10 Musicians Who Turned Their Back on the Rock Scene
via DM&C Dance Music&Comedy / YouTube
Many classic rock musicians spent decades in the spotlight, but some eventually distanced themselves from the industry. Whether due to personal reasons, creative changes, or disillusionment with the music business, these artists walked away from the scene that made them famous.
John Deacon
View this post on Instagram
John Deacon, Queen’s bassist, played a key role in the band’s success. He wrote some of their biggest hits, including “Another One Bites the Dust.” After Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991, Deacon performed a few more times with the band but eventually retired in 1997. He no longer takes part in any Queen-related activities.
He has stayed out of the public eye for decades, refusing interviews and avoiding events. While Brian May and Roger Taylor continue to tour with Queen’s music, Deacon prefers a quiet life away from fame. His decision was based on personal choice rather than a public feud, showing how deeply Mercury’s passing affected him.
Bill Wyman
View this post on Instagram
Bill Wyman spent over 30 years as the Rolling Stones’ bassist before leaving in 1993. He was part of the band’s rise to fame, playing on many of their greatest albums. Even though the Stones continued without him, Wyman never regretted his decision to step away.
Instead of staying in the mainstream spotlight, he pursued different interests, including writing books and working on his own music projects. He formed Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, a band that focused on blues and rockabilly rather than stadium rock. Unlike the Rolling Stones, he preferred smaller venues and a more laid-back career.
Grace Slick
View this post on Instagram
Grace Slick was the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane and later Jefferson Starship. She became one of the defining voices of the psychedelic rock era with songs like “White Rabbit” and “Somebody to Love.” However, by the late 1980s, she felt the rock lifestyle was no longer for her.
She retired from music in 1989, stating that she didn’t want to be an older performer in a youth-driven industry. Since leaving the scene, she has focused on painting and visual art. While she occasionally comments on the music world, she has never attempted a full return to performing.
David Byrne
View this post on Instagram
David Byrne led Talking Heads, one of the most innovative rock bands of the late 1970s and 1980s. The band mixed rock with new wave and world music influences, producing hits like “Once in a Lifetime.” However, Byrne lost interest in being part of a traditional rock band and decided to move on.
By the early 1990s, he focused on solo projects, film scores, and experimental music. He also became involved in theater and writing. While he still performs, he has no interest in reuniting Talking Heads, despite repeated offers from the other band members.
Peter Green
View this post on Instagram
Peter Green founded Fleetwood Mac and was known for his unique guitar playing. In the late 1960s, the band started as a blues group before evolving into a more mainstream act. However, Green left in 1970, struggling with mental health issues and disillusionment with fame.
For years, he avoided the music industry, living a quiet life away from the spotlight. Although he made brief returns to music in later years, he never fully embraced a comeback. Unlike Fleetwood Mac’s later commercial success, Green preferred a simple life with less attention.
Ritchie Blackmore
View this post on Instagram
Ritchie Blackmore was a founding member of Deep Purple and later Rainbow. He was responsible for some of the most famous guitar riffs in rock history, including “Smoke on the Water.” However, by the 1990s, he lost interest in rock and turned to medieval and folk music instead.
He formed Blackmore’s Night, a band focused on Renaissance-style music. Unlike many of his peers, he never returned to his hard rock roots. While fans hoped he would play Deep Purple songs again, Blackmore made it clear that he had moved on to a different style.
Syd Barrett
View this post on Instagram
Syd Barrett was the original frontman of Pink Floyd, known for his psychedelic songwriting. However, due to struggles with mental health and substance use, he left the band in 1968. The remaining members, including David Gilmour and Roger Waters, went on to worldwide fame without him.
After leaving music, Barrett lived a private life in Cambridge, rarely making public appearances. His former bandmates occasionally mentioned him in interviews, but he had no interest in reconnecting with the industry. He spent the rest of his life painting and avoiding media attention.
Vito Bratta
View this post on Instagram
Vito Bratta was the lead guitarist of White Lion, a band that gained popularity in the 1980s with songs like “Wait” and “When the Children Cry.” Unlike many other hair metal musicians, Bratta completely disappeared from the public eye after White Lion broke up in the early 1990s.
For years, fans wondered why he left music, but Bratta remained silent. He later revealed that he stepped away due to personal and family responsibilities. Despite occasional interviews, he has never expressed interest in returning to the rock world.
Mark Knopfler
View this post on Instagram
Mark Knopfler was the lead singer and guitarist of Dire Straits, known for hits like “Sultans of Swing” and “Money for Nothing.” While Dire Straits was one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, Knopfler was never comfortable with the fame that came with it.
In the 1990s, he moved away from rock and focused on solo work, film scores, and smaller projects. He still plays music but prefers a low-profile career. Despite the band’s influence, he has no interest in reuniting or revisiting Dire Straits’ stadium-rock days.
Paul Simon
View this post on Instagram
Paul Simon, best known for Simon & Garfunkel, had a long solo career after the duo split. Over the years, he explored different musical styles and remained active in the industry. However, by the late 2010s, he decided to retire from large-scale touring.
He expressed that performing no longer brought him the same fulfillment and preferred to focus on personal interests. While he occasionally releases new music, he has made it clear that he no longer sees himself as a part of the mainstream rock scene. His retirement from touring marked the end of an era for fans.
