Music Trivia

This page currently edited by: Rio Rhodes. Past editor: Rock 'n' Roll Fan

Glenn Gregory of Heaven 17 fame assisted Martin Fry with ABC's Skyscraping album in 1997 and also appeared with Martin on tour at Wembley Arena in 1999 along with Culture Club and The Human League
The first lead singer for AC / DC was Bon Scott.
Who was AC/DC's FIRST lead singer.
Matt Leblanc of Friends played Alanis Morissette's boyfriend in one her early canadian release pop videos (This was before she was known as the angry young woman of "Jagged Little Pill).
Alice Cooper's main hobby is collecting old watches.
Alison Moyet's first solo album was co written with Mike Swain & Steve Jolly who were responsible for all of Bananarama's early hits before they joined up with Stock, Aitkin & Waterman.
They had named themselves after the French/Italian 1965 sci fi movie "Alphaville - une etrange aventure de Lemmy Caution", directed by Jean Luc Godard
Animotion
Their hit "Obsession" was a cover of a song by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight which was used in the 1983 movie, "A Night In Heaven".
Prince wrote "Manic Monday" for "The Bangles".
barns and barns
Actor Bill Paxton was also part of the group Barnes and Barnes whom are responsible for the cult hit "Fisheads".
Beastie Boys / Kerry King (Slayer)
Kerry King (Slayer) played the guitar and had a guest appearance in the video of Beastie Boys "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn". No wonder, as these artists were signed to the same label, Def Jam, at this time.
Diane Keaton directed her "Heaven is a Place On Earth" video
Terri Nunn from the 80's group -Berlin appeared in the late 70's/early 80's movie - "Thank God It's Friday."
Before he became "Billy Idol", William Broad [aka Billy Idol] performed in the bands: "Geration X" and "Chelsea".
Peter Cetera sings back-up vocals on Billy Joel's #3 1978 hit and future tv theme song "My Life." Not to mention, Cyndi Lauper sings back-up vocals on Billy Joel's Code of Silence from the Album "The Bridge."
Blue Angels
Cyndi Lauper was the original singer.
Randy Jackson (The American Idol Judge) played bass on the Blue Oyster Cult song "Shooting Shark" (I was working for BOC at the time & can confirm this)
Boomtown Rats
Bob Geldoff, best noted,perhaps, as the lead singer/actor in the motion picture, "Pinks Floyd's ,The Wall." He also created the first superstar musician community service charity with the hit single, "Feed the World," where all proceeds went to help feeding the hungary. Finally, and yet before all of these publically noted honors, he was the amazing lead singer of the british rock and roll band, "The Boomtown Rats.
Bow Wow Wow (Editor's Note...)
Just to clear up the misunderstanding here, the band member kicked out of the group was NOT to the best of my knowledge, Boy George, but was however Adam Ant. The three male members of BWW were the original Ants in the late 1970s, Adam Ant hired Malcolm McClaren to manage the band and, in essence, McClaren advised the band to kick Adam out and go with McClaren to form the new group, fronted by Annabella Lwin(sp.?) Adam Ant then got together a new Army of Ants ;) and became one of the biggest pop stars of the early 80s. I do believe Boy George was McClaren's first choice for a lead singer of BWW, but Boy George's image was not want McClaren was looking for. There you have it.
The asked one of it's early members to leave their band because he was too outspoken and didn't fit the image of the group. That person went on to become one of the biggest names in the 80's POP scene. It was Boy George, who later founded Culture Club.
The Brotherhood Of Man
Tony Burrows has the distinction of being the lead singer with 5 different 70's groups: Edison Lighthouse(Love Grows), White Plains(My Baby Loves Lovin'), The Brotherhood Of Man(United We Stand), The Pipkins(Gimme Dat Ding), and First Class(Beach Baby)
Bruce Hornsby played piano for the Grateful Dead on tour in the late 80's.
The teenager Bruce Springsteen pulls up onstage on his "Dancing in the Dark" video is no other than the not-yet-famous Courtney Cox of Friends
Adams' first chart entry was a very-disco number called "Let Me Take You Dancing". His voice was sped-up and hard to recognize. I did not see it included on his greatest hits collection.
After Nick Gilder left "Sweeny Todd" , Bryan Adams was front man for awhile under the handle "Bryan Guy Adams".
