Karl Koch Interview Part 1…
Music Transition: [00:00:07] Hey Rach, how's it going dude? Alright. It's been awhile. Yeah. This band's my favorite, don't you love em’. Yeah. It's going to be best. I'm so stoked. Hey girl, want a beer? Alright. Aw man, this is the best. I'm so glad we're all back together and stuff. This is great. Hey, do you guys know about the party after the show? Yeah. I think I want to go. But uhm, my friends don't really want to go. Can I get a ride?
Rachel: [00:00:47] Hello and welcome to We are Weezer. I'm your host Rachel and today I'm joined by a very special surprise guest.
Rachel: [00:00:56] But before the big reveal I want to tell you what we are Weezer is all about. We're a podcast about Weezer. My co-host Juliet and I pick a Weezer song. We research the crap out of it. Sometimes we go to like, page twelve on Google even and find out interesting fun facts, try to find something that you've never heard before about the songs. We also rate and review them with our special rating system and then we call it a day. Sometimes we have a fun segment. Guest host Weezer news to share etc. but other than that that's pretty much the, the podcast. So, without further ado we are super-duper honored and excited and feel fancy to have the unofficial fifth member of Weezer with us here today. Karl Ko--Koch is it? How do you say it?
Karl Koch: [00:01:55] You actually say 'Cook' but.
Rachel: [00:01:57] Cook?!
Karl Koch: [00:01:58] But over-.
Rachel: [00:01:58] Ahhh!
Karl Koch: [00:01:59] I've heard it for, said every different way over the years and it makes no sense to say cook. But that is actually what I grew up hearing my parents say. So that's what it is.
Rachel: [00:02:08] All right. It's like I didn't know I've always wanted to know that and how we always probably mess it up until, until now, so good.
Karl Koch: [00:02:16] Well now it's on, now it's on the record officially, yeah.
Rachel: [00:02:20] Yeah. Now you know.
Karl Koch: [00:02:21] I think it's an adaptation from the original German Koch. And.
Rachel: [00:02:26] Yes.
Karl Koch: [00:02:27] I think uh, I always heard that went two ways either went to 'Kotch' depending on the family, but I guess most the 'Kotches' were Jewish for some reason like that's the way the accent went. And then 'Koch', like, the more the other way went to 'Cook' which you know it means the same thing.
Karl Koch: [00:02:47] So I think it was just a matter of adapting the English tradition as opposed to you know something else.
Rachel: [00:02:54] So like are you or is it German, do you know?
Karl Koch: [00:02:58] Definitely.
Rachel: [00:02:58] OK.
Karl Koch: [00:02:58] Definitely. There's billions-
Rachel: [00:02:59] Because when I look up-.
Karl Koch: [00:03:00] Millions of them over there.
Rachel: [00:03:02] Yeah, if I've looked up your name like a lot of-
Karl Koch: [00:03:05] Yeah, it's-
Rachel: [00:03:06] German guys pop up.
Karl Koch: [00:03:07] It's like there's like there's like 19 other Karl Koch’s on you know Facebook and all over the Internet they're always like some like German engineer but like you know, makes like plastics or something.
Rachel: [00:03:19] Fancy some, some fancy German guy.
Karl Koch: [00:03:22] Exactly. Exactly. They look really harsh and stern. I try to be more relaxed. I try.
Rachel: [00:03:27] Yes, well you're fine. It's probably weird being on a podcast. Have you ever been on a podcast before?
Karl Koch: [00:03:32] No, in fact. I feel like there is possible times that people have taken audio I've said and used it in one but with or, with or without my knowledge I don't really remember. But I've never sat down and tried to record one and I've always been interested.
Rachel: [00:03:48] Oh, cool.
Karl Koch: [00:03:49] In like I thought you know I probably have some stories I could tell and make a series out of it, but I've never had time to think about it enough to, beyond-.
Rachel: [00:03:56] Actually do it?
Karl Koch: [00:03:57] Beyond jotting down notes which I have done. I've never got past that point. Maybe someday.
Rachel: [00:04:02] Well now you know how to do it.
Karl Koch: [00:04:03] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:04:04] It's, really easy. [both laugh] It's actually easier to do it by yourself because then you don't have to like coordinate and wait for people and-
Karl Koch: [00:04:11] Right, right.
Rachel: [00:04:11] Line things up and yada yada.
Karl Koch: [00:04:14] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:04:14] Sometimes I like I've done minis alone and it's actually really convenient.
Karl Koch: [00:04:19] Well it's cool, it's cool that you're doing this. I mean I, I, I appreciate it the band appreciates it. I mean it's it's a good it's a cool thing. I mean I know there's not there's more than one Weezer related podcast but they're all I think that's all they're all very cool to me. It's nice that people are doing that.
Rachel: [00:04:34] Yeah. Well when we started there was only one other that I knew of that was actually like dedicated to Weezer. There's like there's Star Wars podcasts Harry Potter podcast there's Beatles pod- I mean like whatever you could imagine super fans of. And I was I thought it was really weird that Weezer didn't have one.
Karl Koch: [00:04:55] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:04:56] And the one that I listened to they were just they were different. And I'm like well I kind of want to I want something different. And I think I even tried to like to start one with other people, but it didn't pan out. So, I'm like I'm just gonna do it. Yeah, I'm just going to do it myself.
Karl Koch: [00:05:10] That's cool.
Rachel: [00:05:10] See if I can do a podcast.
Karl Koch: [00:05:12] That's all, that's really cool. How many people listen do you think? Do you have any idea?
Rachel: [00:05:16] I mean we have-
Karl Koch: [00:05:18] Like, is there subscr-.
Rachel: [00:05:19] Followers on Instagram but I don't know how many there are. I know that there's like over 3000 individual downloads of the song total.
Karl Koch: [00:05:29] OK OK.
Rachel: [00:05:31] And depending on what show it is probably a hundred. Which I don't think is that's not much but.
Karl Koch: [00:05:40] It's nice though.
Rachel: [00:05:41] But it grows over time.
Karl Koch: [00:05:42] Yeah sure. Sure sure. That's cool so.
Rachel: [00:05:45] I guess that means that one hundred people are subscribed and then whoever wants to listen.
Karl Koch: [00:05:51] Right. Is it on apple? Like how do you how did how do they get it? It's on Apple. Okay.
Rachel: [00:05:56] It's on iTunes. Stitcher. Spotify.
Karl Koch: [00:06:00] Cool.
Rachel: [00:06:00] Google Play like so whatever you have.
Karl Koch: [00:06:03] Yeah yeah.
Rachel: [00:06:03] Or you can go to our website.
Karl Koch: [00:06:05] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:06:05] Everywhere.
Karl Koch: [00:06:06] I think it comes down to there's just a billion things to listen to. And you have to make some kind of a splash to get people's attention and the more they check it out the more they'll grow like that. So.
Rachel: [00:06:17] Yeah, it's definitely like, in general, podcasting is not for people who want to make money or-.
Karl Koch: [00:06:26] [laughs] I understand.
Rachel: [00:06:27] You know it takes a really long time to gain to gain listeners because you there's a lot of people who do start a podcast and it kind of just falls off the face of the earth after a while because it's one of those things where it could be a hobby.
Karl Koch: [00:06:43] Totally, I mean it seems like you're real organized and you stick to a schedule and that's that seems to be like super important for anything to keep going with it. You know you got to be like oh maybe I'll get back to it and then you don't know. So.
Rachel: [00:06:55] Yeah because life would-
Karl Koch: [00:06:57] Yes.
Rachel: [00:06:58] Take you away.
Karl Koch: [00:06:58] Totally.
