Weezer - Weezer (1994)

When I ask people if they have heard Buddy Holly, a common reaction is "I love that song." Buddy Holly is a legendary figure in rock and roll, but Weezer's catchy, geeky love anthem challenges him for the first thing to pop into people's heads at the mention of his name. "Buddy Holly" is the second single from Weezer's 1994 debut album Weezer, known more commonly as The Blue Album.

The LA band formed in 1992 around drummer Pat Wilson and lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist Rivers Cuomo. The two were soon joined by bassist Matt Sharp and guitarist Jason Cropper. Although Rivers was convinced of the band's quality, their variety of edgy power pop was not able to gain the band much local popularity during a time when audiences wanted grunge. Still, they persevered, largely self-managed, until Todd Sullivan signed them to Geffen Records in the middle of 1993.

The band immediately set to recording their debut, working from a catalog of songs they had been polishing in LA clubs. Not allowed to self-produce the album, Weezer and Geffen roped in Ric Ocasek (of The Cars) to work with them. During production, Jason Cropper was kicked out of the band (under unrevealed circumstances) and replaced with friend-of-the-band Brian Bell. The album was finished to satisfaction and without other turbulence but released without a single and with worry as to how the band would take with audiences.

The Blue Album saw a steady rise in popularity, helped amass a devoted fan base for the band, and received near-universal critical acclaim. The band's popularity and album sales were helped along by the music videos for their first two singles "Undone - The Sweater Song" and "Buddy Holly". Both are fun and memorable videos directed by Spike Jonze, and they gave the band extensive exposure through MTV.

The Blue Album gradually reached triple platinum, and its critical reception has only grown in grace and stature. It is often cited as one of the best albums of the nineties, and credited for rescuing power pop from the depths, bringing it back to quality and prominence in the midst of a grunge-laden music world. Their album of self-conscious, dissonant pop songs jarrs at first but ingratiates over time until you can't help but sing along or get it out of your head.

Here is the discography surrounding Weezer's debut album:

Weezer
Undone - The Sweater Song (1994 single)
Buddy Holly (1995 single)
Say It Ain't So (1995 single)

A deluxe version of Weezer was released in 2004 with a second disc (Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets) of b-sides and studio outtakes.



Remember to shout out any recommendations for where the Musical History Tour should go next. The more diverse the input, the more interesting the journey. Many thanks to Tyson Badders, Weezer super fan (but not so much as of late), for his help and input on this update.

Buddy Holly and The Crickets - The "Chirping" Crickets (1957)

With the release of the song "Bo Diddley", Bo Diddley popularized a particular beat with which he would forever be associated. Several early rock songs that followed used the "Bo Diddley Beat" as a starting point in song composition including Buddy Holly's classic "Not Fade Away" released in 1957 with his band The Crickets.

Buddy Holly began playing music at a young age with a strong background in bluegrass music. As the young Holly began performing in 1955, he picked up influences from rising acts he'd tour with like Elvis Presley and Bill Haley & His Comets shifting his act to rock and roll. He eventually formed his own band The Crickets which consisted of himself as lead guitarist and vocalist, drummer Jerry Allison, bassist Joe B. Mauldin, and rhythm guitarist Niki Sullivan. This lineup for the rock and roll band would eventually hold as the basic blueprint for all rock and roll bands to follow.

Although Buddy Holly started releasing singles as a solo artist in 1956, 1957 was the breakout year for Holly. He rose to prominence with a chart-topping hit "That'll Be the Day" and two other top ten hits "Peggy Sue" and "Oh, Boy!" (the latter with The Crickets). Oddly enough during this rush of releases, Holly released singles through three different record labels: Decca, Coral, and Brunswick. At the end of the year, it is with Brunswick that Buddy Holly and the Crickets would release their debut album The "Chirping" Crickets.

The album is a great collection of original songs and covers of Roy Orbison, Chuck Willis, and others. Buddy Holly was the principal songwriter for The Crickets, but the album features songs from Allison and Mauldin as well, giving it the feel of a work by the group rather than by just Holly.

Here is the discography surrounding Buddy Holly and the Crickets's debut album:

Blue Days, Black Nights (1956 single by Buddy Holly)
Modern Don Juan (1956 single by Buddy Holly)
That'll Be the Day (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Words of Love (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Rocking Around With Ollie Vee (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Peggy Sue (1957 single by Buddy Holly)
Oh, Boy! (1957 single)
The "Chirping" Crickets





The Musical History Tour keeps on plugging along (albeit slowly) but feel free to suggest possible next courses of action. A great recommendation can easily sway the project into a new direction. Just remember, it has to be related to Buddy Holly and the Crickets (and their debut album) in some/any way.

I hope you like what you hear.

Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley (1957)

We've seen our fair share of imitators; time to sound off with The Originator. Getting his hit start and stage name from his debut single, Bo Diddley was one of the performers responsible for the transition from blues to rock and roll. He held a huge influence on British blues/rock bands like The Rollings Stones and The Pretty Things (whose name is taken from Bo Diddley's 1955 single "Pretty Thing").

His 1957 debut album Bo Diddley is a collection of his earliest singles. Bo Diddley starts with the blues format and sound, gives it more kick, drive, and guitar, and kicks off rock and roll with that blues foundation remaining.

Here is the discography surrounding Bo Diddley's debut album:

Bo Diddley (1955 single)
Diddley Daddy (1955 single)
Pretty Thing (1955 single)
Diddy Wah Diddy (1956 single)
Who Do You Love? (1956 single)
Cops & Robbers (1956 single)
Hey! Bo Diddley (1957 single)
Say Boss Man (1957 single)
Bo Diddley
Hush Your Mouth (1958 single)
Bo Diddley (1958 EP)





Try comparing Bo Diddley's compositions to covers of his compositions (which there are plenty) and get an idea for rock and roll's historic progression. Also, feel free to suggest some bands for the Musical History Tour's next step.