30 Rock Star Homes You Can Visit or Rent
Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley has a recording studio on the property of his old house — and, of course, you have to use a tunnel to get there.
That’s just one bit of fascinating lore that you’ll uncover as you dig into the history behind homes that were once owned by famous rock stars.
Brian Wilson’s home in Beverly Hills was the site where he wrote some of the most famous Beach Boys songs in the mid-’60s. But it was also the place where he built a giant sandbox in the living room that would become a legendary detail in his career story.
Often, iconic albums took shape within the four walls that rockers called home. Bruce Springsteen wrote the bulk of Born to Run while living in a modest house in New Jersey. The members of Metallica must have committed some noise pollution while jamming in the California garage where they concocted two of their major opuses, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets.
Other rock star homes offer reminders of lives and careers that ended too early. After she died in 1970, Janis Joplin’s pool table remained in the family room of her Bay Area house, while the dog door she had installed for her St. Bernard stayed in the front door. The new owners got rid of the purple walls, however.
Meanwhile, other homes have been preserved to keep the spirit of when the music luminaries lived there. Jimi Hendrix’s old London flat features a bedside table with a tape recorder and song lyrics, replicating what it looked like when he was working on songs.
You can stay in Elvis Presley’s old apartment — and even use the kitchen to make yourself one of his famous fried peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwiches.
The former apartment of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain is also available for rental, decorated with grunge-appropriate decor to offer tribute to its fallen resident.
Even “Big Pink,” where Bob Dylan and the Band crafted landmark albums, is open for overnight stays, though the basement studio is off-limits. Here are 30 Rock Star Homes You Can Visit or Rent that will make an interesting detour on your next vacation.