Weezer credits WAX as source of inspiration

Weezer is touring Japan and Korea, but found time to blog the following on their website:

"Back in the early days of Weezer, fellow L.A. band WAX inspired the Weez men with their super high energy shows, catchy tunes and tireless drive. The members of Weezer and WAX were buddies even before the two bands existed, and share a lot of history in the early 90's L.A. music scene meatgrinder. When WAX got a record deal and made a music video, it was truly inspiring - awesome given the tough odds of anybody getting anywhere in that scene. It was a real revelation to Weezer - maybe they too could get somewhere, they dared to hope. WAX went on to make 2 cool albums and toured relentlessly for several years, with videos played on MTV. Weezer eventually got signed too, and always pointed to WAX for their source of inspiration to work hard and not give up.

WAX sadly called it quits in 1995, with members branching out into many other cool bands (as well as membership in Jackass for Loomis), but today WAX rises from the ashes, in the form of a reunion show and a special charity 7"! Check Out the WAX MySpace page for info and music, including a special shout out from Rivers!

The "Riot Fest" will be on October 9th at The Metro in Chicago (hometown of 3/4 of the band). Dont miss this show - a rare chance to catch WAX, the true pioneers of the pop-punk sound in action!"

Click here for the original blog post on Weezer's official website.

Weezer's Rivers Cuomo gives WAX a Shout-out

In recognition of the WAX reunion, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer was kind enough to provide us with a statement:

"One point of real pain in Weezer’s collective psyche in 1992 was our jealousy of Wax.

Not only had these friends and former equals (at the bottom of the social ladder) actually made it (in the sense of getting a record deal) but we actually LOVED their music, we worshipped their music. It was so catchy, so ridiculously hook-laden. Every part of every Wax song was as fun and heart-stirring as the last, and each part lasted only as long as it was fresh and then was replaced by the next.

We were so jealous. Our songs seemed plodding, dull, and boring in comparison. No wonder people loved them and hated us, we thought. We beat ourselves up as we were flyering, imagining that what the random strangers walking in and out of the clubs really wanted was news about Wax. As we passed out a flyer, we would say to the people, 'Hey, come to the show ... Wax is going to be there.' We didn’t even say that Wax was going to perform. We just said that they were going to be there. Sometimes we just said 'someone from Wax is going to be there' or even 'someone from Wax might be there.

'And we were astonished, dismayed, and delighted (at our own lameness and Wax’s awesomeness) when someone would actually respond, very interested and excited, 'Wax is going to be there?'"

Rivers Cuomo