“SANITARIUM” COMES “UNDONE”
Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 4:45pm by Axl Rosenberg
It’s a well known fact that Weezer mastermind River Cuomo is a metalhead (see ridiculous photo above). But I’ve read numerous interviews with the guy over the years where he promised (or threatened, depending on your point of view) to a metal album – even going so far as to claim that Maladroit was Weezer’s metal album – and the thing never seems to materialize.
Well, as it turns out, Weezer might have already made their contribution to metal, and I just wasn’t paying very close attention. SMN News pointed us to this interview with Weezer mastermind River Cuomo, in which he admits to biting off Metallica:
“‘The Sweater Song’ was the first Weezer song I ever wrote, back in 1991… I was trying to write a Velvet Underground-type song because I was super into them, and I came up with that guitar riff… It wasn’t until years after I wrote it that I realized it’s almost a complete rip-off of ‘Sanitarium’ by Metallica. It just perfectly encapsulates Weezer to me — you’re trying to be cool like Velvet Underground but your metal roots just pump through unconsciously.”
Oddly enough, I’d never really noticed the similarities between the two songs in the past. Hm.
Check out both songs after the jump and decide for yourself whether or not Cuomo really owes Metallica a royalty check or ten.
-AR
I’d rather listen to Weezer. But, there are similarities in both songs.
I can hear the similarities, which is funny, because I never really realized it. It’s not blatant or anything.
Dude, it’s “Rivers” Cuomo. Not “River.”
Fuck Weezer.
ehem…
actually I won’t bother.
Good, don’t. You cum-eating fuckhole.
“Cum-eating fuckholes” are like a type of adult donut, right?
I love early Weezer, their first three albums were all good, including the masterpiece of the Blue Album. Everything since Green has been unfortunate… But yeah, there’s a definite similarity between the riffs in the two songs. I’d welcome an actual attempt at a metal album from Weezer, it might be a nice change from the mostly uninspired stuff they’ve been putting out lately.
I think I prefer Maladroit over Green.
I guess Maladroit had its moments. I just felt like Green was a more consistent album, and it grew on me more after repeated listens.
hey assholes, secretly liking weezer is something you do in private, not in public. you’re sucking the secret out of it.
I got my hash pipe
It’s almost a complete rip-off, except for most of it.
“Kinda similar”?
The opening riffs for both songs are nearly identical!
Not really close. The similarities are totally coincidental.
Sorta similar, but nothing blatant. I know James admitted to borrowing that same riff from another band that he wouldn’t name.
The new Megadeth cd has leaked. You should be listening to it rather than this stupid dick eating band. (I’m talking about Metallica not Weezer)
rivers is on crack. omg both songs appreggiate! completely different chords and notes
What the crap is he talking about? Sure, the rhythm is kind of similar, and they’re arpeggiating clean chords, but that’s pretty much it.
This is fucking stupid. Can we get Zilto-hemmoroid back? He doesnt post stupid shit like this.
Yeah, he posts music made by household appliances. Much better.
better than a meaningless comparison.Rock on stove band.
i didnt bother with any of zittys posts… cos im awesome.
at least this wasnt to show how “epic” and underground one is.
Weezer is fucking awesome. Well, up through Maladroit, anyway. Everything after that is pretty poopy, but those first four are great. I love their guitar tone, and Rivers writes (well, wrote) great riffs and great songs – awesome hooks.
I dont why, perhaps im tired, but i laughed at “pretty poopy”.
not a ripoff at all…having a few of the same notes doesn’t constitute a ripofff
if it did, first of all Metallica would have already sued there ass into oblivion
and the guy who first discovered the chromatic scale would one be pissed ass bitter mother fucker
ok, I understand….my friend has a car just like it but the front is a little different and it’s not the same color…… kinda like that actor with the mustache and long hair that was in that one movie… very insightful…. to the extreme
i can hear the similarities but it’s not like, “HOLY SHIT! THEY RIPPED THEM OFF!” it’s more like, “Oh hey… they kind of have the same progression and stuff. interesting.” trust me, there’s a million bands out there that are far more guilty of ripping off Metallica.
You know, I once wrote an epic riff, started basing a song around it, and then I realized that I got it from The Number 12 Looks Like You. Though it might have been generic enough to pull off…
Again this is one of those things where it, to quote another “Metalsucker”, “it belongs in the library.”
Speaking of which, IS there a site where you can find the most generic riffs?
Yes. On the Bury Your Dead myspace page.
Y’know… I hear a little bits here and there that are similar, but… I think Weezer just hurts my ears, where I can actually listen to Metallica. But there are only eight notes, and with people listening to music as much as they do, it’s kind of hard not to end up influenced and accidentally sharing some notes with other bands. Listen to some of The Absence’s solos on their “Riders of the Plague” album, and then listen to the solo in Never Again by KsE. You’ll see another few similarities. These things just happen, I guess. But Kiss and The Sword similarity? That’s a ripoff.