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Sure, you could torpedo your chances for a place in the rock’n'roll pantheon with drugs, alcohol and your choice of sexually transmitted diseases. But where’s the fun in that? The following bands found new and interesting ways to bring that dreaded day job a little too close for comfort.
Sabotaged by: Music Video
Boston rocker Billy Squier was the lone hard rocker still charting when synthesizers and drum machines crowded everything else out of 80’s radio. With the excellent “Don’t Say No” and “Emotions in Motion” already under his belt, record executives were salivating over the chance to market his 1984 album “Signs of Life”. For the music video of the leadoff single “Rock Me Tonight”, they convinced him to dance on a bed wearing a pink tank top. The album sold gangbusters but the video lost Squier his fan base–as well it should (his dancing was compared to a French pastry chef whose souffle had fallen). The shame of it was that in concert, Billy just strapped on a Telecaster and ROCKED. Subsequent albums predictably fizzled. The rather un-masculine video clip is above.
Sabotaged by: Japan
After three critically acclaimed/poor selling albums, Cheap Trick was ready to launch their best record with “Dream Police”. But then their quickie live set in Tokyo went uber-platinum. Shelved for a year, “Dream Police” sold well when it saw the light of day, but critics complained the band had abandoned their Budakon sound (even though the concerts were recorded AFTER Dream Police was already in the can). Desperate for another hit, record executives paired the band with producer after producer, even though nobody knew why the live album sold when the studio versions didn’t. The band tried to sue their way free and received a package in the mail. It was their ass. The A&R boys called the shots from then on, so you can thank them for “The Flame”. Only after their contract expired did Trick get their edge back on “Cheap Trick ‘97″ and “Rockford”, both on independent labels.
Sabotaged by: Trash Talk
Quiet Riot has the dubious honor to be the very first heavy metal band to score a top ten hit with a cover of Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize”. But they’d shot their wad creatively, having to release ANOTHER Slade cover as a follow-up. The band probably could have weathered this, but when lead singer Kevin DuBrow insulted the more popular and (I can’t believe I’m writing this) more talented Motley Crue, he angered fans on all sides. Heavy metal found its first pariah in a movement supposedly populated by outcasts. Oh, the angst!
Sabotaged by: Reality Television
Oh, he’s all warm and fuzzy now, but back in the day Ozzy was a bat-biting, ant-eating, dove-killing badass backed by guitar whiz Randy Roads on “Crazy Train”, “Over the Mountain”, and “Flying High Again”. But by letting MTV into his LA mansion (instead of the creepy dungeon we all pictured him in), Ozzy cashed the last of his credibility in for a permanent Trivial Pursuit mention and assloads of cash.
Sabotaged by: Napster
As file sharing made anonymous, consequence-free theft easier than copping a squat, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich stood up for musicians by refusing to sell Metallica content digitally. Musicians applauded the stand, but the fan base saw Metallica as out of date and hypocritical, since mix tape trading was largely responsible for Metallica’s getting noticed by the major labels. It took five years and group therapy before the band recovered most of its reputation. Long time readers of Listverse will well know how hated the band is here.
Sabotaged by: Urban Legend
You know the one, don’t you? Sure you do. About how Rod Stewart had to have his stomach pumped because he had a gallon of human semen in it. Regardless of which way Rod swings, he claims his career was unaffected. For the record, Rod later married model Rachel Hunter, and she’s Stacy’s Mom (who definitely has it goin’ on). Incidentally, the same urban legend has also been applied to Elton John, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi, Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, and Lil’ Kim.
Sabotaged by: Jesus
In a press interview, John Lennon made a cynical off-the-cuff remark that the Beatlemania had made his band “more popular than Jesus now”. The backlash was instantaneous and resulted in mass record burnings and protests. Management quickly scheduled a press conference, and Lennon recanted according to a script we’re all too familiar with these days. Me? I think Jesus let him off with a warning.
Sabotaged by: Yoko Ono- NOT
Bands have always had to tolerate the singer’s girlfriend, but damn, this was The Beatles. Post Yoko, the rift between John and Paul grew unbreachable, leading to the group’s demise before they could get old and start sucking. Wait…
Sabotaged by: Marriage
Just as his star was burning brightest (“Whole Lotta Shakin Goin’ On and Great Balls of Fire were established hits), Jimmy Swaggart’s cousin Jerry Lee Lewis had the brainstorm that marrying his thirteen-year old cousin was a really good idea. As you can imagine, it was career suicide, but it’s hard to appreciate how much of an outrage it must have been in the 1950’s. Let’s try: today, Marilyn Manson can vivsect a leopard seal in a gradeschool crosswalk and nobody bats an eye. But we all still abhor Jerry Lee Lewis. Yeah. It’s that bad.
Sabotaged by: Plastic Surgery
How bad must you be to beat Jerry Lee Lewis in a creep-out contest? Try cosmetic surgeries numbered in scientific notation, resulting in a bleached, noseless rictus that makes the old guy from Poltergeist 2 look huggable. And if that doesn’t seal the deal, throw in cash settlements for pedophilia charges and dangle a blindfolded baby out a window. At his obese and addicted worst, Elvis looks angelic next to this abomination of too much fame, money, and wasted talent.
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April 1st, 2009 at 1:40 am
micheal jackson creeps me out. he’s a surgery addict, he’s going to keep finding things to change. i think.
ozzy is still cool!
April 1st, 2009 at 1:41 am
Agree with Jacko being number one – creepy
April 1st, 2009 at 1:48 am
i thought that jacko was the king of pop, not a rock act at all?
April 1st, 2009 at 1:55 am
Michael J. number 1 indeed…
April 1st, 2009 at 1:57 am
why was jacko allowed to keep his kids? if there was all that stuff about peadophilia and he was doing stuff like dangle his kids out of windows? surely hes an unfit father?
April 1st, 2009 at 2:00 am
Never heard about that urban legend with Rod Stewart before!
But I must say that those who hate Metallica deserve such urban legend applied to them!!
Yes, thats right… I said it!!
April 1st, 2009 at 2:00 am
I agree with nipper, I don’t think Michael Jackson belongs on a rock acts list…even though he certainly is more creepy than all the other on the list..
April 1st, 2009 at 2:01 am
I suspected that MJ would be number 1 – cool list
April 1st, 2009 at 2:04 am
lol skin disease my ass!
You should make another one with more modern acts, though that’s basically all of them nowadays.. It’s just that they don’t care or are too stupid to realise it.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:12 am
Pretty good list all in all. I remember the Metallica / Napster deal. Good stuff.
At the end of the day though, I still listen to Michael Jackson. Not an everyday thing, but I can play a lot of his music and enjoy it. Nothing against his cases, surgeries, short-comings, yadda, yadda, his music is still good.
Thriller gets a lot of play from me. Love it.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:20 am
how bout lane staley ruining it with drugs? a real waste
April 1st, 2009 at 2:23 am
On one of the “I Love the ’70’s” shows they were talking about Yoko Ono and Tom Arnold said that he knows what it’s like being in a celebrity relationship and that everything that goes wrong gets blamed on the less talented.
Along with some of the other posters, I still listen to Michael Jackson. Just the Thriller and Bad albums, but they are still good albums. I just try to disassociate the pedophiliac white woman from the black man that I’m listening to who’s on the covers of the albums.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:27 am
Please, get your facts straight about Michael Jackson.
The reason his skin has changed from black to white is very simple, yet incredibly unknown, even though it’s on his Wikipedia article. Michael Jackson is a sufferer of vitiligo and lupus. Both illnesses make him sensitive to sunlight, and the treatments he uses for his condition further lighten his skin tone, and, with the application of pancake makeup to even out blotches, he can appear very pale.
Concerning the pedophilia charges, I will quote directly from Wikipedia:
Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old child named Jordan Chandler and his father Evan Chandler.[78] The friendship between Jackson and Evan Chandler broke down. Sometime afterward, Evan Chandler was tape-recorded saying amongst other things, “If I go through with this, I win big-time. There’s no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever…Michael’s career will be over”.[79] A year after they had met, under the influence of a controversial sedative, Jordan Chandler told his father that Jackson had touched his penis.[80] Evan Chandler and Jackson, represented by their legal teams, then engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to resolve the issue in a financial settlement; the negotiations were initiated by Chandler but Jackson did make several counter offers. Jordan Chandler then told a psychiatrist and later police that he and Jackson had engaged in acts of kissing, masturbation and oral sex, as well as giving a detailed description of what he alleged were the singer’s genitals.[81]
An official investigation began, with Jordan Chandler’s mother adamant that there was no wrongdoing on Jackson’s part. Neverland Ranch was searched; multiple children and family members strongly denied that he was a pedophile.[81] Jackson’s image took a further turn for the worse when his older sister La Toya Jackson accused him of being a pedophile, a statement she later retracted.[82] Jackson agreed to a 25-minute strip search, conducted at his ranch. The search was required to see if a description provided by Jordan Chandler was accurate. Doctors concluded that there were some strong similarities, but it was not a definitive match.[82] Jackson made an emotional public statement on the events; he proclaimed his innocence, criticized what he perceived as biased media coverage and told of his strip search.[78]
Please, get your facts straight about someone before you place them on a list.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:37 am
Cool list!
April 1st, 2009 at 2:55 am
13. Equinox : This list is about destroyed reputations, facts don’t really matter, just what everyone thinks about these people is what is important – and I must say that MJ deserved #1 for that, definitely… And IMO the vitiligo thing is a bit smelly, I don’t notice anyone else who has it that is affected as severely as Michael, just pointing it out *cough* full of sh*t *cough*, excuse me, I have a cold
Funnily enough I always thought – being only a youngin’ – that Ozzy trying to kill his wife was what destroyed his rep. I mean, if you get high enough to kill all of your pets, how many fans are you going to have left?
