# Multi-talented Rock n Roll Badasses **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396 "2011-02-24T00:08:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/1 "2011-02-24T00:08:58Z")
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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deniz_Tek), guitarist for [Radio Birdman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/2 "2011-02-24T00:16:43Z")
Oh, and I don’t care if you want to mention musicians from other genres, or actors, writers, etc…it’s all good! ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/3 "2011-02-24T00:22:52Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/4 "2011-02-24T00:31:15Z")
Brian May, Queen guitarist, recently got his Ph.D in astrophysics for studying space dust. He’s also co-authored books on astronomy and astrophysics. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/5 "2011-02-24T00:32:40Z")
May was going to be my choice. Not only a PhD but in one of the harder subjects. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/6 "2011-02-24T00:40:59Z")
Tony Bennett is an incredibly talented painter… ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/7 "2011-02-24T01:01:16Z")
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). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/8 "2011-02-24T01:23:32Z")
[Jeff Baxter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Baxter) > [@](#): > > Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (born December 13, 1948 in Washington, D.C.) is an American guitarist, known for his stints in the rock bands Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers during the 1970s. More recently, he has been working as a defense consultant and chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/9 "2011-02-24T02:57:13Z")
Rod Stewart was close to being a pro soccer player. Elvis was a Kenpo blackbelt 🙂 That said, I’m not sure the King really earned it and would be interested to hear if someone really knows. Drawing a blank but I’m sure there are many more. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/10 "2011-02-24T03:18:36Z")
Though he’s not known as a musician, Hugh Laurie plays piano and guitar (and writes music) at a [professional level](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRaOkLj7-gI#t=02m10s). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/11 "2011-02-24T03:21:59Z")
Aditya Nair, who plays guitar for Bombay thrashers [Bhayanak Maut](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2jjFFaI_zw) ([album reviewed on my blog](http://poorimpulsecontrol.blog.com/2010/05/31/bhayanak-maut/)) is also a practicing psychiatrist. Don Van Vliet was a celebrated painter in addition to being a music icon. Frank Zappa was Frank Zappa in addition to being Frank Zappa. ETA: props to the OP for mentioning Deniz. Radio Birdman totally fucking rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/12 "2011-02-24T03:28:16Z")
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… ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/13 "2011-02-24T03:29:28Z")
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](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--lQIqVM1cM). ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/14 "2011-02-24T03:53:06Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Many other artists are record producers, but Todd was probably the first. 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. But if you except them, he probably was first. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/15 "2011-02-24T03:59:47Z")
Anyone remember “Santini,” the singer in the gold lame suit with Sha Na Na? This is him in his new life: [http://www.scottpowellmd.com/](http://www.scottpowellmd.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/16 "2011-02-24T05:05:40Z")
**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. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/17 "2011-02-24T05:35:13Z")
One to keep your eyes on is James Franco. Apparently he’s ubiquitous now because he’s ubiquitous. [Link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Franco#Personal_life). ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/18 "2011-02-24T11:51:10Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > But if you except them, he probably was first. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/19 "2011-02-24T14:16:04Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Bob Dylan and David Bowie are both unusually gifted painters. Giving that I’ve seen Dylan’s painted works I’d suggest his unusual gift lay in other realms. Not in the visual arts. - ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396/20 "2011-02-24T14:31:58Z")
> [@Rrose\_Selavy](#): > > Giving that I’ve seen Dylan’s painted works I’d suggest his unusual gift lay in other realms. Not in the visual arts. Having seen his exhibition I will second that. It is almost proof that he is blind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/multi-talented-rock-n-roll-badasses/572396.md?page=2)