Some of the wildest moments in music history have happened with rock stars involved. It just comes with the territory. However, the following three crazy stories are just on a different level. Let’s enjoy a little dose of debauchery, shall we?
Videos by American Songwriter
Iggy Pop, Dennis Hopper, and David Bowie Enjoy a Drug-Smuggling Spacesuit Debacle
Iggy Pop and David Bowie famously moved to Berlin, Germany, to get sober and get inspired to make better music. They succeeded in that, but before then, they engaged in just about every substance imaginable.
Iggy Pop was forced into a psych ward in 1975 because of his substance abuse issues. Rather than staying away, David Bowie and Dennis Hopper (along with Dean Stockwell) decided to show up to his facility, dressed in space suits, with some c*caine in tow for their friend. The staff was apparently too starstruck to keep them out. Thankfully, later on, Pop and Bowie got clean.
Queen Hires Drag Queens, Zulu Tribe Members, and Fire-Eaters for Fun
Queen had a few wild moments back in the day, but this one was particularly crazy. Apparently, on one fateful Halloween night at the New Orleans Fairmont Hotel in 1978, the band got extra wild.
According to Uncut Magazine, the band indulged in a wild party that included a $275,000 budget. Publicist Bob Gibson allegedly paid a ton of entertainers to be there, from drag queens to Zulu tribespeople to circus fire-eaters to even a guy who was famous for biting the heads off of chickens. Oh, and sex workers. Lots of those.
Billy Idol Racks up a $250,000 Hotel Bill That Results in the Thai Military Getting Called
Billy Idol’s close call with international crime is definitely one of the wildest rock moments on this list. According to Idol, back in 1989, the rock star stayed at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, for about three weeks. He engaged in quite a bit of hedonism, much of which Idol couldn’t even remember after the fact. It’s safe to say that a lot of drugs, sex, and rock and roll took place.
However, he also caused nearly a quarter-million dollars in damage to the hotel. The hotel staff obviously wanted him out of there, so they called the Thai military, who forced Idol out of the hotel after shooting him with a tranquillizer.
Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.