Top 10 Bands that Have an F.B.I. File
As with individual musicians, I believe many bands likely have an F.B.I. file on them. Here are some known or declassified examples.
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The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of all time and were integral to the development of the 1960s counterculture and the recognition... read more
The Beatles were closely monitored by the F.B.I. due to their involvement in the anti-war peace movement.
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Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band became known for its eclectic style, blending rock, folk, country, bluegrass, blues, reggae, jazz, and psychedelia. Their music often featured long, improvisational instrumental jams.... read more
"The Dead" were one of the main bands being watched by the F.B.I. for the concern on what effects rock bands associated with drugs were having on American youth. The feds also thought the band was part of an L.S.D. drug ring.
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Leathermouth
The song "I am going to kill the president of the United States of America" earned Frank Iero an investigation by the FBI.
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MC5
MC5 was an American rock band from Lincoln Park, Michigan, formed in 1963. Its classic lineup included vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. The band was influential in the development of punk and hard rock music.
MC5 caught the feds' attention during a 1968 performance at a park in Chicago while the Democratic National Convention was in town. The performance resulted in a riot. The feds recorded the performance and riot. After that, due to their politics, the band was on the F.B.I.'s radar for a while.
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The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and occasionally controversial rock acts of the 1960s, largely due to Morrison's poetic... read more
The Doors were watched by the feds because of their, specifically Jim Morrison's, "lewd and obscene performances" and Jim Morrison's "pornography" on stage.
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Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was a band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965 that pioneered psychedelic rock and helped define the San Francisco Sound. The group played a prominent role in the counterculture of the 1960s and gained fame through performances at major festivals such as Woodstock and the... read more
Basically, they were under the same investigation as "The Dead." The feds were concerned about the band's association with drug use and its effect on their young fans. Also, like "The Dead," Jefferson Airplane was being investigated for being involved in an L.S.D. drug ring.
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The Monkees
The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, with several reunions in the decades that followed. The group was conceived for a television series of the same name and included Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones. They are known for hits including... read more
Investigated because of their anti-war views. The F.B.I. and The Monkees? Really?
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The Kingsmen
This one is kind of funny. The 1963 Kingsmen version of the song "Louie, Louie" was reported to the feds for having obscene lyrics. The feds spent over three months listening to the song before finally declaring it "unintelligible at any speed." They couldn't figure out what the heck he was saying.
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Bee Gees
The Bee Gees were a pop music group formed in 1958. The group consisted of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. They gained international fame for their distinctive harmonies and became major contributors to the disco era with hits like Stayin' Alive and Night Fever.
The Bee Gees were briefly investigated due to band member Robin Gibbs attempting to hire a hitman to eliminate his wife and her lawyer. He and the band were also investigated for drug use.
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Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip-hop and horrorcore duo consisting of rappers Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. The group formed in Detroit in 1989.
They are known for violent, supernatural, and horror-themed lyrics that often incorporate religious symbolism within the fictional Dark Carnival... read more
Apparently the feds have them and their fans down as gang members.
To classify the fanbase of a musical act as a gang is the bigger crime.
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Nirvana
Nirvana was an American grunge band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. The band consisted of Kurt Cobain (vocals, guitar), Krist Novoselic (bass), and Dave Grohl (drums), who joined in 1990. Nirvana disbanded following Cobain's death by suicide in 1994.... read more
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Corporate Avenger
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Kiss
Kiss (commonly styled in all caps as KISS) was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1973 by Paul Stanley (vocals, rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (vocals, bass guitar), Ace Frehley (lead guitar, vocals), and Peter Criss (drums, vocals). Known for their face paint and stage outfits, the group... read more
KISS was investigated due to concerns from worried parents and Christians who reported the band as being satanic and corrupting the youth. However, this report/file is full of inaccuracies. At one point in the report, KISS is mistaken for The Who. Gotta love our "intelligence" gathering.
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Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although they lasted only two and a half years and released just four singles and one studio album, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, they are considered one of the most influential acts in the history of popular... read more
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Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. They have released eleven studio albums.
The band is known for its dark, moody lyricism and aggressive vocal delivery. Their biggest hits include "Closer," "Hurt," "Wish," "We're in This Together... read more