Share and Follow
Auditioning is sewn into the fabric of Hollywood, being the process that stands between a dreamer and their dreams. It’s the moment that can change life in an instant. Scoring a gig can be what allows a person to quit their day job, secure a month’s rent or, in the rarest of cases, catapult them to fame.
Rejection is part of the game when signing up to show your stuff. While most well-known actors can recollect bombing an audition for a role, musicians also face the same hardship. Here’s a look some big musicians who have felt the sting of rejection when auditioning for other bands.
8/8 Stephen Stills Could Not Swing With The Monkees
Songwriter and musician Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield and folk rock group Crosby, Stills and Nash & Young didn’t make the cut when auditioning for The Monkees.
In 2020, Mikey Dolenz of The Monkees told Forbes that Stills’s rejection was due to his physical appearance. “He auditioned, and the joke is he didn’t get it because he had bad teeth.” Dolenz said.
When Metallica bassist Cliff Burton died, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett asked Les Claypool, of American rock band Primus, to audition.
In Metallica’s 1998 VH1 “Behind The Music special, frontman James Hetfield recalled that Claypool was rejected because he “was too good.” Claypool has since clarified in an interview with Goldmine stating, “But there’s a reason why they didn’t pick me. I didn’t fit and they saw that. I had my own thing going, and it was a wise move on their part.”
6/8 Jay Jay French Rejected By KISS
American guitarist and founder of heavy metal band Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French, auditioned for rock band KISS in 1972.
In an interview with The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn, French recounted why he thought he didn’t make the band, “ ( … ) ‘I auditioned for KISS in 1972, it didn’t work out.’ “How honest can you be? I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t picked.”
5/8 Slash Tasted Rejection From Poison
Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist Slash got really close to joining glam metal band, Poison. The job eventually ended up going to C.C. Deville who, according to Slash, was more well-suited for it.
In the book, Nothin But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ‘80s Hard Rock Explosion, Slash said, “He clearly fit the part better than I did. I mean, he came in with his hair all done up, he had all the right clothes and was wearing stiletto heels.”
Read Related Also: Shailene Woodley Might Have Gone Dark On Social Media For An Uncomfortable Reason
4/8 Buckethead Was Too Headstrong For Ozzy Osbourne
Brian Carroll, professionally known as Buckethead bumped heads with Ozzy Osbourne, when the Black Sabbath frontman was auditioning for his solo band. Osbourne spoke to Revolver about the exchange with the ex Guns N’ Roses guitarist, who refused to take off his signature headgear.
“He told me his name was Brian, so I said that’s what I’d call him. He says, ‘No one calls me Brian except my mother.’ So I said, ‘Pretend I’m your mum then!’ I haven’t even got out of the room and I’m already playing f******g mind games with the guy.” Osbourne said.
3/8 Elton John Not The Right Fit For King Crimson
Progressive rock band King Crimson suffered when many of its members left after the release of their first album. A young, then-unknown Elton John was hired by the band’s leader, Robert Fripp, to sing vocals for the band’s follow-up album In the Wake of Poseidon.
However, Fripp soon had a change of heart upon hearing the “Rocketman’s” voice. As quoted by Ultimate Classic Rock, in the liner notes of the 1976 compilation A Young Person’s Guide to King Crimson, Fripp wrote, “But his style didn’t seem right for Crimson and the album was poor, so I canceled the sessions.”
2/8 Steven Tyler Almost Became Part Of A Led Zeppelin Reunion.
Aerosmith’s leader singer Steven Tyler found himself mixed in with English rock band Led Zeppelin when the band’s lead vocalist, Robert Plant refused to be part of a 2008 reunion founder, Jimmy Page was planning.
Things did not work out for Aerosmith’s “Demon of Screamin”. Though Tyler has stated that he stepped away from the opportunity, his band mate Joe Perry stated in a 2010 interview with The Pulse of Radio that Tyler’s audition was “shambolic”.
Jimmy Page and the remaining members of Led Zeppelin decided against Tyler’s placement in the band, according to Perry, who, also stated that Tyler had trouble remembering lyrics during the audition. “Page felt really awkward about the audition, but ultimately it was a group decision,” Perry said.
1/8 Elvis Almost Sang Gospel In The Songfellows
Shortly before Elvis was dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll”, he auditioned for the gospel group The Songfellows Quartet.
The gospel group held auditions after members RW Blackwood and Bill Lyles were killed in a plane crash. Back then, an unknown Elvis auditioned and was rejected on grounds of his inability to harmonize.
