# Biggest riches to rags story - rock/pop edition **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 4, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574 "2010-01-04T03:03:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/105 "2013-09-09T18:06:07Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > No, the ultra-cool claim that Karen Carpenter was a brilliant singer who was trapped in the miserable songs and arrangements of her brother, and ended up as tragic a figure as Judy Garland. > > I’m not even ultra-cool and I’ll go along with that. She was also a very talented drummer. Lou Gramm of Foreigner is too. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/106 "2013-09-09T20:58:34Z")
> [@Cardinal](#): > > T > Backstreet Boys? New Kids on the Block? Dave Clark Five? Jonas Brothers in the future? > > Make your case. The DC5 may have stopped in 1969 or so, and Dave Clark become a bit reclusive, but he’s one of the richest men in the UK (a lot of investments). Although, fair enough, their music is difficult to find on CD and MP3 as DC has always been very protective of his music, which has hurt how well remembered they are. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/107 "2013-09-09T21:20:15Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > Anyway, one of the most curious rags-to-riches stories was discussed by none other than Cecil Adams - [The Singing Nun](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/979/did-the-singing-nun-commit-suicide-with-her-lesbian-lover), a Dominican nun who had a major international hit record “Dominique” You might know it as that chirpy record that Jessica Lange’s character played relentlessly on “American Horror Story: Asylum” The Singing Nun was quite a sensation for a short time during the early 60s, but was about $60,000 in debt when she died in 1965 (a suicide - with her lesbian lover!!!) **1985**. She lived long enough to do a [disco remake](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJLAhZU95E) of “Dominique.” ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/108 "2013-09-10T01:45:58Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’d hardly put Herb Alpert in that category. He was the “A” in A&M Records. In addition to releasing his albums on his own label, he had such multiplatinum acts as Styx, Supertramp, the Carpenters, Bryan Adams, Peter Frampton, and the Police. Within a decade of its founding in 1962, A&M became the largest independent music label in the world. He and his partner, Jerry Moss, sold A&M to PolyGram in 1989, but continued to manage it until 1993. Hardly from riches to rags at all. I saw an interview sometime in the past year or so on CBS Sunday Morning with him and his wife at their mansion where they talked about how they were donating their time and considerable fortune to music education organizations. No rags at all there. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/109 "2013-09-12T19:54:20Z")
Wait! We have forgot Sly and the Family Stone. Sly, if not the group, was super hot, for a while, having played Woodstock and consistently putting out great stuff from, when, 67-74? Now, he ain’t doin’ so well. > **[Sly Stone’s Financial Downfall Detailed in Court Ruling](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sly-stones-financial-downfall-detailed-561175/)** > > The psychedelic funk superstar alleged that in 1989, he was induced into giving up much of his song royalties by a manager and attorney fueling his drug addictions. Sony Music and Warner Music won&… ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/110 "2013-09-12T21:14:19Z")
By no means a riches to rags story, but Rod Stewart was the first artist I thought of when thinking about artists who were critically acclaimed initially, but are now critically panned. His work with the Faces and Jeff Beck was lauded and 'Every Picture Tells a Story is one of the greatest rock albums of all time. And then he turned more and more commercial, reaching his nadir with 'Do You Think I’m Sexy?" Now, he’s basically a jukebox playing whatever he thinks will be commercially successful. He’s made a ton of money, but he has squandered all that promise. Sting has had a similar career trajectory, but at least he’s still turning out original work. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/111 "2013-09-12T23:19:24Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Or Jethro Tull winning the Heavy Metal Grammy in the late 1980s? Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull has pointed that the award wasn’t “Heavy Metal” but “Heavy Metal/Hard Rock”. Tull is not a heavy metal band but could do heavy rock. Ask a rock fan to do a Tull song, many would hum the opening riff and sing the first couple lines of “Aqualung”. Tull fans will say “A Passion Play” album and tour was criticized by the rock journalist corps and they have never been “the flavor of the month” since. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/112 "2013-09-13T07:43:31Z")
Most of these examples are not real “riches to rags” stories. Here’s one that is: You all know the Easybeats, even if the only song most of you would recognise is [Friday On My Mind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnqxbdnzlhw). In Australia they were Beatles-level BIG, with a string of hit singles that stand up very well against anything else of the era. The Easybeats’ guitarists/songwriters, Harry Vanda and George Young, went on to more success as songwriters and producers, including the first six albums by a little group you may have heard of, **AC/DC** , featuring George Young’s little brothers, Angus and Malcolm. The Easybeats’ singer, [Stevie Wright](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevie_Wright_%28Australian_singer%29), on the other hand, hasn’t done quite so well. After some small success in Australia in the early 70s, he fell into drug addiction and his life over the last 30+ years has been about as “rags” as it gets. Long periods of homelessness, lives in a caravan (US: “trailer”) park when he’s doing well. There have been numerous attempts to help him out over the decades, but he just keeps on sliding back into the pits. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/113 "2013-09-13T10:33:30Z")
