# How many technically great musicians grew up together **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2015, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984 "2015-05-01T13:05:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/21 "2015-05-01T18:44:19Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > The Beatles are obvious, except for Ringo. They didn’t meet until they were 14, 15 and 16. The OP was avoiding teenage years. Also avoiding siblings, for some of you others who missed it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/22 "2015-05-01T18:54:28Z")
Guitarist Kirk Hammett of Metallica and bassist Les Claypool of Primus grew up together in Richmond, California, and were in the same graduating class at De Anza High School. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/23 "2015-05-01T18:55:58Z")
Total change of pace- Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand were classmates at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/24 "2015-05-01T18:59:47Z")
David Bowie is a few years older than Peter Frampton, but they grew up very close together. In fact, Frampton’s Dad was Bowie’s favorite teacher at Bromley Technical High School. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/25 "2015-05-01T19:38:09Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Beck and Page met when they were close to 11 I think. It was mentioned in the DVD documentary I just saw on Jeff Beck, _A Man for All Seasons_. One of them had a sister that knew of them both and made the guitar connection. Clapton was a bit later. I didn’t know that thanks. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s usual for many bands to get together in high school, and are often friends there. I specifically said before high school since they usually draw from a larger area. And being in a band doesn’t necessarily mean you are a great technical musician. Even in successful bands. > [@alted315](#): > > Joe Satriani & Steve Vai grew up together in Long Island, in fact Steve got his first guitar lesson from Joe I knew about the lessons but I don’t know how young they were. > [@DrCube](#): > > Do family bands count? Jackson 5, Carter Family, Allman Brothers etc? I know Michael is sort of the main attraction in the Jackson family, but his brothers and sisters weren’t too shabby either. Doesn’t count. Said it in the OP. Not random chance. That’s cheating. > [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel grew up together in Queens & knew each other in elementary school (they did a play together when they were 11 years old) Still love them. Paul Simon is an amazing song writer. There voices are perfect together. But Garfunkel is primarily a singer and no one is going to see Paul Simon for his competent guitar playing. > [@bobot](#): > > Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen are lifelong buds. (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane) I didn’t know that either. I would certainly rank them as great musicians. > [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > I think you’ll find quite a bit of this. There’s a lot more bands that have their genesis in friends in school than bands that formed as adults such as the Eagles or Toto. At what age is the question. As you get older you generally have a much larger pool of classmates to pull from. It is more likely that two or more great musicians will find each other in high school or college. In the case of Lee and Lifeson, they were friends before they were even musicians let alone great ones. I am certain it is rare. I’m just interested to see how often it has happened with known musicians. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/26 "2015-05-01T19:47:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > They didn’t meet until they were 14, 15 and 16. The OP was avoiding teenage years. If Wikipedia can be trusted, George and Paul met on the schoolbus when they were 11 and 12, so they might qualify for the OP. I think by the time they were all in the Quarrymen, though, they were teenagers. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/27 "2015-05-01T22:07:46Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Total change of pace- Neil Diamond and Barbra Streisand were classmates at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn. But he didn’t bring her flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/28 "2015-05-01T22:14:10Z")
Many of the guys who revolutionized jazz in the 40s and 60s were from NYC. ---
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/29 "2015-05-01T22:24:18Z")
[John Myung, John Petrucci and Kevin Moore](http://dreamtheater.wikia.com/wiki/John_Myung) of Dream Theater were also childhood friends. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/30 "2015-05-01T23:01:02Z")
Ian Gillan and Pete Townshend were classmates at Acton Grammar, which raises the intriguing thought of what a Gillan-voiced Who would have sounded like. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/31 "2015-05-01T23:05:41Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Guitarist Kirk Hammett of Metallica and bassist Les Claypool of Primus grew up together in Richmond, California, and were in the same graduating class at De Anza High School. Claypool auditioned for Metallica after Cliff Burton’s death. He didn’t make the cut. 😛 Most, if not all, of the members of Fishbone, who are an incredibly talented punk/funk act, went to the same high school and met in that school’s music program. Their best-known song is “Party At Ground Zero”. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/32 "2015-05-02T13:36:43Z")
I have a small company shooting concerts. My main clients are various locations of the School of Rock, an after-school program for kids age 8 through 18. Three times a year, each location puts on a series of concerts. The kids learn the show and practice for 12 weeks, then do a pair of public performances. The very best kids in each location form a band, and gig around town to get experience and promote the School. The very best of those kids can audition to become an “All-Star” and tour and play festivals like Lollapalooza and Gathering of the Vibes. [Here’s some of the best kids of the Chicago School of Rock at their _Prog Rock_ show playing Rush’s _Tom Sawyer._](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EmlPhZ9ahU) So, with 150 locations in the US and seven other countries, I think that, in the future, the \*default \*will be that bend members have been playing together for years before they officially start a band. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/33 "2015-05-02T13:57:22Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Scroll down to image #3. > \*[Johnny Depp and The Rolling Stones: Keith Richards delves into his private picture collection to choose his favourite shots | Daily Mail Online](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-2306893/Johnny-Depp-The-Rolling-Stones-Keith-Richards-delves-private-picture-collection-choose-favourite-shots.html) > \* I like picture #2. Large extended family looking happy and relaxed, couple of dogs in the frame, and either Keith or Marlon is holding…a large pink parrot toy with the beak broken off? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/34 "2015-05-02T17:46:56Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > I like picture #2. Large extended family looking happy and relaxed, couple of dogs in the frame, and either Keith or Marlon is holding…a large pink parrot toy with the beak broken off? That photo is from his autobiography “Life.” KInd of neat seeing Keith as _Paterfamilias_. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/35 "2015-05-02T21:07:50Z")
> [@journeyman\_southpaw](#): > > [John Myung, John Petrucci and Kevin Moore](http://dreamtheater.wikia.com/wiki/John_Myung) of Dream Theater were also childhood friends. That’s funny. I was going to use Dream Theater as an example of a band that met up later. I knew about the Berklee College connection but was unaware that some of them grew up together. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/36 "2015-05-03T01:37:49Z")
Radiohead > [@](#): > > The members of Radiohead met while attending Abingdon School, an independent school for boys in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.[12] Thom Yorke and Colin Greenwood were in the same year, Ed O’Brien and Phil Selway were one year older and Jonny Greenwood two years younger than his brother. > **[Radiohead](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead)** > > Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. They comprise Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass); Ed O'Brien (guitar, backing vocals); and Philip Selway (drums, percussion). They have worked with the producer Nigel Godrich and the cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994. Radiohead's experimental approach is credited with advancing the sound of alternative rock. > ... ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/37 "2015-05-03T19:37:03Z")
Another good London connection - not so well known - is the Davies brothers were at school with Rodney Stewart. Ray and Dave went on to form a decent little combo themselves though Rod was never in a band with them. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/38 "2015-05-03T19:46:50Z")
Also, Genesis all met at Charterhouse school, south of London - a bit like Radiohead in that it was quite a posh, fee-paying school. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2015, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/39 "2015-05-03T20:18:45Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Also, Genesis all met at Charterhouse school, south of London - a bit like Radiohead in that it was quite a posh, fee-paying school. Old Carthusians everywhere are now tutting at your description of their school as “quite posh”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984/40 "2015-05-06T13:28:03Z")
The Crusaders (formerly Jazz Crusaders) were all from Houston. I don’t know how early they knew each other, but you don’t get much better in the “talented” department–some GREAT players there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-technically-great-musicians-grew-up-together/718984.md?page=3)