Rivers Cuomo (Weezer) Shreds His Favorite Yngwie Lick!

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"I don't use effects," Rivers Cuomo states, matter-of-factly, to Chris Shiflett on this second episode of Shred With Shifty. That might come as a bit of a shock to all the Weezer fans out there who went and bought a Big Muff in an effort to imitate the alt-rock guitarist's sound. For his tones on the band’s famous debut album, he went straight into his amp, and the only effect heard on that record, he says, was a bit of delay on the swells in "Only in Dreams."
The outro solo to "Only in Dreams," the final song on the album, is the subject of this ep. And after the guitarists spend a few minutes discussing Cuomo's inspirations, influences, and the production of both that album and the band's sleeper success, Pinkerton, Cuomo walks Shifty through the solo lick by lick. There's the sequence of octaves high up on the neck, colored by an unexpectedly placed major 7th chord ... and Cuomo's vibrato, which reminds Chris of Brian May. What shapes a guitarist's vibrato? “Must have something to do with your nerves between your brain and your fingers,” Cuomo says.
Before the recording of the album at Electric Lady Studios in NYC, Weezer's label insisted they work with a producer, which Cuomo rejected at first. Then he heard the Cars' "Just What I Needed" in the supermarket one day, and sought out the band's guitarist, Ric Ocasek. Ocasek was the one to push Cuomo to record an outro solo over the previously stripped-down, rhythm-section-based final three minutes of "Only in Dreams." After weeks of Ocasek's encouragement, Cuomo found himself alone in the studio one weekend and improvised his way through the solo. "This might be hard to believe, but when we started out, we were much more like a hippie band," Cuomo explains, describing his past devotion to Trey Anastasio. As it turns out, part of the "Only in Dreams" solo came out of Weezer's jamming portions of the song during their live shows.
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Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Gregory Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.

[@BodaciousWickerman]

Now I wanna see Yngwie play his favourite Weezer lick!

[@antzooma]

Yngwie had a song Island in the Sun so it's probably that

[@PhilTougas]

People forget Rivers used to play in a progressive power metal band in the 80s called Avant Garde. The guitar work on these demos was actually very killer.

[@neonnews-newlondoncounty2617]

Wore the tape out in my car. Paris Rain and Father Time.

[@tlniec]

Renaissance was my jam

[@jeffjones3040]

So what happened to him? Did he fall and hit his head?

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

​@@jeffjones3040He went from neo-classical to for the most part more straight forward soloing. Most of his modern solos are pretty good, and recently he has been doing some interesting stuff in his solos

[@eriklarson9137]

@@jeffjones3040 Yup. I didn't forget that, because I never knew. And he seems to have forgotten how to play since then so...

[@DeanLamb]

This is absolutely amazing.

[@BeardyGit89]

Now you do a 600bpm 9 string version lol

[@onetakehoovie5955]

A lot of people forget rivers was a super shredder wannabe like so many young guitarists of the late 80s but went through the path of a songwriter instead.

[@Jh-fi5im]

Lots of those super shredder types are also amazing songwriters

[@onetakehoovie5955]

@@Jh-fi5im the ones we have heard of of course! But I cant imagine the amount of yngwie clones making their way to MIT around that time and Rivers probably decided he would rather go the complete opposite than try and stand out in a sea of clones

[@safenders]

@@Rock_androll454na

[@dmitryowens]

Same here, except I didn't make millions. Or even thousands - lol

[@dmitryowens]

​@@Jh-fi5im Not.

[@rickdaniels1789]

"Oh my god, dude! That's amazing! You just whipped that out"! I'm really glad this was a video and not a radio broadcast.

[@xXSlImReEfErXx]

“That’s amazing dude, you just whipped that out”…. that’s what she said.

[@richarde3378]

I love it when a guitarist you don't think can shred... can shred! Another awesome interview, Chris. Can't wait for the next artist!

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

Did not expect that from Mr. Weezer. He’s flown under my radar all my life but he’s got my attention now.