Rachel: [00:06:59] I'm sure-
Karl Koch: [00:06:59] Well that's cool. All right, well very good.
Rachel: [00:07:03] So we have a lot of questions for you today. I kind of broke them up into sections. So first we uh, like we'll start with the Weezer questions.
Karl Koch: [00:07:11] Right.
Rachel: [00:07:12] And then we have Karl questions, Black Album questions, and all that good stuff. So hopefully we'll get some juicy news or at least explanations for the age-old questions.
Karl Koch: [00:07:27] I will attempt my best.
Rachel: [00:07:31] All right. We'll be right back guys.
Music Transition: [00:07:32] [Musical Intermission]
Rachel: [00:07:32] Okay, we're back and this is Rachel, I'm here with Karl.
Karl Koch: [00:08:28] Hello
Rachel: [00:08:30] Hi. So, these questions about you either you can tell if you know a Weezer perspective whether it be you know specific guy or the band in general or you personally, you know. What are some favorite collaborations with the band that they've had?
Karl Koch: [00:08:49] Oh I'm trying to rack my brain a little bit about what collaboration there's been. I know now songwriting collaborations have been ninety nine percent, you know, rivers. and there's many of those that have not even been heard. You know. He went through a period where he was really reaching out to so many people. And.
Rachel: [00:09:08] Wow.
Karl Koch: [00:09:09] You know, all over the spectrum like, like he'd be like. He'd say like "hey I'm, I'm, I'm writing a song with..." And he'd name some like rap guy I've never heard of and I'm like "Really?" And then the next day he'd be like "Aww you, have you heard this person?" And he'd play some like you know really, like, like insane sounding like kind of synth pop thing. I'm like, "Whoa. Like, you're writing with that person?" And inevitably it'd make something really interesting happen. And of course, as you know from reading credits on the albums there's been you know, co-rights in the last several albums on and off depending. I don't know. I don't know if I can answer for Rivers, what his favorite would be. I mean he always seems extremely excited to do it in general. But I think in the last year or two he's actually kind of refocused on, you know, writing solo. But I think he still co-writes depending on who he wants to reach out to and what's going on as far-.
Rachel: [00:09:58] What about with, uh, Dave Sitek? Is he...?
Karl Koch: [00:10:01] Well everybody is happy with him. Everybody's you know really-
Rachel: [00:10:05] Is that hard, usually?
Karl Koch: [00:10:06] You mean like with a producer? or we-.
Rachel: [00:10:09] Yeah, to like to have everyone get along and...
Karl Koch: [00:10:11] Well, not everybody necessarily enjoys the way a producer works you know.
Rachel: [00:10:19] Mm hmm.
Karl Koch: [00:10:20] Not that they've had a ton of producers. I mean you can kind of name the major ones on one hand and generally they, they're into most of them. But with Dave they've all been amazed at his. He has like a very hyper intense work schedule that he's like. He never stops working which suits Rivers very well because rivers never stops working either [Rachel laughs]. And he's very into you know very experimental sounds and. Like he's a producer you go to like OK we want to do this the Dave Sitek way. Like, like you're not going to tell, Dave what, how you're going to do it. It's like Dave's going to take your stuff and say OK. Check this out I'll do this I'll do this I'll do this.
Karl Koch: [00:11:00] And the next thing you know your songs like "Woah, what did you do?" You know? but it's always something interesting.
Rachel: [00:11:05] That you love it.
Karl Koch: [00:11:05] It's usually something really interesting and cool. I can't say I've heard all the material they've been working on very recently. Well some of it but. and it tends to get more palatable or more accessible the closer you get to the finish line because like the early mixes of some of these songs were like, like what. Wild. Like, whoa. Like this is crazy. And then it gets to the point.
Rachel: [00:11:30] Like, no one's going to be all about this.
Karl Koch: [00:11:32] Well some people would be, sure, and you know. Like, for example like you know Pat loved that you know well, there's some really wild stuff going on. and it gets to the point of like all right now how are we going to release this track. And you know it slowly gets kind of refined and. Like what you've heard, for example with the uh, two tracks that came out so far. Uhm, the hustle and the zombie songs. Like they're certainly more like sort of sonically out there than most Weezer stuff in the past as far as like you know that kind of take a stand. Like OK we're gonna go this sound and it's really going to be this sound. But early versions of those were like, kind of like eye opening. Like "Whoa what the hell is going on?" You know, cause Dave's just, Dave's just like full steam ahead. He throws so much stuff at it and he has a huge, like, library of just you know ideas and sonic stuff that's just like. You know, he's spent many years just like accumulating this kind of vocabulary that not too many other people have. So anyway, they're digging they're digging working with them. So yeah.
Rachel: [00:12:38] Well I know. So, they collaborated with AJR or Rivers. And they had, uhm, on the White Album. The girl from Pussy Riot.
Karl Koch: [00:12:51] Mhmm.
Rachel: [00:12:52] And the hand clap. What's the name of them? Why can't I think of their name right now?
Karl Koch: [00:12:56] Oh that's alright.
Rachel: [00:12:57] You know I'm talking about though.
Karl Koch: [00:12:58] So, there's so many tracks now and I think that I lost track of everybody. All the details.
Rachel: [00:13:03] Well like I'm sure it all like blends together.
Karl Koch: [00:13:05] Well, I can say Rivers love working with AJR because they're so uhm... What's the word? Like. They know what they want and they're very you know. They worship Weezer. So, it's like you know it was very much like a reflexive thing. Like, you know, Rivers is like you guys totally have you guys know what you're doing. Like you know how to write these, these songs that this hit. And of course, they were like "Yeah, but we learned it all from you." You know? So, it was like this like you know, love fest, I guess. Rivers is very gratified that you know the song he contributed to ended up being quite a big hit. You know he's like, "See! That's how it's supposed to work." You know? [laughs]
Rachel: [00:13:45] That's how collaboration goes.
Karl Koch: [00:13:46] Right. You'd get together.
Rachel: [00:13:47] Everyone's happy.
Karl Koch: [00:13:48] To do this thing and then everybody loves it you know like that's how it's supposed to be.
Rachel: [00:13:52] Yeah it was a big hit.
Karl Koch: [00:13:53] Yeah. Yeah, I mean you know it's... That was kind of like the kind of, like when he's doing those things. He's hoping for that because it's like otherwise nobody even knows about it so why'd you bother? You know, that kind of thing. I think he's uh, it was encouraging that that did well, and he felt.
Rachel: [00:14:09] What about, uh? Oh, sorry.
Karl Koch: [00:14:10] Go right ahead. Go right ahead. Because I can't remember.
Rachel: [00:14:12] Lil Wayne did, was that a fun collaboration?
Karl Koch: [00:14:15] I don't think so. They never-
Rachel: [00:14:18] Because they were separate, right?
Karl Koch: [00:14:20] Well nobody was ever in the room with what Lil Wayne, he. That was an early case of what's now very common where people will just send over you know what they, you know their part. and you just drop it in and say oh there it is. And of course, there's a lot of mixed feelings on that because you know Rivers was very determined like we, we need to get you know a hardcore rapper on one of our songs. He wanted to really try that. And so, it's like you know I. I admire the pluck of it. You know it's like OK. Damn that's serious.
Rachel: [00:14:48] It's a big step.
Karl Koch: [00:14:49] It's a huge step. And they probably... I mean in my opinion I don't think it was really, they were really ready for it. But they went for it anyway. And I think Rivers loved the idea of it. But I think looking back I don't think anybody's like in love with the product. And nobody else except for Rivers was really involved in that, with that level. Like everybody recorded the song and then Rivers said, "OK we're gonna get him to put this verse on it." And it was like OK I hope it works out. And it worked...
