Having become a bona fide star, the public expected all of Williams’ releases to have a uniform “Hank Williams sound.” As a result, Williams created the persona Luke The Drifter, with which he could sing about more serious subjects the likes of societal wrongs, without fearing backlash. While many artists use alter egos as a vehicle for outlandish behavior, country legend Hank Williams created the moralistic alter ego Luke The Drifter to espouse good deeds and dole out sage wisdom.

The Duke eventually landed Bowie in hot water for his more controversial statements, which he attributed to the character.Ĭlick to load video 4. Soon after, Bowie debuted his third persona, The Thin White Duke, a mad aristocrat whose look closely resembled Bowie’s humanoid alien character Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell To Earth. Not wanting to be stuck as Ziggy forever, Bowie killed off the character to become Aladdin Sane, a harder, nastier persona inspired by the dark decadence of America. David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane/Thin White DukeĪnother artist who turned to the stars for inspiration was David Bowie for his bisexual alien glam rock star persona, Ziggy Stardust, immortalized on his 1972 concept album, The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. Wiggles, a rapping underwater DJ, Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk, Lollipop Man, and countless others. His lifelong fascination with sci-fi manifested itself in his characters Starchild (inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey) and Doctor Funkenstein, who sprung from Clinton’s fascination with cloning. Both of his pioneering bands, Funkadelic and Parliament, were part of Clinton’s cosmology that included galactic-themed dancers, costumes, and a replica spaceship on stage during performances.

George Clinton created more than just alter egos he created an entire universe with his P-Funk mythology that would pave the way for Afrofuturism. George Clinton: Starchild/Dr Funkenstein/Mr Wiggles

Alter ego band wisconsin