Ten surprising facts about your favorite artists

Did you know that Debbie Harry, singer of Blondie, was almost victim to a serial killer? Or that Elvis Presley was known to charter a plane and travel 1000 kilometers for a sandwich craving? Discover some of the most tasty anecdotes about the history of music.

Debbie Harry almost victim to a serial killer

In 2010, Debbie Harry, the golden-haired singer of New York rock band Blondie, made a shocking revelation. According to Harry, she narrowly escaped the clutches of one of America's most famous serial killers, Ted Bundy. Bundy, famously known as "The Lady Killer," murdered at least thirty young girls in seven different states between 1974 and 1978. Captured in 1978, he was sentenced to the electric chair and executed eleven years later.

According to the model/actress/singer, the potentially fatal night happened as she was walking home alone in NYC. The new wave singer was approached by a car and offered a ride. With no taxi in sight, the singer accepted and hopped in but immediately changed her mind upon finding the passenger door without a handle. Harry managed to pass her hand through the open window to reach the outside handle, open the door and jump out of the moving car.

Airplane Robbery

In 1980, Don Henley, singer of the Eagles, had a frightening airplane experience. The pilot of the charted craft was forced to make an emergency landing in a Colorado field, ripping off the tail of the aircraft. Henley and his girlfriend managed to escape unscathed. Following the crash, the band received a $7,000 bill for flight costs upon which their manager replied "We don't pay for crash landings."

Gregg Allman voluntarily shot himself to avoid Vietnam

Gregg Allman, of the famous The Allman Brothers Band celebrated his 18th birthday in 1965.... a normally joyous milestone, but less of one if the prospect of joining the US military is required. Mired in the Vietnamese conflict in 1965, Gregg's older brother Duane had been exempted, being the eldest of his fatherless siblings. Unwilling to allow the US army to take his little brother and musical partner, Duane concocted a plan. As Gregg recalls, "My brother said to me, 'I'll tell you what we're going to do: shoot yourself in the foot.' 'Of course, I thought he was joking. Alas, he was not. The night before his army medical visit, Duane prepared a foot-shooting party to which friends, and girls, were invited. Throughout the evening, Duane gave Gregg speed and whiskey and when he was considered ready, a target was painted on Gregg’s left shoe. Gregg poured himself another shot of whiskey and dialed for an ambulance. When he heard the sirens in the distance, he pulled the trigger.

Many musicians shoot themselves in the foot artistically and metaphorically, Gregg took it literally.

"I was bleeding a lot because the speed and alcohol increased my blood pressure," says Gregg. On the way to the hospital, Gregg and Duane realized that they had forgotten the target that had been painted on the shoe ... Duane snuck quietly into the operating room to recover the mutilated shoe, lest someone denounce them to the authorities.

Neil Young bought 200,000 copies of his own album, only to destroy them later

True to reputation, Neil Young, of Comes a Time fame, made several last minute changes to the album, reordering the songlist and modifying the cover image. Just before the official release date, Young realized that he had validated a version of the album made from a defective master. After alerting the record company of the mistake, he learned that 200,000 copies had already been pressed and shipped to the four corners of the earth. Taking responsibility for the error, Young recalled the 200,000 records , costing him a whopping $160,000. To prevent an unwanted leak of the new album version, he stored the thousands of boxes of records at his ranch and used them for shooting practice.

Paul Weller vs. David Bowie

In 2006, Paul Weller began the hostilities by stating that David Bowie only ever released three good albums. Quite expectedly, anger from Bowie fans ensued. Fast forward two years and Paul Weller retracted his statements by revealing to the magazine Mojo that he had since become a new-found convert to Bowie’s music and that during the recording of his album 22 Dreams, he constantly listened to Low and Ziggy Stardust. When Bowie discovered this newfound kindness from Weller, he sent an email to his frenemy to thank him for his warm words. But he couldn’t resist the last word: he added the postscript "Nice one Paul, can I have my haircut back?" along with a picture of himself from the 60s. Not one to carry a grudge, in 2012, Paul baptized his son in Bowie's name.

Brian Wilson doesn’t remember his daughter

Popular early 90s pop-rock trio Wilson Phillips is made up of Chynna, the daughter of members of The Mamas And The Papas, and Carnie and Wendy the daughters of Brian Wilson, the genius composer of The Beach Boys. At a party in Hollywood in 1990, Brian chatted with Chynna and Carnie when a guest approached the trio, asking Brian politely if he was a proud papa. Brian seemed puzzled. Knowing the psychiatric history of the ex-Beach Boy, the guest continued, "You know, Carnie your daughter." "Hmmph," Wilson grumbled, "I should have known it was the big one."

Joe Strummer of The Clash, a multi- marathoner

In 1981, after launching the album Sandinista!, Joe Strummer singer of The Clash, finished the London marathon, never having trained for it and confirming his reputation as the most stubborn man in rock. In 1982, just before the official release of Combat Rock, Strummer mysteriously disappeared leaving Topper Headon, drummer of The Clash, to suspect that it was Joe's way of demonstratin his indispensability. Come to find out, Strummer had packed his bags and headed to Paris and to participate in its marathon. The following year, he ran again in London, finishing in just four hours and thirty minutes.

Elvis' big cravings

Before his tragic death from a heart attack, apparently while using the toilet, Elvis spiraled in self-destruction, eating astronomical amounts of food. As a drug addict, Elvis went to long lengths to satisfy his growing appetite. According to popular belief, he once jumped on his private jet, the "Lisa Marie," to travel a thousand miles from Memphis to Denver to get some sandwiches at the popular spot, Fool's Gold Loaf. Word has it that the stop ended with twenty-two sandwiches, several pounds of bacon and many jars of peanut butter.

"Boss" bless you

Bruce Springsteen's mother imagined her son as a future writer. But when he announced his desire to learn guitar, "my mother - she has a very Italian character - said to me: 'It's a big decision not to be taken lightly, you should go see a priest." Being the obedient son, Springsteen went to the presbytery and knocked at the door. The priest opened: "Hello Father, I am the Springsteen's son. I have a problem: my father would like to see me become a lawyer and my mother wants me to be a writer. And I want to play guitar.” The priest replied, "I cannot do much for you. You tell Him you want to be a lawyer. You tell Him you want to be an author. But don’t you tell Him nuthin’ about that god damn guitar! "

Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy had a brother and a sister he never knew

Philomena Lynott, mother to Thin Lizzy's flamboyant leader, worked round the clock and sacrificed to raise her son and provide for his needs. But for fifty years, this devoted mother kept a heavy secret: Phil had a brother and a sister whom she had put up for adoption. In her autobiography, entitled My Boy, she spoke of her struggle to keep Phil at a time when her entourage pushed her to put him up for adoption. Phil discovered the secret when his sister made contact with his mother years later.

Published on: 5 de novembro de 2019