Karl's Corner - 02/14/2002

...its so hard to beleive that it was exactly 10 years ago today that i sat in a stuffy, smelly rehearsal room in West Los Angeles and watched the birth of the band who would soon name themselves 'weezer' (named just hours before their first gig a little over a month later). There was no way of knowing then that theyd be together even 6 months, let alone 10 years, but I heard something that day and told myself "wait a minute...i like this music, im not just saying that because these are my friends...this is cool!" It would be many months before the band was truly presentable, and fully 18 months before they secured a chance to be heard nationally. It seemed so odd to me that the cliche of going to L.A. to start a band and get signed, etc, was really happening to MY friends, out of the thousands of bands all trying to make it at the time. To still be with this band now, after all the highs and lows, and realize that we're just really getting into the swing of things...well, its just extremely cool. Thanks to all of you for sticking with us all this time....Well, its fun to wax nostalgic, but we're in the middle of a tour, and the rock doesn't stop for anything! (by the way, if you havent checked out our 10th anniversary frontpage, take a look!)
...thanks for all your International Weezer Tshirt Day stories, and for flying the weez colors today! I think that this is the best day to do this every year, as its a birthday of sorts, plus you can send out valentines and eat chocolate. Some notes of interest: 
:::*On 103.3 the Edge, Buffalo, NY: they read a fan's email request for weezer during the lunch hour show, which mentioned that today was weezer's anniversary; the DJ said, "When your significant other is a band... now that's rock."
:::*a fan told DJ Brooke Hunter from Chicago's 94.7 The Zone aboout the 10th anniversary/T-Shirt Day, and she announced it during her show!
:::*a fan emailed steve lamacq, a DJ on UK's national Radio 1, and he talked about the 10th anniversary/T-Shirt Day on his show!
:::*Blue Springs High School seems to have had the wildest response, actually having "Weezer Week"(!) with "...Tons of people...wearing Weezer t-shirts. People brought green, blue, and pink balloons that said Weezer or had the Weezer =w=, some people had cookies with green icing and Weezer written on them, 9 out of ten chalk boards were covered with Weezer messages, and one person even made stickers that said "Celebrate Wubulous Weezer Week"...." ---Cassie 
...Hyper Extended Midget Tour Show #7: Copps Arena, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada:
What better place to do a big Canadian Weezer show than at a giant hockey arena! Copps Arena is just an impressive looking place, with really steep balconies full of Brady Bunch colored seats, which were rarely occupied by the very willing to stand up and boogie crowd. The stoke factor was HUGE and the people were on the floor were getting their mosh on like nobody's business. Pat reported some minor drum frustrations tonight (not that that stopped him from blasting out the beats), which was about the only negative news of the otherwise epic night. 
...Saves The Day... 
...Maladroit (and assorted) action!
*106.7 KROQ Los Angeles: "Dope Nose" Debuts and gets played! Dope Nose got its L.A. debut today on The Kevin and Bean show on KROQ in Los Angeles, and it was played at least 3 times today (2/14) according to various listeners reports. "...So today I called and they told me I was the first person to call and request Maladroit. They were stoked about the whole thing they played "Dope nose" for me. After the songs was over people were calling in asking who it was, when it was coming out..." ---a fan
*Q101 Chicago: "Dope Nose" is getting played! Planning a weezer-themed weekend starting this Friday. Contest callers may win a "weezer CD catalogue" and qualify to win a trip to London to see a weezer show.
*107.7 The End, Seattle: has been playing Dope Nose regularly and it is now #4 on their top ten countdown of the day.
*WGBK 88.5 FM Glenview - Northbrook: playing "Take Control", and has started debuting a new Maladroit song every Thursday morning.
*90.3(WVPH) the Core, New Jersey: "american gigolo" heard on this station, wed 2/13
*WVHC 91.5 FM, Herkimer NY: have been playing Dope nose and Keep Fishin for a week "...and folks are loving it. we play a [lot] of weezer on our station from all the albums, so i think its only fitting that we were the first station in central new york playing the new stuff...."
