The Windsor Star from Windsor, Ontario, Canada • 24

Hits breath of firesh air for VJeezer's guitarist Thursday, August 10 Carty Simon, Hall p.m;, Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets S12.50 US (lawn) $27.50 US (pavilion). Larry Carlton, tee Rltenour, Nelson Rangell, Industry, 15 S. Saginaw, Pontlac. Gates open 6:30 p.m.

Tickets $12.50 $22.50 US, Friday, August 11 smokey Robinson, 7:30 p.m., Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets $12.50 US (lawn) $22.50 US (pavilion). Weezer, Teenage Dog, 8 p.m. Meadow Brook, Rochester. 18 and older.

Tickets $10 US (lawn) $17.50 US (pavilion). Maze, Frankle Beverly, Gladys Knight, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, 2211 Woodward, Detroit Tickets $35 US. Morbid Angel, Grip Harpos, 14238 Harper, Detroit Doors open 9 p.m. Call 313-824-1700. Solid Frog, Walk on Water, The Foot Tongue, The Ritz, 17580 Frazho.

Rosevllie. Doors open 8 p.m.; 18 and over. Call 810-778-8150. Drugstore, The Rake's Progress, The Shelter, 431 Congress, Detroit Doors open 6 p.m.; 18 and older. Tickets $6 US.

Saturday, August 12 Beach Boys, Christopher Cross, JO p.m., Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets $17.50 US (lawn) $22.50 US (pavilion). Barry Manllow, Meadow BrookTheatre, Rochester. Tickets $20 US (lawn) $45 US (pavilion). Maze, Frankle Beverly, Gladys Knight, 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, 2211 woodward, Detroit Tickets $35 US.

Heavens Wish, Motharlode, The Ritz, 17580 Frazho, Rosevllie. Doors open 8 p.m.; 18 and over. Call 810-778-8150. Mystery Machine, The Shelter, 431 Congress, Detroit. Doors open 8:30 p.m.; 18 and older.

Tickets $6 US. Goober and The Peas, Plumbob, St Andrew's Hall, 431 E. Congress, Detroit. Doors open 9 p.m.; 18 and older. Tickets $7.50 US.

Sunday, August 13 Always Patsy Cllne Show, Meadow Brook, Rochester. Tickets $10 US (lawn) $25 US (pavilion). Auburn Hills. Tickets $25.50 US. Monday, August 14 Jimmy Buffett the Corral Reefer Band, Marshall Chapman, 8 p.m., Pine Knob, Clarkston.

Tickets $23.50 US (lawn) $30.50 US (pavilion). Peter Murphy, Industry, 15 S. Saginaw, Pontiao. Doors open 8 p.m.; 18 and olden Tickets $15.50 US. Jim Jesse The Virginia Boys, Mike Stevens, 7 p.m, St John's Parish Hall, Woodslep.

Tickets $12 advance, $15 at the door. Call 778-8716, 322-4937 or 960-4570. Tuesday, August 15 Todd Rungren, The Ritz, 17580 Frazho, Rosevllie. 18 and over. Tickets US.

Jimmy Buffett the Corral Reefer Band, Marshall Chapman, 8 p.m. Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets $23.50 US (lawn) $30.50 US (pavilion). Lalka and the Cosmonauts, The Goldentones, The Shelter, 431 Congress, Detroit. Doors open 8 p.m.; 18 and older.

Tickets $8 US. The Softies, The Ropers, Blind Pig, 206 S. First, Ann Arbor. Wednesday, August 16 Cranberries, Toad the Wet p.m. Pine Knob, Clarkston.

Tickets $18.50 US (lawn) $27.50 US (pavilion). Bobby Lew's the Crackarjack Band, 5:30 p.m, P'Jazz at the Pontchartrain, 2 Washington, Detroit Tickets $12 US. Call 313-986-0200. Shane MacOowan, The Popes, The Waftons, St Andrew's Hall, 431 E. Congress, Detroit.

1 Doors open 8 p.m.; 18 and older. Royal Trux, The Shelter, 431 E. Congress, Detroit. Doors open 6:30 p.m. Tickets $8 US.

