- Brian Bell (musician)
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Brian Bell
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Born = Birth date and age|1968|12|9|mf=y
Origin =Knoxville ,Tennessee
Genre = Rock
Occupation =Musician
Instrument =Guitar Bass guitar drumsPiano Harmonica Vocals
Label =Geffen Records
Associated_acts =Weezer Space Twins The Relationship Carnival Art Brian Bell, (bornDecember 9 1968 , Iowa City,Iowa ) is best known as being a member of the American rock bandWeezer , playingrhythm guitar andbacking vocals . Bell also has his own band, theSpace Twins , as well as a new project calledThe Relationship .Biography
Early life
Brian Bell was born in Iowa City,
Iowa to parents Tom Bell, a geography professor at theUniversity of Tennessee and Linda Menasco, anelementary school assistant principal.Luerssen D., John. "Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story". ECW Press, 2004, ISBN 1-55022-619-3 p. 91] He was raised in Knoxville,Tennessee . He first gravitated to music at the age of four when his parents took him to anElvis Presley concert at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium. Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 92] Soon after Bell became obsessed with his father's record collection, playing them constantly. Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 92] 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." Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 92] Eventually during his Freshmen year inhigh school , his parents allowed him to take guitar lessons from Knoxville musician Ben Bolt. Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 93] 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." Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 93] He started playing in a band with school friends Tim and Glenn Maloof called Blooshroom which Bell described as "Pink Floyd -meets-The Stooges ." Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 94]After completing high school at
Bearden High School in 1986, Bell decided not to pursuehigher education feeling it would be a "waste of money." Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 96] At the age of eighteen, Bell moved to Los Angeles,California , and enrolled at G.I.T. Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 96] In 1991 he became a founding member of Carnival Art, which released two officialalbum s and an EP with Bell playingbass guitar . [cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/carnival_art/bio.jhtml | title = Carnival Art : Biography | format = | work = | publisher =CMT | accessdate = 2007-10-10] Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 96] Unfortunately, the band had extremely small record sales and were eventually dropped byrecord label Beggars Banquet. Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 97] it was around the time Carnival Art was disintegrating Bell became acquainted with the members ofWeezer , "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." Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 97] 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 bassistMatt Sharp . Sharp called again the next day, "Matt was just beating around the bush, and [Rivers Cuomo|Rivers [Cuomo] took the phone from him and said, 'Do you wanna join our band?'"Weezer
Bell then joined
Weezer in 1993 during the recording of "The Blue Album", replacingJason Cropper . Since then he has remained a member of Weezer. Besides doing back-up vocals and playingrhythm guitar , Bell takes on many of the multi-instrumental duties during Weezer's live shows. When songs call for the use of a keyboard orharmonica , Bell often plays them.Although all songwriting credits on Weezer's 2005 album "
Make Believe " are credited toRivers Cuomo , Bell wrote the intro to "We Are All on Drugs " and the dueling guitars in the solo of "This is Such a Pity."cite web| url = http://www.weezer.com/discography/makebelieve.asp| title = Weezer discography: Make Believe: Track By Track| publisher = Weezer.com| accessdate = 2007-10-10] Bell also contributed the song "Thought I Knew" to the band's 2008 self-titled album as well as "It's Easy," aniTunes exclusive demo that serves as a bonus track to that album. This marks the first time Weezer has officially released a song written and sung by Brian Bell although the band demoed and played Brian's "Yellow Camaro" live in 2002. The song eventually made it onto theSpace Twins debut LP "The End of Imagining ".In 2005 during live appearances with the band Brian sung lead vocals on "Why Bother?", "Getchoo" and "