Karl Koch: [00:15:18] But.
Rachel: [00:15:18] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:15:19] You know it didn't have the sort of joyous ending it was it's kind of like OK that's an interesting idea. Moving on you know that kind of thing. I mean at least that's how it felt to me.
Rachel: [00:15:27] Yeah it was a thing. Kind of like, uhm. Love is the answer where it's like well you know we did that.
Karl Koch: [00:15:35] Yeah. That was it. That was a case of. Yeah, we're talking about the dark years here [both laugh]. That was.
Rachel: [00:15:43] I mean, I think that Can't Stop Partying like, ah, I like it now. You know looking back at it and I can kind of appreciate that the silliness, or.
Karl Koch: [00:15:53] Yeah, it's an awkward song in that it's like when he did that kind of acoustic version with Jermaine Dupri it worked. And then when you added a big four on the floor kind of like you know dance beat to it. It felt... Something felt like this isn't going to bring it, but it has all the ingredients of something that should bring it. And so, I never felt that it translated live Well you know? I mean that's just my personal opinion. Maybe some people loved it. I don't know. But. But you had going back to Love is the answer. It was funny because that was just going to be a make-believe song and the band worked really hard on it. And in the early phases it was super cool and then it didn't make it on the album, and I was bummed because I was like, this could have been something really special. And I can't explain what was different about it from what you ended up hearing. Like there's a Sugar Ray version that you know.
Rachel: [00:16:45] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:16:45] There's just kind of a weird, almost like a weird cover version of something that wasn't out and then they finally did it later with the, with the whole Indian part mixed in. It, it fell flat because it just didn't. it felt like kind of artificially.
Karl Koch: [00:17:01] You know it was like on life support sort of like "OK let's put this in there." and it's like Yeah but doesn't quite work and you know. So, I always look back and, to what was happening and like 2004 in the studio it was like it came so close to being rad and then some changes were made, and it just stopped feeling as good. And then they said "Oh, something's wrong." It's like I know what's wrong, but I can't explain it. And now there's gonna drop it. But then it got resurrected and it didn't get resurrected the way I would hope it had been resurrected [laughs].
Rachel: [00:17:32] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:17:32] So I mean I guess in terms of the collaboration part of it like OK they went to this woman and she sang her parts and I think everybody had fun that day like that was cool to see that her doing that. It's just that the product at the end didn't feel right to me anyway.
Rachel: [00:17:49] Maybe they could do it again but like actually as Weezer.
Karl Koch: [00:17:52] Right, right.
Rachel: [00:17:53] Like just regular and put some heart into it with everything else.
Karl Koch: [00:17:57] I'd have to be the producer or Pat. So, we could explain what not to do and what to do because there's like there was just little things that kept changing. It was like little melody things kept shifting. Now that was better the first time. Don't go, no don't go that way. Like little rhythmic things like, "No, no, no. It was better before you shifted like, the emphasis on that syllable is just things like that happened that just made it. Now it feels not right you know.
Rachel: [00:18:20] Yeah yeah, we know.
Karl Koch: [00:18:23] Yeah yeah.
Rachel: [00:18:25] [laughs] Okay. So, what makes you emotional, like what music can really touch your heart? And like almost make you cry or even make you cry?
Karl Koch: [00:18:35] Yeah that's what I'm going to have a hard time answering for the band.
Rachel: [00:18:39] For someone else?
Karl Koch: [00:18:39] But yeah. You know for me it's like, I'll hear... Usually it's what people would call deep soul which is not like radio friendly soul music from the 60s and 70s.
Karl Koch: [00:18:52] But like stuff that didn't make it. And not as a rule because some of the stuff that didn't make it sucks. But I mean there's stuff that's come to light over the years like oh these forgotten tracks by blah blah blah, and this and that. And some of this stuff is incredibly sad. It's powerful sad, you know what I mean? it's not like sad like "Oh, I'm whimpering." It's like these people are shouting and yelling but it's like heart wrenching.
Rachel: [00:19:17] What's an example of that, would you say?
Karl Koch: [00:19:19] I'm gonna give one example of this. There's an artist named Little Ann. And the song is "Deep Shadows." So, look that one up and that's a song--It doesn't necessarily make me cry but it like, really tugs at me. It's like, it's, it's heavy. Like she is freaking wrecked, and it's amazing. It's like whoa you know. Anyway, there's a lot of other examples-
Rachel: [00:19:42] What's it about?
Karl Koch: [00:19:42] Well I think the lyrics are kind of like. I don't know, they're something like... Uh, it's like "Lonely, lonely, lonely, is the night that calls." It's all about like you know not having somebody or missing somebody that kind of thing which isn't necessarily lyrics that would make me emotional but it's the delivery. You know what I mean? It's the sound I mean it's raw. It's raw.
Rachel: [00:20:04] Very cool. I'll have to check it out.
Karl Koch: [00:20:05] I'm into stuff like that. It has to it… You know these people are like let it all hang out in the studio.
Rachel: [00:20:11] And what, uh. Like what a, what period is it from? Is it current?
Karl Koch: [00:20:15] Probably 1970 ish 1973 early 70s.
Karl Koch: [00:20:20] It was this forgotten album at the time it got rereleased a couple of years ago you know because people are always scouring for old stuff to rerelease you know. and it's intense. It's. it's a good example of something that's like, "Whoa, this is, this is affect, this is affecting me.".
Rachel: [00:20:33] I'll have to check it out. That's exciting. [both laugh] So. Who would Weezer or you love to work with in the future?
Karl Koch: [00:20:44] Hmm.
Rachel: [00:20:45] Have you guys talked about that?
Karl Koch: [00:20:47] You know I haven't heard any discussions about that. I mean they're, they're, they're going to work again with Jake who did the White Album.
Rachel: [00:20:55] Awesome
Karl Koch: [00:20:55] They, they're looking forward to that. They've kind of got like another album besides the Black Album that's kind of on the burner right now. And it's all designed for Jake to do. So, it's going to be this different sound, you know more like a... Not, I wouldn't say classic Weezer, but like closer to... perhaps closer to-
Rachel: [00:21:11] Closer to White?
Karl Koch: [00:21:12] Closer to that world. you know?
Karl Koch: [00:21:14] So they're excited about that but I don't know if I can go beyond that because I don't know really what's on their minds like, you know. I don't know there's any big dreams to work with anybody in particular.
Rachel: [00:21:22] That they haven't already or-
Karl Koch: [00:21:25] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:21:25] Because I know they Scott just got to play with The Cars.
Karl Koch: [00:21:30] That was a huge dream come true for him and we-we're all real proud of him. That was really cool.
Rachel: [00:21:34] That's amazing.
Karl Koch: [00:21:35] I mean we've known Rick for a long long time. So, it's not like it was a shocker necessarily that he was asked. But it was just so freaking cool that he got to play the car songs with the cars.
Rachel: [00:21:45] Yeah. Yeah. I mean and like who can say that they-
Karl Koch: [00:21:49] Almost nobody.
Rachel: [00:21:50] You know?
Karl Koch: [00:21:50] Nobody can say they did that except for him basically. I mean there's hardly anybody on earth that has ever done that.
Rachel: [00:21:56] Definitely like one to you know, add to the memory banks.
Karl Koch: [00:22:01] Totally.
Rachel: [00:22:01] For later.
Karl Koch: [00:22:02] It's a great example I'm totally forgetting 10 others that you were going to remember but it's that's a great example.
Rachel: [00:22:08] I wonder if they are ever gonna be like Paul McCartney or Elton John or you know. Like somebody that is like super-duper old school that they would just like freak out to meet. Like is there.
