so was matt sharp really that big of an influence on the music of the weezer of yore or did going to college completely alter rivers's musical sensibilities?

also did anyone ever discover what happened to green album bassist and most likely drug addict mikey welsh?

I was actually having a discussion about Matt Sharp today while driving back to Lincoln. I think he had quite an impact on Weezer, and when he left they really started to go down hill, since Pinkerton seems to be their best reviewed album and every album since its release has been ridiculed by alot of the rock press.

but if he were such a driving force then why hasnt he rocked my socks off since?

Ex-Weezer Member Welch Resurfaces With Kickovers

03/29/2002 5:00 PM, LAUNCH
Jerry Armor

(3/29/02, 5 p.m. ET) -- Ex-Weezer bassist Mikey Welch, who abruptly left the group last summer and checked in to a Boston-area psychiatric hospital, has resurfaced in the new power-pop group the Kickovers. The band will release its debut album, Osaka, in April on Fenway Recordings, headed by former Grand Royal and Geffen Records executive Mark Kates.

The Kickovers are the brainchild of Mighty Mighty Bosstones guitarist Nate Albert. Along with Welch, Albert is joined by the Bosstones' Joe Sirois on drums and guitarist Johnny Rioux, who has logged time with Social Distortion's Mike Ness. With Albert at the helm, the Kickovers are "dutifully paying homage to the soundtrack of [Albert's] youth --the Replacements, Husker Du, the Pixies, Blondie, and, yes, AC/DC," according to a band spokesperson.

Welch left Weezer after he failed to hook up with the group for a video shoot in Los Angeles last August. He was replaced by Scott Shiner.

-- Neal Weiss, Los Angeles

i have no clue what he's doing now though.

col-lab-bor-ation...

Though I don't mind the rentals/solo stuff at all... In fact, Matt Sharp (post-pinkerton) > rivers (post-pinkerton)

Weezer were on Howard Stern this morning and that CBS guy Vinnie was gushing at how good the new album is and that they're this generation's Beatles. I want to punch him.

it's true. listneing to weezer and sharp's solo stuff is like listening to the post-hum albums (glifted and centaur). . . you hear the elementary particles of each band, and, though all are so-so to ok, you really wish they'd do the voltron thing and get back together to form the ass-kicking robot (blazing sword and all)

i think matt sharp was actually a pretty influential guy who doesn't get a lot of credit for it. he was way ahead of the curve on the 80s nostalgia, and i think he has a lot to do with the resurgence of analog synths (especially among the fashionable indinista). and although this might be heresy ror weezer fans, for my money pinkerton > return of the rentals > blue.
i heard this solo ep he put out since the last rentals album that was just complete ass. it's a damn shame--i guess thats what happens when you start spending all your time in barcelona hanging out with the guy from blur.

The green album and the blue album are equally good. Had the green album been released when the blue one was, and vice versa, you'd all be gushing about how great that album was and how lackluster blue was. Discuss.

Rankin' 'em, top-to-bottom = good to bad:

Blue/green are equally enjoyed


Pinkerton









Maladroit










































































































Make Believe

I don't know..For me they go:

Blue
Pinkerton
Green/Maladroit (Green is decent enough..Just a little to happy at times...I like the direction that Maladroit went..)
Make Believe(Is just Crap)

speak o' de devil. mr. sharp just announced that the rentals are working on a new album.

The Return of the Rentals!

Posted on Tue October 25th by Hillier

Matt Sharp (ex-Weezer) has announced the regrouping of his 1990's alternative/punk/new wave outfit, The Rentals.

A band that is often credited for opening the door for synth-punk bands like Motion City Soundtrack and Reggie and the Full Effect, The Rentals have remained dormant since shortly after their 1999 release, "Seven More Minutes."

The group is working on their first album in over five years in LA, and plans the release, along with heavy touring, for the new year. The band has featured members of The Decemberists, Weezer, The Special Goodness, and Saturday Night Live cast member Maya Rudolph.

You can also check out three songs on their MySpace page ( http://www.myspace.com/therentals ) .

(punknews.org)

As long as it's more Seven More Minutes than Return of..., I endorse.

Or if Pharrell is involved. Even moreso, Chad (Hugo).

a few years ago i was a fool and sold "seven more minutes" while under the impression that i wouldn't listen to it ever again. i've since come to understand that i was only kidding myself and i'll probably end up buying it again sometime in the near future.

One of the best of '99, and possibly my favorite music-in-exile records.

Barcelona is a beautiful town.

Weezer never released anything good after he left, but that doesnt necassarily mean that it was his influence

I love the Rentals... a new record would be nice news, indeed!