No, I don’t mean being talented on multiple instruments or in multiple genres, I’m talking about people who not only are talented rock musicians, but are also talented in areas other than music.
I think a lot of people know about Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, who not only is one of the best voices in Rock, but also is a really good fencer and a pilot, among other things.
My other choice would be Deniz Tek, guitarist for Radio Birdman and other groups, who is also an ER doctor and former Navy flight surgeon, who’s codename Iceman was appropriated for a character in Top Gun. He splits his time between Australia and Montana…damn, I want his life!
Anyway, I find this sort of multitalent interesting, and I wonder if there are some other examples of this sort of thing.
The Winner of this thread is obviously Prince Vince Gallo - actor, director, producer, painter, motorcycle racer, model, experimental musician, expert on vintage studio gear, etc. The guy has genuine musical skills; he’s not just an actor doing music on a lark. His music has a following of its own, separate from his films.
I was going to chime in with Brian May, too. Queen was an unusually educated band: everyone in Queen has (or had) at least a college degree: a First Class Honours Degree in electronics (Deacon), a Diploma in Art and Graphic Design (Mercury), a Biology Degree (Taylor), and a PhD in Astrophysics (May).
Bob Dylan and David Bowie are both unusually gifted painters. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were, um, noted artists and Yoko is a very gifted financial whiz (having once sold a dairy cow for a million dollars).
Keith Moon brought unexpected genius to hotel room demolition…
Todd Rundgren. Singer/songwriter/musician, yes, but much more.
Many other artists are record producers, but Todd was probably the first. And I’ve never heard of any who not only engineered the recordings as well, but built the soundboard. Many other musicians have directed their own music videos, but I can’t think of a single one who animated every frame of one.
Well, there was the entire output of the American recording industry before him, from the Brill Building to Motown to half of California rock to a million or so others. Just in rock, of course. I wouldn’t want to slight all the other genres in which this happened.
Jason Schwartzman was drummer in the band Phantom Planet, which achieved some renown, mostly on the back of the OC Theme “California”.
He has released two albums as Coconut Records where he writes and plays the songs. I dig the hell out of these albums, particularly the songs “Microphone” and “West Coast”.
He has also been in a number of films and is currently in HBO’s Bored to Death which was thankfully renewed for a third season.
While many people are aware he does both of these, neither cashes in on the success of the other, and I am independently a huge fan of both of his artistic endeavors.
You might reread that sentence, consider that gaffa was talking about well-known musicians who also became record producers, and then contribute something actually useful, like: Phil Spector was also a respected studio musician and songwriter, but never especially well-known as a musical artist under his own name. I can’t think of any notable or innovative rock producers from the 50s and 60s who were famous musicians first.
Les Paul was a multitalented badass but not a rock and roll badass.
That said, I’m not sure the King really earned it and would be interested to hear if someone really knows.