Weezer

This band was an integral part of music for me during late high school and all throughout my college years. I first heard them at the Vans Warped Tour in 2000 (I know I know, I was shelterd), and immediately I was a fan. I got my hands on what I could, which at the time only included the Blue Album and Pinkerton.

Their first album is them at their best - before anyone knew who they were, and before Rivers knew he was a genius. These songs top anything else they've released, from the nerd-rockiness of "Buddy Holly" to full out rock ballad "Say It Ain't So" this album was so revelatory. It showed me how fun rock music can be. There is earnestness here, and the best kind, the honest kind. You can just tell these guys are being who they really are; Rivers embodied everything that wasn't popular at the time, the anti-Nirvana. From start to finish, perfection.


For me, as a new fan, this album was a nice continuation to Blue. There was no 2nd album anticipation, so I didn't have the chance to be disappointed as a lot of fans were at the time. Weezer dropped off after this album "flopped"in 1996. But what diehard fans realized, as I did, is that Pinkerton is freaking brilliant. "Why Bother" and "Falling For You" should have been huge alt rock hits, but Weezer faded away as Rivers became depressed over his failure.



So as I ate up Weezer's first two albums, they were quietly planning a new millennium comeback. The Green Album came out in 2001, my Senior year of high school. And let me say that this album was more memorable than my entire four years of high school. I will never forget blasting this as I parked my crappy VW every morning in the Sanger high parking lot. Although this album is a tad more formulaic (every guitar solo is just the melody of the verse hook), it is nonetheless enjoyable. "Hash Pipe" ushered in Rivers' new usage of random lyrics that don't really make sense. No one or two tracks stick out to me; it's one of those albums that you know every lyric to every song, but you don't remember the titles of individual songs. A great return to Weezer form.


Maladroit is my least favorite Weezer album. This album came out in April of '02, and I was on choir tour at the time. I actually bought this album for the crazy price of $20 in Portland, because it was the only CD store I could find, and of course, I HAD to have this CD to listen to on the trip back home. This CD was pretty disappointing, partly because Weezer had posted these songs, along with numerous others, on their website, and I'd heard a lot of them already, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. Since I'd discovered them I'd taken to the internet (and napster!) to get my hands on everything Weezer in mp3-land. So I was hyping this release in my mind so much, and it ended up not living living up to the hype. I do like "Take Control" and "Dope Nose" (weird lyrics vol2); the best part about this album tho was the "Keep Fishin'" video that had the Muppets in it! Also that year for Christmas my cousin Laura brought me back the "Keep Fishin" single from Europe that had Kermit on the front, fishing, with a =w= t-shirt. Awesome.

My brother, cousin and me let out a collective "HOLY CRAP!!" when we heard that Weezer was coming out with a new album in 2005, Make Believe. This was my Senior year of College and my Weezer circle was completed. This album was everything that Maladroit wasn't. Rivers and the band finally made something so 00's, yet so true to what they did back on Blue and Pinkerton. Sean and I were just so proud of them, because they did what they wanted to do, yet they pleased their fans at the same time. This is another one of those sing-ever-track-forget-the-titles album, but standouts include "This I Such A Pity", "Hold Me", "We Are All On Drugs" and "My Best Friend" (to which my wife and I would walk out on on our wedding day in march of 06). That year I saw them twice, once in Coachella and again when they headlined here in Fresno. Brian and I were literally screaming all the words during the show, it was the best.

Below are some of my favorite Weezer tracks
"You Gave Your Love To Me Softly" (B-Side)
"The Good Life"
"My Best Friend"

Upcoming....

*A huge Weezer Music Post
*Start of TV Shows
*Movie Reviews

Katharine Mcphee

Even though she lost to Taylor Hicks on last year's American Idol, this girl has what it takes to sustain a great pop music career. You can check out her first single, "Over It" on her Myspace page This is a good enough song, even though it sounds a little too much like Jojo's "Too Little Too Late", but I'm gonna bet that "Dangerous" will fare better as a single. It's got the hip poppy beat, and since my cousin Brian immediately started singing the chorus after his first listen, this song should be a hit.

Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment!

*Download "Dangerous"*

Back in 2007

So much has changed and happened in the past year, and I think it's time to start this guy up again. I find myself with lots of free time on my hands these days, so this is where I will be trying to direct a lot of my energy. Expect commentary on TV, movies, music, and links to download some of my favorite things of late.

I'm excited, you should be too.

these words

so vegas this past weekend was every so great. me and brandie are officially engaged now! i am so excited. i am more excited that brandie is so happy and excited. basically there's excitement going on.

the hell's kiten finale came on tonight, i'm glad michael won. gene called and said he and kelly got engaged tonight....craziness how our engagements happened around the same time. very happy for them...

so now it's late and i wanted to update this thing.

tomorrow brings: a day off of work, lunch w/brian at irene's, buying a new nintendo advance game, then brandie-ness the rest of the evening.

until later

you wash over me

just listening to some BSB. laura would be so proud. so now i'm starting to get bored. i'm glad brandie's coming back soon, i need human contact!

