Say it ain't so: Rivers Cuomo really thought Weezer were primed to become "the next Nirvana."
Having formed in 1992, Weezer released their debut studio album in May 1994, just a month after Kurt Cobain's untimely death. There was a fresh, Nirvana-shaped void in the public's heart-shaped box — and Cuomo thought his band could be the one to follow in the footsteps of the grunge heroes.
"I seriously thought we were the next Nirvana," the musician told Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums podcast, reflecting on the band's Blue Album. "And I thought the world was going to perceive us that way — like a super-important, super-powerful, heartbreaking heavy rock band; and as serious artists. That's how I saw us."
It's hard to imagine an outfit as geeky and joke-driven as Weezer approaching their music with that level of self-seriousness, but it was just the beginning of their career. Plus, if you're starting a band in the early '90s, you're obviously doing so with the intention of becoming the next Nirvana, right?
The Blue Album remains an enduring relic of pop culture, teeming with both sincerity and irony. Meanwhile, Weezer have gone on to release a whooping 14 studio albums since.
Most recently, the band contributed a cover of "Enter Sandman" to the massive Metallica Blacklist compilation and Exclaim! ranked all 53 tributes. Earlier this year, Cuomo and co. performed a half-assed rendition of "Sugar, We're Goin Down" while on the Hella Mega Tour this summer.
Listen to the podcast episode below.
It's worth noting that Van Weezer landed on Exclaim!'s 30 Worst Album Covers of 2021 list amid the ongoing Nevermind baby lawsuit. Maybe they're two sides of the same coin after all.
Having formed in 1992, Weezer released their debut studio album in May 1994, just a month after Kurt Cobain's untimely death. There was a fresh, Nirvana-shaped void in the public's heart-shaped box — and Cuomo thought his band could be the one to follow in the footsteps of the grunge heroes.
"I seriously thought we were the next Nirvana," the musician told Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums podcast, reflecting on the band's Blue Album. "And I thought the world was going to perceive us that way — like a super-important, super-powerful, heartbreaking heavy rock band; and as serious artists. That's how I saw us."
It's hard to imagine an outfit as geeky and joke-driven as Weezer approaching their music with that level of self-seriousness, but it was just the beginning of their career. Plus, if you're starting a band in the early '90s, you're obviously doing so with the intention of becoming the next Nirvana, right?
The Blue Album remains an enduring relic of pop culture, teeming with both sincerity and irony. Meanwhile, Weezer have gone on to release a whooping 14 studio albums since.
Most recently, the band contributed a cover of "Enter Sandman" to the massive Metallica Blacklist compilation and Exclaim! ranked all 53 tributes. Earlier this year, Cuomo and co. performed a half-assed rendition of "Sugar, We're Goin Down" while on the Hella Mega Tour this summer.
Listen to the podcast episode below.
It's worth noting that Van Weezer landed on Exclaim!'s 30 Worst Album Covers of 2021 list amid the ongoing Nevermind baby lawsuit. Maybe they're two sides of the same coin after all.