Here’s Toto’s Studio Cover Of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe”

Here’s Toto’s Studio Cover Of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe”

Before we thank Mary, let’s start by thanking Stranger Things. The Ohio teen first heard Toto’s 1982 iconic, excellently cheesy hit “Africa” when it played over Steve and Nancy’s bedroom make out scene in the series’ pilot episode. She did what any honorable Weezer fan would do and created a Twitter account (@weezerafrica) with the sole purpose of trolling Weezer until they covered “Africa.”

The whole scheme went viral, and Weezer covered the shit out of “Africa,” but not without having a little fun first. Back in May, they nailed a rendition of another Toto IV hit, “Rosanna,” as a tension-building tease before finally blessing the rains. The cover itself was straight-faced and lush with some added fuzz. The real surprise came when the “Africa” stunt gave the lovably dorky legacy rockers their biggest hit this decade.

Today, Toto, after being challenged on-air by two Los Angeles DJs, are repaying the favor — and most definitely trying to squeeze out another hit and some cash — by covering a Weezer song. They picked the Green Album’s “Hash Pipe” for their tribute, and they already showcased it live in Vancouver last week. Their version rips pretty hard, and it arrives replete with Green Album-themed cover art.

In a press release, Toto guitarist Steve Lukather expressed, “The irony that we were smoking hash before these guys were alive was not lost on us.” Keyboardist Steve Porcaro asked his neighbor which song the band should cover. The man smiled and said, “There’s nothing like driving down the freeway at 80 miles an hour with ‘Hash Pipe’ cranked.'” And singer Joseph Williams just said, “Yeah.” According to Lukather, a crazy Weezer/Toto live mashup could be in the cards.

I guess this whole gloriously unlikely event shows that the people have the power. So, here’s to hoping the Beach Boys cover “Island In The Sun.” Until then, listen to Toto’s “Hash Pipe” cover below.

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