Weezer Signs to Epitaph
A time existed when Weezer was influencing a host of bands that didn’t suck and could’ve signed to any of the most well-respected indie rock labels out there — Matador, Sub Pop, Merge, you name it. It was a time when signing to a label like Epitaph would’ve seemed out of place.
Now, however, Weezer is a band that tours with Blink-182. So, you know… it fits. It’s not like Epitaph hasn’t put out some killer albums, but when you look at what demographic the label caters to these days, we’re not exactly talking about a need to attract the most sophisticated entertainment around.
Weezer used to be a “coming of age band” that you listened to when you felt stuff about things. Something akin to Sonic Youth, R.E.M. or Mr. T for the mid-to-late ’90s and beyond. Now they’re more like a “perpetual pre-adolescence band” whose biggest fans still use MySpace.
Pay no mind to me, though. Just one more rant about how the mighty have fallen…
23 Responses to “Weezer Signs to Epitaph”
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On 08/6/10 12:59 AM, Jesse Priest said:
When you say mighty, are you referring to Epitaph or Weezer or both?
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On 08/6/10 1:34 AM, Sean Cannon said:
mostly weezer, but also epitaph to an extent.
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On 08/6/10 8:54 AM, Dr. Jones said:
The first Weezer album was pretty much a perfect pop album. Pinkerton, a little less so but still good.
What the hell happened after that? They basically turned into Smash Mouth. -
On 08/6/10 9:30 AM, Jay DiNitto said:
I love me some Blue Album to this day.
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On 08/6/10 1:07 PM, sammy said:
Fingers crossed for a Converge/Weezer tour.
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On 08/6/10 7:25 PM, Jeff said:
The news of Weezer’s demise is greatly overstated. The Red Album and Raditude both had at least a few great pop songs that stand up with their best material.
What other bands with their longevity can say that?
And saying Epitaph is a step down from Merge and the like? You clearly don’t know what you’re talking about. If you take a good long listen to Epitaph’s recorded history, you’ll find consistency and quality. I guess a case of hipster snobbery, and an attitude that favors bands that critics like but most people never listen to like Sonic Youth over the lowly (but actually pretty darn good) Blink-182, will leave one questioning Weezer’s decision.
Not me. I’m looking forward to the new album. The talk of sixties pop influences is leaving me excited. Don’t ever count out Rivers Cuomo – especially when a random blogger is writing the obituary.
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On 08/7/10 1:45 PM, keith said:
Have you seen Weezer perform lately? They are a cover band of themselves. Rivers barely sings half the songs anymore (assigning lead vocals to the other members of the band) and hired a touring guitarist so he can literally run around the stage clapping and playing keyboards next to the drummer.
They may have a catchy song or two per any new record, but even those singles ultimately end up sounding “like” Weezer. And correct me Sean if I’m wrong, but I believe the reference to Blink-182 is less a dig on Blink and more a reflection of Weezer’s massive artistic shift from influential power pop to arena rock entertainers.
In summary, modern Weezer is Kokomo era Beach Boys – a once-great nostalgia act producing “new hits” and trying desperately to either recapture their popculture relavence or exploit it.
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On 08/7/10 2:52 PM, Shawn Bradley said:
Sonic Youth is better than Blink-182, for real dude? For real? Are you a snobby hipster if you think blink-182 and 75% of weezer stuff is no good, and think that the vast majority of sonic youth is great?
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On 08/7/10 7:02 PM, Dr. Jones said:
Sonic Youth IS better than Blink 182.
Blink was, and is awful. -
On 08/8/10 9:33 AM, David M said:
Even being on the outside as a non-excessive Weezer fan, I’ve seen the change in musical “talent” from the days of the Blue Album to now.
Am I saying they suck now? Not necessarily. I’d pray they’re playing music they actually enjoy to play rather than play it for money, but if that’s the only reason, then that’s their call.
However, I do miss the genuineness of their first few albums, where it felt like they didn’t care about anything else but enjoying themselves. I could be completely wrong, but I really just miss bands playing music for music, not to be signed or to get your d s’d.
