many fans and the band. Rivers took complete control of Weezer in a way that he previously never had. Songs got progressively heavier as new song after new song was debuted live for everyone to hear. New live songs were recorded off the soundboard and posted on the official website for fans to hear. When the band went to do a BBC performance, they played all new songs, which included many songs that would eventually appear on their next album. | |||
Also around this time, Rivers became very interested in what fans had to say about Weezer. To Rivers, the fans on Weezer boards acted the same as a record producer, but their insight was often better. They knew Weezer better, they were not motivated by money, and they were easy to talk to. Setting up a message board, Rivers began corresponding with fans, first through Karl, and eventually on his own under the username "Ace" (a reference to [[Ace Frehley]]). During a given day, Weezer would go into the studio, record all new songs, post them online for fans to download and critique, then the next day they would take the advice into consideration and attempt new lyrics, bridges, arrangements, etc. Eventually, relationships between Rivers and the fans grew less and less friendly. Rivers, angered with the fans attacking his new songs and loving only his old ones, wrote the song "[[Space Rock]]", which chronicles the relationship he had with his fans. Still, Rivers and Weezer did indeed take the advice of the fans. Even the album's name, ''[[Maladroit]]'', was a fan suggestion. | |||
====Release==== | |||
Maladroit was released on [[May 14]], [[2002]]. It was the first album to contain a booklet with lyrics. The first 600,000 copies of Maladroit have a limited edition gold number on the bottom corner. Like any other Weezer album, the album was an album of firsts. The album contained thirteen tracks rather than ten, was self produced like ''[[Pinkerton]]'' (Rivers would say 'unproduced'), and inside the booklet was a special message thanking the Weezer fans on the boards. The album received strong reviews, but remains Weezer's lowest selling album. The first two singles, "[[Dope Nose]]" and "[[Keep Fishin']]" received strong radio play and MTV circulation (propelled by great music videos), but the third single, "[[Slob]]", was less received. | |||
===Album 5 Demos=== | |||
{{Main|Main article: [[Album 5 Demos]]}} | |||
Continuing the traditions of Maladroit, Weezer began to explore a new sound, which made heavy use of keyboards, pianos, synths and depersonalized lyrics. These songs were also posted on the official website and are referred to as [[Album 5 Demos]], because although they were intended for a fifth album, which eventually became ''[[Make Believe]]'', their sound and style are completely unique to what would eventually become the fifth album. These songs were also met with a weaker fan reception. Rivers, who had started smoking, drinking, and controlling all facets of Weezer's publicity, eventually got in contact with [[Rick Rubin]], who suggested to Rivers that he meditate. Taking his suggestion, Rivers was able to find some solitude. The result was a drastically different sound. Rivers' last appearances on Weezer message boards were to post two new acoustic demos: "[[Hold Me]]" and "[[I Don't Want Your Lovin']]". Things then became quiet. | |||
===''Make Believe''=== | ===''Make Believe''=== | ||
{{Main|Main article: [[Make Believe]]}} | |||
====Writing and recording==== | |||
Starting the Vipassana meditation practices, Rivers quickly felt the meditation effecting his songwriting. One song, "[[Pardon Me]]" (Rick Rubin's favorite) was written because meditation asked that he seek forgiveness from all those he harmed. Another song, "Hold Me", was written on a fast. The songs began to reflect a more emotional side to Rivers that was absent from Maladroit and compressed in Green Album. Rivers would write several demos, leave them to the band to work with, and then go back to Harvard. During breaks, the band would record and rehearse new songs. Rick Rubin oversaw all of the recordings. The band was able to work with a new found cooperation. The band setup themselves as a democracy and for the first time since the old [[Amherst]] days, were getting along well. | |||
====Release==== | |||
''Make Believe'' was released on [[May 10]], [[2005]], 14 years to the day of [[The Blue Album]]. Several songs were written and recorded during the Make Believe sessions, but few have surfaced other than in the form of the album. | |||
===''The Red Album''=== | ===''The Red Album''=== | ||
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==Members== | ==Members== | ||
===Current Members=== | ===Current Members=== | ||