When Weezer were offered $10million to split up
Thanks to the brilliance of their first two albums, 1994 self-titled effort and Pinkerton two years later, Weezer are one of the most influential groups in alternative rock, fusing power pop harmonies with the crunch of grunge-infused guitars and an inventive approach to songwriting. It’s reflective of their pull that the likes of Blink-182, Paramore, Wavves and even Steve Lacy cite the Los Angeles band as an influence.
However, as fans of the group will know, after their first duo of albums, Weezer’s output quality started to decrease. Personally, I love the third offering, 2001’s Green Album, as the likes of ‘Island in the Sun’ and ‘Hash Pipe’ are classics, but from this point on, the band’s work becomes a contentious topic. Even the fourth album, 2002’s Maladroit, has a handful of highlights, including ‘Keep Fishin”, yet for some listeners, the quality of this effort pales in comparison to that of their first two records.
In all honesty, if the quartet had taken a break after their first four albums, most would think that they had left a rather excellent oeuvre. However, it’s what came in the intervening years between Maladroit and their 2014 return to form Everything Will Be Alright in the End which made some people’s blood boil. For context, the fifth offering, Make Believe, features widely derided tracks such as ‘Beverly Hills’ and ‘We Are All on Drugs’, with later albums such as the 2009 effort Raditude featuring ‘I’m Your Daddy’, and the following year’s Hurley producing the truly awful, ‘Memories’.
After Hurley arrived in September 2010, some fanatics were so enraged at what they perceived to be Weezer’s decline that a campaign was started to raise $10million in order to convince them to call it a day and end their arc of “disappointing” them. “This is an abusive relationship,” the project’s creator James Burns said. “It needs to [end]”.
“I’m tired of it,” Burns said. “Every year, Rivers Cuomo swears that he’s changed, and that [Weezer’s] new album is the best thing that he’s done since Pinkerton, and what happens? Another pile of crap like ‘Beverly Hill’s or ‘I’m Your Daddy’.” The campaign organiser urged fans to stop leaving internet comments and front money instead to stop Weezer from hurting them. “I beg you, Weezer,” he added. “Take our money and disappear”.
“I have never been a fan of this band,” Burns continued. “I think that they are pretty much horrible … [But Weezer fans] are our brothers and sisters, our friends, our lovers … I am tired of my friends being disappointed year after year.”
At the time The Guardian article was published, Burns was a long way off his target and had only raised $273 of his goal. However, the publicity gained by his stunt would eventually reach the ears of Weezer themselves, with drummer Patrick Wilson reportedly writing on Twitter, “If they can make it 20, we’ll do the deluxe breakup!”
It seems that not everyone agreed with James Burns’ campaign. In an interview with The New York Times, he revealed that he had received death threats because of it. “I’ve actually received death threats over this, believe it or not,” he said. “Some people have told me they wish I would get AIDS. This whole campaign, I fully admit that it’s silly.”
“Quite honestly, I’m not expecting to raise the whole 10 million,” Burns added. “I’m not really expecting it to happen. I would be thrilled if it got up to, like, 10,000.”
Listen to Hurley below.