[@ejRecording]

blue red and green album , i need to catch up on them but thats where you start

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

@@ejRecording Blue album is my favorite from the limited knowledge that I do have of them. I’ll have to dig deeper into it.

[@shuttheup589]

@@TylerJohnstonGuitar Pinkerton and white album!

[@Michael-eu1mz]

Me either

[@ScreenTeamShow]

Great video, gotta love Rivers. Such a cool guy. Grew up playing air guitar to Ace as well. Weezer still puts out amazing stuff, the SZNS collection is so good.

[@johnp.johnson1541]

Ace was terrible. Kiddos who were into Kiss knew nothing about music.

[@senderoverland]

@@johnp.johnson1541what a sad individual you must be to comment this multiple times to different people.

[@johnp.johnson1541]

@@senderoverland Someone here is sad but that one is not me. I have written about Frehley but once and it is here. Terrible, hack he was. Kids who no musical sense fell for the costumes and the fireworks. Good luck though!

[@robertdouble559]

I remember on the old Weezer "video vault" DVD there's footage of rivers looking through the 24 track tapes at the studio they're recording at and he finds the STEELER masters and says "STEELER!!! That's YNGWIE!!!" Add to that the fact he bought the Marshall Warren Di Martini's used on the early Ratt albums and River used on the Weezer Green album and yeah, you've got an 80s soft-shred-metal super-nerd in Mr Cuomo. Shit. Now I'm starting to sound like that SNL Weezer sketch. TMI.

[@wmvnotmp4]

"I understand rivers better than he understands himself!"

[@lonewolf982000]

"Ride or Die." "...for Weezer?"

[@davida6889]

I still watch Yngwie with Rising Force live in Japan .Jeff Scott Soto on vocals .The whole concert is mind blowing and Yngwie breaks out a red strat and does the 80s guitar swing the guitar around your back and catch it ..Its one of his best live performances if not the best...

[@lparengkuan]

Still one of tge best live show

[@devinmcmanus]

Rivers is a musician to emulate. Singer, songwriter and shredder who doesn't take himself too seriously.

[@andrewpappas9311]

This was great, definitely looking forward to seeing the full interview with Rivers

[@SamB..1995]

Really looking forward to the full episode

[@yojoebananas]

Chris, you're living the life. these guitar interviews are so much fun to listen to and I don't even play guitar

[@DetroitFettyghost]

Chris!! What's up brother really good to see you! First time I seen you playin out live was back in the 90s, really cool to see you pop up with a KZbin channel and glad I got here before it's blown up and there's 10,000 videos for me to go through. Much-love brother good to see you!

[@virtualscouser]

Rivers is such a humble (and genuine) human, thanks for doing this interview with him.

[@patrickbateman7769]

hopefully, he seems like a good bloke in most of his interviews but allegedly he completely iced Steve Lukather after the whole toto covering weezer weezer covering toto thing. Just would not say hi to him at all, and according to Steve Rivers is still the first and only person to be like that towards him in the entire music industry.

[@MrSvante88]

The title said he would shred an Yngwie lick and he did in fact shred one of Yngwies most classic licks !

[@eddieforfun]

Wow?! That was fantastic! I pass by the venue that Weezer is performing tonight. I remembered this video... It makes me happy that there are people that can still play that kind of music! 😎🙏🎸

[@calixohiggins9843]

Not sure why it's so surprising that he's capable of this level of shred, but even their first hits like Buddy Holly and Say it Ain't So had guitar work that let you know he can shred. He's a total guitar nerd and songwriting mad genius!

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

At the end of return to ithaka he sweep picks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYixmGiZqKymbJosi=NBuv8MCQi-OvI1b9

[@DZKMN74]

LOVE this new series Chris! Candy for us guitarists!

[@Lespaul13100]

Wow! Rivers plays Yngwie neo-classical runs! Ace was one of my big influences as a kid when I first started playing guitar too! I'm still playing Quiet Riot songs in my band! Saw Yngwie when he was in Alcatrazz, blew my mind!

