Sometimes it can be hard to imagine what our favorite rock stars do when they are not jamming out on stage in front of millions. What kinds of activities do these famous musicians engage in when going about their everyday lives away from the bright lights?
We thought we’d take a look at some iconic rockers and their preferred hobbies. You may be surprised to find out that you have a few or even several interests in common with the singers or musicians you love most. Here are five non-music related pursuits from some of the industry’s greatest talents.
James Hetfield – Beekeeping
Writing hit songs and delivering smashing, head-banging performances is not the only thing rock singer James Hetfield is well-versed in. The vocalist is a man of many talents, including leading the hugely successful 80s metal group, Metallica, and also tending to live bees.
The rock frontrunner keeps several hives at his large property in Vail, Colorado, and has commented in interviews that he enjoys the process of beekeeping, bottling honey, and even being stung.
Steve Albini – Poker
Rock stars are commonly known for their love of games like poker, as playing on tour keeps them entertained during long road trips. Among these is Steve Albini, former member of Chicago-based indie rock band, Shellac, and a notable record producer.
Perhaps most famous for his engineering work on Nirvana’s album, In Utero, the producer and musician is more than just an amateur, tour-bus-playing poker fanatic. In fact, Albini took home a cool $106,000 after ripping through 300 other competitors in a 2018 WSOP Seven Card Stud event.
The best part of all is that he did it while wearing a mere T-shirt, looking extremely unintimidating but silently defeating everyone in his path. Poker players generally tend to fall into different types of strategists, and Albini undoubtedly fits into the ones to look out for i.e. the silent assassins that seek to blend in without drawing attention to themselves. One thing’s for certain: this Gold Bracelet win has cemented the rocker as a real poker champion who has taken his hobby to the next level.
Flea – Chess
Steve Albini is not the only musician on this list who enjoys a good game of strategy. Serving as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist is just one of the things famous musician Flea is good at. Turns out he’s also a gifted chess player who has competed against grandmasters throughout the years, proving he has a real knack for the game in the process. He has been known to play when on tour with the other band members, bringing along a board and custom pieces wherever he goes.
Although he has yet to win any serious tournament, all that practice may catch up to him soon. The RHCP may be on hiatus, but Flea’s career is still going strong as he continues work on various musical projects.
Eric Clapton – Fly Fishing
Guitarist Eric Clapton is well known in the rock world for his songs, albums, and on-stage performances, but one thing some fans may not know about the artist is his passion for fly fishing.
Even the documentary film Life in 12 Bars, which examines Clapton’s career and personal journey, fails to mention the singer’s love for the sport. However, this world-class guitarist certainly has a knack for the hobby, reeling in enormous fish whose sizes rival that of professional anglers.
Bill Wyman – Metal Detecting
There is no other rock group in history quite like the Rolling Stones, and there is no other metal detecting enthusiast quite like the band’s former bassist Bill Wyman. The famous musician has been quite vocal about his love for the hobby, sharing with the public his various treasure finds on the Internet and in interviews.
He is even the proud founder of his own signature metal detecting device that he claims is the best machine for anyone looking to start out in the hobby. Nowadays, the artist and entrepreneur has a little less time for the activity he loves since he is going on tour with his own band, the Rhythm Kings.
