Recording History - Page 2

back to main info page
The Weezer recording history: Page 2
==Carnival Art==
Brian Bell records the Thrumdrone album with Carnival Art, either late 1990 or early 1991 (the record was released in 1991, on Beggars Banquet.) Recorded at A+M Studios in Hollywood. Brian played bass, and was a back up vocalist. 
Note that Carnival Art included two future members of Shufflepuck, Ed and Keith.
==Various 4 track recordings, Spring 1991-Summer 1991==
Most of these, if not all, were recorded at 1711 Stoner Avenue in Los Angeles, on Pat Finn's 4-track
song 	comments
"Sports Beverage" 	spring 1991 4-track version by Pat W. and Pat F. apparently totally lost
"Workplace" (2nd version) 	Pat W. July 1991, Stoner Ave apt, West LA (see below for 1st version)
"Property" 	Pat W. July 1991 (backup vox: a weird girl named Najah), Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Bubblehead" 	Pat W. July 1991 (Karl backup "vocals"), Stoner Ave apt, West LA
«Mudpit (Monster Car Crusher)» 	vocal goofiness - Pat W. + Karl (not a song), July 1991, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Spiderbitch" 	Pat W. covers Rivers' song, 7/91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Run the Gamut" (Version 1) 	(Finn/Wilson) + Karl on keys, 7/91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Run the Gamut" (Version 2) 	(Finn only? or w/ Wilson), 7/91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Mega Man" (original really rough version)	this version is possibly totally lost
"Mega Man" ("known" version) 	intended as instrumental - however, partial vocals exist on master. Pat W, 7/91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
«Winks Jazz Song» 	possibly known as "Autumn". Pat W., summer 91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
«Recent (Jangly) Instrumental» 	possibly Pat W., but might be a Jason C./Pat W. combo
«Homage/Cornwork» 	a freaky song by Jason Cropper and Matt Sharp, done in Nor. CA. late summer 1991
«Rain/What's Stoppin' You» (1st version) 	Pat W., late summer 91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
unknown Pat W. tune 	possibly a cover version, fragment, late summer 91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
unknown Pat W. tune 2" 	fragment, late summer 91, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
"Evil Nest" 	Pat W. covers the P. Finn (Bush) song, no vocals, Stoner Ave apt, West LA
«Insincerity» 	Pat W. (cover version?) Stoner Ave apt, West LA
«Marissa» 	Pat W. summer '91 Stoner Ave apt, West LA ...... lost?
==The Dum Dums==
This was a very strange punk-glam band that was started up by some friends of the guys who would later become Wax. One of these future Wax men was Tom Gardocki, who was playing in Bush with the two Pats. Via Tom, the two Pats made the acquaintance of the Dum Dums. The Dum Dums included two guys named Bob and Vaughn, who were later roommates of both Pats, Jason, and Karl at 1711 Stoner Ave in West LA.
The Dum Dums looked extremely "Sunset Strip" but sang very silly material. Their goal was to steal audience from the "real" sunset strip bands, by making fun of that glam metal music and style.
Early on, Both Pats and Matt Sharp would come out on stage at Dum Dums shows and play weird roles, like Matt and Pat's "Fat Men" schtick, where they would wear huge clothes stuffed with pillows, and bounce around the stage.
After the Dum Dums lost a few members, Bob asked the two Pats to fill in as drummer and bass player, around the start of the summer of 1991. Pat and Pat would play numerous shows with them between summer 1991 and summer 1992.
At least one of these shows was videotaped, but I don't think either Pat was involved in any demo or practice recording with the group. 
(a demo tape exists, but this was recorded before either Pat was involved)
*"Wayne Got Married"
*"Junior Is a Skin Head"
*"I Want My Bike"
*"Mommy Is in the Rehab"
*"Wanna-Be"
*"Blabber Mouth"
*"Kick the Cat"
*"Playpen"
==UNITED DIRT late 1990-early 1991==
United Dirt was a Dum Dums side project, that included most members of the Dum Dums, plus both Pat Wilson and Pat Finn mixed in. This may have laid the groundwork towards the two Pat's later participation in the Dum Dums.
