Mick Fleetwood apparently takes his coffee just as seriously as he does his music. Quite an assertion from a man whose band haven’t brewed anything fresh (SWIDT) for the best part of 20 years. Nevertheless, Sir Mick of Fleetwood now has a coffee company, self-effacingly titled the Mick Fleetwood Coffee Company (or MFCC for short). It’s not the most obvious merchandise to move into – unlike, say, Madonna’s Truth or Dare perfume, or Neil Young’s ill-fated Pono music service, but it’s part of a long history of musicians branching out into creating and selling things other than music. So do share with us your stories of old rockers branching out into business ventures, whether they be successful, disastrous or simply best forgotten. The more amusing the better.
I’m off to nibble on Alex James’s cheese*
*Leave it, Moose.
H.P. Saucecraft says
The “Hendrix Estate” – basically his half-sister Janie with whom he distantly “shared” a father – launched any number of tasteful marketing initiatives after his death, including selling a tastefully-packaged handful of dirt from his grave.
(“Fleetwood Mocha” is very good.)
Boneshaker says
Now that is classy.
Black Type says
Tell me lies, tell me sweet latte lies…
deramdaze says
The Hendrix back catalogue has been enhanced substantially (beyond recognition) since the Alan Douglas era, unless you want over-dubbing a-plenty or completely different sleeve designs for the three Jimi Hendrix Experience albums.
Rigid Digit says
Les McQueen from Creme Brulee ran a sweage works. That was a proper shit business
BryanD says
Overend Watts, the Mott The Hoople bass player, had a place called the Dinosaw Market in Hereford selling antiques and vintage clothes records. He also wrote a book about walking the south west coastal path.
Mousey says
Overend Watts sounds like an amplifier that goes up to 11
dai says
Ringo designed furniture …
I remember watching this.
deramdaze says
If anyone was in the BBC studio that day – or, indeed, anywhere near Liberty’s and didn’t nibble – bad move – a promo 45 from that month is worth a fortune.
retropath2 says
Sadly, Jackie Leven’s whisky brand, Leven’s Lament, was a con, any bottles actually ever identified being relabelled Dewar’s…..
Loads of beers “branded” by bands, from Madness to Iron Maiden.
Bear’s Den did a chilli sauce for a while.
Jaygee says
Chris Farlowe famously ran a shop selling Second World War memorabilia and even more famously had one of the UK’s biggest collection of Nazi bric and brac
Jaygee says
Graham Nash has a profitable business that specializes in creating incredibly large photographic prints for exhibitions, etc.
Peter Perrett famously set up and ran a busy pharmacy or several years
Boneshaker says
And Bryan Adams is an accomplished photographer as well.
fitterstoke says
“Peter Perrett famously set up and ran a busy pharmacy or several years”
…OK…
Rob C says
Graham Nash is a squeaking mid Atlantic a la Salford black pudding ridicule twat.
* In the interests of the current impending National Emergency I have decided not to edit the above post…bollocks. Ah well. It’s all about innings and disappearing porches*.
hubert rawlinson says
Richard and Linda Thompson had their own travel business until it was subsumed into Tui.
Rob C says
I’m tempted, in a very jaded so hurrah to damnation all or bust sort of way to want to spend a night or two there.
Rob C says
God’s Motel, although when you ring the bell at reception a strange Chinese man shouts at you from behind the desk.
Mike_H says
Arthur Brown and Jimmy Carl Black had a painting and decorating business for a while.
Howard Devoto worked as an archivist at the Hulton Picture Collection (Getty Images UK).
June Tabor ran a restaurant.
Linda Thompson ran a posh antique jewellery shop in Bond Street.
Jah Wobble drove London Tube trains for a while.
Daevid Allen drove taxis in Melbourne for a bit.
Moby and his girlfriend have a vegetarian/vegan tea café in New York.
Gene Simmons currently has about 2,500 different Kiss licensing deals, including coffins. Really.
Bono has a clothing line, a private equity company specialising in intellectual property and, in partnership with The Edge, a 5-star hotel.
Sammy Hagar has resorts in Mexico and Utah and his own brand of tequila.
retropath2 says
@thecheshirecat drives a train between supporting icons of the folk world.
fentonsteve says
Did Wob actually drive a tube train? I thought he worked at Tower Hill station and – per the apocryphal tale – announced over the station Tannoy “I used to be somebody. I repeat, I used to be somebody.”
Black Type says
Roger Daltrey, salmon farmer extraordinare.
hubert rawlinson says
Not forgetting the flamingo-legged flute-bothering person from Deaf O’Toole who also farms the salmon.
retropath2 says
He sold it some decades ago.
hubert rawlinson says
I originally put farmed then changed it as a quick glance at a page it looked like the business was still operational.
dai says
Arthur Lee had some painting and decorating spells, as did Scott Walker I believe
Twang says
Christine Mcvie ran a tea shop in Kent.
fitterstoke says
Elvis Costello worked as a short order chef in a pancake house called Flip City – he liked the name so much that he remembered it and used it for his band shortly afterwards…
Black Type says
So…”McVie Teas & Biscuits”
fitterstoke says
Peter Hammill ran a sailing club for kids looking for maritime adventure – called “Pioneers over Sea”…
fitterstoke says
Hugh Banton runs a company which designs and builds church organs.
hubert rawlinson says
Sir Barrington Womble opened hairdressing salons of course.
Black Celebration says
Brix Smith-Start is now immersed in the world of daytime TV fashion punditry, appearing on whatever Gok Wan is in – or commenting on dresses at award ceremonies.
Black Type says
Kim Wilde became an award-winning garden designer/horticulturalist.
Black Celebration says
Makes me recall Mark Ellen on Whistle Test, going through the various former members of The Skids – listing them one by one and their enormously successful subsequent careers.
And then the last name (brightly)…”who is now a sales rep for Quality Street.”
duco01 says
“Sweets Suburbia”?
Black Type says
“Working For The Toffee Penny”
Jeff says
I love this ^.