Bryan Adams unwittingly had a disco record early in his career called "Let Me Take You Dancing".
Chaka Khan's biggest hit, "I Feel For You" was originally written by Prince (a.k.a. The Artist). In that same song, Stevie Wonder did the harmonica solos, and Melle Mel of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five did the rap breaks. Hence the infamous lyric: "Chaka Khan...Ch-ch-ch-ch-Chaka Khan."
Before making it big with her then husband Sonny, Cher sang back up on the Ronnettes' hit, "Be My Baby".
Michael McDonald (Doobie Bros.) sang background "such a long way to go" on the hit single "Ride Like The Wind"
Claire And Friends
Claire and friends were formed as the winners of a charity song competition on the Saturday Superstore TV programme for kids on early Saturday mornings,Claire was named as winner and had beaten 1000 other entries into the competition.The song was called "Its 'Orrible Being In Love When Your 8 and Half
The band named themselves after their tight living quarters in a rented house in LA while they were working on their first album. They had previously called themselves The Mullanes (Neil Finn's middle name) and Largest Living Things.
Naomi Campbell appeared in Culture Club's 1983 video I'll Tumble 4 Ya as a dancer.
The Cure (corrections)
Just in the interest of making corrections to the above. Cure keyboardist Roger O'Donnell played live with the Psychedelic Furs, not the Thompson Twins; one time Cure drummer (and the best they ever had...) Boris Williams played drums live with the Thompson Twins; Robert Smith never played drums with Siouxsie...he played guitar for them for a short time.
Cure/Siouxsie and the Banshees
Robert Smith of The Cure was occasionally the drummer for Siouxsie and the Banshees
An early member, Phil Thomalley, later became the lead singer of Johnny Hates Jazz late in 1988, after their hit "Shattered Dreams" hit the pop charts. And he also is the composer of the famous Natalie Imbruglia hit "Thorn" as well as almost all her album.
Robert Smith, was for a short time in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees. Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols was a member at one time as well.
Actually Robert Smith played guitar with Siouxsie and the Banshees early on (84), not drums - that was Budgy, her husband...Also noteworthy, Robert Smith and Steve Severin of Siouxsie formed the band The Glove together and released the album "Blue Sunshine".
Before landing a record deal and releasing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", Cyndi Lauper was in a band called "Blue Angels", and they had a release in 1981. The single sold under 30,000 copies and thus the band was dropped from their label - lucky for Cyndi, who afterward enjoyed a solo career with some good success.
Eric Clapton played guitar on the "A Night To Remember" album from 1989. Aimee Mann was guest vocalist on the song "The Faraway Nearby" from the album "True Colors". Aimee Mann was the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for 'Til Tuesday who had a huge hit with "Voices Carry". Their hit song "Voices Carry" was originally offered to Cyndi when she was looking for material for True Colors !Aimee has also had a huge indie following as a solo artist, and her songs are both the inspiration for and the soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson's hit film Magnolia. Bootsy Collins played bass on the album "A Night To Remember". The background vocals on the song "Change Of Heart" were recorded by The Bangles. Billy Joel was guest vocalist on the song "Maybe He'll Know" from the "True Colors" album. Cyndi returned the favor by appearing in Joel's "Code Of Silence".
On Lauper's "True Color" album, the telephone operator at the beginning of "911" is none other than Pee Wee Herman (the credits even identify him as such).
Sang the theme song for Pee Wee's playhouse
Rob Hyman actually wrote Time after Time with CL, not Eric Bazilian.
Peter Frampton was the guitarist for the Glass Spider tour.
Stevie Ray Vaughn did not play on the Glass Spider tour with David Bowie, but did rehearse to play on the Serious Moonlight tour, until Bowie said that SRV & Double Trouble could not be the backing band for the tour. So Stevie quit !
Stevie Ray Vaughn played lead guitar on the Glass Spider Tour.
David Sylvian
After disbanding his group Japan, Sylvian retired himself from being interviewed.Then ome magazines went out with the news that David Sylvian, who had been voted The Most Beautiful Man alive, had been involved in a terrible car crash and had remained horribly disfigured.
Her video for "Out Of The Blue" featured Jeff Russo, who later become of the members of '90's rock band Tonic.
