Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel revealed the band he would never want to tour with again. He made his candid remarks in an appearance on Hot Ones.
During the interview, Mendel was asked to choose which of three iconic acts — Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rolling Stones, or Weezer — he would never want to go on tour with again. His answer shed light on the significance of each touring relationship while singling out one band in particular.
“Rolling Stones were great. Red Hot Chili Peppers was pivotal for us. Obviously, that’s where we kind of learned how to do arena show. So I can’t say that,” Mendel said.
After ruling out both the Rolling Stones and Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mendel turned his attention to Weezer. He made his choice clear while being careful to emphasize there was no ill will behind it.
“I love Weezer and we’ve did some great like co-headlining tours with them, but we’re probably good on that. I would say I’d say Weezer, never want to play with Weezer again. No discredit to Weezer. Yeah, Weezer. Weezer is my final answer. All love and respect to the Weise,” he continued.
Mendel’s comments highlight the strong history Foo Fighters share with all three acts. They suggest the band feels their touring chapter with Weezer has simply run its course.
Mendel’s remarks carry more weight when placed against the backdrop of the two bands’ long and well-documented touring history together. That relationship has been defined as much by camaraderie as by competition.
As 98online.com reported, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo once described the two bands as “friendly bitter rivals.” The phrase captures the playful yet competitive dynamic that has long existed between the two groups. The two acts announced a joint tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2018, one of several co-headlining runs they have shared over the years.
A review published by Ambient Light noted that the two bands performed together at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, in February 2018 as part of that tour. They drew large crowds and delivered a show that underscored just how well-matched the two acts were as a live pairing. Their on-stage chemistry was evident, with joint appearances and cover songs becoming a hallmark of their shared dates.
While Mendel’s comments may sound pointed, they are widely interpreted as a candid expression of tour fatigue rather than any genuine animosity toward Weezer. The two bands have maintained a warm public relationship over the years. Moments of mutual humor and collaboration have been a consistent feature of their time on the road together.
Rock and Roll Garage documented how the bands’ camaraderie was on full display during their 2018 Australian run. Members of Foo Fighters joined Weezer on stage to perform a cover of Kiss’s “Rock and Roll All Nite,” further illustrating the genuine affection between the two camps. “For us, it’s like a reunion,” a band member remarked at the time, reflecting the closeness the two groups had developed through years of touring together.
Ultimately, Mendel’s answer appears to be less a criticism of Weezer and more an honest acknowledgment that some touring partnerships, no matter how enjoyable, eventually reach a natural endpoint. Foo Fighters may simply feel they have explored everything that chapter had to offer.
