Song-X-Song: 'Generation Blue'
Looking Back At The Geek Rock Compilation & Oral History Book One Year Later
It has been a year since I partnered with Big Stir Records on the Generation Blue oral history book and vinyl compilation.
This project took many twists and turns along the way—from a book about Weezer’s quiet global influence over the last 30+ years to a comprehensive history of geek rock—before finally landing on a more personal theme and direction.
Weezer’s importance isn’t up for debate and I’m no academic writer, but I did experience the ‘90s LA geek rock explosion. Telling those mostly forgotten stories felt necessary to me. And it was fun reconnecting with the dozens of people I interviewed.
I also wanted more fans to hear these often overlooked bands and read the memories of several key players. It was admittedly a bit of a nostalgia trip, but I still think these songs sound relevant in a modern music scene ever-enthralled with ‘90s music.
These days I spend more time with the Generation Blue compilation than I do with the book I put together.
Whenever I give the vinyl a spin or stream it, I’m instantly transported back to that long ago, exciting time when bespectacled bands shed the chains (and studded leather belts!) of hair metal to briefly dominate SoCal clubs.
Here’s what I wrote around the release:
While Weezer, and later The Rentals, toured the alternative rock universe, newer Hollywood bands that took cues from their songwriting, sound and aesthetic filled the void. That included Adam Orth and Justin Fisher of Shufflepuck who grew up playing music with (Rivers) Cuomo in Connecticut, as well as Kevin Ridel of Lunchbox/Ridel High who previously sang for Cuomo’s heavy metal band Avant Grade (aka Zoom).
Meanwhile, other musicians who came up in the clubs alongside Weezer—like Jon Pikus of El Magnifico/Campfire Girls, Rod Cervera of Magpie/Supersport 2000, Adam Marsland of The Adam Marsland Band/Cockeyed Ghost, and many others—made elements of the Weezer blueprint their own. Those bands were followed by a second, younger wave featuring Ozma, Phantom Planet and Rooney, among many others.
In celebration of Generation Blue’s one year anniversary, I’m going song-by-song on the compilation with a few personal thoughts plus oral history/interview quotes from some of the band members. Enjoy this geek rock trip back to LA in the ‘90s.
What’s Your Favorite Track Below?
“Where The Hell Is She” by Shufflepuck
Once this project became more about the ‘90s LA geek rock scene, I knew “Where The Hell Is She” had to be the compilation’s lead off track. Not only did Adam Orth and Justin Fisher grow up playing metal music with Rivers Cuomo in Connecticut, but they formed Shufflepuck while living at the legendary Amherst House and rehearsing “in the garage.” Shufflepuck’s time as a band was relatively short, but their story is full of twists and turns.
“My first night in LA was wild. I had a two-week roundtrip ticket. I got off the plane and Justin was waiting for me at the gate and said, ‘We’re going to see Weezer.’ He brought me from LAX to Jabberjaw. Rivers had a giant mustache and they’re all wearing the blue-striped shirts like The Beach Boys. Then they took me to the Amherst House after the show for the first time…I was hooked, that was it.”—Adam Orth, Shufflepuck
“Pop Tarte” by Baby Lemonade
Mike Randle and I are old friends who got into a lot of trouble together (and played tons of Wiffle ball!) in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. He was also the first person to play the Blue Album for me. I couldn’t imagine this compilation or oral history without him. “Pop Tarte” has long been one of my favorite Baby Lemonade songs, which is really saying a lot since they have so many incredible tracks to choose from.
“Baby Lemonade’s first show was in 1992. After our band Bad Press broke up, I moved to Santa Barbara. At the same time, Rusty (Squeezebox) started a band with Garfield (Wolfe) from Bad Press called Treehouse that broke up in 1991. I moved back to LA and shared an apartment with Rusty. We were both writing songs and I had a four-track recorder. He would take the four-track when I wasn’t there and add parts to my songs, so I said, ‘Okay, I'm adding parts to your songs!’”—Mike Randle, Baby Lemonade
"Mooks” by Supersport 2000
Supersport 2000 was on the jagged edge of geek rock that often gets ignored these days—but it was a foundational element of the core sound. Underneath the pop polish that came to define it are stripped down aesthetics that harken back to The Velvet Underground and Come On Pilgrim/Surfer Rosa-era Pixies. My band Ridel High played with Supersport 2000 a few times and they were always great. Most of the members became Matt Sharp’s band during the Return of the Rentals era.
“I think ‘Mooks’ is a definitive Supersport 2000 song in that it captures the essence of our sound and is an example of the dynamic of the shared vocals Cherie and I would occasionally experiment with. The recording came out just how I wanted in terms of guitar tones and drums sounds.” —Rod Cervera, Supersport 2000
“Broken Tooth (DeLongpre Version)” by Campfire Girls
It wouldn’t be possible to tell the story of how Weezer evolved into influential alt rock hitmakers without including Jon Pikus and his band Campfire Girls. Pikus recorded the demo that helped get Weezer signed to DGC, and his bands shared bills with Weezer in their earliest club days. Campfire Girls was always one of my favorite bands to see live in the ‘90s, and Pikus is one hell of a drummer.
