Weezer Nab "National Geographic" Dog Photo for "Raditude" Cover

Is this image sufficiently "rad" or boast enough "attitude" to be deemed worthy of Weezer's new album cover? Rivers Cuomo evidently votes yes. According to Spinner, who debuted the cover, the singer-guitarist spotted the reader-submitted photo in an issue of National Geographic, got in touch with the guy who snapped it, and discovered the dog — Sidney — "is a big Weezer fan."

There you have it, folks! We've heard crazier stories behind album covers (and wackier made-up words used as album titles), but this is definitely a contender for best or worst album cover of 2009, depending on where you stand. Let us know where you'd rank it in the comments.

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Song Stories

“Time to Pretend”

MGMT | 2008

Listening to MGMT’s breakthrough song, one might interpret it as being about the excesses of rock stardom, but it’s actually about the duo’s pet praying mantis. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden told Rolling Stone they got the idea from the insect's jerky movements. The mantis died, but the two bandmates kept the egg sack and allowed the hundreds of eggs to hatch. “We tried to name them all, but they died after a day,” said Goldwasser, with VanWyngarden chiming in, “But the praying mantis dance inspired us.”

More Song Stories entries »

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