Buzz
Ever dream of becoming a rock legend? Many of the stars on this list once had regular jobs before achieving their music superstardom. From exciting roles in the military to eerily unusual gigs, these musicians were willing to leave their everyday work behind to pursue their musical dreams.
A challenge for our readers: Buy VIP tickets to a Korn concert that offer artist Q&A access, and dare you to ask Jonathan Davis about his experience in Mortuary Science education!
10. Chris Cornell (Soundgarden and Audioslave) – Fish Handler
Following his passing in early 2017, Chris Cornell has remained a prominent figure in pop culture. Recognized as one of the pioneers of the Seattle grunge movement, Soundgarden’s Cornell initially worked for a seafood company, where his responsibilities included cleaning fish guts at Seattle’s local fish markets.
Even as a teenager, Cornell showed promise as a songwriter, though he battled depression and drug addiction throughout his adult years. His dependence on prescription drugs ultimately led to his death by suicide. The darkness in his music is evident, even to those who are not familiar with his work. With hits like “Black Hole Sun,” Soundgarden ascended to the ranks of grunge royalty alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
9. Johnny Cash – Military Codebreaker
Fans of “outlaw country” have long revered the “Man in Black,” but many may be surprised to learn that Johnny Cash served as a military codebreaker before becoming a country music legend. Cash, who famously greeted his audiences with, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash,” enlisted in the US Air Force in 1950 and worked in the cryptographic intelligence unit.
Codebreaking involves a series of techniques used to decipher or interpret messages and codes meant to remain secret, especially when the key is unknown. If you think that a math background is essential for success in this field, you'd be right.
8. Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) - Former Night Security Guard
Who could have imagined that someone who now requires his own security guards was once employed as one? Seattle's own Pearl Jam, regarded as one of the finest grunge bands of the '90s, achieved legendary status. Their debut album, Ten, sold 10 million copies in the US alone, as noted by a 2013 article in Billboard magazine.
Once a hotel security guard at La Valencia, this now-iconic rock vocalist has solidified his place as one of the greatest of all time. It’s rumored that he was fired for playing his guitar too much during his night shifts. Talk about a musician’s fate!
7. Ozzy Osbourne (Formerly of Black Sabbath) - Slaughterhouse Employee and Car Factory Horn Adjuster
Maybe it’s just us, but the thought of The Ozzman himself working in a slaughterhouse is hard to shake. Could this job have inspired his infamous bat-biting incident during a meeting with music executives? We think it's a fair question, given the circumstances.
In addition to his music career, Ozzy Osbourne is probably most famous for starring in his own reality show, The Osbournes. However, his career truly reached new heights when he headlined the Ozzfest tours, which started as a two-day event in Arizona back in 1996.
Rumor has it that Ozzy’s first “live” performance with Black Sabbath was at a fire station. Despite that humble beginning, he went on to sell millions of albums worldwide, with his solo career giving birth to an iconic brand that continues to thrive decades later.
But putting accolades aside, one might wonder, what exactly does a 'car factory horn tuner' do?
6. Mick Jagger - Porter at a Mental Hospital
Before his rise to fame, Mick Jagger, the iconic frontman of the Rolling Stones, made ends meet by working at a mental hospital. It’s often said that it’s not what you know but who you know that gets you a job. Well, Mick Jagger certainly ran in some interesting circles back in those days!
Although the Rolling Stones are often associated with rock music, the band members themselves viewed their style as more blues-oriented. They took their name from the song “Rollin’ Stone” by blues legend Muddy Waters and went on to rock global stages with hits like “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Start Me Up.”
5. Jonathan Davis (Korn) - Embalmer
Formed in 1993, the metal band Korn from Bakersfield won its first Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video with the hit “Freak On A Leash.” Known for their dark, goth aesthetic and bold lyrics, lead singer Jonathan Davis was also studying mortuary science and worked at a funeral home in California before achieving massive success in the heavy metal world.
It’s a bit eerie that a formal Program of Mortuary Science exists at a major university. Ironically, in 2002, Jonathan Davis mourned the closure of his alma mater, the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science.
4. Rod Stewart - Gravedigger
What is it with British rock stars and their eerie side jobs? Were mental hospitals and cemeteries the only places hiring back in the day? Sure, we understand the need to make a living, but grave digging takes it to a whole new level of odd.
Learning about this crooner’s pre-rockstar life might just dampen our appreciation for his 1978 hit “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?” But after all, he’s Rod Stewart, and he still has that iconic voice. Yes, Rod, we still think you’re sexy.
3. Jon Bon Jovi - Christmas Decorations Assembler
Is being a Christmas decorations assembler even a year-round gig? After all, Christmas only comes once a year, right? But still, we imagine that a job revolving around Christmas decorations would leave plenty of time for someone like Jon Bon Jovi to recruit musicians, start a band, and become hugely successful in music.
Let’s just say that leaving his day job was a brilliant move for this legendary rocker. In 1980, Bon Jovi released his debut single, “Runaway,” which got radio play, led to club performances in New Jersey, and eventually earned him a record deal with PolyGram. Known for their emotional ballads and smooth guitar riffs, Bon Jovi has sold millions of albums.
I wonder if he ever assembles his band’s CDs? Just kidding, Jon.
2. Courtney Love - Stripper
Why does this one seem so easy to believe? And how do you react to this, other than secretly hoping there’s some YouTube video footage of it actually happening? Courtney Love worked as an exotic dancer in places like Portland, Japan, Taiwan, and Alaska.
In addition to being the lead singer and guitarist for the band Hole, which was formed in Los Angeles in 1989, Love is perhaps best known for being the wife of the late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain.
1. Alanis Morissette - Envelope Stuffer
What the . . . ?! This is a real job title?! Seriously?! We’re curious, did she have an administrative assistant? I mean, with all that envelope stuffing going on . . . we imagine it might be tough to answer the phone while doing all that stuffing . . . you know what? Never mind.
And guess what else? Don’t judge! Before they got their music career started, the Van Halen brothers used to paint addresses on sidewalks. As for Alanis Morissette, we think she’s long moved past that job. This Canadian singer sold over 30 million copies and won four Grammy Awards for her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill. Come on . . . admit it, you knew all the lyrics to “Ironic” just like the rest of us.
