Countless rock artists through the years have used different names than their birth names. However, in the 80’s it seemed be the thing to do – especially for hair metal and heavy metal bands such as Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue. And for good reason. Can you imagine buying tickets to a concert to rock out to dudes named Vincent Wharton, Frank Feranna, Bob Deal and Thomas Bass? The list below represents a sampling of some well-known rockers and their birth names.
Sting – Gordon Sumner
Ringo Starr – Richard Stakey
Freddy Mercury – Farrokh Bulsara
Johnny Ramone – John WIlliam Cummings
Joey Ramone – Jeffrey Ross Hyman
Dee Dee Ramone – Douglas Glenn Colvin
Tommy Ramone – Thomas Erdelyi
Sebastian Bach – Sebatian Philip Bierk
Axl Rose – WIlliam Bruce Rose Jr.
Izzy Stradlin – Jeffrey Dean Isbell
Slash – Saul Hudson
Steven Adler – Michael Coletti
Tracii Guns – Tracy Richard Irving Ulrich
Nikki Sixx – Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.
Vince Neil – Vincent Neil Wharton
Mick Mars – Bob Alan Deal
Tommy Lee – Thomas Lee Bass
Lou Gramm – Louis Andrew Grammatico
Joe Strummer – John Graham Mellor
Joan Jett – Joan Marie Larkin
Bret Michaels – Bret Michael Sychak
Rikki Rockett (drummer Poison)
Bobby Dall (bassist Poison) – Robert Harry Kuykendall
C.C. Deville (guitarist Poison) – Bruce Anthony Johanneson
Sid Vicious – John Simon Ritchie
Grace Slick – Grace Barnett Wing
Rachel Bolan (bassist Skid Row) – James Richard Southworth
Alice Cooper – Vincent Damon Furnier
Zakk Wylde – Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Jake E. Lee – Jakey Lou Williams
Aldo Nova – Aldo Caporuscio
Peter Wolf (lead singer J. Geils Band) – Peter W. Blankfield
Kid Rock – Robert James Ritchie
Gene Simmons – Chaim Witz
Paul Stanley – Stanley Bert Eisen
Peter Criss – George Peter John Criscuola
Eric Carr (drummer Kiss) – Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent (guitarist Kiss) – Vincent John Cusano
