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Songs from the Black Hole: Difference between revisions
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'''''Songs from the Black Hole''''' ( | '''''Songs from the Black Hole''''' (hereafter abbreviated as '''''SFTBH''''') is an unreleased, unfinished [[Weezer]] album concept. A space-themed rock opera/musical about singer {{PN|Rivers Cuomo}} apprehension about rock-and-roll stardom, ''SFTBH'' was originally envisioned as the follow-up album to Weezer's [[Weezer (The Blue Album)|eponymous debut album]] but, over the course of songwriting and demoing, the concept was discarded, and the project instead evolved into the album ''[[Pinkerton]]''. Several of the songs considered for inclusion on ''SFTBH'' ultimately appeared on ''Pinkerton'' or were released as [[List of Weezer B-sides and bonus tracks|B-sides]]. | ||
In | In [[2007]], ''Rolling Stone'' called ''Songs from the Black Hole'' one of music's lost "mythical masterpieces."<ref>"Lost Music: Green Day’s Stolen Album, Kurt’s Demos and Other Mythical Masterpieces" ''Rolling Stone''. 9 February 2007. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lost-music-green-days-stolen-album-kurts-demos-and-other-mythical-masterpieces-104258/</ref> In [[2014]], ''Vice'' called ''SFTBH'' "better than almost everything [Weezer has] released in the last 15 years."<ref>Bassil, Ryan. "Weezer’s “Lost” Science-Fiction Rock Opera Is Better Than Almost Everything They’ve Released in the Last 15 Years" ''Vice''. 4 December 2014. https://www.vice.com/en/article/6ejjzr/weezers-songs-from-the-black-hole-is-better-than-almost-everything-theyve-released-in-the-last-fifteen-years</ref> ''Stereogum'' called ''SFTBH'' "perhaps the greatest 'what if?' in modern music." | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
The [[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1|earliest known written draft]] of ''Songs from the Black Hole'', as presented in the book ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]'', was dated [[November 28]], [[1994]]. The characters of the story were to be [[Jonas]] (voiced by [[Rivers Cuomo]]), [[Laurel]] (voiced by [[Rachel Haden]] of [[that dog.]]), [[Maria]] (planned to be voiced by [[Joan Wasser]] of the Dambuilders), [[Wuan]] & [[Dondó]] ([[Brian Bell]] and [[Matt Sharp]], respectively), and a robot called [[M1]] (voiced by [[Karl Koch]] via the use of a vocoder). At the time, Wasser was unaware of Rivers' intention of having her play a role on the album. | The [[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1|earliest known written draft]] of ''Songs from the Black Hole'', as presented in the book ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]'', was dated [[November 28]], [[1994]]. The characters of the story were to be [[Jonas]] (voiced by [[Rivers Cuomo]]), [[Laurel]] (voiced by [[Rachel Haden]] of [[that dog.]]), [[Maria]] (planned to be voiced by [[Joan Wasser]] of the Dambuilders), [[Wuan]] & [[Dondó]] ([[Brian Bell]] and [[Matt Sharp]], respectively), and a robot called [[M1]] (voiced by [[Karl Koch]] via the use of a vocoder). At the time, Wasser was unaware of Rivers' intention of having her play a role on the album. | ||
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Over the course of writing the album, Rivers, who'd enrolled at Harvard in the fall of [[1995]], was inspired to change his focus from the space rock opera theme of ''SFTBH'' to the ''Madame Butterfly''-influenced theme that permeates ''Pinkerton''. ''Pinkerton'' was released on September 24, 1996 and included the songs "[[Tired of Sex]]", "[[Getchoo]]", "[[No Other One]]", and "[[Why Bother?]]". These four songs had been written prior to the conception of ''SFTBH'' but had been reworked into the story of ''SFTBH''. Further leftovers "[[Devotion]]", "[[Waiting on You]]", and "[[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]]" (the latter of which was conceived as a ''SFTBH'' song) surfaced as b-sides to the ''Pinkerton'' singles "[[El Scorcho]]" and "[[The Good