Rock stars are not superhuman beings. As a result, just like everyone, they also have interests and hobbies. Therefore, rock stars engage in skills that interest them when they are not in the studio recording songs or making music.
Occasionally, some of these rock stars draw inspiration for their songs from their hobbies. Hence, this article aims to discuss some of the surprising hobbies of rock stars during their leisure time.
Popular Rock Stars and Their Surprising Hobbies
Like every other person, rock stars have other hobbies they spend their spare time on. We have compiled a list of famous rock stars with interesting hobbies. Some of these hobbies include:
- Horse breeding
- Winemaking
- Beekeeping
- Gardening
Stick around to find out what your favourite rock star does for leisure.
David Mustaine (Horse Breeding)
David Mustaine is a member of the Megadeth band, and he is known for being a lead singer. He is also famous for his outstanding performances during Megadeth concerts. Nevertheless, despite Mustaine’s passion for music, he cherishes spending his free time with horses. Due to this, he owns a ranch where he breeds horses and other amazing animals. In addition, he enjoys taking a walk with the little horses.
Sir Rod Stewart (Train Enthusiast)
Sir Rod Stewart is another rock star with an unusual hobby: train enthusiast. Rod Stewart has an intense passion for trains as he spent a lot of fortune and more than 20 years building a train model. To display his love for trains, Stewarts gave up a large portion of his home to build a replica of the gigantic diorama of New York Central and Pennsylvania railroad station.
In addition, Rod Stewart also expressed his love for trains by ensuring his train models were displayed in a particular hotel room whenever he was on tour to different countries.
Michael Balzary a.k.a Flea (Chess Enthusiast)
Michael Balzary, with the stage name ‘Flea’, is a renowned lead guitarist (bassist) of the popular band ‘Red Hot Chilli Peppers’. He is well-known and loved by his fans for playing bass in his unique slapping style during musical performances. However, Flea loves to play chess whenever he has free time or on tours.
This bassist displayed his love and confidence in chess as he confronted a world-known chess expert, Magnus Carlsen, during one of the Chilli Pepper’s musical tours. Interestingly, Flea played impressively against the champion.
Scott Lan (Online Gaming and Poker Enthusiast)
When individuals try online casinos, it becomes a common form of entertainment during their leisure time. More so, the number of online gaming enthusiasts has increased with the transition from land-based casinos to online gaming and the introduction of amazing bonuses.
Scott Lan is another Anthrax rock star who loves playing poker in their free time. He founded the Thrash musical band and is also famous as a rhythm guitarist. He so much enjoyed playing poker that he participated in casino Hold’em competitions, private games, and the World Series of Poker competition in 2008 and 2009. Also, he is known to have won tangible amounts from poker tournaments.
Maynard James Keenan (Winemaking)
Maynard James Keenan is the lead singer of ‘Tool’ musical band. This rock star possesses winemaking skills as he belongs to an Italian wine-making family. His wine collection boasts of a 6000-bottle wine variety. Beyond what he loves to do during his pastime, Maynard has converted his hobby into a source of income. He owns several winery blocks in Arizona; the most popular are the Merkin Vineyards and Caduceus Cellars. As a result, Maynard is also considered a wine star as he makes great money from his winemaking business.
Steve Vai (Beekeeping)
Another rock star with a surprising hobby is Steve Vai, who enjoys beekeeping. He developed a passion for beekeeping when he discovered the swarm in his neighbour’s house and how it made flower gardens fertile. In addition, during a random discussion, Steve Vai revealed his love for different parts of honey bees.
Hence, after Vai relocated to San Fernando Valley, he created five personal hives to enable him to study bees during his leisure time. He devoted more time to his beekeeping skills to the extent that he collected honey from his hives to give as charity donations and gift jars of honey to his friends.
Eric Clapton (Fishing)
Eric Clapton is the guitarist of the great Blues band, and he is famous for his excellent song compositions such as ‘Tears in Heaven,' ‘Wonderful Tonight’ and ‘Layla’. During his free time, Eric Clapton enjoys going on fish farming, and he has become popular in his hobby as he made the headlines..
| Aspect | Information |
| Favourite fishing spots | Belize, Iceland, and the British countryside |
| Types of fish caught | Trout, salmon, carp, and various game fish |
| Fishing techniques | Fly fishing, baitcasting, and trolling |
| Fishing gear | High-quality fly rods, reels, and custom flies |
| Conservation efforts | Supports various fish conservation initiatives |
| Notable fishing moments | Once caught a 28 lb salmon in Iceland |
Bruce Dickson (Fencing and Airline Pilot)
Bruce Dickson is a member and the frontman of the Iron Maiden band. He is a licensed airline pilot and the founder of Cardiff Aviation. As a result, Bruce Dickson was always in charge of the band’s tours. He once flew the Iron Maiden band during her Boeing 747 17-month tour in Ed Force One.
Additionally, Bruce Dickson has a passion for fencing sports and devotes time to it when he has free time. He won a medal during Norway's Olympic Silver in fencing. Also, he was once in the 8th spot on the UK’s ranking of best fencers.
John Coltrane (Gardener)
John Coltrane was a famous saxophonist and the popular Bebop Jazz style musician. He was a rock star who was also a passionate gardener. During his pastime, he enjoyed planting orchids inside his house, which he later transplanted into pots. After he relocated to Los Angeles, his passion for gardening made him spend half his salary to rent a garden space for himself and his wife, who also loved gardening. Surprisingly, he did not study horticulture but only sought guidance from neighbours.
Perry Pink (Natural Remedies Lover)
Perry Pink is a famous rock star passionate about herbal medicines to provide alternative solutions. Interestingly, she is well-known in the alternative health field. In the 1980s, she participated in traditional Chinese herbs and medicine learning due to her love for therapeutic touch. Also, in the 1990s, Perry Pink took herbal medicine to complement her diet and show her passion for alternative medicine.
Conclusion
Delving into the lesser-known hobbies and skills of rock stars reveals a fascinating dimension beyond their musical prowess. They offer an intimate glimpse into their personalities and often serve as a counterbalance to the intensity of their rock and roll lifestyles. They show that creativity knows no bounds and can manifest in various forms.
These surprising hobbies can also inspire fans and enthusiasts to explore their own talents and passions outside their comfort zones. They remind us that, beyond the stage and recording studios, rock stars are just people with their own unique journeys and curiosities. These revelations provide a refreshing perspective on the lives of our beloved musicians, reminding us that there is more to them than what meets the eye on stage, and in doing so, they encourage us to embrace our own diverse interests and skills.
