Themes of luck, fortune, and misfortune are constant throughout rock music, and it’s no surprise that many of music’s most iconic acts – from Aerosmith and AC/DC to Motörhead and The Clash – have all touched on gambling as a source of inspiration for their lyrics.
However, while their tales of risking it all might seem like a pure invention, there may be more here than first meets the eye. Here are five notable rock musicians who have earned notoriety for rolling the dice.
Slash
Arguably one of the most famous rock guitarists of all time, Slash found his fame as lead shredder for classic rock all-stars Guns N’ Roses. A wild ride filled with drugs and debauchery, Guns N’ Roses never strayed too far from controversy. Despite high-profile bust-ups along the way, they earned their rightful place in the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. They buried the hatchet to headline Coachella Festival and continue to tour internationally to this day.
When he’s not lighting up stages, Slash spends much of his spare time indulging in his favorite hobbies which include collecting and designing pinball machines and playing poker. When Slash’s home went on the market in 2011, it was revealed to include a games room with an impressive jet-black custom-made poker table.
While we can only speculate on Slash’s skill at poker, he has always oozed quiet confidence and allowed his talent to do the talking for him – which may well make him an adept player. After all, checking your ego at the door is considered one of the best ways to win at poker, or at least gain some advantage over your opponents.
Lemmy
Immortalizing his passion in the song “Ace of Spades”, Motörhead featured poker-related iconography throughout their lyrics and merchandise. Towards the end of Lemmy’s life, he was often spotted at bars around Los Angeles like the Rainbow Bar and Grill. There, he would be seen enjoying himself with a drink in one hand, and another spinning the reels of his favorite slot machines – a habit he picked up in his early days as a roadie for touring bands.
Steve Albini
While some musicians gamble for fun, there is a select handful who take it a little more seriously. Steve Albini is a guitarist, vocalist, and one of the most sought-after music producers on the rock scene. With credits including The Pixies, PJ Harvey, and Nirvana he’s renowned for his unconventional recording techniques, and an ability to think outside the box.
Steve isn’t afraid to test out his skills in public and has become a regular feature of the World Series of Poker Seniors Championship where he has taken part in Seven-card Stud games and No-limit Hold’em. In 2018 won his first bracelet at the event.
Sully Erna
A man of many talents, Godsmack vocalist Sully is a solo performer, actor, writer, and in recent years also a horse farmer. Something else you might not know about Sully is that he’s also a massive poker fan. With a tattoo of four burning aces signifying his love of the game, Sully has won upwards of $62,000 taking part in World Series Poker events.
Jerry Cantrell
Formed in 1987, Seattle-based Alice In Chains were famed for their atmospheric mixture of metal and grunge stylings and are often credited with bringing grunge music to the mainstream. A fanatical poker fan, lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell has featured in numerous televised celebrity poker events and even opened a bar called Dead Man’s Hand in Las Vegas – a subtle nod to the hand held by Wild West icon Wild Bill Hickok when he was murdered.
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