[@zacksguitarhacks6390]

Wow I didn't expect that. I would never have thought the Weezer front man would have those kinds of musical roots and actually be that skilled at it.

[@IAmWonito]

He's a way better guitar player than his songwriting for Weezer would imply.

[@modelcitizen1977]

His solo on Tired of Having Sex is an absolute ripper.

[@jasonbrumley5453]

Weezer is the Nic Cage of rock music. They both have amazing and awful work in their catalog and it varies wildly

[@tomalophicon]

​@@jasonbrumley5453sounds like 97% of bands

[@Guitarisforgrins]

It's harder to write timeless hooks than it is to shred.

[@DougHell]

@@jasonbrumley5453 You fucking nailed it. Amazing analogy. Tom Alophicon or whatever his dweeb name is, is salty he didn't come up with it. People like that shouldn't be allowed to comment on KZbin. (stay tuned for the assassination of my art)

[@escapefromtmrw]

That was awesome!! Put a smile on my face.

[@paulanderson771]

Growing up 80s was awesome. I wish I had been more open minded about the 60s and 70s music at the time. I had that "sounds really old" mentality until I was much older and now my favorite bands are from that era.

[@jascatt3341]

Awesome interview!👍

[@jefflikeusual20]

Rivers is a legend. Always loved his songwriting and voice and he was my path down the beach boys rabbit hole!

[@JohnnyBargeldBoom]

Now I wanna see the whole interview!

[@lillymayer6114]

Gonna need the full episode, pronto.

[@centerhillcards]

I can relate to Rivers minus learning Yngwie licks, I did have his influences from Kiss to Yngwie that I didn't think there were so many that liked both! Thanks for this video Chris!

[@chrisbriault7234]

Awesome show in Ottawa, and your solo was great 👍, was hoping to hear sabotage in its fullest 😅

[@bradrainey9018]

Fun interview 👏👏👏

[@jamesnorton7601]

Not surprised one bit. At 44 Weezer was a band from my teenage years. Say It Ain't So has that gutar solo on it. I could tell that the hair metal infected us all in that time range. Still does for me. No I'm not surprised that Rivers would like that stuff and learned as much about guitar as he could.

[@flapjackson6077]

I’ve loved shred metal for years, and I’ve been a Weezer fan for years, but I never knew Rivers is quite the shredder in his own right! Very cool!

[@RollTideRising]

I never knew or would have thought wow awesome

[@hollywoodjakespeed8354]

That’s great! Yngwie, on the Steeler album, and the first Alcatrazz album, was an eye(ear) opener!

[@DrProgNerd]

All my aspiring shredder friends and I were so bummed when the Steeler album dropped. We were like "Well, I guess there's no chance of us ever becoming the best." Lol !!!

[@Joseph-xp3hh]

Right ! I'm a drummer and even I was like holy crap what the !? when I first heard yngwie on the Alcatrazz album no parole from rock and roll ..he blew my mind!! Lol!

[@DOMSGUITARS6140]

LOVE THIS SO MUCH. RIVERS IS AN AMAZING UNDERRATED GUITAR PLAYER!!

[@JTCGuitar]

So much yes to this!

[@Mazz3D]

Hey Chris, hey Rivers, awesome clip.

[@QNeedhamMusic]

Metal Health was a huge album when it came out. It seemed like all the girls at school got Thriller for Xmas, and the boys got Quiet Riot- vinyl of course 😀

[@bradlyman30]

Good stuff Chris! Thank you

[@notpauloricardo]

This is superb and I also love the fact that I have that exact same hat as Rivers

[@JohnDoe9764]

Two of my favourite guitar players ❤❤

[@modelcitizen1977]

It’s hard to forget something you practiced for 100 hours to learn. It’s the same with piano or violin. Your brain goes on autopilot and your muscle memory kicks in.