April 1st, 2009 at 2:59 am
I think plastic surgery is the least of Michael Jackson’s problems.
@jfrater if you’re around; could you please reply to my email. Thanks
April 1st, 2009 at 3:00 am
Haha his nose cracks me up! Lol
April 1st, 2009 at 3:18 am
Ryan – I don’t have an email from you – try frater at gmail
April 1st, 2009 at 3:35 am
How about Judas Priest… ruining it with his “gayness”!!!
April 1st, 2009 at 3:48 am
I was kind of expecting to see Guns ‘N’ Roses on the list. Either from the loss of Slash, or more importantly the amount of time it took to release Chinese Democracy. Both points have made them more of a joke punchline.
Fun list though.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:50 am
@19. Travis
Judas Priest was really popular because of his “gayness”. Since it was the leather, at the time a gay thing, that made them so popular. Besides, him coming out didn’t really lose them any fans, no one cares that much.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:02 am
@Trigun472 : OH yeah lets sing songs for satan worshipers and bikers and then go to jimmy choos to buy the new sandals!! Thats some credentials for ya!!
April 1st, 2009 at 4:21 am
In Oz at least, Cheap Trick were one of the first touring bands to be pinged for lip-synching/taped music, I don’t think they’ve recovered here from that, even though it was from back in the late 70s.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:24 am
That seemed to be Robert Plants plan right? Funny the classic rock guys that seem so straight, dress so feminine. Then
Halford and Mercury who dresses in leather and is seen as so straight turns out to be gay.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:28 am
I’d never heard the Rod Stewart one but it sounds rancid lol
& the Jerry Lee Lewis/thirteen-year-old cousin thing? Just pure gross… even grosser than the thought of a gallon of human semen sitting in somebody’s stomach…
I do laugh at him a lot but I do find myself feeling sorry for Michael Jackson…
I mean yeah, saying you share your bed with young boys, mangling your own face and dangling your baby over a balcony are definately not some of the best decisions ever made.
But I don’t believe he molested any kids.
And that really is one of the worst things you can be accused of.
But yeah, a lot of things he brought upon himself…
Sexy list as always
Still keeping my free periods at college interesting.
Much love
xxx
April 1st, 2009 at 4:31 am
PS – Don’t tell Metallica but I downloaded the whole of Death Magnetic a few months ago.
Don’t think they’d be best pleased.
Seriously though suing Napster was really shitting on their own doorstep.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:40 am
That Billy Squier video was BAAAAAAAAAADDDD!!!
April 1st, 2009 at 4:45 am
Ohhh Metallica…they sound good, but they are hypocrites, what with the mixed tape thing. Pretty much all metal bands had to do that when the genre first came out.
And I thought being in a band was about the music, not the money?
April 1st, 2009 at 4:51 am
I lurve this list. Almost every one brought up a memory. 10: Who? (hahahahahahahah), 9: Poor Cheap Trick, they had so much potential. I used to listen to “Lap of Luxury” nonstop as a kid. 8: They still have street cred. 7: I kept hearing about the Osbornes, tuned in, and the first thing I see is him drooling on a loaf of bread. Sad, sad, sad. 6: They delay the inevitable. Don’t tell me their concerts aren’t profitable, why such a wah fest? They can’t be as upset as the regular record exec, surely. 5: I heard that rumor, but about David Bowie. Best part? Didn’t stop me from loving his music. Hunky Dory can beat most modern records with a crudely shaped spoon. The liner notes are a bunch of the gayest shots you’ll see, and I don’t give a sh*t. Bowie is a god. 4: … but they were! 3: Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ’bout
Revolution, Evolution, Masturbation, Flagellation, Regulation, Integrations, mediations, United Nations, congratulations… All we are saying is give peace a chance. 2: It’s a bit creepy, but a young Winona Ryder makes it more bearable, and that’s the first I’d heard of it. 1: His fans are not normal fans. Be afraid.
Also: 13. Equinox: Wow. Denial is not a river in Egypt.
18. jfrater: Hi. Be grateful, for I had a large amount of material ready to submit when my comp crashed, erasing everything. What did I do first? Try to email you about it. I’ve thought better of it now, and you are one less drunken email.
20. Trigun472 Here, here! Except the long awaited Chinese Democracy blew.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:59 am
I was expecting to see an April Fools list today…Good stuff nonetheless.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:11 am
I love Ozzy, but I couldn’t stand watching that bloody tv-show. Whatever makes Sharon and their two rotund kids “stars” has got to to be wrong. Still, he got a bundle for the trouble.
This Billy Squier guy did what everyone did in the 80’s, I think. Everything went downhill for 10 or so years, before good old rock n roll came back. Who can blame him for trying to fit in in the landslide ?
Metallica is a band I’ve never understood, really. Boring rock, boring guys, just plain boring.
Jackson is the obvious choice for number 1. That guy has been so weird for such a long time, people just don’t bother to bat an eye any more.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:12 am
i’m not taking Metallica’s side… coz I download everything too… but one must understand their point of view… imagine someone came up to you and said well we’re gonna take 25% of your earnings cos ppl are sharing stuff you made… f*ck I’d get pissed off too!
April 1st, 2009 at 5:16 am
The only thing that EVER sabotaged the Beatles was breaking up. They were untouchable by anything but themselves.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:24 am
#4, The Beatles/Jesus controversy is stated a little inaccurately, but I understand your point. However it actually happened, it was a serious blow to their Midas touch. My big sister gathered every Beatles item we had in our home (Beatle boots, Beatle dolls, Beatle lunchboxes, Beatle posters, Beatle LP’s and 45’s, etc.) and sent them to a Birmingham radio station in 1966 to be burned.
Oh, the humanity!
April 1st, 2009 at 5:51 am
warrrreagl (34) – Lol owned. That stuff would be worth a fortune now.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:57 am
i love mj
April 1st, 2009 at 6:17 am
warrrrrr…Beatles the flamethrower?
I’m gonna go run and hide under my chair after saying this, because it’s not even close to rock, but Britney Spears did some major damage to her career. I still like her though.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:32 am
Yeah, MJ doesn’t belong on this list of ROCKstars.
Perhaps another one could be made about pop music? You could put Britney Spears on there too.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:36 am
Metallica was cool when I was in elementry school 20 years ago, they lost it before napster when they released the load album and cut their hair.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:52 am
@ 13 Mr. or Mrs. Jackson your first paragraph proved you wrong, because it´s never Lupus!
On the other hand MJ didn´t do anything worthwhile in about a decade beside riding the courtcircus, yet he´s still debated without having to remind everyone who he is, which means he´s still got to have something going for him in some way…
April 1st, 2009 at 6:54 am
Have heard and am aware of all of these, but a good write up on them. For anyone that needs further proof that Metallica is a bunch of whiny, pretentious a-holes, just (try to) sit through their embarrassing moments on Some Kind Of Monster. I lost all respect for them (Lars whining that they 4 bars that he played which will be sampled, cut and pasted for the entire song was too difficult), and was told that he needs to practice it so that he can actually perform it live).
April 1st, 2009 at 6:54 am
Sorry to thread jack, but we’re trying to do a Listverse version of a Flashmob on the Listverse Forum.click the link at the top of the page and come on over……..whooo hooo.
we now return you to your regularly scheduled programming
April 1st, 2009 at 6:59 am
lets just get one thing straight, according to most music establishments (the grammys included) Acts like Minivinili (or however you spell that ridiculous mess), britney spears or indeed Micheal Jackson are considered Rock and roll. I personally consider these pop music, but It is not technically wrong to call such acts “Rock and roll”.
For the list, I don’t feel the reputation for the beateles was destroyed per se, but I feel that John was on to something that made overly fake religious types (my sentimate towards people who practice organized religion in this day and age) feel uncomfortable about themselves. Before that statement you could sell just about anything by slapping their mugs on it. Could you really do that with Jesus? I doubt it…
April 1st, 2009 at 7:00 am
Glad MJ is #1…what a sick guy. (I still like his music though)
April 1st, 2009 at 7:11 am
Theft? What exactly was stolen with Napster? Do tell.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:17 am
37. callie_
Come out from under that chair! How dare you soil this thread with the BS.
– you must not have seen the clip I saw on the news this a.m. Dressed like a circus freak and the thunder thighs – she continues destroying her “career” har har
April 1st, 2009 at 7:43 am
this list reads funny…too many cliches…
“The band tried to sue their way free and received a package in the mail. It was their ass.”
“But they’d shot their wad creatively”
“easier than copping a squat”
hmmm…not a bad list overall…but maybe not written as well as it could be…
rtr
April 1st, 2009 at 7:45 am
Tex~
what’s wrong with thunder thighs? i have thunder thighs-if I where to clap them over your ears, you’d hear my thunder!
“leave Brittany alone”
hee hee…what a study in American life she is…
April 1st, 2009 at 7:49 am
heres another one, Mr Bungle’s career getting ruined because of their feud with Anthony Keidis of Red Hot chilli peppers
April 1st, 2009 at 7:51 am
great list!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:01 am
I love The Beatles. I don’t think their reputation is ruined…
Although, to be fair, I wasn’t even born back then, so I may have missed something
April 1st, 2009 at 8:08 am
48. rtr
bring em on – near suffocation in that fashion is nothing new to me!
Actually the BS was performing near here recently and they were showing footage – she does a Cirque rip off in a Ring Masters get-up – paaathetic.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
omy thought Billy Squier was going to turn into Olivia Newton John. Not too long after this video…. rockers started wearing tighter pants to show of all curves … and more makeup than the wonderful drag queens….im sure some thnx will go to Billy for his impersonation of the sissiest man in the world.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
A little real life experience – # 9
Went to see Blondie and someone else, Rockpile I think, anyway opening act, out walks Cheap Trick. No one I know had ever heard of them, fruity looking bunch. I mean
they didn’t really match up with the crowd. And man they were pushing themselves, doing really stupid looking crap on stage – and their promoter/Pimp was doing everything to sell them to a crowd that was not buying – gave out these little black Frisbees with a cheap trick sticker on them. Long story short – after about 10 minutes
a couple of the gimme discs start flying on the stage – 10 minutes later the band was dodging them as fast as they could duck – crowd shouting “CHEAP TRICK -
CHEAP TRICK “ and they weren’t referring to the bands name – I swear they cut the set two songs short and left, the crowd was laughing their asses off. .
