While some of the most famous musicians of all time may be our favorite idols, it can be easy to forget that they're not as great as we build them up to be. Yes, they may make amazing music, but that doesn't necessarily make them a good person. Off the stage and behind closed doors, some of these artists are not the people we think they are and have committed acts that most people would consider to be unforgivable. These are the famous musicians that, although loved by many, have done terrible things during their musical career.
Johnny Cash Had Issues With Women
Although Johnny Cash is considered one of the greatest country music icons of all time, it doesn't mean he was the best man. Although he struggled with addiction, one of his most significant problems was with women. Cash's first wife Vivian told stories of his emotional abuse toward her in her book I Walked The Line. Although she had four daughters with Cash, she was left to raise the girls and care for Cash while he was addicted to drugs, getting arrested, and having an affair with his second partner June Carter.
June wasn't spared either. Cash cheated on her when she was pregnant with their son John. He even cheated on her with her own sister, Anita. Their son John Cash recalls his parent's marriage as nothing less than tumultuous and at times scary.
Elvis Liked The Younger Ones
There's no question that Elvis is one of the most influential musicians to ever take the stage. Unfortunately, the "King of Rock and Roll" had some skeletons in his closet. After becoming one of the biggest stars of his time, he found himself in no shortage of female fans. The only problem was, he liked the younger ones. While he was 22, he preferred girls in their early teens.
In his early tours, he would travel with a group of younger girls that he would behave questionably around considering his age. His future wife Priscilla was only 14 when she first met him, and after their first child was born, Elvis moved on to another teenager named Rebecca Smith, and the cycle continued.
Cee Lo Green Has Questionable Views On Consent
In 2012 and 2013, Cee Lo Green ran into some trouble with the law after he was accused of giving a woman ecstasy and then raping her. He pleaded no contest to the drug charge and received three years of probation. The rape charges eventually disappeared because his lawyer argued there was no proof the act wasn't consensual. However, Green continued to make waves when he took to Twitter and shared his thoughts on consent.
He tweeted "People who have really been raped REMEMBER!!!" and "If someone is passed out they're not even WITH you consciously! So WITH Implies consent." Although Green apologized and said he'd "never condone harming women," people have not forgotten.
Miles Davis' Ex-Wife Feared For Her Life
Many people accept that Miles Davis was the essence of jazz during his time. However, his hubris got the best of him, and he was known to be so vain that it was out of control. He would talk down on anyone that spoke highly of anyone else except him, which made him unpleasant to be around. On top of that, his issues with drugs and alcohol also led him to become progressively abusive towards the women he was married to.
His ex-wife Frances Davis claimed that it was no ordinary case of abuse. She attempted to run away from home afraid that he would kill her. Also, he condoned the beating of women in his autobiography to keep them in line.
Morrisey Isn't Afraid To Share His Unpopular Opinions
After listening to Morrisey's lyrics throughout his career, it's obvious that some pretty dark thoughts are going on inside his musically-gifted brain. In 2007, he expressed his xenophobia in an interview with the Independent when he stated "Although I don't have anything against people from other countries […] the price [of immigration] is enormous. Travel to England and you have no idea where you are."
He shared even more offensive opinions during the Harvey Weinstein ordeal when he claimed that "I hate sexual situations that are forced on someone. But in many cases, one looks at the circumstances and thinks that the person who is considered a victim is merely disappointed." These are only a few of the outrageous things he's said over the years.
Chuck Berry Started Racking Up Felonies At A Young Age
Chuck Berry and his magical guitar hands helped mold rock and roll into what it is today. Although labeled a genius, he had some serious issues that date back before he was ever a musician. His criminal record began when he was a teenager, stealing cars and an armed robbery. Then, when he was 36, he was arrested for violating the Mann Act which prohibits taking a woman across state lines for immoral intentions. The girl he was with was 14 at the time.
