Not all rockers drop out of school to follow their dream of the stage. Before becoming famous, many musicians received a serious education, and not necessarily in their specialty. Some even managed to take significant steps in science and receive degrees.
Many talented people break the stereotype that rock musicians are uneducated rebels. They prove that education and music can go hand in hand. If you’re feeling inspired, don’t be afraid to pursue both your academic and creative passions, just like the rock musicians we are going to talk about. After all, why limit yourself to just one passion when you can have it all? Experts at customwritings.com understand the importance of following your dreams and pursuing diverse interests, which is why they offer custom essay writing services to help students balance their academic responsibilities with their passions.
Brian May is not only a Queen guitarist but also a doctor of astrophysics
When Queen formed, May was finishing his doctorate at Imperial College London. In a 2019 interview with the Times, he admitted that it was not easy for him to choose between science and creativity. He made his choice on the assumption that he was not particularly good at physics but that he might be able to succeed at music. In 2007, May finally returned to college and completed his doctoral work. He put aside all other matters for a year and completed it almost forty years later. In 2015, May joined NASA’s New Horizons project.
Weezer’s frontman received a BA from Harvard
After finishing the Make Believe tour in 2005, Weezer’s singer Rivers Cuomo decided to return to education and graduate from Harvard. The then 35-year-old musician received a bachelor’s degree in English philology in 2006. In a 2014 interview, he spoke about his decision to return to school when Weezer was at the height of its fame.
He said that Weezer was touring for their first album, and he was so bored. Life after a year and a half on tour began to resemble an endless Groundhog Day for him. They were in Boston; he stopped by Harvard, walked around the grounds, and thought it would be great to take a break, read, study, meet new people, and build relationships with them. Therefore, he filled out the application, and they allowed him to come back.
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello also graduated from Harvard with honors
Before becoming RATM’s guitarist, Morello studied political science at Harvard. After graduating in 1986, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked for Senator Alan Cranston. In 2018, the musician admitted in an interview that this experience opened his eyes to many things and ultimately led to a career not in politics but in music. While studying at Harvard, Morello combined playing guitar with studying because he believed that music helped him develop intellectually.
Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Jeff Schroeder holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature
Before joining the Smashing Pumpkins in 2007, Schroeder spent a lot of time working on his doctorate at the University of California. In 2011, in an interview with Character Media, the musician talked about how important the role literature played in his life. He admitted that he hopes to one day leave the stage and begin teaching.
He said that teaching is a form of communicating something important. Jeff mentioned that there had been professors in his life who opened up a whole world for him that he had no idea existed. He said that he loves teaching. Jeff noted that if you can influence someone’s mind and expand someone’s boundaries, that is the best reward.
The Offspring’s frontman, Dexter Holland, holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology
When The Offspring’s third album went multi-platinum in 1994, Dexter Holland was working on his doctorate in molecular biology at the University of Southern California. Then, he decided to postpone his studies and was able to return to them in 2017. Then, he published a 175-page dissertation on viral oncology.
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2014, the musician admitted that his mother was not enthusiastic about his desire to exchange science for music, and all the professors believed that he was making a big mistake. However, he believed in the success of The Offspring and decided to take a risk.
Bad Religion’s singer-songwriter Greg Graffin received a PhD in zoology
Greg Graffin, Bad Religion’s only permanent member, received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2003. In 2011, he returned to his alma mater as a professor and began teaching a course on evolution. In an interview with the Cornell Chronicle, he said that he considers it a huge privilege and good fortune that Bad Religion are well known. However, he never realized that creativity and science satisfy intellectual needs in equal measure. He said that giving lectures and participating in discussions about science is also a huge privilege.
It is clear that these rock musicians have proven that pursuing higher education does not hinder one’s creativity or success in the music industry. In fact, it can enhance one’s understanding of the world and provide a different perspective on their art. At Customwritings, they believe in supporting education and creativity. They offer custom writing services to students who may struggle to balance their academic studies with other pursuits, such as music.
