The Strange History of WEEZER (they were never “emo”)

[@restlessapprentice]

I get wanting to keep the video short, but neglecting to talk about their comeback with EWBAITE and The White Album and chalking everything past Raditude as more of the same feels a bit disingenuous. Weezer had fallen out of popularity pretty hard and are now consistently prominent with most of their newer albums. Pacific Daydream (while not an album I care for personally) was all over the radio when it came out, which had not been the case for the band in the 5-6 years prior. Would have been interesting to at least mention their comeback and transition into a mainstay legacy band.

[@theblan1k0ne]

fr though, and the absolute jump in popularity at around mid to late 2023

[@elicash233]

Right!!! EWBAITE and the White Album are tremendous and can’t be glossed over. Cant make a video like this and then be like “yea the last 15 years aren’t important enough to talk about”

[@clarkarussell]

You just made my heart happy. I thought the White album was just my guilty pleasure. I didn't know anyone out there loved it like I love it. I found my people

[@robbygotshall]

I damn near thumbs-downed the video for this reason. White Album and OK Human are generally considered great even by old school fans, while I personally have loved everything since White Album. It’s a shame to omit that.

[@alvadrive82]

Preach

[@My_Naginta]

"Get down party anthems for agoraphobics." I would love if someone described my music like this

[@torstenscholz6243]

That would actually be a pretty great title for a Weezer album, describes them rather perfectly.

[@My_Naginta]

@torstenscholz6243 it reminded me of Nine Inch Nails after thinking about it lol

[@AnnoyingOrange420]

That review excerpt could've been positive lol

[@isntanything12]

lmao I thought the same thing

[@HimothyBurton]

I will never forget about 6 years ago, telling my coworkers I would go to a Weezer concert. And my coworker goes "Weezer makes music for selling HP computers." And it makes me laugh to this day lol

[@the_kombinator]

Compaq... Compaq computers.

[@HimothyBurton]

@@the_kombinator I just like the thought of Hash Pipe playing while looking at a HP Pavilion 6835 for sale

[@JayBigDadyCy]

This is... Incredibly accurate 😂😂

[@Elizath]

Literally the buddy holly vid came with windows 95

[@SillyWilly-111]

Are you the vvOah guy on ifunny

[@DrProfessorMD]

I saw Weezer and No Doubt at the same show. It was pretty neat.

[@Sasquatch10]

Don't speak.

[@shodai2054]

Love coldrain

[@RudieObias]

I saw that tour too. We also got Civ as the opener in Cleveland, Ohio

[@girthquake9655]

How neat is that...

[@DrProfessorMD]

@@girthquake9655 Pretty. It was pretty neat.

[@leelermakesmusic]

I loved that Buddy Holly was hidden in Windows 95.

[@RatelHBadger]

How many people discovered them through that install CD?

[@kage6613]

ahhhh memories.

[@schwazelbacher]

Yup

[@the_kombinator]

I think I may have it on an OEM CD still - Retrogamer.

[@JWickyJr13]

That's exactly how I discovered them. I was a big fan of watching old Happy Days reruns on Nick at Nite and I remember being confused as a kid because I thought it was a clip from the show. Imagine my surprise when i saw this band named Weezer had a new song out. I was like, wouldn't they be really old? Haha

[@JerryLantz]

I love "Heart Songs" because he talks about how Nevermind got him more interested in making music. Also, you should do a video on Bright Eyes. Conor Oberst is a genius and their music is so varied that it's insane

[@bt0694]

When I was a sup at a call center I had this 19 yr old hipster kid (maybe a prototype hipster it was 2001) named Shane on my team. He LOVED Weezer so much! We became friends quickly discussing music in our 1-1s instead of his stats. He DEMANDED I listen to Pinkerton, he said it was the best album that had ever been made. That was how I felt about I brought you my bullets, so we traded albums for a week… sadly he died in a car wreck that week… I still have his Pinkerton album.

[@KasCalwein]

That story turned dark very quickly

[@FreddyFunderbunz]

Did u get ur cd back?

[@kage6613]

not a prototype that was like the peak of hipsters 1998-2003 before that it was called "scenester" and they were usually actually involved in a music scene and not just trying to be fashionistas cosplaying as band members. sorry about your friend

[@bt0694]

@@FreddyFunderbunz yeah his mom gave it back to me, she told me to keep his since it was just “noise”

[@capnjames]

@@kage6613they were represented in various media of the time too like in king of the hill, usually the butt of a joke but funny nonetheless

[@jazzmasterbator]

I taught myself guitar by playing blue album songs every day. Pinkerton is one of the most important albums to me. Those first two albums did a lot to shape my highschool years. Pinkerton is the fucking best.

