Frank Sinatra had pasta sauce. Justin Bieber has DREW. Pete Wentz has a string of nightclubs called Angels & Kings, Ludacris has cognac, Kanye has sneakers, Trent Reznor has Oscar winning soundtracks, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Britney Spears and many others have fragrance lines. We all know about these ‘celeb’ side hustles, but what about the hidden “Easter Eggs” of famous musicians?! Well, read on!
Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon’s side hustle is hosting a weekly radio show called WHOOOSH! For each show he chooses 9 songs that he and his co-host play and discuss. More often than not, the music is by new artists and Simon is introducing people to the songs for the first time. “It all began as a lockdown thing, and it dawned on me that the only music I was listening to was what I was working on, and the stuff that got me into the band in the first place. I switched on my ears, and went on a trip down a sonic rabbit hole.” You can listen to WHOOOSH on SiriusXM Volume Channel 106.
Not an entirely surprising side hustle is Nick Jonas’ premium tequila brand called Vila One Tequila. Launched with designer John Varvatos, the pair had already worked together on a clothing line, two fragrances, and the Jonas Brothers’ documentary, Happiness Begins. Another JoBro had a less likely hustle after Jonas Brothers broke up in 2013. Oldest brother Kevin founded the real estate development, construction company called JonasWerner, and was also co-CEO of The Blu Market, a communications and social media influencer company. It is not clear if he’s still involved with either brand now.
Most musicians who lend their name to alcohol gravitate to the harder stuff, but musician Jon Bon Jovi took a different route when he launched Hampton Water Rose with his oldest son Jesse. A blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre, the wine was made in collaboration with French wine maker Gerard Bertrand. In 2018, Hampton Water was voted “top pink” by Wine Spectator. Unlike some other liquor partnerships with celebrities, this is an ongoing and developing venture, with Jesse actively involved in the day-to-day.
Singer-songwriter John Mellencamp’s side hustle can be found on his art specific website which sells signed lithographs of his artwork with prices starting at $1,500. Art has become his passion, with Mellencamp saying “There’s nothing closer to heaven than painting. That’s as close as you get, you’re totally released to your imagination and you can’t edit your imagination.”
Another musician who made a lifelong passion a side hustle is Willie Nelson. Willie was always open about his love for cannabis, so much so that at his concerts fans would show up with their home grown weed, and Willie would return the favor by sharing his stash with them. His marijuana line, WILLIE’S RESERVE, “pays tribute to this tradition of sharing, caring and toking.”
British musician Rob Dickinson of The Catherine Wheel had a side hustle that has now become his full-time career. After the release of 2005’s Fresh Wine for the Horses, and some time touring, Rob founded Singer Vehicle Design in California. The company restores and modifies Porsches, and became so successful it is now Rob’s year-round job.
When she’s not “holding on for one more day,” Wilson Philips’s Carnie Wilson is baking sweet treats! In 2017, Carnie launched her side hustle with childhood friend Tiffany Miller, Love Bites by Carnie. Love Bites ships gourmet, bite-sized cheesecakes, brownies, crumb cakes and cake bites nationwide. Their flagship store in Sherwood, OR has been closed due to Covid, but the website says they’re re-opening in the summer of 2021.
In 2010, KISS demon Gene Simmons helped launch Cool Springs Life Equity Strategy, based in Tennessee. The business taps into a lucrative demographic: entertainers, sports stars and other people with a net worth of $20 million or more who need a life-insurance policy of $10 million or greater. It is not known if Simmons is still an active part of the company.
U2’s Bono & the Edge had a useful side hustle – a hotel they jointly owned in Dublin called The Clarence Hotel. The four-star, 51 room destination was often frequented by other rock stars and famous sorts. The rockers sold their investment (at a profit!) in 2019.
It seems like the King of the side-hustle may well be singer and former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar. 1) In 1983, Sammy bought a mountain bike store and built another one called Sausalito Cyclery, which was later named the #1 independent bike store in California. He sold it in 1987 2) Sammy founded a nightclub and restaurant in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico called Cabo Wabo Cantina, which now has locations in Vegas and Hollywood 3) He had a successful line of premium tequilas, also named Cabo Wabo, which he sold for 80 million dollars in 2007 4) He owns Sammy’s Beach Bar & Grille with locations in Cleveland, Las Vegas, Maui & Honolulu 5) He owns a rum distillery in Hawaii called Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum 6) In 2016 he launched the show Rock n’ Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar which airs on Mark Cuban’s AXS TV.
If you’re a Play MPE member, in between making great music and uploading it to your player, make sure you keep a small part of your wish list open for what you want YOUR side hustle to be. You never know what tastemaker is going to hear your tunes and want more…once you make that leap, who knows? Maybe there’s a line of tequila, clothing line or insurance company in your future!
