I don't have much info on this, but I do recall that Brian was selling a box of them while on the Live tour in November '94. I am almost positive that these are not the same versions as appear on the "Craterface" demo. They sound either entirely re-done, or at least given a much better mix job.

tracklist unavailable

BBC Radio One "live" session at BBC Studios.

This was an all day 24-track recording session. The tracks were added one at a time, just like for the blue album. The difference here was that the whole thing was done in a day. Later either some or all of the session was broadcast on the radio. The only song that I have confirmed as played on the radio was My Name Is Jonas. The others might have been but I am lacking this info.

additionally, there are extensive karl video home movies of this day's work.

Matt had to go home due to a family emergency, so the rest of the band were stranded in Hamburg Germany for one week. Rivers worked on "Songs For The Black Hole", possibly replacing several 'garage' demos with new ones, but I think he was mostly displeased with the results, and the "final" versions stayed as they previously were, save for "Blast Off!". [could be wrong , there may be others from Hamburg on the tape]. Pat also banged out some demos when Rivers wasnt busy, and even Pat and Karl did a Southern Fried Swing track here. What can be recalled:

Rivers's ADAT masters are either with him or lost. Pat has no record of what he worked on. A cassette mixdown exists of the 'Techno' tracks (which were just a spoof on the foul song the neighbouring German group was doing down the hall.)

note: it is concluded that the Hamburg "Blast off!" ended up being the Blastoff on the cassette of 'black hole', and is thus the one that is known by fans in mp3 form. The evidence is the presence of the Vocoder (used for the robotic voice effect), which was definitley rented by Rivers in Hamburg and used. There was no Vocoder available in "the Garage" back in LA.

Rivers must have made a cassette mixdown, and its that cassette he attempted to do the "scotch tape edits" on, creating the rough transition halfway thru the song.

Note: there is also a videotape bootleg of this show

This was a full live set with a live studio audience. Weezer opened for Radiohead, who were excellent fellows and had a fantastic performance.

a karl home video exists of this (not the Radiohead part though)

** Note: JH corectly pointed out that " pink triangle", "el scorcho", "falling for you", and "the good life" hadnt been written yet, at the time of this show. I agree. Either the show was mis labeled or mis dated. I do recall being at this show- But perhaps it was in august 1996.....?

The band played a full set, to kick off their Spring '95 US tour. I think the whole show was taped, but then only 2 songs were broadcast, on I think an Mtv special. This was the first show at the new Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. Al Green and Duran Duran also played.

...the two broadcast songs were:

Acoustic, tracklist unavailable

Brian does a session somewhere in LA, to make some new Space Twins demos.

Space Twins Demo #3 "We Are the Space Twins" 1995

songs intended for"for the ladies"

song	comments
it must be wrong	(much later redone for 7mm)
the love im searching for	(this ver was a rentals bside) (was done before the 'return' version, then redone faster for 'return')
beautiful girl
so soon	(later used for a bside)(much later transformed into "the cruise",7mm)
i've been had
say goodbye forever	(much later redone for 7mm)
wake up
softly

This was recorded in Woodstock NY at this cool little 24 track studio in a converted old church. "Bearsville Studios". Rivers was on strong medication and his leg brace was still quite freshly implanted (ouch!). Rivers struggled with his vocals and was never really satisfied with his performance on this one. (the rest of us all think it sounds just fine, of course.)

Rob Cavallo produced, he did Green Day's "Dookie" and was the son of Bob Cavallo, one of weezers managers. "Angus " was a film production of Atlas/Third Rail (weezers management company) , so the whole thing was a bit incestuous.

Trivia: The photo inside the 1995 fanclub "Secret Suprise" thingy was taken during this session.

The second version of this song (the "El Scorcho" b-side) was done during Pinkerton sessions in September '95 (see below).

no songs, just a pat and matt interview

tracklist unavailable

info unavailable- not sure if interview and/or performance

A lot of stuff was happening all at once. The Blue album touring had finally been wrapped up. Rivers had gotten himself accepted at Harvard for the upcoming fall semester, and was looking forward to escaping the limelight for a while. The band was up for 5 different Mtv Video awards and the awards show was coming up on the 7th in NYC. I was to help the still leg-braced Rivers move to Boston immediately after the awards (which he ironically ended up not attending.) Studio time was booked, in order to get a head start on the new album, which was only partly written at this point.

Rivers was still holding out a torch for his "Black Hole " idea, but as recording got underway, the songs were laid down as before, one at a time- no story, no theatrics, no characters. This reality would later couple with a whole new set of emotions and ideas, spawned over his school year at Harvard, to forge a whole new idea for what was to be called "Pinkerton".