[@KageMorghulis]

Me too! What part of the world do you live in? Wanna start a band? (Edit) I realized that sounded kinda ‘bot-ish’ I swear I’m real and I wanna play rock music.

[@rychier6994]

Agreed 🤘🤘

[@BackStreetMan]

Yes

[@SuperStrik9]

I remember watching the music video for Buddy Holly on Windows 95. At the time I was blown away that you could watch music videos on a computer lol. Things have changed slightly since then lol.

[@dethkev]

I had no idea Pinkerton was so reviled back then. El Scorcho is one of my favorite songs :(

[@QueLoKevin]

That SNL skit spoke so much to basically all band fandoms

[@Driver8takeabreak]

Outside of Van Halen, I'm not sure any band has quite the division of its fans that weezer does. That skit nailed it. I was so impressed and shocked they aired it, given the likely small slice of the audience that would really get it. And that's a Todd original.

[@Mitchthemysteryman]

I guarantee you they did it because “hey, with glasses, Matt Damon looks a little like Rivers Cuomo.”

[@Dick_Weapon]

"Weezer died when Matt Sharp left!" I waited for years to hear someone else say that.

[@elosoguapo8137]

I appreciate Finn bringing up the beginnings, because they’ve been largely forgotten. I was around 18/19 when Weezer arrived and they were 100% seen as a borderline comedy rock group steering into the alternative rock trend. First the band’s name was Weezer. Then we have sweater song, buddy Holly…was this really going to be received like Nirvana? What amazes and astonishes me now is that we’re still talking about Weezer and people do talk about them in the same breath as Nirvana. Not only that, the reigning champions of alternative rock music the Pixies toured and opened for them! It’s like some alternate reality was created. Some have woken up from this fever dream with questions posed like…was Weezer ever good?…I think these folks weren’t around when the blue album came out and was received similarly to the bloodhound gang, but that’s what it was millennials and Gen z.

[@TikkiNikki]

Man, Weezer' Hash Pipe was my "Stairway to Heaven" when I showed my friends that I play guitar lmao I don't mean to brag, but I can play them 3 chords like a champ 👊

[@Naltddesha]

Haha, it is a dope riff

[@bsncoleman5341]

Can we please talk about how the music video to “Pork and Beans” is the perfect love letter to the early days of the internet? Seriously, if you haven’t watched it since it first debuted, go watch it right now and tell me that it doesn’t make you yearn for “the good ol’ days”. It seriously makes me tear up, wishing to live those early, younger years again, because you never really know how great things were until it’s in the past.

[@suqadiqniwa]

Its like if youtube rewind was a mv

[@JeffreyMcLain]

Jesus man, I really appreciate this channel. I don't have the time or brain space lately to really be in the music scene the way that I once was and how I ideally would want to be. Enjoying listening to stuff about bands and history etc, shit just hits the spot and helps me make space in the ol' grey matter for shit I actually care about. Thanks for the work man.

[@golfboy83]

I didnt really listen to Pinkerton until about 2004. I was in college and I think I could relate a bit more to the darker themes. But I basically only listen to Pinkerton, Blue, and Green.

[@say12thebear]

I feel like college is the perfect time to listen to Pinkerton haha. Them and bands like Dinosaur Jr and Pavement

[@slashtrio]

Always loved the blue album but wasn’t really following them when Pinkerton came out. Gave a listen around 2002 and thought it was awesome. Pinkerton and Blue are far and away my favs, green is okay. I can’t say I like anything after that for some reason. Those first couple of albums just work for me.

[@amandathemystic1828]

The Blue Album and Make Believe for me ✨👍

[@lizzyjahnke8855]

try to give maladroit a chance. i really like it

[@superheard1980]

Weezer added the element of what’s now called, “Nerd Culture” to Music. Something I didn’t know that I needed. I thought Nirvana completed my 14 year old self. 😅 Love this band.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Weezer were the perfect nerds before that even was a thing. I always loved their nerdy personas and that they were the perfect anti-rockstars that looked so normal and didn't even try to seem cool, but managed to be anyway.

[@pocojoyo]

But you are not a nerd, right ?

[@mcwildstyle9106]

I think i remember that I called weezer “the Beatles if they make depressing shit sometimes”

[@finnishere3021]

Thats a terrible comparison mcwildstyle

[@mcwildstyle9106]

@@finnishere3021🤷

[@notanotherjamesmurphy5574]

it sounds about right to me

[@zackzallie8735]

The Beatles if they combined McCartney and Lennon into one nerd.

