Jahfin Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Bono Real Name: Paul David Hewson Supposedly named after a Dublin hearing-aid shop called Bono Vox -- Latin for "good voice." His U2 bandmate the Edge got his own nickname from either his sharp facial features or his fearlessness of heights, depending on which version you believe. Snoop Dogg Real Name: Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr. Snoop Dogg was nicknamed "Snoopy" by his mom for his love of the 'Peanuts' comic strip. If the original Snoopy was, in fact, a little bit gangsta, 'Doggystyle,' we presume, was not quite what Charles Schulz had in mind. Marilyn Manson Real name: Brian Hugh Warner Marilyn Manson combined Marilyn Monroe with Charles Manson, of course. His bandmate Twiggy Ramirez (Jeordie White) combined the names of the slender '60s fashion icon and the serial killer Richard Ramirez. Most of the various band members have taken similarly titillating monikers – Daisy Berkowitz, Madonna Wayne Gacy, Gidget Gein... Tina Turner Real name: Annie Mae Bullock Tina Turner got the last name, of course, by marrying her bandleader, Ike Turner. But he also changed the soul queen's given name as well, appropriately yet obliquely inspired by his fandom of comic-book wildwoman Sheena, Queen of the Jungle. Billy Idol Real name: William Michael Albert Broad A teacher once marked a report card for young Bill with the comment, "William is idle." After his career went multiplatinum in the 1980s, this textbook bad boy fell off the map, going 12 album-less years before a 2005 comeback. Once again, Billy was, in fact, idle. Elton John Real name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight Sir Reg's early band was Bluesology, featuring saxophonist Elton Dean and frontman Long John Baldry. In 1972, he legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John, despite never having shared a band with any Hercules. Sting Real name: Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner Playing in a jazz band, the young Gordo once wore a black-and-yellow striped shirt that made him look like a bumblebee. "My children call me Sting, my mother calls me Sting," he once joked, after being addressed by his given name. "Who is this Gordon character?" Moby Real name: Richard Melville Hall Childhood nickname bestowed by his parents; Richie's great-great grand-uncle was 'Moby-Dick' author Herman Melville. Sadly, this connection to the great whale tale had nothing to do with Moby's brief stint in the band Flipper. Iggy Pop Real name: James Newell Osterberg Jr. His first high school band was called the Iguanas, earning Iggy Pop another colorful nickname – the Rock Iguana. Unhappily credited as Iggy Stooge on the Stooges' first few records. Freddie Mercury Real name: Farrokh Bulsara Born in Zanzibar to a Zoroastrian family of Indian descent, the man who would be Queen began calling himself Freddie while at boarding school near Bombay, where he started a band called the Hectics. Johnny Rotten Real name: John Joseph Lydon The head Sex Pistol is said to have earned his nickname through the dubious distinction of his prematurely decaying teeth. Rotten's nickname for his pal John Simon Ritchie was dentally inspired, too -- "Sid Vicious" was borrowed from a particularly nippy pet hamster. Nico Real name: Christa Paffgen When she was a teenage model in Europe, the German-born singer was redubbed by fashion photographer Herbert Tobias. He must have been quite taken by her beauty, as he was inspired to give her the name of his friend (and rumored ex-lover), filmmaker Nico Papatakis. Flea Real name: Michael Peter Balzary Like Sting, another product of the Flying Pest school of rock nicknames. The Red Hot Chili Pepper's stage name was bestowed for his high-strung nature by high school buddy Anthony Kiedis on a ski trip. Sun Ra Real name: Herman Poole Blount The eccentric jazzman, who claimed he was from Saturn, named himself after the ancient Egyptian sun god. Also answered, somewhat less exotically, to the childhood nickname Sonny. Elvis Costello Real name: Declan Patrick McManus Originally performed as D.P. Costello, using his great-grandmother's surname (not inspired by the American comedian Lou Costello). Costello later took his manager's advice and adopted the first name Elvis. Further confusing the matter, he legally added Aloysius to his given name in the '80s Cat Power Real Name: Charlyn Marie Marshall Chan Marshall didn't adopt her Cat Power alter ego in solidarity with feline empowerment. The indie vocalist once spotted the phrase "Cat Diesel Power" on a trucker hat advertising Caterpillar heavy machinery. Alice Cooper Real name: Vincent Furnier Original band the Spiders switched their name to Alice Cooper, conjured, according to the record company, through a Ouija board encounter with a medieval witch of the same name. In 1974, Furnier legally adopted the name, keeping it for his solo career. Engelbert Humperdinck Real name: Arnold George Dorsey The crooner of 'Release Me' and 'After the Lovin'' swiped his stage name from the 19th-century German composer of the opera 'Hansel and Gretel,' which was described by the original Engelbert as "a fairy opera." Meat Loaf Real name: Marvin Lee Aday The 'Bat Out of Hell' blockbuster's first band was called Meat Loaf Soul; he debuted, oddly, with Motown, as half of a duet called Stoney and Meat Loaf. Recently changed his given first name, which no one knew anyway, to Michael. Ol' Dirty Bastard Real name: Russell Tyrone Jones Wu-Tang Clan founding member nicknamed after a kung-fu film known as 'Ol' Dirty & the Bastard'; Jones's unique flow struck his bandmates as having "no father." And while a few people have one good alter ego, ODB rocked about 15 or so great ones, including Dirt McGirt, Peanut the Kidnapper, Freeloading Rusty and Big Baby Jesus. Quote
ArmsofAtlas Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Slash was Saul Hudson John Paul Jones was/is? John Baldwin. Quote
dragster Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Why the hell would you change your name to Humperdinck? Quote
