Heartbreaking tales of these fleeting stars
Stage names are quite common in the music biz, but some rock stars also have nicknames that were given to them at some point and just stuck. While not all musicians are known for their nicknames, some are actually mostly known by them (think Slash from Guns N' Roses, for example).
Browse through this gallery and find out how these rock stars got their nicknames.
From The Yardbirds to Cream, and then a popular solo career, Clapton is regarded as one of the greatest guitarist of all time. His most famous nickname? "Slowhand."
Clapton would slowly change broken strings on stage in front of the audience, so that's where it started. And then music impresario Giorgio Gomelsky thought it would be fun to call the skilled (and fast) guitarist "Slowhand."
One of the greatest performers in rock 'n' roll history, Jerry Lee Lewis was also known as "Killer."
The nickname was given to him in high school, because he would "kill it" with his energetic performances.
Ozzy started his career as the front man of heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath and went on to have a successful solo career. Many people also know him as "The Prince of Darkness."
While it's easy to associate the name with Ozzy's dark onstage persona, the nickname was reportedly given to him by his bandmates as a joke after the release of the song 'Black Sabbath,' which was pretty dark.
One of the most popular singer-songwriters of all time is also known by a nickname: "The Boss."
Springsteen got the nickname because he acted as the leader of the E Street Band when it came to getting paid and dividing the earnings among bandmates.
Ted Nugent is known for a few nicknames, including "Uncle Ted" and "The Nudge." But his most famous one is probably "Motor City Madman."
The nickname was given to him because of his passionate performances, his intense personality, and the fact that he was raised in Detroit, aka Motor City.
One of the most influential front men in rock history, the singer of The Doors was also known as "The Lizard King."
Morrisson wrote a poem where he referred to himself as "The Lizard King," and the name stuck!
The former Eagles guitarist has a very appropriate nickname: "Fingers."
The nickname was given to him by his Eagles bandmate Glenn Frey, who was really impressed with his guitar skills.
The hard-hitting Led Zeppelin drummer was known as "Bonzo."
It is speculated that the origins of the nickname are due to his solo in the song 'Moby D*ck.' But his energetic performances are also credited for it.
Elvis Presley was known by many nicknames, including "The King of Rock 'n' Roll," "The King," "Elvis the Pelvis," "The Hillbilly Bopper," and "Big El."
But in China, Elvis was known as "Cat King." The nickname was reportedly inspired by his album 'The Hillbilly Cat.'
The Stone Roses were one of the finest bands to ever come out of the 'Madchester' scene in the late '80s in England. Their front man, Ian Brown, went on to have a successful solo career.
Brown’s nickname, "King Monkey," was given to him by Mathew Priest, the bass drummer of the rock band Dodgy. He told a journalist (as a joke) that Ian would only answer to that name, and the rest is history.
The bass player of the British rock band The Who was known by two nicknames: "Thunderfingers" (pretty self-explanatory) and "The Ox."
The origins of "The Ox" have been attributed to his constitution and powerful onstage presence. The fact that he reportedly could out drink and out eat his bandmates probably also helped!
You probably know Ian Fraser Kilmister, the late front man of the British band Motörhead, by his nickname, Lemmy.
Legend has it that the musician got his nickname when he was younger because he would tell people "lemme (let me) borrow a fiver," or "lemme (lend me) a quid until Friday." Though this hasn't been confirmed, with Lemmy himself saying he doesn't remember.
Saul Hudson, the famous Guns N' Roses guitarist, is, of course, better known by his nickname, "Slash."
The nickname was given to him by his best friend’s father, because Slash was always in a rush and moving around.
U2 guitarist David Howell Evans, best known as "The Edge," has a nickname that clearly stuck.
The true origins of the nickname are unknown, but some fans think it's a reference to his personality and his sharp facial features.
You probably remember Doug Clifford best as the drummer of the band Creedence Clearwater Revival.
He too has a nickname: "Cosmo," which was given to him during his college days. Someone at a party once asked what "C" stood for in Clifford C. Clifford. Before he could reply, a hippie said: "It stands for Cosmo. He’s cosmic, a man of nature." The nickname stuck.
Sources: (Ranker)
How these rock stars got their nicknames
Some musicians are famous for their legendary nicknames
MUSIC Curiosities
Stage names are quite common in the music biz, but some rock stars also have nicknames that were given to them at some point and just stuck. While not all musicians are known for their nicknames, some are actually mostly known by them (think Slash from Guns N' Roses, for example).
Browse through this gallery and find out how these rock stars got their nicknames.