Rivers Demo Flood 11-15

11: 17 Beautiful Demons

From the Black Room

January 1998

Another sub-minute sketch from Rivers’ romantic/droney/Oasis period. This acoustic sample is the first of four on the tape labeled Beautiful Demons, all seemingly part of a song Rivers would officially catalog on February 20 1998. This bit of the song is sweet and melodic. Definitely a teaser for more.

⭐️⭐️

12: No One Else (Monterey Jack)

From The Blue-Pinkerton Years

August 1992

When I first heard No One Else shortly after cracking open my Blue Album CD, I fell in love with Weezer. I absolutely loved the sound of the song and still do to this day.

It was also a song that had an incredible influence on the band’s sound. After Rivers produced the demo in August 1992, the band spent some time debating whether to stray from a Pixies-influenced sound or into a No One Else-inspired and into a more pop-oriented direction. So they went down the No One Else road and it changed their sound for the better.

The original demo by Rivers is structurally similar to the completed song. But the tempo is slower. The pop feel is there, but it’s not quite yet the song that it will be. Having said that, the demo is still a very good listen.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Part of Rivers Cuomo's handwritten lyrics for No One Else

13: He’s My Sweetheart

From The Blue-Pinkerton Years

October 5, 1992

If he were born 100 years earlier, Rivers Cuomo would have been a barbershop quartet superstar. Weezer used to do vocal warmups to barbershop and even had a barbershop tune, My Evaline, as a B-side on the Undone (The Sweater Song) single. And there are a handful of barbershop numbers (with Rivers performing all four tracks) in his home recordings.

He’s My Sweetheart is a short little ditty seemingly about friend of the band Patrick Finn. It’s a sweet little tune and it’s nice to see Rivers branch out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The members of Weezer dressed up as a Barbershop Quartet singing Barbershop.

14 Crazy Rock n Rollers

From Pre-Weezer

October 1991

For years, all Weezer fans had of Crazy Rock n Rollers was a handwritten lyrics sheet and a notation from band historian Karl Koch that with this song, “Rivers was starting to explore some new writing style. “Not so “giddy,” a little more “serious.””

There is a serious element to this song. It’s about a man living up on a hill who doesn’t get the ‘crazy rock n rollers.’ He goes to join them and still doesn’t get it. It doesn’t feel like there’s an ending to the song. The last line of the song is ‘and in his defense he said,’ before the song just fades out. (And contrary to fan belief, the ‘We will/not end up in bed’ scrawled on the lyrics sheet is not part of the song).

Despite the seriousness and truncated nature of the song, it’s still a bouncy catchy tune. And despite writing a song about an old guy who didn’t get the kids, the writer of this song ended up being one of the best crazy rock n rollers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2⭐️

Rivers Cuomo's handwritten lyrics sheet for Crazy Rock and Rollers

15 Ballsy

From EWBAITE

2013

Rivers Cuomo played with a lot of styles and ideas in the time between Hurley and Everything Will Be Alright in the End.

Ballsy is a riff-oriented pop jam that doesn’t quite go anywhere. The theme (married guy having a platonic meeting with an attached woman) and chords would be reused on Pacific Daydream’s Mexican Fender. But outside of the opening riff and title, nothing about Ballsy particularly stands out in the song’s 1:38 runtime.

⭐️⭐️

Rivers Demo Flood 6-10

6: Two to Tango

From Pre-Weezer

November 1991

Rivers’ early demos are all over the place in terms of musical style. And there’s nothing wrong with that. There are some enjoyable songs where the only drawback is that the quality may not be as good as some of his later recordings. T

wo to Tango is a slow atmospheric jam with some definite promise. And this is an early version of the song, with Rivers barking out instructions (to himself, most likely) in the middle.

Some may call that kind of thing unprofessional, but I like that, especially in home demos like this.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2⭐️

Handwritten lyrics for Two to Tango by Rivers Cuomo

7: pretty great piano melody 2-7-2013 8

From EWBAITE

February 7, 2013

In light of today’s news I’m foregoing the random number generator and picking the single little bit of music we know will be on Weezer’s upcoming OK Human.

Pretty Great Piano Melody is a seven-minute long sketch of Rivers improvising on the piano with a metronome in the background.

The melody will be part of OK Human’s second track, Aloo Gobi.