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On 08/8/10 9:37 AM, David M said:
I definitely back that Weezer/Converge idea, too, but I say you should throw in Every Time I Die, New Found Glory, Thursday, and bring back, of course, “the” Refused.
“the” being there because I never knew whether you should say “the Refused” or just “Refused.”
Anyone know the correct wording? Or does it even really matter?
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On 08/9/10 12:20 PM, Sergio Hernandez said:
Rivers has gone on record as to how he belives there is a perfect mathematical formula to writing pop songs.
If that doesn’t scream insincerity, I don’t know what does.
Weezer used to be the band, with their tongue firmly lodged in their cheek, that had their own “=w=” parody of Van Halen’s logo.
Their charm is gone and with it, their desire to write anything more than a superfluous pop tune.
They’re no better than Katy Perry.
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On 08/9/10 1:21 PM, Sean Cannon said:
keith: correct on all points.
shawn bradley and dr. jones: preach it
david m: i think it’s just refused, but all that really matters is that they slayed.
sergio: they aren’t even as good as katy perry, thanks to the whole lack of milkbags and what not. even though i’ve gone on record as saying that katy perry is meh.
jeff: are you perpetually 12 years old?
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On 08/9/10 2:59 PM, Mr Kite said:
While I hate Raditude as much as anyone, I actually saw them live this summer and they were amazing. They didn’t have a touring guitarist, they had a touring drummer while Pat played guitar. Rivers played guitar on most of the important songs (Say it Ain’t So, Undone, etc) and it was all around a good show. Red Album gave me some hope (Miss Sweeney is a great song) after the badness that was Make Believe only to have Raditude crush that hope all over again. But I haven’t given up on them yet, I’ll let this next album decide it.
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On 08/9/10 3:30 PM, keith said:
I won’t thrash Mr. Kite’s defense of the lame live Weezer circus, but only for his benefit.
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On 08/9/10 3:56 PM, Mr Kite said:
I see what you did there!
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On 08/10/10 8:48 AM, Dr. Jones said:
I saw Weezer in 95 when they toured opening for Live.
I imagine I’d be severely disappointed if I saw them now. -
On 08/10/10 3:41 PM, sammy said:
I saw Live 4 years ago and loved it.
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On 08/10/10 6:12 PM, George said:
Riverfest!
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On 08/10/10 10:01 PM, Jeff said:
Are you seriously resorting to Pee Wee Herman-esque taunts because I disagreed with you?
I just happen to think you made a lame commentary that reeks of hipster snobbery. Any music fan knows that the last few Weezer albums aren’t in the league of their first two – but if you actually listened to them you also saw that Rivers can still rally on occasion. Admitting that doesn’t make me some uber-fan who is stuck in pre-adolescence. It just makes me someone who has common sense and taste in good pop songs.
Your arguments that Epitaph is somehow a step down from labels that have sold less records and have no track record in marketing catchy rock music is built on simple elitist bullshit.
Have fun thumbing your nose.
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On 08/10/10 11:43 PM, Sean Cannon said:
not because you disagree with me, but because your opinions seem to reflect the tastes and opinions of my brother, who is 14.
i think what pretty much everyone else has said about your arguments is spot on, so i didn’t feel like reiterating it all.
and it’s not about the number of records those labels have sold (though i’d say they’ve sold their fair share) and the ability to market their music (again, most of the labels i’ve listed do a pretty damn good job of that). it’s about their reputation in the music community at large and their overall output.
like i said before, epitaph has put out some great records, but they’ve also have had a lot of stinkers (particularly in the last few years) when compared to the track record of someone like merge or matador. and at least when they put out a record i don’t necessarily like, it’s usually not inherently devoid of quality.
but if i were actually an elitist, i would’ve said k records, kill rock star, thrill jockey or e6. the labels i listed before are the most populist indie rock labels out there.
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On 08/11/10 10:16 AM, sammy said:
spinART
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On 08/14/10 2:32 PM, Mr Kite said:
After reading about their newest album, apparently called “Hurley”, I can safely say I have given up on them. They must be actually trying to be awful because no band could sink so low on accident.
Still, they were fun live
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