Drinking, partying and decadent drug abuse are staples of the rock star tradition. While the drugs have seemingly died down in recent years there are still rock stars carrying the torch of abundant partying. Amy Winehouse is the latest casualty to the rock star way of life. Many rock stars are still recording today after years of partying and abuse while some have not been so lucky. Rock stars are seemingly able to consume inhuman amounts of substance and make partying seem like a fulltime career.
One of the last bands to revel in decadence was Guns N’ Roses. Guns N’ Roses were among the last wave of “hair metal” bands in the late 1980′s yet there style continued to push the envelope. Their partying habits and drug abuse, however, were so overblown that they are often considered the last rockstars. Guitarist Slash was even pronounced dead at one point from an apparent overdose. He eventually calmed down his habits yet the GN’R legacy lives on. Concerts that began four hours late, passing out on stage and stories of hotel rooms being entirely trashed have become staples of the band’s legacy.
The excess of Guns N’ Roses paved way to the street level toughness of the grunge era. One of the most prominent bands of this era was Nirvana. While frontman Kurt Cobain dealt with a crippling heroin addiction he rarely glamorized the drug use. This self awareness had rarely been seen in the tradition of hard partying rock stars.
Some of the earliest popular rock groups to portray decadent lifestyles emerged in the 1960′s. The Rolling Stones sang songs of staying up all night and drinking with various groupies. Keith Richards has remained a staple of the renegade rock star. The Who’s drummer Keith Moon is another classic example of rock star decadence. Moon once passed out during a live performance after overdosing on horse tranquilizers.
These bands paved the way for the now traditional rock star lifestyle. Whereas bands like Led Zeppelin rarely sang of such antics they are known for their hotel destructions. Stories of groupies, television smashing and rooms lit on fire continue to propel the band’s legacy.
All of these bands are stories help to portray the decadence that surrounds rock stars. Rock stars are often permitted the freedom to enjoy the craziest parties imaginable. These are often turned into hit songs and the cycle continues.