<\/p>\n
\n\tWeezer\u2019s cover of Toto\u2019s perennial favorite \u201cAfrica\u201d undoubtedly became one of the band\u2019s biggest successes, but Toto guitarist Steve Lukather isn\u2019t sure the reasons behind the cover were genuine.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe cover first arrived in May 2018 following a months-long campaign in which a then-14-year-old social media user urged Weezer\u2019s Rivers Cuomo to cover the song. As a result, Weezer released<\/a> their own rendition of Toto\u2019s \u201cRosanna\u201d as a way to troll the campaign, ultimately unveiling<\/a> their version of \u201cAfrica\u201d just days later.<\/p>\n \n\tReaction to the cover was overwhelmingly-positive, with the cover becoming their first to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2009, and their first to top the Alternative Songs chart<\/a> since \u201cPork and Beans\u201d in 2008. <\/p>\n \n\tThe viral quality of the song continued in the following months, too. Not only was the track accompanied by a \u201cWeird Al\u201d Yankovic-featuring music video<\/a>, but it was included on their self-titled covers album (also known as the Teal Album<\/a><\/em>), and inspired Toto to respond in kind<\/a> with a cover of Weezer\u2019s 2001 single \u201cHash Pipe\u201d.<\/p>\n \n\tHowever, while much of the attention seemed to tie in with the track\u2019s good-natured origins and desire to lean into an online joke, Lukather recently took part in an interview<\/a> with Matt Pinfield\u2019s New & Approved<\/em> program, telling the host he\u2019s not sure if the cover\u2019s origins were as affectionate as they seemed.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI don\u2019t know about him loving the song, man,\u201d Lukather said of Pinfield\u2019s claim that Cuomo was fond of \u201cAfrica\u201d. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s the case at all. I think he did it to take the piss out of it and it blew up in his face and now he\u2019s got to play it every night.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI tried to reach out to this guy and be friendly and then it just got weird,\u201d Lukather added. \u201cI don\u2019t want to get into it, but peace and love. It was good for them, it was good for us.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tLukather\u2019s comments echo earlier statements he made in a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone<\/a><\/em>, where he explained he was left with \u201churt feelings\u201d following his attempts to speak to Cuomo.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI tried to reach out to Rivers,\u201d he explained. \u201cI said, \u2018Hey, man, isn\u2019t this funny? Whether you like us or not, it\u2019s working out good for both of us.\u2019 Silence! The cat refused to talk to me! I\u2019m friends with the biggest rock & roll stars in the world, and this is the only cat that refuses to talk to me! I\u2019m sorry, Rivers. You made a lot of fuckin\u2019 money off this. You should be a little bit more thankful. But I got nothing bad to say about them. Some of them were cool, but Rivers really hurt my feelings.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tToto keyboardist Steve Porcaro \u2013 who departed the band in 2019 \u2013 echoed Lukather\u2019s opinions, telling the publication that when he performed \u201cAfrica\u201d with Weezer<\/a> on Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/em>, he was backstage when Weezer\u2019s manager informed them it was gaining traction on the airwaves.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI saw Rivers wince,\u201d Porcaro explained. \u201cThey initially did it as a goof, but now they realized they\u2019d have to play the song for a lot longer than they thought they would. This whole business runs on hit records. If you get one, you better be prepared to play it for the rest of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIndeed, Weezer\u2019s cover of \u201cAfrica\u201d became a staple of their live sets from 2018 onwards, though fell out of favor following the launch of their Voyage to the Blue Planet tour in 2024 which saw them performing their 1994 debut album<\/a> in full for its 30th anniversary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n