Rockstars live lives most of us can only dream of—wild parties, outrageous behavior, and legendary stories that seem too bizarre to be real. But sometimes, the craziest rumors about musicians aren’t just myths—they’re 100% true. From cursed albums to secret messages in songs, here are 10 bizarre rockstar myths that actually happened.
Table of Contents
- Ozzy Osbourne Snorted a Line of Ants
- Keith Richards Had His Blood Replaced
- The Beatles’ “Paul Is Dead” Conspiracy
- Jimi Hendrix Set His Guitar on Fire by Accident
- Led Zeppelin’s Shark Incident
- Elvis Presley’s FBI File
- The Rolling Stones’ Infamous Altamont Concert
- David Bowie’s Stored His Urine in the Fridge
- The Curse of the 27 Club
- KISS’s Gene Simmons’ Tongue Insurance
1. Ozzy Osbourne Snorted a Line of Ants
The Myth: Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, once snorted a line of ants to prove he was the wildest rockstar alive.
The Truth: Shockingly, this actually happened. In his autobiography I Am Ozzy, he admitted that while partying in the 1980s, he saw ants crawling on the floor and decided to snort them like cocaine. His reasoning? He was so drunk and high that it seemed like a good idea at the time.
2. Keith Richards Had His Blood Replaced
The Myth: The Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards once underwent a full blood transfusion to “cleanse” his system of drugs.
The Truth: Richards himself confirmed this in his memoir Life. In the 1970s, after years of heavy drug use, he flew to Switzerland for a controversial procedure where doctors drained his blood and replaced it with fresh, clean blood to detoxify his system. It worked—sort of—but Richards still kept partying.
3. The Beatles’ “Paul Is Dead” Conspiracy
The Myth: In 1969, rumors spread that Paul McCartney had died in a car crash and was secretly replaced by a lookalike.
The Truth: While Paul is very much alive, the Beatles did play into the myth. They left cryptic clues in album artwork (like Paul barefoot on the Abbey Road cover, a funeral tradition) and backward messages in songs. John Lennon later admitted they intentionally fueled the rumor for fun.
4. Jimi Hendrix Set His Guitar on Fire by Accident
The Myth: Jimi Hendrix famously set his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 as a wild stunt.
The Truth: It was planned—but not how you’d think. Hendrix soaked his guitar in lighter fluid before the show, but when he lit it, the flames shot up unexpectedly, burning his hands. He later admitted he didn’t realize how dangerous it would be.
5. Led Zeppelin’s Shark Incident
The Myth: Led Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham once rode a motorcycle through a hotel lobby—and a groupie was involved with a shark.
The Truth: The motorcycle part is true (Bonham loved reckless stunts), but the shark story is even weirder. During a 1969 tour, guitarist Jimmy Page allegedly had a groupie engage in… unusual activities with a dead shark. The band never confirmed it, but roadies and insiders swear it happened.
6. Elvis Presley’s FBI File
The Myth: Elvis was secretly an FBI informant.
The Truth: Declassified documents prove Elvis did meet with President Nixon in 1970 to offer his services as an undercover narcotics agent. The FBI even gave him an honorary badge. While he never actually went undercover, Elvis was dead serious about fighting drugs—despite his own later struggles.
7. The Rolling Stones’ Infamous Altamont Concert
The Myth: The Stones’ free concert at Altamont Speedway in 1969 was so chaotic that it ended in murder.
The Truth: Sadly, yes. Hired Hell’s Angels security stabbed a fan to death during the show. The event, meant to be a peaceful follow-up to Woodstock, became a symbol of the dark side of the 1960s.
8. David Bowie’s Stored His Urine in the Fridge
The Myth: Bowie was so paranoid about black magic that he kept his own urine to avoid curses.
The Truth: In the 1970s, Bowie admitted he stored his urine in his fridge while living in Los Angeles. He believed witches could use bodily fluids for spells, so he refused to let any leave his possession.
9. The Curse of the 27 Club
The Myth: Dying at age 27 is a cursed fate for rockstars.
The Truth: While not supernatural, the list of musicians who died at 27 is eerie—Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse all passed at that age. Statistically, it’s likely coincidence, but the pattern is undeniable.
10. KISS’s Gene Simmons’ Tongue Insurance
The Myth: Gene Simmons insured his famous tongue for millions.
The Truth: Simmons took out a $1 million insurance policy on his tongue in the 1970s. His oversized tongue became a KISS trademark, and he didn’t want to risk losing his signature asset.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Ozzy Osbourne really bite the head off a bat?
Yes—but he thought it was fake! During a 1982 concert, a fan threw a bat on stage, and Ozzy, thinking it was rubber, bit its head off. He later had to get rabies shots.
Was Keith Richards declared clinically dead once?
Rumors say Richards was pronounced dead for a few minutes after a drug overdose, but he denies it. However, he did fall out of a tree in 2006 and needed brain surgery.
Is the “Paul Is Dead” theory still believed today?
A small group of conspiracy theorists still insists Paul was replaced, but most fans accept it as an elaborate hoax.
Did Elvis really hate The Beatles?
No—he respected them but was annoyed by their anti-war stance. They met in 1965, and Lennon later said Elvis seemed bored.
Why did Bowie think his urine was magical?
Bowie was deep into occultism and superstition during his Thin White Duke phase, leading to some bizarre habits.
Rockstars live in a world where reality is often stranger than fiction. From blood transfusions to shark encounters, these myths prove that sometimes, the wildest stories are the truest.
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