I was talking about this with a friend years ago how fucking common it was for the classic rockstars (mostly of previous generations to what we listened to, but sadly some more recent too) to be full on pedos. I did a little bit of reading on the subject and it is gut-churning. Not just how ubiquitous it was, but also how largely accepted it was (and continues to be), and also how severe so much of it was.
Content Warning on the rest of this comment from here on out. Gary Glitter is probably the most egregious and well known as far as like Epstein level offenses, you can look him up if you want the sickening details. Obvious huge CW if you do. There’s another name that always comes up with this stuff that I’m hesitant to even mention because he was more of a nobody than a true rockstar and became famous more for his crimes and how extreme they were than for his music, though his band did have a following that he drew his victims from. NSFL kind of shit.
If we were to make a list, it might be easier to name the major classic rock stars that weren’t creepers in some way. Like Mick Jagger and Jimmy Page “dating” the same 14 year old girl Lori Maddox (major CW here: common term for her was that she was a “baby groupie”) at the same time, and like David Bowie was involved with her too somehow? The bassist for the Rolling Stones (Wyman) was 47 in a “relationship” with a 13 year old. The drummer for the Eagles was in legal trouble regarding a 16 year old. Then there’s Pete Townsend of The Who getting caught paying with his credit card for CSAM but used the excuse that he was trying to catch the predators and do “research” regarding his own abuse. I don’t know enough about that one, maybe he doesn’t belong on the same list, but it seems pretty sus. People in the thread mentioning the “Little girl, what’s your name?” lyrics and that’s Lynard Skynard. And of course My Sharona. There’s a bunch of songs I can’t remember atm saying the same kind of thing. I think Iggy Pop also has some lyrics about some of his known underage fans. Stephen Tyler (Aerosmith) and fucking Ted Nugent both became “legal guardians” of underage girls for the reasons you are correctly assuming but wish you weren’t. Jerry Lee Lewis famously married his 13 year old cousin. Elvis Presley and Priscilla was like 14. List goes on.
I was talking about this with a friend years ago how fucking common it was for the classic rockstars (mostly of previous generations to what we listened to, but sadly some more recent too) to be full on pedos. I did a little bit of reading on the subject and it is gut-churning. Not just how ubiquitous it was, but also how largely accepted it was (and continues to be), and also how severe so much of it was.
“Separate art from artist” mantra chanting isn’t new, though it got reworded a few times. In my youth I was told that in “different times” (often “better times” according to not-as-old boomers around me!) that was normal and cool and good and “political correctness” (what is now called “DEI” and used to be called “woke” and before that “SJW”) is the reason that they can’t have as much “fun” as they used to, like when Playboy Magazine had articles where predatory old men described, openly, how much they wanted to violate child actresses of that current time.
Your list of musicians that I didn’t yet know were predators will take some time for me to sort through. Fuck’s sake, even the Eagles…
I never really knew anything about Gary Glitter, so I assumed he was some beloved glam rock star with tons of songs people recognize, when in reality he’s closer to a one hit wonder (and they still play that song at sporting events).
There’s another name that always comes up with this stuff that I’m hesitant to even mention because he was more of a nobody than a true rockstar and became famous more for his crimes and how extreme they were than for his music, though his band did have a following that he drew his victims from.
I can think of one guy, although he’s definitely not ”classic rock”.
I was talking about this with a friend years ago how fucking common it was for the classic rockstars (mostly of previous generations to what we listened to, but sadly some more recent too) to be full on pedos. I did a little bit of reading on the subject and it is gut-churning. Not just how ubiquitous it was, but also how largely accepted it was (and continues to be), and also how severe so much of it was.
Content Warning on the rest of this comment from here on out. Gary Glitter is probably the most egregious and well known as far as like Epstein level offenses, you can look him up if you want the sickening details. Obvious huge CW if you do. There’s another name that always comes up with this stuff that I’m hesitant to even mention because he was more of a nobody than a true rockstar and became famous more for his crimes and how extreme they were than for his music, though his band did have a following that he drew his victims from. NSFL kind of shit.
If we were to make a list, it might be easier to name the major classic rock stars that weren’t creepers in some way. Like Mick Jagger and Jimmy Page “dating” the same 14 year old girl Lori Maddox (major CW here: common term for her was that she was a “baby groupie”) at the same time, and like David Bowie was involved with her too somehow? The bassist for the Rolling Stones (Wyman) was 47 in a “relationship” with a 13 year old. The drummer for the Eagles was in legal trouble regarding a 16 year old. Then there’s Pete Townsend of The Who getting caught paying with his credit card for CSAM but used the excuse that he was trying to catch the predators and do “research” regarding his own abuse. I don’t know enough about that one, maybe he doesn’t belong on the same list, but it seems pretty sus. People in the thread mentioning the “Little girl, what’s your name?” lyrics and that’s Lynard Skynard. And of course My Sharona. There’s a bunch of songs I can’t remember atm saying the same kind of thing. I think Iggy Pop also has some lyrics about some of his known underage fans. Stephen Tyler (Aerosmith) and fucking Ted Nugent both became “legal guardians” of underage girls for the reasons you are correctly assuming but wish you weren’t. Jerry Lee Lewis famously married his 13 year old cousin. Elvis Presley and Priscilla was like 14. List goes on.
“Separate art from artist” mantra chanting isn’t new, though it got reworded a few times. In my youth I was told that in “different times” (often “better times” according to not-as-old boomers around me!) that was normal and cool and good and “political correctness” (what is now called “DEI” and used to be called “woke” and before that “SJW”) is the reason that they can’t have as much “fun” as they used to, like when Playboy Magazine had articles where predatory old men described, openly, how much they wanted to violate child actresses of that current time.
Your list of musicians that I didn’t yet know were predators will take some time for me to sort through. Fuck’s sake, even the Eagles…
I never really knew anything about Gary Glitter, so I assumed he was some beloved glam rock star with tons of songs people recognize, when in reality he’s closer to a one hit wonder (and they still play that song at sporting events).
I can think of one guy, although he’s definitely not ”classic rock”.