Weezer: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia
American rock band
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals).
After signing to Geffen Records in 1993, Weezer released their self-titled debut album, also known as the Blue Album, in May 1994. Backed by music videos for the singles “Buddy Holly“, “Undone – The Sweater Song“, and “Say It Ain’t So“, the Blue Album became a multiplatinum success. Weezer’s second album, Pinkerton (1996), featuring a darker, more abrasive sound, was a commercial failure and initially received mixed reviews, but achieved cult status and critical acclaim years later. Both the Blue Album and Pinkerton are now frequently cited among the best albums of the 1990s. Following the tour for Pinkerton, founding bassist Matt Sharp left the band and Weezer went on hiatus.
In 2001, Weezer returned with the Green Album with their new bassist, Mikey Welsh. With a more pop sound, and promoted by singles “Hash Pipe” and “Island in the Sun“, it was a commercial success and received mostly positive reviews. After the Green Album tour, Welsh left for health reasons and was replaced by Shriner. Weezer’s fourth album, Maladroit (2002), incorporated a hard-rock sound and achieved mostly positive reviews, but weaker sales. Make Believe (2005) received mixed reviews, but its single “Beverly Hills” became Weezer’s first single to top the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and their first to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2008, Weezer released the Red Album; its lead single, “Pork and Beans“, became the third Weezer song to top the Modern Rock Tracks chart, backed by a Grammy-winning music video. Raditude (2009) and Hurley (2010) featuring more “modern pop production”[1] and songs co-written with other artists, achieved further mixed reviews and moderate sales. Everything Will Be Alright in the End (2014) and the White Album (2016) returned to a rock style that was reminiscent of their 90s sound mixed with modern alternative production and achieved more positive reviews; Pacific Daydream (2017) once again featured a more mainstream pop sound.[2] In 2019, Weezer released an album of covers, the Teal Album, followed by the Black Album.[3] In 2021, they released OK Human, which featured an orchestral pop sound and was met with critical acclaim, followed by the hard rock–inspired Van Weezer. In 2022, they released a series of extended plays based around the four seasons, a project known as SZNZ.
Weezer have sold 10 million albums in the US and over 35 million worldwide.[4]
History[edit]
Formation and first years (1986–1994)[edit]
Vocalist and guitarist Rivers Cuomo moved to Los Angeles from Connecticut in 1989 with his high school metal band, Avant Garde, later renamed Zoom. After the group disbanded, Cuomo met drummer Patrick Wilson, and moved in with him and Wilson’s friend Matt Sharp. Wilson and Cuomo formed a band, Fuzz, and enlisted Scottie Chapman on bass. Chapman quit after a few early shows; the band reformed as Sixty Wrong Sausages, with Cuomo’s friend Pat Finn on bass and Jason Cropper on guitar, but soon disbanded.[5] Cuomo moved to Santa Monica, California, and recorded dozens of demos, including the future Weezer songs “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here” and “Undone – The Sweater Song“. Sharp was enthusiastic about the demos, and became the group’s bassist and de facto manager.[5]
Cuomo, Wilson, Sharp and Cropper formed Weezer on February 14, 1992. Their first show was on March 19, 1992, closing for Keanu Reeves‘ band Dogstar.[5] They took their name from a nickname Cuomo’s father gave him.[5] Cuomo gave Sharp one year to get the band a record deal before Cuomo accepted a scholarship at the University of California, Berkeley.[5] In November, Weezer recorded a demo, The Kitchen Tape, including a version of the future Weezer single “Say It Ain’t So“.[5] The demo was heard by Todd Sullivan, an A&R man at Geffen Records, who signed Weezer in June 1993.[5]
The “Blue Album” (1994)[edit]
Weezer recorded their debut album with producer Ric Ocasek at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Cropper was fired during recording, as Cuomo and Sharp felt he was threatening the band chemistry. He was replaced by Brian Bell.[5] Weezer’s self-titled debut album, also known as the “Blue Album”, was released in May 1994.[7] Described by Pitchfork as integrating “geeky humor, dense cultural references, and positively gargantuan hooks”,[8] it combined alternative rock, power pop, polished production and what AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine called an “’70s trash-rock predilection … resulting in something quite distinctive”.[9]
Weezer’s first single, “Undone – The…