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'''weezer.net''' (also known as the '''Rebel Weezer Alliance''' or '''RWA''') was a [[Weezer]] fan website formed in [[1994]] by Weezer | [[Image:Super-Chrono-20000106-a.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Multiple logos and graphics featured throughout the years on weezer.net]] | ||
'''weezer.net''' (also known as the '''Rebel Weezer Alliance''' or '''RWA''') was a semi-official [[Weezer]] fan website formed in late [[1994]] by Weezer fan Anuj Behal. | |||
==History== | |||
In [[1994]], Anuj Behal (under the username pimpbot2k) created the "#weezer" channel on the IRC network [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EFnet EFnet]; possibly the first public home to [[Weezer]] discussion on the formative internet.<ref name=schrono>Karl Koch. January 6, 2014. "Today in Weezer History: 1/6/2000 - On this day in 2000, the very first online "Karl's Corner" post was put up, on weezer.net (AKA RWA, AKA Rebel Weezer Alliance)". ''Facebook''. Archived from the original on Weezerpedia at [[Historic event: 01/06/2000]].</ref> Later the same year, he formed the Rebel Weezer Alliance website. The name was a reference to the "Rebel Alliance" faction in the film franchise ''[[Star Wars]]''. The site was originally co-ran by Behal and a Utah-based programmer named Tim Boisvert (who joined sometime after the site's formation), however in [[1998]] Boisvert became inactive.<ref>"where's tim?". 1998. ''weezer.net''. Archived from the original on December 5, 1998 at https://web.archive.org/web/19981205221927/http://www.weezer.net/hifi/bios/tim.html. </ref> Dan Gdowski became a secondary webmaster in the interim, alongside Steve Carman who provided technical support. | |||
The website featured a wide variety of contents, including bios for each band member and their [[:Category:Weezer-related bands|respective side bands]], regular news updates, information on the official [[Weezer Fan Club|fan club]], a discography of releases by or featuring [[Weezer]] and side bands, fan-made tabs for many songs, archives of articles on the band, contests for real items, audio/video/image files, etc. | |||
Behal and Gdowski were both members of the [[Weezer Fan Club]] (members #2264 and #2162, respectively) and would communicate often with its founders [[Mykel and Carli Allen]].<ref name="omnibus">Karl Koch. 2016. "weezer.net". ''Weezine Omnibus: Deluxe Edition'' p.341.</ref> The sisters shared news and tidbits with the two to be published to the website for the benefit of online fans, designating the RWA a destination for regular exclusive information. In [[1996]], Behal and Gdowski met band associate [[Karl Koch]] at a [[Weezer concert: 11/17/1996|Weezer concert in Cincinnati]]. The two also stayed in regular contact with Koch, which would later help lead to the adoption of the RWA as an official website.<ref name="omnibus" /> In [[1997]], Behal conducted an [[Weezer.net interview with Karl Koch - 1997|interview with Koch]] to be hosted on the site. | |||
In the [[Weezine Issue 11 - Fall 1997|Fall 1997 issue]] of the Weezer Fan Club print publication ''[[Weezine]]'', in a section dedicated to [[Weezer]] websites, Koch features the RWA as his favorite site, describing it as "official/unofficial".<ref>Karl Koch. 1997. "weezer on the web...a guide to finding weezer in cyberspace!". ''[[Weezine Issue 11 - Fall 1997|Weezine Issue #11 - Fall 1997]]'' p.5. Archived from the original on Weezerpedia.</ref> The section also contains a detailed guide by Behal and Gdowski on how to access the #weezer EFnet channel. | |||
Around [[1999]], a merchandise section was added to the website. It served as an official online storefront for the Weezer Fan Club. | |||
On [[January 6]], [[2000]], the [[Karl's Corner - 01/06/2000|first online Karl's Corner post]] was made onto weezer.net. [[Karl's Corner]] was originally a column in ''[[Weezine]]'', however the impending dissolution of the fan club meant the RWA would serve as a primary means of communication with fans. The column continued online rather than in print, now in the form of smaller, near-daily updates. Throughout, [[2000]], more content was contributed to the site by Koch, including an FAQ, the [[The Special Goodness tour diary - Fall 1999|Fall 1999]] and [[The Special Goodness tour diary - Spring 2000|Spring 2000]] [[Special Goodness]] tour diaries, the [[Recording History]] and [[:Category:Equipment|Equipment History]], etc. At this point, the website had become an official band homepage and exploded in popularity. | |||
In January [[2001]] the band acquired the [[weezer.com]] domain name.<ref>"Buh-Bye.". 2001. ''weezer.com''. Archived from the original on January 5, 2001 at https://web.archive.org/web/20010105185100/http://weezer.com:80/index.html.</ref> The contents of the RWA were slowly migrated to this website and on [[May 11]], [[2001]] it officially went live as the new Weezer homepage.<ref>Karl Koch. May 11, 2001. "5/11/01 Workin' Out The Bugs!". ''Karl's Corner''. Archived from the original on Weezerpedia at [[Karl's Corner - 05/11/2001]].</ref> After this, weezer.net began redirecting to [[weezer.com]], and eventually it shut down completely. Behal and Gdowski continued to serve as webmasters on the new website for a short time.<ref name="schrono" /> | |||
[[Image:2014 EWBAITE Tour "Rebel Weezer Alliance" poster.png|thumb|right|175px|''EWBAITE'' Tour poster design]] | |||
==Legacy== | |||
In [[2014]], a entry to the [[:Category:Today in Weezer history posts|"Today in Weezer history" series]] of social media posts celebrated the anniversary of the first online [[Karl's Corner]] post made to weezer.net, and briefly covered the history of early online [[Weezer]] activity. An illustrated T-shirt and poster design featuring the "Rebel Weezer Alliance" name was sold at shows on the [[EWBAITE Tour|''EWBAITE'' Tour]] later in the same year. | |||
A page in the ''[[Weezine Omnibus: Deluxe Edition]]'' is dedicated to the history and relevance of weezer.net to early online fandom and the [[Weezer Fan Club]]. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[List of Weezer websites]] | *[[alt.music.weezer]] | ||
*[[All Things Weezer]] | |||
*[[List of Weezer websites]] | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | |||
[[Category:Websites]] | [[Category:Websites]] | ||
[[Category:Karl Koch]] | [[Category:Karl Koch]] | ||