Just this week, Ja Rule turned himself in to start a 2 -year jail sentence connected with a 2007 crime, which has gotten us thinking. Maybe it’s just us, but musicians seem to land themselves in a little bit more trouble than people of other professions. Maybe it’s because they’re living the high life, thinking they can get away with it all, or maybe they’re just negatively influenced by their surroundings, but we think it probably has something to do with the same personality trait that makes them want to be performers in the first place. Just a theory, though. In any event, we were inspired to dig up a few vintage mugshots of famous musicians, many of which are actually quite beautiful in and of themselves, although that could just be Sinatra’s good looks shining through. Click through for our round-up of vintage musician mugshots, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Frank Sinatra, 1938 [via]
Janis Joplin, 1969 [via]
Elvis Presley, 1976 [via]
Johnny Cash, 1965 [via]
Billie Holiday, 1947 [via]
Steven Tyler, 1967 [via]
Sid Vicious, 1978 [via]
David Bowie, 1976 [via]
Axl Rose, 1980 [via]
Jimi Hendrix, 1969 [via]
Jim Morrison, 1970 [via]
Jerry Lee Lewis, 1976 [via]
Ozzy Osbourne, 1984 [via]
Kurt Cobain, 1986 [via]
James Brown, 1988 [via]
Mick Jagger, 1967 [via]
Prince, 1980 [via]
David Crosby, 1982 [via]
Stacks Edwards, 1974 [via]