Christmas CD: Difference between revisions

The ''Christmas CD'' was recorded in November [[2000]] at [[Rivers Cuomo]]'s home studio, dubbed "Mocha Fusion Studios", with additional work done later at [[Cello Studios]] (shortly before the band recorded ''[[Weezer (The Green Album)]]'' at the same studio). The first track, "[[The Christmas Song]]", was originally recorded for inclusion on the annual [[KROQ]] Christmas compilation album ''[[Kevin and Bean: The Real Slim Santa]]'', and was edited and partially re-recorded (at {{PN|Ric Ocasek}} urging){{Citation needed}} for its inclusion on the EP. According to a history of the CD written by [[Karl Koch]] in [[2014]], the promo was released by [[Geffen]] in an attempt to capitalize on potential interest in the song around the country which would not have been reached solely through its inclusion on the regional Los Angeles KROQ release. Koch additionally mentions that the EP served as promotion for the band's upcoming album, which would come out only a few months later.<ref name=Historic />

The CD was sent to radio stations and record stores in December, with fan reports on [[Karl's Corner]] indicating that it began receiving airplay around [[December 7]].<ref>[[Karl Koch|Koch, K]]. ([[2000]], [[December 8]]). ''12/08/2000''. weezer.net. Archived from the original on December 11, 2000, at https://web.archive.org/web/20001211140600/http://weezer.net:80/karl/karlscorner.htm.</ref> Additionally, approximately 1000 copies were sent to members of the original [[Weezer Fan Club]].<ref name=Historic>[[Karl Koch|Koch, K]]. ([[January 1]], [[2014]]). ''Today in Weezer History: 1/1/2001''. Facebook. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/weezer/photos/a.10150253793032273/10151780464822273. Archived from the original on Weezerpedia at [[Historic event: 01/01/2001]].</ref><ref group="Note">It is likely that the official Weezer fan club had been entirely dissolved by the time of this CD's release. However, [[Karl Koch]] indicates that it was sent to prior members by [[Geffen]], to whom he had provided a memberlist from the now-defunct club.</ref> Weezer-themed holiday greeting cards advertising the upcoming release of ''[[Weezer (The Green Album)]]'' were sometimes included alongside the CD. The songs were uploaded as MP3s onto the short-lived "W.F.O." section on [[weezer.net]] around the time of the promo's release, and later onto the A/V section of [[weezer.com]] around December [[2003]].<ref>''RWA: Weezer fanclub online (beta edition)''. weezer.net. ([[2000]]). Archived from the original on January 7, 2001, at https://web.archive.org/web/20010107200500/http://www.weezer.net:80/wfo/index.htm.</ref><ref>''weezer mp3s - straight from the band! '' weezer.com. ([[2003]]). Archived from the original on December 6, 2003, at https://web.archive.org/web/20031206100829/http://www.weezer.com/news/.</ref> [[January 1]], [[2001]] is considered to be "official" release date of the CD.<ref name=Historic />  

In [[2005]], the tracks were released for sale through the iTunes music store with the new title ''Winter Weezerland'' and unique album art. Fan accounts indicate the release received some backlash due to the fact that the songs were previously available for free on the Weezer website.<ref name="Wikipedia revision" /> An email purportedly sent to a fan by Karl Koch which was quoted in an earlier version of the Wikipedia article for the ''Christmas CD'' states that the re-release was done under the direction of Geffen without any input from the band. The EP was removed from iTunes by [[2008]].<ref name="Wikipedia revision">Wikimedia Foundation. ([[2008]], [[February 23]]). ''Christmas CD'' (older revision). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christmas_CD&amp;oldid=193502130.</ref>

In a post on the Weezer Facebook page which recounts the history of the ''Christmas CD'', Koch provides a story about the art's history:

The cover art of the CD has an odd story. The band had been essentially estranged from their label Geffen for so long by 2000 that they were doing most of their own artwork and promotion, (via the rapidly expanding weezer.com). So the plan was to create the artwork for the EP and send it over to Geffen, bypassing their art dept. Back in the summer of 2000, Rivers handed Karl a DV videocamera and told him to start filming. Then, the discovery was made of software that allowed one to capture stills from the video - at the time a revelation, as it seemingly solved the issue of needing a digital camera, which the band did not have and were not yet ubiquitous and easy to manage. On 11/15/00, Karl went and rented Santa suits and the band did a "photo shoot" with Karl filming them to capture stills from later. (The infamous Yahoo Tour webisode promos were shot on this day as well). (The actual Christmas songs themselves were finished up at Cello Studios on 11/15 and 11/16). When it was realized that the stills looked like crap, and that still capturing technology was awful at the time, Karl was finally authorized to buy a digital camera, the 3MP Olympus c-3000. The Santa suits were re-rented and a new shoot was done on 11/31, in the same locations, in front of Rivers' fireplace, and on Rivers' roof.

 

Due to beginners' ignorance of digital camera file management, and subsequent bungling at the label, this 11/31 set of original photos is almost entirely lost or poorly sized today. The black and white shot used on the disc is totally gone, and the front and back cover photos only exist as the final photoshopped versions with text. 2 shots of Pat and Mikey clowning were resized tiny for the web but the originals were not preserved. No other shots from that day are extant today.|[[January 1]], [[2014]]<ref name=Historic />

''Note:'' The dates mentioned in the story above are incorrect. The video footage and subsequent still images were taken on November 13<ref>[[Karl's Corner - 11/13/2000]]</ref> and the reshoot with the digital Olympus camera was on November 15, 2000<ref>[[Karl's Corner - 11/15/2000 (a)]]</ref>.