Wayne Kramer, The Blind Pig, 208 S. First, Ann Arbor. Doors open 9 p.m.; 18 and older, Tickets $10 US. Looking ahead: Aug. 17 Jeff Beck, Santana, Keb' Mo, 7 p.m.

Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets $12.50 US (lawn) $27.50 US (pavilion). Aug. 18 Chicago, Pine Knob, Clarkston. Tickets $12.50 US (lawn) $22.50 US (pavilion).

Aug. 19 Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, Meadow Brook Theatre, Rochester. Tickets $12.50 US (lawn) $25 US (pavilion). i By Wayne Bledsoe Express Wire Services Weezer guitarist Brian Bell has just missed his flight from Spain to the United States. "It's OK.

I might miss a rehearsal, but I hardly need to rehearse any more," says Bell in a phone call from Barcelona, where he's been vacationing. Bell, raised in Knoxville, is a quick study. When he was invited to join Weezer two years ago he had one weekend to learn the songs the group was about to record. Two years later, Weezer is a solid success. The group's songs, Undone (The Sweater Song) and Buddy Holly, and accompanying videos became hits, and their debut album has been certified platinum.

It's what Bell, 26, has wanted all along, but he admits he is surprised to be in a band that made it. Bell says he first latched on to music at age four when his parents, University of Tennessee geography professor Tom Bell and elementary school principal Linda Bell, took him to an Elvis Presley concert in Knoxville. "That kind of changed my life, seriously," says Bell. In 1989, after graduating from high school, Bell moved to Los Angeles, where he eventually landed a spot as bassist in the band Carnival Art. The group signed with Beggars Banquet Eecords and recorded two albums.

"I gained a lot of knowledge and experience recording and touring and all that, but the sad fact is if you're on a major label and you don't sell enough records you'll get dropped," says Bell. Carnival Art changed its name to Jerkwater and worked out a new sound in hopes of landing another record deal. During that time, Bell became acquainted with the members of Weezer. "They started playingon the scene, and I instantly saw something unique in them," says Bell. Grunge was the buzzword in music, but Bell says Weezer was playing more "happy-go-lucky songs with heavy guitars, vocal harmonies and very catchy hooks.

Bell, meanwhile, was tired of being with Jerkwater. "At this point, I was pretty much fed up with being the small guy and, like, constantly struggling," he says. "I was sick of starving." One night in the late summer of '93, while driving home from a disastrous rave show in the desert, Bell de- 4 Express Magazine Weezer, from left: Brian Bell, Patrick I jf Wilson, Matt Sharp and Rivers Cuomo. sTn cided to quit the group. Waiting for him on the answering machine at his apartment was a message from Weezer bassist Matt Sharp.

"I had no idea why he was calling me," says Bell. "We hardly hung out together at all in Los Angeles. We just exchanged numbers to play a show together, and I knew that they got a record deal and were recording in New York City." The next day Sharp called again. "Matt was just beating around the bush, and Rivers (Cuomo) took the phone from him and said, 'Do you wanna join our And I thought about it for a couple of nanoseconds and said, And he's, like, 'Well, can you And I kinda lied and said, 'Yeah, I can The next day Bell received a demo tape with four of the songs the band was recording. He made an audition tape, adding his vocals and guitar to the songs, and shipped it back overnight.

A Weezer member called back the next day, told Bell he was in and sent him plane tickets to New York. By the next week, he was in the studio recording with producer Ric Ocasek. Bell replaced guitarist Jason Cropper, who left on acrimonious terms. Weezer's record company chose Undone The Sweater Song for the band's first single, and Weezer chose Spike Jonze to direct the video. Both were hits.

But it was the next video and single, Buddy Holly, that really cemented Weezer in music fans' minds. "Buddy Holly was the song that nearly didn't get on the album." Jonze convinced the group the video should take place in the '70s hit TV show Happy Days, with the band performin at Arnold's drive-in. The video went into constant rotation on MTV and MuchMusic. Weezer, Teenage Fanclub, That Dog, Friday at 8 p.m., Meadow Brook, Rochester. 18 and older.

Tickets $10 US (lawn) $17.50 US (pavilion). Tickets available at TtoketMaster. For further Information, call 782-2222 or visit Gameworld, 1801 Walker Rd. August 10, 1995 I.