According to the Riverfront Times, he was accused of videotaping women in the bathroom of one of his restaurants. His house was raided where they found weapons, drugs, and the videotapes. He relatively calmed down until his death in 2017.
Steven Tyler Convinced A Young Girl To Have An Abortion
In Steven Tyler's 2011 memory Does The Noise In My Head Bother You? He recalls an early girlfriend named Julia Holcomb and their sexual escapades together. Holcomb, however, exclaimed that she was 16 and from a broken family when she struck up a relationship with Tyler. Her troubled mother even signed Holcomb over to Tyler as her legal guardian. Supposedly, Holcomb was already pregnant by the time Tyler asked her to marry him, but the whole thing fell apart.
Holcomb was five months pregnant when she was trapped in a fire and rushed to the hospital. There, Tyler convinced her to have an abortion, and soon after, Holcomb left him. She went back to her parents, and Tyler acted as if nothing happened.
Brian Jones Was Violent Behind Closed Doors
Once a member of The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones had behavioral issues well before he stepped on stage with the Stones. His issues began in grammar school when he was kicked out for inciting rebellion and got in the face of anyone that got in his way. Although it might not have been apparent from the outside, behind closed doors, Jones was known to be a violent person.
His ex-lover Anita Pallenberg was a victim of his violence, eventually moving on to Richards. At one point, Jones became so aggressive towards her that he broke his hand on her face from hitting her so hard.
James Brown Brutally Beat His Wives
James Brown may be the most sampled artist in music history, but that doesn't cover up his horrific actions against women throughout the years. In his daughter, Yamma Brown's memoir, Cold Sweat: My Father James Brown and Me she goes into detail about the kind of physical abuse Brown would inflict on her mother. Although Brown never abused her directly, the extent of the abuse against her mother is nothing short of evil.
Incidents continued with later wives that were sent to the hospital and of course infidelity against them. After Brown's death, countless people came forward claiming that they were Brown's children. On top of all that, in 2005, there was a rape allegation from 1998 which was refused because of how much time had passed since the incident.
Which musician known for wanting to "give peace a chance" privately had a dark side?
John Lennon Had A Dark Side
Despite his reputation and legacy as a peace-loving activist, John Lennon had a dark and abusive side that many people are surprised to learn about. The accusations are pretty well-founded. In 2015, archive footage was revealed during a documentary about the 1960s. In the footage, Lennon is seen mocking disabled people.
He also had violent tendencies toward women, which he openly admitted. In a 1980 Playboy interview, he confessed, "All that 'I used to be cruel to my woman, I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved' was me. I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically - any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit.” Son Julian has said that Lennon was emotionally abusive to him.
Gary Glitter Is Serving 16 Years In Prison For His Crimes
Former pop star and glam rock singer Gary Glitter rose to fame in the 1970s. He sold over 20 million records and earned a position on the Top 100 UK most successful chart acts list.
Fame doesn’t provide immunity for crimes committed though, and the disgraced Glitter (real name: Paul Gadd) is now serving 16 years in prison for his heinous acts. He was found guilty of sexually abusing three young girls between 1975 and 1980. He’d previously been caught with child pornography and also served jail time in Vietnam in 2006 for molesting two girls, 11 and 12 years old. The Guardian now calls Gary Glitter, formerly one of Britain’s favorite entertainers, a "public hate figure".
Phil Spector’s Tragic Tumble From Grace
Musician and producer Phil Spector was one of the most influential artists from the 1950s to the 1970s. His contributions to the genre solidified his place as one of the most important figures in the history of pop music.
His legacy came to a screeching halt, however, when an actress named Lana Clarkson turned up dead in Spector’s home. She had been killed with a single gunshot wound to her mouth. Broken teeth littered the floor. In 2008, he was found guilty of murder in the second degree as well as using a firearm in the commission of a crime. Spector is currently serving his 19 years to life sentence.
