Classic Rock: Who Is That Man In The Song? Quiz

Answer: Kenneth

"What's The Frequency Kenneth" was a hit for REM in 1994. Formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 REM called it a day in 2011. "What's The Frequency Kenneth" came from their album, "Monster". The words relate to a physical attack on journalist Dan Rather in 1986.

Answer: Jack

AC/DC were formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. It was always considered to be Malcolm's band until his retirement from bad health in 2014 when as the remaining original band member Angus took the reins. "The Jack" was released as a single in December 1975. The song isn't really about a car breaking down.

Answer: Pete

"Outlaw Pete" was a 2009 song which went on to inspire the children's book of the same name in 2014. Bruce Springsteen wrote both the song and the book; he must have been proud of Pete. Bruce was famous for his extremely lengthy live shows. The longest recorded was in Helsinki, Finland in July 2011 when his band played for four hours and six minutes! I'd call that value for money.

Answer: John Barleycorn

"John Barleycorn" was released in 1970 by Traffic. It was a remake of a traditional song telling the story of brewing beer. The album title was "John Barleycorn Must Die". A year later Traffic broke up and keyboard and vocal man Steve Winwood went on to join supergroup Blind Faith with Ginger Baker, Rick Grech and Eric Clapton.

Answer: Johnny

We need to go back to 1958 to first meet "Johnny B Goode", the poor boy who went on to be a rock and roll star. Chuck Berry was obviously proud of Johnny, he also wrote "Bye Bye Johnny", "Go Go Go" and "Johnny B Blues" about him. There can be very few rock and rollers that have never played the tune at some point in their career.

Answer: Oliver

Elvis Costello introduced us to "Oliver's Army" on his 1979 album "Armed Forces". It was his, and The Attractions', biggest selling single reaching number two in the UK charts. There was debate as to who "Oliver's Army" might be about, some saying Oliver Lyttleton of the UK Board Of Trade in World War Two who oversaw "Reserved Occupations", men who had jobs with "critically required skills" that kept them from fighting.

Others said it alluded to Oliver Cromwell's "New Model Army" the forerunner of the modern British army.

Answer: Roland

"Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" from Warren's 1978 album "Excitable Boy" is a story of African civil wars in the 1960s. Roland, a fictional mercenary from Norway, loses his head thanks to betrayal and murder.

Answer: Johnny, Jimmy

Thin Lizzy sang "Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed" on the 1976 LP "Johnny The Fox". I hope you got this one right as it said in the lyrics, "Hey man I know your name". Phil Lynott was obviously fond of "Johnny", as that's the title of the album's opening track.

He also mentioned him in "Showdown" from the 1974 album "Nightlife" and "The Boys Are Back In Town" from the 1976 "Jailbreak" album.

Answer: Jeremy

Formed in 1990, Pearl Jam were one of the Seattle "grunge" bands. "Jeremy" was released in 1992. It was the third single from the first Pearl Jam album "Ten". It was inspired by the sad story of Jeremy Wade Delle who shot himself in an English class.

Answer: Boris

"Boris The Spider" was written and sung by The Who's bass man John Entwistle in 1966. It appears on the second Who LP "A Quick One". The record company wanted each band member to write a song and offered them all a £500 advance for doing so. John singing "Boris" was always a high point of a Who show.