The richest guitarists in the world today
Ronnie Wood – £55 million: Good thing the Rolling Stone has deep pockets: he was stung for a reported £6.5 million in his 2009 divorce, sank a fortune into his doomed Woody’s nightclub, blows a grand a week on flowers and £170k on chauffeured cars annually. “I’m a terrible businessman,” shrugs Ron, “but I do try.”
Pete Townshend – £75 million: “I might retire from making money,” mused Uncle Pete in Uncut. Not likely: The Who’s 50th anniversary tour grossed $22 million in just 27 shows last year.
Mark Knopfler – £75 million: Since he packed in peanuts-paying early graft as a journalist and teacher, the Knopf has shifted over 120 million albums. Admittedly, most of these were for Dire Straits’ yuppie benchmark Brothers In Arms, but last year’s solo effort Tracker still made it to No 3 in the charts – after all, what else is your dad going to listen to in the car?
David Gilmour – £100 million: Gilmour’s till rings every time someone buys a copy of Pink Floyd’s back catalogue, but he insists his stash is all relative: “I am very well off. But there are probably thousands richer than me. I’m not up there with the Rockerfellers or some of the new Russian millionaires.”
Jimmy Page – £105 million: Led Zep might have flogged 111.5 million units, but Pagey still watches the pennies, famously taking girlfriend Scarlett Sabet to everyone’s favourite high street chicken joint Nando’s for his birthday last year. We wonder if he’s got a Black Dog card?
Brian May – £120 million: If the Queen man ever loses that silver sixpence plectrum, he’s not going to be too distraught. “In the beginning,” he told The Guardian, “I had no money and I never cared. Then I made some, and I never really cared about that much, either.”
Eric Clapton – £160 million: By the age of 23, Slowhand already knew that money wasn’t everything. “I had everything a man could want,” he remembered. “I was a millionaire. I had cars. A solid-gold career. And yet, on a daily basis, I wanted to commit suicide. Materialistic acquisition is a funny thing…”
Keith Richards – £220 million: While bean-counting frontman Mick Jagger has been dubbed ‘Jumpin’ Jack Cash’, you sense Keef would be satisfied if all he had in life was a double vodka-and-orange and a dinged 50s Tele. “I’ve never felt rich,” he says. “All I’m worried about is having enough to keep the show on the road. I make it and I spend it.”
The Edge – £500 million: (U2’s total worth) The Irishmen doled out Songs Of Innocence free to iTunes customers, but the associated tour made up the shortfall, grossing $152.2 million. Even split four ways, that should keep Edge in delay pedals, beard trimmers and assorted dubious headwear.
Paul McCartney – £760 million: With a degree of inevitability, it’s Macca in pole position for the 25th consecutive year, sitting atop a nest-egg that makes his fellow rock A-listers look like skint students. And if the former Beatle manages to claw back the publishing rights for his classic 60s material in 2018, he’ll be officially richer than God…