[@JammerAma]

The Beatles did make depressing shit

[@lcourni]

As a 46yo WEEZER fan I have to mention the very good "Everything Will Be Alright in the End" album that seems like a bit of a redemption in recent years (2015 ?)

[@shiko098]

I remember when Emo wasn't associated with fringes, eyeliner and My Chemical Romance. It was all stripy jumpers, thick rimmed glasses, Dashboard Confessional, Death Cab for Cutie and Jimmy Eat World.

[@Bassmanhill84]

Right? Same here

[@xenos_n.]

90's emo was way better for sure.

[@yuckytails7729]

I remember the word “emo” doesn’t even exist and it was just hardcore punk in the 80s

[@SconnerStudios]

Saves the Day too. Nobody ever gives credit to Saves the Day even though they were the most influencial band of creating that whiny pop punk nasal vocals you hear in simple plan or new found glory.

[@SconnerStudios]

@@yuckytails7729 I remember when "punk" didn't exist in the 1100s and it was just Greogorian monk chanting. Good times, smoked a ton of weed.

[@CZsWorld]

This video doesn't do Weezer justice! You stop talking about the albums and just say "the rest of their albums disappointed fans who were looking for a return to Blue and Pinkerton". But you stopped just two albums shy of the albums that DID do that: Everything Will Be Alright In The End and The White Album. You're leaving out one of the most interesting parts of their history. Also, playing a short clip of "If Your Wondering" and writing off Raditude as car commercial music is a huge disservice to an already stigmatized Raditude. The rest of the album is very pop-punk and was the most emo thing they'd done since Pinkerton. Plus, they've done an orchestral masterpiece in OK Human, did the whole hip-hop infusion thing better than any pop-rock act in Pacific Daydream and most recently a year-spanning art project with SZNs. In reality, saying they just went on to release more pop rock albums is far from the truth.

[@ceejluige4816]

You know, while I liked the Blue album a lot, when Pinkerton came out it instantly became one of my favorite albums of all time. It's still in my top 3 for sure 30 years later. I honestly had no concept that everyone universally hated it until years and years later. Makes me wonder what the fuck my psyche was up to back then as a 15 year old, depressed, punk "freak". And truthfully, it did pave the way for me to get into bands like The Get Up Kids and Saves The Day. So if you want to say Weezer isn't emo, that's fine, but Pinkerton was a perfect gateway into emo music.

[@cjklemonski1938]

When Pinkerton was still near universally disliked, it was probably the most played CD in the Death Threat tour van

[@noneofyourbusiness1114]

Howso?

[@cjklemonski1938]

@@noneofyourbusiness1114 I'm not quite sure what the confusion is. It was playing in the van CD player on tour more than anything else

[@jgdn-ow5mh]

Say what?! That’s awesome Hahahaha

[@kage6613]

those were the LAST DAYZ that Weezer was actually cool... lol ;P

[@noneofyourbusiness1114]

@@cjklemonski1938 oooo you are in death threat! I just was confused thinking how would this mofo even know that

[@ramblingsunglassesguy]

I completely disagree with your point on their albums after Raditude, while Hurley may have disappointed, EWBAITE and White are considered to be huge returns to form, and while there have been disappointing albums like Black or Pacific Daydream, most people agree from what I've seen love their newest stuff like OK Human and SZNZ.

[@jamesmotiv8989]

My sister gave me the blue album when i was like 11 and it changed my world. At 13 I bought Pinkerton (2003) and it fit right in with my punk/emo/post hardcore taste nicely. 2 of my fav albums of all time.

[@YamiVT]

Weezer is the Tailor Swift of lonely dudes

[@robertgerow670]

A while ago there was a viral tweet asking if guys had someone who understands them like Taylor swift understands girls and I responded with Rivers Cuomo lol

[@Sasquatch10]

That's a kinda accurate assessment tbh.

[@kaomatic]

stahp

[@bangujangID]

Am a huge fan and I approve this. its actually quite TRUE. Hear hear

[@7Lace77]

​​@@robertgerow670I don't get it, he just seems whiny. Or is that it with Miss Swift?

[@imalright2837]

Beverly Hills is a guilty pleasure of mine. I really hated it at the time but now every time I hear it it brings me back to the summer of 2005. I had to sit through it to get to listen to System of the down’s BYOB.

