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==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
[[Image:Rivers Cuomo - 1978 School Picture.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Cuomo's 1978 school photo]] | [[Image:Rivers Cuomo - 1978 School Picture.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Cuomo's 1978 school photo]] | ||
Rivers Cuomo was born on [[June 13]], 1970 in Manhattan to [[Frank Cuomo]], of Italian descent,<ref>Collinge, Miranda. " | Rivers Cuomo was born on [[June 13]], 1970 in Manhattan to [[Frank Cuomo]], of Italian descent,<ref>Collinge, Miranda. "[https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/29/popandrock Rivers Cuomo]" ''The Guardian''. 28 June 2008.</ref> and [[Beverly Shoenberger]], of German-English descent. According to Rivers, his mother claims that he was so-named because she first heard the sound of a river outside her hospital window after his birth, while his father claims that Rivers was named after three soccer players from the [[Wikipedia:1970_FIFA_World_Cup|1970 FIFA World Cup]]: Brazilian player [[Wikipedia:Rivellino|Roberto Rivellino]], and Italian players [[Wikipedia:Gigi Riva|Gigi Riva]] and [[Wikipedia:Gianni Rivera|Gianni Rivera]].<ref name="acename">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20110105082734/http://members.shaw.ca/ridd2/threads/riverscuomo/02-12-RCBOARD1.html his middle name...]" Cuomo posting as "ace" on ''The Cuomo Board'', ca. 2002.</ref><ref>''The Kelly Clarkson Show'' "Brooke Shields/Weezer" (S5.E139) Air date: 15 May 2024.</ref> Shoenberger gave Rivers no middle name in order to permit him to choose his own (which he never did).<ref name="acename" /> Rivers was, according to his younger brother, [[Leaves Cuomo|Leaves]], almost named "Apple" (most likely because he was born in New York City).<ref name="riversedge">Luerssen, John D. ''Rivers' Edge: The Weezer Story''. 2004. ECW Press</ref> | ||
Rivers lived the first few years of his life at the [[Wikipedia:Rochester Zen Center|Rochester Zen Center]] in upstate New York, where his parents first met.<ref name="yogamag">" | Rivers lived the first few years of his life at the [[Wikipedia:Rochester Zen Center|Rochester Zen Center]] in upstate New York, where his parents first met.<ref name="yogamag">"[https://integralyogamagazine.org/music-and-spirituality-a-real-connection/ Music and Spirituality: A Real Connection]" ''Integral Yoga Magazine''</ref> Frank Cuomo was a musician who notably played percussion on the 1971 album ''[[Wikipedia:Odyssey of Iska|Odyssey of Iska]]'' by jazz saxophonist [[Wikipedia:Wayne Shorter|Wayne Shorter]]. Frank left the family when Rivers was four years old, and was largely absent from Rivers' youth. Shoenberger moved with Rivers and Leaves to [[Yogaville]] East in Pomfret, Connecticut, where they lived until 1981.<ref name="yogamag" /> Shoenberger married [[Steven Kitts]] in 1976. At Yogaville, Rivers was given the name Rama by the Indian guru [[Swami Satchidananda]].<ref>[https://rivers-words.livejournal.com/ Archived journal posts] by rivers-words</ref> When Yogaville relocated to Virginia, the Kitts family remained in Connecticut, moving to Storrs/Mansfield area, where Cuomo lived for the remainder of his adolescence.<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Mansfield Mansfield]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref> | ||
Cuomo has described himself as a "very somber child." Said Cuomo, "My teacher asked my mother what was wrong with me because I never looked happy. So, my mother advised her to say, 'Let me see that smile,' and then I would smile. So she did that -- in front of the whole class. She got the whole class to turn around, look at me and say, 'Let me see that smile.'"<ref group="lower-alpha">Cuomo would later reference this in the [[Weezer]] song "[[Feels Like Summer]]."</ref><ref>Daley, David. "Happy [cancelled] Days" ''Alternative Press''. January 1997. [[Alternative Press interview with Weezer - January 1997|Weezerpedia transcript]]</ref> While attending Mansfield Middle School and E.O. Smith High School, Rivers and Leaves Cuomo went by the more "ordinary" names Peter and James Kitts, respectively. | Cuomo has described himself as a "very somber child." Said Cuomo, "My teacher asked my mother what was wrong with me because I never looked happy. So, my mother advised her to say, 'Let me see that smile,' and then I would smile. So she did that -- in front of the whole class. She got the whole class to turn around, look at me and say, 'Let me see that smile.'"<ref group="lower-alpha">Cuomo would later reference this in the [[Weezer]] song "[[Feels Like Summer]]."</ref><ref>Daley, David. "Happy [cancelled] Days" ''Alternative Press''. January 1997. [[Alternative Press interview with Weezer - January 1997|Weezerpedia transcript]]</ref> While attending Mansfield Middle School and E.O. Smith High School, Rivers and Leaves Cuomo went by the more "ordinary" names Peter and James Kitts, respectively. | ||
Cuomo was greatly interested in soccer from a young age, initially wanting to be a professional soccer player when he grew up.<ref>U.S. Soccer "Studio 90: Rivers Cuomo Interview" ''YouTube''. 24 June 2010. | Cuomo was greatly interested in soccer from a young age, initially wanting to be a professional soccer player when he grew up.<ref>U.S. Soccer "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK8vvrcbTmM Studio 90: Rivers Cuomo Interview]" ''YouTube''. 24 June 2010.</ref> "...because I rarely saw my dad as I was growing up, I romanticized everything about him. One of the things I romanticized was his passion for soccer; I tried to cultivate it in myself. I took my first step trying to kick a soccer ball." Cuomo also played on a boy's soccer team.<ref>Rivers Cuomo "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMiLwwjK-0w&t=120s Rivers Cuomo - Lover in the Snow]" ''YouTube''. 16 June 2009.</ref> However, in 1981, Cuomo learned that he had been born with a congenital femoral deficiency in his right leg. Though his legs were of equal length at birth,<ref name="ilizarov">"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Ilizarov%20Procedure Ilizarov Procedure]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref> by the time of his diagnosis in 1981, Cuomo's right femur had grown 1¼ inches shorter than his left,<ref>[[Beverly's letter|Letter by Beverly Shoenberger]], May 1981</ref> reaching a 2-inch differential at his full height.<ref name="ilizarov" /> Cuomo's interests later pivoted to music. | ||
[[Image:Rivers Cuomo - Guild Flying Star.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cuomo as a teenager]]Cuomo was first exposed to American rock band [[Kiss]] at age 7.<ref name="manofsteel">Beaujour, Tom. "Man of Steel" ''Guitar World''. March 1995. [[Guitar World interview with Rivers Cuomo - March 1995|Weezerpedia transcript]]</ref> "This little girl came through the ashram for a visit, and she brought a Kiss record, ''Rock and Roll Over''. She came over to our house, and while we played the Kiss record, we recorded ourselves running around in circles as the tape played. It was like, 'this kicks ass.'"<ref>" | [[Image:Rivers Cuomo - Guild Flying Star.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Cuomo as a teenager]]Cuomo was first exposed to American rock band [[Kiss]] at age 7.<ref name="manofsteel">Beaujour, Tom. "Man of Steel" ''Guitar World''. March 1995. [[Guitar World interview with Rivers Cuomo - March 1995|Weezerpedia transcript]]</ref> "This little girl came through the ashram for a visit, and she brought a Kiss record, ''Rock and Roll Over''. She came over to our house, and while we played the Kiss record, we recorded ourselves running around in circles as the tape played. It was like, 'this kicks ass.'"