Do we really have proof that being a rock star is bad for your health?

A group of scientists over in the UK took it upon themselves to see if the rock star lifestyle was dangerous to your health. Seriously, and they got some interesting results...

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Did scientists really study the ‘affects of being a rock star’? Or is this a joke…

Strangely, this is no joke. Researchers at the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University, whose findings were published in today's Irish Times, wanted to find out if being a rock star had any health implications. In fairness, unless you’re some sort of Christian-rock star, we’re fairly sure there are some health risks involved when partying all night with with super hot chicks.

But how exactly did they study the lifestyle? Were there hookers and blackjack involved?

Sadly, no hookers or blackjack was involved in this particular study - that we know of. The researchers in Liverpool actually studied 1,489 rock and pop stars from Europe and the US. They made sure to cover a 50-year period between 1956 and 2006 in order to get an accurate idea of the health implications of being rich, famous and in the limelight.

So what did they find?

The research, which was published in the British Medical Journal Open, found that 137, or 9.2 per cent, of the rock stars in question died prematurely. According to the report, nearly half of the causes of death included drugs, alcohol and violence. The researchers also found that the average age of death for American rock stars was 45 while the average age of death for their European counterparts was 39. Solo artists also had more chances of dying than performers in a group.

Should I stop tearing up my axe on a regular basis?

Well, there’s no harm in cutting down...