True or false: Rock N' Roll urban legends

Rock N’ Roll is full of urban legends that have sprouted up over the years, while many are totally false, many are very true.

Have a look at some of the more famous urban legends and let us know what you think!

Charles Manson wrote a song for The Beach Boys

So, we didn’t know that Charles Manson was a struggling songwriter in Los Angeles before he went on to become a destructive serial killer. But the story goes that Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson in 1968 picked up two hitchhikers who happened to be members of the Manson Family. These hitchhikers introduced Wilson to Mason and the two penned a song called “Cease To Exist”. Dennis Wilson liked the song, but did some work on his own to it and renamed it “Never Learn Not To Love” which was issued as a B-Side to “Bluebirds Over The Mountain”.

Charles Manson confronted Dennis Wilson over the changes and taking credit for the song and their relationship dissolved soon after.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? It’s TRUE.

Aerosmith nearly bought Lynyrd Skynyrd’s plane

How different would the history of Rock N’ Roll be if Aerosmith had bought the plane that was carrying Lynyrd Skynyrd that crashed nearly killing everyone on board?

The legend goes that right before the Lynyrd Skynyrd crash, a member of the Aerosmith family flew planes and knew their way around them. They had a chance to check out a private Convair CV-240 … the exact same plane that belonged to Lynyrd Skynyrd . After inspection, they deemed the plane unfit to carry Aerosmith. Some stories have said he saw the pilots and crew drinking heavily, and other say because he saw the engine catch fire while looking at the plane. Either way the story of Rock would possibly be much different had Aerosmith got on the plane in 1977.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? It’s TRUE.

Keith Richards got a full blood transfusion

We all joke about Keith Richards living through everything … there are meme’s of him holding a baby with a caption he was meeting Queen Elizabeth II for the first time, he’s survived drug overdoses and who knows how many other near death experiences.

One of the constant legends is that Richards had a full blood transfusion in Switzerland, like a car getting an oil change. Out with the old, in with the new. It is true that he did have a procedure in an effort to clean toxins out of his blood with the hope of kicking his heroin addiction and that only fueled these rumours even more.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? It’s FALSE.

The Beatles smoked a joint in Buckingham Palace before meeting Queen Elizabeth II

On November 4th, 1963, The Beatles were invited to meet and perform for the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II and more. John Lennon claimed that The Beatles were actually high when they met the Queen and Queen Mother: “We were giggling like crazy because we had just smoked a joint in the loos of Buckingham Palace. We were so nervous.”

George Harrison denied that, saying that John was exaggerating a bit and the band members only had “a normal cigarette” to calm their nerves.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? The jury is still out …

Jack White and Meg White (The White Stripes) are brother and sister.

This legend started by Jack White himself, who had claimed that he and Meg White were brother and sister while the band was starting out.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? FALSE.

Jack & Meg were married for a while, but divorced many years and albums ago. Jack actually took Meg’s last name during their marriage and has held onto it long after the pair split Jack and Meg love playing with the media and will still tease this legend to this day. Meg often tells people that she “loved Jack like a brother”.

Gene Simmons (KISS) had a cow’s tongue surgically attached to his own

The fire-breathing, blood-spitting demon from KISS is known for his freakishly long tongue. While many people have asked him about it, Gene usually answers with “the doctor pulled me out by my tongue when I was born” … but in the 1970s, before the internet and the ability to shoot down rumours as easily, KISS was surrounded by stories which we’re sure is another factor that helps build the lure of KISS. Many believed KISS stood for (Knights In Satan’s Service) which is FALSE … another rumour that was widely believed was that Gene Simmons had a cow’s tongue graphed onto his.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? FALSE.

Paul McCartney died years ago

This is a legend that has never really gone away. The story goes McCartney died in an car accident on November 9th, 1966 and The Beatles replaced him with an impersonator often referred to as “William Campbell”, “Billy Shears” or William Shears Campbell. Sounds reasonable.

This legend started in 1967 and really grew steam in 1969 once it hit America. Radio stations began receiving reports that Beatles albums contained hidden messages and clues suggesting McCartney had died.

Some of the most entertaining stories came out after The Beatles released Abbey Road. On the album cover, Paul is seen walking without shoes on which has been said “that in some cultures the dead are buried without their shoes.”, many have said the album cover is a funeral procession – with John Lennon’s white suit the color of mourning in some Eastern religions, Ringo Starr is in the more traditional black suit, and George Harrison wearing a Canadian Tuxedo — the color of mourning in Canada.

What do you think … TRUE or FALSE? FALSE.

Jim Morrison & Elvis Presley are alive!

These have been the stories keeping the tabloids alive for the last 50 years. There have been reported sightings across the globe of Jim Morrison (who died from heart failure in 1971) and Elvis Presley (heart attack in 1977). There have been countless theories on the two, where they’re living and why they faked their own death. You tell us… think Jim Morrison is still alive?