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Fantima Mansions set up house for Weezer
Author: Jim Martin (Central Florida Future)
Published: December 1, 1994
With the Fantima Mansions[sic] opening, alternative sensations Live and Weezer stopped by Jacksonville University's Swisher Gym to play a few tunes. With two of the three bands achieving modern day godliness by becoming MTV "Buzz" darlings, the cheese was out in force. It didn't stop the slammers from bloodying themselves, making it a long night for the inexperienced security.
Fantima Mansions started the show with the most energetic performance of the night. In support of their latest release on Radioactive records, Lost in the Former West, Fantima Mansions played a combination of new material and old. Perhaps one of the industrial pioneers, the Mansions showed that they are the real deal. Axis spoke to Cathal Coughlin of the Mansions before the show. What he had to say is much like the Mansions Lyrics, strait forward and a relentless.
The Fantima Mansions were formed in the U.K. in 1989 by the two principles in the band, Cathal Coughlin and Sister Mary Aindros O'Gruama, now known as "Grippo." (In the spirit of the man formerly known as Prince, R.I.P.) We asked if he intended to make industrial music or if their sound just happened.
"We used to be into industrial until Nine Inch Nails broke it mainstream....now you've got people who used to be in metal bands getting into it" replied Coughlin with a tinge of resentment. We asked them how big of a difference it was playing in the U.S. opposed to the U.K., where they've been deemed "the best rock and roll band in Britain" by the New Music Express.
"We've been surprised at the response....it's a young audience, much younger than we expected" Coughlin also commented about NME's declaration. "That doesn't mean a thing, the British music scene is becoming a laughing stock. Especially with that crap Suede and Blur are doing." No matter what happens to the British music scene, the Fantima Mansions will be making music for as long as their allowed.
Weezer took the stage in front of a hord[sic] of screaming girls, who probably wanted to undo more than just their sweaters. Despite the volume which was resting on ten-and-a-half, Weezer looked like they were half asleep. It did not effect the execution of their songs, but it looked as if they were annoyed like a father who has been pulled away from his Sunday sports section. Only having an albums worth of material, they played all the favorites of their eponymous debut.
We also ran into Matt Sharp and Patrick Wilson, the bassist and drummer of Weezer after their set. We asked them how did it feel when they were suddenly vaulted into rock stardom.
"It was weird, we went from being a band struggling to one that wasn't, it wasn't a big deal though." Sharpe[sic] replied. We asked how they liked working with Ric Ocasek on producing the album.
"He's a cool guy, we liked him," Wilson said, looking for more words to add to his statement. With no revelations on Ocasek, we moved on to the making of their latest video, "Buddy Holly." The video takes place in Al's Diner from the famed Happy Days television show. In Weezer's bio, it says that Wilson's best friend is in a Buffalo band named Winkler, as in Henry Winkler (a.k.a. The Fonze.[sic]) I wondered if they were closet Happy Days junkies.
"No, that was all Spike Jonze's doing. He had like, three ideas. It came down to either us driving down to spring break in a big car with mufflers (scarves) wrapped around our necks on or the Happy Days idea," Shape[sic] answered. Soon, we were found by many adoring fans so we shook hands and I made my way back to see Live.
Live came out seeming more or less like the consolation prize on a bad game show. The crowd was tired from the Mansions and Weezer, but they still received a considerable ovation. One things for sure, when they say Live they mean Live. Ed Kowalski and the boys played for a solid hour and a half, not including encore. In that hour and a half they played virtually every Live song there is. It was good in that just about everyone heard their favorite Live song, the bad part is that everyone had to listen to all of Live's songs to hear their favorite.
It was obvious the crowd was more into their latest release Throwing Copper, cheering for hits "Alone" and "Selling the Drama." After the show, there was a feeling of drab contentment. Their was nothing to complain about, nor not much to laud - All in all, it was worth the price of admission.
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