Life]]". "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams" notably features [[Rachel Haden]] singing lead vocals, in the role that was originally intended for ''SFTBH''. | Over the course of writing the album, Rivers, who'd enrolled at Harvard in the fall of [[1995]], was inspired to change his focus from the space rock opera theme of ''SFTBH'' to the ''Madame Butterfly''-influenced theme that permeates ''Pinkerton''. ''Pinkerton'' was released on September 24, 1996 and included the songs "[[Tired of Sex]]", "[[Getchoo]]", "[[No Other One]]", and "[[Why Bother?]]". These four songs had been written prior to the conception of ''SFTBH'' but had been reworked into the story of ''SFTBH''. Further leftovers "[[Devotion]]", "[[Waiting on You]]", and "[[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]]" (the latter of which was conceived as a ''SFTBH'' song) surfaced as b-sides to the ''Pinkerton'' singles "[[El Scorcho]]" and "[[The Good Life]]". "I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams" notably features [[Rachel Haden]] singing lead vocals, in the role that was originally intended for ''SFTBH''. | ||
Asked why he "ditched" the album concept in a [[2002]] [[AIM chat with Rivers Cuomo excerpts - January 10, 2002|fan correspondence]], Cuomo simply replied "rotr" (referring to the [[1995]] album ''[[Return of the Rentals]]'' by former Weezer bassist [[Matt Sharp]]), adding "plus it was kind of a lame idea". In 2002, several ''SFTBH'' demos were leaked on the internet. These included "[[Blast Off!]]", "[[Oh No, This Is Not For Me]]", "[[Come to My Pod]]", "[[Tired of Sex]]" and "[[Longtime Sunshine]]". Another demo, "[[You Won't Get With Me Tonight]]", was officially released on the [[2003]] compilation ''[[Buddyhead Presents: Gimme Skelter]]''. A very short clip of the band rehearsing "[[Superfriend]]" in Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, in January [[1996]], was released on the Weezer DVD ''[[Video Capture Device]]'' in [[2004]]. | Asked why he "ditched" the album concept in a [[2002]] [[AIM chat with Rivers Cuomo excerpts - January 10, 2002|fan correspondence]], Cuomo simply replied "rotr" (referring to the [[1995]] album ''[[Return of the Rentals]]'' by former Weezer bassist [[Matt Sharp]]), adding "plus it was kind of a lame idea". Cuomo expanded on this in [[2010]], saying "our bass player, Matt, put out his first solo record and I felt like it had a lot of the same musical and lyrical themes that I was planning to explore on the second record. So that would be one contributing factor, my change of heart. Also, I had this really painful surgical procedure on my leg, which lasted 13 months in all and it took me to a place, emotionally, where the whole idea of this whole rock opera started to feel too whimsical for where I was emotionally, going through the pain of the procedure. And so I scrapped the whole idea and went to a more serious and dark place."<ref>Greene, Andy. "Rivers Cuomo Looks Back at ‘Pinkerton’" ''Rolling Stone''. 2 November 2010. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rivers-cuomo-looks-back-at-pinkerton-107425/</ref> In 2002, several ''SFTBH'' demos were leaked on the internet. These included "[[Blast Off!]]", "[[Oh No, This Is Not For Me]]", "[[Come to My Pod]]", "[[Tired of Sex]]" and "[[Longtime Sunshine]]". Another demo, "[[You Won't Get With Me Tonight]]", was officially released on the [[2003]] compilation ''[[Buddyhead Presents: Gimme Skelter]]''. A very short clip of the band rehearsing "[[Superfriend]]" in Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, in January [[1996]], was released on the Weezer DVD ''[[Video Capture Device]]'' in [[2004]]. | ||