Evan called me tonight saying he got us a gig at the Anchor Blue in sierra vista on july 23rd, so keep an eye and ear out for that one.

not much else going on today. did the fathers day thing, ate lunch at nana's, it was surprisingly good. oh! i bought a dining room table and chairs set from k-mart that is really nice. arnie had seen it too in the ad, so it worked out perfectly.

when i got home i watched newsies cause we were talking about it the other day. still enjoyable. then i read some narnia. then i watched my live beyonce dvd. oh, in between there i ate. i ran around 8 o'clock, finally, i hadn't in two days. plus i needed to get outta the house.

so yeah, reading more narnia. waiting by my phone for someone to call. i'm so ronery, ha.

Listening to: Coldplay X&Y

nap messed me up

today i worked a stupid 4 hr. shift. even worse i had to be there at 7 am...it was basically a waste of gas, plus i had to get up early. oh well, more $.

my mom and i went into fashion fair today to get stuff for my dad for fathers day. i scored with a pair of black leather flip flops from gap for $10 that were originally $30. i've been needing those. we got my dad some nice stuff...couple pairs of pants and a shirt.

brandie's still gone, so i've just been chillin', reading narnia, and watching tv. i was going to run tonight but i fell asleep for an hour from around 7:30 to 8:30....it really threw me off and i woke up all confused...then i watched the backstreet boys behind the music and felt a little better.

tomorrow might kinda suck. we're doing fathers day at nana and papa's. brian won't be there, so i'm pretty much gonna be waiting to leave. then back home for some more boredom, maybe i'll finish reading narnia...two more books to go...

never gone

Worked 11:45 to close today.

Then watched What Not to Wear.

Talked to Brandie a little, miss her.

Going to bed now cause i have to be at work at 7am.

Can't wait to see Batman Begins again.

i'm climbing the walls

So my life plans have drastically been altered over these past few weeks.

First, Chris decided to move back to Fresno for a while, prompting me to also change my plans and stick around. Luckily I'm still at my same Starbucks, just upping my hours, and earning more $$.

So then I realize that I drive into Fresno EVERY SINGLE DAY and it grows very very old. So i began to yearn for a place of my own closer to work and Brandie. So over the weekend, me, brandie miki and arnie are all at Elephant bar after our FPU show, and arnie and me get to talking, and by yesterday we got approved for this really awesome place in Tower District and we're moving in the first of July!! It's all happening so fast, i never knew apt. hunting was so easy! It's actually not an Apt., it's a two-story town house with two rooms, two bathrooms, washer/dryer, EVERYTHING! And it's only $750 a month, which i think is a steal. I checked it out today for the first time and i just can't wait to move in.

So now i'm thinking i'll be in the Fresno area for around two years because Brandie is most likely taking a job at FPU which would keep her here for two years minimum.

So everything is just go great right now. Plans change, but things are working out to be really really good. I am very blessed and am so grateful that God continually is looking out for my well-being.

So! Vegas is still coming up at the end of July, as is my birthday at the beginning of the month. and i am probably going to vegas again in august with laura sally and brian to see a backstreet boys show, so i'm looking forward to that as well.

brandie's in washington state right now with a friend, so over the past few days i've been reading a lot of Chronicles of Narnia, wathced Ghost World last night (still good) and watched Mean Creek tonight (Grade: B). also today me and brian went to central fish market which is this awesome Japanese market/gift shop/restaraunt....ate more fish than i could handle, then me and brian just drove around town pickin' up stuff.....it was overall a very very good day!

With new music thanks to Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas, Shakira, Alanis, and yes, even Backstreet Boys, alongside great books, movies (BATMAN!!!! SOOOO AWESOME! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT AGAIN!), and great times with friends and family, this summer has been so great so far, and i'm looking forward to it getting better.

i'm getting an air mattress

i will let pictures speak for what has been going on since my last post. enjoy.


Allie, Sean and Me in the heat at Coachella, April 30th


Keane performing at Coachella (really really good)


Me, Sallie and Laura enjoying our time at Coachella


Weezer being the best band ever at Coachella


Colplay performing at Coachella (very awesome)


Me and my friend Emily - our last days at FPU


The family post-Commencement ceremony, May 7th


Jeremiah and Sarah, Brandie and Me smiling cause we're freakin' done with college!


My awesome grandpa chillin' at Me and Brandie's graduation party, May 7th


Us and our graduation cake-o-fun


The crazy ladies of the Greilich,Munoz, and Poli/Pope families


Me, Sean, Laura and Brian sitting on the fireplace - the only time it gets used


Friends at the party: Brandon, Becky, Brandie, Miki and Me


Waited outside for four hours with drunky before the show, May 19th


Kelly was soooo amazing, we had an awesome time!


Things coming up:

Tomorrow June 1 - Brian comes back from Japan
June 7 - Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas and Shakira all have new albums out!
June 11 - Ashlan fund-raising show at FPU; I move down to Long Beach
June 15 - Batman Begins opens
July 6 - My Birthday
July 28th-31 - Me, Bran, Sarah and Jeremiah hit Vegas baby!
September 4 - Me and Brandie's five year anniversary
September 7 - Kelly Clarkson concert in Irvine

Until we meet again.