Karl Koch: [00:22:23] Well.
Rachel: [00:22:23] Is there anybody left like that for them I wonder?
Karl Koch: [00:22:25] That are still alive? That's a good question. They've, well. Pat's met Eddie Van Halen. And he was, that was a big, big one for him. I don't know if Pat's met the guys in Rush because Rush is super important to Pat. I think Rivers met Brian Wilson once. Scott-
Rachel: [00:22:42] Was he weird?
Karl Koch: [00:22:45] [laughs] I don't think so. He's.
Rachel: [00:22:46] Not Brian Wilson, but was Rivers weird like when you met him?
Karl Koch: [00:22:49] I don't think so.
Rachel: [00:22:50] I could just imagine.
Karl Koch: [00:22:50] I don't think he was weird. I think they were both to balance each other out with the weirdness like they're both different kinds of weird.
Rachel: [00:22:55] Okay, yeah, I could see that.
Karl Koch: [00:22:56] It was probably like, the most silent awkward conversation. A lot of smiles and a lot of nothing. Rivers got to meet, you know two of the guys in Kiss. Which is a big deal for him back in the day. Pat has hung out with the guys from ZZ Top and that's a big deal for Pat. They met a lot of idols. They have. Uhm, now McCartney it interest, it's interesting because Scott is... one of Scott's best friends. Is that guitar player named. Oh, I forgot. He's the older dude whose kind of got the hair. He was on the cruise. Spacing out on his name off the top of my head. But he plays in Paul McCartney's band. He's the guitar player in that band. So.
Rachel: [00:23:32] Wow.
Karl Koch: [00:23:32] Scott's best friend is Paul McCartney's guitar player and has been for years. So, I think Scott's definitely gone to some shows like really good seats and stuff like as he's gotten you know guest listed, but I don't know if he met Paul. But uh, yeah.
Rachel: [00:23:47] I could definitely see some Weezer McCartney collaborations like in my head.
Karl Koch: [00:23:51] Everybody says Paul's really cool.
Karl Koch: [00:23:53] I mean everything I've ever read, and every, read anything that anybody's ever said. It's just like he's super super cool so.
Rachel: [00:23:59] Me too.
Karl Koch: [00:23:59] You know.
Rachel: [00:23:59] Yeah, even when he got kicked out of like... Somebody was having like a rap, not a rap party but it was like a after Grammys party or something and Paul McCartney showed up and they were like, "Oh I'm sorry you're not on the guest list." [Karl laughs] And he was like.
Karl Koch: [00:24:15] You don't do that to Paul.
Rachel: [00:24:17] Yeah. But they didn't know who he was because they're like, you know, twelve.
Karl Koch: [00:24:20] Right right right.
Rachel: [00:24:22] I guess he was cool with like going to another one, but I thought that was funny and a not really funny cause I would like, be super mad at that guy if I was in charge of that party.
Karl Koch: [00:24:32] Oh no, yeah, he got fired. [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:24:36] It was on the news.
Karl Koch: [00:24:37] Yeah well.
Rachel: [00:24:38] You know, we'll never hear from him again.
Karl Koch: [00:24:39] You see he's, he's, he's, he's in northern Alaska now, raking leaves or something.
Rachel: [00:24:47] Well there you go. I don't know. I, I kind of, like, listening to the newer songs, I feel like a little bit of a Gorillaz vibe and I know that they know... They must know each other. I know they know each other, and I know he's into collaborating a lot. Damon, I'm talking about. I don't know if that's something that they would be into doing.
Karl Koch: [00:25:06] I'm sure that's on Rivers' radar to some degree and I know he respects Damon and the Gorillaz a lot. I don't actually know if they've met. Now obviously Matt met him and hung out with him for a long time back in the day although they don't really, they haven't been in touch for a long time now. So, there's certainly a connection there. But as for currently. Yeah, I mean that's that's kind of it seems like a no brainer, but I don't think they've actually talked or hung out. I mean I could be wrong.
Rachel: [00:25:32] They should!
Karl Koch: [00:25:32] Yeah, it's a good suggestion, it's a good suggestion.
Rachel: [00:25:36] Take a note of that. Rivers, or something [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:25:41] So does Rivers still talk to Joe Matt or Matt Joe?
Karl Koch: [00:25:44] Joe Matt. You know that's funny. He I. I don't think they've had, they've been in contact for a while-I think. I was in contact with Joe Matt later than Rivers was because I remember meeting with him for lunch. Oh, like probably 2008 or something like that and, he still lived in Silverlake in L.A. at that time. and I, I met him and his uh, I assumed it was his girlfriend. I wasn't really sure. And uhm, we hung out and talked for a while, and it was really nice and everything. But at that, that was like the last I think anybody's heard from him. And if you look online you kind of Google him like all mention of him kind of disappears around like 2010. And I don't know if he still lives in L.A. or he moved, but he certainly hasn't put out another issue of his comic books since then. Which is kind of disturbing because the comic book was autobiographical and one of the themes that was in there was how slow he was and how he was getting slower because he was like more and more like you know.
Karl Koch: [00:26:42] Well honestly, he was addicted to porn and stuff like that. So, he had this, and he was, he documented this in his book. I mean it was brilliant comic book but like his output was slower and slower and slower over time because he was more and more like kind of depressed and insular and like you know not being in the real world anymore. And he but he is such a big ego that he would never like hurt himself. [laughs] You know what I mean? He's just like kind of like.
Rachel: [00:27:05] So you're not like, worried in that way.
Karl Koch: [00:27:07] I'm not worried in that way. But he was like, I, I can see-you know, I, he got to the, I think he got to a point where he was like I... Who knows? I don't know if his publisher still wants to publish his book at this point. I don't know what happened to him. And it’s-it's a bummer because he's so freaking good at the thing, he's great at. You know like his book. It's like. He's like the perfect, he like he's super obsessive he's super... He's a very distinct personality and he gets it across in this comic perfectly. And when you meet him, he's exactly like that a little more relaxed than the comic. The comic's a little frantic compared to his actual. But he really-
Rachel: [00:27:44] Like an exaggeration.
Karl Koch: [00:27:44] Yeah, the comic really found a way to capture the guy that's like living in his own head all the time, you know. Scheming or upset about this or like you know like all kinds you know. It's like he was so good at that. And he was really nice when I met him that day. This was like the second time I met. The first time was with rivers and E from the Eels which was a very interesting lunch [laughs] I gotta say. Because I guess E and Joe Matt had been friends for a while and somehow, Rivers really wanted to meet Joe. So, E. You know, E was there too.
Rachel: [00:28:17] Hooked it all up?
Karl Koch: [00:28:17] It was like what a strange lunch we're all having right now. I took a funny picture of those three together. Cause E lived right, like they lived like blocks from each other in Silverlake, but I don't know if they still do, at this point. I have no idea. So yeah. Nobody's... I don't think if I asked Rivers about it, I'm sure he'd say like, "Yeah, I haven't heard from him." because I don't think anybody's heard from him in a long time.
Rachel: [00:28:36] Yeah. When you Google and I think I remember just kind of like stops you're like you said.
Karl Koch: [00:28:43] Yeah like he. He did a, uh. What's in your bag for Aaron's records. Or not Aaron's, Amoeba. About again like eight, nine years ago. And it's and it's a video of him like you know talking about the, like, CDs he bought or whatever at the record store. And then that's the last thing I could ever find on him, I was like, "Damn."
Rachel: [00:29:01] I have to look that up because I don't remember seeing that when I was checking it out.
