4 Famous Classic Rock Musicians Who Work Normal Jobs Today

Believe it or not, a lot of famous musicians have day jobs. Some of them maintain those jobs between tours and recording sessions, while others take them on after their music careers start to wane. It’s not unusual. What is unusual, though, is that some of the most well-known classic rock musicians of all time opted for the most normal jobs possible. Let’s look at a few examples, shall we?

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Bill Berry of R.E.M.

Bill Berry of R.E.M.’s story is quite a fascinating one. After suffering from a brain aneurysm in the mid-90s that temporarily put a pause on his music career, the drummer opted to go in a totally different direction with his life. Berry left the band and became a hay farmer in Georgia, looking for a simpler life outside of “pounding the tubs.” He has since returned to the music world and still owns a farm, though a caretaker works the field for him nowadays.

Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden

It’s hard to imagine what a heavy metal legend could possibly do outside of screaming into a mic. For Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, he went on to become something similarly cool, in my opinion: A pilot! He is a licensed commercial airline captain who has flown quite a few different planes, including private planes during Iron Maiden’s tours. He’s still a rock star, but if he decides to ever give up the lifestyle for good, I imagine he’ll continue flying for quite some time.

Terry Chimes of The Clash

Few would associate punk rock with chiropractic adjustments. For Terry Chimes, the former drummer of The Clash, it seemed like a normal career progression. Chimes left and returned to the band several times, and after the band called it quits for good, he began to nurture a career as a chiropractor. He’s been in the industry since the 90s and currently treats patients at Chimes Chiropractic in England. I must say, I can’t think of any other chiropractors out there who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

James Williamson of The Stooges

James Williamson, best known as the highly influential guitarist of proto-punk outfit The Stooges, really changed the game with his work on Raw Power. However, like all great bands, The Stooges didn’t last forever. Williamson makes it to our list of rock musicians with normal day jobs because he opted to earn an electrical engineering degree after the band called it quits. He worked hard, starting in the 90s at Sony, and eventually became the company’s Vice President of Technology Standards. If you enjoyed your Blu-ray player back in the day, you can thank Williamson for aiding in the development of compatibility guidelines for it.

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