Me, Myself and I: Ten Notable, Musical Alter Egos
What is “real,” ultimately, when it comes to entertainment? In an essay titled “The Passion of the Garth” from his latest book, Eating the Dinosaur, Chuck Klosterman writes that “The most telling moment for any celebrity is when he or she attempts to be inauthentic on purpose, and particularly when that attempt fails.” In tribute to that uniquely Klostermanian line of thinking, here are but 10 of music history’s notable alter egos:
Name: David Bowie
Alter Ego: Ziggy Stardust
Successful? Absolutely. Although Bowie has recreated himself in myriad ways over his lengthy career, his Ziggy Stardust persona has a song, album and D.A. Pennebaker-directed concert film that all bear his name. The album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, is consistently named in lists as one of the most important rock ‘n’ roll albums of all time.
Why?: Hard to say, outside of general artistic experimentation. Then again, when you’re writing “a loose concept album about an androgynous alien rock star” (All Music Guide), do you really need a reason?
Power Song: “Ziggy Stardust,” from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Name: Hannah Montana
Alter Ego: Miley Cyrus
Successful? Yes. Both of Cyrus full-length albums have gone platinum or better and the Hannah Montana show has won several awards across three seasons (a fourth and final season is on the way). A movie based off the show was also released in 2009.
But isn’t Montana the alter ego of Cyrus? Good question, but no. Indeed, conventional wisdom would indicate that Hannah Montana, a fictional character, is the alter ego of Miley Cyrus, a real person. However! Since Montana was the first of the pair to be introduced to the public, and because Cyrus’ debut album, Meet Miley Cyrus, was actually packaged as the second disc of the soundtrack to the second season of the Hannah Montana series, Cyrus is, in this case, the alter ego.
Why? When you play a girl in a television show who leads a double life, it makes sense to actually be a girl who lives a double life. Maybe. And besides, if Hannah Montana didn’t launch the recording career of Miley Cyrus, we wouldn’t have “Party in the U.S.A.” Speaking of which…
Power Song: “Party in the U.S.A.,” from The Time of Our Lives EP
Name: RZA (Born: Robert Fitzgerald Diggs)
Alter Ego: Bobby Digital
Successful? Mostly. Although RZA’s three albums—two of which have gone gold—of Bobby Digital output don’t live up to some of his other work, that’s only because RZA’s “other work” is creating soundtracks for movies like Ghost Dog and both Kill Bill movies, producing Raekwon’s best material and a little-known rap group called the Wu-Tang Clan.
Why? From The Onion A.V. Club: “It came from a really good bag of weed one day, right? I was in my studio. My birth name is Bobby Diggs. So at the time, creatively, I felt like I was in a digital frame. I felt like I was in high-speed, where everything was digital, in numbers, mathematics. I said to myself at the same time that as Bobby Digital, I could use a character to describe some of the earlier days of my own life. Partying, bullshitting, going crazy, chasing women, taking drugs. At the same time, I would mix in my love for comic books. It was a mixture of fiction and reality together to make a character I thought would be entertaining, and I could utilize that character to get fans into me as an MC, as a lyricist, and also following the path of my life. It’s like pre-RZA. It’s what The RZA struggles not to be, in a way, you know what I mean?”
Power Song: “B.O.B.B.Y.,” from Bobby Digital in Stereo
Name: Hank Williams
Alter Ego: Luke the Drifter
Successful? Yes and no. Luke the Drifter as persona no doubt relieved a certain guilt for his creator, but the somber songs performed by Luke were not the kind that made Williams the biggest country star in the world at the time. While Luke the Drifter was likely considered a success (or at least an outlet) by Williams himself, he was no star in 1950.
Why? From PoetsPath.com: “Early in his career, he developed the habit of singing preaching type songs under the name of “Luke the Drifter,” a nom de plume for an idealized character who went across the country preaching the gospel, and doing good deeds while Hank Williams, the drunkard, cheated on women, and was cheated on by them in return.”
Power Song: “Be Careful of Stones That You Throw”