As the demos from the ''SFTBH'' began being desired by fans, Cuomo stated on his blog that he was unable to release any of his demos (including ''Black Hole'' songs) because of his contractual obligations to Geffen Records: "...Someday that may change but it won’t be anytime soon...Until I can figure out a way to compensate Geffen records (and in the case of covers songs, the songwriters) I can’t give away my recordings." Also on his blog, Rivers mentioned playing his demos to Jordan Schur, the president of Geffen Records: "...when we were starting to work on Make Believe in 2003, I sat down with Jordan and played him hours of my old demos, going all the way back to the beginnings of Weezer. He didn’t think any of them were album-worthy. Neither did I. The one song he thought was good was "Blast Off" but it 'needs a new chorus.' I agreed." In a [[2006]] interview, commenting on speculation that Make Believe would be Weezer's last album, drummer [[Pat Wilson]] stated that he would be interested in releasing a compilation of "lost" Weezer tracks. This fueled rumours that the band would release previously unheard ''Black Hole'' songs or a completely re-worked version of the ''Songs from the Black Hole'' concept album in the near future. A petition for the band to release the ''SFTBH'' demos was launched by Weezer fans on [[November 27]], [[2005]], with the goal of reaching one thousand signatures. The petition reached its goal on [[March 1]]st, [[2006]]. On [[October 3]], 2005 during [[Weezer concert: 10/03/2005 - Rosemont, IL|a Weezer show at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois]], the band invited a fan up onstage to play the rhythm guitar for "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]". The fan took advantage of this moment to attempt to get the band to play "Blast Off!" by beginning to play the intro to the song and sang the first four lines of the song | As the demos from the ''SFTBH'' began being desired by fans, Cuomo stated on his blog that he was unable to release any of his demos (including ''Black Hole'' songs) because of his contractual obligations to Geffen Records: "...Someday that may change but it won’t be anytime soon...Until I can figure out a way to compensate Geffen records (and in the case of covers songs, the songwriters) I can’t give away my recordings." Also on his blog, Rivers mentioned playing his demos to Jordan Schur, the president of Geffen Records: "...when we were starting to work on Make Believe in 2003, I sat down with Jordan and played him hours of my old demos, going all the way back to the beginnings of Weezer. He didn’t think any of them were album-worthy. Neither did I. The one song he thought was good was "Blast Off" but it 'needs a new chorus.' I agreed." In a [[2006]] interview, commenting on speculation that Make Believe would be Weezer's last album, drummer [[Pat Wilson]] stated that he would be interested in releasing a compilation of "lost" Weezer tracks. This fueled rumours that the band would release previously unheard ''Black Hole'' songs or a completely re-worked version of the ''Songs from the Black Hole'' concept album in the near future. A petition for the band to release the ''SFTBH'' demos was launched by Weezer fans on [[November 27]], [[2005]], with the goal of reaching one thousand signatures. The petition reached its goal on [[March 1]]st, [[2006]]. On [[October 3]], 2005 during [[Weezer concert: 10/03/2005 - Rosemont, IL|a Weezer show at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois]], the band invited a fan up onstage to play the rhythm guitar for "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]". The fan took advantage of this moment to attempt to get the band to play "Blast Off!" by beginning to play the intro to the song and sang the first four lines of the song.<ref>CLme. "Blast Off / Undone" ''YouTube''. 16 October 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNG3RPbxz0M</ref> "Blast Off!" was played live for the first time with the full band on [[August 19]], [[2011]] at [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011 - Seattle, WA|a concert at WaMu Theater in Seattle, WA]]. It was the encore song after a "Double Memories Night", during which the band performed both ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|The Blue album]]'' and ''Pinkerton'' in their entirety. | ||
