15 Unbelievable Facts About Rock and Roll Artists

The history of rock music hides fascinating tales that shed light on the lives and careers of our beloved musicians.

Here are some remarkable facts we stumbled upon from various rock and history threads on Reddit:
1. Phil Collins Sings in Five Languages for ‘Tarzan’ Soundtrack
Phil Collins, who composed Disney’s Tarzan soundtrack, sang all the songs not just in English but also in French, German, Italian, and Spanish, adding an international touch to the music.

2. The Doors’ Unexpected Start: Music for Ford Training Video
The Doors’ journey began unexpectedly with their first studio recording being background music for a Ford dealer training video, completed approximately four months before their official debut album.

3. Pink Floyd’s Balloon Mishap Disrupts Heathrow Flights
Pink Floyd’s famous pig balloon from “Animals” caused chaos when it broke free during a shoot, floating into Heathrow Airport’s airspace and forcing the cancellation of all flights, an unintended consequence of their ambitious art.

4. Paul McCartney’s Passport Bluff at Customs
In 1967, Paul McCartney found himself without his passport while traveling to France for a music video shoot. However, he managed to convince customs officials to let him through by leveraging his fame and identity.

5. Creed’s Contract Signed in Blood… and Reprinted
In 1997, members of the rock band Creed, Scott Stapp and Brian Marshall, signed their first record contract in blood, a dramatic gesture that necessitated a reprinting of the contract due to its unusual nature.

6. Keith Richards’ Black Eye Courtesy of Chuck Berry
Keith Richards received a black eye from Chuck Berry after playfully plucking the strings of Berry’s guitar backstage during a show, a moment of friction between two iconic musicians.

7. Frank Zappa’s Surprising RIAA Label on Instrumental Album
Frank Zappa’s instrumental album “Jazz from Hell” garnered attention for receiving an RIAA warning label despite being entirely instrumental, an unexpected twist for the unconventional musician.

8. Queen’s Wealth Surpasses Queen Elizabeth II
Surprisingly, the rock band Queen amassed greater wealth than even Queen Elizabeth II, a testament to their immense success and popularity in the music industry.

9. ‘Born To Be Wild’: Canadian Roots of an American Classic
Despite its quintessentially American sound, the song “Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf has Canadian roots, with three out of five band members being Canadian and the song sung by a German vocalist, revealing a surprising international background.

10. Van Halen’s Mysteriously Disappearing, Reappearing Guitar
Eddie Van Halen’s iconic Frankenstrat guitar vanished from the Hard Rock Cafe only to mysteriously reappear later, adding a layer of intrigue to the tale of the beloved instrument.

11. ‘Wizard Rock’: A Musical Tribute to Harry Potter
‘Wizard rock’ emerged as a musical subgenre dedicated to the Harry Potter franchise, with musicians crafting songs inspired by events in the books and often dressing in themed costumes for performances at Harry Potter fan events.

12. Florida Radio’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ Marathon
A Florida radio station made waves by playing Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” continuously for 24 hours, kicking off an all-Led Zeppelin format that captured the attention of listeners.

13. Kurt Cobain’s Premature Obituary
Kurt Cobain found himself the subject of a premature obituary in March 1994, just weeks before his actual passing, a bizarre and tragic twist of fate.

14. Freddie Mercury’s Last Recording Days
In his final months, Freddie Mercury dedicated himself to recording as many vocals as possible for Queen to complete after his death, leaving behind a lasting musical legacy.

15. Queen’s Defiance of Apartheid Embargo for South Africa Show
Queen disregarded international sanctions to perform at the Sun City venue in South Africa, a controversial decision that sparked debate but demonstrated their commitment to their fans.