Another literal riches to rags story was Marianne Faithfull, although she sorted things out again. After a few successful albums in the 60s, and her high profile relationship with Mick Jagger, she very quickly fell into major drug addiction, including suicide attempts and long periods of living on the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/114 "2013-09-13T12:01:03Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Zager & Evans are the only group in history who had a **number-one** hit single on both the US and UK charts - _In the Year 2525_ - and then never had another chart single for the entire remainder of their career. > > Their song was so insanely popular that people said they were going to be _the_ biggest American rock group, even comparing them to the Beatles. But then what happened? They disappeared. Speaking of “new Beatles”, does no one remember the Knack? They hit it big in 1979 with “My Sharona” and were touted as the next Beatles for a while, but the loutish misogyny of their lyrics turned people off and they vanished pretty damn quickly. Aside, were they the last “next Beatles”? I don’t recall seeing a band hyped in that way since then. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/115 "2013-09-13T13:38:13Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Speaking of “new Beatles”, does no one remember the Knack? They hit it big in 1979 with “My Sharona” and were touted as the next Beatles for a while, but the loutish misogyny of their lyrics turned people off and they vanished pretty damn quickly. > > Aside, were they the last “next Beatles”? I don’t recall seeing a band hyped in that way since then. I know they copied a lot of Beatles stylings (album covers, clothing), but were they ever considered the next Beatles? (I’m not saying it didn’t happen, I just don’t recall hearing it). Also, is there a rags part to this? (again, just asking). Doug Feiger passed away like a year ago or so, but I don’t remember any hard luck stories (aside from the deadly brain tumors and lung cancer). FYI - His brother is a rather famous attorney and former Michigan gubernatorial candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/116 "2013-09-13T14:51:24Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > I know they copied a lot of Beatles stylings (album covers, clothing), but were they ever considered the next Beatles? (I’m not saying it didn’t happen, I just don’t recall hearing it). > Also, is there a rags part to this? (again, just asking). Doug Feiger passed away like a year ago or so, but I don’t remember any hard luck stories (aside from the deadly brain tumors and lung cancer). FYI - His brother is a rather famous attorney and former Michigan gubernatorial candidate. I remember them being touted as the next Beatles. I also seem to remember, from about the same time, Ann Jillian being touted as the next Marilyn Monroe. It’s probably always tempting for PR flacks to try to get the entertainment press to make such statements. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/117 "2013-09-13T15:19:44Z")
1. **Florence Ballard** sang on ten Number One hit records (and 16 Top 40) with the Supremes in the 1960s. She lived well in this period, with a large house in Detroit and fancy cars. In 1968 she accepted a very modest financial settlement to leave Motown Records, and due to bad luck and bad advice, by 1974 was on welfare. She was attempting a comeback when she died in 1976 at age 32. 2. **Darlene Love** sang lead on the Number One record “He’s a Rebel” plus lead or backing vocals on many other hit singles produced by Phil Spector in the 1960s. She later had a contractual dispute with Spector which led her to stop singing in the 1970s. As told in the recent documentary _20 Feet_ _from Stardom_, she was cleaning houses for a living when she heard her music on the radio and decided to reenter the music business in the early 1980s. Now she does quite well (performs on David Letterman’s show every year etc.). This is a riches to rags to riches again tale. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/118 "2013-09-13T16:06:31Z")
Also, 3. **Isaac Hayes**. Wins an Academy Award for “Theme from _Shaft_” plus two Grammy Awards in 1972; files for bankruptcy with $6 million in debt in 1976. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574/119 "2013-09-13T17:18:10Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Speaking of “new Beatles”, does no one remember the Knack? They hit it big in 1979 with “My Sharona” and were touted as the next Beatles for a while, but the loutish misogyny of their lyrics turned people off and they vanished pretty damn quickly. > > Aside, were they the last “next Beatles”? I don’t recall seeing a band hyped in that way since then. That’s because people now realize that if you want to curse a promising new band, just call them the “next Beatles” (or, in the case of a singer-songwriter, the “next Dylan”). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biggest-riches-to-rags-story-rock-pop-edition/523574.md?page=5)