April 1st, 2009 at 8:22 am
This list is missing one of the biggest falls from rock grace -
Styx!!!!
They really screwed the pooch when the did their “Mr. Roboto”
tour. It was plain bad and nowheres near “Tommy” from The Who which they were trying to copy. (along with a little Queens- Night at the opera)
All in all tho an excellent list!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:30 am
Hey JayK,
Just how do you “breach a rift”? (#3)
April 1st, 2009 at 8:32 am
I’m with rtr here. I noticed throughout the list some crude cliches thrown in (for humor?). I’m not really prudish, but it just seemed out of place for listverse. More like a Cracked article.
13. Equinox: Please. First of all, the author’s main point was about the overabundance of plastic surgery he’s had. That alone would have damaged his career. True or not, those child molestation charges and his poor interactions with his children have all but nullified his fan base. To be honest with you, I don’t believe the lupus/vetiligo story. My brother has vitiligo. He’s had it for almost 10 years and it never spread. He just has it on the upper and side corner of the right side of his mouth. He’s well adjusted and doesn’t need pancake makeup to cover things up.
I do understand where Metallica is coming from, but my opinion would differ. Some day I will sell lots of my books. Someone will ask me, “How do you feel about people ripping off the covers and stealing them?” or “How do you feel about people copying the text and putting it on the internet?”. I will answer, “I feel great- people are reading my works.”
April 1st, 2009 at 8:36 am
what about bowie and george michaels sexuality?
April 1st, 2009 at 8:42 am
ummmmmm….I dont think that George Michaels is rock
April 1st, 2009 at 8:49 am
51. Gina, although the overall legacy of The Beatles looks all shiny and pretty after almost 40 years since they broke up, they almost came unglued in 1966 with the fallout from John’s Jesus quote. For the first time since hitting it big, they didn’t sell out concerts in 1966 and had to cancel a lot of gigs because of death threats and protest marches about the Jesus quote. Everything they’d ever attempted between 1964 and 1966 turned to absolute GOLD, but this was the first crack in the facade.
Of course, they responded by giving up touring, retreating into the safety of the studios, growing up, and giving birth to a totally new direction in pop music.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
That Squire video was hilarious!
Not sure Metallica sabotaged their careers, since they’re still a big name act. The Napster thing hurt their image a bit, but not as much as The Black Album/Load/Reload/St. Anger, depending on who you ask. (I love The Black Album, and I think Load and Reload are still OK, absolutely HATE St. Anger, though). Plenty of their disappointed fans are happy with Death Magnetic, though.
Also, I’d say age and a life of self destruction sabotaged Ozzy more than the tv show, though I see your point.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
The Metallica hate is too deep…their first 4 albums still make them metal gods, and if anything, it was them selling out and becoming “softer” and more radio friendly that sabotaged them than anything else.
Don’t believe that they’ve gotten soft? Well, just look at this list. Appearing on a “rock” list instead of a “metal” one….yikes.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:01 am
60. warrrreagl
“Of course, they responded by giving up touring, retreating into the safety of the studios, growing up, and giving birth to a totally new direction in pop music.”
interesting – highly debatable – but interesting
April 1st, 2009 at 9:04 am
Although not really originally a rock act, Pat Boone did a “heavy metal” album covers called No More Mr. Nice Guy. He more or less lost his neo-con christian followers with the album. He seems to have bounced back, but paid a temporary price among the religious crowd.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:07 am
The Beatles stopped touring because they were not satisfied with the “car and a room -room and a car” life they were leading and the fact that their music wasn’t even being heard at the concerts as the crowd was much louder – all the concert goers were not there to hear the music they were there for an “event” which waqs a big turn off to the Fab Four
April 1st, 2009 at 9:08 am
Even with all the weirdness Michael Jackson is still a legend! In all honesty tho, if id have had the lime light the way he had starting before 5 years old, surely id be a little messed up to!
Some of the other rock “stars” just got to egotistical for there own good.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:09 am
64. SoCalJeff
I think that’s backwards – Pat Boone was a successful singer, actor, and teen heart-throb, then he turned Jfreak and lost his following. Many more than in the reverse scenario.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:20 am
63. TEX, which part?
April 1st, 2009 at 9:21 am
Is that the same Cheap Trick from the intro to Rock Band 2? Just wondering because that’s the only song I know by them , Hello There (ladies and gentlemen). Very irritating.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:26 am
Don’t quite know how you can say “it’s hard to appreciate how much of an outrage it must have been in the 1950’s” without your tongue very firmly in cheek. Peadophilia, even with the implied consent of marriage, is not something to be regarded flippantly!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:32 am
68. warrrreagl
I mean that your view is interesting but highly debatable.
See -65. Dolphinator is already debating your statement.
It was to be expected. There are many ideas why the fab four went indoors.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:36 am
There are many reasons The Beatles gave up touring, and they all were intertwined. I didn’t mean to imply that there was one reason above all else at the exclusion of all others – I was just grazing within the fence of the List.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:36 am
What’s wrong with eating ants? :O
April 1st, 2009 at 9:38 am
Tex – There is really no debate after all – what I stated came straight from Paul and John’s mouths. You can read it in “Lennon” by Albert Goldman or hear it in “The Complete Beatles”
April 1st, 2009 at 11:32 am
I think it’s a great list. I agree that it is a tad crass compared to what we’re all used to here but considering the subject matter I find the over-all tone to be quite fitting. Hilarious in fact.
I think that likely the hardest part of this list was to confine it to just 10 examples.
April 1st, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Sinead O´Connor tearing the pope´s picture on SNL in protest for pedophile priests.
She´s pop but the act rocked!
Very fun list
April 1st, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Jesus sabotaged The Beatles? Oh, Jesus, you naughty rascal, you!
April 1st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Regarding the crassness in the list – I actually left it all there intentionally because I found it very amusing (especially the cliches) and thought it was a nice change from my more serious style
April 1st, 2009 at 1:29 pm
45 Bob: Theft? What exactly was stolen with Napster? Do tell.
Copyright infringement and sales revenue, though the latter is debatable in some instances.
April 1st, 2009 at 1:30 pm
#10-2 are pop… so what!?
April 1st, 2009 at 1:34 pm
psychosurfer:
Define for us the difference between “pop” and “rock” and explain how Sinead O’Connor was/is the former.
The simple answer is that there is no clear dividing line, and Sinead was, if anything, far from “pop.”
I suspect you are one of these motorheaded clowns who think if something doesn’t have ridiculously loud chainsaw guitars, it isn’t “rock.”
However, you were correct about one thing–that little incident did put a crimp in Sinead’s career. That escapade should have replaced the Beatles/Jesus thing, which was only a hiccup in the Beatles’ career. Big at the time, but forgotten a year later, and then they were bigger than ever.
April 1st, 2009 at 1:37 pm
What’s with all this talk about the “crassness” of this list? If anything it’s just too cliched in its use of “colorful language.” Sounds like the writer was trying to write a Cracked list, but could only go so far as to ape their style, not break out on his own.
And you know, I LIKE Cracked.com by the way.
April 1st, 2009 at 1:55 pm
74. Dolphinator
Oh I don’t doubt that.
warrrreagl put an interesting slant to it, and I think there was a little more to it than J&P and the others might have said publicly. I have a very simple view of what was up, I think they stopped touring because they simply didn’t have to anymore. And I think John knew at that point their future would be determined in the studio, not in live concerts and the BS controversy that followed them.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:00 pm
81 Randall: the Beatles/Jesus thing, which was only a hiccup in the Beatles’ career. Big at the time…
Agreed, only a hiccup in hindsight. But IMO, it being “big at the time” makes it worthy of inclusion on the list. More so than O’Conner? Eh I dunno. My point is, there’s a couple others on here too that it could be argued have overcome whatever self-induced negativity they experienced. Definitely not to the extent of the Beatles’ later work and lasting legacy, but Ozzy, Metallica, Rod Stewart, heck even Michael Jackson will probably sell out shows and move product if he goes on tour again as he is talking about doing. So in that sense, *ending* a career à la Lewis or some of the others apparently isn’t the only measuring stick.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
MJ for the win! Poor bastard. His music will always be great, but man he is crazy. I was talking to a friend the other day about MJ after a pictureof him we saw on Yahoo came up. We were wondering if you were to never have heard of him before surgery, could you tell what race/gender he is. I know race isn’t always determined by looks (before anyone jumps on what I just said) but used to be a normal lookin black man. Now he’s some sort of transexual ghoul with a bad perm. He needs to go back to rockin that fro!
I’ve heard of that band Cheap Trick and the only way I remember them is that they did a song for the movie Top Gun (Mighty Wings)…..don’t ask how I know that useless bit of info.
Jerry Lee Louis….well not to profile the dude, but look at the picture. He looks like the type to either A) Shoot his rifle at squirrels in the back country from the bed of his 72 Ford pickup whilst drinking a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon, B) Marry his 13 year old cousin, or C) Both A and B. (He also has a song in Top Gun, another usless piece of info =P)
And finally, since I’m on a role here take a look at Yoko Ono’s picture. Now, remember the cover of that book
Where The Wild Things Are…..she’s on that cover. Don’t believe me, google it.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:12 pm
It’s an amusing little list, playful on the tongue, with a tart after-taste and a slight hint of grapes, though rather sour.
