Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
- torchindy
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- spacecadet
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
I'm probably not the first to say it, but man, Rivers Cuomo sucks since he got happy.
I admit this song's always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I'm not against Weezer covering it. But does anyone think this is how they would have done it 10 or 20 years ago? It's literally just the Asia version. You could play them back to back and probably not be able to tell the difference. There's just no creativity at all; they're just trying as hard as they can to copy the original note for note and sound for sound.
I don't see a reason for this cover to exist other than to say "oh look, Weezer can sound like Asia".
I admit this song's always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I'm not against Weezer covering it. But does anyone think this is how they would have done it 10 or 20 years ago? It's literally just the Asia version. You could play them back to back and probably not be able to tell the difference. There's just no creativity at all; they're just trying as hard as they can to copy the original note for note and sound for sound.
I don't see a reason for this cover to exist other than to say "oh look, Weezer can sound like Asia".
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
Showing my age and trade, but I can only think of Weezer as "that band with the Happy Days vid on the Windows 95 cd".
Toto ? Not much interest in their hits but their soundtrack for David Lynch's Dune was great, it featured heavily in my tracklists for roleplaying nights.
So yeah I'm a nerd, sue me.
As for "Africa", ever heard the Low cover ?
Toto ? Not much interest in their hits but their soundtrack for David Lynch's Dune was great, it featured heavily in my tracklists for roleplaying nights.
So yeah I'm a nerd, sue me.
As for "Africa", ever heard the Low cover ?
“Man does not cease to play because he grows old; man grows old because he ceases to play.” -- George Bernard Shaw
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
^ Beautifully stripped back. It's perhaps my favourite version of that song, if you don't count the "played in an empty shopping mall" versions.
But yeah, I don't think that Weezer's attempt deserves the hype ladled on it there - "it is so beautiful that our entire staff started crying in unison" - really? Sounds stiff and workmanlike next to Low.
But yeah, I don't think that Weezer's attempt deserves the hype ladled on it there - "it is so beautiful that our entire staff started crying in unison" - really? Sounds stiff and workmanlike next to Low.
Asia covered this as well? Aren't they just uber yacht-rock like Toto themselves? That seems so redundant as to be deliberately ironic .. I can't keep up with all the self-referential hipsterism happening these days.spacecadet wrote: ↑Tue May 29, 2018 7:23 pmI'm probably not the first to say it, but man, Rivers Cuomo sucks since he got happy.
I admit this song's always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I'm not against Weezer covering it. But does anyone think this is how they would have done it 10 or 20 years ago? It's literally just the Asia version. You could play them back to back and probably not be able to tell the difference. There's just no creativity at all; they're just trying as hard as they can to copy the original note for note and sound for sound.
I don't see a reason for this cover to exist other than to say "oh look, Weezer can sound like Asia".
Distance-crunching honcho with echo unit.
- shadowplay
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
I find myself literally unable to get beyond this line, I mean I know ironic down the student union whoopee cushion whacky japery is the internets stock in trade but really...is that your big musical dream?For the last few weeks, we’ve been asking—begging, basically—for Weezer to cover the song “Africa” by Toto.
now this is interesting and proof to me that the word hipster much like 'vintage' has lost all meaning, It's not 'hip' in any way, it's wanting some superannuated dad band to play a song from the goode olde dayes of MTV, it's Ordinaryster.mezcalhead wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 12:43 amI can't keep up with all the self-referential hipsterism happening these days.
I think this is one of those Omar from the wire; 'Africa, Asia...one of those 'A' continent' moments. Could be wrong though because all I really know about Asia is that they were the records in the Roger Dean sleeves that seemed to be present but never actually purchased in every crappy secondhand record shop.mezcalhead wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 12:43 am
Asia covered this as well? Aren't they just uber yacht-rock like Toto themselves?
D
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
Weezer sucks, man. By this point I don't even like the Blue Album anymore.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
- Larry Mal
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
I was struck by what a professional sounding outfit Weezer has become.
I've never been into Weezer. I don't dislike them or anything.
Maybe we can all finally admit that "Africa" is a great song, though.
Anyway, I remembered that this guy had an episode on Toto, when I checked I remembered that it was "Rosanna".
His name is Rick Beato, I don't know a lot about him except I like his stuff a lot. Very classic rock oriented but a well written song is a well written song, and I always enjoy hearing about how music works. Might be interesting to some. He breaks down all the tracks and talks about the instrumental and vocal parts in some depth and how they come together to make songs you know be what they are. I eat that shit up, if you do too, it's worth a listen. He's engaging and interesting.
I've never been into Weezer. I don't dislike them or anything.
Maybe we can all finally admit that "Africa" is a great song, though.
Anyway, I remembered that this guy had an episode on Toto, when I checked I remembered that it was "Rosanna".
His name is Rick Beato, I don't know a lot about him except I like his stuff a lot. Very classic rock oriented but a well written song is a well written song, and I always enjoy hearing about how music works. Might be interesting to some. He breaks down all the tracks and talks about the instrumental and vocal parts in some depth and how they come together to make songs you know be what they are. I eat that shit up, if you do too, it's worth a listen. He's engaging and interesting.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
Good cover, but nothing to make it their own.