<ref>"[https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rivers-cuomo/id1678378239?i=1000612593978 Rivers Cuomo]" ''This Little Light'' (podcast). 2023 </ref><ref>Coffman, Tim. "[https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-kiss-changed-rivers-cuomos-life-forever/ How KISS changed Rivers Cuomo’s life forever]" 12 June 2023. ''Far Out Magazine''.</ref> Cuomo later joined the Columbia Record Club and bought every Kiss album he could,<ref>Edwards, Gavin. "Rivers' Edge" ''Details''. February 1997. [[Details interview with Rivers Cuomo - February 1997|Weezerpedia transcript]]</ref> eventually bonding over his love of Kiss in the sixth grade with friend [[Justin Fisher]], the son of a friend of his mother's.<ref name="riversedge" /> Cuomo was first inspired to learn guitar after witnessing classmates perform "[[Wikipedia:Metal Health (song)|Metal Health]]" by [[Wikipedia:Quiet Riot|Quiet Riot]] at a school assembly.<ref>Leatham, Thomas. "[https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/rivers-cuomo-how-weezer-got-their-name/ Rivers Cuomo explains the true story behind how Weezer got their name]" ''Far Out''. 6 February 2023.</ref><ref group="lower-alpha">The influence of "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot is referenced in the Weezer tracks "[[Heart Songs]]" ("Quiet Riot got me started with the banging of my head") and "[[I Need Some of That]]" (which cribs the drum intro from "Metal Health")</ref> "I just couldn’t believe that kids my age were playing these real instruments and playing this song I loved... it just blew my mind! And so I got my own guitar shortly after that, and I started learning all the metal songs of the day."<ref>Gardner, Josh. "[https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/weezers-rivers-cuomo-talks-the-white-album-channelling-james-hetfield-and-his-enduring-love-of-guitar-641477 Weezer's Rivers Cuomo talks The White Album, channelling James Hetfield and his enduring love of guitar]" ''MusicRadar''. 18 August 2016.</ref> Cuomo received his first guitar on his fourteenth birthday, in 1984.<ref name="cor">http://weezerpedia.com/catalogofriffs.html</ref> Cuomo's first band was a Kiss cover band, called [[Fury]], consisting of himself and [[James Kitts|his brother]] on guitar, Justin Fisher on bass, and [[Eric Robertson]] on drums. | ||
==Music career== | ==Music career== | ||
===Early career=== | ===Early career=== | ||
[[Image:Avant garde.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Avant Garde]]Cuomo and Fisher performed in several bands throughout the 80s, covering songs by bands such as Metallica, [[Yngwie Malmsteen]]<ref>Kandell, Steve. "Rivers Cuomo." ''Blender''. January/February 2006. ([[Blender interview with Rivers Cuomo - Jan/Feb 2006|Transcript/scans]])</ref>, and [[Fates Warning]]<ref name="riversedge" />, with Cuomo even taking guitar lessons from Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos.<ref name="manofsteel" /> In 1985, the pair formed the [[Wikipedia:Glam metal|glam metal]] band [[Avant Garde]], recruiting classmate [[Bryn Mutch]] on drums and brothers [[Kevin Ridel|Kevin]] and [[Eric Ridel]] on lead vocals and guitar, respectively. The band recorded three demo tapes between 1987 and 1989. In 1987, Cuomo attended a five-week music program at the [[Wikipedia:Berklee College of Music|Berklee College of Music]] in Boston, where he met Texas native [[Michael Stanton]], who later moved to Connecticut to replace Eric Ridel.<ref name="riversedge" /> In 1989, the band relocated to Los Angeles and changed their name to "Zoom," recording another demo tape in early [[1990]]. Zoom played their final show in March of that year before their ultimate dissolution. | [[Image:Avant garde.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Avant Garde]]Cuomo and Fisher performed in several bands throughout the 80s, covering songs by bands such as Metallica, [[Yngwie Malmsteen]]<ref>Kandell, Steve. "Rivers Cuomo." ''Blender''. January/February 2006. ([[Blender interview with Rivers Cuomo - Jan/Feb 2006|Transcript/scans]])</ref>, and [[Fates Warning]]<ref name="riversedge" />, with Cuomo even taking guitar lessons from Fates Warning guitarist Jim Matheos.<ref name="manofsteel" /> In 1985, the pair formed the [[Wikipedia:Glam metal|glam metal]] band [[Avant Garde]], recruiting classmate [[Bryn Mutch]] on drums and brothers [[Kevin Ridel|Kevin]] and [[Eric Ridel]] on lead vocals and guitar, respectively. The band recorded three demo tapes between 1987 and 1989. In 1987, Cuomo attended a five-week music program at the [[Wikipedia:Berklee College of Music|Berklee College of Music]] in Boston, where he met Texas native [[Michael Stanton]], who later moved to Connecticut to replace Eric Ridel.<ref name="riversedge" /> In 1989, the band relocated to Los Angeles and changed their name to "Zoom," recording another demo tape in early [[1990]]. Zoom played their final show in March of that year before their ultimate dissolution. | ||
After the members of Zoom were evicted from their appartment, Cuomo moved in with a girlfriend and got a job working for Tower Records in Anaheim, California in [[1990]] before transferring to the company's Sunset Strip that summer.<ref>" | After the members of Zoom were evicted from their appartment, Cuomo moved in with a girlfriend and got a job working for Tower Records in Anaheim, California in [[1990]] before transferring to the company's Sunset Strip that summer.<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Tower%20Records Tower Records]" ''[[Riverpedia]]'' 4 September 2020.</ref> While working for Tower Records, Cuomo first met [[Pat Finn|Patrick Finn]], who encouraged Cuomo to write and sing his own songs and exposed him to bands that would later greatly influence his songwriting, like [[Nirvana]], [[the Beach Boys]], and the [[Pixies]].<ref name="30thoral">Wood, Mikael. "[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2024-03-25/weezer-blue-album-oral-history-30th-anniversary-rivers-cuomo Weezer’s Blue Album at 30: The inside story of the debut that launched L.A.’s nerdiest band]" ''Los Angeles Times''. 25 March 2024.</ref> Finn introduced Cuomo to future [[Weezer]] bandmates [[Patrick Wilson]], [[Jason Cropper]], and [[Matt Sharp]], in addition to [[Karl Koch]]. | ||
In early [[1991]], Cuomo and Wilson formed the band [[Fuzz]] with bassist [[Scottie Chapman]]. Fuzz featured a more Grunge-influenced sound, reflective of the music Cuomo was interested in at the time.<ref name="rollingstone25">Hiatt, Brian. " | In early [[1991]], Cuomo and Wilson formed the band [[Fuzz]] with bassist [[Scottie Chapman]]. Fuzz featured a more Grunge-influenced sound, reflective of the music Cuomo was interested in at the time.<ref name="rollingstone25">Hiatt, Brian. "[https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/weezer-blue-album-25th-anniversary-877089/ The Strange Birth and Near Death of Weezer]" ''Rolling Stone''. 28 August 2019. </ref><ref name="rechist1">[[Recording History - Page 1|Weezer Recording History - Page 1]]</ref> The project was short-lived; after a single 8-track demo and two shows, the band fizzled out as Cuomo and Wilson shifted focus toward a new project, [[60 Wrong Sausages]], formed alongside Finn and Cropper. Throughout the fall of 1991, the band recorded a demo, held several rehearsals, and performed one show before dissolving. | ||
===Formation of Weezer=== | ===Formation of Weezer=== | ||
{{Main|Weezer}} | {{Main|Weezer}} | ||