*91.3 WBNY Buffalo, NY: play "one o'clock weezer songs" daily (?) (2/13: take control, burndt jamb and in the garage)
*WIDB The Revolution, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale: On the "Andy and Goober show" "...We've been playing Dope Noise and Love Explosion here on our little show. Both songs are getting some feedback from the viewers."
*WTBU Boston U.: "...The Maladroit show went superbly...After I finished playing the album, the phones rang off the hook and our screenname WTBU DJ was SWAMPED with Weezer requests and praise for the new album. Because my show is a rarities show, songs like "Always" "Devotion" "Waiting on You" "Mykel and Carli" "How Long?" "High Up Above" and "Mr. Taxman" all made it on the air, most were requests as well!....At WTBU we have complete show archiving so people can listen to the show at ANY time... Here [streaming mp3] is the link...."
*a fan writes: "...I was just chilling watching my favorite sport in the world with the Dallas Stars vs. the New York Rangers when they blasted "Dope Nose" in the Arena. I was flailing and singing along and all these people looked at me like I was crazy...."
*RADIO21 in Belgium: This national French language radio network of stations in Belgium played "Love explosion"! website here.
*Indonesia! "...Considering Pinkerton was never a big seller over here, it was a pleasant surprise to hear 'The Good Life' on MTV On Sky 101.6 FM last Monday at 12:30 in the afternoon..."
...the people speak out! Here's a fan's response (sent in to MTV.com) to the MTV.com review of the Continental Airlines Arena show...
:::"When I got to the end of this review and saw that it was written by
:::Gideon Yago, I had to laugh. The thing is, I think he's still crying over the
:::fact that Weezer didn't play the 'kiss ass band being interviewed by the
:::ultra-hip and cool reporter' in the 7/17/01 interview. He guises his scorn
:::with a few "generous" adjectives here and there, but truthfully he's so sore
:::he's wearing Desitin. Even if this analysis is wrong, the rest of my
:::commentary still stands. I say that once in a great while a band comes onto
:::the scene that isn't in it for all of the fame and exultance and lines of
:::Mattel dolls. They're doing what they love, making music. And sometimes it
:::just so happens that this band is really talented, and they accumulate a
:::considerable fan base along the way. But this does not change their purpose -
:::the music. Weezer is one of these rarities - a meeting of four very talented
:::individuals who are doing a hell of a great job creating some rock. Being
:::such, I really don't care that they don't come out on stage and change their
:::outfits 55 times in one set. I don't care if they don't wanna try and make
:::conversation with a stadium full of 10,000 people. Pay attention - the music
:::they play at that show is so powerful you don't need any of the b.s. to walk
:::out of that venue in a trance. The fact that they will haul ass all over the
:::country (and not to mention over-seas) to bring us their music is reward
:::enough for me. So what if they don't want to play the game? That's not their
:::job. They are musicians providing us with a great service. If Yago doesn't
:::like it, he can save his money for some other "boy band" show." ---Hannah
...similar sentiment was seen in a recent New York Times review of the same show, from which the following quotes were pulled ("Hailing Kiss and Trying to Turn Into Kiss" by Jon Pareles):
:::"...Facing an audience filled with teenage girls who shouted things like
:::"Rivers is hot," Mr. Cuomo was standoffish, tersely naming titles or
:::sardonically mumbling, "Silence, my children." ..."
:::"...Though Weezer doesn't want to pander to fans, it didn't neglect the music.
:::Songs grappled their way toward apologies, kiss-offs, vows of love or
:::recriminations; guitars surged and blasted between deceptively blithe
:::vocal ooh-wee-oohs. Love (from a girlfriend or from the public) never
:::sounded easy or secure...."
...yet another new interview/article to check out... here. 
Category:Karl's Corner - February 2002