Spade Cooley Murdered His Wife
The big band leader and swing musician Spade Cooley was known as the "King of Western Swing” during the 1950s. He was so big that he even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame… making him the only celebrity with a Walk of Fame star and a murder conviction.
Cooley abused drugs and alcohol and was frequently violent at home. He filed for divorce against his second wife, Ella Mae but then the two tried to reconcile. Instead, Cooley murdered Ella Mae in front of her teenaged daughter. The Los Angeles Times reported that Ella Mae was “beaten, stomped and choked.” Cooley spent the rest of his life in prison, dying in 1969.
Frank Sinatra Had A Mean Streak
While Frank Sinatra might have been one of the dreamiest men alive onstage, off stage, he had a temper like you wouldn't believe. One of his earlier wives described him as being almost like Jekyll-and-Hyde — sweet one minute and terrifying the next. He was in many physical altercations including punching a reporter in the face and throwing a phone at a businessperson, cracking his skull.
On one occasion he threw a bottle of champagne so hard at Ava Gardner he cracked the sink. He was also known to get into fits of rage for no reason, destroying anything in front of him, including valuable items that were of significant meaning.
Eric Clapton Made Bizarre Racist Comments
In the 1970s, iconic guitarist Eric Clapton went through a period of physical and mental decline. During this era, he used a lot of drugs and alcohol and had some surprising racist outbursts. One of them took place during a concert, where he said "I think we should send them all back. Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out," Clapton said from the stage. "England is for white people, man. We are a white country. ... This is Great Britain, a white country. What is happening to us, for [expletive]’s sake?" His remark is partially what spurred the Rock Against Racism movement across the UK.
Today, Clapton is ashamed of his earlier statements and has apologized for them. In a recent documentary, he said, "I sabotaged everything I got involved with. I was so ashamed of who I was, a kind of semi-racist, which didn’t make sense. Half of my friends were black, I dated a black woman, and I championed black music."
David Bowie Was Consumed By Drug And Alcohol Addiction And Had Relations With Underage Girls
A GQ editor has released an explosive biography of the late rocker David Bowie. In David Bowie: A Life, author Dylan Jones alleges that Bowie was consumed by his addictions and frequently had one-night stands with underage girls.
According to the book, “L.A. nightclubs on the Sunset Strip in the early '70s were filled with young groupies who 'dropped pills and evolved into pubescent dream girls for the platform-shoed rockers who could get anything and anyone they desired'. David had his pick of these 12-to-15-year-old groupies.” Admittedly, this is probably pretty common behavior among many rock stars who have fans throwing themselves at them.
Ike Turner Is Infamous
Of all the musicians included in this list, Ike Turner just might be the most expected. When his ex-wife Tina Turner's autobiography What's Love Got to Do With It was made into a movie, people got a glimpse of Ike's cruel tendencies to physically and emotionally abuse Tina as his drug use and jealousy escalated.
In his own memoirs, Ike admits to hitting Tina but doesn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it. "Sure, I've slapped Tina.... There have been times when I punched her to the ground without thinking. But I have never beat her," he wrote. Ike Turner died in 2007.
Jerry Lee Lewis Admitted That He Worries Whether He’s Going To Heaven Or Hell
Jerry Lewis changed the genre of rock and roll music, but he dealt with many demons along the way to becoming the legendary musician known as "rock & roll's first great wild man.” For starters, he’s said to have a mean temper. He once showed up at Graceland, drunk and with a gun. He insisted that Elvis come outside to prove which of them was “the real king.”
Oh, and there’s also the issue of his marriage history. He’s been married seven times. Two of his wives died in suspicious circumstances. And another of his wives was his 13-year-old first cousin once removed. Lewis’ public image and career took a huge hit when that marriage happened.
The next artist has a song called "Jailbait." Can you guess who it is?
