Weezer have gone indie, signing with Epitaph Records and ending their 16-year run with Geffen Records. News of the heavily rumoured deal officially broke last night (4 August) when Epitaph label owner and founder Brett Gurewitz (who is also Bad Religion's guitarist) announced it on Twitter. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo then confirmed the story.
"Hey, Weezer is happy to announce our signing to @epitaphrecs and release of new album 'Hurley' on September 14," Rivers Tweeted late Wednesday night, following Gurewitz's statement: "Rivers, Pat, Brian and Scott, Welcome to Epitaph homies! FT=W=."
While speculating on a possible label move during recent weeks, Cuomo floated potential album titles. Heavy Mental seemed to be a strong contender before the singer-songwriter and guitarist decided on Hurley. Weezer's last album, 2009's Raditude, fulfilled their legal obligations to Geffen/Interscope.
Now that they're on Epitaph's roster, the band joins acts such as Rancid and Social Distortion. The label, which released a 2004 album called Land, Air, Sea by Weezer drummer Patrick Wilson's side project, The Special Goodness, is also is home to an imprint called Anti- Records. Artists on Anti- include Billy Bragg, Neko Case and Tom Waits.
