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Blast Off!: Difference between revisions
Updated live performances, rewrote large swaths of the overview section
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| Producer = Rivers Cuomo | | Producer = Rivers Cuomo | ||
| Live debut = [[August 19]], [[2011]] in [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011|Seattle, WA]] | | Live debut = [[August 19]], [[2011]] in [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011|Seattle, WA]] | ||
| Last played= [[ | | Last played= [[September 3]], [[2023]] in [[Weezer concert: 09/03/2023|San Diego, CA]] | ||
| Status = officially released} | | Status = officially released} | ||
| RC's last song = "[[Lisa]]"<br>(RC# 198) | | RC's last song = "[[Lisa]]"<br>(RC# 198) | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
| Next track = "[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]"<br>(9) | | Next track = "[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]"<br>(9) | ||
| Misc = {{Extra album cover 2 | | Misc = {{Extra album cover 2 | ||
| Upper caption = | | Upper caption = Title artwork | ||
| Type = demo | | Type = demo | ||
| Cover = Sftbhscanlogo.jpg | | Cover = Sftbhscanlogo.jpg | ||
| Lower caption | | Lower caption = Songs from the Black Hole title artwork | ||
}}{{Template:Song lineage:El Scorcho}}}} | }}{{Template:Song lineage:El Scorcho}}}} | ||
"'''Blast Off!'''" is the eighth track off of ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. Previously leaked online, the song was originally written by [[Rivers Cuomo|Cuomo]] as the opening track to the aborted rock opera concept album ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]''. | "'''Blast Off!'''" is the eighth track off of ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. Previously leaked online, the song was originally written by [[Rivers Cuomo|Cuomo]] as the opening track to the aborted rock opera concept album ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]''. | ||
===Appearances=== | |||
==Appearances== | * ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' (2007) | ||
* ''[[ | *''[[Not Alone: Rivers Cuomo & Friends Live at Fingerprints]]'' (DVD, 2009) | ||
* ''[[ | *''[[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011|Live in Seattle, Washington]]'' (2011) | ||
* ''[[ | *''[[Weezer concert: 01/19/2012|Live on the Weezer Cruise - Lido Deck]]'' (2012) | ||
*''[[ | |||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
{{Alone liner notes|The success of Weezer's first album stirred up a lot of mixed feelings in me-- "Yay, I'm happy" as well as "I'm not sure this is the life I want to lead." I set about exploring and expressing those feelings in a rock musical called ''Songs from the Black Hole''. | {{Alone liner notes|The success of Weezer's first album stirred up a lot of mixed feelings in me-- "Yay, I'm happy" as well as "I'm not sure this is the life I want to lead." I set about exploring and expressing those feelings in a rock musical called ''Songs from the Black Hole''. | ||
I had the perfect opportunity to work on this project when Matt had to go back to the United States because of a family emergency leaving the rest of Weezer in Hamburg, Germany, in the middle of a tour, with nothing to do for a week. Karl and I rode the subway to a studio every day in the outskirts of the city. [Today, we still remember some of the subway stops that were called out by the monotone, automated, male German voice: "Kristuskirche... Osterstrasse."] | I had the perfect opportunity to work on this project when Matt had to go back to the United States because of a family emergency leaving the rest of Weezer in Hamburg, Germany, in the middle of a tour, with nothing to do for a week. Karl and I rode the subway to a studio every day in the outskirts of the city. [Today, we still remember some of the subway stops that were called out by the monotone, automated, male German voice: "Kristuskirche... Osterstrasse."] | ||
At the studio, I recorded "Blast Off" which I had re-worked and expanded from a 1993 songlet "Negativland". The song was to be sung by the four male lead characters in the musical, Jonas (me), Wuan (Brian), Dondó (Matt), and our mechanoid M1 (Karl). MI's part I sang with a vocoder. The song expresses the characters' different feelings about heading out on space mission, or, in other words, my different feelings about heading out on tour and up the charts with a rock band. | At the studio, I recorded "Blast Off" which I had re-worked and expanded from a 1993 songlet "Negativland". The song was to be sung by the four male lead characters in the musical, Jonas (me), Wuan (Brian), Dondó (Matt), and our mechanoid M1 (Karl). MI's part I sang with a vocoder. The song expresses the characters' different feelings about heading out on space mission, or, in other words, my different feelings about heading out on tour and up the charts with a rock band.|''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'', [[Alone liner notes|liner notes]]}} | ||