Too bad weezer broke up in 1997 and we were left with this cover band.
It's been 10 years since I gave Weezer a chance, but really I should have given up once they came out with Beverly Hills.
Too bad weezer broke up in 1997 and we were left with this cover band.
It's been 10 years since I gave Weezer a chance, but really I should have given up once they came out with Beverly Hills.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
I wonder if Toto would be up for covering The Anal Staircase by Coil.
I love the drains down in Africa!
D
I love the drains down in Africa!
D
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- Jaguar018
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
Appreciating things as a sound engineer/producer is probably essential for people in the industry to maintain their sanity. If you break down songs like that and appreciate all the bits and effort that went into it-- it all makes sense. Pop music as craft. I find a lot of that really interesting too, though I shudder in horror (and jealousy) at the amount of studio time some of these bands burned through to get their perfect tracks.Larry Mal wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 6:38 amHis name is Rick Beato, I don't know a lot about him except I like his stuff a lot. Very classic rock oriented but a well written song is a well written song, and I always enjoy hearing about how music works. Might be interesting to some. He breaks down all the tracks and talks about the instrumental and vocal parts in some depth and how they come together to make songs you know be what they are. I eat that shit up, if you do too, it's worth a listen. He's engaging and interesting.
Despite all that glorious knowledge, it's still a fucking annoying cheesy song that I heard way too much growing up and learned to loathe.
The same thing happens with films. Think of all the hundreds of professionals that made franchise movies like the Transformers. You can break down the cool explosion effects and expert camera work to a point where you can appreciate it, but Transformers movies are still stupid pieces of shit.
Think of all the amazing effort that goes into making McDonalds cheeseburgers taste the same across the world. It's truly incredible if you think about it, and I'm sure a documentary showing the international supply chain, environmental devastation, food lab testing, employee training, and corporate dynamics would be fascinating, but they are still shitty cheeseburgers. (That I still kind of like.)
Liking the song Africa is this new Internet twee thing to do. It's a catchy song. They will move onto some other classic song soon enough. I suggest The Alan Parsons Project "Eye In the Sky."
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
I met Alan Parsons.
Here's an interesting fact: a lot of people have met Alan Parsons. I'm one of them.
Here's an interesting fact: a lot of people have met Alan Parsons. I'm one of them.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
"Think of all the amazing effort that goes into making McDonalds cheeseburgers taste the same across the world. "
That's the idea, but as someone that buys McDonald's for my kids more than I'd like, I can tell you they are a complete rainbow of suck. The one closest to me is the worst food and the shittiest service. On the other side of town, it can be a decent chain burger. All fast food in Texas is superior to our Louisiana fast food. It's like they care to try over there...
"Liking the song Africa is this new Internet twee thing to do. It's a catchy song. They will move onto some other classic song soon enough."
It's like that Neil Diamond song "Caroline" now. Just another bar song to chant along with at the chorus. Don't know what's next.
That's the idea, but as someone that buys McDonald's for my kids more than I'd like, I can tell you they are a complete rainbow of suck. The one closest to me is the worst food and the shittiest service. On the other side of town, it can be a decent chain burger. All fast food in Texas is superior to our Louisiana fast food. It's like they care to try over there...
"Liking the song Africa is this new Internet twee thing to do. It's a catchy song. They will move onto some other classic song soon enough."
It's like that Neil Diamond song "Caroline" now. Just another bar song to chant along with at the chorus. Don't know what's next.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
Maybe it isn't hipster, I suppose it all depends on the irony level, in the way that bland ordinary dad clothes worn with ironic intent somehow become "normcore".shadowplay wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 1:35 amnow this is interesting and proof to me that the word hipster much like 'vintage' has lost all meaning, It's not 'hip' in any way, it's wanting some superannuated dad band to play a song from the goode olde dayes of MTV, it's Ordinaryster.mezcalhead wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 12:43 amI can't keep up with all the self-referential hipsterism happening these days.
Asia covering Toto would be like .. I dunno .. Shed Seven covering Menswear?
I've liked that song since I first heard it in my early teens, and I say that completely without irony.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
You mean you liked it before it was cool?mezcalhead wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 8:47 pm
I've liked that song since I first heard it in my early teens, and I say that completely without irony.
Fucking hipsters, man.
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Re: Weezer covered "Africa" by toto
When I refer to internet twee people, I am generally talking about people that were not born when that song came out. Most of the folks that were around for the original don't feel the need to harass Weezer via social media to do a cover. I could be wrong.mezcalhead wrote: ↑Wed May 30, 2018 8:47 pmI've liked that song since I first heard it in my early teens, and I say that completely without irony.
As a person who grew up listening to a lot of classic rock and top 40 music in the 80s, the song Africa is fairly harmless in my subjective judgment. I think it's decent, but I never felt compelled to own it or put it on mix tapes.
I think liking things ironically is something that happens to a certain type of people in their late teens and twenties before they know better. I know I have done it in the past, but now I just find it tiresome. With that said, I watch a lot of B-movies and marvel at how bad some of them can be. I don't know how ironic that is.