I've gotten into a lot of bands through watching music videos on MTV. I remember the epic Johnny Got His Gun inspired 'One' video by Metallica which sent me on a headbanging journey, the Carry On inspired video for Blur's 'Country House' which led me to wear tight fitting jeans and stripey sweaters in indie clubs but one video which really held by attention was the Spike Jonze directed video for Weezer's 'Buddy Holly' combining 'Happy Days' with footage of the band performing. Sending me on a Geek Rock odyssey.

That one song started my love affair with the band Weezer. A band I still listen to at least once a week. Ok I admit after 'Pinkerton' the bands last three albums are strictly for the hardcore following. A band who after I went to see them live on a freezing cold night at the Brixton Academy nearly damn killed me. Reminding me to never again travel two hundred miles when suffering from a severe bout of flu. (Real flu not Man flu).

To me Rivers Cuomo, the brains behind Weezer is a pop songwriting genius. I would rate him up there with Brian Wilson. I guess he is also the reason why Weezer have garnered such a cult following. A man who was raised on an ashram, a man born with one leg shorter than the other, a man with a fetish for Asian women, a man obsessed with KISS. It was obvious this guy would be worshipped by his fans. An unlikely rock hero just like Buddy Holly.

The song itself is apparently about Rivers and an Asian girl he was going out with at the time. I say apparently because Cuomo is known for being deliberately vague about what his lyics are about. This is a good thing. As it means as fans we look for things in his songs which were never there in the first place.

'Buddy Holly' is a perfect pop song song from the perfect pop album. An album no doubt written with undertones of personal jealousy and sexual frustration. Its timeless and still sounds as fresh as morning grass today. An album about growing up for those of us who will probably never grow up.

April-May March is a factory girl from Norwich. Her work is due to feature in zygote in my coffee and the beatnik. To read a selection of her poetry on the showcase section of this site, click here.

© 2007 Laura Hird All rights reserved.