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Musicians' Real Names Trivia Quiz

Many musicians change their names for various reasons. Some to avoid clashing with somebody else with a similar name and others just for effect. How many can you spot?

A multiple-choice quiz by martin_cube. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
martin_cube

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
288,143

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
13 / 20

Plays
4448

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 81 (17/20), Guest 174 (20/20), Guest 203 (13/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. I was born with the name Marc Feld. How was I better known? Hint

Mark Knopfler

Marc Almond

Marc Bolan

Marky Mark

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Question 2 of 20

2. With which name was Alice Cooper born? Hint

Alice Walker

Ray Cooper

Vincent Furnier

Arthur Brown

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Question 3 of 20

3. I was born with the name Bernard Jewry, but had chart success in the UK with which stage name? Hint

Gary Glitter

Alvin Stardust

Hurricane Smith

R. Dean Taylor

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Question 4 of 20

4. I was born in India with the name Harry Webb. How am I better known? Hint

Jimmy Webb

Cliff Richard

Harry Belafonte

Elvis Costello

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Question 5 of 20

5. Another musician who was born with the surname Webb, Gary Webb was a pioneer in the electronic music field in the late 70s and early 80s. How do we know him better? Hint

Gary Numan

Gary Newton

Giorgio Moroder

Mike Oldfield

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Question 6 of 20

6. I may not have been as successful if I'd kept my given name of William Broad. How am I better known? Hint

Billy Bragg

Bill Bailey

Will Young

Billy Idol

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Question 7 of 20

7. Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien. Quite a mouthful I think you'll agree. No wonder she changed her name, but to what? Hint

Mary Hopkins

Dana

Petula Clark

Dusty Springfield

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Question 8 of 20

8. Now, who can forget the songs of Henry John Deutschendorf Jr? Ah yes, we knew him by a different name. What was it? Hint

Dr. John

Henry Rollins

John Denver

John Lennon

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Question 9 of 20

9. Arnold George Dorsey adopted the name of a classical composer as his own stage name when his singing career took off, but which one did he choose? Hint

Engelbert Humperdinck

Fr�d�ric Chopin

Wolfgang Mozart

Richard Wagner

10. Priscilla Maria Veronica White used to work in the Cavern Club in the days when the Beatles played there, but made a slight change to her name when her singing impressed enough to win her a recording contract. What did she alter her name to? Hint

Cilla Magenta

Cilla White

Cilla Black

Cilla Green

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Question 11 of 20

11. Rock n' roll singer Ernest Evans started a new dance craze with his 1960 hit, 'The Twist'. But which name did he use on the stage? Hint

Tubby Thomas

Fatty Arbuckle

Chubby Checker

Slim Jim

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Question 12 of 20

12. Richard Starkey was in one of the biggest bands of the 60s before embarking on a solo singing career when that band split up. What was his stage name? Hint

Peter Noone

Richard Carpenter

Ringo Starr

Little Richard

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Question 13 of 20

13. My given name was Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, but I am better known by a much shorter one. What is it? Hint

Dido

Lulu

Sade

Pink

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Question 14 of 20

14. I am a member of the Rock group Kiss, although you wouldn't know me by my real name of Chaim Witz. What did I change it to? Hint

Gene Simmons

Ace Frehley

Paul Stanley

Peter Criss

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Question 15 of 20

15. Simon Ritchie had a short career with one of the most notorious punk rock bands of the 70s. What was his stage name? Hint

Johnny Rotten

Sid Vicious

Jilted John

John Cooper-Clarke

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Question 16 of 20

16. My real name is Natalie Renee McIntyre and I was born in 1967. With which name have I had chart successes. Hint

Natalie Appleton

Macy Gray

Nat King Cole

Natalie Imbruglia

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Question 17 of 20

17. James Newell Osterberg has had a long career in the music business and has been dubbed the 'Grandfather of Punk'. But what is his stage name? Hint

