Your cart is currently empty!
4 Bizarre or Unexpected Music Events That Seem Like They Could Be April Fool’s Day Pranks but Actually Happened
Some music artists have had fun with their fans by posting outlandish fake news stories about them on April Fools’ Day. Sometimes, though, truth can be stranger or just as unlikely as fiction.
Videos by American Songwriter
Over the past few decades some famous artists have made news by being involved in unexpected or bizarre incidents or projects that may have baffled or thrilled fans, or perhaps both. In honor of the fun annual springtime observance, here are four surprising events involving music stars that seem like they could have been April Fools’ Day pranks but really happened:
Garth Brooks Introduces a Rock Alter Ego, Chris Gaines (1999)
By the late 1990s, country artist Garth Brooks was one of the biggest music stars on the planet, enjoying a run of chart-topping albums and major country hits.
In 1999, Brooks threw the music world a curveball by introducing a fictional alter ego named Chris Gaines who was supposedly a legendary Australian rock star.
The character had been created for a film called The Lamb, that was to have starred Garth as Gaines and would have followed the character’s story through in different eras of his life.
The movie never came to fruition. But Brooks recorded an album of songs for the project that was released in September 1999. Garth Brooks in…The Life of Chris Gaines, which was produced by Don Was, reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
The album also yielded a couple of charting singles. “Lost In You” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It remains Garth’s only song to reach the Top 40 of that chart. “It Don’t Matter To The Sun,” meanwhile, reached No. 27 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs tally.
The Life of Chris Gaines was certified two-times Platinum by the RIAA for sales of 2 million copies in the U.S.
A special episode of VH1’s Behind The Music series featuring a mockumentary about Gaines aired on the cable channel. It included a cameo by Billy Joel. Brooks also hosted a 1999 episode of Saturday Night Live that featured him in his Gaines persona as the musical guest.
Pink Floyd’s Classic Lineup Reunites to Play Live 8 (2005)
Founding Pink Floyd bassist/singer and principal songwriter Roger Waters quit the band in 1985 to launch a solo career. In the years leading up to his departure, Waters had developed a contentious relationship with his bandmates, particularly guitarist David Gilmour and keyboardist Rick Wright. In fact, Wright had quit the band in 1981 over conflicts with Roger.
When Roger exited Pink Floyd, he assumed the group would cease to exist, but Gilmour apparently didn’t get the memo. Gilmour eventually re-formed the band with Wright and founding drummer Nick Mason, while becoming embroiled in a legal battle with Waters over the use of the Pink Floyd name.
David eventually secured the right for the band to continue on as Pink Floyd, which it did for about another decade, with much success.
Any reunion between Waters and his former Pink Floyd bandmates seemed extremely unlikely for many years. In 2005, however, Waters, Gilmour, Mason, and Wright agreed to re-form to play the Live 8 concert held on July 2 at London’s Hyde Park. The show was part of an international concert series co-organized by Bob Geldof to raise awareness of global poverty. Geldof also had co-organized the 1985 Live Aid concerts, and had portrayed the lead character of the film adaptation of Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
Pink Floyd played a four-song set at the Hyde Park show—“Breathe (In The Air),” “Money,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Comfortably Numb.” Waters seemed particularly happy to be playing with his old bandmates again.
This, though, was the final time the group’s classic quartet lineup ever performed together. Gilmour cited tensions during the rehearsals as one of the reasons he wasn’t interested in another reunion with Waters. Wright died of cancer in September 2008 at age 65.
Metallica and Lou Reed Release a Polarizing Collaborative Concept Album, ‘Lulu’ (2011)
On Halloween 2011, Lou Reed and Metallica released an unlikely collaborative double album titled Lulu. The project came about after the influential, edgy New York City rocker performed with the San Francisco metal legends at one of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s star-studded 25th anniversary concerts at Madison Square Garden in 2009.
The album was based on German playwright Frank Wedekind’s two Lulu plays, published in 1895 and 1904, respectively. The pays tell the dark story of a young female dancer who raises her stature in society through relationships with wealthy men. But she later becomes impoverished and becomes a prostitute.
The initial plan was for Metallica to record versions of various songs written by Reed. Some of the tunes Lou presented to the band were from a play he was working on inspired Wedekind’s Lulu plays. Reed and Metallica eventually decided to record a full album inspired by the plays.
The album features Reed mainly delivering spoken-word passages over abrasive and hard-rocking music by Metallica. Metallica frontman James Hetfield also contributed sung vocal parts.
Lulu received mixed reviews, with some critics and fans deeming it unlistenable and among the worst albums ever made. Lulu peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200. It was the last album of original material Reed released before his death in October 2013 at age 71.
Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich looked back fondly on the collaboration in a 2020 interview with Howard Stern.
“I know everybody in the band has … fond memories of that time,” Urich said. “It was incredible. [I] wouldn’t change a thing. And the fact that it’s sort of kind of p—ed more straight … square metal dudes off a little bit, I think is good to always f— with the perceptions a little bit.
Axl Rose Takes Over for Brian Johnson During AC/DC’s “Rock Or Bust” Tour (2016)
AC/DC launched a world tour in support of its 2014 studio album Rock Or Bust in April 2015. At the time, the Australian rock legends were experiencing trying times. Founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young was struggling with health problems. Additionally, longtime drummer Phil Rudd was dealing with legal and substance-abuse issues.
The two musicians were replaced, respectively, in the band’s touring lineup by Malcolm’s cousin Stevie Young and former AC/DC drummer Chris Slade.
Then, while AC/DC was touring in the U.S. in late February 2016, the band announced that longtime frontman Brian Johnson had to retire immediately from the road because of severe hearing-loss issues.
After postponing 10 concerts, the band announced in April 2016 that Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose would join AC/DC in Johnson’s place for the rest of the trek.
Rose’s first show with AC/DC was on May 7 in Lisbon, Portugal. He continued on with the group through the tour finale on September in Philadelphia. Axl generally received excellent reviews for his performances with the band.
In a 2016 interview, Rose discussed how he felt getting to sing with AC/DC.
“I love that it’s my job [and] I love that Angus [Young] is my boss,” he said. “Singing the … songs [from] the first couple albums with Brian, those are something else to sing. So it’s physically a different animal and another kind of work, and I take pride in doing it.”
Johnson eventually was fitted with state-of-the-art hearing aids that allowed him tour again with AC/DC starting in the 2020s.
(Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage; Photo by Lisa Lake/Getty Images for BT PR)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.