From “Buddy Holly” to “Beverly Hills” and Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”, Weezer has never pursued the obvious path.
The pandemic, a period of slim pickings for most artists, provided Weezer a different avenue to produce the goods. Rivers Cuomo and co. delivered no less than six studio albums, including the heavier, Van Weezer project and the four album saga, Seasons. No shows, no problem.
More than 30 years have passed since Weezer dropped their iconic self-titled debut album, and they’re only now gliding into a purple patch.
That’s the word according to Brian Bell, Weezer’s rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional lead vocalist. “We’re doing great. We’re kind of having a renaissance in a way. It’s an exciting time for us creatively and in the band,” Bell tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ. “We’ve never got along so well, and everybody’s very happy. So it’s a good time.”
Those good times extend to the creative process. Yes, new music is coming along. Will any of it be ready to premiere this December when the alternative rock heroes join the 2025 Good Things lineup?
Don’t bet on it.
“We’ll play hits and things that people want to hear, but we also want to really enjoy the experience as well. The problem is, like, you can’t play anything anymore without it being going directly online. Is that the version you want out there for the rest of eternity? So, I doubt we’ll have a record out or new music out by then. So unfortunately, you might not hear anything new. But I can’t say for sure. We are so stoked to play this one song that we have brewing and (might say) ‘let’s just do it’. That’s possible.”
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Some of those hits can be taken to the bank.
“The only thing I can say for sure is we’ll probably play ‘Say It Ain’t So. And ‘Buddy Holly’. And ‘Island in the Sun’,” he confirms. “We’ll be playing songs from our whole catalogue.”
After a slew of records and tours, even a mysterious Weezer film is said to be in the works. That rumour got doused in fuel at Coachella earlier this year when Cuomo told the crowd, “We’ve been busy making the Weezer movie back in L.A. the last couple weeks.” For now, Bell is zipping it. “There’s so much I’d love to tell you,” he says, “which I’ve been told I can’t talk about, unfortunately.”
Conversation shifts to the resurgence of ‘90s music, the leading figures from which can command top dollar at stadiums and arenas around the globe. That insatiable appetite for the era was powered home last year when Weezer’s so-called Blue Album, first released in 1994, and featuring the hits “Undone – The Sweater Song,” “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So,” returned to Billboard’s album charts following its 30th-anniversary deluxe reissue.
Weezer will be in Australia just a month after another mega act from the ’90s, Oasis, wraps their own, long-awaited tour of these parts. Both bands are unlikely besties. Back in 2005, the famously acerbic Liam Gallagher was quoted as saying Cuomo was his “favourite rock star”. The love goes both ways.
“We think very highly of them as well,” Bell admits. The Weezer co-founder recounts a moment at a rehearsal space in London during those heady days. The band was relaxing in a common area when Liam walked past and shouted, “Buddy Holly. Top tune, mate!”
The Gallaghers rarely give out bouquets. When they do, you accept.
“That kind of respect and accolade from someone that you revere,” says Bells, “is the best thing you could possibly hear from somebody. Those kind of things matter by somebody you revere. So whatever he thinks of us, we think highly of them as well. If they think lowly of us, we still think highly of them.”
Good Things Festival 2025
Pre-sale: Tuesday, August 19th, 10am AEST – goodthingsfestival.com.au
General sale: Thursday, August 21st, 10am AEST – oztix.com.au
Friday, December 5th
Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne (16+)
Saturday, December 6th
Sydney Showground, Sydney (16+)
Sunday, December 7th
Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane (16+)
