rock stars who went back work.

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David Lee Roth now works as an emergency medical technician in New York.

He probably does this for bragging rights.

Big Paul Ferguson of Killing Joke is now an art restorer, specializing in pre-Islamic Afghan scupture (Ghandaran?)

Doesn't Jim Martin, ex Faith No More, now raise genetically enhanced super-sized vegetables (ala Woody Allen's "Sleeper")? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 23:54 (nineteen years ago) link

milo went to college.

Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:09 (nineteen years ago) link

Durango is definitely a lawyer.
Brian Vollmer of Helix gives vocal lessons, advertising in a London, Ontario, urban weekly.
Zalman Yanovsky , the guitarist of the Lovin' Spoonful, owned a restaurant called Chez Piggy in Kingston, Ontario, before his death in 2002.
Peter Quaife, the original bass player for The Kinks, works as a visual artist in Belleville, Ontario.

Bruce S. Urquhart (BanjoMania), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:10 (nineteen years ago) link

When I interviewed Barbara Manning a few years back she said she was going to pursue a forestry degree in Northern California. A quick scan of barbaramanning.com suggests she's doing so.

She's at Cal State Chico and spends time in her trailer out in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

xpost: Milo is a chemistry chair (?) at the University of Delaware. I went to the same college that Milo originally went to while he was still there doing his PhD candidacy and my friend BB and I would go into his office and antagonize him to no end... hehe.

gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 3 February 2005 00:11 (nineteen years ago) link

Chris Mars is a painter.

Wasn't/Isn't Greg Graffin of Bad Religion a professor at UC Berkeley?

cdwill, Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:12 (nineteen years ago) link

kyuss bassist scott reeder opened a petstore when they disbanded.

ave satani (lemike), Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:16 (nineteen years ago) link

In (I think) 1998/99, Anton Fier was doing a few days a week at the record store I used to work at in the West Village. I got an editorial gig and split. For all I know, he's still there (though this seems unlikely/impossibly depressing).

michaeln (kid loki), Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:32 (nineteen years ago) link

this thread is depressing... dreams have been shattered

firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:45 (nineteen years ago) link

For those in NYC who want to see Chris Mars' work, there's a gallery opening this Saturday which will apparently showcase some of it.

http://www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/

cdwill, Thursday, 3 February 2005 03:48 (nineteen years ago) link

Geordie Mick from Prolapse currently works in a box factroy making boxes for vacuum cleaners. Scottish Mick from Prolapseruns a small ceramic ornamnet shop in Oslo, while Linda Steelyard from prolpase is a jounralist for the Leicester Mercury.

Gareth steamy specs, Thursday, 3 February 2005 11:51 (nineteen years ago) link

Doesn't Jim Martin, ex Faith No More, now raise genetically enhanced super-sized vegetables

Amazing, if true. Just like that Bruce Dickinson story. Wow.

Jay-Kid (Jay-Kid), Thursday, 3 February 2005 12:58 (nineteen years ago) link

boston rapper mighty casey works as a school teacher.

ppp, Thursday, 3 February 2005 13:06 (nineteen years ago) link

One of Six By Seven works at our local branch of Fopp.

mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Thursday, 3 February 2005 14:26 (nineteen years ago) link

this thread is depressing... dreams have been shattered

On the contrary, I find it inspiring, especially the many examples of those for whom a music career was just one chapter in an interesting and varied life.

briania (briania), Thursday, 3 February 2005 14:49 (nineteen years ago) link

I heard that David Yow from the Jesus Lizard was restoring antique furniture

Ben Dot (1977), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:19 (nineteen years ago) link

Daniel Johnston worked at McDonald's!

Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:23 (nineteen years ago) link

Raekwon owns a Subway restaurant, but I'm not sure if he works there despite the fact that he is a Chef.

his face was burned off in a flaming crossbow accident (King Kobra), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:32 (nineteen years ago) link

Stephen O'Malley of doom-metal contingents Sunn O))) and Khanate was a graphic designer at the last fucktard ad agency I worked for. He's a swell guy.

Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 3 February 2005 21:36 (nineteen years ago) link

six months pass...
Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple, etc.) worked as an airline pilot for a while, before joining Kansas.

And I think we can all agree that piloting an airplane is the more inspiring of *those* two choices.

And Pat DiNizio as an elementary Music teacher somehow strikes me as insanely cool. I'll bet the songwriters-turned-teachers list is quite long, given the number that come to mind immediately.

