Ongoing History Daily: Rivers Cuomo’s leg

Weezer released their debut album–the so-called “blue” album–in May 1994. A bunch of hit singles later, the band disappeared for a couple of years. Where did they go?

While some of the guys decided to form solo projects, singer Rivers Cuomo decided to lengthen his leg. He was born with his left leg shorter than the right. With the money he made from the first Weezer album, he underwent a lengthy and painful procedure.

First, his left femur was carefully and cleanly broken just above the knee. Then a big metal frame was attached to his leg. Every day, Rivers had to adjust a series of screws that stretched his leg one millimetre at a time. With each stretch, the femur was encouraged to grow longer. And it needed to grow 44 millimetres longer.

If it sounds painful, it was. But it worked. Rivers says it was worth the $50,000 in medical bills.

Thursday’s post was on Joe Strummer’s secret obsession.