Editing Weezer (section)

===Hiatus (1997–2000)===
[[File:MikeyWelshWinter2010.jpg|thumb|[[Mikey Welsh]], pictured in 2010, played bass for Weezer from 1998 until 2001.]]

Weezer completed the ''Pinkerton'' tour in mid-1997 and went on hiatus.<ref name=reunite>{{cite web|first=Andy|last=Greene|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-weezer-reunite-in-2000-after-three-year-hiatus-20140306|title=Flashback: Weezer Reunite In 2000 After Three-Year Hiatus|publisher=Rollingstone|date=March 6, 2014|access-date=March 15, 2018|archive-date=March 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316151852/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-weezer-reunite-in-2000-after-three-year-hiatus-20140306|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=allm>{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Stephen|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/weezer-mn0000243008/biography|title=Weezer – Biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref> Wilson returned to his home in [[Portland, Oregon]] to work on his side project, [[the Special Goodness]], and Bell worked on his band [[Space Twins]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/weezers-patrick-wilson-returns-to-the-special-goodness-20120522|title=Weezer's Patrick Wilson Returns to The Special Goodness|first=Matthew|last=Perpetua|work=rollingstone.com|access-date=March 15, 2018|date=May 22, 2012|archive-date=December 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052417/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/weezers-patrick-wilson-returns-to-the-special-goodness-20120522|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/weezers-bell-bears-twins-20030718|title=Weezer's Bell Bears "Twins"|last=Luerssen|first=John D.|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 17, 2003|access-date=March 15, 2018|archive-date=March 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316151850/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/weezers-bell-bears-twins-20030718|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1998, Sharp left Weezer due to differences with the band members.<ref name="mattsharp" /> He said of his departure: "I certainly have my view of it, as I'm sure everybody else has their sort of foggy things. When you have a group that doesn't communicate, you're going to have a whole lot of different stories."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/how-weezers-pinkerton-went-from-embarrassing-to-essential-w441144|title=How Weezer's 'Pinkerton' Went From Embarrassing to Essential|newspaper=Rolling Stone|access-date=December 29, 2016|archive-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230000711/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/how-weezers-pinkerton-went-from-embarrassing-to-essential-w441144|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Cuomo returned to Harvard but took a break to focus on songwriting.<ref name=allm/> He formed a new band composed of a changing lineup of Boston musicians, and performed new material.<ref name=reunite/> The songs were abandoned, but [[Bootleg recording|bootlegs]] of the Boston shows are traded on the internet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://player.listenlive.co/33991/en/artist/13_6fe07aa5-fec0-4eca-a456-f29bff451b04/biography|title=KXTZ – Biography – Weezer|website=KXTZ|access-date=January 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904120954/http://player.listenlive.co/33991/en/artist/13_6fe07aa5-fec0-4eca-a456-f29bff451b04/biography|archive-date=September 4, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wilson eventually flew to Boston to join [[Homie (band)|Homie]], another Cuomo side project.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} The members of the band were composed of [[Greg Brown (rock musician)|Greg Brown]] ([[Cake (band)|Cake]] and [[Deathray]]), Matt Sharp, [[Yuval Gabay]] ([[Soul Coughing]] and [[Sulfur (band)|Sulfur]]), Adam Orth (Shufflepuck), and future Weezer bassist [[Mikey Welsh]].{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=}}{{page needed|date=November 2022}} Although a Homie album was being recorded, they ended up only releasing one song, called "American Girls", for the 1998 film ''[[Meet the Deedles]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Various - Meet The Deedles (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)|date=March 24, 1998|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2978286-Various-Meet-The-Deedles-The-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack|language=en|access-date=November 7, 2022}}</ref>

In February 1998, Cuomo, Bell and Wilson reunited in Los Angeles to start work on the next Weezer album.<ref name="mattsharp"/><ref name="mattsharp 2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1455067/matt-sharp-talks-weezer-lawsuit.jhtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130708123910/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1455067/matt-sharp-talks-weezer-lawsuit.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 8, 2013|title=Matt Sharp Talks Weezer Lawsuit|publisher=MTV|date=April 24, 2002|access-date=June 26, 2009}}</ref> The group hired [[Mikey Welsh]], who had played with Cuomo in Boston, as their new bassist.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=243}} Welsh was also previously a bassist for [[Juliana Hatfield]]. Weezer continued rehearsing and recording demos until late 1998. Frustration and creative disagreements led to a decline in rehearsals, and in late 1998, Wilson left for his home in Portland pending renewed productivity from Cuomo. In November 1998, the band played two club shows with a substitute drummer in California under the name Goat Punishment, consisting entirely of covers of [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] and [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]] songs. In the months following, Cuomo entered a period of depression, unplugging his phone, painting the walls of his home black, and putting fiberglass insulation over his windows to prevent light from entering.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=266}} Eventually during this time, Cuomo started experimenting with his music and ended up writing 121 songs by 1999.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=}}{{page needed|date=November 2022}} In the meantime, Wilson continued to work with [[The Special Goodness]] while Bell again worked with [[Space Twins]]. Welsh continued to tour with Juliana Hatfield.{{sfn|Luerssen|2004|p=}}{{page needed|date=November 2022}}