[[Image:Very early weezer.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Weezer's earliest incarnation. From L—R: [[Jason Cropper]], [[Patrick Wilson]], Rivers Cuomo, [[Matt Sharp]]]]Following the dissolution of 60 Wrong Sausages, Cuomo and Wilson expressed a shared interest in moving toward the type of songs that bands like [[Nirvana]] and the [[Pixies]] were recording. "There was so much anxiety about authenticity at the time," said Cuomo, "and we’d all just made this radical transformation from being metalheads to being alternative. You didn’t want anyone to find out what you looked like 12 months ago."<ref name="30thoral" /> The two resolved to [[The 50 Song Project|attempt to write fifty songs]] between the two of them before pursuing a new band project.<ref name="rechist2">[[Recording History - Page 2|Weezer Recording History - Page 2]]</ref> "We wanted to write a bunch of tunes before we even played together," said Cuomo,<ref name="manofsteel" /> "so that we could have an idea of where we were heading before we started wasting our time and money paying for a rehearsal studio. I didn't want to get back into a band until I felt like I had a bunch of songs that were good and that had cohesive style. So I just wrote songs and didn't play at all for a long time." Though the two did not make it to fifty songs, future Weezer tracks such as "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]," "[[My Name Is Jonas]]," and "[[The World Has Turned and Left Me Here]]" were written during this period.<ref name="rechist2" /> In January of 1992, Wilson shared a tape of the duo's material with [[Matt Sharp]] while the latter was living in Berkeley.<ref name="riversedge" /> Sharp was so impressed that he insisted on being Cuomo's bass player, resolving to move back to Los Angeles. "Rivers was able to articulate something that up to that point had been elusive for me," said Sharp, "I thought, ‘I’m doing this, no matter what has to be done to make it happen.'"<ref name="rollingstone25" /> Cuomo was greatly validated by Sharp's confidence. "It confirmed all my greatest hopes for myself." said Cuomo, "Knowing he felt so strongly about the songs was all the confidence I needed."<ref name="rollingstone25" /> | [[Image:Very early weezer.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Weezer's earliest incarnation. From L—R: [[Jason Cropper]], [[Patrick Wilson]], Rivers Cuomo, [[Matt Sharp]]]]Following the dissolution of 60 Wrong Sausages, Cuomo and Wilson expressed a shared interest in moving toward the type of songs that bands like [[Nirvana]] and the [[Pixies]] were recording. "There was so much anxiety about authenticity at the time," said Cuomo, "and we’d all just made this radical transformation from being metalheads to being alternative. You didn’t want anyone to find out what you looked like 12 months ago."<ref name="30thoral" /> The two resolved to [[The 50 Song Project|attempt to write fifty songs]] between the two of them before pursuing a new band project.<ref name="rechist2">[[Recording History - Page 2|Weezer Recording History - Page 2]]</ref> "We wanted to write a bunch of tunes before we even played together," said Cuomo,<ref name="manofsteel" /> "so that we could have an idea of where we were heading before we started wasting our time and money paying for a rehearsal studio. I didn't want to get back into a band until I felt like I had a bunch of songs that were good and that had cohesive style. So I just wrote songs and didn't play at all for a long time." Though the two did not make it to fifty songs, future Weezer tracks such as "[[Undone - The Sweater Song]]," "[[My Name Is Jonas]]," and "[[The World Has Turned and Left Me Here]]" were written during this period.<ref name="rechist2" /> In January of 1992, Wilson shared a tape of the duo's material with [[Matt Sharp]] while the latter was living in Berkeley.<ref name="riversedge" /> Sharp was so impressed that he insisted on being Cuomo's bass player, resolving to move back to Los Angeles. "Rivers was able to articulate something that up to that point had been elusive for me," said Sharp, "I thought, ‘I’m doing this, no matter what has to be done to make it happen.'"<ref name="rollingstone25" /> Cuomo was greatly validated by Sharp's confidence. "It confirmed all my greatest hopes for myself." said Cuomo, "Knowing he felt so strongly about the songs was all the confidence I needed."<ref name="rollingstone25" /> | ||
Cuomo, Wilson, Cropper, and Sharp formed the band that would later be dubbed [[Weezer]] in February of [[1992]], rehearsing for three days at T.K. Productions & Rehearsal Studios in west Los Angeles. The band performed their first concert the following month, at [[Weezer concert: 03/19/1992|Raji's on Hollywood Boulevard]], performing in support of headliner [[Dogstar]] (a band notable for featuring actor [[Wikipedia:Keanu Reeves|Keanu Reeves]] on bass).<ref>[[Historic event: 03/19/1992]]</ref> Hours before the show, Raji's promoter, Lawrence Mann, asked Cuomo what name to put on the bill.<ref>Lauden, S.W. ''[[Generation Blue|Generation Blue: An Oral History of the Hollywood Geek Rock Scene in the 1990s & 2000s]]''. 2024. Remember the Lightning LLC</ref> Without consulting the other members, Cuomo answered with "Weezer,"<ref>Koch, Karl. ''[[Weezine Issue 17 - Tales of Weezer]]''. 2021</ref> a childhood nickname given to him by his father after the character "Wheezer" ([[Wikipedia:Bobby Hutchins|Bobby Hutchins]]) from ''[[Wikipedia:Our Gang|The Little Rascals]]''.<ref>" | Cuomo, Wilson, Cropper, and Sharp formed the band that would later be dubbed [[Weezer]] in February of [[1992]], rehearsing for three days at T.K. Productions & Rehearsal Studios in west Los Angeles. The band performed their first concert the following month, at [[Weezer concert: 03/19/1992|Raji's on Hollywood Boulevard]], performing in support of headliner [[Dogstar]] (a band notable for featuring actor [[Wikipedia:Keanu Reeves|Keanu Reeves]] on bass).<ref>[[Historic event: 03/19/1992]]</ref> Hours before the show, Raji's promoter, Lawrence Mann, asked Cuomo what name to put on the bill.<ref>Lauden, S.W. ''[[Generation Blue|Generation Blue: An Oral History of the Hollywood Geek Rock Scene in the 1990s & 2000s]]''. 2024. Remember the Lightning LLC</ref> Without consulting the other members, Cuomo answered with "Weezer,"<ref>Koch, Karl. ''[[Weezine Issue 17 - Tales of Weezer]]''. 2021</ref> a childhood nickname given to him by his father after the character "Wheezer" ([[Wikipedia:Bobby Hutchins|Bobby Hutchins]]) from ''[[Wikipedia:Our Gang|The Little Rascals]]''.<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/My%20dad%27s%20nicknames%20for%20people%20and%20things My dad's nicknames for people and things]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref><ref>Leatham, Thomas "[https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/rivers-cuomo-how-weezer-got-their-name/ Rivers Cuomo explains the true story behind how Weezer got their name]" ''Far Out''. 6 February 2023.</ref> | ||
Weezer recorded multiple demos and played numerous shows around Los Angeles before signing to [[Geffen Records]] on [[June 25]], [[1993]].<ref name="rechist4">[[Recording History - Page 4|Weezer Recording History - Page 4]]</ref> The band's [[Weezer (The Blue Album)|eponymous debut album]] was recorded later that year and released the following spring, on [[May 10]], [[1994]]. Over the course of 1994, however, Cuomo became lonely and disillusioned with the lifestyle of constant touring. He began formulating a potential concept album based on this disillusionment, later dubbed ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]''.<ref name="thepinkertondiaries">Cuomo, Rivers. ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]''. [[2011]]. Self-published.</ref> Later in the year, Cuomo began applying at colleges with the intent of studying musical composition. | Weezer recorded multiple demos and played numerous shows around Los Angeles before signing to [[Geffen Records]] on [[June 25]], [[1993]].<ref name="rechist4">[[Recording History - Page 4|Weezer Recording History - Page 4]]</ref> The band's [[Weezer (The Blue Album)|eponymous debut album]] was recorded later that year and released the following spring, on [[May 10]], [[1994]]. Over the course of 1994, however, Cuomo became lonely and disillusioned with the lifestyle of constant touring. He began formulating a potential concept album based on this disillusionment, later dubbed ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]''.<ref name="thepinkertondiaries">Cuomo, Rivers. ''[[The Pinkerton Diaries]]''. [[2011]]. Self-published.</ref> Later in the year, Cuomo began applying at colleges with the intent of studying musical composition. | ||