Rivers snuck it in the EWBAITE bundle despite him saying he wouldn’t include demos to be used in future Weezer releases.

The melody itself is, as the title says, pretty great. But the idea of this whole project is to rank the demo files as actual songs (as in how would they sound on the radio or on an album) and not their potential.

So because it’s a seven minute track of Rivers noodling on the piano focused on the same melody over and over, the rating might seem a bit harsh.

Having said that, there’s been a lot said about Weezer’s ‘masterpiece’ album – heavier songs (in terms of subjects), orchestral backing. But knowing there’s a melody like this on OK Human, something melodic (which is classic Weezer) has me looking forward to the album even more.

⭐️1/2⭐️

8: You Stupid Piece of Shit (168)

From the Green Years

Early 2000

When Weezer returned to action in 2000 after a multi-year hiatus, one of the new potential song titles that got fans’ attention was ‘The Ska Song.’

Fans got even more interested in this

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Weezer dressed up like space aliens

9: Since You Came Around 15

The White Year

2015

Jacked Up is one of the best songs on Weezer’s White Album. The song’s bridge is unexpected; sounding completely different from the rest of Jacked Up and taking the tune to a whole new level.

It turns out Rivers took the bridge from a completely different song, Since You Came Around, another White Album contender. SYCA evolved from a concept Rivers had called Hawaii.

Unlike most of the other White Year demos, all the versions of SYCA contain full instrumentation.

And it’s a good laid back song on its own. Even though Rivers used the tune as the bridge for another song, the concept (how someone else changed his life) would go on to be used on Sweet Mary from Pacific Daydream.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2⭐️

 music for piano

10: 88 Piano and Melody

From The Black Room

May 1998

Some of Rivers’ demo bundles (most notably White Year, EWBAITE and Black Room) have a lot of sketches or voice memos, short clips where Rivers is working something out. And this is the first one of these addressed by this project.

Back in 1998, Rivers was still searching for a new sound for Weezer. He ended the previous year interested in drone rock, then shifted to Beatles/Oasis-style melodies (before landing on a final phase which would be way different).

The early 1998 time period features the fewest fleshed out songs of any time period in the released demo catalog. Most of what’s available are snippets or sketches.

88 Piano and Melody has potential. It’s sweet and melodic. But it’s only 42 seconds.

⭐️1/2⭐️

Rivers Cuomo playing piano and Mikey Welsh on the bass, 1998.

Rivers Demo Flood 1-5

Originally published January 2021

1: I Want You (COR 001)

From The Black Room

January 1, 1999

After more than a year of being disappointed by his songwriting efforts, Rivers Cuomo went into seclusion, painted the walls of his room black and cataloged every element that went into writing & composing songs. This songwriting effort would eventually lead to the tunes that made up Weezer’s Green Album.

The first song in this effort, I Want You, is a departure from the riff oriented songs of the year before and isn’t quite the formulaic power pop song type that made up the Green Tracklist.

It’s perfectly in the middle. Catchy, seems to be about something and has a dynamic/evolving chorus. There’s no solo, but that’s okay. The song does everything it needs to do.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2⭐️

Screen capture of Winamp running I Want You by Rivers Cuomo

2: The Rules Of Life (v28 – vTo Par)

From The EWBAITE Years

2010-2014

There are some songs in Rivers’ released demos that have multiple versions. The Rules of Life is definitely one of the most attempted, with more than 40 versions available.

At it’s core, Rules is a great song that would have been a highlight of any album it was on. And it would have stood out, with a bridge containing the lyric ‘And then they’ll fuck you.’

But each version has some lyrical tinkering. Version 28 changes the bridge to ‘And they’ll be happy.’ That, combined with some other lyrical changes make this version stand out, and not necessarily in a good way.

I’d rank most versions of Rules pretty highly. And maybe that’s unfair to this one, but that’s the way it is.

⭐️⭐️

Screen capture of windows folder with different versions of The Rules of Life.

3: Beverly Hills

2004-07-20

From The Make Believe Years

July 20, 2004, SIR Demos

Weezer had a huge comeback single in 2005 with Beverly Hills. And while I think it’s a good song, it’s not something I go out of my way to listen to.

Rivers Cuomo, Beverly Hills Video

The demo has the same overall structure as the final song. But the composition feels looser and the lyrics are noticeably different.

