10 Rock Stars Who Had Shockingly Strange Second Careers

What happens when a rock star walks away from the life everyone dreamed of? Some of the biggest names in 80s hard rock and heavy metal didn't simply retire from music. They took their lives in completely unexpected directions — becoming surgeons, master watchmakers, private jet pilots, paramedics, artists, golf course developers, comic book publishers, professional race car drivers and even Broadway performers. In this video, we uncover 10 of the strangest and most surprising second careers in rock history. You'll discover the incredible stories of Chris Lykins of Atrophy, Dan Spitz of Anthrax, Chris DeGarmo of Queensrÿche, David Lee Roth of Van Halen, K.K. Downing of Judas Priest, Jason Newsted of Metallica, Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden, Glenn Danzig of the Misfits and Danzig, Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe, and Sebastian Bach of Skid Row. From trading guitar strings for surgical instruments to swapping the rock stage for a Broadway stage, these stories show that life after rock stardom can take some very unexpected turns. Some of these musicians walked away because they wanted a different life. Others discovered completely new passions. And some had already been preparing for their second careers long before they left music. Which second career surprised you the most? Would you have expected David Lee Roth to become a paramedic? Dan Spitz to become a master watchmaker? Or Vince Neil to race professionally? 0:00 Intro – 10 Strangest Second Careers in Rock 0:39 #10 – Chris Lyens – Atrophy – Surgeon 2:20 #9 – Dan Spitz – Anthrax – Master Watchmaker 4:13 #8 – Chris DeGarmo – Queensrÿche – Private Jet Pilot 6:06 #7 – David Lee Roth – Van Halen – Paramedic 8:06 #6 – K.K. Downing – Judas Priest – Golf Resort Developer 10:18 #5 – Jason Newsted – Metallica – Artist 12:04 #4 – Adrian Smith – Iron Maiden – Angler & Author 13:57 #3 – Glenn Danzig – Misfits/Danzig – Comic Book Publisher 15:58 #2 – Vince Neil – Mötley Crüe – Race Car Driver 17:56 #1 – Sebastian Bach – Skid Row – Broadway Star 19:40 Outro – Rockstars With Completely Different Careers Let us know in the comments. If you love classic rock, heavy metal, forgotten musicians, rock history, and the unbelievable stories behind the music, subscribe for more deep dives every week. #RockHistory #80sRock #HeavyMetal #ClassicRock #RockStars #RockHistory #80sRock #HeavyMetal #ClassicRock #RockStars #MusicHistory #80sMetal #HardRock #RockLegends #ForgottenRock