Charles Monroe

Lou Reed

Iggy Pop

Jimmy Pursey

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Question 18 of 20

18. This shock rocker was born with the name Brian Hugh Warner, but that didn't really suit his image and he changed it. What did he rename himself? Hint

Axl Rose

Robbie Williams

Jim Morrison

Marilyn Manson

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Question 19 of 20

19. This soul and disco giant was given the name Barrence Eugene Carter, but what did he change it to? Hint

Barry White

Clarence Carter

Barry Gibb

Luther Van Dross

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Question 20 of 20

20. This rocker was born Ian Fraser Kilmister but has achieved fame under his nickname. What is that name? Hint

Slash

Boy George

Devine

Lemmy

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 06 2024 : Guest 81: 17/20
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 174: 20/20
Nov 25 2024 : Guest 203: 13/20
Nov 09 2024 : Guest 174: 16/20
Nov 06 2024 : Guest 185: 10/20
Oct 25 2024 : Guest 81: 9/20
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 50: 7/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I was born with the name Marc Feld. How was I better known?

Answer: Marc Bolan

Marc Bolan was the driving force behind the glam rock movement with his band T.Rex. He was killed in a car accident in 1977.

2. With which name was Alice Cooper born?

Answer: Vincent Furnier

Alice Cooper was originally the name of the whole band, not just it's lead singer. Alice Cooper has been a regular in the charts since the early 70s with such hits as 'Schools Out', 'Elected' and 'Poison'.

3. I was born with the name Bernard Jewry, but had chart success in the UK with which stage name?

Answer: Alvin Stardust

Alvin Stardust had UK hit singles under the name of Shane Fenton in the 60s but changed his name again in an attempt to cash in on the glam rock craze of the 70s. His first and biggest hit was 'My Coo-Ca-Choo' in 1974.

4. I was born in India with the name Harry Webb. How am I better known?

Answer: Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard was the closest thing the UK had to Elvis Presley! Along with his backing band, The Shadows, they had a string of hits in the 50s and 60s. He had to wait until the mid 70s before scoring his first hit in the USA with 'Devil Woman', rather ironic considering his strong religious beliefs.

5. Another musician who was born with the surname Webb, Gary Webb was a pioneer in the electronic music field in the late 70s and early 80s. How do we know him better?

Answer: Gary Numan

Gary Numan's first solo hit was called 'Cars' and followed up his previous success with 'Are Friends Electric' under the name of Tubeway Army. Gary is a licenced pilot and has owned many aircraft, including a WW2 Harvard, a 2-seat trainer.

6. I may not have been as successful if I'd kept my given name of William Broad. How am I better known?

Answer: Billy Idol

Billy Idol was lead singer with the punk band Generation X before branching out on a solo career with hits like 'White Wedding', 'Rebel Yell' and 'Eyes Without A Face'.

7. Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien. Quite a mouthful I think you'll agree. No wonder she changed her name, but to what?

Answer: Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield had her first solo hit in 1963 with 'I Only Want To Be With You', although she had already had a few hits with the Springfields, a band she started with her brother Dion O'Brien and Tim Field, including the wonderful 'Island Of Dreams'. She died in 1999, a sad loss to music.

8. Now, who can forget the songs of Henry John Deutschendorf Jr? Ah yes, we knew him by a different name. What was it?

Answer: John Denver

John Denver wrote many great songs, including 'Take Me Home, Country Roads', 'Rocky Mountain High' (not a song about drugs) and 'Annie's Song'. He was killed in a plane crash in 1997, ironic really as another of his songs was 'Leaving On A Jet Plane'.

9. Arnold George Dorsey adopted the name of a classical composer as his own stage name when his singing career took off, but which one did he choose?

Answer: Engelbert Humperdinck

Engelbert Humperdinck started playing the saxophone in nightclubs, but switched to singing after being coaxed into entering a contest. His first big hit was in 1967 with 'Release Me', the song that prevented the Beatles' 'Strawberry Fields Forever' from getting to number one in the UK.