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===Boston=== | ===Boston=== | ||
[[Image:Rivers Harvard ID.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Cuomo's Harvard student ID]]{{Small quote box|There appears to be some sort of brewing here—with regards to men's self-image. Our natural tendencies were repressed by the peace and love crap of my parents' generation; these tendencies were perverted and relieved in maladjusted ways. In the past 10 years, several voices—Howard Stern, [[Joe Matt]]—have had the courage to uncover these tendencies—and found large audiences of sympathizing men. These individuals are struggling to uncover and assimilate their urges in a way that does them justice. There is a large element of shame and self-deprecation in uncovering these urges. But always an unflinching desire to know the self. Who am I? Who is man? What is man? What am I?|Rivers Cuomo; journal entry; [[March 12]], [[1996]]<ref name="thepinkertondiaries" />}} | [[Image:Rivers Harvard ID.JPG|250px|right|thumb|Cuomo's Harvard student ID]]{{Small quote box|There appears to be some sort of brewing here—with regards to men's self-image. Our natural tendencies were repressed by the peace and love crap of my parents' generation; these tendencies were perverted and relieved in maladjusted ways. In the past 10 years, several voices—Howard Stern, [[Joe Matt]]—have had the courage to uncover these tendencies—and found large audiences of sympathizing men. These individuals are struggling to uncover and assimilate their urges in a way that does them justice. There is a large element of shame and self-deprecation in uncovering these urges. But always an unflinching desire to know the self. Who am I? Who is man? What is man? What am I?|Rivers Cuomo; journal entry; [[March 12]], [[1996]]<ref name="thepinkertondiaries" />}} | ||
In September of [[1995]], Cuomo moved into [[19 Corporal Burns Rd.|a house]] in Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend [[Harvard|Harvard University]]. Cuomo was largely anonymous to his peers while in school. "Most of our fans at that time were, like, ten years old," said Cuomo,<ref>'' | In September of [[1995]], Cuomo moved into [[19 Corporal Burns Rd.|a house]] in Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend [[Harvard|Harvard University]]. Cuomo was largely anonymous to his peers while in school. "Most of our fans at that time were, like, ten years old," said Cuomo,<ref>''[https://teamcoco.com/podcasts/conan-obrien-needs-a-friend/episodes/rivers-cuomo Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend'' "Rivers Cuomo"] 10 October 2022</ref> "It wasn't really a college audience...I grew a very long beard and long hair and I was undergoing this procedure on my leg, so I was walking with a cane. I just looked like some really weird, super-old, weird guy." | ||
Cuomo wrote very few songs (composition homework notwithstanding) during his time at Harvard,<ref name="cor" /><ref name="thepinkertondiaries" /> though several of the few songs he ''did'' write would later comprise the latter half of Weezer's subsequent album, ''[[Pinkerton]]''. These songs about personal experiences at Harvard lead Cuomo to, ultimately, abandon the previous "rock opera" conceit of ''Songs from the Black Hole''. ''Pinkerton'' released in September of 1996 and the band toured throughout 1997. The album, however, failed to achieve the same success as the band's debut album, polarizing critics and failing to meet sales expectations. Cuomo began distancing himself from the album for several years thereafter, calling it a "hideous record" in an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'' in [[2001]],<ref>Brunner, Rob. " | Cuomo wrote very few songs (composition homework notwithstanding) during his time at Harvard,<ref name="cor" /><ref name="thepinkertondiaries" /> though several of the few songs he ''did'' write would later comprise the latter half of Weezer's subsequent album, ''[[Pinkerton]]''. These songs about personal experiences at Harvard lead Cuomo to, ultimately, abandon the previous "rock opera" conceit of ''Songs from the Black Hole''. ''Pinkerton'' released in September of 1996 and the band toured throughout 1997. The album, however, failed to achieve the same success as the band's debut album, polarizing critics and failing to meet sales expectations. Cuomo began distancing himself from the album for several years thereafter, calling it a "hideous record" in an interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'' in [[2001]],<ref>Brunner, Rob. "[https://ew.com/article/2001/05/22/truth-behind-weezers-crack/ The truth behind Weezer's crack up]" ''Entertainment Weekly''. 22 May 2001.</ref> adding, "It was such a hugely painful mistake that happened in front of hundreds of thousands of people and continues to happen on a grander and grander scale and just won’t go away. It’s like getting really drunk at a party and spilling your guts in front of everyone and feeling incredibly great and cathartic about it, and then waking up the next morning and realizing what a complete fool you made of yourself." Following the conclusion of the tour, Weezer entered a fallow period. | ||
Cuomo initially intended to return to Harvard for the fall semester of 1997, but decided not to at the last minute.<ref name="harvardcrimsondc">Riesman, Abe J. " | Cuomo initially intended to return to Harvard for the fall semester of 1997, but decided not to at the last minute.<ref name="harvardcrimsondc">Riesman, Abe J. "[https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2006/4/26/rivers-end-the-directors-cut-the/ Rivers' End: The Director's Cut]" ''The Harvard Crimson''. 26 April 2006.</ref><ref name="weezine11">Koch, Karl. ''[[Weezine]]'' Issue [[Weezine Issue 11 - Fall 1997|#11 - Fall 1997]]</ref> Cuomo instead focused on songwriting again, in addition to performing shows with friends in the Boston music scene.<ref name="weezine11" /> Cuomo fronted a handful of small-venue concerts to try out new material and audition potential new bassists for Weezer following the departure of [[Matt Sharp]], experimenting with both "goofball"<ref name="weezine11" /> songs (under the moniker "[[Homie]]") that didn't fit with the darker, more personal songs of ''Pinkerton'', as well as minimalist, "drone rock" compositions utilizing as few chords as possible (a reaction to the negative response to ''Pinkerton'', which featured numerous chords and key changes).<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Lovely Lovely]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''.</ref> | ||
===''The Green Album'' and ''Maladroit''=== | ===''The Green Album'' and ''Maladroit''=== | ||
