The Turtles

In 1970, The Turtles released More Golden Hits, which contained the singles Sound Asleep and The Story of Rock and Roll, and in 1971, a B-sides and rarities album, Wooden Head, their last album. Their video for "Photograph" was a staple for Much Music USA (now Fuse). Maladroit's "Dope Nose" was unspectacular at best, though it was put into a rather regular rotation. In spite of Turtle Soup's critical success, commercial acclaim was low and the band soon began disintegrating. They then recorded two videos for "Island in the Sun," the first focusing on a Mexican wedding, and the second involving Weezer with animals in a wildlife reserve. Kaylan and Volman then rebelled against White Whale's attempts to push The Turtles towards Monkees-style studio chicanery, and they recorded Turtle Soup, a critically well-received album that was inspired by The Kinks' Village Green Preservation Society. It would take the sumo clip of "Hash Pipe" (or as the title card stated, "H*** Pipe") to bring Weezer back into the eyes of music video viewers. Elenore may be the only Top Ten single to contain the lyrics et cetera. However, Weezer's Pinkerton videos were not well played and quickly forgotten.

"Elenore" and "You Showed Me" were Top Ten singles. The video is akin to other defining videos of the 90s such as Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight," because all three of these videos helped the artists reach an audience not often reached by alternative rock bands. Later in the year, The Turtles released a concept album called The Turtles Present the Battle of the Bands, in which the group pretended to be eleven different bands, each with a song. While "Undone (The Sweater Song)" was big on MTV, it was the Spike Jonze-directed "Buddy Holly" video, which used footage from various episodes of Happy Days, that made them pop icons. 1968 was a fairly successful year: The next two singles, Sound Asleep and The Story of Rock and Roll charted in the middle of the top 100, but were never received quite as well. Weezer is also very well known for their innovative music videos. Golden Hits was released later that year, charting in the top 10. Later the name Goat Punishment was used while the members of Weezer recorded a show for the HBO concert series, Reverb.

Two other top-15 singles followed, You Know What I Mean, and She's My Girl, which marked a shift by the band towards psychedelic music as the genre became more popular. Their first shows under the pseudonym featured the new Weezer lineup (now featuring Mikey Welsh) playing covers of songs by Nirvana and Oasis. 1967 became The Turtles' most successful year in the charts, with another song written by Bonner and Gordon, She'd Rather Be With Me, which reached #3 on the US charts in the late spring, and actually outcharted Happy Together overseas. Weezer has also played several shows under the pseudonym Goat Punishment. The album by the same name was released in April and charted at a high of #25. The discovery set the tentative date for the release of the fifth album, Make Believe, as April or May of 2005. With its tongue-in-cheek atmosphere, incessant background guitar riff, addictive chorus and backing vocals, simple drum and organ lines, and even an oboe playing along during the second chorus, it spent three weeks at #1 on the American charts in 1967, the only Turtles record to do so. On Friday, January 7, 2005 several Weezer fans noticed that several radio stations had announced the next single from the band (entitled "Beverly Hills") would be released on March 21 or March 22 of the same year.

Their biggest hit and signature song, "Happy Together", considered 1960s pop at its best, provided a turning point for The Turtles. In the summer and early fall of 2004, the members of Weezer recorded a large amount of material intended for a new album to be released in the spring of 2005. It occurred to the band that, for eight months, they had been performing a certain song on stage that was moderately popular with the fans, but had yet to be recorded; originally written by songwriters Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon, Happy Together seemed almost a parody of itself, and had been rejected already. A fourth album, Maladroit, was released in 2002 (see 2002 in music), and served as a departure from the catchy pop-influenced music of The Green Album. In the beginning of 1967, a heavy touring schedule combined with a lack of recent chart success were cited by Don Murray (drums) and Chuck Portz (bass), who left the group to be replaced by John Barbata and Chip Douglas, respectively. This album quickly became known as The Green Album. Shortly after the release of The Green Album, Weezer went on another American tour, attracting many new fans along the way. However, their second album You Baby never entered the top 200, and of several singles released that year only two (Grim Reaper of Love, Can I Get to Know You Better) entered the top 100. Weezer (2001) was self-titled again to signify a sort of rebirth for Weezer.

Their third single, You Baby charted in the top 20 in early 1966. Eventually, the band went back into the studio to produce a third album. Their second single, Let Me Be also appeared in the top 30 that fall. During the tour, Cuomo began writing songs again, and Weezer played some of them live. Similarly to The Byrds' career, The Turtles' first break was with a Bob Dylan cover, It Ain't Me Babe, which was a Top Ten hit in summer 1965 (see 1965 in music) and the title track to their first album. The tour was a huge hit, and sold out several of the large venues it traveled to. With the help of DJ and club owner Reb Foster, The Crossfires signed to White Whale Records, and, adjusting to the prevailing musical trends of the time, became a folk-rock group known as The Tyrtles, the misspelling an ode to The Byrds that was soon dropped. In 2000, Weezer re-formed and went on tour without a new album.

