Summer '94: Comedian Hari Kondabolu On The Golden Age Of Weezer
This summer Soundcheck is looking back to the summer of 1994 to explore the hits, defining albums and pop culture of 20 years ago.
In May 1994, quirky garage rockers Weezer released their self-titled debut album, often called The Blue Album. It went triple platinum in the U.S., charmed critics with its geeky realness and wry lyrics, and gave millions of angsty teenagers a smart, goofy outlet. The Blue Album made Weezer a household name and opened the door for nine more studio albums. The music videos for smash singles "Buddy Holly" and "Undone -- The Sweater Song" won director Spike Jonze four MTV Video Music Awards and, along with his video for The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage," essentially kickstarted his career.
Somewhere in Queens during that summer of '94, an adolescent Hari Kondabolu was nurturing a new love of Weezer -- and beginning to traffic in bootlegs and ultra-slow downloads on his 28.8k modem. (The future comedian's first AOL screen name was a blatant Weezer reference.) Kondabolu joins Soundcheck host John Schaefer to talk about his obsession, pick his favorite songs from The Blue Album, and discuss the heartbreaking disappointment that comes with being a Weezer fan (discussed at length on Kondabolu's new comedy album, Waiting for 2042.)
Interview Highlights
On “Say It Ain’t So”: I remember seeing Weezer playing it on Letterman in '95. I already liked them, but after that – they were so weird. [Frontman Rivers Cuomo’s] pants were so big! They all looked so awkward. They were singing with such heart, and I just fell in love with that band. I was 11 or 12 at the time … I was on Letterman the first time a few months ago, and that was the first thing I thought about: I saw Weezer on Letterman in '95 and now I’m on Letterman.”
On "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here": It comes after track two, "No One Else,” in which [the person in the song] is being completely sexist: "I want a girl who will talk to no one else/ who puts her makeup on the shelf." He's just so awful to this woman he's talking about, and then track three – "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" – is about the woman leaving him. And it’s justice. This is what happens when you're sexist: She will leave and she should leave. In addition to the song being amazing, I love that little bit of justice in it.
On "Buddy Holly": It was the first that got me hooked because that music video got me hooked -- the Happy Days-inspired one that came in the Windows 95 packet. If you remember, it had a CD-ROM with the video. Everyone was watching it over and over, because ... how much media did you have at that point?
Hari's new comedy album Waiting For 2042 is available now.