The melody for "Blast Off!" can be traced to at least two earlier songs composed by Rivers Cuomo: "[[Simply State (and the Girl Will Follow)]]," demoed in the spring of [[1992]],<ref>[[Recording_History_-_Page_3#March-_May_1992:_various_8_track_recordings|Weezer Recording History - Page 3]]</ref> and "[[Negativland]]", recorded in May of [[1993]] about the experimental music [[Wikipedia:Negativland|band of the same name]]. In [[1994]], influenced by musical works such as [[Wikipedia:Jesus Christ Superstar|''Jesus Christ Superstar'']], [[Wikipedia:Les Misérables (musical)|''Les Misérables'']], ''[[Madama Butterfly]]'', Cuomo began conceiving a new-wave-influenced rock musical for {{PN|Weezer}} sophomore album, dubbed ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]'', to explore his own feelings about relationships and his newfound stardom with his band.<ref name="alonelinernotes">''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' [[Alone liner notes|liner notes]]</ref> | |||
An [[Songs from the Black Hole, draft 1|early draft]] of ''Songs from the Black Hole'' retained some lyrical elements from "Negativland" for the song that would later be named "Blast Off!". This version consisted of a conversation between band members [[Jonas]], [[Wuan]], and [[Dondó]] following a performance at the club The Black Hole.<ref>Cuomo, Rivers. ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]''. 2011. Self-published</ref> | |||
In February of 1995, during Weezer's tour of Europe, the band resolved to remain in Germany (to cut costs) to allow bassist [[Matt Sharp]] to fly back to the United States after his father suffered a stroke.<ref>[[Recording_History_-_Page_7|Weezer Recording History - Page 7]]</ref><ref>[[AIM chat with Rivers Cuomo excerpts - January 11, 2002]]</ref> Cuomo and drummer [[Patrick Wilson]] rented a recording studio in Hamburg to record demos, among them a solo demo of "Blast Off!" The lead-off track (Act 1, Scene 1) for ''Songs from the Black Hole'' takes place on the main deck of the spaceship [[Betsy II]] on May 10, 2126 (referencing [[Betsy]], Weezer's tour van, and the [[May 10]] release of ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|the Blue Album]]''). The lyrics are a conversation between the main character, [[Jonas]], and his shipmates, [[Wuan]] and [[Dondó]]. Jonas is excited yet reserved about the prospect of doing what he thinks is his dream job, that is, going out into space to save [[Nomis]] from being swallowed by it's sun. Wuan and Dondó are much more upbeat about the experience. In the middle of the song, [[M1]] interjects via vocoder to remind them of the task at hand. In the last verse we learn that a female character, [[Maria]] (the ship's cook), has entered the scene and that Jonas has a history with her from the Star Corps Academy. | |||
Although the ''Songs from the Black Hole'' album concept would eventually be scrapped in favor of that of ''[[Pinkerton]]'', elements from "[[Simply State (and the Girl Will Follow)|Simply State]]," "[[Negativland]]," and "Blast Off!" would be integrated into the ''Pinkerton'' single "[[El Scorcho]]." | |||
===Release history=== | ===Release history=== | ||
The song was initially released to fans online by Cuomo in [[2002]]. In response to a thread on the [[Rivers Correspondence Board]] analyzing the song alongside "[[Death and Destruction]]," Cuomo (posting | The song was initially released to fans online by Cuomo in [[2002]]. In response to a thread on the [[Rivers Correspondence Board]] analyzing the song alongside "[[Death and Destruction]]," Cuomo (posting under the moniker "[[Ace Frehley|ace]]") called the song "one of the greatest melodies ANYONE'S ever written. pure [[Billy Joel|billy joel]]."<ref>''Rivers Correspondence Board''. 14 March 2002. Archived by ''Wayback Machine'': https://web.archive.org/web/20110817071209/http://www.members.shaw.ca/ridd2/threads/rcb/03-14-victory1.html</ref> | ||
During a [[Weezer concert: 10/03/2005 - Rosemont, IL|Weezer concert in 2005]], a fan invited up to sing on "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]" instead sang the lyrics to "Blast Off!"<ref>CLme "Blast Off / Undone" ''YouTube''. 16 October 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNG3RPbxz0M</ref> | During a [[Weezer concert: 10/03/2005 - Rosemont, IL|Weezer concert in 2005]], a fan invited up to sing on "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]" instead sang the lyrics to "Blast Off!"<ref>CLme "Blast Off / Undone" ''YouTube''. 16 October 2007. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNG3RPbxz0M</ref> | ||