Paul Roub, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 13:46 (eighteen years ago) link

Pat DiNizio teaching kids music sounds insanely scary to me. He ran for NJ Senate a couple years back, he's a right wing nut.

kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:00 (eighteen years ago) link

David Lee Roth now works as an emergency medical technician in New York.
He probably does this for bragging rights.

Roth worked the night shift in a hospital before Van Halen took off. His dad's a surgeon. Don't think he needs the money, but he's more of a "live life to the max" kinda fellow, ja?

Outsider Enter Port City (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 14:12 (eighteen years ago) link

david yow (scratch acid / jesus lizard) is now a graphic design artist. he actually designed all the jesus lizard records.

todd trainer (shellac) has been selling hair products for like 15 years or something.

brian mcmahan (slint) is now an electrician.

matt talbot (hum)owns his own recording studio and is a high school football coach near champaign, il.

wayne coyne (flaming lips) worked at a long john silvers for over 10 years.

adam pfahler (jawbreaker) owns his own video store.

kristofer@sleepcomesdown.com, Thursday, 11 August 2005 03:00 (eighteen years ago) link

One of the guys from Pennywise was a substitute teacher at my friend's high school.

goodoldneon (goodoldneon), Thursday, 11 August 2005 18:17 (eighteen years ago) link

I went to the same college that Milo originally went to while he was still there doing his PhD candidacy and my friend BB and I would go into his office and antagonize him to no end... hehe.

OH MAN, you gotta tell some stories.

Also, Deniz Tek not only became a doctor, but an emergency room surgeon in Montana. He & his wife returned to Aussie Land a coupla years ago since she missed it. He's always talked about musicians needing to keep a day job, just to maintain some connection to real life.

Mike Lutz from Brownsville Station(co-wrote "Smokin' in the Boys Room" with Cub Koda) taught me bass guitar for a coupla years. Cub Koda became a rock writer, and wrote for AMG right up until his death in 2000.

kingfish completely hatstand (Kingfish), Thursday, 11 August 2005 18:53 (eighteen years ago) link

The DJ for the Coup wasn't there when I saw them because she had a catering job she couldn't skip.

Zed Szetlian (Finn MacCool), Thursday, 11 August 2005 19:23 (eighteen years ago) link

One of the guys in Mudhoney is an EMT in Seattle.

kingfish completely hatstand (Kingfish), Thursday, 11 August 2005 20:29 (eighteen years ago) link

4rt d1furi14 of the ph0t0n b4nd is working on a phd in art history at UD as well. i wonder if he knows milo!

maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 12 August 2005 09:20 (eighteen years ago) link

no recollection of starting this.

so freakee when that happens. oddly i now live bang opposite the house that john mcgeogh (mentioned upthread) used to live in, in whalley range. small world etc.

piscesboy, Friday, 12 August 2005 09:41 (eighteen years ago) link

Lean on Me Construction:

You won't WITHER when you get the BILL!

-- Hurting (Hurtingchie...), February 1st, 2005.

I had a good chuckle readint this again ...

Hurting (Hurting), Friday, 12 August 2005 11:11 (eighteen years ago) link

"wayne coyne (flaming lips) worked at a long john silvers for over 10 years."

and still does, for kicks! its the smile on the kids' faces when he sells them popcorn shrimp that brings him back at least once a year.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Friday, 12 August 2005 12:04 (eighteen years ago) link

The B52's Kate Pearson has a motel.

StanM (StanM), Friday, 12 August 2005 12:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Pumpkin from Guv'ner started a line of hip maternity clothing and then became a pediatrics nurse at the hospital down the street from my house. I've met her a few times- she's pretty nice.

You're laughing at your own jokes, Josh?

k/l (Ken L), Friday, 12 August 2005 12:49 (eighteen years ago) link

stanm: yeah, but she really doesnt work there. at least thats what ive gathered from the press about the place.

maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Friday, 12 August 2005 13:02 (eighteen years ago) link

He's always talked about musicians needing to keep a day job, just to maintain some connection to real life.

There's a lot of wisdom in this comment. I think a lot of people would have a hard time doing *nothing* after becoming famous, especially if (as most of the folks above) they never hit the A-List anyway.

I always think about Andy Kaufman, who at the height of his fame worked at Cantor's Deli and was apparently a good, conscientious worker.

mike a, Friday, 12 August 2005 13:15 (eighteen years ago) link

There's a lot of wisdom in this comment. I think a lot of people would have a hard time doing *nothing* after becoming famous, especially if (as most of the folks above) they never hit the A-List anyway.

