Rock-Star Hobbies: More Interesting and Odd Ways Musicians Keep Busy Off Stage
- Posted by Theo Spielberg
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Ellie Goulding
British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding would rather not be in a room with her fans at all. It's not that she dislikes them -- she would much prefer to go jogging with them instead. Goulding became a jogging enthusiast around the age of 18 as she found it helped her creative process. It also has the unexpected side effect of spicing up her relations with fans, as she explained to Spinner: "It makes you feel really alive ... I guess it's just better than meeting fans in a room, like signing things or whatever and I get to actually talk to them and have fun."
Jizmak Da Gusha
Gwar are a band of dudes from Virginia who dress up in crazy alien-monster costumes and engage in a wide spectrum of intergalactic sci-fi-and-horror-related debauchery. Their drummer "Jizmak Da Gusha" can often be seen wielding a hammer and wearing what looks like a monstrous dog mask. However, when he's not looking completely crazy, Mr. Gusha owns Nicola Flora, a very nice little flower shop in Richmond, Va., with his wife Nichole. Go figure.
James Murphy
"What plans does James Murphy have for his post-LCD career?" This is a question that has been hanging on the lips of music fans since LCD Soundsystem's farewell show in April. Instead of discussing a new musical project, Murphy revealed to Spinner that he s planning to "grow some food and then cook it." Murphy has stated more than once his fondness for harvesting vegetables. Thumbs up for living off the fat of the land.
Jack White
Before he was a guitar legend, Jack White was an apprentice upholsterer. Mr. White has another passion that seems to have become undervalued in the modern age: Taxidermy. In an interview with the Believer, White revealed himself as a taxidermy enthusiast with a large, mostly antique, collection of taxidermied animals, "I've got a zebra head, two gazelles, an eland, a kudu, a giant white elk ..."
Cherie Currie
For her stab at the visual arts, Cherie Currie, the lead singer of pioneering girl-rock band the Runaways, has something more powerful than a paint brush: a chainsaw. Joan Jett may have been the guitarist, but it seems like Cherry is the one who really shreds. This is one hobby not to be tried by amateurs.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's career has defied easy categorization. But the troubadour/poet/rock star has added the role of sculptor to his already broad artistic milieu. Though Dylan has gained recognition as a painter (one of his works graced the cover of the Band's "Music From Big Pink") Dylan's work as a sculptor has come into demand, with patrons commissioning him to do work with iron and lead.
Slash
Slash is a true pinball enthusiast. The guitarist is an avid player and has built two pinball machines, but his own words illustrate his passion the most vividly: "When you're playing a guitar solo you have to try and get from your head to your fingers in the fastest amount of time possible so you can get the point across, in time ... same thing with pinball."
Lemmy
Some things probably shouldn't be collected and Nazi memorabilia is one of those things. No matter how innocent the impulse may be, if you have Nazi junk lying around your house, you will be, at the least, misunderstood. Such is the case with Mötorhead's Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, who surprised a Rolling Stone journalist with his collection of Nazi stuff. In his defense, he claimed "I only collect the stuff. I didn't collect the ideas."
Melissa Auf Der Maur
Photography is a side hobby many of us only indulge in a very limited, point-and-shoot capacity. In addition to playing bass in both Hole and the Smashing Pumpkins, Melissa Auf der Maur is an experienced photographer. She was studying as a photography major before joining Hole, and has since published her work in magazines like Nylon, American Photo, Bust and Mastermind. Auf der Maur has also had her photographs featured in exhibits at Sotheby's and Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Secret Gallery.
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo is a man of many eccentricities but his love for soccer and knitting stand out as two of his more left-field interests. The Weezer frontman's music video for 'Lover in the Snow' is almost entirely dedicated to his love of soccer. And, if that wasn't enough, he also recorded the unofficial but totally awesome US World Cup Anthem, 'Represent.' When Rivers isn't busy with all things soccer, he often unwinds by knitting and then tweeting about it.
Lenny Kravitz
If Lenny Kravitz hadn't been a musician, he says he would have been a designer. The singer and guitarist heads up Kravitz Design, an interior design firm that focuses on commercial, residential and product design. They have taken on projects for hotels and private residences across the globe. Rock and interior design are not exactly an age-old combination, but Kravitz seems to make it work.
Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams disappeared from public view at the end of 2006. He reemerged a couple years later with a beard and a strong penchant for UFOs. Mr. Williams has claimed to have seen three UFOs to date and his passion as a Ufologist seemed to have subsumed his music career for a while. Robbie has also shared his convictions that Britain will soon be invaded by aliens. Let's hope not.
Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson has achieved his lofty dreams. The Iron Maiden singer decided to learn how to fly, on a recreational basis, and since then has received an airline transport pilot's license. Dickinson now routinely flies Boeing 757s as captain and for Iron Maiden's 2008-2009 world tour, Dickinson flew the charter plane that carried all of the band's gear.
PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey was not always a musician. The shape-shifting singer actually started her career as a visual artist. "My initial beginnings were as a visual artist, not a musician," she told Spinner. "I was going to do a degree in sculpture at a place to go onto study sculpture, but then the path towards music opened up for me." Harvey has never given up her visual artistry and has said that she will often work on drawings and paintings alongside songs.
Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson has listed protecting wild cats and off-road motorcycling among his many interests, but salmon farming seems to have the lion's share of his attention. The vocalist/guitarist/flautist of Jethro Tull has turned his unusual hobby into a full-fledged business. Anderson owns several salmon farms and his company, Straithard, has grown into one of the largest independent smoked salmon firm in the United Kingdom.
Brian May
It is almost universally agreed upon that Queen's Brian May is a stellar guitarist. However, his love of the cosmos takes "stellar" to quite a literal place. May is an accomplished astrophysicist, earning his PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College in 2007. In 1973, he authored a scientific research paper called 'An Investigation of the Motion of Zodiacal Dust Particles (Part I),' and has an asteroid named after him: Asteroid 52665 Brianmay. He now also holds the position of Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.
Colin Meloy
Colin Meloy, the lead singer for the Decemberists does not limit his writing to the the dark lyrics and concept albums he puts out with his band. The frontman has also written a 100-page book on cornerstone Replacements album 'Let It Be' but most recently he has completed the first part of a Young Adult book series called 'Wildwood Chronicles.' He and his wife, illustrator Carson Ellis, recently inked a three-book publishing deal with HarperCollins, the first installment of which is set to come out Aug. 30.
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