Jerry Lee Lewis, circa 1970

Rock ’n’ roll is not polite. It’s rude, full of bad taste, questionable morals, and unapologetic crassness. Or at least that's what's supposed to happen when it's good. Once upon a time, rock stars did not have media coaches. They did not play nice with American Idol judges, and they didn't sit down for pre-scripted morning talk show appearances.

Rock stars used to find glory in getting caught with their pants down — literally and figuratively. Their goal was to create more trouble than the rock star next to them. They lived life in the wild wide-open, unafraid that anyone might blush or judge them.

Those days are long gone. Now tattoos pass for rebellion and spontaneity has been usurped by publicity stunts. Ah, but once upon a time... it was glorious bedlam. In honor of the long-lost era bad behavior, here are our favorite music troublemakers.

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