They’re backroom songwriters, unsung inventors and one-hit wonders who live out their lives in wealthy obscurity. They’ve all made their fortunes from music—but nobody knows their names. that is, until now...
Sew HardRay Brown, Heavy-metal costumier As the ’80s dawned, Ray Brown—an Aussie ex–punk-club manager and erstwhile tailor—moved to Los Angeles, where he chanced upon the opportunity to create stagewear for arena-rock vets Styx. Within five years he was doing the same for Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi (helped by his discovery of a synthetic washable leather that could stand up to nightly high kicks and crotch grabs far better than the real thing). His designs shaped the look of ’80s metal and continue to influence mainstream fashion. “This whole ‘rock-fashion’ thing that’s going around, with skulls and crosses—that’s all mine,” Brown says. His client list has diversified to include Cher and Barry Manilow, and the five-figure fees Brown commands for tour clothing have afforded him nice cars, houses in Phoenix and Puerto Vallarta, as well as the chance to launch his own commercial line this fall.
Moment of glory: Clothes he designed for Cher, Yngwie Malmsteen and Nelson were exhibited at the Phoenix Art Museum in 1997.
Have Sticks, Will TravelKenny Aronoff: Drummer for hire Let’s say you’re an artist in search of a drummer—maybe yours broke his arm.Or went to rehab. Or simply can’t keep time. Enter Kenny Aronoff. Since getting his break in the early ’80s as the stickman for a young Johnny Cougar, Aronoff has been one of the most in-demand session drummers.“I’m like a surgeon,” he says. “I’ve got to be able to save songs.” He’s worked for Dylan, the Stones, Smashing Pumpkins, Elton John, Avril and Alanis, earning as much as $50,000 a day. He’s plowed most of his dough into a 6,400-square-foot housein Indiana, an L.A. apartment and
a closet full of leather jackets—but left enough to endow a percussion scholarship at his alma mater, Indiana University.
Moment of glory: He was awarded the title of No. 1 Studio Drummer five years in a row by
Modern Drummer Magazine.
Novelty-tune TycoonsAntonio RomeRo Monge and Rafael Ruiz: The world’s biggest one-hit wondersSpanish duo Los Del Rio had been making flamenco-pop records in obscurity since the ’60s and were already in their late 40s when, in 1995, a rumba they had written was given a remix by three Miami DJs. The Bayside Boys’ techno version of “Macarena” sold more than 4 million copies; while it earned Los Del Rio millions, the DJs received a flat fee of $7,500 for the remix. “We’re just two simple people, and overnight success hasn’t changed us a bit,” Romero said. “After 33 years in this business, you learn what’s real and what’s not.”
Moment of glory: In August 1996, 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium set the world record for the greatest number of people to simultaneously dance to “Macarena.”