There was a quote from Cliff Richard in the Times a while ago, in an article about (and whole-heartedly in favour of) extending copyright, in which he bemoaned the fact that some poor old musicians who'd had a single hit many decades ago could no longer earn a living off the royalties. Get a job!

ledge (ledge), Friday, 12 August 2005 13:22 (eighteen years ago) link

Bruce Dickinson is an airline pilot. Don't think he needs the money.

Eddie Spaghetti, Friday, 12 August 2005 14:59 (eighteen years ago) link

Fred from the B-52's has/had a furniture/design business

dan. (dan.), Friday, 12 August 2005 15:45 (eighteen years ago) link

maria:

this thread is depressing... dreams have been shattered

-- firstworldman ( ), February 3rd, 2005 4:45 AM.

again.

StanM (StanM), Friday, 12 August 2005 15:56 (eighteen years ago) link

I always think about Andy Kaufman, who at the height of his fame worked at Cantor's Deli and was apparently a good, conscientious worker.

yeah, he was a busboy. he talked about doing it to prove (to himself, probably) that "i'm no better than them."

kingfish completely hatstand (Kingfish), Friday, 12 August 2005 16:21 (eighteen years ago) link

the drummer from metal church works at the ace hardware store in olympia, washington (i know this because i worked there too, and on his application, he wrote under previous job "drummer for metal church").

Jillian Boyik, Monday, 15 August 2005 08:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Raekwon owns a Subway restaurant, but I'm not sure if he works there despite the fact that he is a Chef.

Can anyone substantiate this? (That he owns a subway, not that he is a chef...) Maybe if Kanye's around he'll know...

jcartledge (jcartledge), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 03:25 (eighteen years ago) link

> Bruce Dickinson is an airline pilot. Don't think he needs the money.

Perhaps he doesn't need the money but simply enjoys the work. I don't share the assumption that s.o. would be daft to have a day-job (however 'humble') if they didn't need the money. Work *can* be healthy. Unemployment (in my experience) usually isn't, + not only for financial reasons.

Inspiral Carpets singer ?? worked in Tele-marketing a while ago.

stevo (stevo), Wednesday, 17 August 2005 03:47 (eighteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...
The bass player with The Head Butts is now a web designer/carpenter. I doubt anyone's heard 'em but he's a mate so let's add him to the list.

tolstoy (tolstoy), Sunday, 11 September 2005 16:20 (eighteen years ago) link

MC 900 Foot Jesus (remember him?) was working on his commercial pilot's license last I heard (a few years ago.)

Jim Marcus, one of the guys from Die Warzau (early 90's industrial/dance band) was doing programming (Y2k/COBOL stuff) last I heard in 1997.

dark_s, Sunday, 11 September 2005 17:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Bill from the Churchkeys still gives me blowjobs whenever I want. Just like the old days.

Billy The Miller, Wednesday, 21 September 2005 03:31 (eighteen years ago) link

joel (tamborine guy with the muttonchops) from the brian jonestown massacre used to work at a record store in santa cruz--in 2000 or so.

eric, Wednesday, 21 September 2005 04:25 (eighteen years ago) link

DJ Nobody and Ikey Owens from Mars Volta both still work at the Fingerprints record shop in Long Beach, CA. Also many guys in the L.A. free jazz scene do everything from teaching high school to operating a tile kiln.

Legendary bassist Henry Grimes stopped playing music completely for many years and worked in construction and as a janitor. He's playing bass again though now...

schlarb, Wednesday, 21 September 2005 06:30 (eighteen years ago) link

Duff from GnR went back to school and got a degree in finance.
Adam Duritz of Counting Crows still tends bar at the Viper Room in LA from time to time.

matthew Vetter, Wednesday, 21 September 2005 14:49 (eighteen years ago) link

Kevin Fitzpatrick, drummer from Something Vertigo, is now a dentist in Carlsbad.

Bill Simmons, Thursday, 22 September 2005 00:04 (eighteen years ago) link

When I was producing a short film in London I was aided by the manager of a charity shop who claimed to have been in Level 42. They donated lots of wardrobe items to our cause.

My friend Alan claims to have played sax with Pop Group but I've never seen his name connected with the band. I adore him too much to prove him wrong.

Thea (Thea), Thursday, 22 September 2005 00:10 (eighteen years ago) link


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