The Rivers Cuomo Interview: Weezer frontman dishes on meditation, Kiss, and bad breath
Friday, April 24, 2009
I think that meditation is a good practice no matter what your other beliefs might be. To attempt to quit your mind and spirit through displine thought and communion is always a good idea. That said 45 days. WOW!!!!
Also, I think that you can have a quiet mind and spirit, but freaking ROCK fo fun and expression. You could have a Quiet Riot, he he.
He didn't seem high to me, he just seemed like a nice, peaceful person. Perhaps he thinks that words have power and therefore choses his words a little more carefully than most? Sounds like a good idea that is not implemented nearly enough. If that's what happens when you meditate for 45 days, then it seems like there are a lot of people who could benefit from that.
I don't think I could do a 45 day meditation. I've been to a couple of yoga classes and like the mediatation you do afterwards, but wouldn't you eventually get bored at a retreat like that around day 17?
Nice to see a rocker, rock the inner thoughts. Greater reminder that meditation isn't all self-centered, with the "my thoughts, my focus, my peace, my happiness". I like the "let all insects be peaceful, and reptiles be happy". I've foud that whenever I spend time concerned with others happiness, it usually makes me more peaceful.
The soy-coffee breath sounds rough though.
high 10 the meta... vipassana changed my life... ooo it works.. xxxxx bring on the 45 days .. few 10 day sittings to go yet..
First of all meditation is not just closing your eyes and imagine things lets get that clear...you have to even breathe differently to start a meditation but i wont get into that...
I do meditation and I am a lucid dreamer and I believe in the power of the mind...some of the greatest used lucid dreaming to create art Dali painted what he saw on his dreams...Einstein dreamed about atoms...It is very inspiring and it can help be creative if you meditate the right way...I have seen things on my lucid dreams that my mind make up without me not even thinking about them and I am left in awe
I attached a video about lucid dreamin which is very inspiring you can skip to minute 3:20 to see some famous people that used lucid dream for their inspiration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASf55cov5F8&feature=player_profilepage#
I don't get why so many people are confused and weirded out by Rivers' somewhat vacant stare and odd manner of speaking in this interview ... unless you have never smoked pot. The whole conversation felt like a couple friends sitting around firing up a fatty and talking about whatever comes to mind. Oooooo I got a thought! What if Rivers was high in that interview?! My what are things coming to these days anyhow? Musicians doing drugs... shame shame.... I liked the interview.
@Jrade Come on let's be nice. Meditation does not equal laziness. Not attempting new ways to expand your mind is laziness. It's harder than you think. I went on a 4-day silent meditation retreat in Joshua Tree and although it was lovely, trying to meditate and not attach yourself to the thousands of thoughts that run through your head is super hard and takes a great deal of effort. It was truly one of the hardest things I've ever tried. I cannot imagine trying to meditate for 45 days! So good for him. Haven't heard his music but based on this little tid bit he just gained a new fan who will be purchasing his CD.
Rivers Cuomo is probably the last guy I would suspect to meditate on a regular basis. This was a very entertaining interview! :)
@Jrade Meditation works for Rivers it helps him remove his mental blocks and gives him room to create some new music. That's awesome I think. He's putting forth effort to pull out his best music by doing this practice. Some practices of meditation are done by sitting up straight and cross legged, and a chant or a repeated song line can be said, also hand gestures can be used to get into that relaxed state. Eyes can be closed, half open or completely open. There are ways of breathing too to induce relaxation. Meditation can be practiced by walking, or standing, even swaying back and forth which can sometimes happen automatically if their in a deep enough state. Thai Chi is a form of meditation and there's a lot of movement in that. There are many forms of meditation. I don't know it doesn't sound too lazy to me. Props to Rivers for doing this, its takes a lot of discipline to do it and for 45 days. I have more respect for this band cause this guy is doing something to tap into the purest creativity he can out of his art, that's all I ask of an artist.
Ehh...Uhhh....
Been a Weezer fan since 94, will continue to support but Rivers givin me the creeps with that blank stare, goofy right eye and Ted Kaczynksi look....
that's pretty cool, i may have to revisit Weezer again.. i love hearing about music/actor type artists getting into meditation and stuff. it reminds me of the Beastie Boys and their Buddhist journey and how it totally opened up their music doors and what-not. way cool.
I can't believe he likes Kiss. haha! Otherwise a very interesting and informative interview. Most people don't have the time or money to go on retreats for meditation though.
@Jrade Respectfully, I think there's a BIG difference between laziness and the discipline involved with meditation.
I've been a weezer fan for 11 years now, it was interesting to see this side of Rivers (he's been through a lot of phases in his personal life... and a lot of beards).