Keep Fishin' ". In 2008 during the band's Hootenanny Tour he began taking lead vocals on "El Scorcho ." He continued singing "El Scorcho" and sang "Suzanne" as well on the band's Troublemaker Tour in 2008.Beyond his musicianship Weezer fans often note Bell's strong sense of
fashion , dubbing it "sassy". Fans lovingly call him the "Sass Master".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.The Relationship
Bell is currently recording for a side project he is calling
The Relationship . [cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.myspace.com/therelationship | title = The Relationship | format = | work = | publisher =Myspace | accessdate = 2007-10-10] The recording is taking place atHenson Recording and Padre Terrace inLos Angeles and is being produced by Weezer engineerEric J .Sean Lennon mentioned in a recent interview that he will appear with Bell on The Relationship's debut record.cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.weezer.com/community/news_comment.asp?ParentAssetID=1498175&ArtistID=479&Start=&FullStory=Y&type= | title = 09/24/06 I want people to be afraid of how much they love me | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | accessdate = 2007-10-10]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.cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.weezer.com/discography/BBINT2006/2006BBFI.html | title = Brian Bell Fan Interview 2006 | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | accessdate = 2007-10-10] In May 2007 he uploaded "Hand to Hold" on the band's myspace page. It is a reworking of theWeezer song "Private Message," which was originally in the running for inclusion on "Make Believe ".Other projects
Bell and Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson, collaborated on a cover of the
Velvet Underground song "Heroin", for the 2006film "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. [cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.lyonguitars.com/weezer/brian.html | title = Brian Bell Autographed Guitar | format = | work = | publisher =Lyon Guitars | accessdate = 2007-10-10]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 andpoetry theory at collegiate level. They also appeared in a production of "Twelfth Night ", in which Bell wrote four songs, all using Shakespeare's words.cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.weezer.com/extras/stokefactor/index.html | title = Stoke Factor 4: January 12, 2005 | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | accessdate = 2007-10-10]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-matesRingside ,cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.weezer.com/community/news_comment.asp?ParentAssetID=1401569&ArtistID=479&Start=&FullStory=Y&type= | title = 03/09/06 Zero Tolerance | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | accessdate = 2007-10-24] and performing "Our Lips Are Sealed ", with the originalGo-Gos ,Jane Wiedlin , onJune 1 2006 at theViper Room . He sat in on guitars and back up vocals for Ringside's winter '06 tour inRussia .cite web | last = | first = | url = http://www.weezer.com/community/news_comment.asp?ParentAssetID=1527914&ArtistID=479&Start=&FullStory=Y&type= | title = 12/20/06 Fritters, Homefries, Bunions, Yamlets | format = | work = | publisher =Weezer.com | accessdate = 2007-10-10]It was recently announced that Bell will make his producing debut on the
Ultra Sonic Edukators next album [ [http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/music/poprock/746111,WKP-News-sound18.article Chicago Sun-Times] ] .Citation broken|date=April 2008Movie career
In 2006, Bell made his on-screen debut, playing
Lou Reed in theEdie Sedgwick biopic , "Factory Girl ." Fellow bandmate Patrick Wilson also appeared asJohn Cale , another member of theVelvet Underground Discography
With Weezer
* 1994 - "Weezer"
* 1996 - "Pinkerton"
* 2001 - "Weezer"
* 2002 - "Maladroit "
* 2005 - "Make Believe "
* 2008 - "Weezer"With The Space Twins
* 1994 - "No Show" (EP)
* 1997 - "Osaka Aquabus " (EP)
* 1998 - "TV, Music, & Candy" (EP)
* 2003 - "The End of Imagining "With Carnival Art
* 1988 - "Thrumdrone" (LP)
* 1992 - "Welcome to Vas Llegas" (LP)
* 1992 - "Blue Food and Black Sparks" (EP)With Homie
* 1998 - "
Meet the Deedles " Soundtrack (backing vocals on "American Girls")References
External links
*imdb name|id=1914631|name=Brian Bell
* [http://leftanchor.com/bell.htm The 2006 Brian Bell Fan Interview]
* [http://www.spacetwins.com Space Twins web page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/therelationship MySpace page for "The Relationship"]
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