Karl Koch: [00:29:05] It's, it's.
Rachel: [00:29:06] Because I did see it was like.
Karl Koch: [00:29:08] Yeah there's almost no-
Rachel: [00:29:09] He stopped putting out comics.
Karl Koch: [00:29:09] -video of him doing anything on the Internet. Like that's the only video you can really find of him practically. He's he's very much a hermit [laughs]
Karl Koch: [00:29:17] But.
Rachel: [00:29:18] Well I mean sometimes it's like that personality goes, goes there.
Karl Koch: [00:29:23] Absolutely. Absolutely.
Rachel: [00:29:24] So my next question, what...do you know what the inspiration was for "Jacked Up" and "Feels Like Summer" which are two of my favorites?
Karl Koch: [00:29:37] Hmm, inspiration.
Rachel: [00:29:38] I know that on the on the white album there was some spreadsheets and processes and noises. I don't know if that was, have anything to do with them.
Karl Koch: [00:29:48] I think uhm, unfortunately I don't really know the answers. But I can say that in general since about The White Album like beyond "Everything Will Be Alright" once you get past that it's kind of like a new phase or whatever. From the White Album forward. This is the era of Rivers has mentioned in interviews where he does keep spreadsheets of lyrics and melodies and ideas and he [?] writes down all kinds of stuff that he hears, he doesn't necessarily have a plan for it until he starts assembling them. And he like, and he organizes things by meter and rhymes and melodies and lengths, and all these other things and he starts like sort of crafting songs out of, out of thin air because all these pieces. Like wow I've got like three hundred phrases that end in this sound. Which one would be good here and then he's like "Well that's weird. I've never heard, thought, I would never would have thought of this lyric next to that lyric." and you think, like, well you know how are you writing a song when you don't know what you're writing about but it's like he's discovering like you can write a song without knowing what it's gonna be about until it comes together which I think is kind of cool.
Karl Koch: [00:31:01] I mean it's certainly-.
Rachel: [00:31:02] I guess if you're like having favorite things like if you're like oh I really like this poem that I read and then I like this Weezer song.
Karl Koch: [00:31:11] Right.
Rachel: [00:31:12] And I like this book. And if you were going to do something in the future, I guess I mean it would make sense to kind of mash them together and use your things that you, that you liked.
Karl Koch: [00:31:25] I mean you have to understand that the scale of this. I mean, nobody's got like I have a lot of like say records in my collection. Rivers has a lot of lyrics in his collection. And I mean thousands like. Like he's like it's really really comprehensive to the point. And he and he writes these kind of like little algorithms that can like all right please identify everything that's got the following rhythmic structure. Where it's like dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot. And he'll get like 32 of them. OK, now which one of these might work here in the song. And it's like I don't think anybody else writes like that. Like he's invented this weird new way of writing [laughs] you know? And it's, it's, it's, it's making songs that are working. That's the crazy part. So.
Rachel: [00:32:05] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:32:05] He's onto something. I don't know what it is exactly but he's definitely on to it.
Rachel: [00:32:10] So is that what he used for, for "Jacked Up" and "Feels Like Summer"?
Karl Koch: [00:32:13] Well, that's what I don't know. They're both part of this time period where that would, that's what he's been doing. But it could be that there's been anomalies where it's like he just maybe you just sat down at the piano and wrote jacked up one day because he felt like it. You know, it's possible. It sounds like that to me like it's the kind of stuff the way that song sounds. And again, White Album that could still be songs that dated back farther you know because that came after a couple years off. So that could've been an older one maybe but I'm just guessing. I'm just guessing feels like summer I know is a fairly recent composition and therefore it would almost certainly be at least somewhat constructed in that, in that new way.
Karl Koch: [00:32:49] But I have to say even with that technique I still feel that there's sort of this override of meaning that he makes sure a song has. Because I think there's like there's hidden there's hidden background in all these lyrics. Not all of them because some of them, he just literally just heard somebody say on the street. But he arranges them in a way that like, like it means something where he says he's like you know he's in the graveyard and you know he's just a boy in his computer and all this stuff like. It does resonate with, with a story that maybe only he'll ever know. But it's like, I, you know it doesn't feel like just random you know it feels like.
Rachel: [00:33:26] Right.
Karl Koch: [00:33:27] I mean there could be ones.
Rachel: [00:33:28] A s-a song and a thought.
Karl Koch: [00:33:29] And there could be stuff that sounds totally like he had a thought and yet it was random too. I don't know. That's possible as well [laughs]
Rachel: [00:33:37] That makes sense. and jacked up was the song that he did with, that was the collaboration with. I want to say Franz Ferdinand, but I know it's not them.
Karl Koch: [00:33:47] Oh ok yeah. I don't remember that guy's name but yeah, I know who you're talking about. Yeah yeah.
Rachel: [00:33:53] That's gonna, that's gonna bug me. Do you guys ever feel jaded? Like do they feel like fancy super famous rock stars all the time and, nothing's real?
Karl Koch: [00:34:01] I don't think so. I don't think so. I think occasionally there's a little bit of like you know Princess-y behavior at times espe--you know especially if things aren't going well and like there's a bad day or something. But I think that one of the reasons this band has continued and not exploded and just disappeared is the fact that they're all very aware of their luck and the fact that they've been working hard for a long time and they don't want to blow it. They want to keep going.
Rachel: [00:34:32] Mhmm.
Karl Koch: [00:34:33] And I think if you had an inflated sense of yourself, you... you're not being self-aware and you're not keeping that in check. And I think it's the people that do that, that have major missteps in that way.
Rachel: [00:34:44] Yeah, like we just talked about Smash Mouth the other day, is what I'm thinking. [both laugh] Sorry Smash Mouth. Not really, but uhm, they like they probably kind of... I mean they were on Shrek for goodness sake and like hate the fact that they were on Shrek. And it's like, dude you should be friggin’ bowing down to Shrek for.
Karl Koch: [00:35:03] It, that's.
Rachel: [00:35:04] Making you popular.
Karl Koch: [00:35:05] In their, in their case.
Rachel: [00:35:06] Type of thing.
Karl Koch: [00:35:07] Yeah, I mean those guys hit the jackpot and they should just feel lucky that anybody cared at all. [laughs] You know it's like, uh.
Rachel: [00:35:17] Cause they're Smash Mouth.
Karl Koch: [00:35:18] Exactly. Exactly.
Rachel: [00:35:20] I don't know. I've always been curious about that like is I've taken a picture with Rivers, I think once or twice and it's, it's been weird. So, I didn't know if it's weird because he's a little weird or if it's weird because like, he's like I'm too fancy-too fancy to be here weird.
Karl Koch: [00:35:44] He's never been too fancy to be here. That's definitely not, that's not. He's unusual because he's constantly fighting massive shyness which sounds crazy like how could that guy on that stage be like that. But in terms of like social situations with people he's not met. That's like it's his like Achilles tendon, I would say. So, you just saw him as he often is with people he doesn't know. He just gets, he kind of clams up and he's kind of strange. And it really just depends on what he's going into a situation with. Like he deliberately met fans back around [you babe?] and he didn't know them personally but the whole idea was we're gonna hang out in this room together. And so, he got very personal, he got very, you know, animated. People were like wow he's being so cool. But he went into that, like "This is what I'm going to do." If he feels caught off guard or he's like said oh you know. If his thought was like, "I'm just going to kind of scuttle away and disappear." But it was like, "Hey get over here take a picture." He might be like OK I'll do it, but I feel weird you know like, like he.
Rachel: [00:36:44] Uh huh.
Karl Koch: [00:36:45] It's very... like by contrast.