Perhaps my favorite change is instead of the talk box on the solo, Rivers recorded this demo using a pan flute, changing the whole vibe of the song.

It’s still a song about wanting to be famous. But I’ve heard the single countless times over the last 15 years. Without the polish of the single, the pan flute and slightly off-key sound, the demo is a breath of fresh air.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4: Rock and Roll Cockroach (Rough 3)

From The EWBAITE Years

Late 2010/Early 2011

Last summer, Weezer released Beginning of the End, the third single from their upcoming album Van Weezer. Sharp-eared fans recognized the tune as one Rivers worked on nearly ten years prior from a video published on Weezer’s YouTube channel.

Rivers Cuomo in the studio, playing guitar.

The song that would become Beginning of the End went through several iterations, starting with Rock and Roll Cockroach, a song about a rock band that has persevered throughout the years.

The song wouldn’t make it on 2014’s Everything Will Be Alright in The End, although the concept of a long-running rock band would. However, the tune was very appropriate for an album influenced by the sound of Van Halen.

The melody and arrangement are identical, and the Nostradamus line was carried over. But otherwise, the demo is its own song.

The demo is a step or two slower, but it’s still a good listen. And I love the “I want to be a star but not in someone else’s orbit” line.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

5: I Want to Know (COR: 305)

The Maladroit Years

July 17, 2001

In the fall of 2001, Weezer released a number of full-band demos showing the direction that would take them towards Maladroit. These songs were short, heavier rock numbers with meaningless and bizarre lyrics.

Some of the songs were good. But others were not.

Among the not-as-well-received of those was I Wanna Know, a short song with the immortal lyric “Tuchis on the side is heaven-sent/Giblets never run away, they come for free.”

Rivers’ original demo of the song is an expanded version of the tune, with more guitar noodling. But the demo itself was recorded with just an electric guitar on a handheld recorder. There may be a song there, but the audio quality certainly isn’t.

⭐️ 1/2⭐️

Not So Social Media

I left Twitter two weeks ago.

After 15 years the (other) place for my thoughts got to be too much. Because of politics, because of the idiot owner, because of the algorithm. It just wasn’t the place for me. And it had stopped being some time ago.

I’m on the Bluesky now. And I’m much happier. I’m posting more. And I feel like the conversations are a lot better.

At one point I thought about importing parts of my Twitter history to Bluesky. But I don’t think that’s the right thing to do especially considering the site’s bandwidth issues. Some people (namely my daughter) think some of my posts should still be out there. So I may be re-posting some old things (especially my song-by-song reviews of Rivers Cuomo’s demos) here.

Let’s see how that works out.

tracking the flood, part XL

1226Medicine 3
1227Hippies   – 2013-2-16 acoustic sketch
1228dictadroid9_2014_11_21_15_48_38
1229Bless   The World – v2
1230You’re   My Best Friend (voc intro)
1231The   Rules Of Life – v36
1232Untitled2-1
123311   Keeko Seeko
1234Minor   Piano Shuffle
1235Untitled9
1236Johnny_clash_2 over summer night ch
1237Erupt
1238Let’s   Keep It Platonic 2
1239Only   A Cockroach – RC2
1240the   week before @136
1241Work   11-1-2013 16h6m9s
124202   Beautiful Baby
1243Attention   Deficit Disorder 3
1244Anonymous   – v24
124512   Rip ‘n’ Shred
1246@96_on_the_beach_2015_2_26_15_12_41
1247Hey   Youngster
1248Anonymous   – v8
1249140. mixed mode 2012-01-31_14-31
1250Take   Anything You Want

Tracking the flood, part xxxix

1201Ballad   Of The Brine – Rough 1 Nov
120228   His name is Brian, Brian Bell
1203Hold   Me Now
1204Pleased   To Meet You (Annie, Come Home)
120509   09 09 09 A09
1206Subjective 1
1207President   Of The United Flakes of Am
1208Friday   Feeling 5 @102
1209gun   it 1 @62.5
1210Cleopatra   – v26
1211No   Bars – v10
1212coda
1213dictadroid2_2017_8_29_8_23_59
1214Beautiful   Lies 3 tweaked chorus melody @128
1215The   British Are Coming – v1
1216Rest   In Peace – v23
1217commitment
121816   one more time around
121912_8   50’s progression I vi IV V
1220my   day 2 @155 nothing like the feeling
1221Bless   The Whole World – v7
1222Hey   Domingo
1223Where   Do All The Kids Hang Out 4 verse   melody @85
1224another   breakin the law
1225Johnny   Clash 7 bridge vox @180