The entire thing was a huge joke. The songs were all extremely foul mouthed death metal, with little musical structure, and were (if one had a broad sense of humor) unbelievably funny. Both Pat Wilson, and Vaughn, (the Dum Dums drummer) played drums at the same time. Bob Hnilo and somebody else screeched out the horrendously offensive lyrics.
The group appeared on stage once, as an "encore" to the Dum Dums, in late 1990. This was recorded. Track list unknown.
Also, a "practice/rehearsal" was recorded, about the same time. (this may have come about due to Bush and the Dum Dums sharing a rehearsal space) 
All in all there were about 6 cohesive songs. Some known titles are... (edited for explicit content) 
*"Master of the Long Boats"
*"Mary, **** of Bethlehem"
*"Pope John Paul, **** My ****"
The practice tape has gone missing. What is intact is a "demo tape", recorded with a drum machine. The demo doesn't have the magic of the 'live' performance, but it's still pretty funny.
If you are familiar with the outrageous work of bands like Exodus and Venom, you might get the idea. United Dirt was a sort of Venom/Napalm Death/Exodus style Tenacious D thing, years before it was ready to be unleashed on the public. 
==Rivers (and others) 8 track recordings early summer 1991== 
By spring 1991 Rivers and his fairly new 8 track had moved to 2914 Urban Avenue in West LA, not far from the Stoner Ave. apt. By summer time, the "Stoner Ave crew" (Pat, Pat, Jason, and Karl) were spending plenty of time there, and new musical collaborations were beginning. It should be noted that the Taco Bell at the corner of Pico and Bundy (perfectly situated between the two apartments) was fast becoming the most frequented eating establishment in the area. 
song 	comments
"The Pop Screen" 	AKA: "The PPP and the BBBB" (nonsense) Rivers and Pat W.
"If You Would" 	this was Justin Fisher's song, with RC assists on vocals and recording
"I'm Your Man" 	(original version of "Hey M'Darlin'") Rivers
"Workplace" (1st version)	Pat W. (Karl on backup "vocals") 7/91? 8/91?
"Hyperspace" 	weird Rivers freakout, not really a song
"Sing to Me Slow" 	Rivers. (fragment of) as yet unnamed "Underground" (see below)
untitled guitar dirge 	unclear if this is Rivers or Pat W. no vocals
"What's Goin' On?" 	Rivers and Pat W. team up for some weird nonsensical music
"I Got So Many Problems" 	Rivers laments in a not very serious way
"Fighting Shoes" 	Rivers with acoustic guitar. A cover version?
"Galactus" 	Rivers drastically cut this song down for the final mix, then destroyed the master. The remaining 15 sec. sounds cool
==Summer 1991 Jason Cropper: various 4 track recordings== 
Jason was also doing his own thing on Pat Finn's 4 track back at Stoner Ave. He recorded a large amount of frenetic guitar oriented instrumentals, none of which were titled.
Of this extensive material, I can definitely speak of 2 songs:
*«I Am Your Blue Sky» (original version, see below for later version)
*"Brotherhood Groove Grand Junction" (Jason's own solo version of his previous band's theme song)
==60 Wrong Sausages (August 1991- December 1991)==
Sixty Wrong Sausages came about in August 1991. The increased collaborations between Pat Finn, Pat Wilson, Jason Cropper, and Rivers somehow blossomed into this band. At first it was a trio: the two Pats, and Jason, playing together in a fashion not unlike Bush (see above, spring 1991). But things were changing a bit and somehow a more carefree, less strict attitude was developing in both the music and in the band structure. 
Meanwhile, Rivers's own Fuzz (with Wilson, see spring '91 above) essentially disintegrated, and he seemed to be starting a "giddy" phase, too. At the Urban Avenue apt, Rivers and Pat Wilson made a group of songs that brought everyone to their knees in laughter. Within a few weeks Rivers had joined this new band, which played a combination of these new songs (see below), some Pat Wilson solo songs, and a number of re-tooled Pat Finn/Wilson Bush-era songs. 