In 1988,Debbie Gibson became the youngest female artist to write, produce ,and perform a #1 hit with "Foolish Beat" at age 17. The record still holds till this day.
Def Leppard (current spelling) was originaly named "Atomic Mass", then changed to "Deaf Leoppard", then to the current spelling Def Leppard.
On the "Pyromania" album, Booker T. Boffin is keyboard-specialist Thomas Dolby. He did some keyboard parts on Pyromania, but due to contractual obligations, his real name couldn't be printed on Pyromania.
Rick Allen, their drummer has only one arm as of their Hysteria album.
After the preceding band name "Composition Of Sound" didn't go well, they had borrowed their new name under which they became world famous from a French fashion magazine of the same title ("Depeche Mode" can be translated as "Fast Fashion"). Don't know if that had boosted the sales of this magazine.
Vince Clarke of Erasure was an early founding member, and chief songwriter of Depeche Mode. He left the band to form Yaz, and later Erasure, while Depeche Mode went on to rousing success.
What's their connection with Enrique Iglesias? Vince Clarke wrote "Only You" while still a member of Depeche Mode. He left the band and recorded it with Yaz. Engrique Iglesias later did a cover version in Spanish.
Eric Clapton is credited on the 'Brothers In Arms' album due to the fact that he loaned Mark Knopfler one of his guitars the for album.
Sting sung the "I want my Mtv" line on "Money For Nothing"
At the time of it's release, the video for Wild Boys on MTV was the most expensive video ever made.
Nick Rhodes produced Kajagoogoo's first album.
Roger Taylor, the drummer for Duran Duran, shares the same name with the drummer for the band Queen, Roger Taylor!
Simon leBon placed third in the Whitbred Around the World race aboard his vessel the Drum.
Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy was the original lead singer for Duran Duran, not the amazing Simon Le Bon.
Their name was a character in the the 60's Jane Fonda movie "Barbarella". The character of Duran Duran was played by Milo O'Shea.
The Eagles Don Henley and Glenn Frye sang backup vocals on Boz Scagg's "Love Look What You've Done to Me".
What did Eddie Money do before he was an entertainer? He was a New York City cop!
He played Piano on Wham!'s 1986 hit "The Edge of Heaven"
Did you know... That during the filming of their video, 'Cherokee', in the scene where the horses run through the valley, someone accidentally set some brush near the set on fire? What was wierd about it was that Joey Tempest's hair almost also got torched as well. Everyone there (including band members) had to quickly dig a big trench with whatever they had to prevent the fire from spreading! I know that Joey T. has got firey vocals and all, but that would've taken that meaning to a wierd new level. (poor Joey, yeesh!)
The band found 3 of the original 5 members through an ad in the paper! Originally called themselves "The Portraits" but changed to The Fixx after less than a year.
Mike Score used to be a hairdresser
Foreigner / Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby helped with keyboards on Foreigner's 1981 smash album "4" including their #2 smash "Waiting For a Girl Like You."
Gary Numan was once involved in a plane crash landing! It was his plane, but he was not the pilot. The plane crashed in Southampton (coming from France) and was not allowed to be moved until Customs & Excise classed it as an imported item! Which was a few days after! Silly really because the plane crash landed in the middle of a road!!
Genesis/ Mike + The Mechanics
What do the songs "Land of Confusion" and "The Living Years" have in common? The lead singer of Mike + The Mechanics, who gave us the hit "The Living Years", was the bassist for Genesis, who had a hit with "Land of Confusion".
"Don't forget me when I'm gone" features Bryan Adams in the background.
The Great Society
Before they were Starship, Jefferson Starship and The Jefferson Airplane, They started out in San Francisco as The Great Society. The original version of White Rabbit is on their album, recorded live at the Matrix in San Francisco. The name of the album is "Conspicuous only in its Absence"
Greg Kihn Band
Greg Kihn is now the morning drive DJ on KFOX-FM in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Guns 'N Roses
Did you know that the opening guitar riff for "Sweet Child O' Mine" was originally a warm up scale that Slash used to play before shows? Eventually Izzy started playing chords along to it and the rest is history.
Guns N Roses
Question: What two bands formed to make the band guns n roses? Answer: L.A. Guns and Hollywood Roses
Haircut 100
Before making it big as a solo artist, Nick Heyward was founding member and lead vocalist.