I did have somewhat of a connection with one member of the list, even if it was at third-hand…Ozzy Ozbourne.
His guitarist, Randy Rhodes, mother was a multi talented musician, and gave lessons on many instruments. She gave my younger daughter flute lessons for about 7 or 8 years, and she had a shrine to Randy in the studio. People would stop by to visit the shrine, and she would stop the lesson to take them through. Of course, she’d always add the time on at the end.
She also taught my elder daughter piano, and my son had a studio musician who worked there between gigs giving him guitar lessons.
I met Ozzy once, around Christmas, when he dropped by the studio to give her a hug and kiss and a big, wrapped gift.
While I was there, over the years, all of the musicians Randy worked with, came by or called, making sure “Mom” was all right”.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Ozzy didn`t eat ants. I believe how the story goes was Motley Crue and Ozzy were on tour together and Tommy Lee said he saw Ozzy SNORT a line of ants.
When asked about it,Ozzy said if Tommy Lee said it,then it must be true. Which neither confirms nor denys it.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Oh, poor Michael… going from genius to creepy… it makes me sad. As far as Rod Stewart goes, he’s still genius- I never heard that rumor. As for Ozzy, I think he handed Sharon the keys to his decision making a long time ago. Great list.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet but I thought I should point it out because I’ve noticed some comments that says MJ is full of shit with his skin condition etc. Here is an article with a man who has the same condition. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/2007-12-16-vitiligo_N.htm
This seems like proof to me; there are also some theory’s bout MJ wearing gloves, longs socks etc to cover up effected areas while the decease was progressing. Btw I’m not a fan at all I just wanted to point out the facts.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I’m GLAD the beatles broke up before they could suck. and i think the jesus comment was over blown and DID NOT “ruin their career” after that comment was made they went on and made like four more albums on the top 100 albums list.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Whoops meant to say disease* not decease haha
April 1st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Then there’s the famed Jim Morrison “Miami Incident”.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Man, you can’t hit someone before early morning coffee with that Jackson pic (not the one above, but the one advertizing the list).
UGH!!! Man, oh, man! It’s now late afternoon and it still gives me the heebie-jeebies.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:47 pm
93. STL Mo: I completely agree! I saw that this morning and it worked better than any coffee!
April 1st, 2009 at 3:58 pm
My husband attended an Aerosmith concert in the early or mid 70’s ( yes we respond to “old’, ‘fuddy’ and ”’duddy ‘), the opening act was a new band named KISS.
He says that crowd rocked their asses off until Aerosmith came on. They were sooo high that they were unable to play and were booed off the stage. Not long after, they left the music scene to work out their individual issues.
It took a long time, but I’m glad they finally got it together.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:00 pm
It happens that, unless you’re a highly trained competitive eater, if you have a gallon of ANYTHING in your stomach it’s gonna come up by itself, no pump required. Try it yourself, chug a gallon of water and watch the fun. I also wonder how you would even get a whole gallon of, uh, that stuff, unless you’re friends with Ron Jeremy.
April 1st, 2009 at 4:05 pm
Michael Jackson as a kid looked so normal and friendly and non-hideous.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Then there’s the vastly underappreciated for his rock chops Peter Frampton, who followed up the breakthrough “Comes Alive” album with the incredibly insipid “I’m in You”, and pretty much fell off the map of popularity.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Another possible addition
When Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship
*shudders*
From “White Rabbit” to “We built this City on rock and roll” or whatever the hell that song was called
April 1st, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I will NOT have this scurvy bunch dissing Cheap Trick…Budokan was the greatest album of my high school years!
April 1st, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Sticky grenades are the best. I mean, one minute your enemy is shooting at you, and the next, BAM! He’s having a big burst of blue goo all up in his face. Love it.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
Rather interesting list. I didn’t know several of these. I guess that is why I still listened to their music. I think I will still keep listening to their music.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I really expected this list to garner some heated debate – I was wrong (though I don’t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing).
April 1st, 2009 at 6:21 pm
I’m sorry, but I simply MUST point out, number 10, wearing a pink shirt dancing…. that music video just happens to be directed by Kenny Ortega… the Director of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!!!! Why couldn’t Efron’s career fall apart so easily… or maybe it already has….
April 1st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Jerry Lee Lewis must have been from Shelbyville
April 1st, 2009 at 7:15 pm
sorry gotta mention momma cass with mommas and papas brought down by infamous ham sandwich, or how about dixie chicks with george bush bashing and people all destroying their albums calling them unamerican but now surprise surprise they are huge again hmmm…
April 1st, 2009 at 7:25 pm
dbrownl: Momma Cass actually didn’t choke on a ham sandwich – she had a heart attack. It is a common misconception which I have dispelled on another list
April 1st, 2009 at 7:28 pm
i did know that but it is always fun to think of an overweight signer getting offed by a simple sandwich
April 1st, 2009 at 7:29 pm
what was that other list???
April 1st, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Napster didn’t have jack shit to do with Metallica and their problems.
And as far as their reputation goes, bad albums are around forever. People have forgotten about Napster.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Amen to Ericb(62) I think Metallica lost a very large part of their fan base when Lars Ulrich (their effeminate drummer) declared “metal’s dead” well…. isn’t your band Metal-lica? not very ‘metal’ after that. Still have to say that along with Joe Satriani, Kirk Hammett is one of the greatest guitarists alive.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:51 pm
1) John’s ‘jesus’ remark didnt sabotage the Beatles career. It hit hard in the southern bible belt, and the record burnings made nice news stories, but their record sales were still #1 and continued until they broke up 5 albums later, their concerts will still playing between 15,000 to 40,000 people a night
if anything, their lives were threatened during their very last US tour, and they were happy to be out of there, but their career actually reached even higher levels with Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band a year later and culminated with Abbey Road
I agree, jesus let John slide for pointing out the decline of christianity in teenagers
gee, was he right?
2) the Rod Stewart rumor didnt really effect his career. He was scoring hit after hit when that rumor was going strong
Going disco killed his career. ‘do you think i’m sexy’ was a huge hit, but his rock base headed the other way and he wasnt able to really follow that up
other than that, awesome list!
April 1st, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I really dont think Billy Squier shouldbe on this list! I still love him stupid dancing and all!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:40 pm
O.K. I’ve read the bashing of metallica long enough. I dunno how many of you were around during the early 80’s when we were looking for something new in music. Metallica provided it with albums like masters, and justice, and lightning. There was NOBODY at the time that could come close to their raw energy, their sheer attitude, and (coming from a musian’s standpoint) their songwriting abilities. There isn’t anybody else in this genre of music that has been more of an influence. So the Load and Reload were a little weaker? Try touring and beating yourself to death, night after night, playing the music they did. Hell, I call it growing up!
For those of you who want to bash their music, pick up a pair of drum sticks, or a guitar and learn to play Blackened or Dyers Eve.
For those of you who want to bash St. Anger, the same applies. Drop your tuning, no soft easy songs, no guitar solos. Just all out, balls to the wall headbaning.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Also, Quiet Riot really sabotaged their career when that egomaniac, Kevin DuBrow fired the rest of the band-Randy Rhoades, Rudy Sarzo, and Tommy Aldridge (names sound familiar?) and decided to get new musicians… Kinda ironic that the new band ended up firing DuBrow later!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
I actually laughed out loud at comment #13.
Jacko is wacko. Nuff said
April 1st, 2009 at 8:56 pm
114. chaosinc : Wow, specious enough argument? I do recall another Thrash Metal group around the same time as Metallica… Megadoom? Ultradeth? Oh well, I can’t remember, it’s good that there’s someone here with the extreme knowledge of metal that can tell me… And then of course I recall another two bands… Bacillus? Spores? No, well the other one must’ve been, Killer? Murderer? Oh well, I guess Metallica must’ve been the only ones then.
And I can play at least a song off of every Metallica album, they’re not that hard on guitar… Sure Kirk shreds a bit, but a teenager that’s been playing for 3 years (Me!!) can learn those solos in one sitting. Not quite as insane as you make it sound
April 1st, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Metallica was the band who mainstreamed metal. Hmmm… an arguement for Megadeth. Won’t get one here. Mustaine is great. But again, where did he start?
April 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
118. chaosinc : Ok, well done adressing exactly one quarter of my comment, you’re doing yourself a lot of favours… There’s a reason Mustaine left Metallica and he was much better off without them. Not to mention that he has the obvious benefit of not destroying his reputation in metal circles. Nice try
April 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Jackson possibly suffers from dysmorphpohobia or body dismorphic disoder (BDD).His addiction to surgery may also stem from a horrible childhood caused by his abusive father and his early exposure to sex. Moreover, his lupus and vitilgo make him sensitive to sunlight.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:13 pm
wasn’t there a list already like this
top 10 celebrities that ruined their careers or something like this?
also Chris Brown should be here
April 1st, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I think it’s also worth mentioning that the introduction to the list is a bit dodgy. If drugs and alcohol are going to blow you a place with The Gods, how did Jimmy, Robert, John-Paul and John (R.I.P) make it right to the top? Zeppelin were one of the most drugged out bands around in the 70’s, but back then that was considered a virtue
April 1st, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Not doing myself any favors. Mustaine was fired. And I agree that his music got better as time went on. He quit writing the all-out balls to the wall as he grew up. Was still great though.
His rep in metal circles? Um… Didn’t Mustaine recently find religion and refuses to do a lot of the older music?
Anthrax? Yep great band. Both w/Joey Belladonna and John Bush. Better w/Dan Spitz than w/out. Sorry, but a drummer coming out to do the guitar solos kinda loses a lil credibility. But, still didn’t have the impact that Metallica did.
April 1st, 2009 at 9:47 pm
123. chaosinc : Well he re-released all of Megadeths older material in 2007, and he is still VERY well regarded in metal circles in Australia. I personally can’t speak for anywhere else. But seeing as Metallica’s most successful charting would have to be on the ARIA chart, don’t you like us?
