Ozzy Osbourne
Two years after a 1982 incident in which he was arrested for drunkenly urinating on a monument honoring those who died at the Alamo in Texas, Ozzy Osbourne was picked up for public intoxication in Memphis, Tenn. The legend was reportedly staggering around the city’s famed Beale Street “staggeringly drunk.” Now, if you’ve visited this area, you could possibly admit that trying to stay sober on this festive row of bars and restaurants might be harder than any place this side of Mardi Gras.
Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee of Motley Crue was arrested in 1999 for his alleged role in instigating a riot during the band’s 1997 concert in Greensboro, N.C. His bandmate Nikki Sixx was arrested earlier for the same incident. The drummer pleaded no contest to a lesser charge and served 18 months probation. The real punishment? This photo, with that bizarre hairdo, will follow the normally quite stylish Lee around for the rest of his life.
Mick Jagger
With all the incredible experiences they’ve shared over the decades, it’s no surprise Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones have also been arrested together on more than one occasion. This Jagger mug shot comes from a 1967 drug raid on Richards’ house, which resulted in the singer spending a few nights in jail before making bail. We’ll see more of the Stones later on this list.
Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison of the Doors allegedly shared a bit too much with the audience of a March 1969 Miami, Fla. concert audience, allegedly revealing his private parts to the crowd during the show. He was convicted the following year for indecent exposure and profanity, but he and his bandmates always strongly denied any wrongdoing, and in 2010 the state of Florida pardoned him.
Glenn Frey
Eagles legend Glenn Frey was probably just chasing a peaceful, easy feeling in Columbus, Ohio back in May of 1973, but instead he got arrested for drug possession and public intoxication. Do you think its possible the cops were looking for his frequent bandmate and former extreme prankster Joe Walsh instead?
Keith Richards
Amazingly, Keith Richards‘ 1972 arrest wasn’t for anything drug-related. He and Rolling Stones bandmate Mick Jagger were both arrested following a fight with a photographer in Rhode Island. We’re not sure what the scuffle was about, but if Richards was trying not to have his picture taken, he obviously missed out on that goal, plus, he had to go to a police station to do so.
Steven Tyler
We’ve all made mistakes during those difficult teenage years, right? So maybe it’s fairly easy to forgive Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler for being busted for marijuana possession at age 18. Of course, since that 1967 incident Tyler’s had a few more battles with substance abuse, but he seems to emerge stronger and wiser each time.
David Crosby
Many of the musician mug shot stories we’ve shared so far ended up with the rock star getting off relatively scott-free, but angelic singer David Crosby spent nine months in prison after being arrested in April of 1982 for cocaine possession. Crosby had a couple of more brushes with the law in later years, but thankfully for music lovers seems to have put his addiction problems behind him.
Jimi Hendrix
Guitar legend Jimi Hendrix was arrested at the Toronto, ONT airport in May of 1969 for possession of heroin and hashish. Which is weird, because who thinks of mind-expanding drugs when they listen to his music? Luckily, Canadian official believed Jimi’s story, that a well-meaning fan had slipped the junk into his luggage as a present, and Hendrix was cleared of all charges.
Richie Sambora
Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora got a lucky wake-up call when he was arrested in May 2008 for driving under the influence of alcohol. What makes the story even more scary is that his young daughter was in the car with him. Fortunately, nobody was hurt, and after taking a brief break from the band’s touring schedule for another rehab stint a few years later, Sambora seems to be on the straight and narrow.
Janis Joplin
Less than a year before her untimely death, Janis Joplin was arrested in Tampa, Fla. on Nov. 17, 1969 for disorderly conduct as a result of her behavior at a concert the evening before. The singer apparently had a bunch of less-than-flattering things to say about the local police force from the stage of the concert. However, the charges were eventually overturned, with a judge ruling her statements fell under the realm of free speech.
Vinnie Vincent
Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent was arrested in May 2011 for domestic assault, but strongly contested the charges, which were eventually suspended in return for his agreement to attend anger management classes. Here’s hoping the songwriting force behind much of the band’s career-restoring ‘Lick it Up‘ album completes the courses successfully and shares his musical talents with the world again soon.
David Bowie
David Bowie, Iggy Pop and two female friends were busted for felony possession of half a pound of marijuana back in March of 1976 at the Americana Hotel in Rochester, N.Y., following a nearby concert. Bowie was held in the Monroe County jail for a few hours before being freed on bail — but this swanky mug shot wasn’t taken until he returned a few days later to face arraignment. The four ended up skating on all charges.
Sid Vicious
Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious had been taken in two months before for allegedly murdering his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, but while out on bail he was arrested again in December 1978 after bottling singer Patti Smith’s brother Todd during a Skafish concert. After spending two months on Rikers Island, he died of a drug overdose the very same day he was released. Or was it a suicide? A recent film suggests a note found on Vicious at the time of his death revealed Spungen may have died as part of a suicide pact gone wrong — and Sid’s death was his end of the bargain.
Jack White
Jack White turned himself in to Detroit, Mich. police just before Christmas in 2003 to face one charge of aggravated assault after a fight that took place between the then-White Stripes frontman and Jason Stollsteimer, singer for the garage rock band the Von Bondies. White eventually would plead guilty to a lesser charge and was sentenced to anger management classes.