Sheet music and lyrics for several unreleased ''Songs from the Black Hole'' tracks were made available by Rivers on his MySpace | Sheet music and lyrics for several unreleased ''Songs from the Black Hole'' tracks were made available by Rivers on his MySpace page on [[April 30]], 2006. Lyrics were posted for "Blast Off!", "[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]", "[[Oh Jonas]]", "[[Please Remember]]", "[[Oh No, This Is Not For Me]]", "[[She's Had a Girl]]", and "[[Now I Finally See]]", while sheet music was posted for "She's Had a Girl", "Who You Callin' Bitch?" and "Oh Jonas". | ||
In a November 2006 interview with a Bloomfield Hills local radio station [[Pat Wilson]] told two students that he remembers being caught in Germany and Rivers using a recording studio to record what he wanted to be a rock album. Pat stated that he never knew more about ''SFTBH'' other than that Rivers wanted to make a concept album. | In a November 2006 interview with a Bloomfield Hills local radio station [[Pat Wilson]] told two students that he remembers being caught in Germany and Rivers using a recording studio to record what he wanted to be a rock album. Pat stated that he never knew more about ''SFTBH'' other than that Rivers wanted to make a concept album. | ||
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==Track lists== | ==Track lists== | ||
===Drafted track lists=== | ===Drafted track lists=== | ||
The [[2011]] book ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]'' contains various handwritten drafts of the album's lyrics | The [[2011]] book ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]'' contains various handwritten drafts of the album's lyrics: | ||
{{Lyric box|'''[[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1]]:''' | |||
#"[[Negativland]]"/"[[Blast Off!]]" | #"[[Negativland]]"/"[[Blast Off!]]" | ||
#"[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]" | #"[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]" | ||
| Line 69: | Line 69: | ||
#"[[Dude, We're Finally Landing]]" | #"[[Dude, We're Finally Landing]]" | ||
#"[[Getchoo]]" | #"[[Getchoo]]" | ||
#"[[Longtime Sunshine]]" | #"[[Longtime Sunshine]]"}}{{Lyric box| | ||
'''''Songs from the Black Hole'' synopsis ca. 1995''' | |||
#"[[Blast Off!]]" | #"[[Blast Off!]]" | ||
#"[[Oh Jonas|Jo-Jo's theme]]"/"[[Come to My Pod]]" | #"[[Oh Jonas|Jo-Jo's theme]]"/"[[Come to My Pod]]" | ||
| Line 90: | Line 89: | ||
#"I Don't Belong" | #"I Don't Belong" | ||
#"Goodbye Jonas" | #"Goodbye Jonas" | ||
#"[[Longtime Sunshine]]" | #"[[Longtime Sunshine]]"}}{{Lyric box| | ||
'''[[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 2]]:''' | |||
#"[[Blast Off!]]" | #"[[Blast Off!]]" | ||
#"[[You Won't Get With Me Tonight]]" | #"[[You Won't Get With Me Tonight]]" | ||
| Line 113: | Line 111: | ||
#(untitled interstitial, "Oh! She's a liar") | #(untitled interstitial, "Oh! She's a liar") | ||
#"[[Why Bother?]]" | #"[[Why Bother?]]" | ||
#"[[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]]" | #"[[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]]"}} | ||
===Demoed track list #1=== | ===Demoed track list #1=== | ||
The first recorded track list (referred to by [[Karl Koch]] as "'''Tracklist 1'''" in the [[Recording_History_-_Page_7|Weezer Recording History]]) was compiled by Cuomo from cassette recordings made from late [[1993]] through late [[1994]]. Some of the songs from this set were later demoed and recorded to ADAT tape by Cuomo and [[Pat Wilson]] in February of [[1995]] at a studio in Hamburg, Germany. | The first recorded track list (referred to by [[Karl Koch]] as "'''Tracklist 1'''" in the [[Recording_History_-_Page_7|Weezer Recording History]]) was compiled by Cuomo from cassette recordings made from late [[1993]] through late [[1994]]. Some of the songs from this set were later demoed and recorded to ADAT tape by Cuomo and [[Pat Wilson]] in February of [[1995]] at a studio in Hamburg, Germany. | ||
{{Track listing | |||
|title1 = [[Blast Off!]] | |||
|length1 = 2:02 | |||
|title2 = [[You Won't Get with Me Tonight]] | |||
|length2 = 3:28 | |||
|title3 = [[Oh Jonas|Maria's Theme]] | |||
|note3 = "Oh Jonas" | |||
|length3 = 0:26 | |||