Lol, yeah, Anthrax didn’t INVENT Rap Metal. Silly me, I always get them confused with the other band that recorded Bring The Noise with Public Enemy before them
You still haven’t mentioned Slayer, afraid?
April 1st, 2009 at 10:03 pm
I think this list title should be: “10 artists thar sabotaged their careers”.
JayK, maybe you should be preparing a second part of this list, there alre plenty of ruined careers.
Wacko Jacko: #1 always!!! Great artist, but he’s out of his mind.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
When did rap-metal come into this?
Slayer-great band, just not a big fan. Drummer had the fastest feet in the world at one time. Not afraid.
There were a lot of metal acts at the time… Iron Maiden, Motorhead… but none of them had the influence, or enjoyed real commercial success until Metallica broke the metal scene.
Why the absolute hatred for Metallica, anyway?
April 1st, 2009 at 10:33 pm
126. chaosinc : *stares at screen in utter bemusement on seeing that some tool doesn’t consider Maiden commercially successful or influential*
Are you high? Maiden formed in ‘75 and were successful – and rather large influences on Metallica themselves – prior to James and Lars even setting eyes on each other. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I love meeting people like you on LV, think you know everything when in actual fact my 12 year old brother could argue better than you.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN DID RAP METAL COME INTO IT? Are you retarded? We were talking about influence, I cited an example of an influence exerted by another Thrash band – same genre same timeline, to make it as fair as can be – on another genre to try and disprove your hypothesis that “Metallica were the most influential metal band (ever?)”.
Now, to further blow your mind. Slayer, probably the most influential of the Big 4. They were instrumental in the creation of Death Metal, they’re actually on the DM list here on LV. Way more influence than Metallica, sure not as commercially successful, but when has metal music been in the last 20 years?
You seem to be under the illusion that Metallica created metal and brought it to the masses. Listen to Black Sabbath’s first 5 albums, then come back and restate your stupid assumptions. Seriously, go down to your local kindergarten and argue with some of the kids on what colour is the best. Then, once you’ve built up some logic skills you can come back here and talk to me again
April 1st, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Michael Jacksonis was a musical genius. Love the music; hate what the guy has done to himself.
Anyone in Europe planning on attending his upcoming concerts?
April 1st, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Ya know, you try to be civil, and get insulted. Yet you ask,”when has metal been comercially successful?” I answered that one. As for influence, I don’t think so.
Some of us have grown up things to do now, like jobs.
Over, finished, gone, done, out…
April 1st, 2009 at 10:54 pm
And by the way, re-read my postings. Read what I actually wrote, not what you interpreted. I said that these bands did not enjoy success til after Met broke thru, not that these other bands weren’t an influence, or good.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Hey Jfrater, I think the debtate’s starting! Get back here!
On the metal front, I like Maiden better than Metallica.
Why isn’t Elvis on this list? He was a god till he got fat and addicted to prescription drugs. And became a spoiled brat. Even before he began screwing it up himself, wasn’t he saddled with some dumb-a$$ agent who never let him tour internationally?
April 1st, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Jessy; I am always here – always watching and pondering
April 1st, 2009 at 11:08 pm
129. and 130. chaosinc : I said when has metal been commercially successful IN THE LAT 20 YEARS. Because, although you Metallica fans don’t like to admit it *drops voice to a whisper* heavy metal actually existed before Metallica. WOAH!!1! Amazing or what? Sabbath were hugely popular in their day AND they created the whole genre, I know, I know “Metallica’s still better!”. So, give me some proof, seriously, all you’ve done is say they were popular, so was Maiden and Sabbath, but you don’t mention them…
Re-read my posts and I’ll sit here asking the dear lord above to boost your mental powers for a few minutes. Maiden and Sabbath were both amazingly successful pre-’tallica.
I sure do hope you are gone, one less rabid Metallica fan to deal with. I find it quite humiliating to admit to liking their music with the bunch of you we get here on LV. It’s no wonder there’s an anti-Metallica mentality, you’re all painfully stupid.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:09 pm
What? What happened to mai LV???!!! It’s all foony looking… Aww well, still got Metallica fans to destroy so I’ll have to stay for at least a bit longer
April 1st, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Mark: it is fixed now – temporary glitch – the site should seem much faster now btw. I just made a change to it.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
um…2009…Black album released when? Falls w/in 20 years.
And by the way, I’m a fan of just about all music, not just Metallica.
Yeah, Sabbath created it, but they were in a crowd of one at the time. I know that metal existed before Met, I was there. But again I say, they broke it through for many other bands to follow. If you don’t agree, tell me who you think it was that broke thru, rather than slinging your childish insults
April 1st, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Michael Jackson can still make tons of money doing concerts in Europe and parts of Asia, which I believe he is about to do. In the US his career may be over, but even then I’m not sure. As for his appearance, so he has a disease that turns his skin white, but does it also turn him into a hideous alien looking woman!?
Metallica rules! The Beatles Rock! Quiet Riot Sucks!
April 1st, 2009 at 11:48 pm
136. chaosinc : LOL, well done proving your point there. Slight oversight on my part, huge one on your’s. Why didn’t you just mention Slipknot? I was asking the wrong question anyway, when did metal become “not commercially successful” seriously? Between Sabbath, Priest, Maiden, Thrash and Nu, metal has never been out of fashion, so I asked a poor question. That rebutts your other argument as well, Metallica didn’t lift other metal bands up with them, they just sold albums. In what universe do we attribute Slayer’s success to Metallica because, why again? Because Metallica sold more albums? Because Metallica is a more household name than Slayer? Because Metallica alienated their fanbase with the aforementioned album? I just don’t see any logic in your argument, sure you called me out for a poorly worded retort, but at the same time you helped me make my case o.O
April 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pm
All i have said is that Metallica broke through than metal scene for many other bands to follow, They released the right album at the right time, and introduced many people to a style of music that most hadn’t heard of. People actually started saying ‘hey, this matal shit is good’. Which led to the success of many other bands.
What’s w Slipknot? As a matter of fact, we cover Dead Memories.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 am
139. chaosinc : No, actually you claimed that no-one in the early 80’s had the same power and energy as Metallica, which is a blatant lie. As I rebutted by pointing out the other Thrash bands, then you panicked and decided to try and paint Metallica as the best Thrash band, which is also crap. And here we are, me knowing that I easily rebutted your first claim and growing weary of having to continue. But as long as you’re done…
You’re not a drummer by any chance?
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:07 am
I stated that Metallica broke thru, and was the biggest influence. Yes i am a drummer, and no lars is not my major influence.
Again, i’ll ask, who do you think was the single most influential band in the breakthrough of metal?
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:11 am
And where, anywhere did i say thrash?
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:13 am
141. chaosinc : THEY WERE NOT THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE. Until you actually prove a point you can’t hide behind it. Anthrax and definitely Slayer were much bigger influences on modern metal music. Again I’ll answer, Black Sabbath was the most important metal band period, no if’s, no but’s, no hypotheticals.
I figured you were a drummer because of the way you said “we cover…” rather than “I can play…”, no one really cares if you can play music on the drums, they just need drummers for bands. Also your mannerism just remind me of a drummer.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:22 am
I’ll give you the sabbath comment, but again i’ll say, they were in a crowd of one at the time.
As for the drummer comments…WTF??
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:23 am
142. chaosinc : I didn’t say you did. Firstly, it only makes you look desperate having to wait for something I say to make a small “comeback” – I use inverted commans because they don’t actually help your argument. And secondly, if you’re going to resort to it at least do it right
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:26 am
144. chaosinc : Yeah… Ok, here’s why what you said was stupid : Being one of a kind is only a GOOD thing in a musical sense as it shows you are brave, creative and innovative. All you saying that “They were in a crowd of one” does is really highlight the lack of thought that goes into your arguments…
As for the drummer comments, like it or not, they’re true and you know it. A guitarist can say “I can play this song” and it’s all sweet, but a drummer can really only say “My band plays this song” simply because drums on their own are relatively boring. Don’t take it personally, it’s just the way it is
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:09 am
Rod Stewart HUH?
Lets see; title of List Acts that sabotaged their careers. How did Rod sabotage his career with this alleged urban legend? did he start it? if not then He did not sabotage his career with it.
Second thing *You know the one, don’t you? Sure you do.*
No I don’t. Never Heard It. And I became a fan about the time of Atlantic Crossing and only gave up at The Great American Songbook. So when exactly did this absurd alleged legend come out? And what fan would have given it any credence at all? Apart from his music the one other thing that Rod is best known for is the never ending string of Gorgeous Blonds on his arm.
Cheers
Lee
April 2nd, 2009 at 4:19 am
So much to comment on, but get real! Yoko Ono didn’t break up the Beatles-look at the music John and Paul (and George for that matter,)put out afterwards-different as night and day! The Beatles were a marketing dream and those ppl are the only ones that were crying. We got great Lennon music, Paul became a pop star. Boo Hoo.
Ozzy sabotaged his own career by losing too many brain cells. Ya, the reality series was like watching a train wreck in slo mo.
If Michael Jax touched one of my kids, I’d want his career, along with his genitalia hanging from a pig pole. So to say that about the boys dad is unfair and in poor taste. MJ got off easy. He sabotaged himself by being a mentally ill person who didn’t seek treatment in time.
