Fan interview with Brian Bell - August 2006: Difference between revisions

''This interview was conducted in August 2006 via email, with Brian A. of acrosstheweez.com acting as go-between/editor, choosing and assembling a set of questions sent in by fans. The questions and answers have been assembled en masse here. The interview was first posted at acrosstheweez.com. Many thanks to all the fans who participated.''

{{Interviewer|Casey|What can you remember about the songs that Weezer rehearsed and recorded in late 1998? This was around the time that "Velouria" was recorded as well as some of your songs that later became Space Twins tunes (i.e. "Butterfly Collector"). This is a hazy period of history for most Weezer fans.}}

{{Interviewer|Question|Rivers has talked about a song called East Coast or West Coast where you and him trade vocals. could you give me some more info how this song would sound?}}

{{Brian|No, but Rivers and I co-wrote a song which I titled "Hand to Hold" for The Relationship record, which I don't think I'm going to put on it, but it'd make a great B-side.}}

{{Interviewer|Joey|Brian, you and Rivers were both Fender Stratocaster guys in the Blue Album era, but Rivers switched to a Gibson Explorer briefly and now only plays Gibson SG's. Yet, you have stayed loyal to the Stratocaster (with the exception of the Les Paul you use time to time). What causes the cganges in Rivers' yet you don't change you axe?}}

{{Brian|The important thing to remember is technique and your ear. But by far my best electric is my 67 Fender Tele Thinline I acquired during Pinkerton. On The Relationship album we used Luther's 67 Gibson SG.}}

{{Brian|Playing in Taiwan, when rock starved kids rushed the stage.}}

{{Interviewer|Millhouse|Do you think you've changed at all as a person since 1994 and the release of the Blue Album?}}

{{Brian|In Weezer during "Jonas" I use a pick. I do what the situation calls for, but my favorite guitar playing is finger style country blues a long the lines of Mississippi John Hurt.}}

{{Brian|Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower"; Weezer "Suzanne"}}

{{Interviewer|Laine|there are a bunch of space twin songs that never saw a real release. songs such as "forgot to ask", "burn in black", and "final voyage" (final voyage being amazing!). there are also songs out there we never even have heard like "seventeen" and "lara". will these songs see the light of day for fans. before you decide though, please consider that while they may be tunes that to you that are "unfinished", to fans, these tunes make us feel, yet all we have poor quality recordings of these tunes that we listen to repeatedly. fan of yours appreciate these efforts, don't let these gems die.

{{Brian|I haven't given it much thought, but after "The Relationship" album gets its due maybe. I've thought about trying a psychedelic children's record with the Space Twins' recording of "Nico", "Flowerpot", "The Clown Song", and "Birds In The Street" then writing an some new ones with Tim Maloof from Space Twins.}}

{{Interviewer|Alex|Brian, did you prefer taking the lead role during the Make Believe tour (such as singing songs or playing lead guitar) or being rhythm guitar?}}

{{Interviewer|Travis|I love the song Superfriend! I've been anticipating any news on this song ever coming out. In your opinion, will the good version this song ever be released?}}

{{Interviewer|Michael|The Velvet Underground cover that you and Pat recorded seems to utilize something that Weezer has rarely experimented with---pure improvisation. I think what you guys did on the Velvets cover sounds the exact opposite of how typical Weezer songs are created. The Enlightenment Tour featured extended intros/outros that allowed room to "jam" (f***ing hippies) and you guys had some moments of improvisation based on the already written parts in the song (Only in Dreams, Death and Destruction), but that seems to be limited to that era. My question is, as a musician seeking out new ways of playing and writing music, do you see pure improvisation as something you want to incorporate into your future musical excursions. Does music made spontaneously have more to offer you creatively than sitting down and methodically planning out musical ideas that are hanging around? If so, do you think improvisational music has a place in the world of Weezer's typical songwriting formula?}}

{{Interviewer|Mike|do you think rivers has a lot of good material kept in the vaults? stuff like lover in the snow, the organ player, modern dukes, etc. we know how the fans love the blue album and pinkerton and some of the stuff that rivers has wrote that is close to that stuff has been kept off the albums. do you think there is some good songs kept away from an album release that shouldnt be?}}

{{Interviewer|ryley|Brian, what is yours and the rest of the band's relationship with former weezer bassist mikey welsh at this point? It seems as if the band has done thier best to forget about him.}}

{{Interviewer|Mark|Where was the 'Island In The Sun' video filmed?}}

{{Brian|Somewhere in LA. [note: more specifically, at the top of Browns Canyon, near Chatsworth. -Karl]}}