Weezer's self-titled 1994 debut album (commonly known as the Blue Album) is coming up to a big 3-0 birthday in 2024. And in a podcast interview with Collider, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo and guitarist Brian Bell have dropped a few not-too-subtle nuggets regarding plans for that upcoming anniversary.
Rivers Cuomo and Brian Bell of Weezer at the premier of Netflix' 'Family Switch', Los Angels, Calif., November 29, 2023.
"It’s just this tidal wave of passion," Cuomo said of fans' continuing obsession with the record. "So, we are going to give it its due respect and come out with a really amazing deluxe package with a bunch of additional material, and of course, we've gotta do some kind of epic tour."
Weezer - Buddy Holly (Official Music Video)
The band is wrapping up 2023 with a show in Oklahoma at the end of the month, with nothing on the calendar after that aside from a few shows already booked in the UK and Ireland for 2024. With that in mind, Cuomo teased that the band will celebrate the Blue Album after that. Naturally, he was asked if there would be something to celebrate the Blue Album more officially. "Yeah, I think the public tour dates cut off in June, and then there's this very suspicious blank space in our calendar for months after that," Cuomo teased, "so I’d keep your eye on that."
The band dropped their debut self-titled album in May 1994, which has come to affectionately be known as the Blue Album. Produced by the Cars' Ric Ocasek, the record kicks off with "My Name is Jonas," and from there on out the tracklist is packed with familiar tunes that anyone — even non-Weezer fans — will recognize. Though it only reached No. 16 on the U.S. album chart, the album has since gone on to sell more than 15 million copies worldwide, and multiple songs from the record are still staples of alternative rock radio.
The album was supported by the singles "Undone — The Sweater Song," "Buddy Holly" and "Say It Ain't So." The "Buddy Holly" video won four awards at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, including prizes for Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Video.
Save for a brief hiatus in the 1990s, Weezer has consistently recorded ever since then, releasing its 15th album, Van Weezer, in 2021. The group has charted in the top 10 of the U.S. album chart nine times, with 2005's Make Believe climbing the highest at No. 2. The group have been nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning once for Best Music Video in 2009.
Meanwhile, for the 2023 holiday season, the Netflix movie Family Switch has... wait... is that Weezer? Yes! In the film, Ed Helms' character has a garage band, named Dad or Alive, which is filled out by Cuomo and Bell, as well as Weezer members Scott Shriner and Patrick Wilson. "I grew up on Weezer," the film's director McG said. "The Blue Album blew my mind." McG proposed the idea of the group playing a role in the film, and the rest is, as they say, history.
Ed Helms with 'Dad or Alive' in the Netflix comedy 'Family Switch.'