Metallica gets better with age…ask the kids if they’ve heard of Metallica or Led Zeppelin and it’s hell yes because they are still current! (Let go of the Napster thing you pussies! Geez! Can’t anyone stand for a cause?)…but they don’t know who Slayer, Anthrax or Quiet Riot are because they are dead and buried.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:16 am
148. BloodSuckingLeech : *facepalm* Epic fail… Sure, kids have heard of Metallica – not many around here have heard of Zep though – but how many listen? Not many, and those that do also listen to Slayer and Anthrax. Seriously, didn’t you see what happened to chaosinc further up? Did you not read my comments outlining exactly why what you just said was completely and utterly retarded? Come on, grow some brain cells, you give metal fans a poor name
I agree that the Napster thing doesn’t bother me much though, nor does them “selling out”, and I do like their music just as much as the other Thrash acts. But I hate it when tools barge in here and make other, reasonable Metallica fans – that can put things in perspective and look at the bigger picture – a bad name. Start giving respect and recognition where it is due and stop being so bigoted or get out, we don’t need people like you sullying Metallica’s already soiled name any further.
And people wonder why LV reader’s don’t like Metallica
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:19 am
Mark…wow…you give humans a bad name.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:26 am
150. BloodSuckingLeech : Lol, I’ll be a little less verbose in reply to that, it doesn’t really deserve much. Either bow out with what’s left of your dignity, or actually make a point, don’t just attack my person.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:29 am
Leave it to a bunch of whiny Jesus freaks to care so much about what someone says. Um, aren’t you secure and comfortable with your God? Why burn all these superficial objects at the thought of some human being insulting your God? I don’t know if the idea of God is worse because it’s a lie or because it turns people into mindless dolts.
Please don’t start a religious debate. I guess you strange God people have your faith in something the same as I have my faith in nothing. But my point is… don’t you think Christians should have acted more peacefully and tolerably to something like that? What a joke. What John said was true, GET OVER IT Jesus suckers. Your silly Jesus will be remember long after John is forgotten, if this sad world continues on its current path, so worry not oh herd of Christ.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:47 am
The list is pretty good. I didn’t read all of the comments but I agree with Metallica being on there. I lost all respect for them after the whole Napster thing. In my opinion, Load was a big let down, I’ve been listening to them since the late 80s and had all their previous albums. Then to go and cry so much about some file sharing. Granted there are people doing the wrong things and making money selling bootleg crap but thats just a small percentage. They blamed Napster for losing money from sales when it was actually the change in their music that people didn’t like or want to buy. Not like they aren’t already rich, I just wonder how much money do you need to be happy. Just my 2 cents.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:39 am
81. Randall: I couldn´t care less about music genders. That was my lousy attempt to make sense with the list´s title and be concise with my support for the great Sinead.
On the other hand, I´ve always been fascinated by “motorhead clowns” and all kinds of clowns who use costumes and paraphernalia in their everyday life to call attention, however, even as a radical teenager I found it too stupid and obvious to ever try it
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:57 am
Rod Stewart sabotaged his own career by recording schlock for the past 30 years. This “urban legend” had nothing to do with it.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:30 am
Here’s another good example…PETER FRAMPTON !!
…before his smashing “Comes Alive” album, he was a member of “Humble Pie”, a badass blues-based group with credibility….
….but then came the suicidal “I’m In You” album….totally aimed at the 12yr. old girl market….I don’t think he really ever recovered from that…
The same goes for REO Speedwagon….they went from playing great stuff to releasing “High Infidelity”, another teenie-bopper magnet….then that was that….ashame
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Jacko isn’t rock…
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 am
15. Mark – I’ve got vitiligo on my right arm and stomach and it spreads a bit more every year. Luckily, since I’m white it really only shows up in the summer when I tan. But, it is possible that his vitiligo could be THAT bad. Other than that I’m not really gonna stick up for Michael Jackson, I’ll definitely go in with all the jokes
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:57 am
Careers sabotaged? Are you kidding?
Metallica and Ozzy are still two of the biggest acts in metal. Their careers are just fine.
And Michael Jackson is not a rock act.
You’re stupid.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:20 am
wow, you must really hate michael jackson.
say watever u want about the guy as a spectator but however you look at it he is one of the most gifted people to ever walk this planet. i know that’s probably hard for you to swallow but its true. sorry. interesting list. I think the terminology of title was way inaccurate but…
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Thanks for your interest in the list… it’s been fun reading the comments (for the most part).
TOP 10 TEN LESSONS I LEARNED BY WRITING A TOP TEN LIST FOR LISTVERSE
10. Get a Dictionary
Everyone has a few words in their vocabulary that they don’t use properly, buy get away with in everyday conversation. That’s fine, just don’t post it on the Internet. While “unbreachable” may indeed mean “remove”, it is not commonly used to “remove a growing rift between two people”. So why not just say “remove a rift between two people”? Because I was being a pretentious prat. And no, I’m not sure what “prat” means, either. (Feels right, though. Wait…)
9. The Editor Knows His Job Better Than I Do
I “gave” JFrater total permission to edit as he saw fit. It IS his website, after all, and if my intentionally crass tone (going for laughs) didn’t fit in, it’s his prerogative to make changes. He used a light touch but kept the piece from going over the top, and improved it by dialing down the crasshole factor.
8. I WILL Be Fact Checked
In the sixties they said, “The revolution will be televised”. Today they should say, “The revolution will be fact checked online”. So get your story straight, because once you post, it’s not yours anymore, and asking for a re-edit is just plain rude. So I didn’t do it. But, yes
***Ozzy snorted ants***
Happy now?
7. Don’t Mention Metallica
I can’t say I wasn’t warned.
6. Have a Sense of Humor
Lesson one in humor: not everybody is going to get the joke. After posting, your off-the-cuff remarks may be construed as making light of skin diseases, race, marriage, pedophilia, modern dance and who knows what else. Take it in stride.
5. Resist the Urge to Respond to Every Post
And then totally invalidate your thesis by writing a rebuttal in the guise of another Top 10 list. Surely no one’s sharp enough to catch on, right?
4. Have an Original (Or at Least Good) Premise
I wanted in on the contest and was working the deadline like a (insert your better joke here). I found some scandal lists, but nothing directly relating to rock music. I thought enough people could relate to that and went from there.
3. Match The Title Precisely to the Premise
Spend more time on the title—it sets up the premise and all the jokes that follow. I chose rock’n’roll recording artists that had their careers hurt (some permanently, some definitely not) by means OTHER than the holy rock trinity of sex, drugs, and alcohol abuse. I probably should have specified that I was using the term “Rock” loosely.
2. Make Sure You Have More Than 10 Candidates
Fortunately my topic dealt in human failure, so there’s no shortage of it. The community will detect all rejected candidates:
Peter Framption (poor follow album/Sgt. Pepper movie, no jokes came to mind)
Sinead O’Connor (SNL appearance, but she retired from music voluntarily)
Dixie Chicks (mocked USA, but that’s country–the pop/rock line is less distinct)
Of course, this doesn’t excuse me for using the same band TWICE. Slacker.
1. End on Michael Jackson
Whatever the topic, you’ll probably have most people agreeing with you. No one in recent memory has succeeded AND failed so completely as Michael Jackson, so he is a figure you can praise, scorn, pity, and mock all at once. At one point he was a little kid thrust onto a worldwide stage WAY too young, and tormented by brothers who called him ‘fat nose”. He has my sympathies as a child, but I’m not letting him off the hook for his actions as a man.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:39 am
jim:
And just how is Michael Jackson oh so “gifted?”
He was a successful pop artist. Nothing more. Talented (but talent can run dry) yes, but “one of the most gifted people to ever walk this planet?” PLEASE. That’s placing him amongst entire legions of truly gifted, truly world-affecting people where he just simply does not belong.
You’re an absurd lover of celebrity, jim. Open up your eyes to the larger world about you.
Moreover, for all his former abilities, Jackson has CLEARLY gone off his nut and is quite probably a pedophile. At any rate, his actions have been to say the least VERY weird and HIGHLY questionable.
What is it with wankers like you, that you want to defend someone like that, just because he managed to sell a few records in his life?
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
It is amazing how Michael Jackson turned into the zombies from Thriller, truly amazing.
Oh and Metallica would still be great if it weren’t for Napster and Load/ReLoad/St. Anger. Seriously, Load/ReLoad could have easily been released as a double album and St. Anger was an abomination to music, the only listenable track is the title track.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 pm
162: Randall – they’re call ‘fans’. Fans will forgive anything. They’re crazy! What is it about idolising something to the point of delirium?
“Delirium: decline in attention-focus, perception, and cognition.”
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Perhaps ‘Fan’ is short for fanatic!
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
165. Lifeschool: Fan *is* short for fanatic.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
158. Blacksunshine : Good to have someone who knows around, but if I remember correctly can’t the skin also re-pigment as well? I just vaguely remember reading about it somewhere.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 pm
BloodSuckingLeech: you are a real ass. Psychoanalysis,as controversial as it may be, reveals that childhood traumas and experiences can cause real damage. None of us condone MJ for actions as a man. I admit, if he is a pedophile, he needs help. But back to the mental illnesses. People do not choose to develop mental disorders. Moreover, people deny things.He denies he has a problem; he refuses to get treatment. Its natural. No one wants to feel alienated by or ostracized because of a mental disorder, so they deny it. Basic psychological fact. Look it up under social motivation and the hierarchy of needs. It is people like you that make society the hostile, intimidating place it is. You make me sick. You are exactly what your sn implies: a blood-sucking parasites who feeds off the misery of others. Get a life, you loser. And God have mercy on your children. No one should be surprised if they end up in therapy with a parent like you.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Snorting ants and eating ants is entirely two different things.Im just saying.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:13 pm
ca_kid: Guess you like MJ alot, huh? He’s a parasite. Yes…he had great music. That’s all. As a human being, he sucked ass. You made a comment “It is people like you that make society the hostile, intimidating place it is” No, that would be you. You attacked someone for their view by being quite vile. You also became very personal about possible children. MJ has many people who can help him. If he chooses not to get help then it’s his own fault. However, this will not stop anyone from commenting on his mental status. No matter which way you slice this, he’s a sick f**k who likes little boys. He has done too many questionable things for this to be a coincidence anymore.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 pm
-…..and every poprock band from the eighties that tried to make a comeback in the nineties.
