Vevo releases a new installment of Footnotes, taking viewers behind the scenes of the official music video for Weezer’s smash hit “Buddy Holly,” on the 30th anniversary of the “Blue Album,” released on May 10, 1994.
Weezer – The Making of ‘Buddy Holly’ (Vevo Footnotes)
The episode details the award-winning “Buddy Holly” video, how it pays homage to the ‘70s show “Happy Days,” and describes how director Spike Jonze combines actual show footage with look-alike actors to recreate the famous set. Additionally, it explains that the original “Happy Days” actors were hesitant about allowing their likeness to be used in the music video. But Henry Winkler, who played The Fonz, convinced the cast by allowing his likeness to be used and everyone agreeing that “If The Fonz says it’s cool, it’s cool.”
The episode recounts how “Blue Album” producer Ric Ocasek had to persuade the band to include “Buddy Holly” on the album, with Weezer ex-bassist stating that Ric insisted they’d “be stupid to leave it off.” Additionally, it describes that the band was unaware that their label Geffen negotiated for the song to be featured in the CD-ROM campaign for Microsoft’s Windows 95. Ultimately, the campaign contributed to its tremendous success. Weezer guitarist Brian Bell admitted the band’s ignorance about the deal, stating “I didn’t have a computer,” and afterward, “It was literally like living inside the eye of a hurricane.”
VEVO Footnotes:
00:07 – “Buddy Holly” is from Weezer’s self-titled debut album released May 10, 1994. It’s commonly referred to as the “Blue Album.”
00:24 – Directed by Spike Jones, the video is a direct homage to the ‘70s sitcom “Happy Days.” The actor who introduces the band is Al Molinaro, an original cast member.
00:42 – Jonze combined show footage with look-alike actors to make it seem like the band’s performance took place at key “Happy Days” set location, Arnold’s Drive-In.
01:04 – Singer Rivers Cuomo wrote the chorus lyrics as a reference to his own style, which mirrored the look of ‘50s rock ‘n’ roller Buddy Holly.
01:23 – Producer Ric Ocasek, the famous frontman of The Cars, had to convince the band to include “Buddy Holly” on the ‘Blue Album.’ “Ric said we’d be stupid to leave it off the album,” recalled ex-bassist Matt Sharp.
01:46 – Jonze also directed Weezer’s first video, “Undone – The Sweater Song.”
02:02 – Henry Winkler, whose character The Fonz became an icon of the ‘70s while affecting ‘50s cool, played a key role in convincing former “Happy Days” actors to allow Weezer to use their likeness.
02:23 – Sharp said castmates were “apprehensive at first, but The Fonz said, “I’m in,” everyone else said, “If The Fonz says it’s cool, it’s cool.”
02:44 – The video was a huge hit, winning a handful of awards at MTV VMAs, including Best Directing and Best Editing.
03:03 – Part of this success was due to its inclusion on the CD-ROM for Windows 95. The deal was negotiated between the Geffen label and Microsoft without the band’s knowledge.
03:23 – “I didn’t have a computer,” guitarist Brian Bell said about the band’s ignorance about the Microsoft deal. “It was literally like living inside the eye of the hurricane.”
03:44 – In honor of its 30th anniversary, Weezer plans to play the ‘Blue Album’ front to back on the band’s fall 2024 tour. Get tickets at Ticketmaster.com to see Weezer perform LIVE.
ABOUT VEVO:
Vevo is the world’s leading music video network, connecting an ever-growing global audience to high-quality music video content for more than a decade. Founded by Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment in 2009, Vevo offers fans worldwide a vast array of premium content to choose from, showcasing official music videos alongside a constantly developing lineup of live performances and innovative original programming. From top superstars to rising new talents, Vevo brings incomparable cross-promotional support to artists across the musical spectrum, at every stage of their careers.
Weezer album
We recommend adding Weezer’s “Buddy Holly” single to your favorite rock playlist. Let us know how you feel in the comment section below. Mel Blanc’s famous catchphrase, That’s All Folks! Thanks for reading another great article on Bong Mines Entertainment – the hot spot for new music and positive entertainment news. Always remember that (P) Positive, (E) Energy, (A) Always, (C) Creates, (E) Elevation (P.E.A.C.E). Contact us on social media via Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook, and let us know what’s going on. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter, support our merchandise, and become a Patron of Bong Mines Entertainment. Disclaimer: This post contains Apple Music affiliate links. We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site. That little compensation will be used towards keeping this website up and running.