In a bombshell interview with Guitar World, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo revealed that the lead single off the band’s Green Album was originally offered to rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. The song, of course, ended up in Weezer’s 2001 album that put them back on the map as one of the best Geek-punk bands in the scene. 

“Hash Pipe” was written and recorded by the band in 2000. According to Guitar World, when Cuomo sent Osbourne a demo of the song, he declined his offer to use the song on his next album.  

“Once, I think, it was in 2000, he asked if I had any songs for him, and I just happened to have written ‘Half Pipe,’” Cuomo said. “I sent it to him, but he didn’t end up using it. In another reality, it might be interesting to hear him singing that song.” 

While “Hash Pipe” ended up on Weezer’s Green Album, the band have not lost touch with Ozzy Osbourne or his music. In the track “Blue Dream” off of their newest album, Van Weezer, the band sample the lead guitar riff from Black Sabbath’s “Crazy Train” and are said to be sharing writing credit with “Crazy Train” writers Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads and Bob Daisley. 

“The song existed with another riff,” Cuomo told Guitar World. “The song was good, but the riff was…It was okay but it wasn’t the greatest guitar riff of all time, which I felt like it should be. Coincidentally, at the same time, our manager said, ‘Hey you guys should sample the Crazy Train riff in a song.’”  

Van Weezer was originally scheduled to be released in May 2020 to coincide with the Hella Mega Tour, which was going to feature performances by Wezzer, Green Day, and Fall Out Boy. Due to the pandemic, both Van Weezer and the Hella Mega Tour were rescheduled to 2021. 

 Upon release, Van Weezer debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock, Alternative Album Charts.  

Photo Credit: Brett Padelford