-enjoyed the read, along with the follow up in the comments continuations
-to numero 13. Equinox: Do a MJ list. do it.do it.
-the jesus sarcastica by the fart master, john lennon..has me recalling the sinead o’connor Pope picture rip.. I saw the Bob Dylan tribute a little while after and she was booed by the crowd when she tried to sing and she stopped her Dylan song and defiantly sang Everywhere There’s War then quickly left the stage, With Kris kris kristofferson attempt to console her..
a career crusher. (okay, so it’s already been brought up. I dont care. It’s what came to mind. )
-wow, I hardly recognize Winona Ryder in that picture with The Killer.
-somewhere, somehow (in dark cavity recesses of this troglodyte portion of my brain), Rod Stewart got stirred in with Bette Midler, Joan Rivers, Tony Bennett, and Martin Short, Liberace, and..wait wait wait…Rod didn’t get stirred in. It’s all part of the same bitches brew.
but I was unaware of the “Cumdumster picture goes here” with the inclusion of Elton John, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Jon Bon Jovi, Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, and Lil’ Kim”.
-Maybe Jagger was next door while Keith was getting his full body blood transfusion.
-You know what really sabotaged the beatles? The maharishi? L.S.D.? ,growing their hair and beards long and age?….No.
Let us recognize the true sabotage unmasked,
It was
THE SHENANIGANS.
- I was surprised by Lars’ stance on the copyright issue with Napster (given his art collection and intelligence, ect. along with heavy metal’s connection to anarchy and teen rebellion), but their music had already changed by the Enter Sandman Tour. then again, they were pretty big business like AC/DC with the showmanship before that and they where already at their richness/fame pentacle , so, lucifer’s deed had been done.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:30 am
Mark 151
*Either bow out with what’s left of your dignity, or actually make a point, don’t just attack my person.*
Why, are you trying to corner that market?
*Did you not read my comments outlining exactly why what you just said was completely and utterly retarded?*
*But I hate it when tools barge in here and make other, reasonable Metallica fans – that can put things in perspective and look at the bigger picture – a bad name.*
Both from your 149.
Or is it that you can give but not take. Look forward to the day you take this attitude up with one of LV True Masters
Cheers
Lee
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:34 am
JayK (161)
*I probably should have specified that I was using the term “Rock” loosely.*
Wouldn’t have helped. What is rock is probably the 2ndeasiest way to start a music argument on LN (after stating an opinion on Metallica
)
Cheers
Lee
April 3rd, 2009 at 1:53 am
170. oouchan : Ok, we obviously have different opinions on this matter – and I want to make it very clear that I hate MJ, absolutely, completely, totally and utterly hate him, hate his nose, hate his music, hate his fact ad infinitum – but put yourself in his position for a second. He MAY want to get help because he knows there’s something wrong with him, how can he do that? The press would be all over him, can you imagine it? So instead he HAS to sit on his hands doing nothing about it and feeling worse and worse as time goes on. Don’t get me wrong, if he doesn’t feel bad about it I’d be first in line to rip out the contents of his abdomen with my bare hands, but I do believe in giving him the benifit of the doubt.
173. k1w1taxi : Wow, that was rather skewed. I actually added facts and presented an argument, if you look at his reply it was a one sentence, “You’re an idiot.” job. So I think you took all of that way out of context and please note I said “Please don’t JUST attack my person” I would’ve been fine with him calling me whatever he wanted, as long as it was well-founded and didn’t just waste my time.
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:47 am
I thought molesting children ruined michael’s career
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:10 am
174. Mark: I see your point, but with the press all over him now…what’s the big diff? If he gets help, he would be more inclined to win some sympathy. I’m not saying he should do that just for the sympathy, but he really needs the help…..and a red hot poker where the sun don’t shine.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Mark- I think k1w1taxi is trying to tell you is all your passive/ agressive posturing is gonna get you cut down to size if you don`t cool it.
I hear a lot of words but no meat.
April 3rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
oouchan: I in no way condone MJ’s actions. Pedophilia is wrong and absurd. But it can possibly be explained by past childhood trauma and experiences. It is comprehensible but not excusable-big difference. I am merely pointing out that people do in fact deny illness and refuse to receive treatment. Look at anorexics, for example. They can be near death and still refuse treatment. They can be 25 lbs, underweight and still view themselves as fat. Secondly, it is absolutely, positively wrong to the nth degree that bloodsuckingleech should insinuate that people choose to have mental illness. That is an absurd and farfetched notion. People do not choose to be schizophrenic. They do not choose to be bipolar. They do not choose to be anorexic. They do not suddenly wake up one day and say “Hey! I am going to act like a paranoid schizophrenic from now on,” provided they do not have Munchhausen syndrome. That was merely my point. People choose not to be sick. They are born sick or become sick. It is a matter of nature and nurture, not free will. So leech is in fact one of those ignorant asses who does make the world a worse place to live in. It is ignorance like his that has fueled prejudice, discrimination, and intolerance. I admit I can be no better, but at least I can acknowledge the fact that people are or become sick.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
178. ca_kid: That was a much better explination. I applaud you for that. You are right, no one chooses to become mentally ill or sick. It happens. However, many of those with a mental illness keep it hidden. Family members and friends don’t notice until it’s either too late or it became escalated. But once out in the open, people are encouraged to get help.
For MJ situation, it was swept under the rug or paid off instead of bringing out into the open. I don’t want to know his business personally, but those around him should encourage him to seek treatment. If he won’t do it, then isolate him from children. That way he won’t do any more harm to himself or others.
April 4th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Good grief! How could you leave out Guns n Roses???? In my opinion, an unbelievable waste of mega-talent – of course, I’m referring to SLASH! Although lacking in moral virtue, you can’t disregard the uniqueness of Axl Rose! Again, IMO, Slash is BY FAR the most talented guitarist of our day!
April 4th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
P.S. To Realist: name calling, especially of our esteemed author, is NOT acceptable, Stupid!
April 4th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Micheal Jackson actually truly scares me in a very real way. He looks like nothing you would ever see in the natural world. I have an instinctive revultion, yunno?
April 4th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
” name calling is not acceptable, stupid. ”
erm…
April 4th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
182. I4gotmyMANTRA: I know more than I can legally tell you!
April 5th, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Michael Jackson is the most wonderful person in the world.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Rod Stewart never had his stomach pumped because of ‘Harry Monk” that was the fag from Soft Cell.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Wow, some people are really get all up in arms over the whole Micheal Jackson thing. Here are my 2 cents:
I agree that no one chooses to be mentally ill, HOWEVER, you do choose what to do about it. If the world is telling you you have a problem and you just sit there with your fingers in your ears screaming “I CANT HEAR YOU!!” then you are perpetuating your problem. That´s not on anyone (or anything) else, that´s on YOU. So no, I dont feel bad for people who have a problem but refuse to get the help they need to fix it.
MJ has issues, and they may not be of his own making but his refusal to acknowledge them and get treatment make him an unabashed creep in my book.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Michael Jackson looked alright when he was what we expected him to look like a Black person. He looked his best when he made “Thriller” but after that it all went downhill. His music still was pretty good but his image started to suffer big time to where he is at today.
Thinking about how average people do unusual things themselves, you can imagine how maintaining the life of a mega rock star can be tough to hold up. It must be an enormous challenge to know how to be yourself but still maintain the fans satisfaction. Its not for everyone!
April 6th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Metallica
Sabotaged by: Large-headed, Small-talented, money hungry drummer.
April 6th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Too bad country music groups weren’t included – are there enough to make their own list? IMO, number one would be the Dixie Chicks.
April 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Hey just thought i might point out. Drummers aren’t always idiots. I’M a drummer and my iq is 145. just because i play drums doesn’t make me stupid. NOW i do know SOME stupid drummers but i know just as many stupid guitarists who only play guitar because they think it would make them “cool.”
of course that is just my humble opinion and i do still love good guitar players!
April 6th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
oh and by the way i hate metallica. just thought i’d say.
April 6th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Who said drummers are idiots ?
April 6th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
bigski (193):
That´s exactly what I was going to ask… haha… Sounds like just an excuse to proclaim to the world “my IQ is 145… I´m so smart!!”
*sigh*
April 6th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Seems like if your I.Q is 145 you should be able to read ! People who proclaim their I.Q sends my bullshit antenna up.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
sorry just annoyed about the drummer comments. And the way ppl were talking about them we would probably have to be. and that IS my iq. not to brag. my mistake. forgot etiquette.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
sorry
April 6th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
by the way jfrater the time is off here it’s like nine oclock and it says 6:15 or whatever. just noticed… you probably knew… just sayin…
April 6th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Looser: the time it shows is PST
April 6th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I always wondered why the time was always correct for me.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
The Beatles made the list twice with hardly a bump in their career. I think they still had 2 or 3 albums left in them.
Oh Well.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
167 Mark – I don’t know! I’ve never heard of that! If so I’m gonna hope it happens to me. I’m not embarrassed about it or anything, but it does get old trying to explain to people why my skin is the way it is. I used to tell people I was part albino. (I actually like the albino explanation better.)
April 7th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
202. Blacksunshine: When I was a child, I had three spots, from thumb sized to peach pit sized of vitiligo on my right thigh. Over the course of adolescence they disappeared. Now they might as well never have existed.
So. Now you have heard of that!
April 7th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
OMG I will be so glad in a week or so when this list finally moves down off of LV’s home page. I like to keep the main page up all thru the day and do a screen refresh every so often to see the recent comments scroll, and that freakish pic of MJ just goons me out every time I look at it.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:30 am
It’s definitely Rhoads lol not Roads
April 8th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Is Michael Jackson a rock act?
