Mikey's time in Weezer was an amazing experience to behold and indeed an experience he made the very best of. He made a huge impact on the band and it's fan-base. His personality attracted a lot of attention along with his behaviour and sense of humour, not to mention his sense of style. Mikey was regarded highly almost instantly with his trademark checkerboard Vans, his day-glo shirts accompanied by a mismatched tie and, in my humble opinion, his awesome tattoos. Weezer guitarist Brian Bell had this to say about our favourite bassist; "Mikey is from Boston, that means he's patriotic. Adorned in a spectrum of tattoos. He's style, he's class, he's hip, he's himself. Never has our sound been better. It's like our house of bricks has been reinforced with steel. This is going to be Weezer's finest record, I'm sure of that. The new songs are extraordinary, other worldly, and fantastically awesome. I can't wait for our fans and even our enemies to rejoice upon listening." Brian described Mikey in the best possible way as Mikey fitted in perfectly with Weezer, but his often wild hair and vast collection of tattoos made him stand out as an individual, a guy you knew would probably rock...and boy does Mikey know how to rock! Mikey's confidence and ease in playing made for an awesome live performance, ever the alpha-male Mikey was an obvious choice for the adoring fans - shaking his hips and wiggling his ass* at the audience. *And YES, I can say that because its my webpage - and I have the video footage to prove it! Rolling Stone had this to say about their live return;
"Weezer could write volumes on pop psychology - in their case, the dynamics behind male songwriters who struggle to balance a love for the perfectly crafted pop song and the equally insistent desire to thrash and wail with no form at all. Who waver between the extremes of complete insecurity and uncertainty that endears them to the angst-ridden indie/emo rock set, and the solid assurance and machismo of their cock rock heroes. Who try to integrate their maleness and femaleness without being too androgynous, or God forbid, too boring. All of this, and more, was on display as Weezer staged a triumphant return Wednesday at New York's Irving Plaza, after dropping out of sight for nearly three years.
Glimpses of frontman Rivers Cuomo's anxieties were readily apparent - asking the crowd to help him decide the set list, for one. His appearance, resembling a younger Rick Moranis with his thick, clunky Clark Kent glasses and a buttoned-up-to-the-collar shirt, didn't exactly yell "rock star." But that's part of Weezer's daily dose of irony - you never know, nor are you supposed to - if it's entirely an act or not.
With a flashing giant =w= sign behind Pat Wilson's drum kit, Weezer opened with the dynamic "My Name Is Jonas," setting the stage for songs to follow that would somehow manage to maintain the fine line between being gentle and propulsive. Raising his fists and guitar with the punctuating "yeah, yeah, yeah," Cuomo turned the song's lyrics into declarations - as if the repetition of "still making noise" signaled Weezer's own comeback.
Though new bassist Mikey Welsh doesn't harmonize as well as his predecessor Matt Sharp (of the Rentals), he actually provided a necessary contrast to Cuomo's self-consciousness. Clearly at ease with himself, he would strike poses without irony, turning his back and playing bass while standing on the drum raisers, swiveling his hips in a pseudo-suggestive manner. Guitarist Brian Bell added to these postures, flashing his movie-star smile and spreading his lanky legs, but it didn't seem as overtly sexual as Welsh's playing did."
"The Green Album" was hugely anticipated but in no way a let down; the fans had waited long enough and were not disappointed, especially with new boy Mikey onboard. The next review is also from Rolling Stone;
"Weezer Go Green" Following much hemming and boatload of hawing, all is set in stone for Weezer's many-moons-in-the-making third album. Produced by Ric Ocasek, The Green Album will drop as planned on May 15th, its cover art closely resembling that of the band's eponymous debut (lovingly called "The Blue Album") - a picture of the foursome against a solid backdrop. The nod to their 1994 nerd-core breakthrough is no doubt intentional, a clear signal that Rivers Cuomo and Co. have returned, at least in part, to the signature neo-New Wave sound somewhat absent from 1996's poorer-selling second album, Pinkerton. According to a posting at the Web site of unofficial fifth Weezer member, longtime band roadie Karl Koch, Interscope/Geffen had hoped to push the record's release back to mid-June, a move that, "did NOT go over well with the band...in a heated behind the scenes debate with some label higher-ups, the exasperated guys got their way, and May 15th stuck!"
The album's relatively dark first single, "Hash Pipe," an apparent take on Los Angeles prostitution, has already begun illuminating request boards from sea to shining sea. A video for the song, recently wrapped with director Marcos Siega (Papa Roach, Blink-182, Eve 6), looks to feature the guys playing while a group of mammoth sumo wrestlers push and pummel one another. The clip should find its way to your local video channel closer to the album's release. Siega is already rumored signed on to shoot a video for the second single, for the significantly sweeter album opener "Don't Let Go" ("Anything you desire I will set at your feet with a kiss").
Weezer are currently in Japan, powering through a set of dates in Osaka and Tokyo, after which they'll play three shows stateside - April 28th at the Southern California's Coachella Music Festival, May 12th at the KDGE Festival in Dallas, and May 13th at the KMYZ Birthday Bash in Claremore, Oklahoma - before hopping the pond for gigs in Germany and the U.K. Weezer's recent announcement that they won't be playing this summer's Warped Tour has led to speculation that they might sign on with the mysterious Jubilee Tour, the forthcoming summer package from Jane's Addiction frontman/former Lollapalooza guru Perry Farrell (both bands will be playing the Coachella Festival).