Tracking the flood, part XXXVIII

1176Cleopatra – v33
1177No Diligence
11781765
1179life_isn’t_fair_2014_10_5_10_51_59
1180No Bars – v7
1181The Best of Me – v5 2
1182I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams – SFTBH
1183You Think You’re Bad
1184ideas 11-8-2012 16h11m46s
118502 Push Me Back
1186Work 5-30-2013 16h53m3s
1187What The Hell 3
1188The Key To My Heart 2 AL @73
1189Memories (2008 edit) 2
1190Where Is My Protector – Rough 2 Instrumental Nov 10
119102 I Just Took the Most Wicked Dump
1192Fake Smiles And Nervous Laughter – v7
1193Hawaii – v7
1194gun it 11 new chords @ 62.5
1195Ain’t Got Nobody – v5
1196The Life I Never Lived – 2005-06-25 demo a
1197Pacific Sunset – v7
1198Crazy One
1199Ideas 11-8-2013 12h50m57s
1200Ideas 5-21-2013 16h18m19s

Tracking the flood, part xxxvii

1150Real Life Friend – v8
1151You Like to Beat and I Like to Bruise
1152The Life I Never Lived – v1 sketch
1153VN 00085 2
1154All I Need To Know Is Where To Start – 2004-04-23
1155The Good News Channel – v1
1156high hopes
1157Ideas 7-1-2013 13h21m37s
1158acoustic minor plucked chords
1159I Wanna’ Be With You – 2004-02-20
1160_tom sawyer bass riff
116122 The 4th Of July
1162The Best of Me 15 normal
1163I Hate You
1164terje @120_2015_2_16_12_57_59
1165Ideas 12-12-2012 18h8m51s
1166Untitled13_2014_2_27_12_59_47
1167Expatriates in Paris – 2012-9-12 sketch 2
116825 baroque climbing progression
1169Cleopatra – v8
1170work 3-13-2013 1h18m56s
1171Sing My Blues Away – v11
1172dictadroid11_2014_10_9_14_9_41
1173I ii vi aku
1174Save Me – 2004-07-20
1175I Wanna Be Big, Bigger Than You – v1 riff

Tracking the flood, part xxxvi

.

1126The Rules of Life
1127Beautiful Lies 4 INST @64
1128Bless The Whole Wide World – v9
1129The British Are Coming – v8
1130Ain’t Got Nobody – v6
1131Work 2-28-2013 11h51m52s
113206 I Would Do
1133Something’s Missing – 2013-2-1 sketch 4
1134Cleopatra 5
1135Freak Flag – v7
1136Untitled8 1
1137in the mall rc vox
1138TKX-(Between 76-77)- Toe the Line an
113916th strum Imaj7 ii7 over pedal
1140Rock And Roll Cockroach – Rough 1
1141The Best of Me – v7
1142Untitled3
1143Hippies – v7
1144Ideas 2-16-2013 10h23m25s
1145No Bars – v4
1146Real Life Friend – v11
1147Poor Beggar’s Son
11482005-02-14
1149song_in_f._from_330_2014_12_31_17_42
115002 02

tracking the flood, part xxxv

110113   Old Man
1102409 shortest edit
1103Weekend   Girl 4 half time @66.5
1104feet_on_the_ground
1105I’m   So Lonely – Parson Brown
1106All   About You 1 Looks Like it’s Gonna   Rain @118
1107For   What It’s Worth
110805   Transported
1109work   3-13-2013 1h23m57s
1110Broken   Man 4 @ 92
1111_midtempo   1 4 5 groove
1112as   hot as it gets 5 @128
1113You’re   Holding Me Back – 2004-07-20
1114385   2002-10-08 turn me round (with o
1115Untitled1
1116this_girl_5_piano_verse   1
1117Jimmy   Mcfarlan – 2
1118Work   7-3-2012 10h51m1s
1119Codependent   – v10
1120Work   3-23-2013 5h46m16s
1121Bells   In My Head – v6 won’t be long
1122Ideas   6-20-2013 13h23m45s
1123Untitled2   4
1124Simple   To Me – v8 1
112511   Oh No, This is Not For Me