|title4 = [[Come to My Pod]] | |||
|length4 = 1:31 | |||
|title5 = [[Oh No, This Is Not For Me|This Is Not For Me]] | |||
|length5 = 0:44 | |||
|title6 = [[Tired of Sex|I'm Tired of Having Sex]] | |||
|length6 = 2:42 | |||
|title7 = [[Superfriend]] | |||
|length7 = 3:30 | |||
|title8 = [[She's Had a Girl]] | |||
|length8 = 0:55 | |||
|title9 = [[Dude, We're Finally Landing|Good News!]] | |||
|length9 = 1:05 | |||
|title10 = [[Now I Finally See]] | |||
|length10= 0:40 | |||
|title11 = [[Getchoo|Gitchoo]] | |||
|length11= 2:54 | |||
|title12 = [[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]] | |||
|length12= 2:38 | |||
|title13 = [[No Other One|There Is No Other One]] | |||
|length13= 2:46 | |||
|title14 = [[Devotion]] | |||
|length14= 3:16 | |||
|title15 = [[What Is This I Find?]] | |||
|length15= 1:20 | |||
|title16 = [[Longtime Sunshine]] | |||
|length16= 3:17 | |||
|title17 = [[Longtime Sunshine|Longtime Sunshine]] | |||
|note17 = reprise | |||
|length17= 0:30}} | |||
*The song "[[Why Bother?]]" was also recorded, though its place in this tracklist is unknown. | *The song "[[Why Bother?]]" was also recorded, though its place in this tracklist is unknown. | ||
===Demoed track list #2=== | ===Demoed track list #2=== | ||
The second version of the track list (referred to by [[Karl Koch]] as "'''Tracklist 2'''" in the [[Recording_History_-_Page_7|Weezer Recording History]]) was assembled by Cuomo and including some newly-recorded demos, after beginning his semester at Harvard in the fall of [[1995]], as a "last ditch effort" to salvage the ''Songs from the Black Hole'' concept. Ultimately, by the following spring, the concept had been shelved in favor of the concept that would eventually become ''[[Pinkerton]]''. The song "[[Lisa]]" was recorded as part of this track list, but was not intended for ''SFTBH''. | The second version of the track list (referred to by [[Karl Koch]] as "'''Tracklist 2'''" in the [[Recording_History_-_Page_7|Weezer Recording History]]) was assembled by Cuomo and including some newly-recorded demos, after beginning his semester at Harvard in the fall of [[1995]], as a "last ditch effort" to salvage the ''Songs from the Black Hole'' concept. Ultimately, by the following spring, the concept had been shelved in favor of the concept that would eventually become ''[[Pinkerton]]''. The song "[[Lisa]]" was recorded as part of this track list, but was not intended for ''SFTBH''. | ||
{{Track listing | |||
|title1 = [[Blast Off!]] | |||
|length1 = 2:02 | |||
|title2 = [[Who You Callin' Bitch?]] | |||
|length2 = 0:45 | |||
|title3 = [[Oh Jonas]] | |||
|length3 = 0:26 | |||
|title4 = [[Please Remember]] | |||
|length4 = 0:37 | |||
|title5 = [[Come to My Pod]] | |||
|length5 = 1:31 | |||
|title6 = [[Oh No, This Is Not For Me]] | |||
|length6 = 0:44 | |||
|title7 = [[Tired of Sex]] | |||
|length7 = 2:42 | |||
|title8 = [[She's Had a Girl]] | |||
|length8 = 0:55 | |||
|title9 = [[Dude, We're Finally Landing]] | |||
|length9 = 1:05 | |||
|title10 = [[Now I Finally See]] | |||
|length10= 0:40 | |||
|title11 = [[I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams]] | |||
|length11= 2:38 | |||
|title12 = [[Lisa]]* | |||
|title13 = [[Superfriend]] | |||
|length13= 3:30 | |||
|title14 = [[Longtime Sunshine]] | |||
|note14 = reprise | |||
|title15 = [[You Won't Get with Me Tonight]] | |||
|length15= 3:28 | |||
|title16 = [[What Is This I Find?]] | |||
|length16= 1:20}} | |||
'''*''' ''Not intended for SFTBH.'' | |||
===Other songs=== | ===Other songs=== | ||
*"[[You Were a Man]]" - released as part of ''[[Alone IV: The Blue-Pinkerton Years]]'' | *"[[You Were a Man]]" - released as part of ''[[Alone IV: The Blue-Pinkerton Years]]'' | ||
==Sequel== | |||
{{Expand section}} | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
*[[Rivers Cuomo]] | *[[Rivers Cuomo]] | ||
*''[[Pinkerton]]'' | *''[[Pinkerton]]'' | ||
*[[The Rentals]] | *[[The Rentals]] | ||
{{References list}} | |||
[[Category:Songs from the Black Hole]] | [[Category:Songs from the Black Hole]] | ||
[[Category:Pinkerton]] | [[Category:Pinkerton]] | ||