Posted on 07/21/2018 7:29:54 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
It started on Twitter, as these things often do.
A then-14-year-old Weezer fan named Mary (@weezerafrica) began a public campaign to persuade the alt-rock band to cover the 1982 Toto hit Africa. For months, she kept at it, tweeting at the bands members: When would they bless the rains down in Africa?
Weezer eventually complied, and were shocked when their cover hit No. 1 on iTunes. One of the internets few universally beloved comfort food songs, Africa is the gift that keeps giving: Weezer hasnt had a hit this big in almost a decade.
The band is currently in the middle of a tour with the Pixies that hits the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre on Saturday (they are co-headliners, though Weezer plays last). Bassist/sometime vocalist Scott Shriner, who joined the band in 2001 as a replacement for Mikey Welsh, got on the phone to talk about Weezers unlikely resurgence, and his former life in the Marine Corps.
The following is an edited transcript of that conversation:
Q: Would you have believed it, if someone told you a few years ago that youre going to have your biggest hit of the decade, but the bad news is, its going to be Totos Africa?
A: Its a great story how it started, with a fan reaching out, and us tweeting back. Then we released (a cover of Totos) Rosanna, that really confused everyone. I guess we were just kind of doing it for us, because it was fun, having no idea it was such a good story...
Video:
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
I’m a big fan of Toto.
Hydra was a great album, didn’t really care for the rest of them.
But Lukather has always been one of my favorite guitarists, especially the solo from The Tubes’ “Talk To Ya Later”.
LOL, this is also Steve:
From “Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH9_y91ihTo
I agree...not interesting musically.
The Foo Fighters covered “Baker Street”?
No, just no. I’m glad I haven’t heard that one.
I like Toto and “Africa”. For some reason, my favorite Toto song is “99”.
I am currently obsessed with Deep Purple and am listening to “Fireball” and “Fools” right now.
I enjoy all three lineups of Purple but prefer “Mark II” with Ian Gillan. Not only did Gillan have an incredible voice but he was also HOT!!!
another marker in the descent of Western music
These guys are a major act and they haven’t in a decade produced something better than a cover of a mediocre band’s pop hit from 36 years ago.
I just finished listening to Flight 666 from 2008. Awesome live album. This, and Powerslave are my favorite albums to listen to recenyly. Now onto Dan Bongino and my conservative podcasts.
Who doesn’t like some Toto? Heh
Best band in the world right there.
Steve became a Christian a while back.
Crap, we can’t write a hit song to save our lives. What to do? What to do? OH, I know!!! Lets re-record a big hit and then we’ll have a big hit too!
LOL. Pathetic.
That is just flat out cool.
If you like that, you’ll enjoy this- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HuiwIFLKa2I
The drummer is no Jeff Porcaro...RIP.
Listen to “Rhapsody in Blue” by Gershwin in its entirety sometime. It’s impossible for me to conceive of an orchestra being able to rehearse it, much less play it and get it right. It’s something like 16 minutes long, and weaves in and out of a lot of complex melodies and instrument interplay. Wow.
This is the only Weezer I know.
Haven’t heard the newest version, but the original was great.
When Wheezer was big & touring a friend saw them & said it was the best concert he had ever attended.
Weezer
They could have faded the heavy electric guitar at the end of the chorus instead of abruptly ending it where the electric piano picks up. It sounds bad. At best it is an ok cover, but I don’t see the hype over.
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