The line-up was:
Pat Finn: bass, and vocals on about 1/2 of the songs, backup vox on the rest
Rivers Cuomo: lead guitar on about 2/3 of the songs, vocals on about 1/3 of the songs, rhythm guitar everywhere else, occasional drums
Jason Cropper: lead guitar on about 1/3 of the songs, rhythm guitar everywhere else, some back-up vox
Pat Wilson: drums on almost everything, vocals on several songs, lead guitar and vocals on a few songs (this is where Rivers would drum)
The band name came about in a spur of the moment discussion. Someone suggested "Sausage", then "The Wrong Sausage", and finally: "No, it can't just be one wrong sausage!! It needs to be, like, SIXTY Wrong Sausages!"
===Rivers and Pat Wilson: 8 tracks===
Rivers and Pat Wilson: 8 tracks 
song 	comments
"Somebody Told Me Ben Gay Doesn't Work"	AKA: "Been Gi" (pronounced "Ben Gay") 7/6/91
"The Barnaby Jones" 	master tape lost? 7/91
«To Get By» 	("Barnaby Jones" reprise remix) 7/91
"Tennis Ball" 	"tennis ball, and canine salivation/ And that's not all, don't you be so perspicacious" 7/91
"Tennis Ball" (re-mix) 	easier to bob one's head to
==="Cholesterol E.P." 11/01/91 full band demo===
In September '91, when the concept of this new band was finally settled upon, the band made the decision to first work on a demo tape as opposed to practicing and playing shows. They recorded in Rivers's tiny Urban Ave. apartment. The drums were done on Wilson's Octopad, as there was no room for drums in the little room. The demo took several weeks, sessions squeezed into school and work schedules, and was not completed till the end of October - after they had finally broken down and started practicing at a rehearsal space. The demo was never distributed beyond friends. The master tapes have been destroyed.
"Cholesterol E.P." 11/01/91 full band demo 
song 	comments
"Evil Nest"	reworked Finn song from late Bush era. Contains an INSANE Rivers guitar solo
"Mega Man" 	Wilsons track, now with Wilson vocals
"Been Gi" 	utterly hilarious and catchy
"Workplace"	another Wilson track. Rivers played the drums on this one
===Practices===
The band then practiced 7 times. All were videotaped, two were audiotaped 
====Practice #1: 10/20/91====
#chatter 
#"Tennis Ball" (RC)
#"Evil Nest" (PF) 
#"Been Gi" (RC) 
#"Mega Man" (PW) 
#"Crayon Man" (PF) breaks down
#"Crayon Man"
#"Beyond Life"
#"Sheriff Wong" (PF – PW)
#"Workplace" (PW)
#chatter, then "Tennis Ball" (RC) (last song on video)
#"Been Gi" (RC)
#chatter
#"Evil Nest" (PF) breaks down
#"Evil Nest" (PF) cut off
#"Evil Nest" (PF)
#"Workplace" (PW) funny ending
#chatter, bass noodling
#random jamming, chatter
#"Run The Gamut" (PF – PW) breaks down
#noodling, "Run The Gamut" (PF-PW) breaks down, Rivers does a cover song ballad
#metal shredding, chatter, "Run The Gamut" (PF – PW) cool ending
#«Jazz Improv 101»
#"Bushman" (RC) funny 
#"Crayon Man" (PF)
#"Beyond Life" (PF) 
#“???” (riff metal song – PW?)
#chatter, “???” (riff metal song – PW?)
#noodling, partial cover of "I Am a Viking"
#"Tennis Ball" (RC) (extended jam version, into "Headmasters Ritual" cover)
#noodling, Metallica riffs
#chatter, tuning, melodica
====Practice #2: 10/26/91====
====Practice #3: 10/28/91====
60 Wrong Sausages practice #3 10/28/91 
song 	comments
"Evil Nest" 	
"Evil Nest" take 2 	
"Beyond Life" 	another reworked Bush song
"Crayon Man" 	another reworked Bush song
"Run The Gamut" 	a Pat and Pat special
"Sheriff Wong" 	Pat and Pat. ("Sheriff Wong! / Filled his bong!")