Ted Nugent Allegedly Had Intercourse With His Adopted Daughter
“Jailbait” singer Ted Nugent’s inclusion on this list might not be terribly surprising. After all, he’s one of the most controversial rockers out there. “The Motor City Madman“ has a… thing… for young girls. In a 1998 documentary, he said “I was addicted to girls. It was hopeless. It was beautiful. I got the stamp of approval of their parents… I guess they figured better Ted Nugent than some drug-infested punk in high school.”
Even worse, he once adopted his 17-year-old girlfriend (he was 30 at the time) so he could have better access to her since she wasn’t legally able to get married yet.
Mick Jagger Likes Them Young
In a Thrillest interview, former rock and roll groupie Lori Maddox shared her experiences with The Rolling Stones’ frontman Mick Jagger. She said that, when she was still a teenager, the singer brought her into “a bondage-themed bedroom,” before giving her tons of cocaine and having physical relations.
Although her age made the act illegal, Maddox insists that Jagger didn’t do anything wrong as far as she was concerned. It was all “very consensual,” she said. “You need to understand that I didn’t think of myself as underage.” This seems to be a common theme among 70s rock stars.
Peter McNeal Is Serving 15 Years To Life For His Terrible Crime
Remember the band Cake? They had the hit single "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" from their hit 2001 album Comfort Eagle. Well, former drummer Peter McNeal (he also played for Norah Jones and Method Man) has done some really disturbing and disgusting things: he molested a three-year-old child in 2009.
After a jury found McNeal guilty of one count of oral copulation of a child under the age of 10, he was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. He'd actually been arrested previously for an attempted molestation. That's one sick puppy.
Marvin Gaye Continued The Cycle Of Abuse He’d Suffered
Soul singer, songwriter, and record producer Marvin Gaye was influential in the development of Motown sound. He won a Grammy award for the iconic song "Sexual Healing." Posthumously he was given The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Gaye didn’t have an easy personal life, though. He was abused by his father, who later shot and killed the singer following an argument. Years after Gaye’s death, his former wife Janis revealed that she’d been subjected to abusive treatment from him. “He took a kitchen knife and put it to my throat. I was petrified, paralyzed. I thought it was all over,” she wrote. Sadly, the cycle of abuse is sometimes difficult to stop.
Keith Moon Killed His Friend In An Accident
Keith Moon was The Who’s drummer from 1964 until his death in 1978. Moon was known for his hard-partying ways, and stories about his drink-and drug-fuelled antics are common. One such story had a very sad ending and haunted Moon for the rest of his life.
On January 4, 1970 Moon and a group of friends visited the local pub. They were harassed by skinheads while there and tried to make an escape. Moon was drunk at the time but got behind the wheel of his Bentley anyway. In the confusion that followed, he unknowingly ran over his driver and bodyguard Neil Boland and dragged him to his death. The coroner ruled Boland's death an accident.
Charles Manson Became A Symbol Of Hatred
At first glance, Charles Manson might not appear to be a good fit for this list. But before he became infamous he was a singer/songwriter who was well-respected enough as a musician that The Beach Boys recorded one of his songs, "Cease to Exist." Then all hell broke loose.
Most of us know what happened next. Manson’s cult, called “the Manson Family,” a commune in California, killed nine people in July and August of 1969. The victims included a famous actress, the nine-month pregnant Sharon Tate. Manson was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder for the deaths of seven people and was also convicted of first-degree murder for two other deaths. He spent the rest of his life in prison, dying in 2017.
Johnny Paycheck Couldn’t Stay Out Of Trouble
Johnny Paycheck was a musician, member of the Grand Ole Opry, and most fittingly was part of the 1970s country music "Outlaw Movement." He’s best known for his rendition of David Allan Coe’s song "Take This Job and Shove It." Paycheck was constantly in trouble and even served time in prison for attempted murder.
The crime took place on December 19, 1985, in an Ohio bar. Paycheck got into a dispute with another bar patron that ended with him pulling out his gun and shooting the man. The bullet grazed the man’s head. In court, the victim later said that Paycheck had "blowed my hat off." Johnny Paycheck spent nine years in prison for the crime. He died in 2003.
