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A big year for the young L.A. band Weezer
Author: Ed Condran (The Mercury)
Published: November 18, 1994
This has been a memorable year for pop upstarts Weezer. The band, which formed in Los Angeles two years ago, has enjoyed a pair of hit singles, heavy rotation on MTV and an eponymous debut LP, which has gone gold.
But the band is frustrated by an avalanche of bad press. Publications as ubiquitous as Spin and as tiny as the Manhattan Mercury (Kansas, circulation 12,000) have slammed Weezer.
"We've been knocked around by the media since day one," bassist Matt Sharp said during a telephone interview in Atlanta. "We can't seem to do anything right in their view. We have these long conversations with these writers, who seem to have good intentions and then we read their stuff and they rail us.
"The worst was in that paper from Manhattan, Kan. The day of our show out there they printed 'Ten reasons why not to see Weezer.' Fortunately, fans weren't affected by that. In fact, a bunch of kids had some homemade shirts with the word Weezer on the front and the list from the paper on the back. Those kids were cool."
There's no doubt the act, which melds the bubbly pop of Brian Wilson with grungy guitar noise, has a devoted and enthusiastic fan base.
More than 700 aficionados flocked to the Trocadero two months ago to see Weezer.
The group has won over listeners thanks to an album full of infectious tracks. The initial singles, "Undone - The Sweater Song" and "Buddy Holly" are buoyant tunes which are enhanced by pretty harmonies.
Weezer, which also includes singer-guitarist-songwriter Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell and drummer Patrick Wilson, is thankful that Spike Jonze, the pre-eminent music video director, made both of the group's clips.
"There's no doubt Spike has helped us a great deal," Sharp said. "The guy's made a lot of amazing videos (the Breeder's "Cannonball," the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage") He helps you get on MTV."
The Buddy Holly clip is among the best Jonze has ever shot. Weezer performs while inside "Happy Days" footage.
"That was really cool," Sharp said. "We play and you see a young Ron Howard watching us and all of a sudden Fonzie's dancing in front of us. That was our most surreal experience. Like a lot of people I grew up watching 'Happy Days'."
The 25-year-old bassist, who never was in a band prior to Weezer, is a big fan of late '70s entertainment. Aside from "Happy Days," Sharp was enamored of Gary Numan, "Jesus Christ Superstar" and the Cars. Of course, Sharp.was thrilled when Cars mastermind Ric Ocasek was tabbed to produce the Weezer album.
"I was surprised how mellow the guy is," Sharp said while describing Ocasek, who earned a reputation for making cold and calculated music during the Cars heyday.
"He was real loose and tried to make an album that was much sloppier than we envisioned. Obviously the record wasn't sloppy, but we learned a lot from him."
Weezer has also learned a lot, thanks to touring for the last six months. The quartet, which visits a sold out Tower Theater Wednesday, has figured out how to make the best of some difficult situations.
Weezer opens for Live at the Tower Theater. Fatima Mansions also appears. The show, which starts at 8 p.m., is soldout.
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