G.E. Smith and Tom "T-Bone" Wolk went on to become the leaders of the Saturday Night Live Band
Heaven 17
Did you know that the band name heaven 17 came from the fictional band in the book a "Clockwork Orange"
Heaven 17
Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware were in the original line-up of Human League
Helen Terry
She is the strong background vocal in "Church of the Poison Mind" and other tracks on the album "Colour by Numbers" by Culture Club. She was also one of the "do-do-do" girls who sang backup to Lou Reed in "Walk on the Wild Side." She's also featured on the "Electric Dreams" soundtrack, which also has Culture Club songs.
The Hooters, around the same time as their hit LP, "Nervous Night" was released were busy acting as the studio back-up band for Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual." You can hear lead singer Eric Bazilion's vocals strongly in the chorus for "Time After Time," which he also co-wrote.
Hue & Cry
Their late 80's smash "Looking for Linda" was based on a real life incident about a woman who disappears after going out to buy a packet of cigarettes.
In the movie "Back to the Future", Marty's band tries for an audition in the school talent show with the song "The Power of Love", but is rejected by the teacher who says they are too loud. Who plays the teacher? Huey Lewis!
What singer/songwriter wrote the song" Jacobs Ladder" for Huey Lewis and The News? BRUCE HORNSBY
Did you know that John Oates co-wrote and sang back-up on the 1987 hit "Electric Blue"
Vernon Reid of Living Color (Cult of Personality) played lead guitar on her Black Cat Single.
Before making it big in 1986, Janet Jackson was a little known dancer for the TV spin-off of the movie "Fame" in 1982
Janet was once married to one of the DeBarge brothers
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis's cousins are none other than Country Music Star and one-time owner of the biggest honky tonk in the world, Mickey Gilley and the 80s biggest tv evanlegist, Jimmy Swaggart.
Born in Philly, moved to L.A. at age 12, formed her first band (all girls) at age 15 and was playing around town when she was discovered and signed to her first record contract (with Mercury)as Joan Jett and the Runaways.
Joe Satriani played lead guitar for Greg Kihn (Of Baltimore, MD) while on tour with him in the early/mid 80's.
John Elefante
This producer of countless Christian Rock bands and artists (now a solo artist himself) was once lead singer of Kansas!
Randy Jackson, a judge from American Idol, played the bass on Journey's 1984/5(?) album "Raised on Radio."
Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran produced Kajagoogoo's first album. The lead singer for Kajagoogoo was Limahl. If you are familiar with the song "The Neverending Story", well, Limahl was the one who sang it - after he left Kajagoogoo.
Kix
The band Kixs' original name was Fruity Pebbles. But they were forced to change it.
Lisa Stansfield
What was the name of the band Lisa Stansfield fronted for before hitting it big on her solo career and what was their big '80s club hit? A: Blue Zone (sometimes known as Blue Zone UK) with "Jackie"
Lord Tracy
The bands original name was Tracy Lords, but couldn't be used because it was the name of a famous porn star(Traci Lords). Traci threatened to sue, so the band changed it. She was their favorite porn star.
Madonna
Madonna was lead singer for the band The Breakfast Club in 1982
After Madonna's brief stint with a band called The Breakfast Club, she then formed another band where she would have more creative control and become the lead singer. The band was called "Emmy" (aka Emmy and the Emmies"). She wanted to call the band "Madonna" but one of the members felt it was "too catholic", so Madonna insisted on going with her nickname at the time, "Emmy", and the band was born. They recorded a few singles, did some gigs, and even appeared an independent artist film called "In Artificial Light" - a film not available for sale.
Danny Aiello plays Madonna's father in the video "Papa Don't Preach"
Pepsi's commercial featuring Madonna's single Like A Prayer only aired once before the company pulled it after seeing her video for the single. It aired during the Cosby Show.
Richard Marx sings backup for Madonna on White Heat. (True Blue album)
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr's. father Cuba Gooding, was a member of the group The Main Ingredient (Everybody Plays The Fool/Just Don't Want To Be Lonely), in the early 70's.
Mari Wilson
This only works if you a) watch EastEnders and b) have heard of Mari Wilson, but anyway. Michelle Collins, who played Cindy Beale in EastEnders, used to be a backing singer for Mari Wilson. So now you know.