Answer: Cilla Black

Cilla Black's first single was a Lennon/McCartney song, 'Love Of The Loved' which was a minor hit. Her second attempt at the charts was with the Bacharach/David song 'Anyone Who Had A Heart' which soon hit the top spot for her. She has also had a successful TV career in the UK.

11. Rock n' roll singer Ernest Evans started a new dance craze with his 1960 hit, 'The Twist'. But which name did he use on the stage?

Answer: Chubby Checker

Besides 'The Twist', Chubby Checker has also charted with other dance-related songs such as 'Let's Twist Again', 'Slow Twist' and 'Limbo Rock'.

12. Richard Starkey was in one of the biggest bands of the 60s before embarking on a solo singing career when that band split up. What was his stage name?

Answer: Ringo Starr

Ringo was, of course, the drummer with the Beatles, but had a series of hit singles and albums when the band was no more. He has also appeared in films and narrated the first two series of the children's television series 'Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends'.

13. My given name was Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, but I am better known by a much shorter one. What is it?

Answer: Lulu

Lulu grew up in Glasgow, Scotland and became famous with her version of the Isley Brothers' song 'Shout' which she made at the age of 15. She also appeared in the Sydney Poitier film, 'To Sir, With Love' as well as recording the film's title song. In the late 60s she married Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees.

14. I am a member of the Rock group Kiss, although you wouldn't know me by my real name of Chaim Witz. What did I change it to?

Answer: Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons was born in Israel and was in several bands before helping to form Kiss. They were known for never appearing in public without their stage make-up, until 1983 when they finally revealed their faces. Gene has also appeared in several films and TV shows.

15. Simon Ritchie had a short career with one of the most notorious punk rock bands of the 70s. What was his stage name?

Answer: Sid Vicious

Sid Vicious joined the Sex Pistols in 1977 as their bass player, although he couldn't play the instrument! After the death of his American girlfriend, Nancy Spungen under mysterious circumstances a year later, Sid was arrested and charged with her murder. In 1979, whilst out on bail, Sid Vicious died of a heroin overdose in New York.

16. My real name is Natalie Renee McIntyre and I was born in 1967. With which name have I had chart successes.

Answer: Macy Gray

In 2000, Macy Grey won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for 'I Try'. She has also appeared in several films and TV programs (including 'Ally McBeal', 'That's So Raven' and 'Blues Clues'!)

17. James Newell Osterberg has had a long career in the music business and has been dubbed the 'Grandfather of Punk'. But what is his stage name?

Answer: Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop was lead singer with the Stooges in the late 60s and early 70s, before going solo. His early solo recordings were made under the guidance of David Bowie and they wrote a number of songs together, including 'China Girl', a hit for Bowie himself in 1983.

18. This shock rocker was born with the name Brian Hugh Warner, but that didn't really suit his image and he changed it. What did he rename himself?

Answer: Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson took his stage name from the names of Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson. (Charles Monroe didn't quite work for him.) His debut album 'Portrait Of An American Family' in 1994 was co-produced by Nine Inch Nails main man Trent Reznor.

19. This soul and disco giant was given the name Barrence Eugene Carter, but what did he change it to?

Answer: Barry White

Barry White's distinctively deep voice was first heard on record in the Love Unlimited hit 'Walking In The Rain (With The One I Love)' in 1972. He began having his own hit singles and albums the following year. Barry White suffered a stroke in 2002 and died in the following year.

20. This rocker was born Ian Fraser Kilmister but has achieved fame under his nickname. What is that name?

Answer: Lemmy

Lemmy's nickname was acquired from his constant attempts to borrow money from friends ("Lemmy a quid til Friday"). He was a roadie from Jimi Hendrix for a short period and later joined the UK 'Space Rock' band Hawkwind. After being fired by the band, he formed his own group which he named Motorhead. The rest, as they say, is history!

Source: Author martin_cube

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ralzzz before going online.
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