# Rock musicians who are better known in other fields. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476 "2004-10-27T16:46:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/41 "2004-10-28T12:17:04Z")
**John Stamos** was on “General Hospital” and played drums on tour with the Beach Boys before “Full House.” ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/42 "2004-10-28T12:28:20Z")
**Lloyd Grossman** was in a punk band in his youth. (although I doubt that too many on the US side of the pond know who he is) ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/43 "2004-10-28T13:16:12Z")
**Robbie Rist** (“Brady Bunch”, “Big John/Little John”, “Battlestar Galatica”) has been a guitarist/songwriter/vocalist for several bands (The Andersons, Wonderboys) and currently plays with [The Mockers](http://www.themockers.net/). They just had a couple of Top 40 singles in Spain within the last year (“The Empire Stricks Out” and “Dejame”.) And \*\* audiobottle\*\*, I have an autographed vinyl of **Bruce Willis** ’s LP _The Return Of Bruno_. He sang and played harmonica on it. A lot of Mitch Ryder-esque rock. Not bad for an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/44 "2004-10-28T13:32:27Z")
Not that he’s in a _rock_ band, per se, but Steve Martin is a very talented banjo player. Had a hit song, too. And Minnie Driver apparently has a very nice voice - she’s recently put out an album, but I hear it’s not really doing that well. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/45 "2004-10-28T15:19:14Z")
This doesn’t quite fit the OP, but Sammy Hagar has made more money by making tequila than he has made in music. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/46 "2004-10-28T20:12:16Z")
There’s Henry Rollins. If you’re a fan of the early 80’s punk scene or the 90’s buttrock scene you’d know him for his music. A lot of other folks know him from his small roles in a number of movies: Johnny Mneumonic, The Chase, Heat, Bad Boys II, Lost Highway and many more. He’s also been a big ol media whore in TV with a few acting roles, some hosting duties (full metal challenge and night visions), and soem voice work on cartoons and video games. He also runs his own publishing company that releases his albums as well as other people’s and books by several authors. Oh yeah and that spoken word thing. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2004, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/47 "2004-10-29T13:10:33Z")
Phillip Taylor Kramer the bass player for Iron Butterfly became well known as a rocket scientist. He then became famous for his disappearance and the subject of X-files-like conspiracy [theories.](http://elvispelvis.com/philipkramer.htm) Then he was a skeleton found in a ditch. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/48 "2004-10-29T16:33:48Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Ooh! How could I forget [Ann Magnuson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005174/)? > > Whenever I see that she’s going to be in a new film, my reaction is always _“Hey! Ann Magnuson! She’s so fvckin’ cool!”_ and then I’m terribly disappointed because her fundamental coolness never comes through in any of her roles. It’s like she’s some totally different person or something. Damned _actors_. > > (Ann Magnuson fronts [_Bongwater_](http://www.mp3.com/artists/3150/summary.html).) She’s so damned hot. Yeah, hot and cool. Just like those flashes. I saw Ann Magnuson at the old AMOK Bookstore in L.A. about three-four years ago. We were both looking at a book John Gilmore’s book on Manson & she said “I don’t know why I look at this stuff” as she looked. _L_ Anyway, she asked the manager if she could leave cards advertising her show & he said something like “Sure, Ann, you know you’re always welcome to.” So after she left, I looked at the cards… for Bongwater. I asked the manager “Was that Ann Magnuson?” Him- “Yeah.” Me- “From the sitcom ANYTHING FOR LOVE with Richard Lewis & Jamie Lee Curtis?” Him- _thinking_ “Yeah, I guess so.” (That obviously wasn’t what he first thought of regarding her work.) SO that was my unwitting brush with greatness. If I only realized… I might be Mr. Magnuson now! (Now someone’s gonna tell me she’s gay & dash my dreams _L_) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/49 "2004-10-29T17:12:22Z")
Johnny Depp moved to L.A. to be a rock singer, not an actor. He still plays and sings with his band at Viper Club and other venues. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/50 "2004-10-29T17:32:52Z")
> [@edwino](#): > > There’s a new indie band getting quite a lot of lip service named [Rilo Kiley](http://www.rilokiley.com/). They have a very cute new single (“It’s a Hit” – it’s the song that the website plays). Their lead singer, who also did a song with The Postal Service, is a former child actress by the name of [Jenny Lewis](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0507343/). She had a memorable role, I’m told, in “Troop Beverly Hills.” The girl from [The Wizard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098663/) is the lead singer of Rilo Kiley? No wonder I like them. “He touched my breast!” “What breasts? She dosen’t have any breasts!” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/51 "2004-10-29T19:05:42Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I saw Ann Magnuson at the old AMOK Bookstore in L.A. about three-four years ago. We were both looking at a book John Gilmore’s book on Manson & she said “I don’t know why I look at this stuff” as she looked. _L_ > > Anyway, she asked the manager if she could leave cards advertising her show & he said something like “Sure, Ann, you know you’re always welcome to.” So after she left, I looked at the cards… for Bongwater. Just three or four years ago? I thought Bongwater broke up over a decade ago, with Magnuson and her partner, Kramer, feuding bitterly. ---
**Author:** ![Kantalooppi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Kantalooppi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kantalooppi)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/52 "2004-10-29T19:28:22Z")
> [@don't ask](#): > > Actually he is probably pretty close to a household name in Australia. I know who he is and I have never seen _The Bold and the Beautiful_. He was out here a couple of years ago and made himself very popular. He didn’t take himself very seriously, appeared on a talk show doing a spoof of his own character (including arch looks to the camera). He was out and about all the time, mostly wearing a poncho so the media dubbed him “The Poncho”. One daily newspaper used to provide a daily update of what he was up to. He got more media attention than lots of far bigger celebrities. In Finland, he definitely is a household name. The Bold and the Beautiful is _the_ soap opera, only bested by Salatut Elämät, a homegrown soap. Any visits by BtB stars are considered big celebrity events, and Ron Moss (or rather, ‘Ridge Forrester’) is even the subject of a minor pop music hit. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/53 "2004-10-29T19:42:40Z")
**Anna-Lynne Williams** , the female vocalist and songwriter of **trespassers william** was \*Employee of the Month \* at the Claremont, Ca Borders last year! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476/54 "2004-10-29T21:30:37Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > World Series Ring-wearing first Baseman Scott Spiezio fronts for a band called [Sandfrog](http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/03/21/hello-kane.php). I understand he rawks. Jack McDowell, who was 127-87 with an ERA of 3.85 in 12 seasons as a pitcher for the White Sox, Yankees, Indians and Angels, was another baseball player/musician. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rock-musicians-who-are-better-known-in-other-fields/271476.md?page=2)