Trey Anastasio
Phish were on hiatus at the time of Trey Anastasio’s arrest back in 2006 for criminal possession of a controlled substance and DWI drugs. The singer was stopped by police while driving through Whitehall, N.Y. at 3:30 in the morning and, after failing a field sobriety test, was found to be carrying Xanax, Percocet and Hydrocodone that had not been prescribed to him. He later credited the bust for turning his life around and helping him sober up.
Billie Joe Armstrong
It’s been nearly a decade since Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day was arrested on his own DUI charges, having been pulled over on an early Sunday morning in January of 2003 by police in Berkeley, Calif., and booked after failing a field sobriety test and a Breathalyzer test (blowing a .18, more than twice the state’s legal limit of .08). He later paid a fine — and was featured in an alcohol industry lobbyist’s ad campaign against ”hardcore drunk drivers.”
D’arcy Wretzky
Smashing Pumpkins singer Billy Corgan once claimed he fired former bassist D’arcy Wretzky “for being a mean spirited drug addict who refused to get help,” but that wasn’t until years after both Wretzky parted ways with the band and, just months later, was arrested in Chicago for possession of crack cocaine. Later she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to spend one month in a drug education program.
Steven Page
Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page was busted along with two friends in Fayetteville, N.Y., in July 2008, quickly admitting to the arresting officers that it was indeed cocaine that they had discovered in the group’s possession. And while the charges against Page were ultimately lowered to a misdemeanor, his band was put in the embarrassing position of canceling several shows they scheduled with Disney — apparently narcotics and Mickey Mouse don’t mix.
Casey Royer
Ex-Social Distortion drummer Casey Royer was facing one count of child endangerment and one count of being under the influence of heroin last year after allegedly overdosing on the drug and passing out in front of his 12-year-old son, who sought medical help. Royer eventually was busted by Orange County police, although the ultimate turnout of his case has been reported.
Amy Winehouse
Busted time and time again for various drug offenses, by the time of this 2008 arrest on suspected drug possession, Amy Winehouse had gone over the deep end. Sad displays like the face she’s making in this mug shot were more common as she seemed to be carving a path of destruction. In fact, we can’t even determine which specific arrest this stems from. Of course, we all know how this one turned out.
Peter McNeal
Former Cake drummer Peter McNeal was arrested recently after being accused of molesting a child during Thanksgiving celebrations in 2009 — more specifically, a single felony count for “oral copulation and sexual penetration of a child under the age of 10.” A judge declared a mistrial on the charges against McNeal after a jury was deadlocked 11-1, but in the ensuing drama his wife has filed for divorce and seeks sole custody of the couple’s children.
Axl Rose
In one of the most famous Axl Rose incidents, the Guns N’ Roses singer dove into a St. Louis crowd in 1992 to take a camera away from an audience member. After a few punches were thrown, Axl threw down the mic and left the venue. A riot quickly ensued, and Axl Rose was arrested for “property damage and misdemeanor assault / inciting riot.” Luckily for Axl, a judge dropped the charges against him.
Kurt Cobain
Say hello to Nirvana legend Kurt Cobain five years before his sudden thrust to fame. Before Cobain’s ‘Come as You Are’ became Aberdeen, Washington’s official welcoming phrase, the musician was arrested on May 1986 for trespassing while intoxicated. The Aberdeen police had run into Cobain before, with the future icon getting cuffed for a count of vandalism one year earlier.
Marilyn Manson
Brian Hugh Warner, whom you may know as Marilyn Manson, was picked up by cops on a charge of criminal sexual conduct in July 2001. While performing in Detriot, the shock rock icon proceeded to grind his junk on a security guard’s head. Manson entered a plea of no contest to a reduced misdemeanor charge and paid a $4000 fine.
Vince Neil
If there’s one place on Earth that Vince Neil loves, it’s Las Vegas, but the Motley Crue frontman didn’t dig Sin City so much when he was arrested in June 2010 for DUI. Along with failing three field sobriety tests, his blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit. Neil was hit with a 15-day jail sentence as well as 15 days under house arrest.
Scott Weiland
This mug shot of Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland was taken by the Las Vegas Police Department in November 2001 after Weiland was charged with battery against his wife. The STP frontman pled guilty and was handed a sentence of probation + a fine. Weiland also has a long rap sheet of arrests for buying drugs and multiple DUIs.
Kid Rock
Kid Rock sure loves to smile for his mug shots, in fact this picture isn’t the first time the frontman has shown his pearly whites to a police camera. This particular shot was from his October 2007 arrest after Kid Rock and his entourage engaged in fisticuffs at a Waffle House. Former Kid Rock arrests occured in 1991 and 1997 for alcohol-related mishaps, along with a 2005 charge after a fight with a strip club DJ in Tennessee.
Nikki Sixx
Nikki Sixx‘s hair takes up the majority of this next mug shot, which was taken in, you guessed it, Las Vegas. In August 1999, authorities claimed that Motley Crue were provoking a breach of peace while performing at Mandalay Bay. Sixx addressed the audience, “If they (the police) don’t like it, we can start flipping over cop cars like we did a couple of years ago.” Sixx was arrested along with three members of the band’s crew.
Michael Todd
Former Coheed and Cambria bassist Michael Todd has this mug shot taken after committing “armed robbery and possession of narcotic painkillers” at a Massachusetts Walgreens. The bassist told the workers that he was carrying a bomb before demanding the pain pills, an incident which would get him booted from Coheed and Cambria. Todd was recently sentenced to one year of home confinement with a GPS monitoring system and three years of probation.
(Sources: Ultimate Classic Rock, Diffuser.fm and Loudwire)
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