[@noneofyourbusiness1114]

My elementary school always played it before the school news ❤

[@the_kombinator]

I heard the song in Poland in 2005 at my grandmas on a visit, coming out of her Unitra radio. I recall hearing so many iconic songs from that radio in the 90s - Blur (boys and girls), a bunch of Greenday songs, and what was going on in Poland, France, and Europe at that time, as well as some 80s classics that brought me back to my early childhood. I wish I kept that radio after her death. It had a Kolorofon output!

[@RudieObias]

I was 16 when Pinkerton came out. I was a big fan of the Blue Album and I immediately bought Pinkerton at the Target across the street from my high school on release day. I remember feeling how different it was when “El Scorcho” was released as the first single prior to the album’s release and I still felt it was different and weird when I listened to the album for the first time, especially with the first track “Tired of Sex.” However, I didn’t come around to it until the second or third listen and then I fell in love with it.

[@mazarflazar7719]

My father was the drummer in Zoom! Crazy to see his picture in your video🤣💀He came back to CT after Zoom and stayed, still plays in local bands today💯We’re both musicians now

[@brupkin1177]

Listened them for real in a 90s indie night on a nightclub early this month, they played say it ain't so and everyone was exited singing alone, i loved the energy at that moment, been thinking about it for weeks, it was really something special, i have heard of them but had not payed attention and lived in the moment like i did that time

[@lougaru2445]

Excellent closing thoughts about Pinkerton being a one-off and not the identity of Weezer. More on that later. Fans could rejoice that Rivers Cuomo's solo albums (Alone I and II) featured demos from Songs From The Black Hole, which were essentially Pinkerton rejects. Original bassist Matt Sharp was important to the beginning of Weezer. His post-Weezer band The Rentals had some success, and for a little while their keyboard player was Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live). Weezer's subsequent bassist Mikey Welsh passed away at 40. He was released from the band at the time. I think there are two kinds of emo bands: Bands that are power-pop bands disguised as emo bands, and bands that are hardcore/punk disguised as emo. I thought I loved emo for decades, but now I understand I truly love power pop, so I listen to a lot of 1st Wave late 70s early 80s stuff now.

[@dabigdawg42042]

I had no idea Pinkerton ever had a bad rep. I absolutely loved hearing it for the first time

[@bltvd]

Yeah I still have my original vinyl record from when it came out.

[@volumecorps8086]

I think Pinkerton caught a lot of people off guard. Much like Nirvana and Nevermind three years prior, everyone I knew at the time owned the blue album no matter what their musical preferences usually were. It was the perfect pop album for it’s time when it was released. Pinkerton, with its harsh production and uncomfortable themes was a shock to anyone expecting another blue album. It was an acquired taste for a lot of people, me included. I’ll put it this way…I appreciated Pinkerton much more in my 30’s than I did when I first heard it at 19.

[@ggmorgan7]

I was also surprised to hear that Pinkerton was unpopular. I was in high school when it came out and my friends and I played it on repeat for months. Pinkerton will always be my favorite Weezwr album, followed by the Blue album.

[@DavidAllenMD]

pink triangle was a great song

[@GuapoTron88]

Agreed.

[@ottomattix86]

I saw them in winnipeg a few years ago. They played tight and were heavy with energy for me. They just played the hits and that's all we needed.

[@Idkpleasejustletmechangeit]

3:02 I never knew that Keanu Reeves made music. Went to Wikipedia to read about that, but then I accidentally spent 15 minutes clicking through Wikipedia. Apparently you can go from Keanu Reeves to anarchism in about 5 clicks.

[@punkrockstormchaser]

He also filled in for Joe escalante of the vandals when he couldn’t olay

[@jcwareham81]

That part about him being disappointed the “Buddy Holly” video resulted in them being looked at comedically while instead hoping to have the same kind of impact as Nirvana makes me wonder if they took inspiration for the “Buddy Holly” video from the video for “In Bloom”.

[@gnilssrof3483]

Weezer was the band, that was like your friend, that never scored. You keep him along, cause you like him, but you really dont wanna be seen with him. You laughed at him, but you felt the pain.

[@torstenscholz6243]

So true. They were the perfect nerd personas before being a nerd became cool. They really were the perfect normal-looking guys next door that seemed a bit nerdy and sometimes a bit awkward, but were great guys with a big heart.

[@suqadiqniwa]

Yeap, being a great musician is rooted on being a great nerd. About time

[@SMJSmoK]

Ok that intro with the hardcore music with pinch harmonics accompanied by the Island in the Sun video was pure genius lol.

[@tomascox8748]

To be fair, after the stinkers that were Make Believe and the albums that followed, they did release a couple of gems that are regarded among their fans as some of their very best, reminiscent of the Blue Album era with "Everything Will Be Alright In The End" (2014) and the "White Album" (2016). They have such a vast discographt that there's bound to be a lot of bad albums, but also some good ones in between.

