Wall of Sound article - June 3, 1997

Weezer Shows Love for Barry Manilow

By Linda Laban

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Following the success of its self-titled debut album, two years of hibernation, last fall's release of a lauded follow-up album (Pinkerton, which recently went gold), and singer-songwriter-guitarist Rivers Cuomo's winter spent back at Harvard, Weezer is, at long last, back on the road. The college-rock quartet hopped on the No Doubt tour and continues through the States until July, when they head off to Japan. After that, Weezer's plans hinge on the success of their latest single, the lonely-guy-in-love-with-a-lesbian song "Pink Triangle."

"We'll pretty much know on this No Doubt tour if it's happening or not," said drummer Pat Wilson.

Both Wilson and bassist Matt Sharp have been busy finishing records with their respective side bands, Special Goodness and The Rentals, while guitarist Brian Bell has been getting into the groove with his Space Twins combo.

With the future uncertain, Pat Wilson took a minute to look to the past with Wall of Sound, reminiscing about his record collection.

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Wall of Sound: First album you ever bought?

Pat: Barry Manilow! I was like four years old. I think I had heard the song "Weekend in New England" and I was way into it. I just had a great love of music from the start.

WoS: The last album you bought?

Pat: I had to replace a record actually, and get the compact disc. It was the Minutemen, Double Nickels on the Dime. I had worn it out. I love it. I bought the new Blur record. I pretty much love whatever they do. They're able to write songs that aren't totally stupid, which is a rare thing.

WoS: So, do you like Oasis?

Pat: I don't like them as much as Blur, but how can you argue with success? They obviously know how to assemble these pieces of music well. They execute the form to perfection.

WoS: Top five albums off the top of your head, in no particular order.

Pat:

The Pleasure Principle by Gary Numan. I was like eleven. I was way into that. I still am. It's the only record I can listen to from that era that makes me feel as good, or better, as it did then.

Louder Than Bombs by the Smiths. I love the Smiths.

Laughing Stock by Talk Talk. It's just a fantastic, timeless record. Stunning—just people with these instruments trying to play things that you will always go back to and say, "These guys knew what they were doing."

There's this band Cardinal with Eric Matthews. It was really, really good. In fact, the guy who produced that record produced my record because I really love him. High quality.

Richard D James by Aphex Twin. I like the techno that has humanness to it, that somehow represents the human condition. If it can do that then it's superior.