The band was formed by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman in Westchester, California in the 1965, as a surf rock group called The Crossfires. However, thanks to word-of-mouth and a strong following on internet, Weezer's popularity continued to grow. The Turtles are an American bubblegum pop, psychedelic and folk-rock band, best known for 1967's "Happy Together" (see 1967 in music). During this time little public information was being released about the state of the band. A five-year recording drought followed the release of Pinkerton, with Rivers spending more time at Harvard and playing solo shows in Boston. Rolling Stone Magazine, which in 1996 labeled Pinkerton the Worst Album of the Year, updated their view in 2004 and inducted Pinkerton into its Album Hall of Fame, giving a brand new five-star review rating.

Over the years, the album grew in popularity, and is often now pointed out by major rock critics as a alternative rock masterpiece. From an industry perspective, the album was not originally seen as a critical or financial success . Songs like "The Good Life" and "El Scorcho" were scribed during Cuomo's time at Harvard, and feature personal reflections on the change from rock star to anonymous student. The title of the album was inspired by a character in the opera Madame Butterfly written by one of Cuomo's favorite artists, Giacomo Puccini.

Weezer's sophmore effort, Pinkerton, was released on September 24, 1996 The album was given lackluster reviews by critics (see 1996 in music), and sales of the album were low compared to their debut. Ultimately, the Songs from the Black Hole album concept was dropped, but many of the songs from the sessions were used on their second album. The band began demoing and working on Rivers' concept through intermittent recording sessions in the spring and summer of 1995. The album would feature songs that flowed together seamlessly, and end with a special coda that briefly revisited the major musical elements of the piece.

Rivers Cuomo traveled back east to his home state of Connecticut, and using an eight-track recorder, he began piecing together demo material for Weezer's next album. Coumo's original concept for Weezer's sophmore effort was to be a space-themed rock opera, Songs from the Black Hole. In late December, 1994, Weezer took a break from touring for the Christmas holiday. The Blue Album included the hit singles "Buddy Holly," "Undone (The Sweater Song)," and "Say it Ain't So." The video of "Buddy Holly" was included on the CD-ROM of Windows 95. On May 10, 1994, Weezer released their self-titled album, which became known as The Blue Album (see 1994 in music).

The recording of the album finished in early October 1993, and the band headed back to L.A. Cropper's guitar parts were rerecorded by Cuomo, and Bell replaced Cropper's vocals. After the recording of the album, guitarist Jason Cropper was fired from the band by Cuomo. Cropper was replaced by guitarist Brian Bell, a former member of the band Carnival Art. Ric Ocasek, former singer/songwriter for The Cars, was chosen as producer.

The band began recording their debut album in late August 1993 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The band was signed onto the DGC label (later became Interscope). Soon the band began to receive attention from various A&R reps, and was signed on June 25, 1993 by Todd Sullivan, an A&R rep from Geffen Records. and recording home-demos.

Five weeks later they had their first gig, opening for Dogstar (featuring Keanu Reeves) at Raji's Bar and Ribshack on Hollywood Boulevard. Weezer began playing clubs to small audiences around L.A. The band formed on February 14th, 1992 in Los Angeles, California with original members Rivers Cuomo (pronounced KWOH-mo), Patrick Wilson, Matt Sharp, and Jason Cropper. The video for their new single, "Beverly Hills", was filmed February 28, 2005 in Los Angeles, and directed by Marcos Siega, who directed many of the band's other videos. Their fifth album, entitled Make Believe, is presently being recorded and is expected to be released in the spring of 2005.

The specific genre of their music is debated, although it can be said that their style is related to alternative rock.Formed on February 14, 1992, they have released four full length albums, an EP, a DVD, and most recently a two-disc set, deluxe remastered edition of their debut album with the addition of b-sides and imports. Weezer is an American rock and roll band. Ozma (opened for Weezer on several occasions, including the Outloud andMaladroit tours). Space Twins (side project of guitarist Brian Bell).

The Special Goodness (side project of drummer Patrick Wilson). The Rentals (band of former bassist Matt Sharp). Homie (side project of guitarist Rivers Cuomo). An extensive library of rare Weezer recordings can be found at WeezerNation.com (http://weezernation.com) in the Media section.

Suzanne is a song by Weezer of the Mallrats movie soundtrack. Jamie appears on the compilation album DGC Rarities, Vol. 1. Beverly Hills (2005) (announced, yet to be released). Keep Fishin' (2002).

Dope Nose (2002). Island in the Sun (2001). Hash Pipe (2001). The Good Life (1997).

El Scorcho (1996). Say It Ain't So (1995). Buddy Holly (1994). Undone (The Sweater Song) (1994).

Make Believe (May 2005) [1] (http://www.nme.com/news/111620.htm). The Lion and the Witch — a live EP, recorded during the Maladroit tour in Japan (September 24, 2002). Maladroit (May 14, 2002). "The Green Album" (May 15, 2001).

Weezer, a.k.a. Pinkerton (September 24, 1996). "The Blue Album" (May 10, 1994). Weezer, a.k.a.

Mikey Welsh — bass (on The Green Album). Matt Sharp — bass (on The Blue Album and Pinkerton). Jason Cropper — guitar (up to September, 1993). Patrick Wilson — drums.

Scott Shriner — backing vocals, bass (since Maladroit). Brian Bell — backing vocals, guitar. Rivers Cuomo — vocals, guitar.