Generation Blue

Generation Blue is a 2024 multimedia project consisting of an oral history book curated and edited by S.W. Lauden (a pen name for former Ridel High drummer Steve Coulter) and a compilation album (released both digitally and as a limited-edition vinyl LP). The book and vinyl package were first made available for purchase exclusively to members of the Weezer Fan Club on March 16, 2024Lisa Eubank (March 16, 2024). "Fan Club Pre-Sale for new Generation Blue book and record set!". Weezer Fan Club Facebook post. Screenshot. ahead of the package's official release on April 26.
==Overview==
The book, Generation Blue: An Oral History of the Hollywood Geek Rock Scene in the 1990s & 2000s, dissects the history of the geek rock sub-genre which originated in Hollywood, California during the '90s. It covers the influence of Weezer and the Blue Album on the scene's development and includes retrospectives and personal accounts from members of Nerf Herder, Chopper One, Ozma, Supersport 2000, and other bands. The book features a foreword written by Karl Koch and an afterword by Justin Fisher.
The compilation album features 11 rare or previously unreleased songs by the bands featured in the book. Its lead single, "Where the Hell Is She" by Shufflepuck, released on March 15, 2024, accompanied by a new music video assembled using live archival footage and marketing materials.Big Stir Records (March 15, 2024). "Where the Hell Is She". Bandcamp.
The book and album were sold together as a single package by the independent labels Big Stir Records and Spyderpop Records. The album was pressed on blue vinyl in limited quantities. The compilation is also available on streaming and digital music services. The package was first available for sale on March 16, exclusively to Weezer Fan Club members. Its official release date, as listed on the Big Stir Records website, is April 26, 2024. Lauden participated in an interview with the music blog Add to Wantlist on March 24 to discuss the project.
A launch party was held on April 28 at Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, California to celebrate the project's official release. It featured acoustic sets from members of Ozma and Nerf Herder and full performances by Psoma, Ridel High, Shufflepuck, and Campfire Girls.Big Stir Records (March 27, 2024). Facebook post.
The project is a companion piece to Lauden's 2023 oral history on Popsicko, which was also accompanied by a vinyl release. It additionally follows two books of essays collated by Lauden and co-editors, Go All the Way (2019) and Go Further (2021), which covered the history of the power pop sub-genre. The former included an essay on the Blue Album by Daniel Brummel of Ozma, who features prominently in Generation Blue.
==Credits==
===Book===
*S.W. Lauden — Editor
*Karl Koch — Foreword, contributor
*Justin Fisher — Afterword, contributor
*John Lathrop — Cover design
*John M. Borack — Copy editing
====Full list of contributors====
Interviews with the following individuals appear throughout the book. In order of appearance:
:Press [Expand] to view list
*Justin Fisher (of Avant Garde/Zoom/Shufflepuck/Psoma)
*Kevin Ridel (of Avant Garde/Zoom/Lunchbox/Ridel High/AM Radio)
*Adam Orth (of Shufflepuck)
*Jon Pikus (of El Magnifico/Campfire Girls)
*Adam Marshland (of Rockway/Adam Marshland Band/Cockeyed Ghost)
*Christian Stone (of Campfire Girls)
*Linus of Hollywood (of Size 14/Nerf Herder)
*Rod Cervera (of Magpie/Supersport 2000/The Rentals)
*Parry Gripp (of Nerf Herder)
*Jason Cropper (of Weezer/Chopper One)
*Joe Sib (of Wax/Co-Founder Side One Dummy Records/Comedian)
*Bryan Ray Turcotte
*Mike Randle (of Baby Lemonade/Love)
*Karl Koch
*Marko DeSantis (of Popsicko/My Records)
*Lawrence Mann (Club Promoter Raji's/Bubblegum Crisis/Poptopia)
*Rachel Haden (of That Dog)
*Liz Garo (Club Promoter/Restless Records)
*Todd Sullivan (Geffen Records A&R)
*Justine "J.C." Brandy (of Lunchbox/Lo-Ball)
*Marco Collins
*Steve Sherlock (of Nerf Herder)
*Daniel Brummel (of Ozma)
*Darren Robinson (Phantom Planet)
*Jose Galvez (of Ozma)
*Taylor Locke (of Rooney)
*Ryen Slegr (of Ozma)
*Matt Sharp
*Noah Levine (Ozma archivist/community leader)
*Amy Cropper
*David Bash (International Pop Overthrow)
===Album===
*S.W. Lauden/Steve Couller — Compiler
*Cheistina Bulbenko — Production
*Rex Broome — Production
*Alan Petsche — Executive production
*Carl Saff — Mastering
*John Lathrop — Cover/sleeve design
:Press [Expand] to view song credits
Shufflepuck - "Where the Hell Is She"
*Adam Orth — Writing, lead/backing vocals, rhythm/lead guitars, production
*Ed Alexander — Bass
*Justin Fisher — Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
*Keith Fallis — Drums
*Jim Wirt — Production
*James Saez — Engineering
*David Bianco — Mixing
*Stephen Marcussen
Baby Lemonade - "Pop Tarte"
*Mike Randle — Writing, lead guitar, lead vocals
*Rusty Squeezebox — Writing, production, engineering, guitar, backing vocals
*David Green — Engineering, Drums
*David Chapelle — Bass, backing vocals
*Long Gone John — Executive producer
Supersport 2000 - "Mooks"
*Rod Cervera — Music, lyrics, recording, production, guitar, vocals
*Cherielynn Westrich — Lyrics, bass, vocals
*Mike Fletcher — Drums
*Graciela Germann — Guitar
Campfire Girls - "Broken Tooth"
*Christian Stone — Writing, guitar, vocals
*Andrew Clark — Writing, bass
*Jon Pikus — Writing, drums
*John Hanlon — Recording, production
*Campfire Girls — Production
*Alan Yoshida — Mastering
Cockeyed Ghost - "Keep the Sun"
*Adam Marshland — Writing, vocals, guitar
*Rob Cassel — Vocals, bass
*Paul "Wally" Presson — Drums, vocals
Chopper One - "Touch My Fuzz"
*Jason Cropper — Writing, performance
*Amy Cropper — Writing
Nerf Herder - "We Opened for Weezer"
*Parry Gripp — Writing, vocals, guitar
*Ben Pringle — Bass, backing vocals
*Linus Dotson — Guitar, backing vocals
*Steve Sherlock — Drums
*Jay Ruston — Mixing
Ridel High - "Self Destructive" (demo)
*Kevin Ridel — Writing
*Stephen Leroy — Writing
*Steve Coulter — Writing
*Ridel High — Performance
Ozma - "No One Needs to Know"
*Daniel Brummel — Writing, lead vocals, bass
*Patrick Edwards — Drums
*Jose Galvez — Guitar, backing vocals
*Ryen Slegr — Vocals, lead guitar
*Star Wick — Keyboards
*Bruce Witkin — Production, engineering
Psoma - "Never the Same"
*Marc Blistein — Writing, performance
*Justin Fisher — Writing, performance
*Pete Novitch — Writing, performance
*Iain Wade — Writing, performance
AM Radio - "Hush"
*Kevin Ridel — Writing
*AM Radio — Performance
==Track listing==
==See also==
*Hear You Me! A Tribute to Mykel and Carli
*Rivers' Edge
*Weezine
==References==
==External links==
*The Blue Generation Project on Big Stir Records
*Q&A with S.W. Lauden on Add to Wantlist
Category:Generation Blue
Category:Weezer-related bands
Category:Chopper One
Category:Ozma
Category:Shufflepuck
Category:Supersport 2000
Category:Books
Category:2024 releases