Rachel: [00:36:47] He's gotta pre...psych himself up and prepare for it?
Karl Koch: [00:36:50] Right. By contrast, a much more natural reacting person would be Pat. He, you know he's... He's always just kind of relaxed when it comes to stuff. Like he might be, have a lot on his mind. But like, he's always kind of the same guy, be it in private or in public sort of. So, when somebody comes up and says, "Hey Pat can I get a picture?" You're going to see like Pat being like "Hey, what's going on?" you know? Like it's not going to like.
Rachel: [00:37:13] Sure.
Karl Koch: [00:37:13] He's not going to like. He's not going to have this sort of like, preconceived like, "Oh God, you know this is going to crush me. I can't deal with it right now. Like, I'm. You know this is freaking me out." Like he doesn't get shy. He doesn't get, you know? But Rivers it really affects him, and he has to really, you know, work on that to get you know too often just to get through a day. Like it. There's a lot. There's a lot to process and he's...
Rachel: [00:37:33] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:37:33] And he hyper schedules himself to the point where he's got a million things on his mind all running at the same time. So, like, interruptions which is what they are to that throws him off. You know?
Rachel: [00:37:45] Like I was headed over here, and now-
Karl Koch: [00:37:47] Right.
Rachel: [00:37:47] I have to stop, and I don't know-
Karl Koch: [00:37:49] Right.
Rachel: [00:37:49] If I'm ok with that.
Karl Koch: [00:37:51] Right.
Karl Koch: [00:37:52] It's not like this is, this is beneath me like he knows that you know in music you have to there's a thousand things you have to do, and you have to do them all, and you can't be a princess about it. But anyway, so it wasn't, it wasn't that kind of weird.
Rachel: [00:38:06] And I get that and I kind of uhm. I think we all know and can appreciate what that feels like. I mean, like going on a job interview. That's difficult and scary.
Karl Koch: [00:38:21] Right, right, right.
Rachel: [00:38:22] Meeting a new person or you know podcasting with Karl Koch. [Karl laughs] You know it's like, I was
Karl Koch: [00:38:30] I hope it's not too difficult. I, I know what you mean.
Rachel: [00:38:32] Well, it's like, kind of freaky like I'm like.
Karl Koch: [00:38:35] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:38:36] Oh my God, I am having an interview with Karl I'm trying not to freak out and be a weirdo. But now I feel normal. So, it's good.
Karl Koch: [00:38:44] Yeah well, I'm. Yeah, I'm, I'm the least your worries. Don't worry about me.
Rachel: [00:38:50] And yeah, and I think... I think we all understand Rivers’ shyness but it's still like you know we wish that he didn't have to feel that way. But I guess that's with anybody, right? Like.
Karl Koch: [00:39:04] Yeah yeah. It's, it's a. he's gotta. He's just a. He's a tough one to explain, briefly. You know it's, it's. And nobody knows except, everything except for him. I mean like there's aspects that only he'll ever understand. And that's and that's cool.
Rachel: [00:39:18] I'm sure.
Karl Koch: [00:39:18] I mean he's a very complicated dude. That's just how it is you know. But yeah, he, he's. He absolutely doesn't resent any aspect of what he does. He's you know the only thing he doesn't like is when his schedule gets thrown off and then he gets, then he can get a little a little a little a little upset.
Rachel: [00:39:38] Well I get that because I could, like I know, or he talked about in an interview with... talking about going to a restaurant and he has like a, a sheet that he points out that has like all the ingredients in the salad that he likes at this restaurant. And I was like well I wonder what would happen if like they didn't put like two things on his salad that he asked for, would he get upset.
Karl Koch: [00:39:59] Well I mean.
Rachel: [00:40:00] He went through the trouble of making a list.
Karl Koch: [00:40:00] I don't think he'd throw a fit. It's just he's trying to prevent unideal results at all times. You know? He's trying to, he's sort of like trying to outthink the world like I want to not end up getting something that's not right something that's not going to be the way it should be or whatever. So, it's kind of it's kind of overdoing it but it's almost like he needs to overdo it like that's how he that's how he deals with stuff.
Rachel: [00:40:23] That's who he is.
Karl Koch: [00:40:24] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:40:24] And so do you think other, like the rest of the band kind of balance him out like cause they're more chill.
Karl Koch: [00:40:30] Oh definitely. Definitely. They all, and they all like they probably haven't openly discussed this, but I think they all kind of have an innate sense that they kind of you know. Sort of need-
Rachel: [00:40:40] Know how to be with everybody?
Karl Koch: [00:40:40] They need each other in that sense like it kind of balances.
Rachel: [00:40:44] So what is a typical day like for everybody does everybody just like get up and have breakfast and hang out with their kids and like read the paper and like, go to the studio or.
Karl Koch: [00:40:55] Well not all days are scheduled for band work. If there was a day like that. I mean I, I can't say I know how their day really starts. Again, Rivers would have the most strict schedule. He'd awake at a very specific time and he'd be doing very specific things. He doesn't have downtime. He doesn't have idle time. He schedules everything. The other guys don't do that. And everybody's got you know family and kids and stuff. Except for Brian. So, I'm not really sure how late he sleeps or what he does when he wakes up. But he ends up doing a lot of interesting cultural things and going off and doing stuff on his own. [both laugh]
Karl Koch: [00:41:27] And he, and he has friends and he goes and does things and I don't know what they are because he's you know he's still a bachelor. But yeah, I think they all have very... I mean, they're all, you know. These are all middle-aged guys technically. They don't necessarily look like it on stage, but they all have kids and families you know. And, and they're all, they have to take care home concerns and you know. I think there's, depending on the day like they might be working on music on their own at home, you know. Be it like, you know, working out a track or something to sh-just to share with the band later or just something for fun. You know. Just like, I'm just gonna make a, I just want to work on this whatever. And you know if there's something scheduled like "OK we're gonna go rehearse the song." or "We're going to go record at whatever." Or you know, then that's what they end up doing. And there's a lot of course, it's L.A., so there's a lot of driving around probably not being happy with the traffic and you know. Just like everybody else.
Rachel: [00:42:20] Well Pat lives far, right? From L.A.
Karl Koch: [00:42:21] Yeah, he lives down in Carlsbad. So, for him to go to L.A. depending on traffic could be an hour to two hours coming up the 405 and stuff. But, or the 5, I mean. So, he.
Rachel: [00:42:36] Has to like work it out.
Karl Koch: [00:42:37] Yeah. He has to schedule. Like, "Okay, if I'm gonna go to the studio. I'm going to leave at such a time and get there early." And you know. it's just kind of. And sometimes he'll even stay overnight at a hotel in the city because it's ridiculous to work till a certain hour and then have to come back super late. But ninety nine percent of the time they just work it out so that. You know, "Pat we need you this day and this day and this day." And he says, "OK." and they just, they just do it. Just a lot of driving.
Rachel: [00:43:02] Does everybody work every day? Or.
Karl Koch: [00:43:05] I don't think so.
Rachel: [00:43:05] Like do people take days off and like go hang out and relax?
Karl Koch: [00:43:08] I think I think it just I think it just depends. I think it just depends.
Karl Koch: [00:43:11] I mean if there's, you know, an album being worked on then obviously they're working more days than not. But there's certainly... And a lot of times they'll, they'll switch off. It's like, you know. Brian will go to the studio alone, you know with, you know for a while. And then maybe two guys will be in the studio for a little while. But it ends up being a lot of like, you know. "OK you're gonna go in here from this time to this time and then tomorrow I'll go in and do this and then I'll go back and check what you did in the vocals and I'll do my part." and they just you know trade off time like that.
