Karl Michael Koch | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Karl Koch |
Born | September 15, 1969 |
Occupation | webmaster |
Website | http://karlophone.com |
Karl Michael Koch (pronounced 'cook') (born September 15, 1969) is the webmaster of American rock band Weezer's official website weezer.com, and is known to fans as the "unofficial fifth member" of the band.[1] As a longtime friend of the band since 1991, Koch has performed many jobs for the band over the years including roadie and historian.[1] His production credits include the band's DVD, Video Capture Device and videos for "Pink Triangle", "Photograph", "Slob", the music video for The Special Goodness' "Life Goes By"[2] of which Weezer's Pat Wilson is a member, and the video for "Blast Off!" from Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo.
Karl Koch also has in his possession one of the only full copies of the unreleased Weezer songs that were to be collaborated on Songs from the Black Hole (an album that Weezer fans have been hoping for the release of since it became known) and hundreds and hundreds of other unreleased Weezer recordings. He is very involved with the band in other aspects.
Karl appears in Weezer's 2006 music video for "Perfect Situation" as well as the 1995 video for "Say It Ain't So." He is also credited as being 'Karl Koch' in the Pinkerton credits, "Farm Hand" in Maladroit, "Assistant Scientist" in Make Believe, 'Rack Jobber' and 'photography' in Red Album, and for "Strict Disciplinarian" in the Hurley credits.
Koch was to play the role of M1 the robot on the scrapped Songs from the Black Hole album.
In 2008, Koch joined Weezer onstage to play keyboards for the song "King" during the band's Troublemaker Tour. In December, 2010, Koch presented a slide show of pictures taken during 18 years with Weezer between sets and also joined Rivers Cuomo onstage playing drums during one number of the Memories Tour in Boston, MA.
Koch also writes and releases music under the name Karlophone. As of April 2008 they have released two LPs, Press Any Key To Begin (2002) and I Must Find This Karlophone... (2007) on Amorphous Records.
In December 2009, after the band's tour bus was involved in a one vehicle accident outside of Albany, New York, Koch acted as Weezer's spokesperson.[3]
In 2010 on Weezer's Memories Tour, Karl played drums on "Butterfly", the final song of the concert. Koch is currently and constantly working on new Karlophone material.
References
edit- ^ a b Luerssen D., John. Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story. ECW Press, 2004, ISBN 1-55022-619-3 p. 56
- ^ YouTube - The Special Goodness - Life Goes By
- ^ Scott Waldman, "Weezer singer's condition improves at Albany Med," December 8, 2009, Albany Times Union, found at Times union website. Accessed December 8, 2009.