FUN FACT #9

Did you know that Courtney Love had her first brush with rock and roll fame at age five when she appeared on the back cover of The Grateful Dead's AOXOMOXOA? Apparently her father managed the Dead for a period of time early in their career.


That's her, front right.

FUN FACT #8

Recognize the stripper on this cover? It's none other than Cassandra Peterson AKA ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK!!! At least we think so. Peterson did her fair share of partying in the 70's and doesn't actually remember the photo shoot. In 2009, she told the Onion's AV Club, “I’ve stared at it really, really hard, and I’m pretty sure it’s me.”

FUN FACT #7

Everyone knows Shel Silverstein from his career in children's poetry. But did you know he was a prolific songwriter as well?




Eat your heart out, Afroman.

In addition to recording a dozen or so of his own albums, he also wrote many country songs that you would probably recognize.












If you like this one, Bobby Bare recorded an entire live album of Silverstein material which you can down(and dirty)load here.

FUN FACT #6

The song we now know as "Mah Na Mah Na" from the Muppets has a less wholesome history than most people are aware. It was written by Piero Umiliani and originally featured in an Italian softcore faux-documentary called Svezia, inferno e paradiso (Sweden: Heaven and Hell).





Now it will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

FUN FACT #5

The theme to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was originally written by The Eagles.




Not bad for an Eagles song.

FUN FACT #4

Anyone recognize the little guy with the microphone?



If you said "Tina Turner's little bitch in Beyond Thunderdome" you are correct.

Angry Anderson

And while we're on the subject of Rose Tattoo, has anyone else noticed how unintentionally homoerotic this band is? Don't believe me? Let's take a quick look at the song titles on their first album: "Nice Boys", "One of the Boys", "Bad Boy for Love"? Um, is it just me or does Angry seem a little boycrazy? Throw in some lyrics like "got tattooed arms and rings in my ears, never gonna suffer a straight man's fears" and you've basically got the musical equivalent of He-Man.

And what's with all the pictures of the band cuddling?





If Angry ever reads this, he's gonna kick my ass.

FUN FACT #3

Before Ricky Gervais became one of the UK's finest (and funniest) actors/writers/producers/whatever, he tried to make it as a second rate 80's Bowie.



More fun from Wikipedia: In 1985, a radio station in Metro Manila, Philippines, DWRT-FM, started playing a song billed as "Fade" by Medium (also billed as "Medium" by Fade), which quickly became a favorite of many Filipino teenagers. DWRT-FM had lied about the song title and artist name which prevented anyone from finding the record and playing it themselves. Additionally, to stop other radio stations from recording it and playing it, DWRT-FM inserted a station I.D. midway through the track. Eventually, another radio station revealed the identity of the song as "More to Lose" by Seona Dancing.

FUN FACT #2

AC/DC started out as a glitter rock band.

FUN FACT

Did you know that Phil Hartman (yes, that Phil Hartman) was a somewhat successful graphic artist who worked for mediocre bands such as America, Poco, and Crosby, Stills and Nash? It's true.