Rachel: [00:43:38] Does everybody talk or does everybody text to each other?
Karl Koch: [00:43:41] There's definitely texting going on a lot.
Rachel: [00:43:44] Do you guys send each other weird pictures or just like, normal, like text. Like "Hi. How's your day?" [Karl laughs]
Karl Koch: [00:43:49] Personally, I don't think I don't think Rivers texts. I think he's ninety nine percent emails. I think. Personally, I'll text with Brian a little bit here and there but not a lot. It's an occasional, he'll ask me some random question or whatever. I'm in a group email, a group chat. I mean a group text, I guess, with Pat, Scott, and a friend, another friend of ours. And that's where things get goofy. That can just be sharing some bizarre YouTube video of like David Lee Roth singing horribly or you know just like. Stuff will just be thrown back and forth arguments over what's bad.
Rachel: [00:44:19] You think, like normal friends would sound like, you know, video that I thought of you with this horrible video.
Karl Koch: [00:44:23] Just stuff it's just.
Rachel: [00:44:25] It's hilarious.
Karl Koch: [00:44:25] It's mostly just like discussing you know something horrendous musically that's going on. Or, you know, just, just something that you know because stuff will just turn up on the Internet, like, "Oh my God. Listen to this thing." You know? Like somebody found blah blah blah. So that goes, that goes up in there. Yeah. Then me and Pat will text back and forth once in a while and just like. We'll use the voice feature and just send, and just like. You know, do kind of an abstract rap to each other and send it. [both laugh] Just like, if I'm just driving in the car and I'm like, alright. I have to say I have to say this. And I'll just send it. But yeah. There's not a ton of it. You know. I know Pat and Scott are definitely texters. I see them on their phone a lot, but I don't know who they're talking to. Probably they're, probably. Pat's talking to his wife most of the time because they're always, they're always in contact.
Rachel: [00:45:04] Is he trying to keep that like under wraps? Because I know his wife isn't, like, listed on Weezerpedia. Is that on purpose or is that just because it hasn't been updated?
Karl Koch: [00:45:14] Oh, I think it has been updated because I don't know if people know the. Like I. Obviously we own Weezerpedia now, but like. You know, the people that edit are free to put it, do whatever they want. I don't know people know that information and it's not my place to share it necessarily. So, unless it gets out there somehow. Like it's not really where, I'm not gonna be like, "Well let me tell you about Pat's wife." You know it's like it's not really my place.
Rachel: [00:45:37] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:45:37] I mean I'm friends with her. I, you know, she's nice I'm not going to be like hey I'll put you on the Internet you know [laughs]
Rachel: [00:45:44] Well I mean if it'd gone this long without it getting out then.
Karl Koch: [00:45:48] I guess, yeah, I don't think I.
Rachel: [00:45:50] I figured it must be on purpose, I don't know.
Karl Koch: [00:45:51] I don't think, I don't think it's a secret. You know, I really don't. But it's not my place.
Rachel: [00:45:55] People haven't gone and gotten obsessed with it, yet, apparently.
Karl Koch: [00:45:57] I guess not. I guess not.
Rachel: [00:46:00] Cause it's not up.
Karl Koch: [00:46:01] I guess not.
Rachel: [00:46:02] OK let's take a quick break and then, we'll. We'll have some really quick Black Album questions. Let's see, what time is it?
Karl Koch: [00:46:09] It's late.
Rachel: [00:46:11] Oh god. OK.
Music Transition: [00:46:22] [Musical Intermission]
Rachel: [00:46:39] The two songs out now. Are they a good representation of the black album as a whole? Would you say.
Karl Koch: [00:46:45] Honestly, I can't really answer that because I have not heard the current state of affairs, but I would suspect they're in the ballpark.
Rachel: [00:46:55] So it's not going to be like. I don't know, I guess when I heard that it was dark, I envisioned a different feeling than what those give me. So.
Karl Koch: [00:47:08] Yeah, I think yeah. I don't know how to interpret that. I know what you mean but I don't know what to say exactly. I think. I think it evolved over time, you know. And it's, it's dark in contrast to the songs they're gonna work on with Jake if that makes any sense. And dark doesn't necessarily mean evil or nasty. It's just a different.
Rachel: [00:47:31] Yeah, no.
Karl Koch: [00:47:32] It's a different vibe.
Rachel: [00:47:33] I was thinking, like moody, or like.
Karl Koch: [00:47:35] Yeah.
Rachel: [00:47:35] Just.
Karl Koch: [00:47:35] Right, it's not like, it's not like a Nine Inch Nails record or something like that. No. It's like. It's just in contrast to other kinds of Weezer that are not black. If that, if that makes any sense, you know what I mean? [laughs] But I can't get more into it than that. I don't know how to.
Rachel: [00:47:53] Like we're not going to be at the beach, you know?
Karl Koch: [00:47:55] Right, right, right, right, right, right.
Rachel: [00:47:59] Okay.
Karl Koch: [00:47:59] I mean, I. I think, I think "Can't Knock the Hustle" is a very uplifting song in its own way. But it doesn't sound at all like something that would be on the White Album to me.
Rachel: [00:48:08] Right. Mm hmm. That makes sense. So, tell me about the cover. Do you know, I know that they had like a special director…
Karl Koch: [00:48:15] Yeah. I can't tell you all about it. But I can tell you a few things I do know. The idea like the visual sort of thought was worked on by Rivers and an art director. They kind of collaborated to come up with this, this thing. I think the art director figured out how to make this this black goo and I don't know what the stuff is made out of but it's not toxic. It's not like some horrible oil or something. And they could breathe if they were very careful and breathe carefully and slowly because this stuff wasn't actually going up their nostrils. There is videotape. It does exist. You can actually see it being poured on them and stuff, but I don't have that, and I can't share it with you right now. And that's basically it. That's basically it.
Rachel: [00:48:57] So was it just like, "We want to do the Black Album Cover. Figure, like figure something out."
Karl Koch: [00:49:03] I don't think I where I don't know. I don't know. I think, I'm going to guess that the art director that was talking to Rivers said. May have, may have suggested what if you guys were covered in black stuff, you know? That's all I can think of what happened because. Or maybe Rivers said "I want to be covered in black stuff. I want us to look... I want it to look black on black." So, they, I don't know somebody... But the guy figured out how to make that stuff. I don't know what it's made out of like I heard once the ingredient list and I can't remember what it was some weird stuff they made.
Rachel: [00:49:34] It's cool looking.
Karl Koch: [00:49:34] It is very cool.
Rachel: [00:49:35] So they're still fine tuning and recording, or?
Karl Koch: [00:49:37] Yes. Yes, this is still being worked on right now. They are not done.
Rachel: [00:49:42] Do you know if they are going to have 10 songs or what the song count?
Karl Koch: [00:49:46] Don't know. Don't know. I have been hearing the trend these days is to have shorter albums like somehow that, that, that seems to be a thing. Not necessarily for Weezer but it's a thing these days. Like it's somehow, like. Because of like everybody's shorter attention span, and this and that like now a lot of albums have seven or eight songs now. I'm not saying that's gonna be true for this one but that's. That is a thing that's happening I've heard about. So, who knows?
Rachel: [00:50:11] Is there going to be anything special on this album?
Karl Koch: [00:50:13] I don't know.
Rachel: [00:50:13] Like something different?
Karl Koch: [00:50:14] I do not know.
Rachel: [00:50:15] Okay.
Karl Koch: [00:50:15] I do not know. I've haven't, I haven't heard any music in enough time that now I feel like anything I can remember hearing may not be relevant you know?