"Workplace" 	Wilson's track
"Been Gi" 	("shooby doobie doobie, sh-doobie, sh-doobie...")
"Been Gi" (second take) 	
"The Barnaby Jones" 	"Simon and Garfunkel live/ underneath the water..."
"The Barnaby Jones" (take 2)	
"Burn My Britches" 	AKA "I Will Not Cross Over", originally a Fuzz song. by Rivers
"Tennis Ball" 	"....Heath bar crunch/soggy prophylactic/ and ants on the munch!.."
«pigs-fat as f*ck» 	a short tirade by Wilson about the dangers of livestock-keeping
"Immigrant Song" 	(partial cover version)
"Mega Man" 	by Wilson
"Answer Man" 	another Rivers Fuzz track
====Practice #4: 11/3/91====
====Practice #5: 11/9/91====
====Practice #6: 11/13/91====
====Practice #7: 11/20/91====
The band then played one show, at the Phoenix Theatre in Petaluma CA, on Thanksgiving day (Nov 26?) 1991. A videotape of this show exists. The audio quality is challenging due to the awful acoustics in the hall, and a poor quality P.A. system.
The show is interesting because everyone's old LA friend Matt Sharp (then living up in Berkeley CA) came to the show. Within 3 months he would be in the band on that stage at the Phoenix, Pat Finn would not be in it, and a whole new group of songs would be taking over the setlist.... 
==The Truth summer-fall 1991==
Rivers helped his friend Kevin Ridel (later of Lunch Box and Ridel High) record his Christian rock songs, for an album for Kevin's new band, The Truth. Rivers helped engineer this demo, and helped with back-up vocals, and probably the guitar playing. 
*"My Salvation"
*"Eyes of the Children"
*"With You in Heaven"
*"I Belong to God"
*"The Man, the Woman, and the Serpent"
*"Fisher of Men"
*"Move Through Me"
*"The Great Forever"
*"You Gave it All"
*"Stacey's Song"
*"Real Love"
*"My Love is For You"
*"Dreamland"
*«Kevin's Breakfast Cereal Rap» (a joke song) 
Kevin was getting together a band to play shows in his latest attempt to establish himself on the LA scene. Upon discovering some gaps in his band 's line-up, he asked Rivers to play bass, and Pat Finn to play guitar! They practiced together several times (the band also had some bonehead drummer and a trio of heavenly back-up singers), and they played at least one show, at the Whiskey in Hollywood. it was a stellar performance, and may have been recorded, no tape has surfaced as far as I am aware.
==Late Summer- Fall 1991 4 and 8 tracks==
(Meanwhile, various recordings without band identity continued) 
various recordings, Fall 1991 
song 	comments
«funky instrumental» 	8 track- Unclear if this is Pat W. or Rivers
«Lollipop» 	an unknown little Rivers 8 track
«Do You Think I'm Sad?» 	another Rivers solo piece, 8 track
«I Think It's Pretty Cool» (PW/RC/Pat Finn)	a very unusual Finn/Wilson/Rivers team-up. and funny too! 8 track
"Gokuh" 	11/91 - a (very) experimental recording with Rivers, Karl, Pat W., and a bit of Jason, 8 track
"I Will Poop on Their Car Seats" 	9/19/91 - Pat Finn, Rivers, and Karl. Pat was unhappy about a girl, and Rivers offered to "help" him make this twisted song
"Old Man" 	8/91 - Rivers and Pat W. A very cool song, kind of moving beyond the 60WS style....
"Crazy Rocking Rollers" 	Rivers was starting to explore some new writing style. Not so "giddy", a little more "serious"
"Underground" 	Rivers reacts to the advent of "grunge" music. Song is deemed too.... something... for 60WS.