[@samhilton4173]

Only if you keep practicing, though. I know plenty of musicians who have to practice songs - songs they've played a thousands times before - religiously for days, or weeks before a show because it's no longer in their repetoir. Most people only have maybe 1 to 2 hours of music memorised at any point. Of course the more skilled you are, the more you may be able to recall, but I rarely meet a person who hasn't played a song in over a year and yet can still play it perfectly. (Excepting some simple/fundamental songs)

[@chrisberrymanalo]

This is a good channel glad I found it 😊

[@LETITBURN999]

Oh Hellz Yes!! BRAVO!! I have the same Yamaha stratt copy!! I still can make it screeaamm!!

[@leokimvideo]

Ace Frehley has influenced so many guitar players in today bands. He definitely had an influence on Chris Shiflett as well. And I hate how some people just love to point out Ace is a sloppy player who couldn't stick with Kiss. I'm now thinking that Rivers could be a lead guitarist in Slipknot, nice to hear how revered heavy metal is amongst guitarists.

[@MyGrassIsGreenest]

Dimebag Darrel had a tattoo of Ace, which Ace autographed and Dimebag got the autograph tattooed as well.

[@jerryhorton5708]

Ace had so much potential but he got boxed in by the show aspect of Kiss. He’ll never be remembered as a guitar Great but he was influential and had tasty phrasing

[@p_e_t_e]

​@@jerryhorton5708 Ace wasn't an advanced technique player. his greatness came from what he chose to play and his style/feeling. he played for the song, very melodic and memorable solos which had a progression and developed musically. he didn't try to impress with technique, but with creativity within the context of each song.

[@jerryhorton5708]

@@p_e_t_e agreed. Ace always had tasty ideas that he developed well

[@rticle15]

Nothing wrong with being sloppy in that type of rock. Especially the bluesy stuff like slash or joe perry. And i think Ace leaving Kiss was more frustration with the elder, etc.

[@ROOKTABULA]

I had the same response watching a guy in Grade 9 standing on the stage at lunch and 'badly' playing Jessie's Girl. Like Rivers, I was also in awe that someone I knew could play. Unlike him in most, not only was I not allowed to play, I also immediately thought: "I could never do that". FFWD 12 years and the first of my 3 albums is out and 2 years later my 4th song is getting nat'l radio play. I lost 10 years not playing from that day at school.

[@kylemarcum3975]

Awesome, You’re Living the Dream. Got 3 albums and a couple are already out. Keep doing it!! Throw a link to your albums up.

[@ztarzcream]

I can't believe he actually can alternate pick like that!

[@DennisAlvey]

This was great!

[@JudgeDrey]

Wow. Never judge. I can't believe this guy is older than me and was into the same kind of music as a guitarist. I'm blown away.

[@joepope5793]

This was in Rivers from jump. Y'all go back and listen to Maladroit and tell me he wasn't barely containing this inside for the whole album.

[@guitargeek1984]

He's a badass guitarist/songwriter 🏆

[@JalenRawley]

Somewhere I have a song from Rivers' early metal days, I think the band was Madam I'm Adam? I might be confusing it with another, but it's very metal and shreddy.

[@daniel90550]

Look up "You Were Just Using Me" by Avant Garde, Rivers' metal band he started in the late 80s. The solo is unreal

[@deangelisstudio1]

Love this

[@richardtimetorock9340]

This. Is. Awesome!

[@michaelluciano1980]

I never thought in 1 million years that I would see this.

[@juanramirez-wk8ty]

AWESOME!

[@5ch3nk]

This makes me think back to when I first started learning....I wish I would have put a lot more effort into learning theory and just dedicating myself more to the instrument. Especially now that I'm older and there's been multiple years long breaks in my playing.

[@guthrie_1]

Dude, I was not expecting him to be able to pull off the Far Beyond the Sun lick

[@robertm6820]

Love it! Great channel!

[@leeforrester466]

I never knew Rivers could play any Yngwie stuff. Very cool!

[@ev5150xxx]

Wow I didn't expect that 😮

[@ryantinker8598]

It was “metal health” for me too. Life changing at 13 years old.

[@brianwagner5008]

I love that the music he’s made a career playing is so far from his Metal Roots but he can shred. Love the Yngwie lick!!!!

