Some were released decades after they were first written
The road crew is key to the success of any musician or band. The roadies are the ones who enable touring and make live shows happen. From tour managers to instrument techs, sound engineers, and everything in between, these men and women are the unsung heroes of live entertainment.
It turns out that many musicians started their careers as roadies, and some of them worked for very popular bands as well (with a few ending up joining them as members).
Click on to get to know some of the famous musicians who once worked as roadies.
English rock legend Lemmy Kilmister found great success fronting Motörhead, but back in the late '60s he was working for another iconic musician—Jimmi Hendrix.
Lemmy was sleeping on Hendrix’s road manager Neville Chesters' floor at the time, so he got the gig for three months. He then went on to work as a roadie for British band The Nice.
The Nine Inch Nails front man paid his dues in the industrial rock world by pulling roadie duties for Ministry.
Before picking up the bass and joining Nirvana, Krist Novoselic learned about road life by driving around one of the best acts in town—Melvins.
Melvins drummer Dale Crover went on to play with Nirvana for a while, as did Novoselic, but Novoselic was the one that stuck.
Back in 1990, you'd find Tupac Shakur doing a bit of everything with hip hop group Digital Underground, including roadie work.
The lead singer of Black Flag and the Rollins Band worked as a roadie for a Washington, D.C. punk-hardcore outfit called The Teen Idles.
Rollins was so close to the band that he became known as "the fifth Idle." One time the band's singer didn't show up, so Rollins took up the microphone. It turns out he was lead singer material after all!
In 1999, the guitarist joined Tool singer Maynard James Keenan and formed A Perfect Circle. Before that, Howerdel worked as a guitar tech for numerous acts, including Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Tool.
Before joining Anthrax in 1984, Bello worked as a roadie and guitar tech for the band's bass player Dan Lilker.
Before joining The Cure as a fully fledged member in 1990, Perry Bamonte worked as a guitar tech for the band.
Andreas Kisser was the lead guitarist of Sepultura for many years. Before he joined the Brazilian metallers as a band member, Kisser worked as a roadie for them.
Before becoming one of the most famous rock musicians in the world, Noel Gallagher paid his dues as a roadie for the band Inspiral Carpets.
It turns out, Gallagher had auditioned to be the band's vocalist, but he didn't get the gig. He toured with them for two years before forming his own band with his brother Liam, and the rest is history.
Chuck Behler was the drummer of Megadeth from 1987 to 1989. He got the gig after the band's drummer Gar Samuelson got fired. Prior to that, Behler was Samuelson's drum tech.
The story repeated itself in 1989 when Chuck Behler was replaced by his drum tech, Nick Menza.
Before forming the Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra was a roadie for the Colorado punk rock pioneers The Ravers (later known as The Nails).
Joey DeMaio is best known as the bass player for Manowar. But before he joined the metal band, he toured with Black Sabbath as their lighting technician.
The drummer of Testament, Fear Factory, and Dark Angel had his first taste of the road back in 1983 as a lighting engineer for Slayer.
Billy Powell joined Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1972 after working as a roadie for the band.
Best known as a member of the rock band Love, Bryan MacLean roadied for the Byrds.
The Manic Street Preacher guitarist, who vanished in 1995, worked as a roadie for the band before he became a bandmate.
The Roxy Music guitarist worked for the band as a roadie before he joined them. He was a guitar tech for David O'List, who he eventually replaced.
Before becoming The Flaming Lips' drummer, Kliph Scurlock worked as their roadie back in 1999. He officially joined the band three years later.
Before founding the Clash and Public Image Ltd (PiL), Keith Levene worked as a roadie for the English band Yes.
Bobby LaKind is best known for his work with the Doobie Brothers, but before he joined the band as a musician he was doing the lights for them.
Joe Leeway officially joined the British band Thompson Twins in 1981. Before he did so, he worked as a roadie for the group.
Before joining Social Distortion as their bass player, John Maurer was a roadie for the band.
Sources: (uDiscover Music) (Ultimate Guitar)
Musicians you didn't know worked as roadies
Some ended up joining the bands they worked for
MUSIC Road crew
The road crew is key to the success of any musician or band. The roadies are the ones who enable touring and make live shows happen. From tour managers to instrument techs, sound engineers, and everything in between, these men and women are the unsung heroes of live entertainment.
It turns out that many musicians started their careers as roadies, and some of them worked for very popular bands as well (with a few ending up joining them as members).
Click on to get to know some of the famous musicians who once worked as roadies.