|
Weezer plays the Florida Theatre
Author: Jim Doherty (The Gainesville Sun)
Published: December 6, 1996
The University of Florida's Student Government Productions group brings its fall semester of programs to a close Saturday night as Weezer and Ash perform at the Florida Theatre.
Many will probably best remember Weezer for the clever videos from its self-titled debut album, the best of which was "Buddy Holly," the one set in Arnold's diner from television's "Happy Days."
What you might not remember is the fact that the singles off of that album were tremendously catchy tunes, in the genre of fuzzy alternative guitar pop. Dubbed in one magazine the "kings of post grunge nerdcore," the band is really just a classic pop combo with a dollop of fuzzy noise thrown on top for good measure. Currently Weezer is on tour in support of its new album "Pinkerton," which is a slab of the same types of tunes you've come to expect.
The group had to lay off touring late last year in the wake of an operation front man Rivers Cuomo had undergone, to correct an imbalance in the lengths of his legs. "I had always been very athletic, pretty much all I did was play football and baseball," he explains, "but as I got taller the doctor told me I couldn't run anymore, because it would mess my back up. That's when I decided I wanted to be a rock star."
Cuomo's dream came true faster than he could have imagined. Weezer formed in Los Angeles in 1992 (although the band makes it clear that none of its members are natives to the city of angels) and quickly caught the ear of a DGC Records rep. The label signed them, and whisked them into the studio with former Cars frontman Ric Ocasek at the helm. The result was unlikely considering the childhood musical inspirations of the band members: "I was totally into hair bands (like Quiet Riot and KISS)," confesses Cuomo. He and his high school buddies Matt Sharp (bassist) and Pat Wilson (drummer) lived together for awhile in Connecticut before travelling cross-country to brave the L.A. club circuit. It's there they added second guitarist Brian Bell, and made a quick impression.
| 