[@TheAnomaly01010]

Awesome!!!!!

[@ii-cr1go]

Hilarious. That exact lick was the first Yngwie lick I learned. Still play it to this day.

[@Etobass88]

Really nice hat!

[@dannykristoffer4047]

At 15 I learned that malmsteen lick then played it in every solo in different keys😊

[@jimmydeer]

Had no idea! cool

[@Mortimer220]

Love the hat

[@Guitarmalade]

YES!!!

[@LifeHawkeye]

Hey I was pretty impressed at his Yngwie lick there nice job Rivers!

[@angelomartino5575]

great!

[@djentleman5129]

I had the same moment, but with another band. It was ... Weezer. My first gig with 17, first solos where "Buddy Holly" and "In Bloom" by Nirvana. Guitar teacher didn't understand that kind of music, I always loved that era. Never forget that I needed a second guitar for Buddy Holly with half step down ;-) Was a ... Fender copy by Yamaha hahahaha

[@josemojicaperez4436]

Did Rivers had a Guadalupe's Virgin? Is the most crazy after that sometimes Rivers had a soccer jersey from Veracruz, that team we know in Mexico as "Red Sharks" from Veracruz. And he's plays "Far Beyond The Sun"!!!!

[@deathcabdanh]

that tele is so damn sweet

[@AwesomeEricD]

That Telecaster makes me drool

[@davidleedougherty6478]

Had the same moment first time I heard bang your head..like I'm a metal head for life now

[@vicarelli]

Is the full interview anywhere?

[@telecaster9988]

Wow man! Love to see a dude like rivers to play shred like yngwie😆

[@zcustomcarnesi]

Finally someone gives Yngwie just a little respect that he deserves....🔥

[@bobabooey4537]

I bet a lot of the Yngwie critics and haters would think Rivers was a better guitar player than they thought after hearing him play some Yngwie lol.

[@julioa.1349]

This is so fucking wholesome!

[@marvelharris9540]

that was great...

[@coreyfisher2542]

Nice!

[@Lcacique]

Hilarious. That Quiet Riot album was pretty big for me too. Even more so, I loved High N Dry. I was in grade school and begged my parents for a Hamer Standard like Pete Willis. But my parents got me a Yamaha Strat copy.

[@shane1v]

LOl that was great!

[@Godemanstudio]

Hehe...our sin here living in Sweden...Yngwie..... Pretty cool that a guitarist from a little land as Sweden as so much impact. Just love this podd thing...PLEASE go on do it more... And maby bring up people that no longer is with us as Gary Moore that is huge for me. I just dont want new guitaris to miss them you know... Great video! - Thomas from Sweden!

[@blppt]

I'd say Swedish musicians have a big impact on the metal community nowadays in the U.S. Akerfeldt, Thordendal, for example are very well known.

[@Godemanstudio]

@@blppt I think we have had an nordic musical tone that we put into the music that even you guys over there took a liking too..... :)

[@Bognerman14]

Anyone know what amps he uses? Great tone.

[@JEEJ_MUSIC]

Chris, when do we get the episode where you teach us the ‘Long Road to Ruin’ guitar solo?

[@gep2771]

Nice to see a guy from my neck of the woods make it.

[@majikmuzik8036]

John Mayer, another cat figured out early on that there were a lot of shredders in Boston and decided to learn to write songs. Drive for show, putt for dough! I think kiss worked for a generation of us Gen Xers the way that the Beatles worked for boomers. Thx guys!

[@paulosicne8498]

Rivers really reminds me of a younger Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo, especially that pic shown at the very end of the video.

[@wmvnotmp4]

My goat

[@gmswhackos2652]

My first moment with guitar (I was 13) was when I got a decent strat replica and plugged it into the old family stereo receiver. I played Whole Lotta Love and it sounded all distorted and killer.....at least to my ears. Something I haven't forgotten at the age of 61 now.

[@richyrich5049]

Not surprised!

[@MedalionDS9]

Rivers Shredmo

[@ereimul1444]

he still got it