Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo has opened up about the mixed response to their sophomore album Pinkerton upon its release in 1996.
In an interview with Apple Music‘s Zane Lowe (via NME), Cuomo revealed the band got “destroyed” with the reception to what was supposed to be their “magnum opus”.
Cuomo cited Pinkerton when asked by Lowe which of Weezer’s albums he wishes he had recorded with the same orchestral approach as their latest release OK Human.
“[The tracks in Pinkerton] are the most complex songs and they’re the most emotional songs,” he said.
“And yet, the way we recorded is so raw, four-piece rock noise. I’d be really interested to hear that with an orchestra.”
“[It] was supposed to be our magnum opus and it just got destroyed – and it’s almost like the game over for our band”.
Despite any backlash, Cuomo said he is proud of the album, particularly his vocals.
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“Especially, I love the sound of my voice… it’s very low in the mix. I’d love to hear a remix of the vocal louder, but there’s just so much pain and vulnerability in my voice.”
“I don’t know if this is disillusioning at all, but I think some of the pain you hear in my voice [on ‘Pinkerton’] is actually physical,” he continued.
“At that time I was going through this procedure on my leg where I had all these pins and spikes and wires going through my muscle and bone, and for a year and a half, and this is constant pain. And right in the middle of that, I went and recorded the vocals for the album.”
“So I just sound like I’ve been through a lot and I think some of that is physical. And maybe if you want to have a really great vocal performance, you could consider some kind of self-torture device…”
Check out Rivers Cuomo from Weezer discussing Pinkerton:
