When it comes to finding ways to make sure your new album gets press, Rivers Cuomo is a true master. Yes, you rolled your eyes over the name “Radtitude,” but it became a story. How many album names can you say that about? Then there was the buzzed about Lil Wayne collab on “Can’t Stop Partying.” But what better way to make sure Weezer’s name gets out there to a generation of kids too young to know every word to “Buddy Holly” than bring to their queen — Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester — up on stage for a duet?
Rivers was rather coy about it when he talked to MTV News: “We invited her down, and she was in rehearsal — wait, did she even come to rehearsal? No, she didn’t! We just worked on it in the dressing room right before the show. ‘You sing this line, now I’ll sing that line,’ just like that. It’s best when there’s a little rehearsal, so that it can still feel spontaneous.”
With more and more news about Meester’s plans for an album making the rounds, it seems like a genius PR move on both sides. In fact, we bet S was involved with the plot. But what does pulling something like this do to Weezer’s rock ‘n roll cred?
After nearly 20 years in the biz, a Lady Gaga cover, and the debut of the Wuggie, we’re not sure they really care about such things. Plus Vice Magazine hired Titus Andronicus to play Weezer songs at their 1994-themed Halloween party. That has to count for something, right? But we decided to Venn diagram it anyway.
What do you think?