5 Rock ‘n’ Roll Urban Legends People Believe

Had Us Scratching Our Heads

We already made it a point not to laugh or scoff at people who believe in urban legends. After all, we used to think Santa Claus existed. Also, while we would love to judge those who think anything on this list is even plausible, we can’t really blame them. Some arguments actually sound logical – you’ll understand what we mean as we go through them one by one.

BUT on the other side of the spectrum, there are theories so ludicrous you can’t help but wonder who started them. Was there some kind of contest as to who can make up the craziest story? Maybe, just maybe, people hate what they can’t explain.

Let’s go over the list. We know you’ll be silently judging.

5. Elvis Presley Is Still Alive

How many times have we read about people claiming they saw Elvis Presley? It’s nothing new, really. But the fact is, the allegations of a cover up stemmed from a series of inconsistencies such as the cause of death. Polypharmacy, heart attack and cardiac arrhythmias were some of the cited causes.

Sure, he wasn’t at the height of his career anymore but The King was only 42 years old when he died.

“Elvis had had an enlarged heart for a long time. That, together with his drug habit, caused his death. But he was difficult to diagnose; it was a judgment call.” – Pathologist Michael Baden

Basically it was a complicated case. His lifestyle, deteriorating health and extensive use of prescribed drugs took a toll on him. Fans, however, weren’t ready for this devastating news. Some claim he faked his own death so he can live a peaceful life away from the public eye.

Apparently, he’s been spotted almost everywhere. But while we would love to believe this is true, it’s pretty obvious that there’s no shortage of Elvis Presley impersonators and some of them definitely look so much like The King.

4. Courtney Love is Behind Kurt Cobain’s Death

It’s not easy trying to get over Kurt Cobain’s suicide. Years later, it still stings. But while the rest of the world is in mourning, there are those who refused to believe that the grunge legend took his own life. Before anyone could recover from the shock, stories began pouring in that he didn’t shoot himself. Instead, he was murdered.

“Kurt Cobain was found with a shotgun across his body, had a visible head wound and there was a suicide note discovered nearby.” – Incident report from the Seattle Police Department

The conspiracy theory began when a private investigator Tom Grant hired by Courtney Love suggested that it was homicide. He had evidence to back up his claim but all of them were weak.

Even today, there are still requests for the reopening of the case with most of them sent via Twitter. In fact, in 2015, Cobain’s suicide note was examined by a forensic document examiner Heidi Harralson who also claimed that a “handwriting practice sheet” was found in Love’s handbag.

We’d have to be honest here. Something doesn’t feel quite right so we totally get where all these theories come from and how, even after two decades, someone comes up to fan the flame. We don’t know for sure because at the end of the day, these remain nothing but speculations.

3. The REAL Paul McCartney’s Been Dead For Years

It’s probably one of the most popular and talked about urban legends in rock ‘n roll. When we first heard about it and the supposed “evidence,” we had to say that someone had a lot of time on his hands. In a nutshell, the real Paul McCartney died back in 1966 after a tragic car crash and was only replaced by a look-alike.

The rest of the Beatles apparently have been dropping hints about it in their songs due in part to their guilt – “A Day in The Life” had the words “He blew his mind out in a car” and when played backwards, you can hear “Paul is dead, miss him, miss him.” For “Strawberry Fields Forever,” some could hear John Lennon mutter “I buried Paul” but according to him, he was saying “cranberry sauce.”

It began with some college students who published articles about it and eventually the fever caught on. Everyone became so obsessed with finding clues – you can only imagine if it happened today with people conducting investigations with the help of Google and Twitter.

“I don’t know where that started, that was barmy. I don’t know, you know as much about it as me… No, that was bullshit, the whole thing was made up.” – John Lennon

Some go so far as cite physical differences to the real Paul and fake Paul. Oh god, apparently, rockstars aren’t allowed to look different as they age because you know, conspiracy theorists are just waiting for the right time to jump in.

2. Michael Jackson Didn’t Have A Lot Of Plastic Surgeries Done

https://youtu.be/4Aa9GwWaRv0

Michael Jackson’s plastic surgery is a universal truth – everyone knows about it. Besides, we are now in this day and age when going under the knife is something you can neither deny nor be ashamed of.

We’re all aware that MJ initially considered going under the knife because of his vitiligo which is a type of condition characterized by patches of skin that lost their pigment. That was how it all began. In 1993, Michael Jackson admitted to undergoing only TWO cosmetic procedures (all nose jobs) and it was his own mother who debunked that.

“He had more than two, he was just embarrassed. I hear that people get addicted to plastic surgery, and I think that’s what happened to him. I said, that’s enough.” – Katherine Jackson

Another one who came forward is a Los Angeles surgeon Dr. Wallace Goodstein. He said:

“He [Michael Jackson] had multiple surgeries. He came in approximately every two months. It was about 10 to 12 surgeries in two years, while I was there.”

From rhinoplasty to cheek implants and eyelid surgery – he underwent them all. He didn’t take breaks from the public eye and so his radically changing appearance became the subject of scrutiny.

1. Gene Simmons is Part Animal

No we’re not talking about the adorable calf who’s a dead ringer for Gene Simmons – this became the headline of various news outlets, by the way.

You see, apart from his face paint, Simmons is also famous for wagging out his tongue during live performances. And legend has it that he underwent a surgery to graft a cow’s tongue into his own or in other versions, he had his tongue removed and replaced with that of a cow’s. Either way, the purpose was to add length.

Wait, what?

“I’ll never stop hunting more money, I’ll never have enough.” – Gene Simmons

Okay, the story sounds cool and it’s the stuff your 10-year old self with tell your playmates. But it’s just not biologically possible or even realistic. Taking into consideration the ‘70s medical technology, there was no way doctors could attach an animal’s tongue and Simmons could wag and control it any way he likes.

Bottom line is, he just has an abnormally long tongue. That’s it.