[[Image:Essay 97-98 05.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Mikey Welsh and Cuomo, 1998]]Cuomo ultimately selected bassist [[Mikey Welsh]] to join Weezer, and the two moved into a townhouse at Park La Brea in Los Angeles with Pat Wilson.<ref>Mikey Welsh [[Facebook posts by Mikey Welsh|Facebook post]]. Original link: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10150292201982717</ref><ref name="wpqa042024">[[Weezerpedia Discord Q&A with Karl Koch - April 2023]]</ref> Weezer resumed rehearsals, primarily at [[TK demos|T.K. Rehearsals]] in Los Angeles.<ref name="rechist10">[[Recording History - Page 10|Weezer Recording History - Page 10]]</ref> Cuomo and Welsh later moved into an apartment on Sepulveda Boulevard. By the beginning of 1999, however, Cuomo had failed to write any material in which he felt confidence.<ref name="aloneiilinernotes">''[[Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' [[Alone II liner notes|liner notes]]</ref> "My band-mates each were pursuing other projects." Cuomo reflected in [[2008]], "Weezer's manager and record company rep stopped calling me regularly. Friends and family grew distant. I encouraged the space so that I could be alone. I determined that with enough concentration and effort, I could analyze my way out of the predicament I imagined myself to be in, the predicament of 'poor songwriting'." Cuomo began an analytical process of regarding his songwriting sessions as "experiments," assigning each a number and maintaining a log dubbed "[[The Catalog o' Riffs]]." "I analyzed a large number of writing methods, varying what seemed to be every possible facet of the process: the order of the steps (guitar, melody, lyric, beat, riff, etc.); the tempo; the feel; the level of distortion on the guitar; whether I was composing aloud or in my head; the time of day; my emotional state; whether I had eaten or not; the number of drinks I had imbibed, if any. My goal was to ascertain the one method by which I could write the best songs."<ref name="aloneiilinernotes /> Meanwhile, he unplugged his phone, painted the walls and ceiling of his apartment bedroom [[Alone VI: The Black Room|black]] and covered the windows with fiberglass insulation.<ref>Rockland, Kate. " | [[Image:Essay 97-98 05.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Mikey Welsh and Cuomo, 1998]]Cuomo ultimately selected bassist [[Mikey Welsh]] to join Weezer, and the two moved into a townhouse at Park La Brea in Los Angeles with Pat Wilson.<ref>Mikey Welsh [[Facebook posts by Mikey Welsh|Facebook post]]. Original link: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10150292201982717</ref><ref name="wpqa042024">[[Weezerpedia Discord Q&A with Karl Koch - April 2023]]</ref> Weezer resumed rehearsals, primarily at [[TK demos|T.K. Rehearsals]] in Los Angeles.<ref name="rechist10">[[Recording History - Page 10|Weezer Recording History - Page 10]]</ref> Cuomo and Welsh later moved into an apartment on Sepulveda Boulevard. By the beginning of 1999, however, Cuomo had failed to write any material in which he felt confidence.<ref name="aloneiilinernotes">''[[Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]'' [[Alone II liner notes|liner notes]]</ref> "My band-mates each were pursuing other projects." Cuomo reflected in [[2008]], "Weezer's manager and record company rep stopped calling me regularly. Friends and family grew distant. I encouraged the space so that I could be alone. I determined that with enough concentration and effort, I could analyze my way out of the predicament I imagined myself to be in, the predicament of 'poor songwriting'." Cuomo began an analytical process of regarding his songwriting sessions as "experiments," assigning each a number and maintaining a log dubbed "[[The Catalog o' Riffs]]." "I analyzed a large number of writing methods, varying what seemed to be every possible facet of the process: the order of the steps (guitar, melody, lyric, beat, riff, etc.); the tempo; the feel; the level of distortion on the guitar; whether I was composing aloud or in my head; the time of day; my emotional state; whether I had eaten or not; the number of drinks I had imbibed, if any. My goal was to ascertain the one method by which I could write the best songs."<ref name="aloneiilinernotes /> Meanwhile, he unplugged his phone, painted the walls and ceiling of his apartment bedroom [[Alone VI: The Black Room|black]] and covered the windows with fiberglass insulation.<ref>Rockland, Kate. "[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/16/garden/16weezer.html Student With a Past]" ''The New York Times'' 16 February 2006.</ref><ref name="olderandweezer">Brunner, Rob. "Older & Weezer" ''Entertainment Weekly''. 25 May 2001. ([[Entertainment Weekly interview with Rivers Cuomo - May 25, 2001|Transcript]])</ref><ref name="whativebeenupto">Cuomo, Rivers. "[[What I've Been Up to Since I Left School]]" Essay. 2004.</ref> He began studying and dissecting the songs of the bands [[Nirvana]], [[Oasis]], and [[Green Day]], assembling his studies into a three-ring binder he called "[[The Encyclopedia of Pop]]," in hopes of discovering a formula for writing pop songs.<ref name="eliscucode">Eliscu, Jenny. "[[https://web.archive.org/web/20070310202917/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5933454/rivers_cuomos_encyclopedia_of_pop How the Weezer frontman cracked the code of the perfect song]" ''Rolling Stone'', Issue 898. 20 June 2002. Archived by ''Wayback Machine''. ([[Rolling Stone article - June 20, 2002|Transcript]])</ref> By late summer of 1999, Cuomo felt despondent in his efforts and briefly considered returning to school, but missed the registration deadline.<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> Weezer performed secret shows during this time—under the pseudonym "[[Goat Punishment]]"—wherein the band (sans Pat Wilson) covered songs from Nirvana and Oasis' respective debut albums. | ||
[[Image:Karlscorner-20001228-c.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Cuomo during recording sessions for ''The Green Album'']]In December of [[1999]], Cuomo moved into [[6145 Rodgerton Dr.|a house]] and built a rehearsal studio in the garage.<ref name="wpqa042024" /> In June of 2000, Weezer performed a number of shows at smaller venues under their own name before joining the [[Vans Warped Tour]]. The band continued playing concerts and rehearsing throughout the remainder of the year while Cuomo continued writing new songs.<ref name="rechist12">[[Recording History - Page 12|Weezer Recording History - Page 12]]</ref> From December through the following February, Weezer recorded their third record, the eponymous ''[[Weezer (The Green Album)|Green Album]]''. In contrast to earlier albums, Cuomo largely eschewed personal songwriting. "''The Green Album'' and ''[[Maladroit]]'' were, very intentionally, not about me." said Cuomo in 2006, "Not about what was going on in my life, at least in a conscious way." The lead single from ''Green'', "[[Hash Pipe]]," was reportedly written about a "homosexual transvestite prostitute"<ref name="olderandweezer" /> during one of Cuomo's "Catalog o' Riffs" experiments, wherein Cuomo chased Ritalin with three shots of tequila.<ref>"I Was a Scientist, This Was an Experiment" [[ITunes_Originals_band_commentary_-_2010#I_Was_a_Scientist.2C_This_Was_an_Experiment|iTunes Originals: Weezer]]</ref><ref name="eliscucode" /><ref>"Home Recordings From Weezer Frontman" ''Fresh Air with Terry Gross'', NPR. 22 January 2009. | [[Image:Karlscorner-20001228-c.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Cuomo during recording sessions for ''The Green Album'']]In December of [[1999]], Cuomo moved into [[6145 Rodgerton Dr.|a house]] and built a rehearsal studio in the garage.<ref name="wpqa042024" /> In June of 2000, Weezer performed a number of shows at smaller venues under their own name before joining the [[Vans Warped Tour]]. The band continued playing concerts and rehearsing throughout the remainder of the year while Cuomo continued writing new songs.