April 9th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I don’t think MJ is a pedophile. I do think he is a closeted trans-gender which is why he chose to feminize his looks. Unfortunately, due to his fame, he can’t go all the way. Do you think he would have still been a big star if he came out as Michelle Jackson?
April 9th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
204. Maggot: Same here! flippin creepy guy. I can’t wait for the day his face drops off this list!
207. Shaaronie: To answer your question…no. He no longer has the fame he once did to pull that off. As for transgender? I don’t think so. He was feminine when he was little as well. In some of his older pictures, he looks like a girl. And for the pedophile part…when a grown man really likes to play with little boys, that’s a problem. Its not in the capacity of a caring older brother or father figure…it’s the kind of play that creeps everyone out. I would never allow my child to spend the night there or even visit. Not for all the money in the world. Just saying…
April 10th, 2009 at 12:00 am
The style of writing is quite familiar to me. Did you write guest posts for other bloggers?
April 10th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
You fucking asswholes…why don u get ur fucking facts straight
Michael Jackson THE KING OF POP has had only three plastic surgery operations done…for his nose, for the dimple in his chin, and when he was severly burned shooting for a pepsi advertisement.
Using a picture with bad lighting and angle is just ridiculous. Michael Jackson is a beautiful person, inside and out. If you would look at the real man that is.
Your black, mean hearts are a big blank curtain in front of ur eyes, fueled by crap tabloids and jealous fuckers.
And FYI, the King is back and the fan mania is wild. …so haters…I have one thing to say to you : GO FUCK YOURSELF!
April 10th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
stargirl – oh chill out. seriously. we’re all entitled to an opinion and yours is NOT the only one that matters. there is no reason for that language either.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
210. Stargirl: Another MJ fan. yay…
He is the king of Pop/rock. So he fits in this list…way too perfectly. He was a great singer, just failed as a human being. You are getting your self worked up for a pedophile and all around weird guy. Use your head and not your mouth when you make such comments.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
210 Stargirl: a picture with bad lighting and angle
Yeah that’s the problem. LMAO
April 10th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
i don’t think michael jackson is necessarily a pedophile either. i think he’s probably not.
i think he is just a very strange, sad man who feels he never got to have a childhood (and if you read about his parents and his jackson five years it sure seems like he didn’t) so he decided to spend the rest of life acting like a kid. i feel bad for him. i don’t think we should judge celebrities unless we’ve met them, or are judging them based on their own admissions or actual criminal convictions.
April 10th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
210 Stargirl – “Your black, mean hearts are a big blank curtain…”
Normally I let grammar issues slide since I know a number of people are not native English speakers and that I am also a prey to the more than rare grammar error but this is the fourth or fifth time today I’ve seen this. It is NOT ‘Your black, mean hearts…” or “Your mean” or “Your [insert ad hominem]“… YOU ARE = YOU’RE. you’re, not your. YOU’RE as in
“6tb, YOU’RE black” and
“oouchan, YOU’RE mean hearted” and
“Maggot, YOU’RE …having a black curtain in front of YOUR eyes.”??
…well damn…. that last sentence threw me for a loop.
earlier, the question talkers were spiking up my blood pressure…now it’s the your/you’re crap…
GAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
April 10th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
214. lo – “i think he is just a very strange, sad man who feels he never got to have a childhood”
He had a childhood that would be traumatizing in any normal circumstance and that ON TOP of being a child star? We know far more child stars that grew up messed up than child stars that became normal (Peter from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory among the positives!). I never made any strong opinions over MJ’s controversies but pity over his life and the lack of genuinely living it…I have plenty of that for him.
April 11th, 2009 at 6:20 am
-209
No, this is my first list for Listverse. JFrater was a huge help. I’m out of a job (for now) and wanted in on the contest. I did do some Cheap Trick reviews on iTunes as Jaybird.
Overall, having a list published has been really fun, and I encourage others to try it.
April 12th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I think this list should include lead singers who walked away or got fired from great bands and thus, ruined their careers. For instance, David Lee Roth. He totally fucked up. Or maybe Chuck Negron of Three Dog Night. He’s been trying to convince the band to this day to let him back in but they refuse. Or how about Steve Perry of Journey? He leaves and he’s never heard from again. And what about Donnie Van Zant of 38 Special? Once he leaves the band fades and he’s no longer relevant. And then there’s the obnoxious, all knowing band member that ruins a perfectly good band such as Tom Scholz of Boston. He only ran off two great lead singers and a tremendous guitar player. And Axl Rose. What a self centered prick! But what truly hurts is to see someone make a costly mistake that ruins their careers and sometimes their life. Like Terry Kath, the lead guitarist of Chicago who accidentally blew his brains out with a gun he swore wasn’t loaded. Or the lead singer of The Sweet who got in a bar fight and got his neck stomped on, damaging his vocal chords beyond repair or Kurt Cobain. Sorry I’m so lengthy. I just love this subject!
The only thing to sabotage the Beatles was their in fighting. Too much talent for one group. They had to disband and move on. Metallica sabotaged themselves by going the pussy metal route. MJ is a sad freak that is just sick to look at.
You could put E.L.O. on this list. Once they hooked up with that disco crap Xanadu movie they were done!
April 12th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
I would classify Michael Jackson as a rock act…not because of his music (which is pop) but his on-stage genius. Clearly he can just about out rock any rocker on the stage. The guy is like an uncaged and untamed animal when he gets up there. Any rock act would simply wither to ordinary status in the face of Michael Jackson when it comes to the stage. You can headbacg as much as you want, churn the metal guitar as loud as you want, yell as much as you want but I doubt any heavy metal rock band can create the kind of madness and frenzy and sheer power that Michael Jackson can.
But something certainly went wrong very badly for Michael jackson…he looks totally messed up. I doubt he is a paedophile, more likely a victim of greedy people out to set him up…but he lacks brains outside the studio and the stage. That’s why all these accusers end up walking allover him. The guy is not smart outside the music and stage business. He needs help in that department.
Hopefully he can come back with these new concerts of his.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
I love this list. Well written. So much self sabotage. You could have done a top 25 list easily.
I didnt bother to read any of the comments but: Im sure Sinead o Connor has been mentioned as more than deserving to be in the top 10. Crazy girl ripped a picture of the pope on national tv.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:43 am
MJ is the top career killer ever….he could have been richer than Tiger Woods and Oprah Winfrey combined. He basically threw that away. Sadness.
Dude dancing at #10 scared me….
April 14th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
jfrater: huh
April 23rd, 2009 at 6:41 am
Flippin eck! That guy @(10) was more camp than a row of tents! Hilarious!!!
As for (4) what a bunch of vengeance-filled-hypocrites the Christian’s are!…….jeeez….
………oops, now I’ve gone too far…..
XD
April 26th, 2009 at 9:50 am
hehehe…Billy Squier prancing about in a pink tank top…
April 27th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I don’t like tearing a list apart but this is one that needs a go..Micheal Jackson is not a rock act,Metallica has just over 3m copies of their newest disk and had a sold out North American tour and are now doing the same in Europe,the Beatles went on to and still sell millions of Cd’s..check out the list of best selling albums of all time,anthology is number 10,Ozzy is still touring solo and as a part of a reunited Black Sabbath widely regarded as the first true metal band and has sold over 100 m copies..hmm if this is sabotaging your career..sign me up
May 27th, 2009 at 5:39 am
hrmm…
stacey’s mum
has got it goin on (x 2)
stacey can i com over
afta schoo-oo-oo-oo-ool
afta school
we can hang around
by the poo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-ool
hang by the pool
lol this is the song,, stacey’s mum
the boys in our yr r lyk,,,
OBSESSED wif it!
bu i didnt noe zat rod stewart was the singer….
lol
there r a lotta things i dunno
lol agen
ps: i lyk the song too!
June 1st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Ahh, lay off the Beatles, but MJ is too funny!
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:42 am
michael jackson never bleached his skin he has vitiligo which lightens the skin
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:50 am
228 chris : Nobody ever even implied that he did…
June 10th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I think this list is good. I learned a lot, but it’s one thing I miss. Queen’s music video for “I Want To Break Free” I mean, that video killed them in the USA. Actually, it was many things that ruined Queen in the USA. Like the music video for “Bicycle Race” or for “Body Language”. They didn’t become populare in the USA until the tragic death of Freddie Mercury. It should have been in this list. If Queen didn’t make this videos, they would may have been as populare as Led Zeppelin in the USA, or well, you know what I mean
June 10th, 2009 at 10:51 am
One thing I forgot: Queen were really on the way up in the USA with first hits like We Will Rock and We Are The Champions in 1977, then Crazy Little Thing Called Love in 1979 and Another One Bites the Dust in 1980. But I guess that’s what big artists do, take chances. As Freddie said: “I could have been a giant success or a miserable flop”. To bad the USA took a break bying singles and albums of Queen after “I Want To Break Free” until “The Show Must Go On”
June 16th, 2009 at 11:18 am
If you create something, can I have it for free? Or do you want to make that choice by yourself?
Metallica for life.
June 16th, 2009 at 11:46 am
@Ehem well well (230): Have to diagree with you. Queen was very popular here in the US….but they were contending with larger bands. Plus given the fact of their “status” … it left a lot of people who would have followed them ‘out’.
I for one, followed them from an early age. My first tape (yeah..that old) was Queen. To me, they come in second…right behind Pink Floyd.
June 27th, 2009 at 3:17 am
well, queen didn’t really ruin they’re reputation in the US, since they still chart there after break free, though not really high. and they’re still very popular in other countries.
at least they gained again their reputation after wayne’s world
August 3rd, 2009 at 6:55 am
and so what!!!! MJ IS STILL THE BEST CELEBRITY of all time!
mj forever =D
August 9th, 2009 at 8:22 am
Most of these people suck anyway. And MJ…not gonna say kuz i aint talkin ill of the dead.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:12 am
The ironic thing is that MJ resurrected his career through death.