[@MrNavidad]

I enjoyed Raditude, but that was during my high school years so maybe that's why

[@wafteers7080]

"Keep Fishin'" will forever be a top 5 of my favorite songs of all time. I don't ever remember being disappointed by anything they did. I was honestly surprised that this video is made, because I was oblivious to their ups and downs. I guess I only ever noticed the ups.

[@stephaniemccracken4850]

I think one detail worth mentioning is their original bass player Matt Sharp left after Pinkerton to form his own band, the Rentals. I feel like that's why their first 2 albums are very different, he helped write them.

[@aboutabrad]

Before this video even begins, i need to say…Pinkerton is the greatest emo album of all time and while I dont insist that people agree with me that its a GOAT album, i do insist that you agree with me that it is an emo album. Blatantly emotional, introspective, self deprecating, and a little messy, Pinkerton was my 13 year old (in 1996) heart’s gateway drug into emo. Bought it at KMart the day it came out…

[@loompy1440]

Really enjoyed this one fint. I’ve still never listened to Pinkerton, but you’ve gotten me close a couple times. lol

[@skakirask]

My band is doing a 30th anniversary tribute for the Blue Album in May. One of the greatest albums of all time, unironically.

[@GunDrummer]

“Tired of s*x” from Pinkerton is the first song I ever played on drums when I was 14.

[@gringogreen4719]

The "Blue Album" and "Pinkerton" is really more like Radiohead's "The Bends" and "Pablo Honey" respectively. Moments in time that the bands and artists moved away from. If you do like "The Bends" check out a band named kent (yes, kent) in their album "Isola" as that is pretty much the spiritual successor of that album. Also check out Gene's "Olympian" as well as it definitely touches that same vein of Alternative music.😉👍✨

[@ibidoofd9293]

I love all of Weezer. Do i like their older stuff more? Yes. But their newer stuff? The white album? All my favorite songs? FUCKING INCREDIBLE! Thanks Weezer. Thanks Rivers!

[@robertgerow670]

White album rules

[@theblan1k0ne]

hell yea, and EWBAITE

[@robertgerow670]

@@theblan1k0ne I don’t like EVERYTHING they’ve done but I like at least some stuff from every album. And I honestly think SZNZ was some of their best work in years

[@theblan1k0ne]

@@robertgerow670 wait wat I was just saying that everything will be alright in the end is as amazing as white

[@robertgerow670]

@@theblan1k0ne I got you, sorry if I worded that confusingly 😛 I was kind of re-responding to your original comment that you love all of Weezer I used to love white and EWBAITE pretty equally, but over time I still really like white but I don’t quite like EWBAITE as much anymore 🤔 I dunno why

[@torstenscholz6243]

Great video as usual. I also never thought of Weezer being emo, or even pop punk, as some others claim. I never even considered them any specific genre, other than alternative rock. To me, they were always their own, unique thing that had pretty much created their own genre no one ever tried to copy. Also, I always loved that they seemed to be the nerdy, normal-looking, glasses-wearing anti-rockstars, who were a bit the US equivalent to Blur in the UK in that regard. But with that said, I'm rather surprised that they were actually rooted in the hardcore and metal scene and that they never aspired to be the funny nerd band, but actually tried to be serious. I never knew that and it changes my picture of the band completely.

[@txrangertx2418]

I loved "Sweater" as a kid but didnt understand or contemplate its deeper meaning until I became a middle aged adult. Re-Reading the lyrics again and trying to understand its Symbolism (Sweater, pull tread, naked on the floor, undun, etc) and what those metaphors mean, it hits way different. I truly think most listeners (including myself) just liked it as a juvenile simple silly song but its actually a Very Deep Emotional and Existential song of the human condition. Weezer in my opinion (without sounding too pretentious) is a very misunderstood band [almost by design] which speaks to its genius as a band.

[@aaronstreet2744]

I just found your channel and I am really enjoying your videos. Here's a list of bands I'd love to see you cover in your videos: Fugazi, At The Drive-In, The Get Up Kids, Cursive, Hot Water Music, Thursday, Braid, and The Velvet Teen. Thx!

[@Huehuecoyote]

Sheesh, you have terrible taste in music

[@bigsalamimommy9346]

Solid ass list

[@juanticimo]

Cursive, thats rarely heard of...