Meanwhile Pat was starting to pursue his own independent musical vision, having seen how Matt got himself his own record deal and noting a large block of "non-weezer" time coming up, courtesy of Rivers's newfound school schedule. Simultaneous to weezer's recording, he booked his own time at Electric Lady, and laid down some fairly slick demos. (see below) ...All this whenever his presence wasnt required down the hall in the other studio room. Phew!

8 & 9/95: first "Pinkerton" sessions

song	comments
waiting on you
blast off!
longtime sunshine
Longtime sunshine: Special 'coda' version experiment	This started as Longtime Sunshine, but after the first verse, lyrics from the above 3 songs, plus others incl. "Why Bother" were recorded on top of it to create a cool overlapping medley, with the different songs vocal parts meshing together. It was then mixed as a fade-out. I think Rivers was trying to emulate a technique used in classical music, where all the major elements of a musical piece are briefly recalled at the end.
why bother	8/28
getchoo	8/29
no other one	8/30
tired of sex	8/31
devotion	9/1
i just threw out the love of my dreams	9/2 (no rachel hayden vocals yet)
getchoo	9/3 , #2
getchoo	9/4 , #3
waiting on you	9/4 , #2
you gave your love to me softly	9/5 not sure if this take ended up as the "b-side" version
longtime sunshine	9/6 , #2

The master tapes were then taken up to Fort Apache Studios in Boston, and worked continued on the guitars and vocals. In the end, only a few of these versions ended up on Pinkerton. Most were later re-recorded in LA.

For the award acceptance, Pat Finn substitutes for Pat Wilson, while Spike Jonez and I substitute for Rivers. The world doesnt seem to notice. Matt spouts Eastern European dialects, fully in "return of the Rentals" mode (his own record was due to appear in 6 short weeks). Weirdness.

Fort Apache - unfinished Pinkerton stuff

song	comments
why bother?	(these are the versions that were lightly bootlegged at one point...)
getchoo
no other one
tired of sex
devotion
waiting on you	(w/brians vocals only)
you gave your love to me softly

(note- San Francisco show later that night, band flew in)

(taped off the soundboard)

The Rentals record a moog-flavored "Silent Night", that is actually just a blatant (and funny) ad for 'Return Of The Rentals'. This ends up on the "KROQ Kevin and Bean's Xmas tape '95"

KROQ "Almost Acoustic Xmas", broadcast live-to-air

tracklist unavailable

several bits intended for the "tracklist 2" of "Songs from the Black Hole"

As explained on Page 6.5, This was a sort of last ditch effort to whip the "black hole" themed album together. Soon however, as the spring semester kicked in, the focus was entirely on creating the much different "Pinkerton". Rivers' receiving of the letter that inspired "Across The Sea" was a major turning point, as I recall.

Huge Guy 10(?)/'95

song	comments
I'd like to know
fatigue
much better thank you	(later became "pay no mind")
im with you sister
conquistadores of nothing
congratulations
pardon me
boy am i lucky	(later became "a fortunate mistake")
its all here in this book
im not too proud	(full instruments, electric)
muscle car	(full instruments, electric)(w/ Tom Ackerman of Skiploader)

Huge Guy 11(?)/'95

song	comments
Congratulations
pardon me
fatigue
i'd like to know	awesome keyboard bass line
pulling teeth	(later known as "pay no mind")
I beleive in you	(later known as "im with you sister")
conquistadores of nothing
boy am i lucky	(later known as "a fortunate mistake")

Rivers would then return to Harvard for spring semester, Matt would pick up his Rentals tour, Pat would go back into the studio himself, and Brian would continue gigging around LA with the Space Twins.

matt and cherilynn

acoustic - - tracklist unavailable

includes "tracy jacks" (Blur cover)

This begins what will eventually become "7 More Minutes", the Rentals second album. Matt will end up returning to London several times and finally wraps up recording and mixing in the USA, over 2 years later, in summer 1998.

There were no tracks recorded besides the 10 that make up the CD

Sound City Studios, Van Nuys , CA

Rivers flew out to LA, and the band got together to continue plugging away at the new album. By this time Rivers had had some major breakthroughs, having written "El Scorcho" , "The Good Life" , Across the Sea" , "Falling for you" and "Butterfly" during his strange months at Harvard.

After a ton of last minute studio juggling, all 10 tracks were eventually finished and mixed, plus:

Also nearly finished were:

Both of these were worked on to the point of just needing a final mixdown. Although this was never official, its nearly certain that they would have been the b-sides to "Pink Triangle", if that had been put out as a "for sale" single. Of course, that never happened, and the songs were never dusted off and finished up. Note that Matt Sharp had left the recording session early, to fly back to London and continue work on his own second Rentals record. This left the band in a bind near the end, and a substitute bass player was brought in for some of the late b-sides sessions. more info on this as its sorted thru.

Later, "I Swear its true" saw some action at a few soundchecks and at exactly one show in 1994. "Getting up and leaving" was never played at a show, but was possibly played at a soundcheck or 2.