Album 5 demos
The Album 5 Demos are a collection of songs recorded in 2002 for the band's planned fifth album. All of the demos from this period were ultimately scrapped, though elements from certain songs were reworked for future songs. Weezer's actual fifth album, Make Believe, would not see release until 2005.
Overview
The first batch of demos, with some being recorded before Maladroit's release, reflect the band's earliest attempts at a fifth album. These sessions broke a lot of new ground, including Rivers Cuomo inviting other members to contribute and sing songs, an increased use of keyboards and organs, and reflecting a songwriting style by Cuomo which focuses more on storytelling and less on his own feelings. Also, a few SS2K songs were recalled for the sessions. In an AIM chat with Rivers Cuomo on January 8, 2002, Cuomo described the sound of Weezer's fifth album as "a combination of The Green Album and Pinkerton, if that's possible! And some Maladroit. But really it's a new different style."
The first known recording session is assumed to have taken place on February 3, 2002 during the mixing/mastering stage of Maladroit. However, this session is not listed in the official Recording History on weezer.com, but was mentioned on Karl's Corner on March 7, 2002, though roughly being dated "early February". With Weezer being on the road on the Hyper Extended Midget Tour for almost the entirety of February, the only date where "studio action" was reported was February 3. A video clip entitled "The Quiet Storm" showing Rivers alone in the studio playing the piano and the drums from this session was eventually released as bonus content on Maladroit.
The first official full-band recording sessions for Album 5 were held at Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, CA from March 3 thru March 8, 2002. Twelve songs were being worked on, including three songs ("Mad Kow", "Modern Dukes" and "Superstar") from what is known as the Summer Songs of 2000. Four songs from these sessions were eventually released as Mp3s on weezer.com: "Yellow Camaro", "Mad Kow", "Modern Dukes" and "She Who Is Militant". All Mp3s were labeled "2002-03-08".
After a brief tour of Europe, Weezer contiued their work at Cello Studios in Los Angeles, CA where they had also recorded Maladroit. The sessions lasted from April 3 thru April 22, 2002, being the longest lasting one before these demos were ultimately scrapped. Six songs were released as Mp3s on weezer.com: "Private Message" and "Yellow Camaro" (same recording as the 3/8 version but remixed and with new vocals and lyrics), both labeled "2002-04-21", and "Prodigy Lover", "367", "The Victor" and "Misstep", all labeled "2002-04-22".
After the Enlightenment tour, demos for the fifth album resumed at S.I.R. Studios, and carried through 2003. By mid-2003, Weezer began to play exclusively acoustic material before returning to electric, full-band material in 2004.
Elements in later Weezer songs
- "Prodigy Lover" was later reworked into "I'm a Robot" from Death to False Metal.
- "She Who Is Militant" shares a COR entry with "This Is Such a Pity" from Make Believe.
- "Hey Domingo!" shares a COR entry with "Peace" from Make Believe.
Studios
- February 3: Unknown studio
- March 3-8: Westlake Studios (West Hollywood, CA)
- April 3-22: Cello Studios (Los Angeles, CA)
- June 20-July 2: Sunset Sound (Los Angeles, CA)
- July 16: The Lodge Recording Studios (Indianapolis, IN)
Song list
| Song | COR # | Author | Recorded | Studio | Mp3 released? | Notes
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Private Message" | 360 | Rivers Cuomo | February 3, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Unknown studio Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no yes yes yes |
Probably a Rivers-only demo - - - |
| "Wool Cap" | 364 | Rivers Cuomo | February 3, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Unknown studio Sunset Sound |
no no |
Probably a Rivers-only demo - |
| "Sugar Cookie" | 365 | Rivers Cuomo | February 3, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Unknown studio Sunset Sound |
no no |
Probably a Rivers-only demo - |
| "Prodigy Lover" | 368 | Rivers Cuomo | February 3, 2002 March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Unknown studio Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no yes yes |
Probably a Rivers-only demo - - - |
| "Mad Kow" | 192 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes no yes yes |
revamped SS2K song |
| "367" | 367 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no yes yes yes |
- - - - |
| "Modern Dukes" | 190 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
yes no yes |
revamped SS2K song |
| "Misstep" | 347 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no yes yes |
- - - |
| "The Victor" | 348 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no yes yes yes |
- - - - |
| "Sacrifice" | 353 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no yes |
- - - |
| "Superstar" | 197 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no no yes yes |
revamped SS2K song |
| "Yellow Camaro" | - | Brian Bell | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
yes yes no |
later recorded by Space Twins and released on The End of Imagining |
| "Untenable" | 359 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no no yes yes |
- - - - |
| "She Who Is Militant" | 369 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no yes yes yes |
- - - different lyrics |
| "Garbage Can" | 363 | Rivers Cuomo | March 3-8, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Westlake Studios Sunset Sound |
no no |
- - |
| "Serendipity" | 325 | Rivers Cuomo | March 6, 2002 | Westlake Studios | no | revamped Maladroit Demo; possibly not recorded |
| "Queen of Earth" | 362 | Rivers Cuomo | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
no yes yes |
- - - |
| "Booby Trap" | 373 | Rivers Cuomo | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no yes |
- - |
| "Mo' Beats" | 372 | Rivers Cuomo | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no yes |
- - |
| "The Story Is Wrong" | - | Patrick Wilson | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no yes |
- - |
| "Buttafuoco" | 374 | Rivers Cuomo | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no |
- - |
| "Steamroller" | 376 | Rivers Cuomo | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no |
- - |
| "Nice to Meet You" | - | Brian Bell | April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no |
- - |
| "Happy Together" | - | Garry Bonner Alan Gordon |
April 3-22, 2002 June 20-July 2, 2002 |
Cello Studios Sunset Sound |
no no |
The Turtles cover |
| "Hey Domingo!" | 371 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
2 versions, labeled 2002-06-29 and 2002-07-02 - |
| "Mansion of Cardboard" | 295 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
2 versions, labeled 2002-06-29 and 2002-07-02 reworked version of "So Low", revamped Maladroit Demo |
| "Fontana" | 379 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
- - |
| "Running Man" | 378 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
- - |
| "Little Songs" | 289 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | yes | reworked version of "We Go Together", revamped Maladroit Demo |
| "The Organ Player" | 381 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
- - |
| "Lullaby" | 380 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 July 16, 2002 |
Sunset Sound The Lodge Recording Studios |
yes yes |
- - |
| "Reason to Worry" | - | Patrick Wilson | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | yes | - |
| "Acapulco" | 284 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | yes | reworked version of "Puerto Vallarta", revamped Maladroit Demo |
| "Birthday Booty" | - | Brian Bell | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | no | - |
| "Louder Than Lies" | - | Brian Bell | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | no | later recorded by Space Twins and released on The End of Imagining |
| "Listen Up" | 273 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | no | revamped Maladroit Demo |
| "Mr. Taxman" | 262 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | no | revamped Maladroit Demo |
| "Saturday Night" | 280 | Rivers Cuomo | June 20-July 2, 2002 | Sunset Sound | no | revamped Maladroit Demo |
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