Marshall Crenshaw (Someday, Someway) played John Lennon in the road show of Beatlemania in the mid 70's. He also appeared in the movie Peggy Sue Got Married and played Buddy Holly in the movie La Bamba.
Martini Ranch
Did you know that one half of 80's New Wave group Martini Ranch (Reach, and World without Walls) is none other then Bill Paxton the actor (Twister, Apollo 13)?
Menudo
The late Jose Menendez, father of convicted murderers Lyle and Erik Menendez, was a record executive and the man responsible for Menudo's success in the United States.
Metallica/Megadeath
What connection does Megadeath have with Metallica? Prior to getting a recording contract, the band Metallica had good old Dave Mustaine in it but was asked to leave because he drank too much.He later formed, of course, Megadeath.
Before Making Metallica's 1986 debut Master of Puppets didn't take as gigantic a leap forward as Ride the Lightning, it was the band's greatest achievement, hailed as a masterpiece by critics far outside heavy metal's core audience. It was also a substantial hit, reaching the Top 30 and selling three million copies despite absolutely nonexistent airplay. Instead of a radical reinvention, Master of Puppets is a refinement of past innovations. In fact, it's possible to compare Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets song for song, and note striking similarities between corresponding track positions on each record (although Lightning's closing instrumental has been bumped up to next-to-last in Master's running order). That hint of conservatism is really the only conceivable flaw here. Though it isn't as startling as Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets feels more unified, both thematically and musically. Everything about it feels blown up to epic proportions (indeed, the songs are much longer on average), and the band feels more in control of its direction. You'd never know it by the lyrics, though -- in one way or another, nearly every song on Master of Puppets deals with the fear of powerlessness. Sometimes they're about hypocritical authority (military and religious leaders), sometimes primal, uncontrollable human urges (drugs, insanity, rage), and, in true H.P. Lovecraft fashion, sometimes monsters. Yet by bookending the album with two slices of thrash mayhem ("Battery" and "Damage, Inc."), the band reigns triumphant through sheer force -- of sound, of will, of malice. The arrangements are thick and muscular, and the material varies enough in texture and tempo to hold interest through all its twists and turns. Some critics have called Master of Puppets the best heavy metal album ever recorded; if it isn't, it certainly comes close.
It was incorrectly stated in an otherwise brilliant diatribe that Metallica's debut album was Ride the Lightning. However, the actual debut LP was Kill 'Em All. It was originally supposed to be called "Metal Up Your A**", though the record company refused to release it until Metallica agreed to a name change. The original 1983 release of the album included covers of "Am I Evil" and "Blitzkrieg", both omitted in the album's 1988 re-release.
Eddie Van Halen only played the solo on Micheal Jackson's 'Beat It'. Toto's Steve Lukather played the main guitar parts.
Eddie Van Halen, of the band Van Halen, played guitar on Michael Jackson's song Beat It.
In the eighties there was a record made combining Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and Steeley Dan's "Do It Again" and it was called "Do It Again, Bille Jean".However it was only played on the radio for a short while and never played again.
Mike and the Mechanics
Mike Rutherford, the bassist/guitar player for Genesis was not the lead singer of Mike and the Mechanics. Although it was his band and he wrote most if not all of their songs, Rutherford served the same role as guitarist while Paul Young and Paul Carack shared time on the mike.
Paul Carrack not only shared the lead vocals for Mike and the Mechanics, he also had stints as the front man for both Ace and Squeeze. Early on, he was the keyboardist for Roxy Music, and in the mid 80's had a solo career of his own with hits like "Don't Shed A Tear." He recently toured with Ringo's Allstar Band.
Motley Crue and Bon Jovi
What do Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi and Tommy Lee from Motley Crue have in common? Tommy was once married to Heather Locklear but they divorced. Richie Sambora is Heather's present husband.
Contrary to what is stated in a comment for The Cure, Natalie Imbrugla's hit "Torn" was not composed by Phil Thomalley. It was an early 90's hit in Denmark titled "Brændt" ("Burnt" in english) performed by danish singer Lis Sørensen and penned by A. Previn, S. Cutler / E. G. Nielsen
In the end of the song "Don't Do It", NEW ORDER used a phrase from the movie "The Exorcist" backwards.
