Weezer Frontman Admits Ripping Off Classic Metallica Song
In an interview with RollingStone.com, WEEZER frontman Rivers Cuomo admits that their 1994 hit, “Undone (The Sweater Song)” rips off Metallica’s “Welcome Home (Sanitarium).” Some of you might already know that Cuomo played in metal band called Avant Garde in the 1980s and he even took guitar lessons from Jim Matheos of Fates Warning.
” ‘The Sweater Song’ was the first Weezer song I ever wrote, back in 1991,” Cuomo says. “I was trying to write a Velvet Underground-type song because I was super into them, and I came up with that guitar riff. I just picked up that acoustic guitar and the first thing I played was that riff. And it just feels so classic to me, even now when the band starts to play it, it just takes over the energy in the room and you’re just transported into the world of Weezer. 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.”
Actual photos of Rivers Cuomo, from his metalhead days in Connecticut, below:
(+15 rating, 3 votes)
Rivers said “almost” rips off…way to be misleading, smn. Rivers rules- CT dude.
Rivers should do his hair like that again!
You got to respect Rivers he does what he wants and he pretty honest. I’ve heard both songs a million times but never said to myself they sounded similar ever.