10 Rockstar Mugshots You May or May Not Want To See

Breaking The Law

It’s not exactly the most glamorous moment of your favorite rockstar. People get run-ins with the law all the time but it’s entirely different when you’re famous because the world gets to see your mugshot. Some of them, we have to applaud, because they look cocky AF like they know it’s not really a big deal. Others have this look of shock or are probably just coming to their senses as to what they’ve done. Still, there are those who look so fine you’d think they were just posing for another magazine cover.

These aren’t your typical bad boys because for some, it was more than just DUI.

10. Kurt Cobain

 

To be fair to Nirvana’s frontman, this happened way before they became famous. He was arrested not once but twice in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. His first brush with the police was in 1985 when he was charged with vandalism after writing “Ain’t got no how watchamacallit” on the side of the Seafirst Bank Building.

The following year, he was caught trespassing on the roof of an abandoned warehouse at 618 W. Market Street while he was intoxicated – oh the crazy things we do when we had too much to drink.

“I’m such a nihilistic jerk half the time. I’m so fucking sarcastic at times and then at other times I’m still vulnerable and so sincere. That’s pretty much how every song comes out — it’s like a mixture of both of them, and that’s pretty much how people my age are. I’m just as pissed off about the things that made me pissed off a few years ago. I’m pissed off about everything in general so all these songs are pretty much about my battle with the things that piss me off.” – Kurt Cobain

Additional charges to the then 19-year old Cobain included “failure to pay, malicious mischief and minor possession.”

9. Scott Weiland

 

During the entire duration of his career in music, Scott Weiland has had multiple arrests. He was a deeply troubled soul which ended in a tragic death caused by accidental overdose.

In 2001, he was arrested for domestic violence charges at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This is after he got into a heated argument with his wife Mary over prescription drugs and he ended up pushing her against the wall repeatedly.

In 2003, he was pulled over because he didn’t have his headlights on (he was just the passenger) and the police officer noticed drug paraphernalia and was charged with possession.

“I see love, like art, as an obsession. Maybe that’s an overly romantic view of human existence, but I’m an overly romantic human being. If love, like rock and roll, doesn’t consume me 24-7, it’s not love.” – Scott Weiland

In 2007, he was booked for DUI charges and sentenced to eight days in jail after he crashed his car and refused the mandatory sobriety test.

8. Tommy Lee

 

Tommy Lee isn’t new to controversy – but you know, as a rockstar, it comes with the territory. And perhaps the only thing more popular than his infamous sex tape with Pamela Anderson is his mugshot (or MUGSHOTS because he’s been to police stations more than once).

In 1998, he was arrested after assaulting Anderson by kicking her. A year later, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail after being charged with “assault and inciting a riot with ethnic animosity.” This was after a security allegedly roughed up a woman during their 1997 concert at the Greensboro Coliseum.

“There’s so much amazing music out there, man, especially in the electronic world, where the frequencies are just so fucking huge. It just moves your body in a totally different way than any rock band.” – Tommy Lee

We would like to point out, however, that his hairstyle may be questionable but there were no charges made.

7. Marilyn Manson

 

Aside from his music, it seems like Marilyn Manson’s other life goal is to continuously shock people. His middle name is probably “outrageous” which is why sometimes it’s no longer surprising that he does something crazy. But we what we weren’t prepared for was how he looked like in his mugshot.

In 1994, he was arrested after Manson was caught “jacking off with a strap-on dildo. . .and urinating on the crowd” at a concert.

“I represent what everyone is afraid of, because I say and do whatever I want.” – Marilyn Manson

A few years later in 2001, Manson was booked for assault and battery and criminal sexual conduct charges (the latter was dismissed by the judge) after his controversial set at Ozzfest. He wore a leather thong and pantyhose then grabbed a security guard, wrapped his legs around his head after spitting on it and rubbed his crotch against it. Yep, that ought to give you nightmares.

6. Ozzy Osbourne

 

Ozzy Osbourne’s stunts and antics are probably just as memorable as his music. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know he once bit the ear off a live bat and also snorted a line of ants. And one more thing, even the Prince of Darkness gets a run in or two with the law.

This particular mugshot was taken on May 15, 1984 when he was booked for public intoxication after he was found in Beale Street “staggering drunk.”