Did you know that Brad Gillis of Night Ranger replaced Randy Rhodes of Ozzy Osbourne but later quit to become part of Night Ranger with Jack Blades, Kelly Keagy, Jeff Watson, and Alan "Fitz" Fitzgerald
Did you know that Brad Gillis replaced Randy Rhodes for Ozzy Osbourne
Danny Elfman (who used to be the lead singer of 80's band Oingo Boing) produced the musical score for the hit comedy cartoon show the Simpsons. He also produced all of microsoft's desktop noises. He is worth over $60 million dollars.
Operation Ivy
Billie Joe Armstrong never played in Operation Ivy, but Lint (Tim) Armstrong from Rancid did.
Operation Ivy
Billy Joe Armstrong was never a member of Operation Ivy.
Operation Ivy
Billy Joe Armstrong, now lead singer of Green Day, played guitar in the early punk band Operation Ivy
"In The Air Tonight" is about his first wife leaving him. For a painter & decorator no less!!
The song "In the Air Tonight" by has an urban legend attached to it. The story says that a friend of Phil's was drowning in a pond and Phil was too far away to help. He sees another man closer and yells for him to help, but he doesn't. So Phil writes the song and sends the man a front row ticket to his next concert. During the concert, Phil sings the line "Well, if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand" directly to the man. The man then runs out of the concert hall and kills himself. This is just a rumor.
After Sting moved away from teaching to get into music, what was the name of the first band he played in? Last Exit
Sting,Andy Summers,and Stewart Copeland were the first band to appear on the MTV commercial and say, "I Want My MTV"(which Sting later used for "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits) along with Pat Benatar and Pete Townshend(The Who).
Played keyboards on Stevie Nick's hit "Stand Back", under the alias "Alexander Nevermind".
Rindy Ross, lead vocalist and saxophonist of the rock band Quarterflash, use to be a fifth grade teacher. She taught during the week and played in a bar band on the weekends with her husband Marv in a country/folk/rock band called "Seafood Mama" just before meeting up with John Boyland, who produced their first two albums and produced the hit singles, "Harden My Heart" (#3 in 1982), "Find Another Fool" (#16 in 1982), and "Take Me To Heart (#14 in 1983)
re: hooters
Regarding your Hooters entry, it should say that Rob Hyman co-wrote "Time After Time" with Cyndi as well as it being Rob's strong voice along with Cyndi, plus Eric's last name is spelled Bazilian.
Rick Springfeild
Rick Springfeild played a role as a doctor on the well known soap opera "General Hospital" in the 70's/80's.
... was born in Australia on August 23, 1949, with the unwieldy name "Richard Lewis Springthorpe". From 1981-1983, he portrayed Dr. Noah Drake on the long-running daytime soap "General Hospital".
Before his "General Hospital" days, Rick was featured in a Saturday morning cartoon, "Mission Magic" as himself and sang a new tune every week.
This rock star co-starred in the hit show "High Tide", who was it? Rick Springfield
Robert Palmer's song Addicted to Love was originally recorded as a duet with Chaka Kahn.
Rockwell
Michael Jackson sang background vocals on the Rockwell's 1984 hit "Somebody's Watchin' Me".
Mick Jagger and Keith Richards used the name "The Glimmer Twins" to write songs for themselves and other artists.
Scritti Politi
Scritti Politi made the first album recorded internationally. The vocalist and keyboardist recorded their tracks in London and sent them over the the US for the drummer to lay down his tracks.
Shakespears Sister
Lead Singer Siobhan Fahey was once part of Bananarama; She later married David A Stewart of the "Eurythmics" -Singer/Guitarist Marcella Detroit co-wrote "Lay Down Sally" With Eric Clapton; She also Sang Backup on the "Slowhand" Album (She was then known by her real name Marcy Levy) -David Stewart Co-wrote both Shakespears Sister's Albums under the name Guiot
Robert Smith was NOT the drummer for the Banshees. He was the guitarist!
Sique Sique Sputnik
Sique Sique Sputnik founder Tony James was originaly in the band Generation X with lead singer Billy Idol
Sique Sique Sputnik
The singer was a fashion designer
Did you know that Michelle Collins, who played Cindy Beale on Eastenders, also sang backing VOX on Squeezes "Cool for Cats"?
Singing member Mickey Thomas was also the vocalist on Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell In Love".
