Weezer (IPA: /ˈwizɚ/) is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1992. Initially, the band consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Matt Sharp (bass, backing vocals), and Jason Cropper (guitar, backing vocals). Cropper was later replaced by Brian Bell. Matt Sharp was subsequently replaced by Mikey Welsh who was later replaced with Scott Shriner. They have released six full-length albums, three EPs, and a DVD. Weezer has sold more than six million records in the US to date.
The band is most known for singles such as "Undone - The Sweater Song", "Buddy Holly" and "Say It Ain't So" from The Blue Album; "El Scorcho", from Pinkerton; "Hash Pipe" and "Island in the Sun" from 2001 album The Green Album; "Beverly Hills", "We Are All on Drugs" and "Perfect Situation" from Make Believe; and most recently "Pork and Beans" and "Troublemaker" from The Red Album.
Influence
Many modern bands list Weezer as an influence. Weezer themselves have listed several influences, among them KISS (with direct references in the song, "In the Garage"), Cheap Trick, Nirvana (who was their labelmate for a very brief time before Kurt Cobain's death), and Pixies (especially early on in their career). Early Weezer demos, such as "Paperface", have very obvious ties musically to the Pixies and Nirvana. Also, the song, "Susanne" originally read, "Even Kurt Cobain and Axl Rose" , instead of "Even Izzy, Slash, and Axl Rose", changed after Cobain's death. There is also a direct reference to Nevermind in "Heart Songs", a track found on The Red Album. As a side project, Weezer also briefly played Nirvana and Oasis covers under the stage moniker "Goat Punishment". In 1998, Weezer covered "Velouria" by the Pixies for a Pixies tribute album, and in 2005 briefly got to tour with their idols for a few dates. Green Day has also been said to be an influence (there is a direct lyric about Green Day in the song, "El Scorcho"), and it has been acknowledged that the two bands are friends with one another and enjoy each other's music. Weezer also contributed the song "Worry Rock" to Different Shade Of Green: A Green Day Tribute.
Members
Current
- Rivers Cuomo — lead vocals, lead guitar (1992–present)
- Patrick Wilson — drums, vocals (1992–present)
- Brian Bell — rhythm guitar, vocals (1993–present)
- Scott Shriner — bass, vocals (2001–present, plays on Maladroit, Make Believe and The Red Album)
Former members- Jason Cropper — guitar, backing vocals (1992–1993) (co-wrote the track "My Name is Jonas" on The Blue Album)
- Matt Sharp — bass, backing vocals (1992–1998) (plays on The Blue Album and Pinkerton)
- Mikey Welsh — bass, backing vocals (1998–2001) (plays on The Green Album)
Discography- Weezer (1994)
- Pinkerton (1996)
- Weezer (2001)
- Maladroit (2002)
- Make Believe (2005)
- Weezer (2008)
Background InfoOrigin Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre(s) Alternative rock, Pop Punk, Power Pop
Years active 1992–present
Label(s) MCA Music, Inc., Geffen
Website
www.weezer.com
Weezer, also known as The Red Album is the sixth studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on June 3, 2008. Rick Rubin and Jacknife Lee both helped to produce the album. Like the first self-titled album (and unlike most Weezer records that featured Rivers Cuomo as the main songwriter and vocalist), other band members contributed to songwriting. This is the first Weezer album to feature lead vocals from all band members.