Northern Monkey Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 I once convinced a mate that Iggy Pop's real name was Igwood Populist. Quote
Mr.Kite Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Didn't know the real name of Freddie Mercury... Interesting! Quote
Kashmir330 Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) Bob Dylan - Robert Allen Zimmerman Edited March 11, 2008 by Kashmir330 Quote
Rock Action Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Ringo Starr - Rory Storm Uhhh....WHAT???? I believe Ringo is properly known as Richard Starkey. Quote
JethroTull Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 (edited) Uhhh....WHAT???? I believe Ringo is properly known as Richard Starkey. I was starting to suspect people weren't paying attention to my posts. Thanks for the validation. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes was the band Ringo was in before joining The Beatles. Edited March 11, 2008 by JethroTull Quote
Rock Action Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 I was starting to suspect people weren't paying attention to my posts. Thanks for the validation. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes was the band Ringo was in before joining The Beatles. Well now I just learned something. Quote
Alessandra Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Joey Ramone - Jeffry Ross Hyman Johnny Ramone - John William Cummings Dee Dee Ramone - Douglas Glenn Colvin Tommy Ramone - Tamás Erdélyi Marky Ramone - Marc Steven Bell CJ Ramone - Christopher Joseph Ward Richie Ramone/Beau - Richard Reinhardt Elvis Ramone / Clem Burke - Clement Bozewski Quote
Alessandra Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Ozzy Osbourne - John Michael Osbourne Tony Iommi - Frank Anthony Iommi Geezer Butler - Terence Michael Joseph Butler and Zakk Wylde - Jeffrey Phillip Wiedlandt Quote
NickZepp Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Paul McCartney's real first name is James. He always went by Paul though. Stevie Nicks' real name is Stephanie Lynn Nicks Peter Green's real last name is Greenbaum Dusty Hill's real name is Joe Michael Hill Steve Tyler's real name is Stephen Victor Tallarico Robert Johnson's birth name was Robert Leroy Dodds Gene Simmons real name is Chaim Witz Paul Stanley's real name is Stanley Harvey Eisen Ace Frehley's real name is Paul Daniel Frehley Ray Charles' real last name was Robinson. Stevie Wonder's real name is Steveland Hardaway Judkins David Bowie's real name is David Robert Jones I'll have more later. Quote
NickZepp Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Hank Williams' real name is Hiram King Williams Hank Williams Jrs' real name is Randal Hank Williams Hank Williams' IIIs real name is Shelton Hank Williams Patsy Cline is really Virginia Patterson Hensley Johnny Cash was born J.R. Cash. Parents couldn't decide which should be his first name so he was just JR. He finally picked a first name when he entered the army Conway Twitty's real name was Harold Lloyd Jenkins. Conway and Twitty are Arkansas and Texas towns. Harold got out a map and the first 2 towns he pointed to he picked as names. Billie Holiday's real name is Eleanora Fagan Jimi Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix then changed to James Allen Hendrix then changed to James Marshall Hendrix Syd Barrett's real name is Roger Keith Barrett Roger Waters real first name is George BB King's real name is Riley King Quote
NickZepp Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 I've got more Axl Rose=Williams Bruce Rose Jr Geddy Lee=Gary Lee Weinrib Alex Lifeson=Alexander Zivojinovich Van Morrison=George Ivan Morriosn Joe Perry=Anthony Joseph Perry Ginger Baker=Peter Edward Baker Jack Bruce=John Symon Asher Bruce Manfred Mann=Manfred Sepse Lubowitz Quote
Jahfin Posted March 12, 2008 Author Posted March 12, 2008 Some of the names being listed are just the artists' full names, which are their real names to start with, not pseudonyms. Quote
NickZepp Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 Some of the names being listed are just the artists' full names, which are their real names to start with, not pseudonyms. I know but the topic is not about pseudonyms really. It's Musicians real names. Quote
Jahfin Posted March 12, 2008 Author Posted March 12, 2008 I know but the topic is not about pseudonyms really. It's Musicians real names. If you list a musician's full name, it's still their "real" name. I started the topic in reference to musicans who don't go by their real names at all. Quote
NickZepp Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 (edited) If you list a musician's full name, it's still their "real" name. I started the topic in reference to musicans who don't go by their real names at all. Most of the ones I put didn't go by their names. I think Paul McCartney and Joe Perry are the only 2 really. I guess Cash would count also. Hank Williams Jr and III also. Edited March 12, 2008 by NickZepp Quote
Stolyar_Kushakov Posted March 12, 2008 Posted March 12, 2008 In my country in the midle of 80-es (then my ciuntry called USSR) was "walking" such story: real name of bassist from "Nazareth" is Petr Ognev and hi is from Russia Quote
Alessandra Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 :o Is that to say that the Ramone's aren't all related like I had grown up believing? Well that comes as a bit of a shock. This is an interesting, I had no idea about Steven Tyler or half of KISS. I grew up believing in that too! Quote
Reggie29 Posted March 13, 2008 Posted March 13, 2008 Gregg Allman (Allman Brothers Band) - Gregory Lenoir Allman Joan Baez - Joan Chandos Baez Jeff Beck - Geoffery Arnold Beck Joe Cocker - John Robert Cocker Dick Dale - Richard Monsour Taj Mahal - Henry St.Clair Fredricks Gary Numan - Gary Anthony James Webb Sid Vicious - John Simon Ritchie T-Bone Walker - Aaron Thibeaux Walker Muddy Waters - McKinley Morganfield Fee Waybill (Tubes) - John Waldo Bob Weir (Greatful Dead) - Robert Hall Junior Wells (blues artist) - Amos Blakemore Leslie West (Mountain) - Leslie Westein Jack White (White Stripes) - John Anthony Gillis Quote
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