Actor/Comedian Chevy Chase was Steely Dan's drummer in their formative years. Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits fame played the guitar solo on Steely Dan's '81 hit, "Time Out Of Mind." And of course, that's Michael McDonald singing background on their '78 hit, "Peg."
Boz Scaggs sang with the Steve Miller Band and later went on to a successful solo career.
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Stevie Ray Vaughn played guitar on David Bowie's Let's Dance album, He toured with them but half way through he quit to start his own band Double Trouble.
Sting was a teacher before making it big with The Police!
Famed guitarist, Tommy Shaw, was not an original member of the band, even though he and James "JY" Young are the only two remaining members from the band in the 70's.
Do you know which famous musical man of the 80's/90's made a contribution to Tears For Fears' album Sowing the Seeds of Love in 1989? Phil Collins
Roland Orzabal was Raoul at birth, but his name was changed when he was only 2 months old due to pronounciation problems.
Thomas Dolby appeared as the bartender in the movie 'Howard the Duck'.
The comic book that The Thompson Twins took their name from was "The Adventures of Tin-Tin"
There were three members in the band the Thompson Twins, and none of them were twins or named Thompson. The name was from a comic book.
In the video for "Mickey", Toni Basil is wearing a LVHS cheerleading uniform, standing for Las Vegas High School, where she was a cheerleader. Today it is Las Vegas Acadamy.
She was also in the movie "Five Easy Pieces" with Jack Nicholson and Karen Black, who were also in "Easy Rider".
Toni Basil played a hooker in Easy Rider before making it big in the early 80's with "Mickey!" She's great in the graveyard scene towards the end of the movie....
Named after the big bad boss lady of the Vulcans from Star Trek. You know, Mr. Spock's pointy eared folks.
Tracy Ulman
Which 60's artist was in Tracy Ulmans video? Paul Mc Cartney.
Triumph
After Triumph broke up in 1988, each band member (Rik Emmett, Gil Moore and Mike Levine) filed law suits against each other. They were all let off when Rik Emmett embarked on a solo career, while Gil Moore and Mike Levine reformed Triumph without him and with Phil X.
In the video "We're Not Gonna Take It", the father was played by Mark Metcalf, who played Neidermeyer (ROTC a-hole) in Animal House.
Twisted Sister's lead singer, Dee Snider, is now a morning radio talk show host for WMRQ 104.1 in Hartford CT.
U2 were originally going to be called 'The Hype'
U2's biggest selling album ever, "The Joshua Tree" was originally going to be called "The Two Americas". But when the band took pictures at the Joshua Tree National Park, they changed their mind.
The Band "UB40" got their name from: A British Unemployement Form
- released their first album with new singer/guitarist (who replaced John Foxx and Robin Simon), Vienna, in 1980 - title track to Vienna hit #2 on the UK charts, their highest chart position - performed at Live Aid, Midge Ure having co-written Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" with Bob Geldof
During the making of the video "Jump", the band spent more money on beer than they did on the production of the video.
Which 70/80/90's band insisted they had five pounds of M&M's in their hotel room with the brown ones separated from the rest of the colors?????? Van Halen of course. That's Rock and Roll!!!
Weird Al Yankovic
"Weird Al" Yankovic graduated high school as valedvictorian at the age of 16. He went on to college to study architecture. While there, he became a DJ of the college radio station. Seeing that many of the DJ's had nicknames like Dynamic Dave and such, he came up with Weird Al.
Wham
Who played Piano on Wham!'s 1986 hit "The Edge of Heaven" ?
"Situation" is one of the most sampled song in the history of recorded music samples (they sample Aliosn Moyet's throaty laugh at the start of the song) James Brown is probably the most sampled.
Z.Z. Top
Their video, "Velcro Fly" was choreographed by Paula Abdul.
Actually Stevie Ray Vaughn DID NOT play gtr on David Bowies Glass Spider Tour...Peter Frampton did. Stevie played gtr on the "Let's Dance Album" but did not tour with him.
Lot's of 80's bands were on the classic britcom 'The Young Ones' in early 1980's. Madness (twice), Amazulu, the Damned, Dexys Midnight Runners, Motorhead, and others.
Trivia - Mick Jaggar sang backup vocals to Carly Simon's hit "Your so Vain"

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