“As time progressed into the mid-‘90s, the scene and vibe became bogged down by recreational drug use—at least in my little circle. In hindsight, that may have led to slower tempo songs and less jubilant energy. In the wake of Weezer’s breakout success, some rode the blue wave while others treaded water to stay afloat. Still others were swept away by the current.”—Jon Pikus, Campfire Girls
“Keep The Sun (Demo)” by Cockeyed Ghost
I love this song so much and I’m still thrilled we got to include a demo version on the comp. Adam Marsland isn’t just a talented singer/songwriter, he was also a tireless pop rock advocate, promoter and connector in LA during the ‘90s. I’m not sure this geek rock scene would have spread so fast and so far without him.
“There had been attempts to ‘make a scene’ before, but it always fell apart because somebody didn’t pull their weight. This had to be about enlightened self-interest—you had to create something that made it worth people’s while for their own reasons. So, the more bands we brought in and the more broadly we defined this ‘pop thing,’ the more interesting the scene was going to be. Once that ball got rolling, it created its own momentum.”—Adam Marsland, Cockeyed Ghost
“Touch My Fuzz (2024) “ by Chopper One
Jason Cropper was the original guitarist in Weezer, later forming Chopper One with his ex-wife Amy Cropper. To my ears, “Touch My Fuzz” is a prime example of the LA geek rock sound. This re-recorded version is a special treat for fans of the genre.
“Re-recording ‘Touch My Fuzz’ was fun! …It’s such a straightforward little arrangement. I just whipped it up and tried to make it sound exactly like the original in every way possible. The original was done at Sound City (in Van Nuys) and that was a fun experience. This one I did in my recording studio, Studio C, in Oakland. While solo, it was just as fun.”—Jason Cropper, Chopper One
"We Opened For Weezer
Parry Gripp is a geek rock legend in his own right, but he never shies away from giving Weezer credit as an early inspiration. Ridel High played many LA and Santa Barbara shows with Nerf Herder in the ‘90s, and we were briefly label mates on My Records. When exploring the impact that Weezer had on the SoCal music scene (including giving local, regional and national opening slots to many bands on this compilation), no song better sums it up than this hilarious and heartfelt track.
“That Weezer show in Santa Barbara was ground zero for Nerf Herder becoming a geek rock band. So, of course we idolized Weezer and tried to sound like Weezer and then we toured with Weezer.”—Parry Gripp, Nerf Herder
"Self Destructive (Demo)” by Ridel High
I’m pretty sure I was only the band’s drummer for a few weeks when we recorded this demo. A more polished version ended up being the debut single on our My Records/A&M Records release, but this stripped down recording will always hold a special place for me because it represents the era when I first got to know Kevin Ridel and Steve LeRoy. Without them and the universe of talented musicians they introduced me to in the ‘90s, the Generation Blue project never would have existed.
“Joey Cape from Lagwagon was like, ‘How come you guys aren't getting a record deal?’ He had a small label called My Records that had already signed Nerf Herder. He ended up producing the Ridel High record Hi Scores (later re-released as Emotional Rollercoaster by A&M Records).”—Kevin Ridel, Ridel High
"No One Needs To Know” by Ozma
In many ways, Ozma was the core inspiration for Generation Blue. It was through them and their incredible journey that I was able to truly understand how Weezer’s influence rippled across the teen indie rock universe in the ‘90s. Ozma is a super talented band that grabbed the geek rock flag and continues to run with it in their own direction.
“Ozma's original drummer, Pat, offered to play the Blue Album for us after a practice. We reluctantly agreed, but after the first minute of hearing ‘My Name is Jonas,’ I left practice and went to purchase the album for myself. Something about the beautiful picking of the acoustic guitars mixed with the massive power chords did something to me—HOLY HELL, WHAT IS THIS?!”—Jose Galvez, Ozma
"Never The Same“ by Psoma
I have joked many times that Psoma frontman Justin Fisher is the Forrest Gump of geek rock—there, often just outside of the spotlight, for every era. He and Cuomo formed the Connecticut heavy metal band Avant Garde that eventually moved to LA, he lived in the Amherst House, started Shufflepuck with Adam Orth, was in The Rentals and Nerf Herder, and has rotated in and out of random Ridel High reunions since the ‘90s. But Psoma was the band he fronted and they were ferocious.
“These days, most of those bands and the clubs we played are gone, but looking back I can really appreciate just how special that moment was.”—Justin Fisher, Psoma
“Hush” by AM Radio
Like Fisher, Ridel was in Avant Garde and has been there since the origins of ‘90s geek rock (although he never really embraced that term), so he is also featured on two Generation Blue tracks. The compilation ends with a standout song from his early 2000s band AM Radio, a project that was steered by Cuomo (who also named Ridel High). AM Radio is a good indication of how the genre evolved in the new Millennium, and a great way to close out the collection.
“Rivers got AM Radio in the studio immediately to record a 10-song demo. And he just started pushing us. I remember riding around in a limo with Rivers, playing our demo. Rivers just kept coming back for me. He’s so awesome. Even now I expect a phone call out of nowhere.”—Kevin Ridel, AM Radio
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If you’re new to the ‘90s Hollywood Geek Rock scene, these 11 tracks and the connected stories in the oral history book are a great place to dive in and go deep. If you’re already a fan, or you were there, this will be a fun trip down memory lane.