R. Kelly Keeps Getting Away With Criminal Behavior
R. Kelly has a disgraceful history of bad behavior with women and young girls. Over the past years, he’s been accused of abusive and predatory behavior toward women and girls. There have literally been dozens of credible accusations against him. He’s also been indicted for 21 counts of child pornography.
In 2002, a video was released which showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl before urinating on her. A string of other allegations of violence and abuse have followed. There have been many calls for his record company, RCA, to drop the artist. However, as of August 2018 Kelly is still with RCA.
The Tragic Tale Of Sid And Nancy
The tumultuous relationship between the punk rock singer Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungeon is legendary. Vicious joined the Sex Pistols, the band responsible for initiating the punk movement in the UK, in 1977. The group started to achieve recognition and fame, but Vicious had begun using heroin.
He met Nancy Spungen, and the two began a destructive, drug-filled relationship. In 1978 Vicious found Spungeon dead in the hotel room the shared; he said he didn't remember what had happened. He was arrested and charged for her murder. The following year Vicious died of a heroin overdose, the day after being released from Rikers Island on an unrelated charge.
David Allan Coe Has Made A Lot Of Claims About His Crimes
Musician and songwriter David Allan Coe is famous for songs like "Longhaired Redneck," "Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)," and "She Used to Love Me a Lot." He spent much of his early life behind bars and got his start writing music while incarcerated.
Coe has made many claims about run-ins with the law. Some are definitely true but others, like Coe killing a man while in prison, are a bit harder to prove. What we do know: In 2008 he was caught on camera in a casino, fighting with employees over a slot machine payout. He was charged with disorderly conduct and interference with official acts. Then in 2015 he pleased gulity to tax evasion. He owed nearly $500,000 in back taxes and faced three years in prison as well as a hefty fine.
Lead Belly Ledbetter Left A Trail Of Bodies Behind Him
“Lead Belly” Ledbetter was born in 1888, and his folk and blues music inspired other musicians for decades to come. Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and George Harrison have all cited Lead Belly as an inspiration. George Harrison even said, "No Lead Belly, no Beatles."
His personal life was not as respectable as his music career. In 1915 he spent 30 days on a chain gang after a brutal fight he’d had. Just two years later he killed his cousin's husband. In 1930 he stabbed a man "with intent to murder,” followed by another bar fight resulting in a stabbing in 1939. This resulted in his final jail term. Lead Belly died in 1949.
Richard Wagner Was A Proud Anti-Semite
The German composer Richard Wagner, who lived from 1813 to 1883, is credited with revolutionizing opera through his many contributions to the art form. Many of his operatic works are still performed today.
Here’s the catch: Wagner was quite vocal about his dislike of Jewish people. He even wrote a pamphlet called “Jewishness in Music" and said that a “Jew” is "incapable ... of artistic expression, neither through his outer appearance, nor through his language and least of all through his singing." He lived well before the rise of Nazism in his country but would undoubtedly have fit right in.
A Proud And Difficult Man, Chuck Berry
The New Yorker described Chuck Berry as a "proud and difficult man" when he passed away in 2017. He was also a person who helped shape rock and roll that many labeled as a genius. The difficulty came from his antics and decisions like when he punched Keith Richards in the mouth for touching his guitar.
Berry would call his bad choices his "naughties." One of his naughties that isn't well-known dates back to 1989 when he was accused of videotaping women in the bathroom of one of his restaurants.
James Levine Had An Interesting Behavior
There is no bigger stage than the Metropolitan Opera and James Levine was the head of it for more than 40 years. He had many titles there such as working with the younger artists as the artistic director. And that's where things get creepy.
The New York Times announced in March 2018 that they were ending connections with Levine thanks to "sexually abusive and harassing conduct." There weren't many details released, but sometimes you don't need too much. The Met's investigation consisted of over 70 people and they concluded that there was credible evidence that he engaged in sexually abusive conduct.
