Nickelback. Worldwide superstars. From our own backyard.
The story goes, in their early days, bassist Mike Kroeger worked at a Starbucks to make ends meet. And often found himself saying, "here's your nickel back."
Ding! The light bulb goes off. "Heeeey! That's catchy." Or so the story goes...
Got me thinkin' about what other jobs rockstars did before they were famous. Check it out:
Nirvana's Kurt Cobain
He was a janitor at a YMCA (where he was also expected to be a substitute lifeguard) before being the frontman one of the most influential bands ever. Suddenly the "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video makes sense.
Eminem
He was a short-order cook. Guess there'd be no need to say, "Cheeseburger. It's for a cop," to your buddy cooking in the back. I have a feeling Marshal already gobbed in your burger (thanks Super Troopers!).
Oasis' Noel Gallagher
He was a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets. He tried out to be their lead singer, but was told his voice was too weak. Apparently not weak enough to do interviews if the actual band members were too hung over to do 'em.
Jack White
Way before The Raconteurs and before The White Stripes, you could have asked Jack to reupholster your chair at his own business, Third Man Upholstery. His slogan was "Your furniture's not dead." Nowadays, he's in a band called Dead Weather and recently started a record label called "Third Man Records." Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Jon Bon Jovi
He made Christmas decorations before making it big. Seriously.
Kanye West
He worked at The Gap. And it's pretty easy to see how much he liked that job ... check out the lyrics to "Spaceship": "Let's go back, back to the Gap/Look at my cheque, wasn't no scratch." Clearly he's "graduated" to bigger and better things.
Madonna
She worked the counter at Dunkin' Donuts. Guess why she got fired? Squirting jam on the customers. Apparently controversy has always followed the material girl.
No Doubt's Gwen Stefani
This style fashionista worked at Dairy Queen as a floor scrubber. Anything to make a buck. Pay the rent. And play in a soon- to-be-massive Ska Band. Holla.
Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder
Worked at a gas station 'til former Red Hot Chili Peppers & ex-Pearl Jam drummer Jack Irons gave him a demo tape of Mookie Blaylock (soon to be Pearl Jam). He sang on it and the rest is history.
Ozzy Osbourne
Abattoir worker. At 15, the Prince of Darkness got a job on the "kill floor" of an abattoir slaughtering cattle. All of a sudden that bat-biting thing? Snorting lines of ants poolside with Motley Crue?
Hmmmm it's all coming together, isn't it?
Guess what I'm sayin' is: you never know. That person pouring your coffee, pumping your gas or sweepin' up your hair might be the next big thing.
That's pretty cool, hey?
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