A Rockstar by Any Other Name Trivia Quiz

Answer: Joni Mitchell

Singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943, in Fort McLeod (Canada). Mitchell was the name of her first husband, Chuck, a folk singer from Michigan she married in 1965. She has been called one of the greatest songwriters ever, and one of the most influential female artists of the late 20th century. Mitchell released 19 studio albums and 2 live ones between 1968 and 2007, and collaborated with some of the greatest rock and jazz musicians of her time. Unfortunately, a number of serious health issues, such as a brain aneurysm she suffered in 2015, have forced her into retirement. Mitchell has received many important awards throughout her career, including nine Grammys, and in 2002 was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada, her native country's highest civilian honour.

Answer: Joe Strummer

Born on August 21, 1952, in Ankara (Turkey), John Graham Mellor adopted the stage name of Joe Strummer (referring to his role as rhythm guitarist) in 1975, a year before he joined the punk rock band London SS, later to be named The Clash. He became the band's lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and lyricist, releasing six highly influential studio albums with them between 1977 and 1985. Strummer also dabbled in acting, appearing in a number of independent films. Sadly, he passed suddenly away in his English home on December 22, 2002, at the age of 50 - of a congenital heart defect that had gone undiagnosed for all his life.

The following year, The Clash were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Answer: Flea

Though born in Melbourne (Australia) on October 16, 1962, Michael Peter Balzary moved to the US with his family at the age of 4, and has lived there since. His nickname "Flea" dates from his childhood years, and was given to him because of his inability to sit still.

When attending high school in California, he met Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak and Jack Irons, with whom he eventually formed Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Flea, who originally played trumpet, was taught to play bass by Slovak, and is now considered one of the most influential bassists of all time.

Besides his career as a musician, Flea has also acted in over 20 films and TV programs, including the Brothers Coen's "The Big Lebowski" (1998).

Answer: Gene Simmons

Known for his impossibly long tongue and his stage persona as The Demon, KISS' bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz on August 25, 1949, in Haifa (Israel). His parents were Jewish immigrants from Hungary, and his mother had survived internment in Nazi concentration camps.

At the age of eight, he immigrated to the US with his mother, whose maiden name, Klein, he adopted when they settled in New York City, also changing his first name to Eugene (later Gene). Simmons founded KISS in 1973 together with his former Wicked Lester bandmate, Stanley Eisen (Paul Stanley); almost 50 years later, the band - known for its extravagant live shows - is still going strong. Like his stage persona, Simmons (who also has a keen interest in science fiction and comic books) is a larger-than-life personality, and has a history of making rather controversial statements on topics such as politics and religion.

Answer: Billy Idol

Like Joe Strummer, Billy Idol was one of the stars that emerged from the original punk rock scene of the mid-'70s. Born William Michael Albert Broad in Stanmore (England) on November 30, 1955. He began his musical career in 1976 as a guitarist, but when he founded Generation X with Tony James, he became the band's lead singer and frontman.

His stage name "Billy Idol" was inspired by one of his teachers' description of him as "idle". Generation X disbanded in 1980, and Idol moved to NYC, where he embarked on a very successful solo career.

In the 1990s, drug-related issues almost brought his career to a standstill; thankfully the singer cleaned up his act, and is now recording and performing again.

Answer: The Edge

U2 guitarist The Edge was born David Howell Evans on August 8, 1961, in Barking (England) from Welsh parents, who soon afterwards moved to Dublin, Ireland. In 1976 David met Larry Mullen Jr, Adam Clayton and Paul Hewson (Bono) at school, and the four (plus David's brother Richard, who eventually left) formed the band that would be later become known as U2. According to some sources, Evans was nicknamed "The Edge" because of the angular shape of his head.

The Edge, who is a Protestant Christian, is involved in various charity efforts.

Answer: Eddie Vedder

Gifted with a powerful baritone voice, Eddie Vedder is one of the most charismatic frontmen to have emerged from the grunge movement of the early 1990s. Born Edward Louis Severson III on December 23, 1964, in Evanston, Illinois (USA), he moved with his family to California in the mid-'70s. Vedder is his mother's maiden name, which he adopted when he moved back to Chicago after dropping out of high school.

In 1990 he was invited to Seattle to audition for the band that would later become Pearl Jam.

Besides his role as Pearl Jam's frontman and lyricist, Vedder is known for his political and environmental activism.

Answer: Lemmy

Motörhead's late bassist and frontman Lemmy is nothing short of a rock legend. Born Ian Fraser Kilmister on December 24, 1945, in Stoke-on-Trent (England), he was the son of an Air Force chaplain who separated from his mother shortly after his birth. His stage name, which was given to him when attending school in Wales, is said to have originated from the phrase "lemmy (lend me) a quid 'til Friday", because of his habit of borrowing money to play slot machines. Lemmy's musical career started in the early '60s; his breakthrough, however, came when he joined the band Hawkwind in 1971. Fired from Hawkwind in 1975 because of drug possession charges, he formed Motörhead in the same year.

His iconic, leather-clad stage presence and raspy voice, as well as his hard-living habits, made him one of rock's most recognizable figures. Sadly, on December 28, 2015 - just four days after his 70th birthday - Lemmy passed away in his apartment in Los Angeles (where he had been living since 1990).

He had been diagnosed with brain cancer two days before his death.

He is buried at Hollywood's Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Answer: John Paul Jones

Led Zeppelin's quietest member, and a highly accomplished musician and composer, was born John Richard Baldwin on 3 January, 1946, in Sidcup (England). He adopted his stage name of John Paul Jones - inspired by a poster for a 1959 film on the eponymous hero of the American Revolutionary War - when working as a session player in the early '60s.

At that time he met guitarist Jimmy Page, with whom in 1967 he founded the band that later became Led Zeppelin. In that legendary band, Jones played bass, keyboards and, occasionally, other instruments.

After Led Zeppelin's demise in 1980, following drummer John Bonham's death, Jones has continued his collaborations with many high-profile musicians, as well as releasing a number of solo albums, and playing in rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures.

In spite of Led Zeppelin's reputation for excess, Jones has been married to his wife Maureen since 1967.

Answer: Siouxsie Sioux

Another icon of the original punk rock scene, and a riveting singer and performer, Siouxsie Sioux was born Susan Janet Ballion on May 27, 1957, in London (England). Her parents, who both spoke French, had met in the Belgian Congo, and later moved to England before Susan's birth.

In 1976, she met the members of Sex Pistols and became involved in the punk scene together with her friend Steve Severin. Though neither of them could play any instruments at the time, they formed a band, which in 1977 became Siouxsie and the Banshees. With her unique voice, commanding stage presence and dark, disturbing lyrical themes, Siouxsie soon became an icon, almost single-handedly creating the Goth look of cat-eye makeup, spiky black hair and black clothing. Though Siouxsie and the Banshees disbanded in 1996, Siouxsie has continued making music.

Her stage name combines an idiosyncratic spelling of the name "Susie" with the name of a well-known Native American people.