1992/09/01 weezer show #21: The Coconut Teaszer, Hollywood

Posted on September 1, 1992 by tim

The Coconut Teaszer was one of the ‘big 3′ Sunset Strip clubs [the other 2 being the Roxy and the Whiskey] that were the big holdouts of the glam-metal scene of the ’80s. It was difficult for a “alternative” band like weezer to break into this scene, and the leather-clad regulars tended to clear out when anyone not dressed in full rock garb hit the stage. And weezer dressed in anything but full rock garb! Teaszer bills were always a bizarre mix of glam bands, bar rock bands, morbid looking Gothic type bands, and the occasional pop type band like weezer.

Back to the Teaszer for the 4th time.

Set list: unknown, aside from this info: this show was the only live performance [or possibly one of 2 live performances] of “The Bottle Of Wine Song”, a very nice mellow song. It was followed in tonight’s set by “Paperface”. No other set list info is known about this show.

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1992/03/10 Goofing Around

Posted on March 10, 1992 by karl

the countdown to the first weezer show was on, though no one yet knew exactly what day that would be yet. The band was practicing whenever possible, but still had to rent rehearsal rooms by the hour in Hollywood, while the garage at Rivers’ Matt’s and Justin Fisher [later of Psoma and Nerf Herder]‘s new rented house at 2226 Amherst was being transformed into a proper rehearsal space as quickly as possible.

Clowning in the apartment of Pat Finn, Karl Koch, and Takashi Hasegawa, who along with Finn was Rivers’s karate school companion since spring/summer 1991. Here he pretends to behead Rivers. This apt., located at 1443 N. Fuller in Hollywood, was in a huge building called the Fuller Martel Plaza, and at the time there were many rock neighbors, including bands Wax (right next door), White Zombie and Circus Of Power. Pat Wilson also lived both next door and in this apt in ’92 and ’93. Darrin Pfieffer of Goldfinger also lived in this apt. in late ’92, as did original weezer guitar player Jason Cropper for a short while. Its not recalled why Rivers was visiting this day, but it might have been after a weezer rehearsal in Hollywood.

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1992/02/17 West Los Angeles: TK Productions: Weezer’s third practice

Posted on February 17, 1992 by karl

TK productions in West L.A. – The third day (of 3 in a row) that Rivers, Matt, Pat, and Jason Cropper [playing acoustic guitar] practiced together as weezer. The first time they ever rolled tape and recorded themselves. On this day, after 2 days of pure woodshedding with no visitors, they were visited by Karl and Patrick Finn, who were curious to see what this new band made up of their buddies was sounding like after 3 days solid playing together. They arrived to a very hot sweaty room, containing 3 clothed people and one [Jason] who had inexplicably decided to strip down to nothing halfway thru rehearsal that day. Fortunately for the rest of the people in the room, his acoustic guitar afforded him some modesty. Jason later explained he was overcome with the amazing musical vibe in the room and just had to get naked.

the recordings made that day:

I Can’t Forget the way
undone
underground
2 to tango
theif, youve taken all that was me
megaman (partial take that breaks down, pat vocals)
colmusheen
close your eyes and gimme a kiss
the world has turned and left me here     (cut off at end- tape cut off)
spiderbitch     (originally a Fuzz song, then 60 Wrong Sausages, now weezer)
chasm
aint got no words     (originally a Fuzz song, then 60 Wrong Sausages, now weezer)
the biggest animal     (originally a Fuzz song, then 60 Wrong Sausages, now weezer)
Answer Man     (originally a Fuzz song, then 60 Wrong Sausages, now weezer)

Posted in Recording Session, Rehearsal | Leave a comment

1992/02/16 West Los Angeles: TK Productions: Weezer’s second practice

Posted on February 16, 1992 by karl

Second (ever) day of rehearsals (of 3 straight) at TK productions in West L.A.. At this point the band did not actually have a name, and debate over the name had started. The mood was one of exhilaration, as everyone felt something magical was happening with the vibe, the songs, the overall feeling in the sir. The songs were still quite rough sounding but that really didn’t matter. After 2 years of individually (and sometimes paired off) flailing about in various musical pursuits and creative dead ends, what this combo of people were doing in this studio on this day finally felt right. There was a ton of work to be done and huge doubts would remain, plus they didn’t even have a name yet, but weezer was being born.

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1992/02/15 West Los Angeles: TK Productions: Weezer’s first practice | Amherst House move-in

Posted on February 15, 1992 by karl

The first time Rivers, Matt, Pat, and Jason Cropper [playing acoustic guitar] practiced together as weezer. Rehearsals continued for 3 days straight at TK productions in West L.A.. At this point the band did not actually have a name, and debate over the name had started.