The track listing for The Green Album:1. Don't Let Go. 2. Photograph. 3. Hash Pipe. 4. Island in the Sun. 5. Crab. 6. Knock Down Drag Out. 7. Smile. 8. Simple Pages. 9. Glorious Day. 10. O Girlfriend. The UK version of the album will include the song "I Do" while the Japanese version will include "I Do" and "The Christmas Song." GREG HELLER (April 18, 2001)
The release of the album was followed by exstensive touring, making sure that the world had not forgotten about Weezer, they'd just merely misplaced them for a little while - and now they were glad to have them back. The band would comment about how long they'd been away yet they had returned and were as popular as ever. Old fans welcomed them back with open arms and a new generation of kids, who were getting a little tired of so-called "nu-metal", embraced the opportunity to expand their horizons and listen to something cool for a change. While discussing the release of The Green Album on television Mikey was quoted as saying "We're gonna get up on the stage, we're gonna put on the guitars and make a little love...with the rock'n'roll!" This was typical of Mikey, very tongue in cheek but also quite true, Weezer live were now so amazing they did kick your ass right out of your pants! Granted they didn't please everyone as the following proves; "...Guitarist Brian Bell is little more than decoration, though props to new bassist Mikey Welsh, whose tats add a ripple of danger to a band you'd comfortably bring home to Mom. Welsh's perennial pogoing countered Coumo's spot-on impression of an elm." ...but they tried their best and knew they couldn't make everyone into a fan...who'd want that? But there were other light-hearted problems on the horizon too - like OH MY GOD! being labelled EMO or GEEK ROCK, or being questioned about SELLING OUT;
Virginmega.com: What's your response to the constant description of Weezer as "Geek Rock?"
Pat: (Leans into mic and shouts.) I say fuck you! Fuck you, man!
Mikey: Yeah, fuck off! Fuck off! (A unanimous round of "Fuck You"s follows.)
Virginmega.com: How is it to come back to a mainstream market consumed by rap metal and bubblegum pop?
Mikey: I don't think there's anything wrong with them because they're obviously supplying some kind of joy for people.
Pat: I think our culture is way more celebrity obsessed than they are music. I think music is a big goal to give people celebrities.
Virginmega.com: How is it to come back to a mainstream market consumed by rap metal and bubblegum pop?
Mikey: I don't think there's anything wrong with them because they're obviously supplying some kind of joy for people.
Pat: I think our culture is way more celebrity obsessed than they are music. I think music is a big goal to give people celebrities.
Virginmega.com: Don't you think you've become celebrities?
Brian: No!
Pat: No, because we don't have the requisite, charismatic marketability that like a Britney Spears has.
Mikey: Because we still do our photo shoots wearing corduroys and t-shirts. I mean, maybe that's why people call us "Geek Rock" because we don't make a big fuss over the way we look. We go out onstage and we just play our music and there's no giant spaceships flying around or dancers or huge explosions.
Virginmega.com: How do you want people to perceive Weezer?
Pat: I want them to think "Bling! Bling!" I want them to think, "So that's the guys that have that fuckin' huge house over there! Do they have any product I can buy, any hair gel I can buy?"
Brian: I want them to think "That's a cool band, I respect that band and I like what they're doing. They haven't sold out."
Virginmega.com: How do you avoid selling out?
Pat: There's no way. You can't avoid selling out. What does that mean?
Brian: Probably doing a song with Puff Daddy or something.
Mikey: No, not at all! It's such bullshit! The only way you can't sell out is if you never even play a gig with your band, because anyone in any art form, especially in a band, as soon as you make a demo or play a club, you're wanting some kind of attention or success�no matter what anyone says. Anyone that's gigging or making a demo wants a deal. They want to get paid money, they want to be in magazines, and anyone who says they don't want that is full of shit. So now we have success and we want to enjoy it and make the most of it. I'm sure some teenage kid doesn't understand that, but maybe when they're our age they'll understand it's nice to make a comfortable living. Other things become important to you besides having your bullshit punk rock cred, which lasts until you're about 20 and you realize, "Hey, ya know I kind of like eating and being able to pay my rent and buy my girlfriend nice things." I'm sure to some kid that's just discovering the Dead Kennedys now, this doesn't mean anything to them, but it does to me!
Virginmega.com: So after all you guys have been through, what advice would you give to some young kids starting a band?
Mikey: I would tell them to avoid calling anyone a sell out because maybe in ten years this will happen to them and then when some kids call them the sell outs they'll understand how it feels.
Pat: I would say you should definitely go solo right away!
With sales of The Green Album rocketing and the bands popularity soaring Weezer could do no wrong. The first single to be released from The Green Album was surprisingly Hash Pipe (as mentioned earlier in the Rolling Stone review), a song that was NOT really expected to be a single - at least by the record company. With a video that featured sumo-wrestlers alongside the band playing it caught the attention of just about everyone and reintroduced Weezer to the world, containing lyrics detailing the lifestyle of a teenage drug addict transexual prostitute ("I can't love my business if I can't get a drink/Down on Santa Monica where tricks are for kids") this was definitely NOT autobiographical nor as personal as most of Rivers' songs had previously been but the fans loved it and the video got a huge amount of play on music tv channels the world over. Weezer were back with their hash pipe and a vengeance...