[@shawndasilva]

Yep yep yep

[@patrickwade757]

good vid Finn! thanks man

[@maxpalmer3212]

I got into weezer this year they are really good

[@Andelaz]

Old Weezer ftw. Nr. 1 definetely Pinkerton. Nr. 2 Blue Album Lost interest after the green Album. Sh*t, i'm old...

[@theblan1k0ne]

Please listen to EWBAITE, White, and OK Human. They're no Blue and Pinkerton, but they sure as hell are close in terms of quality.

[@Chucknorrisatemybaby]

@@theblan1k0neI fully endorse this.

[@ferdusmohamad1438]

Same. Old. I only trust myself with Blue and Pinkerton.

[@warmsignal]

@@ferdusmohamad1438 Maladroit is legitimately great and I consider it as part of "old Weezer". It's a very overlooked album. I think a lot of people who wrote them off after green album, didn't bother to listen to it.

[@theoldwise]

Same here.. Blue and pinkerton is all i need from. Weezer. These two cds are sooo good i wont öisten to anything past that. Amd that Island song made me quit weezer for a long time:)

[@St33vr]

Rivers did a video series called "let's write a sawng" It was a really interesting experiment in song writing via his fans. If I remember he never finished the song, but if you are a fan, it's worth checking out.

[@decentsleep]

Ackshually, he did. It's called “Turning Up the Radio” and is pretty mediocre, imho.

[@St33vr]

​@@decentsleep I didn't say the song was called that. Before there was a song and a name, the video titles were called "Let's write a sawng" part 1 through 16. That is why I said he did a "Video Series" in my original comment.

[@MrTonyFury]

I love that weezer just does whatever they want to do. They do what I do except that millions of people hear it and it's not available for free on soundcloud collecting 10's of views.

[@d.s.7637]

"Simple Pages" and "Crab" are such good songs on the Green Album.

[@MichaelCarroll-xo2zq]

You made a Weezer video without talking about Matt Sharp? The changes in their sound seem so connected to his departure. Love most of your vids, but this is a pretty big oversight.

[@whatistau]

I remember seeing Hash Pipe on mtv and i loved the guitars on that so much i wnwt and bought the album the same day i wanted to hear the song again. Simple pages, Glorious days, Island in the sun among the best was such a vibe, felt like a fever dream like Nirvana went on a Spring break.

[@devenscience8894]

"Photograph" is my favorite song on the Green Album.

[@whatistau]

yeas definetely @@devenscience8894

[@doublemintmaple]

Sometimes a band emerges from a scene and defines it by being an archetype of their time, and sometimes a band comes to define the future of a scene they were never a part of

[@DrNutbag]

Island In The Sun is not my fav song but was the hit of the spring & summer of 2001 and gives me all the vibes of going from jr high to high school and saying goodbye to many friends at a grad party I went to while it played in the background. So there's something to be said about that I suppose.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Island in the Sun may not be their best song, but it's still beautiful and catchy as hell and one of the best chill-out ballads in rock history.

[@SqueakyMcSqueaks]

9:35 man that guy is good at guitar, he should start a band

[@SelfReassuringTitle]

I remember freaking out when I found out when the blue album was released, I figured because of “Beverly Hills” coming out when I was a teenager they were younger lol

[@kangtheconqueror9545]

I saw Deftones in concert when they had just released White Pony. They covered "Say it aint so." It was a really great cover too. Hearing your favorite band cover one of your other favorite bands songs is always awesome.

[@gabrielalvarez7046]

Listening to Pinkerton for the first time right now. I’m 40. It just sounds more like a demo than an album.

[@VesBox-s2g]

that is part of the appeal for a lot of people that love it a lot.

[@Shaigorath]

The first time I found out about Weezer was I when I first installed Windows 95. The video for Buddy Holly was included to test Windows media player in the original win95 cd.

[@rhys2004]

Every Weezer album just sounds different and unpredictable, and that's why I love this band.

[@Textile_Courtesan]

Great video! I am a die hard Weezer fan since I really started listening a decade ago. They were that band on the radio but I finally bought a few albums and I was hooked. My frequent saying is "Weezer has a song for that" because Rivers is so prolific in his content. In a sad mood and want to stay sad? Weezer has a song for that. In a sad mood and want to feel better? There's a song for that! Can't tell someone something, there's a song for that, too! My personal favourite album is 'Make Believe' and I think the whole thing is well paced and solid. Can't wait to see them in September! =w=

[@charstrong9822]

I appreciate that you did a Weezer video ❤ I hope you cover more bands like them!

