Toto’s Criticism of Weezer’s Cover
Toto’s Steve Lukather has voiced his criticism of Weezer’s rendition of “Africa,” describing the circumstances surrounding it as “bizarre”.
Weezer’s Cover and Reaction
Weezer’s version of the karaoke classic was released in 2018 after a fan campaign that started in December 2017, which encouraged them to cover the iconic track. They teased fans with Toto’s “Roseanna” before eventually unveiling their cover, even offering it on vinyl.
That same year, Toto shared their perspective on Weezer’s “Hash Pipe,” initially performing it live in Vancouver and subsequently releasing a studio version.
The band also gave their feedback on Weezer’s cover of “Africa,” rating it a B++ and mentioning how Rivers Cuomo and his team “kicked his asses.”
Lukather remarked: “There is so little nuance in our music. We spent so much careful time. These guys took this shit in half a day.”
However, it appears that relations have soured between the two bands. In a conversation on the New and Approved podcast, Lukather offered new insights into their relationship after host Matt Pinfield noted that Cuomo “loves” “Africa.”
Toto’s frontman quickly interjected, stating, “I don’t know if he likes this song, man. I don’t think that’s true at all.”
He expressed his skepticism about the cover being created in good faith, concluding, “I think he did it to make fun of it, and it blew up in his face. Now he has to play it every night!”
Lukather further mentioned that Cuomo had not been very receptive: “I tried to reach out to the guy and be friendly, but it got weird,” he explained. “I don’t want to go into details, but peace and love. It was good for them, it was good for us. God bless.”
Upcoming Tours
In other Toto news, they are gearing up for a UK and European tour this year, which will include a performance at London’s Wembley Arena. For a complete list of dates and to buy tickets, click here.
Weezer, on the other hand, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album, The Blue Album, in 2024 with a series of special performances, a new concert film, and an “expanded” reissue of the album.
They will also be touring the UK and Europe this year, and tickets are available here (UK/Ireland) and here (Europe).
In a June interview with NME, Cuomo responded to Liam Gallagher, referring to him as his “favorite rock star.”
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