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Brian Bell
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==Early life== Bell was born in [[Iowa City, Iowa]] to parents Tom Bell, a geography professor<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-02-01 |title=Dr. Thomas L. Bell {{!}} Department of Geography & Sustainability |url=https://geography.utk.edu/about-us/faculty/dr-thomas-l-bell/ |access-date=2022-09-01 |language=en-US}}</ref> at [[University of Tennessee]], and Linda Menasco, an elementary school assistant principal,<ref name="page 91">Luerssen D., John. ''Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story''. ECW Press, 2004, {{ISBN|1-55022-619-3}} p. 91</ref> and raised in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]. He first took an interest in music at age four, when his parents took him to an [[Elvis Presley]] concert at the Stokely Athletic Centre in Knoxville.<ref name="page 92">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 92</ref> Soon after, Bell became obsessed with his father's [[Gramophone record|record]] collection, and played it constantly.<ref name="page 92"/> Bell was forced by his mother to take piano lessons, and refused to let him take guitar lessons until high school, because she "wouldn't believe that he would practice."<ref name="page 92"/> Eventually, during his [[First year|freshman]] year in high school, Bell's parents allowed him to take guitar lessons from Knoxville musician Ben Bolt.<ref name="page 93">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 93</ref> During his first year in high school, Bell had to switch schools; "I was zoned to go to county school and my mom taught in the city, which meant I could go to a more privileged school. In doing that, I was surrounded by snobs'.<ref name="page 93" /> 'I was kind of finding myself at the time, so I decided to go to the school I was zoned for."<ref name="page 93" /> During this time, Bell had a job delivering pizzas in the Knoxville area at Stefano's Pizza. He worked with Jason Bales and Blair and Todd Mitchell (who he introduced to Queensryche's music). He worked and started playing in a band with school friends, Tim and Glenn Maloof, named Blooshroom, which Bell described as "[[Pink Floyd]]-meets-[[The Stooges]]."<ref name="page 94">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 94</ref> After completing high school at [[Bearden High School (Tennessee)|Bearden High School]] in 1987, Bell decided against college, feeling it would be a "waste of money."<ref name="page 96">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 96</ref> At the age of 18, Bell moved to Los Angeles, California, and enrolled at G.I.T.<ref name="page 96" /> In 1991, he became a member of a band named Carnival Art, which released 3 official albums and an EP, with Bell playing bass guitar.<ref name="page 96" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/carnival_art/bio.jhtml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070206042203/http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/carnival_art/bio.jhtml | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 6, 2007 | title = Carnival Art : Biography | publisher =[[Country Music TV|CMT]] | access-date = 2007-10-10}}</ref> The band had low record sales, and were dropped by their record label, [[Beggars Banquet Records|Beggars Banquet]].<ref name="page 97">Luerssen D., John, 2004 p. 97</ref> As Carnival Art was disintegrating, Bell became acquainted with the members of [[Weezer]]. He said: "They started playing on the scene, and I instantly saw something unique in them. I didn't necessarily want to be in their band. They were for some reason, in with the wrong crowd and playing at the wrong venues. I wanted to help them out any way I could and I wanted to play a show with them."<ref name="page 97" /> In mid-1993, Bell quit Carnival Art. At home, he found on his answering machine a message from Weezer bassist [[Matt Sharp]]. Sharp called again the next day, and [[Rivers Cuomo]] took the phone and asked him to join the band.{{Citation needed|date=May 2019}}
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