Rachel: [00:50:25] OK. Do you know what the deal is with the pineapplemon? [Karl laughs] Or is it seriously just like, promotion?
Karl Koch: [00:50:31] It's a real, it's, it's going to be a real product. I do know that I don't it's somehow.
Rachel: [00:50:37] Oh really?
Karl Koch: [00:50:37] Yeah there's actually going to be... This is going to be released. Like, people will be drinking the real stuff in stores. Somehow this got tied into this because of somebody that is like tight with the management company. And they suggested like, "Well why don't we have like a... like a sub promotion built into it because it's kind of funny?" and everybody, they just ran with it. But it is going to be, that stuff's going to be on shelves. It is.
Rachel: [00:51:01] So hold on a minute. [Karl laughs] Do I have a real pineapplemon drink or is it like, something else?
Karl Koch: [00:51:06] As far as I know it is, but I don't know. I've never actually drank the stuff. I have no idea what it's supposed to taste like [laughs].
Rachel: [00:51:12] Interesting.
Karl Koch: [00:51:13] But I do. The guy. There's a guy that actually start, is going to launch this company, shortly. I don't know exactly when or where or how big it's going to be but that's. That's, that's the deal. It's a real company.
Rachel: [00:51:24] Very cool. [both laugh].
Music Transition: [00:51:24] [Intermission music]
Rachel: [00:51:48] Is there any special Karl news like any projects that you want to share with us or?
Karl Koch: [00:51:53] Ooh. I'm doing this podcast I've heard about. No, I'm kidding.
Rachel: [00:51:55] [laughs]
Karl Koch: [00:51:56] I am currently at work on a video thing that will probably be tied into the Black Album a little bit when that is released. But I can't really talk about it because it's literally being, like we're literally shooting and editing it right now. And it's just something that we Rivers wanted to do. And eventually you'll know more. [laughs]
Rachel: [00:52:16] Ok. so, we just found out recently that Weezer's nominated for another Grammy which is very very exciting. They're also gonna be on a New Year's Eve show.
Karl Koch: [00:52:28] Yes.
Rachel: [00:52:28] Which is like, crazy.
Karl Koch: [00:52:30] Yes. Yes. That's a big deal.
Rachel: [00:52:31] I mean congrats to them, and are they super excited? Like are they freaking out?
Karl Koch: [00:52:36] Well the thing is the funny thing is that because it's like the Hollywood segment, they're not actually gonna be in Times Square. So.
Rachel: [00:52:44] I know, but still.
Karl Koch: [00:52:45] I think.
Rachel: [00:52:45] They're gonna be on the TV for New Year's Eve.
Karl Koch: [00:52:46] I think there's I think it's very exciting because it reaches so many people. Like that's like, a big deal in a sense.
Rachel: [00:52:51] Yeah.
Karl Koch: [00:52:52] So even though they're gonna be playing in some goofy ballroom somewhere. It's going to reach so many people that that's. They think that's really. That's very good. They're very happy about that.
Rachel: [00:53:00] I think a lot of fans are going to be like do I get to watch Weezer on New Year's Eve. Like what could be. Well, the nerdy ones, you know.
Karl Koch: [00:53:07] We finally, finally got it. [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:53:11] We made it. I don't know. Well we hope they win this time. I think they should have won for White.
Karl Koch: [00:53:17] Me too.
Rachel: [00:53:17] In the first place. So maybe, maybe they'll get, get it this time. That'd be cool.
Karl Koch: [00:53:22] Mm hmm.
Rachel: [00:53:24] Is there, is there anything else? I don't even know if like they know you're doing this but is there anything else you want to share or Weezer wants to share or wants to tell anyone?
Karl Koch: [00:53:34] Stay in school and don't do drugs. No, I'm kidding. I don't know. [laughs] Yeah, I, you know. I think it may not be often expressed but there is. But know that there's a real gratitude for, for how devoted the fans are. Because it, it obviously you know. It, some, it may be easy to forget sometimes like when you're trapped in a, trying to get on a plane and you're delayed, and you're all frustrated about this and that. But it's like the whole reason any of this is happening is because fans are, are interested and, want to go experience Weezer. So, we remind ourselves that that's the most important thing.
Rachel: [00:54:09] Very nice. Well so before we go, really quick, we're gonna get Carl's rating of the two songs that we've done that you are on.
Karl Koch: [00:54:20] Yes. [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:54:22] So do you want to give us your rating of "Don't Let Go."? So, I can tell you what we gave "Don't Let Go" before. Amy gave it a 10, and I give it a 6 for a total, or an average of eight so whatever you.
Karl Koch: [00:54:37] Well I gave it a six. So, I'm I guess I, what I.
Rachel: [00:54:40] Yes.
Karl Koch: [00:54:40] OK. So, I give it a lightning strike, a lightning strap and a Weezer prom picture. And that's a total of five points, now. Then I gave it one point for being catchy, but I don't know what that one is called.
Rachel: [00:54:51] That's a Blazer Brian.
Karl Koch: [00:54:52] Well it's a, that's a Blazer Brian. [both laugh] So my total is 6 for "Don't Let Go", which seems kind of weak when I think about it. But I couldn't, I couldn't add other ones because I don't believe. That that's not how I feel about that song. Like I really like it, but it just got a 6 for me.
Rachel: [00:55:11] So we are Weezer including Karl gives don't like go an 8 again. "The Good Life" Amy give it an 8. Rick gave it an 8. And I gave it a nine.
Karl Koch: [00:55:24] Okay.
Rachel: [00:55:25] What do you give it Karl?
Karl Koch: [00:55:26] My total. Well I'll tell you how I got there. I gave it. See, I don't have these symbols in front of me.
Rachel: [00:55:32] So Scott in a vest, and Pat jamming on the drums.
Karl Koch: [00:55:35] So my total for "The Good Life" is 11.
Rachel: [00:55:37] So you upped our score, because it was an 8.5. So now it's a 9d.
Karl Koch: [00:55:41] I gave it a lot of points.
Rachel: [00:55:42] Good job.
Karl Koch: [00:55:42] I gave it a lot of points. It scored in all those, all four areas for me.
Rachel: [00:55:46] Yeah. I'm kind of sad that "The Good Life" didn't get a higher, I would think it would.
Karl Koch: [00:55:50] Well I was doing my best. I was doing my best for you. [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:55:55] I appreciate it. [Karl laughs] Alright, well so. Thank you so much Karl.
Karl Koch: [00:55:59] You're welcome. You're welcome.
Rachel: [00:56:01] We appreciate it. The fans appreciate it. I really appreciate it. I can't believe it happening. [Karl laughs] If you want to check out more from Karl. He's on Instagram, Twitter. His name is Karlophone. K A R L O P H O N E, like an old school record player [Karl laughs] but with a Karl.
Karl Koch: [00:56:23] Well it's like, [Rachel laughs] it's basically the Beatles record label with a K instead of a P.
Rachel: [00:56:28] Oh there we go.
Karl Koch: [00:56:30] But that's not really why I did that. I just thought it was cool that, my name in there. I don't know. I don't know what I was doing.
Rachel: [00:56:37] No I like it. It's like I don't know. Why is my screen name starry 21? I don't know. Because that was my email when I was 21. If you want more Weezer go to www.Weezer.com. Check us out, We Are Weezer on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. E-mail us at Weareweezerforever@gmail.com and uhm, adios and thanks Karl!
Karl Koch: [00:57:06] Hasta luego! [both laugh]
Rachel: [00:57:10] I like it.
Music Transition: [00:57:10] [Musical outro]
Jameson Outro: [00:58:12] We are Weezer. We are Weezer. We are Weezer. And I love you.