Cuomo's demo of "Blast Off!" was first officially released as part of the demo compilation album ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' in [[2007]]. This version was edited in some areas, as the original master tape had been damaged. It features a "fixed" intro, as the original demo had the word 'blast' truncated. It also segues directly into "[[Who You Callin' Bitch?]]" According to [[Karl Koch]], a full-band version was attempted during the sessions for ''[[Pinkerton]]'' and was in consideration for release on the Deluxe Edition of that album in [[2010]], but Cuomo and drummer Pat Wilson ultimately decided the performance wasn't adequate.<ref>weezerpedia "Weezerpedia Interview with Karl Koch - 2017" ''YouTube''. 26 October 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH16IrQRjvk&t=1689</ref> | |||
"Blast Off!" was performed live by Weezer for the first time on [[August 19]], [[2011]] at [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011 - Seattle, WA|a concert at WaMu Theater in Seattle, WA]], as an encore song during a "Double Memories Night", in which the band performed both ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|The Blue Album]]'' and ''[[Pinkerton]]'' in their entirety. | "Blast Off!" was performed live by Weezer for the first time on [[August 19]], [[2011]] at [[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011 - Seattle, WA|a concert at WaMu Theater in Seattle, WA]], as an encore song during a "Double Memories Night", in which the band performed both ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|The Blue Album]]'' and ''[[Pinkerton]]'' in their entirety. At [[Weezer concert: 04/24/2023|a concert in Pomona, California]] on [[April 24]], [[2023]], Weezer "tested" out several songs for the band's then-forthcoming [[Indie Rock Road Trip]] tour, including "Blast Off!" The song remained on the setlist for the rest of the tour. | ||
==Live performances== | ==Live performances== | ||
{| | |||
| style="vertical-align:top;"| | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011]] | *[[Weezer concert: 08/19/2011]] | ||
*[[Weezer concert: 01/19/2012]] | *[[Weezer concert: 01/19/2012]] | ||
*[[Weezer concert: 04/24/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/04/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/06/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/08/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/10/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/11/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/13/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/14/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/16/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/17/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/18/2023]] | |||
| style="vertical-align:top;"| | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/23/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/24/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/25/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/27/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/28/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 06/30/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/01/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/03/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/04/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/09/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/11/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/13/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 07/30/2023]] | |||
| style="vertical-align:top;"| | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/01/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/02/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/20/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/22/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/24/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/27/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/28/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 08/30/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 09/01/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 09/02/2023]] | |||
*[[Weezer concert: 09/03/2023]] | |||
|} | |||
==Music video== | ==Music video== | ||
The music video was directed by [[Karl Koch]] and debuted on Yahoo! on [[January 11]], [[2008]] (later seeing release on iTunes and YouTube) to promote ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. The video features footage of Cuomo in Japan visiting [[Kyoko Ito|Kyoko's]] family in December [[2007]]. This was, notably, the first time fans saw Cuomo with a mustache. | The music video was directed by [[Karl Koch]] and debuted on Yahoo! on [[January 11]], [[2008]] (later seeing release on iTunes and YouTube) to promote ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. The video features footage of Cuomo in Japan visiting [[Kyoko Ito|Kyoko's]] family in December [[2007]]. This was, notably, the first time fans saw Cuomo with a mustache. | ||
<youtube>-qFRdW_Ye8Y</youtube> | <youtube>-qFRdW_Ye8Y</youtube> | ||
==Lyrics== | ==Lyrics== | ||
===Demo=== | ===Demo=== | ||