Last week’s random list of bizarre rock deaths threw up a couple of historical fallacies, chief among them the erroneous notion that “Mama” Cass Eliot died after choking on a ham sandwich (it was in fact, left untouched by her side. So there).
In the same spirit of setting the record straight, here are a few more of our favourite rock myths.
Led Zeppelin, the groupie and the red snapper
The myth: First recounted in Stephen Davis’ Hammer Of The Gods, the tale of how the ultimate rock monsters penetrated a pliant, red-haired groupie with a fish they’d hauled in through their hotel window has become a byword for rock star debauchery.
The truth: Although a piscine sex act did indeed take place, it was actually road manager Richard Cole who, er, “administered” it. See Motley Crue tome The Dirt for a lurid variant on this theme, involving a phone handset. Ouch.
Michael Jackson bought the Elephant Man’s skeleton
The myth: This was just one of many laughable stories that circulated about Jackson in the 80s and 90s. You know the ones; his nose once fell off, he sleeps in an oxygen tent, he shares his bed with children, that sort of thing.
The truth: Joseph “Elephant Man” Merrick's remains were almost entirely destroyed in an air raid on the Royal London Hospital during the Second World War. So, even if Wacko wanted to own such a ghoulish relic – which, let’s be honest, seems massively unlikely - he would have been disappointed.
Marilyn Manson had a rib removed, for the purpose of auto-fellatio
The myth: Other Manson rumours that have taken root over the years include the “fact” that he played the role of geeky Paul Pfeiffer in The Wonder Years, and that he enjoyed ripping apart live puppies onstage. Of course he did.
The truth:The man who declared himself the God Of Fuck was never going to shy away from free publicity. Hence, Manson refused to play down the lurid tales, despite them being, quite patently, bollocks. “Who really has time to be killing puppies when you can be sucking your own dick?” he once noted, sensibly.
Charles Manson auditioned for The Monkees
The myth: Four years before his followers went on a killing spree in Beverly Hills, making him America’s most notorious cult leader, a younger and less murderously unhinged Manson supposedly put himself forward for the group that would become The Monkees. That he was overlooked in favour of fresh-faced folkie Peter Tork left deep psychological scars.
The truth: A great story, but sadly way off the mark: Manson was in prison at the time auditions were taking place.
Stevie Nicks ordered flunkies to blow cocaine up her bum
The myth: Her septum ravaged by years of excess, Fleetwood Mac’s high priestess took to ingesting her favourite drug in a more… intimate fashion. Well, you would, wouldn’t you?
The truth: Nicks rubbished the story in a Q interview in 2001: “It's absurd. Maybe [the story] came about because people knew I had such a big hole in my nose. I curse the day I ever did cocaine. Nothing really works right in my head now.”
6:01 PM | 19/09/2007
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