<ref name="rechist12">[[Recording History - Page 12|Weezer Recording History - Page 12]]</ref> From December through the following February, Weezer recorded their third record, the eponymous ''[[Weezer (The Green Album)|Green Album]]''. In contrast to earlier albums, Cuomo largely eschewed personal songwriting. "''The Green Album'' and ''[[Maladroit]]'' were, very intentionally, not about me." said Cuomo in 2006, "Not about what was going on in my life, at least in a conscious way." The lead single from ''Green'', "[[Hash Pipe]]," was reportedly written about a "homosexual transvestite prostitute"<ref name="olderandweezer" /> during one of Cuomo's "Catalog o' Riffs" experiments, wherein Cuomo chased Ritalin with three shots of tequila.<ref>"I Was a Scientist, This Was an Experiment" [[ITunes_Originals_band_commentary_-_2010#I_Was_a_Scientist.2C_This_Was_an_Experiment|iTunes Originals: Weezer]]</ref><ref name="eliscucode" /><ref>"[https://freshairarchive.org/guests/rivers-cuomo Home Recordings From Weezer Frontman]" ''Fresh Air with Terry Gross'', NPR. 22 January 2009.</ref> Conversely, however, songs like "[[O Girlfriend]]"<ref>Midwest Music Media "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ7fhy_S0_s Weezer: O Girlfriend [Live - 1st time since 2002] - (Madison - June 14, 2023) - Indie Rock Road Trip]" ''YouTube''. 15 June 2023.</ref> and "[[Photograph]]" were written about real experiences. | ||
[[Image:Kerrang-april2002-weezer01.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Cuomo on the cover of ''Kerrang!'', 2002]] | [[Image:Kerrang-april2002-weezer01.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Cuomo on the cover of ''Kerrang!'', 2002]] | ||
Dissatisfied with his management, Cuomo sought to manage the band himself. He had dinner with [[Wikipedia:Fat Mike|Fat Mike]], frontman of the self-managed band [[Wikipedia:NOFX|NOFX]], who encouraged Cuomo not to pay someone a percentage.<ref name="riversedge" /> Immediately following the release of ''the Green Album'', Weezer fired their management, Atlas/Third Rail, and longtime manager [[Pat Magnarella]] (who subsequently sued).<ref>Pollack, Marc, and Simutis, David. "UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT: You Need A Scorecard To Keep Track, So We've Provided One" ''Hits Daily Double''. 3 July 2001. https:// | Dissatisfied with his management, Cuomo sought to manage the band himself. He had dinner with [[Wikipedia:Fat Mike|Fat Mike]], frontman of the self-managed band [[Wikipedia:NOFX|NOFX]], who encouraged Cuomo not to pay someone a percentage.<ref name="riversedge" /> Immediately following the release of ''the Green Album'', Weezer fired their management, Atlas/Third Rail, and longtime manager [[Pat Magnarella]] (who subsequently sued).<ref>Pollack, Marc, and Simutis, David. "[https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=274861&title=UNDER-NEW-MANAGEMENT UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT: You Need A Scorecard To Keep Track, So We've Provided One]" ''Hits Daily Double''. 3 July 2001.</ref><ref>[https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/TAC/2001-21%20Rivers%20Cuomo%20et%20al%20v%20Atlas%20Third%20Rail%20mgmt%20inc.pdf RIVERS CUOMO, an individual; PAT WILSON, an individual; BRIAN BELL, an individual; and MIKEY WELSH, an individual; collectively and professionally known as “WEEZER” vs. ATLAS/THIRD RAIL MANAGEMENT, INC., a California corporation; and PAT MAGNARELLA, an individual]</ref> According to [[Karl Koch]], the firing was a "statement of intent" and Cuomo felt that the band didn't need management, and could simply fund their next album with their own money and pay themselves back when the album sold.<ref name="vaultdive1">[https://archive.org/details/wfc-vault-dive-1 Weezer Fan Club Vault Dive #1]</ref> "I sought to cultivate the same ruthless practicality in my business that I had achieved in my music." Cuomo later reflected in an essay,<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> "I studied the lives of Napoleon and David Geffen, Machiavelli’s ''The Prince'', and contemporary texts on leadership and management. I gradually took over all of the business responsibilities from our manager and managed the band completely by myself. My performing, writing, and recording continued but were now joined by my business activities, all of which together I viewed as converging on the one goal of 'world domination'." | ||
Within weeks of the release of ''Green'', Weezer began recording new demos for the follow-up album. Cuomo shut out record label [[Geffen]] from the recording process, and the band financed and produced the record themselves, sharing in-progress recordings with fans online during studio sessions and sending CDs with finished songs to radio stations without the label's foreknowledge.<ref name="vaultdive1" /> From [[2002]] to [[2003]], Cuomo also became the manager for the band [[AM Radio]] (fronted by Cuomo's longtime friend and [[Avant Garde]] alum, [[Kevin Ridel]]).<ref> | Within weeks of the release of ''Green'', Weezer began recording new demos for the follow-up album. Cuomo shut out record label [[Geffen]] from the recording process, and the band financed and produced the record themselves, sharing in-progress recordings with fans online during studio sessions and sending CDs with finished songs to radio stations without the label's foreknowledge.<ref name="vaultdive1" /> From [[2002]] to [[2003]], Cuomo also became the manager for the band [[AM Radio]] (fronted by Cuomo's longtime friend and [[Avant Garde]] alum, [[Kevin Ridel]]).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190402175147/http://riverscuomo.com/bio/ riverscuomo.com bio]</ref><ref>Wiederhorn, Jon. "[https://www.mtv.com/news/tajjm8/weezers-rivers-cuomo-helps-am-radio-dress-for-success Weezer's Rivers Cuomo Helps AM Radio Dress For Success]" ''MTV''. 26 June 2003.</ref>Using this leverage, the band was able to renegotiate their contract, but the finished album, ''[[Maladroit]]'', under-performed, selling less than a million copies. Cuomo's behavior also became pointedly antagonistic, demanding a publicist exit his tour bus and walk back to the hotel before consenting to [[Kerrang! article - April 27, 2002|an interview for ''Kerrang!'']] and referring to fans as "little bitches" in [[Guitar World interview with Rivers Cuomo - May 2002|an interview for ''Guitar World'']]. He also began interacting with fans on internet message boards under the handle 'ace.'<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120610003630/http://www.members.shaw.ca/ridd2/ Curated archive of Weezer forum threads]</ref> Cuomo has referred to this period as his nadir.<ref>"Maladroit Preview 2021-12-27 14.38.mp3" ''[[Alone VIII: The Maladroit Years]]''</ref> "The end of 2002 was a period of just massive self-indulgence," he said in [[2010]],<ref name="louderweirdo">Brannigan, Paul. "[https://www.loudersound.com/features/weezer-how-rivers-cuomo-learned-how-to-embrace-life-following-a-near-death-experience “I know some people think I'm a weirdo. I'm working on it.” How Weezer's Rivers Cuomo learned how to embrace life following a near-death experience]" ''Louder''. 30 May 2024.</ref> "I was out at a Hollywood club one night doing who knows what with who knows whom, and when the club closed down I knew some people there so I was allowed to stay inside with a few friends as everyone else was ushered out onto the street. So I was just inside the door when suddenly there was all this commotion outside, and some people got dragged back into the club. They'd just been shot and they were bleeding and in obvious agony. So I was standing there in the midst of these downed people and I was thinking, This isn't where I want to be, there's got to be a better lifestyle to support my creativity." | ||