Morrissey Wasn't The Nicest Guy...
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"I hate sexual situations that are forced on someone. But in many cases, one looks at the circumstances and thinks that the person who is considered a victim is merely disappointed." - Morrissey. That was a statement he gave concerning the Harvey Weinstein situation. Basically, Morrissey is the guy who is very vocal and always has an unpopular opinion.
He's said so many outrages things, that Rolling Stone rounded up his most foul comments. One of them included blaming Kate Middleton for the suicide of a nurse. Maybe he should do a character check.
Chris Brown Abuses His Status
Chris Brown's career got out to a great start as the young star had an amazing voice and could dance like a young Michael Jackson. As time went on he became bigger and bigger and started dating international star, Rihanna. If you aren't familiar with his past, then you don't know that he beat Rihanna in a car ride on their way to an award show in 2009.
His image was heavily tainted since then. And that wasn't the end of his antics. As years went by, he found himself in more trouble, including throwing bottles at people in the club and attacking others.
Dr. Dre Was Out Of His Mind
The super producer and hip-hop legend Dr. Dre has a past of assault and abuse towards women that he is not that proud of. The Los Angeles native assaulted former TV host Dee Barnes. She described it as beginning with "slamming her face and the right side of her body repeatedly against a wall near the stairway.”
Dre knows this behavior shouldn't be tolerated by anyone and dished out in any manner. “Any man that puts his hands on a female is a [expletive] idiot,” Dre begins. “He’s out of his [expletive] mind, and I was out of my [expletive] mind at the time. I [expletive] up, I paid for it, I’m sorry for it, I apologize for it.”
Iggy Sleeps With A Minor
Many designate Iggy Pop as the Godfather of Punk. He was the vocalist for the proto-punk band the Stooges (who copied their name from the Three Stooges) and had wild stage antics. None of this was telling of what he did with a "baby groupie."
Apparently, Iggy Pop slept with baby groupie Sable Starr when she was only 13. Iggy and the rest of America know that isn't the appropriate age for anything like that. If you listen to the song Look Away, it's about her.
Jimmy Page Kidnapped A 14-year-old
Imagine a famous musician kidnapping your daughter or niece when she is only 14. Sounds disgusting and wrong, doesn't it? Well, that's what Jimmy Page was up to when he took the young Lori Maddox. Not only did he capture her, but she stayed with him for three years.
Many say he sexually abused her, so Maddox staying with him can be equated to some kind of trauma bonding or Stockholm Syndrome. Young girls need to be careful with these musicians they love on the screen.
Ozzy Goes Off The Deep End
To say Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have been through a lot during their long marriage would be an understatement. They've always seemed to get out from the rough patches, even when Ozzy tried to kill Sharon in 1989.
"I knew that something was going to happen," Sharon said. "He went to bed. He came down in his underpants, sat on the sofa right opposite me and said, 'We've come to a decision.' I was like, 'Yeah' – sort of sarcastic and he said, 'We're very sorry but you're going to have to die."
Did 2Pac Do It?
Many praise 2Pac to be one of the greatest rappers of all-time and it's hard to argue with it given his track record and extensive catalog. The rapper who passed at only 25 had a troubled story with many faults that may or may not have been true. for example, his 1995 conviction.
He and a few others were charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old. This woman claimed 2Pac and his crew entered her hotel room and abused her. While 2Pac said he was innocent, the judge did not feel the same.
Jay-Z For Doing The Unthinkable...
It's pretty much common knowledge that Jay-Z and Beyonce are married with children and have a combined net worth of at least a $1 billion. That's what's so special about these two, they are a fine example of what hard work can get you no matter where you're from.
We can't, however, forgive Jay-Z for what he did to Beyonce, his wife. That's right, we're talking about him cheating on his lady. Who in their right mind would cheat on Queen Bey? The issue was said to leave ill-effects on their marriage and made Beyonce question a lot.