Vertically Challenged Rockstars!

I like these lists of rockstars with a common trait, and I’ve just found a list of rockstars that are under 5′ 8”. There are a few more that I know of so I’ll add my own to it as well.

So here’s a list of rockstars that have all been “vertically challenged” (short), some may surprise you!

Prince (5′ 2”) To those familiar with Prince, it will come as no surprise that he is one of the smallest rockstars in the world: Prince

Bono (5′ 7 1/2”) It’s pretty much common knowledge that Bono is the pint-size hero of rock n roll, although he only just falls short of 5′ 8” (which isn’t really THAT short anyway.) As the only person ever to be nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, A Grammy and The Nobel Peace Prize, he may be undersized but by no means an underachiever: Bono gets Beef!

Thom Yorke (5′ 5”) The lead singer of radiohead is perhaps not as noted for being short as he has a rather more immediately noticeable physical trait, as I’m sure every radiohead fan is aware, his left eyelid droops as a result of it being closed shut at birth and the 5 subsequent operations he underwent (before he was even 6 years old!) to have it opened. Thom Yorke: “The Clock”

Angus Young (5′ 2”) The guitarist from AC/DC – now 54 years old – has always seemed to embrace his small stature by dressing like a school boy on stage. I suppose it’s a good way to make people ignore you’re child like height: dressing like a child! AC/DC Live Album

Ronnie James Dio (5′ 4”) “Dio has rocked….for a long long time.” Standing at 5′ 4” and hunched over like he is most of the time, he looks rather strikingly like a goblin in my opinion, but then, that kind of fits in with his ultra satanic power rock style of music so rock on little elf man! Ronnie James Dio recently threatened to take the band dios to court for the name similarity!

Bob Marley (5′ 7”) The Rastafarian spreader of peace was surprisingly only 5ft 7inches, although this isn’t exactly tiny, it’s still a lot smaller than you would imagine him to stand given the size of his aura and the power of his message. No Woman No Cry

Bruce Dickinson (5′ 6”) The awesome front man of Iron Maiden’s short stature is barely noticeable when he’s on stage. With the amount of theatrics and pure genuis showmanship that go into Maiden’s concerts, the lack of a few inches is no match for the power of Dickinson’s voice and stage presence. Here is an awesome collection of Iron Maiden photos

Jon Bon Jovi (5′ 5”) In my humble opinion, next to Bruce Dickinson in one of the best singing voices of all time. Again, the legendary front man’s showmanship skills overshadow his height (or lack of as the case may be!) Here’s a fairly rare Bon Jovi song that you may not have heard before.

Eddie Van Halen (5′ 4”) I think I speak for everyone when I say that whenever you watch this guy perform, eye’s rarely stray from his fingers on the fretboard, height makes no difference when you can make a guitar sound like he can. Eddie Van Halen is apparently recovering from his recent hand surgery.

So there’s the list, with a few extras added on to the end, hope you found it interesting.

Rockstars that died at 27 years old

If there’s any profession that’s famous for living fast and dying young, it’s being a rockstar. There have been an uncountable number premature deaths in the music industry (well, and the whole world really, but lets try and narrow it down a bit) and 27 seems to be the age that most of them go. So here, purely for your personal interest (if you are interested) is a list of 6 of the more noteable rockstars that died at the age of 27, but there are plenty more:

Brian Jones – The Rolling Stones – found in the bottom of his swimming pool at his home on 3rd july 1969 (It should be you, The Rolling Stones)

Jim Morrison - The Doors – Found in the bathtub of an apartment in Paris on the 3rd of July 1971  (Mock Jim Morrison Interview)

Jimi Hendrix – Swallowed 9 sleeping pills and then vomitted in his sleep, asphyxiating himself while unconscious on 18th of september 1970. (Hendrix Album)

Janis Joplin – Died of a herione overdoes that may well have been mixed with alcohol on the 4th october 1970, around 2 weeks after hendrix. She had recorded a birthday tape for John Lennon which arrived at his door the day after she died (Janis Joplin at Woodstock)

Kurt Cobain – Nirvana – Found dead at his home with a shotgun laying next to him and most of his head missing by an electrician who’d come to install a security system on 8th April 1994. (Kurt Cobain)

Richey Edwards – Manic Street Preachers – His body was never found and he was assumed deceased in november 2008 (Autumnsong by Manic Street Preachers)

So if you’re in a band and are older than 27, stats say you’ll be alright, but if you’re younger than 27, when you get to that age you may want to cut back on the drugs and booze and crazy living, only until you’re 28, then you can go nuts.