===''Make Believe'' and discovering meditation=== | ===''Make Believe'' and discovering meditation=== | ||
{{Small quote box|[W]hen Hafiz says, “Self-Effacement is the emerald dagger you need to plunge deep into yourself upon this path to …God”, I read it as “Self-Effacement is the emerald dagger you need to plunge deep into yourself upon this path to Musical Creativity."|Rivers Cuomo, 2004<ref name="whativebeenupto" />}}Songwriting and demoing for Weezer's fifth album had begun before ''Maladroit'' had even been released, but plans were halted in the summer of [[2002]]. Soon after, producer [[Rick Rubin]] agreed to produce the record. The band continued demoing new songs, but Cuomo wasn't pleased with the music he was making.<ref name="weirdworld">Grigoriadis, Vanessa. " | {{Small quote box|[W]hen Hafiz says, “Self-Effacement is the emerald dagger you need to plunge deep into yourself upon this path to …God”, I read it as “Self-Effacement is the emerald dagger you need to plunge deep into yourself upon this path to Musical Creativity."|Rivers Cuomo, 2004<ref name="whativebeenupto" />}}Songwriting and demoing for Weezer's fifth album had begun before ''Maladroit'' had even been released, but plans were halted in the summer of [[2002]]. Soon after, producer [[Rick Rubin]] agreed to produce the record. The band continued demoing new songs, but Cuomo wasn't pleased with the music he was making.<ref name="weirdworld">Grigoriadis, Vanessa. "[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rivers-cuomo-weezers-invisible-man-76590/ Weezer's Weird World]" ''Rolling Stone'' Issue 973. 5 May 2005.</ref> Said drummer Pat Wilson, "He didn’t believe in the music, because he didn’t believe in himself [...] Didn’t matter how many times we said, 'That’s rad, Dude.' There were times he was physically ill coming out of the studio." Rubin, wanting to help Cuomo, gave him a copy of ''The Gift'', a book of poems by the fourteenth-century Sufi poet Hafez.<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> Hafez, who wrote hundreds of ''[[Wikipedia:Ghazal|ghazals]]'' about different forms of love, led Cuomo to an epiphany: "If the feeling these mystics get in union with their God is analogous to the feeling I used to get in union with my music, then their teachings for how to achieve their union should likewise serve to instruct me how to achieve my union." Cuomo subsequently sold his house and most of his possessions, moved into an empty apartment next to Rubin's house, and began volunteering six days a week at Project Angel Food in Hollywood, providing meals to people with HIV.<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> He also took a two-year vow of sexual abstinence<ref>"[https://www.nme.com/news/music/weezer-132-1367131 Celibacy rocks, says Weezer frontman]" ''NME''. 27 October 2005.</ref> that he would maintain even longer,<ref>''Today''. "[https://www.today.com/popculture/weezer-singer-continues-vow-celibacy-wbna10533327 Weezer singer continues vow of celibacy]" 19 December 2005.</ref> until his marriage in [[2006]]. Although initially skeptical when Rubin suggested meditation, Cuomo found himself drawn to the technique of Vipassana.[[Image:Sngoenka.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Cuomo with Vipassana teacher [[S.N. Goenka]] in [[2005]].]] | ||
The effect of meditation had an effect on Cuomo's songwriting. One song, "[[Pardon Me]]," was written after Cuomo attended a meditation course in which the teacher told him to repeat over in his mind "I seek pardon from all those who have harmed me in action, speech or thought."<ref name="weirdworld" /> Another song, "Hold Me", was written while fasting. Weezer's fifth album, ''[[Make Believe]]'', was released on [[May 10]], [[2005]], eleven years to the day after ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|the Blue Album]]''. The album received mixed reviews but was a commercial success, debuting at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart.<ref>''Billboard'' 2005-05-28: https://books.google.com/books?id=4RQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Weezer&pg=PA54#v=snippet&q=Weezer&f=false</ref> | The effect of meditation had an effect on Cuomo's songwriting. One song, "[[Pardon Me]]," was written after Cuomo attended a meditation course in which the teacher told him to repeat over in his mind "I seek pardon from all those who have harmed me in action, speech or thought."<ref name="weirdworld" /> Another song, "Hold Me", was written while fasting. Weezer's fifth album, ''[[Make Believe]]'', was released on [[May 10]], [[2005]], eleven years to the day after ''[[Weezer (The Blue Album)|the Blue Album]]''. The album received mixed reviews but was a commercial success, debuting at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart.<ref>''Billboard'' 2005-05-28: [https://books.google.com/books?id=4RQEAAAAMBAJ&q=Weezer&pg=PA54#v=snippet&q=Weezer&f=false]</ref> | ||
Cuomo resumed classes at [[Harvard]] in December of [[2004]].<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> On [[June 8]], [[2006]],<ref name="spingrad">" | Cuomo resumed classes at [[Harvard]] in December of [[2004]].<ref name="whativebeenupto" /> On [[June 8]], [[2006]],<ref name="spingrad">"[https://www.spin.com/2006/06/rivers-cuomos-harvard-graduation/ Rivers Cuomo’s Harvard Graduation]" ''Spin''. 9 June 2006.</ref> he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English, and was elected to the academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa.<ref name="spingrad" /> A few weeks later, Cuomo married [[Kyoko Ito]].<ref name="rivwedding" /> | ||
===Late aughts=== | ===Late aughts=== | ||
In [[2006]], Cuomo began writing demoing new songs for Weezer's sixth album. In [[2007]], Cuomo released the first in a series of [[Alone (series)|compilation albums]] of song demos, titled ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. A follow-up, ''[[Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo|Alone II]]'', was released the following year. Weezer's eponymous ''[[Weezer (The Red Album)|Red Album]]'' was released in [[2008]]. | In [[2006]], Cuomo began writing demoing new songs for Weezer's sixth album. In [[2007]], Cuomo released the first in a series of [[Alone (series)|compilation albums]] of song demos, titled ''[[Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo]]''. A follow-up, ''[[Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo|Alone II]]'', was released the following year. Weezer's eponymous ''[[Weezer (The Red Album)|Red Album]]'' was released in [[2008]]. | ||
In [[2008]], Cuomo embarked on a collaborative songwriting project with fans through his YouTube channel. Dubbed "[[Let's Write a Sawng]]," Cuomo attempted to facilitate the writing of a pop song via crowd-sourced suggestions,<ref>"Let's Write a Sawng (Step 1 and Step 2)" ''YouTube''. 19 March 2008. | In [[2008]], Cuomo embarked on a collaborative songwriting project with fans through his YouTube channel. Dubbed "[[Let's Write a Sawng]]," Cuomo attempted to facilitate the writing of a pop song via crowd-sourced suggestions,<ref>"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thYRy9MBY_c Let's Write a Sawng (Step 1 and Step 2)]" ''YouTube''. 19 March 2008.</ref> ultimately culminating in the song "[[Turning Up the Radio]]." Although the song did not make the cut for inclusion on Weezer's seventh album, ''[[Raditude]]'', it appeared on the compilation ''[[Death to False Metal]]'' in [[2010]], featuring sixteen credited co-writers in addition to Cuomo. | ||