“Alcoholism and drug dependency is a killer disease. I went to two rehab places and then I still went out again. And then I stopped again and then I started. I have accepted I have a problem with drugs and alcohol. That’s a big stepping stone, you know. I’m very lucky that I’m still alive and I’m also very lucky I can still put two words together.” – Ozzy Osbourne

In 1989, he was also charged with assault against wife Sharon. And of course, the most notorious was when he ALLEGEDLY urinated on walls of The Alamo (but in reality, it was actually on the Alamo Cenotaph), a beloved Texas landmark, while wearing Sharon’s dress. Aside from being arrested again for public intoxication and urination, he was also banned from San Antonio.

5. Steven Tyler

 

After reading this list’s title, we know you were looking forward to seeing Steven Tyler here. We can’t blame you, the man lived a life of excess – girls, drugs and all things rock ‘n roll. Name it and he has probably done it.

In March 1967, 18-year old Tyler was arrested in Yonkers, New York for possession of pot. Well you know, it was one of those mistakes you make as a teen and we don’t know if he regretted it or not but what we know for sure is, he looks like he was thinking “What the heck have I done?”

“I’m telling you all my truth. I am a drug addict and alcoholic, and fighting it every day. I had it all; I didn’t care. I hurt my family and my children and my friends.” – Steven Tyler

Over the years, he has admitted to his battle with substance addiction but if we learned anything from him, it’s that there’s always hope.

4. David Bowie

 

David Bowie was so ridiculously good-looking his mugshot looks way better than your selfie. It was taken in 1976 after he was arrested and charged with marijuana possession along with Iggy Pop and his bodyguard. This happened following his March 21 concert at the War Memorial Arena.

182 grams of marijuana were confiscated in his suite. They were held in the police station in Rochester, New York but were allowed to leave after a few hours.

“I was virtually trying anything. I really had a hunger to experience everything that life had to offer, from the opium den to whatever. And I think I have done just about everything that it’s possible to do – except really dangerous things, like being an explorer.” – David Bowie

Gary Hess was able to auction off the photos for $2,700 in eBay to a huge David Bowie fan obviously. Can’t blame the superfan because this is probably the coolest mugshot ever.

3. Jim Morrison

 

Jim Morrison was one of those rockstars who was controversial on and off stage. He was a great frontman, that’s for sure, but he was also highly unpredictable. Part of his appeal was his bad boy persona and well, sometimes, he took that too far.

In 1963, he was charged with “disturbing the peace by being drunk,” resisting arrest, and petty larceny while he was attending Florida State University. Three years later, he was booked for sexual assault charges after kissing a 14-year-old girl without her permission.

“Being drunk is a good disguise. I drink so I can talk to assholes. This includes me.” – Jim Morrison

In 1967, his third brush with the law happened during The Doors’ performance in New Haven, Conn. where he was charged with inciting a riot, public obscenity and indecency. In 1968, he once again spent time in jail for public drunkenness and disturbing the peace. The most well-known arrest was because of his antics mid-performance on March 1, 1969 when he simulated masturbation while onstage and he was even accused of exposing himself.

2. David Crosby

 

On April 13, 1982, David Crosby was booked for multiple charges – carrying a concealed .45 caliber handgun, possession of drugs and driving under the influence of freebasing cocaine and unfortunately for him, he had to serve jail time. Although he had a pretty good and understandable reason why he began protecting himself with a weapon – it was after the much-publicized assassination of John Lennon.

“They got me for a quarter of a gram of pipe residue. For that I’m going to spend five years in the state penitentiary? A quarter of a gram?” – David Crosby

He spent a few months serving his sentence but was eventually released on parole. In 2004, he was once again arrested for the possession of an ounce of marijuana, two hunting knives, and a loaded .45 caliber pistol. It was a hotel employee who found the contents in his suitcase after looking for identification. Crosby spent 12 hours in a cell.

1. Sid Vicious

 

Would you believe someone sells a t-shirt printed with Sid Vicious’ mugshot on it? You’d think those people had no idea about all the tragic events that transpired before and after he was jailed. In October 1978, he was charged with second-degree murder of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen after she was found dead in the bathroom floor of their hotel room. She had a stab wound and appeared to have bled to death.

“I want to join Nancy and keep up my end of the pact.” – Sid Vicious a week after his arrest when he tried to slash his wrist

It was a mysterious case and so was Vicious’ murder/suicide a few months later. The couple wasn’t just a pair of heroin addicts but they were also apparently infatuated with knives. On December 1978, he was once again arrested after assaulting Patti Smith’s brother, Todd, during a concert at a dance club.