The other event of the day was a big move. Rivers, Matt and Rivers’ longtime friend Justin Fisher moved into a house at 2226 Amherst Avenue this day, telling the landlords (located in the neighboring house) they were UCLA film students (not musicians). They did this because the landlords insisted on quiet tenants. Little did they know the plans to convert the old 1 car garage (now closed in laundry room/storage area) into a band rehearsal space – what would be much later referred to as “The Garage” in “In The Garage” – though those lyrics also refer to Rivers childhood memories as well. That rehearsal space much later showed up inside the booklet of the blue album, as well as int he Say It Ain’t So video, which was actually filmed after Matt and Rivers had moved out, and Rivers’ other long time friend Adam Orth (and others) had moved in. while Rivers and Matt lived there, countless weezer rehearsals took place in that garage, as well as numerous demos and rehearsals recorded by Rivers, Pat, weezer (as a group) and others. Adam Orth and Justin Fisher later continued the tradition by rehearsing their band Shufflepuck there (which also featured Ed, formerly of Brians earlier band Carnival Art). After that, others continued rehearsing there till the mid 2000′s when everyone was finally sent packing and the house was totally remodeled. As of 2011 it still looks about the same on the outside.

Prior living arrangements:

Rivers: moved from the nearby 2914 urban Ave, off of Pico Blvd in West L.A. From early summer 1991 he rented a small single room with a bed loft there, and recorded demos and started attending SMCC. The song “Tennis Ball” (from the fall 1991 60 Wrong Sausages time period) refers to this address.

Matt: moved back down from El Cerrito, CA, (near Berkeley) where he was living alone since moving up there from L.A. in late Spring 1991. He had pursued sequenced classical/industrial hybrid music there, but eventually abandoned the effort.

Justin: had continued to live at an apartment (or apartments) in Hollywood since the band he was in with Rivers (Avant Garde / Zoom) imploded in mid 1990.

photos of 2226 Amherst Ave taken in 2002.

Posted in Rehearsal, Travel / Trip / Move | Leave a comment

1992/02/14 The Origin of Weezer (part # ?)

Posted on February 14, 1992 by karl

Valentine’s Day has become known as “Weezer Day” amongst fans, a day to wear a weezer shirt and to celebrate the anniversary of the formation of Weezer. In the years since 1992, the straight dope has been sifted thru and it turns out things werent quite that way. (But no need to change the tradition of Weezer Day – its nice that it falls on Valentine’s Day – plus its easy to remember that way!).

The real story is something closer to this: Rivers went on a spontaneous last second road trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans, with Pat Finn, in Pat Finn’s road tested 1988 Ford Escort. They left L.A. on Feb 11th or 12th, driving all night and arriving in New Orleans on the 13th. They looked up Matt Sharp’s sister, who lived in the French Quarter at the time, and crashed at her place. They only stayed in New Orleans a day and a half (or just half a day) before deciding to get Rivers back to L.A. in time to make the weezer rehearsals that were scheduled. They didnt return till late on the 14th. What is unknown is whether the rehearsals were originally scheduled for the 14th-16th, or 15th thru 17th – which is when they ended up happening.

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1992/02/12 The Origin of Weezer (part # ?)

Posted on February 12, 1992 by karl

Rivers starts a spontaneous road trip with Pat Finn to New Orleans. They will return on the 14th. This event possibly happened on 2/11/92. see 2/14 entry.

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1991/01/04 Karl meets Rivers and Matt

Posted on January 4, 1991 by karl

Karl visited Patrick Finn in L.A. in early January 1991, while on winter break from college. At this time, Pat Finn had just decided to move up to San Francisco where his mom lived. Pat Finn and Pat Wilson has been roommates in an apartment on Gordon Ave in L.A., but now Pat Wilson had moved in with Matt Sharp on Genessee Ave., a nice apartment that had virtually no furniture because no one could afford any. Matt Sharp was in a depressed mood at this time, and seemed to spend most of his time watching Woody Allen films while laying on plastic fold up lawn furniture in the otherwise barren living room. Pat Finn was temporarily staying there too but was about to move north. The other roommate to come in to stay was Rivers. On Jan 4 Rivers moved in, and Karl helped out with the boxes. This moment was written about by Rivers in his mySpace blog years later:

“…[Pat Finn] told me about a musical duo he had formed back in Buffalo called “Skraper”. The other member was apparently a Teutonic titan who rapped a violent breed of nonsense. I had a pretty scary image in my mind and was surprised eventually when I met the guy, a complete lamb of soul, when he helped me move into my apartment with Pat and Matt. I’m talking about Karl.”

within a day or so, Rivers had his 8 track recorder set up and played us his 2 most recent demos: “Bushman” and “Christmas In LA”.

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1969/12/09 Brian Bell born

Posted on December 9, 1968 by karl

Brian Bell born in Iowa City, Iowa.

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1965/07/11 Scott Shriner born

Posted on July 11, 1965 by karl

Scott G. Shriner born in Toledo, Ohio.

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