[@theblan1k0ne]

Ok, to say that all the albums they released did well commercially but disappointed fans is almost misinformation depending on who you ask. Hurley was a commercial flop and had middling reviews across the board. Everything Will Be Alright In The End was a commercial flop despite being a return to form. It was only with the White Album where they had a return to form that not only did well critically, but commercially as well. What you’re thinking about are albums like Pacific Daydream, which were actual disappointments. If you want an actual summation of their sound, the SZNS series of EPs is probably what you’re looking for. Personally, this video was just alright. Would’ve loved if there was any mention of Ric Ocasek, Rick Rubin, Karl Koch, or Jake Sinclair.

[@paisleepunk]

wait, the video didn't even mention RIC OCASEK???

[@theblan1k0ne]

@@paisleepunk Surprisingly not, Ric is a crucial piece in the Weezer lore. Same with Karl Koch.

[@subparnaturedocumentary]

i honestly didnt remember critics hating pinkerton back in the 90s when it came out i was like 14 in 96 i remember getting the cd as a gift from my aunt it was definitely popular with teenagers at the time.

[@jasonfournet180]

Just saw them at here in Houston about 10 days ago. Played the entire Blue album. Forgot how much I liked them. Truly unique.

[@Tsudkyk]

“Hash Pipe” was the first song I learned on guitar. When I was in 7th grade a friend of mine was in a pop punk band and asked him to teach me something, that is what he showed me.

[@Chucknorrisatemybaby]

Great video. I highly recommend their later albums, Everything Will Be Alright In the End and The White Album. The later of which has strong Pinkerton vibes. Also, their album OK Human, which is all orchestral, is really fucking great and worth digging into. It’s different but man is it good.

[@benjaminstoehr376]

Thank you for referring to it as the second wave of emo. Sad that the first wave is mostly forgotten.

[@pentagonoenllamas]

1:40 that sounds like Weezer parodying '80s mainstream metal.

[@crs_stl]

Who was walking around calling Weezer emo lmao

[@AbirTarafdar]

No one. lol.

[@smiIing_poptart]

ME I AM

[@JonathanLinneman]

It was a common descriptor for Pinkerton in the late 90s.

[@janestarr79]

Everyone. Around 1999. Pinkerton became this weird anthem of accidental emo lore when emo was barely a name yet. Kind of like how Fugazi got thrown into the ring along with rites of spring and jawbreaker and all that shit. And I was like I think you guys just mean these are good bands. Dont turn them into your dumb shitty origin story.

[@shortlivedglory3314]

I never at any point until now ever heard of Weezer being called emo. Have I just been living under a rock?

[@savedbythebelldeepdives]

Nah, it's just that Pinkerton was so "dark" and "edgy" that it gets lumped in to the fray. Rivers may have been self deprecating, but that's not the only hallmark of emo music.

[@Skywohka]

They def influenced a lot of emo bands

[@zackzallie8735]

Probably cuz Weezer influenced bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and even MCR, consider even covering My Name is Jonas with them on stage together.

[@Kain128]

@@zackzallie8735Where did you hear about them influencing SDRE? I've never heard of that connection and I don't hear any similarities between their music.

[@patmakein4709]

They were called emo as long as I’ve listened to them going back to the blue album. Also sunny day has been around just as long as weezer

[@MedalionDS9]

Weezer was always geek rock to me... that had a weird diversion into what some call emo on Pinkerton but were never an emo band

[@Punxatowny]

I’m very much in the “Blue album and Pinkerton were the best things they ever made” category, but their song “memories” coupled with the Jackass music video is triple S tier. It makes me so sad and happy and nostalgic at the same time. Also when Modest Mouse strange history video?

[@Jimmy-Mc]

I definitely wouldn't call them emo, but they existed in parallel to 2000s emo the whole time and frequently appeared on the alt charts next to emo bands, so I can see why they're associated.

[@marknewellmusic]

RIP to the 2 hardcore fans who went to many, many Weezer gigs and sadly didnt make it once, only for the band to find out that the two fans wrecked in a car crash on the way.

[@ShaneLibrarian]

I remember that the install disk for windows 95 had the video for buddy holly on it.

[@ShaneLibrarian]

pinkerton is my favourite weezer album.

[@Bird_in_a_Trenchcoat]

honestly you lost me after skipping everything after raditude. generalizing it all to be "the same basic power pop" really does a diservace to white and ewbaite being a great return to early weezer's feel and ok human's had a really unique orchestral sound that i love.

