With rock stars, sometimes some shenanigans occur that are so strange, you couldn’t make them up! Rock stars live wild lifestyles in the spotlight and can get away with whatever they please. Adoring fans around the globe forgive them for their antics, and it’s rare that they hear the word “no” from those around them. All of this is a recipe for an unhinged rock star giving way to unbelievable myths. The thing is, many of these myths are actually true! Here are the ten most insane rock star urban legends that actually happened.
The Depeche Mode coffin rumor that ended up being true
When popular 80s band Depeche Mode went on the “Devotional” tour, the lead singer Dave Gahan was obsessed with vampires. But clearly, this obsession was more than just a phase. Rumors swirled that Gahan got a coffin delivered on a tour that he would sleep in before going on stage. Gahan really did have a coffin delivered when the group was in South America. While it was sent as a joke, the lead singer took it seriously. Taking things to the next level, a journalist said that Gahan “put a curse” on him and bit him on the neck, which the singer admitted to.
The subject of Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain”
For almost half a century, the world has wondered who the iconic song “You’re So Vain” is about. The urban legend has people betting between Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson, James Taylor, and Mick Jagger. While the song creator, Carly Simon, kept quiet about it. The only person she told was a person who bought the secret behind the song at a charity auction. And, in fact, it’s true! The auction took place in 2003 on Martha’s Vineyard, where she auctioned off the knowledge for $50,000. The winner was NBC Sports president Dick Ebersol, and he still never told a soul!
Charles Manson’s music
Before Charles Manson went on to start his own serial killer cult, he was friends with the Beach Boys and just wanted to be a rock star. He wanted this so badly that rumors popped up, saying that Manson did everything he could to get his music produced with the help of the Beach Boys and that he sold a song to Dennis. That rumor was true. Wilson got Manson recording time in his brother’s recording studio, but Manson didn’t have the talent to make it. Still, Wilson bought the song (which was creepily titled “Cease To Exist.” Wilson changed the lyrics to make it more pop-friendly, and Manson was so upset he mailed a bullet to Wilson as a threat!
The Buddy Holly plane crash
After Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in 1959 along with other young rock stars, it was revealed that Waylon Jennings, who was supposed to be on that flight as well, gave his seat to Richardson. There was a story that Jennings expressed his wish for Buddy Holly’s plane to crash as a joke when the two were making fun of each other, and this wish was fulfilled. Years after the accident, Jennings confirmed the story was true. That joke probably haunted him for a long time…
John Lennon’s FBI files
According to rumors, the FBI investigated John Lennon after he met up with anti-war activists in NYC in 1971. The investigation did occur, and it led to the FBI trying to get Lennon deported from the USA in 1972. He was under a “60-day order to leave the country,” but thanks to a team of fancy lawyers, he never had to leave and eventually did get a green card.
A platinum hit that was the byproduct of a $500 bet
The song “Just a Song Before I Go” by Crosby, Stills, & Nash was one of the band’s most impactful singles ever. The myth is that it was written in only a few minutes, and it was the result of a $500 bet, as well as a casual challenge from a cannabis dealer to Graham Nash. This story is true, and it all kicked off when Nash’s drug dealer friend who was staying with Nash bet him he couldn’t write a song before he left. The amount of the bet was, you guessed it, $500! The dealer ended up having to pay up.
How Van Morrison got out of his contract
As hearsay goes, Morrison got out of his contract with his old recording company by recording nearly 36 songs in a single day so that he could start his solo career with Warner Bros. Records. It’s all the honest truth; in 1967, he recorded the worldwide hit “Brown Eyed Girl” with producer Bert Berns with Bang Records. When Berns passed away, Morrison opted for a more lucrative deal with Warner Bros, but he had to record 31 songs with Bang before he could get out of it. The songs were terrible with poor song quality, and Warner Bros had to pay the record label $20,000 to get Morrison out of the contract.
Aerosmith’s near-death experience
On October 20, 1977, a plane crash killed three members of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Rumor has it that Aerosmith was supposed to be on that same plane and, if they had been, would have suffered that same fate. Apparently, Aerosmith’s managers did a safety inspection and turned down its use, and this really happened. Years later, an interview with Joe Perry confirmed that the band wouldn’t fly on the plane, though the reason was never revealed.
Jimi Hendrix was fired by Little Richard
Before his impressive solo career, Jimi Hendrix played guitar for a variety of rock stars and R&B acts. He even toured with the legendary Little Richard for a time. However, one myth about their time together became a reality: Little Richard really did fire Hendrix for being perpetually late and upstaging the superstar for whom he was supposed to play as a backing guitarist. Rather than being outshined on stage, Little Richard decided to fire Hendrix.
Billy Joel hates the ultra-rich
This rumor that ended up being true paints Billy Joel as a Robin Hood of sorts, and it’s iconic! Joel hated when scalpers would buy the best tickets and resell them to the wealthy, as well as the ultra-rich people who buy the tickets regardless of the cost and don’t even have a genuine passion for the music. For this reason, he doesn’t put up the first few rows of tickets for sale at his concerts. Instead, he holds onto them himself and then passes them on to the “real” fans on the day of the concert. Joel told Billboard Magazine in 2014 that he held onto the tickets and passed them to people sitting in the worst seats since the wealthy weren’t great audience members.
