Brian Bell (musician)

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Brian Bell

Background information
Born December 9, 1968 (1968-12-09) (age 39)
Origin Knoxville, Tennessee
Genre(s) Rock
Occupation(s) Musician
Instrument(s) Guitar
Bass guitar
Drums
Piano
Harmonica
Vocals
Label(s) Geffen Records
Associated acts Weezer
Space Twins
The Relationship
Carnival Art

Brian Bell, (born December 9, 1968, Iowa City, Iowa) is best known as being a member of the American rock band Weezer, playing rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Bell also has his own band, the Space Twins, as well as a new project called The Relationship.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Brian Bell was born in Iowa City, Iowa to parents Tom Bell, a geography professor at the University of Tennessee and Linda Menasco, an elementary school assistant principal.[1] He was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. He first gravitated to music at the age of four when his parents took him to an Elvis Presley concert at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium.[2] Soon after Bell became obsessed with his father's record collection, playing them constantly.[2] At a young age, Bell was forced by his mother to take piano lessons, refusing to let him take guitar lessons until high school because she "wouldn't believe that he would practice."[2] Eventually during his Freshmen year in high school, his parents allowed him to take guitar lessons from Knoxville musician Ben Bolt.[3] Also, during his first year in high school Bell was forced to switch high schools, "I was zoned to go to County School and my mom taught in the city, which meant I could go to a more privileged school. In doing that I was surrounded by snobs. I was kind of finding myself at the time, so I decided to go to the school I was zoned for."[3] He started playing in a band with school friends Tim and Glenn Maloof called Blooshroom which Bell described as "Pink Floyd-meets-The Stooges."[4]

After completing high school at Bearden High School in 1986, Bell decided not to pursue higher education feeling it would be a "waste of money."[5] At the age of eighteen, Bell moved to Los Angeles, California, and enrolled at G.I.T.[5] In 1991 he became a founding member of Carnival Art, which released two official albums and an EP with Bell playing bass guitar.[6][5] Unfortunately, the band had extremely small record sales and were eventually dropped by record label Beggars Banquet.[7] it was around the time Carnival Art was disintegrating Bell became acquainted with the members of Weezer, "They started playing on the scene, and I instantly saw something unique in them. I didn't necessarily want to be in their band. They were for some reason, were in with the wrong crowd and playing at the wrong venues. I wanted to help them out any way I could and I wanted to play a show with them."[7] One night in the late summer of 1993, while driving home Bell decided once-and-for-all to quit Carnival Art. When he got home he found on his answering machine a message from Weezer bassist Matt Sharp. Sharp called again the next day, "Matt was just beating around the bush, and Rivers [Cuomo] took the phone from him and said, 'Do you wanna join our band?'"

[edit] Weezer

Bell then joined Weezer in 1993 during the recording of The Blue Album, replacing Jason Cropper. Since then he has remained a member of Weezer. Besides doing back-up vocals and playing lead guitar, Bell takes on many of the multi-instrumental duties during Weezer's live shows. When songs call for the use of a keyboard or harmonica, Bell often plays them.

Although all songwriting credits on Weezer's 2005 album Make Believe are credited to Rivers Cuomo, Bell wrote the intro to "We Are All on Drugs" and the dueling guitars in the solo of "This is Such a Pity."[8]

Beyond his musicianship Weezer fans often note Bell's strong sense of fashion, dubbing it "sassy". Fans lovingly call him the "Sass Master".

[edit] The Space Twins

Throughout the years Bell fronted his own band, Space Twins, who have had various incarnations since 1993. They have released three EPs and an LP, The End of Imagining, in 2003. Yet in 2006, Bell stated that he was "not presently pursuing" projects with The Space Twins.

[edit] The Relationship

Bell is currently recording for a side project he is calling The Relationship.[9] The recording is taking place at Henson Recording and Padre Terrace in Los Angeles and is being produced by Weezer engineer Eric J. Sean Lennon mentioned in a recent interview that he will appear with Bell on The Relationship's debut record.[10] Rivers Cuomo and Bell co-wrote a song together for the project titled "Hand to Hold," but Bell does not think it will be on their debut album.[11] In May 2007 he uploaded "Hand to Hold" on the band's myspace page. It is a reworking of the Weezer song "Private Message," which was originally in the running for inclusion on Make Believe.

[edit] Other projects

Bell and Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson, collaborated on a cover of the Velvet Underground song "Heroin", for the 2006 film Factory Girl.

In November 2006, Lyon introduced a limited edition guitar series called "the Brian Bell Limited Edition guitar package," each of which had been hand-signed by Bell, and were in the same "strat" body style that Brian prefers to play.[12]

Bell has also expressed an interest in the works of William Shakespeare. During the band's downtime in 2003 and 2004, Bell and his ex-girlfriend Peggy Nunez studied Shakespeare and poetry theory at collegiate level. They also appeared in a production of Twelfth Night, in which Bell wrote four songs, all using Shakespeare's words.[13]

Recently, Bell has appeared in one-off performances on guitar with other bands. Playing on March 17, 2006 at The Troubador in L.A. with Weezer tour-mates Ringside,[14] and performing "Our Lips Are Sealed", with the original Go-Gos frontwoman, Jane Wiedlin, on June 1, 2006 at the Viper Room. He sat in on guitars and back up vocals for Ringside's winter '06 tour in Russia.[15]

It was recently announced that Bell will make his producing debut on the Ultra Sonic Edukators next album [16].[broken citation]

[edit] Movie career

In 2006, Bell made his on-screen debut, playing Lou Reed in the Edie Sedgwick biopic, Factory Girl. Fellow bandmate Patrick Wilson also appeared as John Cale, another member of the Velvet Underground

[edit] Discography

[edit] With Weezer

Main article: Weezer discography

[edit] With The Space Twins

[edit] With Carnival Art

  • 1988 - Thrumdrone (LP)
  • 1992 - Welcome to Vas Llegas (LP)
  • 1992 - Blue Food and Black Sparks (EP)

[edit] With Homie

[edit] References

  1. ^ Luerssen D., John. Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story. ECW Press, 2004, ISBN 1-55022-619-3 p. 91
  2. ^ a b c Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 92
  3. ^ a b Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 93
  4. ^ Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 94
  5. ^ a b c Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 96
  6. ^ Carnival Art : Biography. CMT. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  7. ^ a b Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 97
  8. ^ Weezer discography: Make Believe: Track By Track. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  9. ^ The Relationship. Myspace. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  10. ^ 09/24/06 I want people to be afraid of how much they love me. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  11. ^ Brian Bell Fan Interview 2006. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  12. ^ Brian Bell Autographed Guitar. Lyon Guitars. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  13. ^ Stoke Factor 4: January 12, 2005. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  14. ^ 03/09/06 Zero Tolerance. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-24.
  15. ^ 12/20/06 Fritters, Homefries, Bunions, Yamlets. Weezer.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
  16. ^ Chicago Sun-Times

[edit] External links

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Weezer
Brian Bell · Rivers Cuomo · Scott Shriner · Patrick Wilson
Jason Cropper · Matt Sharp · Mikey Welsh
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