[@saulgoodman5814]

I mean technically they are the godfathers of emo pop. Pinkerton was the first “mainstream” emo record. Literally starting with Midwest emo, you can go back and listen and there are tons of songs that literally just do the same light guitar playing you see in only in dreams. Take pictures of success by rilo kiley for example but there are tons more that even sound more like it. Jeff Rosensrock said something about that in an interview. Then in the 2000s, tons of bands like FOB, MCR, Paramore, Panic, etc. who grew up listening to Weezer formed emo/emo pop bands that was now a mainstream party due to Weezer’s cult popularity, Pinkerton reassessment, and the mass influence the band had on new bands forming from the late 90s - late 2000s that all adopted an alt rock/power pop/emo pop/pop punk sound.

[@l0sts0ul89]

Deft Tones says they're also inspired by Weezer

[@johnkotchkowski7966]

Weezer is a top 5 favorite band for me. Blue is my favorite record. I turn 28 next month, 2 days before Blue turns 30 :/

[@rychier6994]

Pinkerton is their best album by far, it's incredible. Blue album and Pinkerton are still by far their best works....they lost something when they reformed.....

[@b.w.22]

I know it’s a really tired take, but Matt Sharp leaving really altered the balance of things. This isn’t so much because Matt had some secret sauce but because Matt seemed most able to identify and promote the Weezer in Rivers, a man who was shredding Yngwie licks a year prior. While Pat really opened River’s mind musically, it was Matt who singled out the “Weezer” songs in the 50 or so Rivers had written as demos and I think Matt always had a better sense of Weezer’s appeal than Rivers. Had Matt stayed, I think there may have been less Weezer albums and possibly a shorter lifetime as a band, but those albums would have likely hewed closer to what made Blue and Pinkerton so appealing, leaving the orchestral pieces and party anthems as Rivers solo work or music for a different band. It became all Rivers and I’m not sure that was always for the best.

[@rychier6994]

@@b.w.22 yeah Matt sharp was very important, it might be a tired take but it's def true. 🤘🤘

[@televisionpilot3551]

I like the style and Pavement/indie scrappiness better on Pinkerton, but the actual songs at core on Blue are so much stronger. Both are great

[@markmadruga5121]

Went to Weezer at Del Mar racetrack years ago and they kicked our asses. Such a good show and the crowd was great also. Had the best time.

[@younganton6405]

My first concert was Weezer in 1996. Pinkerton tour at La Luna in Portland Oregon. I was what.. 10 years old? Absolutely lit. GOAT’d band

[@BPGalvin]

Hey Finn, my friend❤❤ I’ve been watching your stuff for a long while now lately I’ve been getting back into British new wave stuff. How about a deep dive into Joy Division/New Order really appreciate that.❤❤ stay safe and catch you next time, my friend😂😂❤❤❤❤❤-Brian G

[@larsFTW5]

Surprised no mention of Matt Sharp as the reason the first two albums have a different sound about them than the rest

[@forgetaboutit1069]

I saw Weezer in January 97’ in Columbus, OH at the Newport Music Hall a few months after Pinkerton released. I personally COULD NOT STOP listening to Pinkerton when it came out. It wasn’t as “radio friendly” as the Blue Album but I was in college and couldn’t care less! They were phenomenal live in such a small place and Matt Sharp really stole the show!

[@geoffhurst6182]

❤You take your car to work, I’ll take my board❤

[@titusbc]

Oh Pitchfork… its all good as they have now polished off the practice to returning to old reviews and giving new scores where often in hindsight they magically lift the rating lol.

[@shanevalcich9208]

I saw weezer right before the green album came out, got to hear Hash Pipe and Island in the sun before release - drove through a blizzard to get there it was a top 10 shows of my life and I have seen thousands.

[@prestong5869]

They peaked in 2008 with christmas with weezer

[@ghost_to_a_ghost]

I loved that the Windows 95 install CD rom had the vid for buddy holly in like 144p 😂👊

[@AnalogBoyWV]

Finn, you should check out the album everything will be all right in the end. It may be their best work with that blue album, pop, and a little bit of darkness.!

[@solearesoul]

Weezer was one of my favorite bands in the 90’s. Me and my friends used to skateboard and rock out to Weezer.

[@BlastBeatBreakdown]

I'm glad a went to a concert where they perform they played the Pinkerton album in its entirety.

[@coryshannon3815]

The thing I always found unique about Weezer was how many times they'd write a song that they left off an album that was really good (a lot of times better than some of the songs they put on albums). Personally, I think "Thief, You've Taken All of Me" is a great song, and one I feel like they should have put on the Blue Album.

[@davemac9563]

I could see the debate having more ground in 1994 or 1996, but since 2001 Weezer has just been strictly power pop.