On [[December 6]], [[2009]], Cuomo's tour bus crashed outside of Albany after hitting a patch of black ice.<ref name="louderweirdo" /> Cuomo suffered three cracked ribs and some internal bleeding. Weezer subsequently canceled several dates on the then-underway [[Raditude Tour]]. | On [[December 6]], [[2009]], Cuomo's tour bus crashed outside of Albany after hitting a patch of black ice.<ref name="louderweirdo" /> Cuomo suffered three cracked ribs and some internal bleeding. Weezer subsequently canceled several dates on the then-underway [[Raditude Tour]]. | ||
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===Scott & Rivers=== | ===Scott & Rivers=== | ||
{{Main|Scott & Rivers}} | {{Main|Scott & Rivers}} | ||
In 2008,<ref>" | In 2008,<ref>"[https://qetic.jp/interview/scottandrivers-feature/243378/ 【インタビュー】スコット＆リバースが刻んだJ-POPへの深い愛情。「第二の故郷」で掴んだ彼らの自由とは]" 9 May 2017. </ref> Cuomo first met musician [[Scott Murphy]] (of the band [[Wikipedia:Allister|Allister]]) after telling his record company that he was looking for a collaborator on a Japanese album.<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Scott%20%26%20Rivers Scott & Rivers]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref> The two formed the Japanese-language pop duo [[Scott & Rivers]], releasing [[Scott & Rivers (album)|their first album]] in [[2013]]. The duo's follow-up, ''[[Nimaime]]'', was released in [[2017]]. | ||
===Acting=== | ===Acting=== | ||
Cuomo appears as himself in the short film/music video "[[Cocaine Blues]]" by American psychedelic rock band [[Wikipedia:The Warlocks|the Warlocks]]. He also makes a brief cameo appearance in the music video for "[[Murder (You Know It's Hard)]]" by [[Wikipedia:The Crystal Method|the Crystal Method]], directed by [[Marcos Siega]] (who also directed the music video for Weezer's "[[Hash Pipe]]"). | Cuomo appears as himself in the short film/music video "[[Cocaine Blues]]" by American psychedelic rock band [[Wikipedia:The Warlocks|the Warlocks]]. He also makes a brief cameo appearance in the music video for "[[Murder (You Know It's Hard)]]" by [[Wikipedia:The Crystal Method|the Crystal Method]], directed by [[Marcos Siega]] (who also directed the music video for Weezer's "[[Hash Pipe]]"). | ||
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Cuomo has a voice cameo as "Dr. Haskell" in the [[2018]] film ''[[Spell]]''. He plays the character "Lake" in the 2023 Netflix film ''The Family Switch''. | Cuomo has a voice cameo as "Dr. Haskell" in the [[2018]] film ''[[Spell]]''. He plays the character "Lake" in the 2023 Netflix film ''The Family Switch''. | ||
In 2015, Cuomo helped to produce a television pilot by [[Wikipedia:Psych|Psych]] creator [[Wikipedia:Steve Franks|Steve Franks]] titled ''[[DeTour]]'', about a rock star returning to school after a period of intense writer's block (loosely based on his own experience attending Harvard). Cuomo made a cameo appearance in the pilot as "Professor Kitts." The pilot was not picked up.<ref>Kaye, Ben. " | In 2015, Cuomo helped to produce a television pilot by [[Wikipedia:Psych|Psych]] creator [[Wikipedia:Steve Franks|Steve Franks]] titled ''[[DeTour]]'', about a rock star returning to school after a period of intense writer's block (loosely based on his own experience attending Harvard). Cuomo made a cameo appearance in the pilot as "Professor Kitts." The pilot was not picked up.<ref>Kaye, Ben. "[https://consequence.net/2015/07/tv-sitcom-about-rivers-cuomos-life-will-never-air/ TV sitcom about Rivers Cuomo’s life will never air]" ''Consequence of Sound''. 10 July 2015. </ref> | ||
In 2020, Cuomo developed a pitch for a television pilot in which he would portray a fictionalized version of himself, who performs with Weezer and lives as a family man while also secretly being an alien from outer space.<ref>stupidsuck1010. "5-22-20 Rivers Cuomo Zoom w Yalun Tu- Buddy Holly I Don't Know How to Love Him, I Admire You So Much" ''YouTube.'' 22 May 2020. | In 2020, Cuomo developed a pitch for a television pilot in which he would portray a fictionalized version of himself, who performs with Weezer and lives as a family man while also secretly being an alien from outer space.<ref>stupidsuck1010. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1VYsjmsjRI 5-22-20 Rivers Cuomo Zoom w Yalun Tu- Buddy Holly I Don't Know How to Love Him, I Admire You So Much]" ''YouTube.'' 22 May 2020.</ref> | ||
==Personal life== | ==Personal life== | ||
<!--Write about programming--> | <!--Write about programming--> | ||
<!--Write about Discord--> | <!--Write about Discord--> | ||
===Relationships=== | ===Relationships=== | ||
Cuomo was in an quasi-relationship (referred to by Cuomo as his "sort-of-girlfriend"<ref name="aloneiilinernotes" /> or "'girlfriend'" in quotes<ref name="elliott" />) with musician [[Jennifer Chiba]] in the 90s. Several songs written by Cuomo were inspired by Chiba, and she was the basis for the character of [[Maria]] in the aborted ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]'' concept album. The cover for ''[[Pinkerton]]'' was based on a postcard sent to Cuomo by Chiba.<ref>" | Cuomo was in an quasi-relationship (referred to by Cuomo as his "sort-of-girlfriend"<ref name="aloneiilinernotes" /> or "'girlfriend'" in quotes<ref name="elliott" />) with musician [[Jennifer Chiba]] in the 90s. Several songs written by Cuomo were inspired by Chiba, and she was the basis for the character of [[Maria]] in the aborted ''[[Songs from the Black Hole]]'' concept album. The cover for ''[[Pinkerton]]'' was based on a postcard sent to Cuomo by Chiba.<ref>"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Pinkerton%20Cover%20Art Pinkerton Cover Art]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref> Chiba was in a relationship with musician [[Elliott Smith]] at the time of his death in 2003, and the Weezer song "[[The Other Way]]" was written by Cuomo about his conflicting feelings about attempting to comfort Chiba.<ref name="elliott">"[https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Elliott%20Smith Elliott Smith]" ''[[Riverpedia]]''</ref> | ||
Cuomo met [[Kyoko Ito Cuomo|Kyoko Ito]] in [[1997]] at one of his solo concerts<!--I'm not sure it's ever been 100% confirmed which show he met her at.--> in Cambridge, Massachusetts.<ref>"Kyoko" ''Riverpedia''. https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Kyoko</ref> The two married on [[June 18]], [[2006]].<ref name="rivwedding">Weezer.com archived on Archive.org, July 1 2006: https://web.archive.org/web/20060701010316/http://weezer.com/</ref> The pair have two children. | Cuomo met [[Kyoko Ito Cuomo|Kyoko Ito]] in [[1997]] at one of his solo concerts<!--I'm not sure it's ever been 100% confirmed which show he met her at.--> in Cambridge, Massachusetts.<ref>"Kyoko" ''Riverpedia''. https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Kyoko</ref> The two married on [[June 18]], [[2006]].<ref name="rivwedding">Weezer.com archived on Archive.org, July 1 2006: [https://web.archive.org/web/20060701010316/http://weezer.com/]</ref> The pair have two children. | ||
===Beliefs=== | ===Beliefs=== | ||
Cuomo has been a vegetarian since childhood.<ref> | Cuomo has been a vegetarian since childhood.<ref>"[https://thebadpennyblog.com/2010/09/17/weezers-rivers-cuomo-in-2002-i-think-i-had-a-falling-out-with-the-fans/ Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo In 2002: ‘I Think I Had A Falling Out With The Fans’" ''The Bad Penny''.</ref><ref name="latimesspreadsheet">Wood, Mikael. "[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-rivers-cuomo-weezer-teal-album-black-album-20190222-story.html Being Rivers Cuomo: Why Weezer’s frontman put his life into a spreadsheet]" 22 February 2019. ''Los Angeles Times''</ref> | ||