I loved the song too in the other video.
Ummn I shouldn't have watched this video. I mean Rainn was good but I definately lost respect for Rivers Cuomo. 45 days of just laziness!? Sitting around surrounded possibly by incense and candles give me a break!
That was an awesome interview... wish we could see more and ask bigger questions. I find it interesting what these people think about the world beyond our own.
so are there gong to be any more metaphysical milkshakes or was this a one time thing?
Thats super rad!! id really love to see an interview with Henry Rollins too
See that's great! Music and meditation go nicely together. There is no limit to what we can discover and/or pull out of ourselves. Cool interview. (Is that microphone real? lol Another topic of discussion with great ramifications.)
I think the idea to interview Rivers was very good. I had no idea he was so spiritually inclined, but I have more respect for him now. It's comforting to know there are more people out there who are interested in spirituality and meditation, and they're not all hippies!
It hasn't been pointed out yet but the meditation courses Rivers is talking about are S.N. Goenka's Vipassana courses. The site is at dhamma.org. They have centers internationally, and I would encourage everyone to take a course. It was the most significant experience of my life.
ha! bored much?
i don't know about his breath but rainn sure reeks of home! he looks like he stumbled out of the tractor tavern...
You two seem to, oddly, play off of each other well. I would never have thought this was possible.
While the footage is raw and not polished, I liked the content. :)
Really? It was raw (and not in the good sense) and not very polished. At first, I thought they were reading their responses. The editing was choppy (duh!). Rainn, were you holding the camera while you were interviewing?....how the heck long are your arms? Cool you could snag Cuomo, but polish it up a skosh.....s'alll....but I'll come back again and again...I'm like thousands of other...I follow on twitter and I'm here, right?...you're doing something right....just fix those interviewing skills...interview Mindy.....she's fun....she'll lead...
@schadenfreude He said KISS too! Those are some really gay bands. Metallica came out of their closet in '88
I am gay and not homophobic so I know what I'm talking about.
I like how he decided to meditate because his producer suggested it would help, not because of any want or search for god.
Also, how do you go from Quiet Riot to Metallica? Terrible.
Thank you so much! Great interview. Awesome jam session ...loved the bongos.
Great interview! I wish more huge stars (like Rivers Cuomo) would be so willing to completely open up and talk about things that really matter. Other celebrities should follow the fine example that Rivers and Rainn have set here. I hope to see more interviews and content like this from SoulPancake!
Great interview. It's nice to be able to watch two generally well known people sit down and have a discussion about something other than a "new album" or some other shameless self-promotion.
B.T.W. I totally understand about the soy-and-coffee burps. Worst thing ever besides koubasa.
I honestly don't give a shit...But I do know..Weezer has been one of my favs sence early 90's (shows how old I really am)I LOVE U GUYS AND SAW U AT PHX FAIR LAST YEAR!!!!! I still love you and hope to see good shit in the future!!!
with love,
Kacey
Confirmed ... I love SoulPancake. Looking forward to adventurously thoughtful good times.
Keep it up Rainn!! This are really good interviews!!! They way interviews sould be! Meaningful!!! Everybody else in showbizz please take note!! Allah'u'Abha Rainn!
I've always wanted to get into meditation but I have never been able to get my brain to stop, which is exhausting.
I love this! It's got to be light to be en-light-ened. Great reminder to take the time to meditate and get in touch with our center. Love this! Thanks for this site Rainn! And to all the people that work so hard on it to make it happen.
This is a perfect example of what we all need to be striving for: real, meaningful conversation. I know that’s the whole point of Soul Pancake. But, the reality of this need just hit me with this video. What’s awesome is that even well known people like this can have these meaningful, deep conversations. And, it’s not to sell something or promote themselves, it’s simply here for what it is-- meaningful. What else that’s amazing is that what they have to say does not necessarily mean more than what any other individual has to say. When we relate and converse in a manner such as this one that’s what we all become-- individuals with something important to offer.
Awesome. Thanks, Rainn!
@RingingInMyHead
I know! Rainn you must set a great atmosphere for them to open up like that, only truly great interviewers can get that effect. What am i getting at? Rainn is truly a great interviewer.
Much Love :D
DISCUSSION TOOLSET
I was the most hardcore weezer fan in high school. My mantra was the blue album and pinkerton. Rivers helped unify the nerds with great guitar solo's and emotionally expressive lyrics. One of the biggest let downs was the green album and every other shallow song that came thereafter. If he started meditating at the point, it would make sense for all the emotional quality that made the first two albums so great to lift up to whatever heavens there are.
And for $ it's gone. tssk tssk...