Weezer have been given the task of recording a lead track for the new kids' summer blockbuster, Cars 2. Stepping into the shoes of musicians like Sheryl Crow, John Mayer and Rascal Flatts who performed songs for the first movie, the band have created an upbeat, catchy re-make of an old classic called You Might Think.
Patrick Hanlon spoke to drummer Pat Wilson ahead of their highly-anticipated set at this weekend’s Oxegen Festival.
Hi Pat, How are you?
I’m a little bit tired. We just played the Brixton Academy last night which was crazy. I took the ferry over from Wales this morning, but I’m good!
Have the band (and your kids) seen the full Cars 2 yet?
We haven’t because we’ve been travelling but as soon as we get a chance, we for sure will. I’ve two boys, six and three, and we loved the first Cars movie so we will for sure go see the next one together.
Younger fans may not realise the catchy song is actually a cover, from a song originally released in the Eighties. How did the whole soundtrack song come about, who got in touch with who?
I think it was John Lasseter (Cars 2 director and writer) who chose the song. I think Pixar knew that they wanted the song by the band The Cars and I think they thought it would be a fun choice to have us do it. So they reached out to us and we were pretty receptive to the idea.
Did you have to change your style to suit the style of Cars 2?
Yeah I think we did a little bit. We knew that It was kinda something a little bigger than our audience so we are a little bit more faithful to the original recording. We didn’t wanna come in there sounding like Black Sabbath or something, so we just toned it down just a little bit.
Do you have any plans to do anymore soundtrack songs? If the chance occurred again to do a song for a movie would the band take it?
Maybe something for The Muppets Movie but I don’t know much about that. I think if it’s the right movie and the right song, we’d probably take a look at it. As long as it feels like something fun to do, we’ll do it!
Weezer had big success with ninth studio album, Hurley, released last year. Weezer will tour the album across the globe this Summer. Are there any plans for the next album, the big tenth?
We’re currently laying out the plans for another studio album. Probably sometime in the fall or winter we would hope to record it. I would think we would get it out sometime in 2012.
Are you excited about playing Oxegen? Are there any acts you want to take in or are the band going straight over to Sonosphere?
Very much so, I love coming over to Dublin and I wish we could spend some more time here. I’m basically just gonna nap because I’m so tired but if I get out and about I’ll be excited.
What’s your favourite Disney movie?
It’s hard to say, I mean I loved the original Cars and I also love Wall.E.
Finally, as the stars of the film are hunks of metal coming to life and striving for success, if you could become a car, what car would you be?
I think right at this moment I would be a 1967 Chevrolet Malibu. Sleek choice.
Weezer take to Oxegen’s main stage on Friday evening at 6pm. Cars 2 is released on July 22nd.
