The Birmingham News article - July 21, 1995

Print interview with Brian Bell
Publication	The Birmingham News
Interviewee	Brian Bell
Interviewer	Shawn Ryan
Date	July 21, 1995
Title	Nerdy look no hindrance to Weezer's popularity
Format	Print
External link	Archive via GeneologyBank
Associated concert	Weezer concert: 07/22/1995
References	See where this interview is referenced on Weezerpedia

Nerdy look no hindrance to Weezer's popularity Author: Shawn Ryan (The Birmingham News) Published: July 21, 1995 At one point during the zooming success of pop-punkers Weezer, as the band was on its way to selling more than 1 million copies of its self-titled debut, guitarist Brian Bell turned to drummer Patrick Wilson and asked a not-so-simple question: "I asked, 'Why are we so popular, Pat?'" Bell recalls. "He's one of those guys that thinks all the time, actually thinks too much. He thought for a second and said, 'Well, I think it's because we give the kids the rock without looking like Whitesnake.'" Nerd rock. Weezer geeks. No mousse rock or long-haired, tight-trousered poser rock allowed. The four-man band Bell, Wilson, vocalist/guitarist Rivers Cuomo, bassist Matt Sharp don't even resemble rock stars. In fact, they look like they should be camped out in front of computers, pocket protectors stuffed full of multi-color pens and Coke-bottle-bottom glasses (with masking tape holding them together) on their noses. Follow their own fashion The image of the L.A.-based band has been discussed almost as much as their music, a catchy blend of Beatles/Beach Boys pop song structures and the ragged fuzz of punk guitars. Weezer, released over a year ago, falls into the same territory as Green Day or Veruca Salt. But the band's fashion sense is its own. "I personally wear what I'm wearing that day onstage," Bell says from Barcelona, Spain, after missing his flight home that day. "I'm not Joe Rock Star at night, only to become mild-mannered Brian by day." It didn't help (or maybe it did) that the video for "Buddy Holly" showed Weezer as cardigan-wearing '50s band geeks playing Happy Days. The MTV success of "Buddy Holly" and "Undone - The Sweater Song" is in no small way accountable for the band's success. "I think images for bands are important," says the 26-year-old Bell, a Knoxville native. "I've always liked bands that all dressed in suits. But I don't think we have enough sense to do that." Two years ago, Weezer had the sense to form in L.A., "a band of suburban brats," as Bell puts it, who moved from Connecticut (Cuomo), Virginia (Sharp) and Buffalo, N.Y. (Wilson) to find fame in the canyons of the West Coast. Weezer slogged through the gutters of the L.A. club scene for about 18 months before signing with DGC Records. Just before the guys entered the studio, though, they jettisoned their original guitarist, Jason Cropper, who was causing tension within the band. Bell, who moved to L.A. in 1987 pursuing "delusions of grandeur," was in the band Carnival Art, which had released one album on Beggars Banquet. He knew Weezer through mutual club gigs and they approached him to fill the void. "They said the band would have fallen apart if I hadn't joined them," Bell says. He admits to a good bit of anxiety at joining a band that not only was about to enter the studio, but had former Cars pit boss Ric Ocasek as producer. "There's a lot of trial and error (when you join a band), the feeling like you're being put on trial, which you are," he says. "The biggest trial was walking into the studio with Ric Ocasek and your voice and guitar is on the album, you're in the band and your picture is on the cover." Obviously, though, no one expected Weezer to sell 1 million copies. The band didn't even think it was that good, Bell says. Still must work "When you start anything as lucrative as music or any kind of art form, you should be prepared to fail," Bell says. "All the money and record sales and touring, it's kind of like it's good if it happens, but if it doesn't you still work at it." Working at it means sacrificing other parts of your life, Bell says like the normal parts. "You've got to put your priorities straight. Do you want to have a family life or do you want to travel the world and be a rock star?" he says. "Being a rock star is not what a lot of people think. To me it's actually going out after shows and meeting fans and people who want autographs and being nice to people." But Bell, who also has a side project, Space Twins, that he plans to complete once Weezer takes a touring break, says he doesn't plan on doing the rock-star thing for the rest of his life. "I don't want to be 35 and doing this; I want to be retired by that time," he says. "I want to make music all my life, but I don't necessarily want to be the Rolling Stones and have bags under my eyes and creases on my face."

See also

• List of interviews