"Oh Geez!" 	this is just Rivers calling an x-rated # and reacting to the recording like a nerdy geek. A comedic classic
«Jesse Says That Morrissey's Gay» 	Pat Wilson 4 track. Note the music is the same as his "Workplace"
«Led Zep-Esque Song» 	Wilson 4 track: I can't tell if this is just fooling around with Zep, or an early prototype of "Went Down Swinging" (SG)
==December 1991-January 1992: "The 50 Song Project"==
Shortly after the first (and only) 60 Wrong Sausages show, the band was no more. Pat Finn was going through some weird times, and Rivers was losing interest in the band, finding more excitement in his own new song material. About this time, Rivers and Pat Wilson expressed a mutual interest in moving toward the type of songs that bands like the Pixies and Nirvana were doing. While there was no definite plan, they embarked on a songwriting spree, hoping to write 50 new songs between them, and from this new roster move forward with an unnamed new band. While no one knew it at the time, this new band would not include Pat Finn, but rather Matt Sharp (who still lived in Northern California at this point). It was a definite stylistic move away from the more rhythmic jazz/jam/riff oriented 60 Wrong Sausages, and consequently the different writing style of Pat Finn.
They never quite made it to 50. However, the old Fuzz song roster was accepted as sufficient material, bolstering the list by at least 5-6 songs. Bush and 60WS songs were deemed too different for the new plan.
"The 50 Song Project"
song 	comments
* "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" (orig.) 	RC 8 track; master is missing
"Cheesewheel" (silly) 	RC 8 track; silly song, doesn't really count as one of the "50"; master is missing
"2-2-Tango" (prototype) 	early version, RC 8 track
* "Wet Dog" 	RC 8 track; silly song, doesn't really count as one of the "50"; master was taped over
* "Transported" 	RC 8 track ; weird song, might not count as one of the "50"; master was taped over
«Guess We Could Wait» 	Jason submits the "Brotherhood Groove" song renamed, 8 track master; taped over, no mixdown survives
* "Make Me a Pallet" 	RC 8 track ; silly song, doesn't really count as one of the "50"
* "It Holds Me Together" 	Rivers and Pat W. teamed up, 8 track
* "The World We Love So Much" 	cover of Gregg Alexander song, not really one of the "50"; Rivers 8 track
* "Undone" (original) 	12/91 Rivers 8 track; master missing; mixdown was sped up to increase tempo, results="chipmunk" vocals
"Jessica" 	Pat W. 4 track; 12/91
"Why Do We Hurt Each Other?" 	Rivers 8 track; 1/1/92, master taped over
"Pulp" 	Rivers 8 track; 1/2/92, master taped over
"Rain" (Version 2) 	(aka "What's Stopping You?"), Pat W. 1/2/92, master taped over
"M.E." 	Pat Wilson 4 track, Gary Numan cover, 1/92
"It's Not the Same" 	Pat W., 1/92 4 track
* "Little Bag" 	Rivers 12/91; 8 track, master missing
* "Close Your Eyes and Gimme a Kiss" 	Rivers 12/91; 8 track, master missing
"I Can't Forget the Way" 	1/1/92 Rivers, master taped over
"Chasm" (aka "Kasim") 	Rivers 8 track 1/2/92; master taped over
"2-2-Tango" (2nd version) 	Rivers 8 track; 1/3/92
* "Colmusheen" 	Rivers 8 track; 1/3/92
"My Oh My" 	Rivers 8 track; 1/92
«Where Can I Go and Rest» 	Pat W.; 8 track; 3/92?
"Lullaby for Wayne" (prototype) 	no vox, much different than later version(s). Pat W.; 8 track 3/92?
* "Thief, You've Taken All That Was Me" (original)	2/92 Rivers 8 track. master is lost
«Blood on the Hands of...» 	Pat W. 4 track; 2/92?
«I Am Your Blue Sky» 	Jason Cropper 8 track, with Rivers vocal back-ups
"My Name Is Jonas" (original) 	Pat W. 4 track original version. No vocals except a tiny bit of Pats original's, totally different melody. No master.
note: "*" indicates recordings that were grouped together on Rivers' original tape of demos he titled Weezer. Others were contemporaneous, but for whatever reason ended up on other tapes. 
RecHis02