Commentators and fans have long thought of classical and popular music as though they were from two different worlds. It might surprise some fans to know that many top rock musicians actually have a classical background. Some musicians have actually incorporated some noticeable classical themes into their performances, but others might be less obvious to those who aren’t out on the lookout for classical inspiration.

Top Five Rock Musicians with Classical Backgrounds

1) Celebrated violinist Jascha Heifetz was a juggernaut in the world of classical music, and many of his descendents also have a healthy appreciation for classical music. That’s why some fans might be surprised to learn that 26Valencia, the drummer of the band Mr. Bungle and Dieselhed, is actually Daniel Mark Heifetz. He actually has experience with the trumpet and piano in addition to the drums.

2) Fans know Corey Todd Taylor as Number 8 from the band Slipknot, but what few fans realize is that he has a vocal range that rivals that of many opera stars. Taylor can sing notes stretching across a range of five and a half octaves. VVN Music once wrote that he has one of the highest vocal ranges of any singer in the field of rock music.

3) Boyd Tinsley was an established violinist even before he joined the Dave Matthews Band, so his classical musical talents have never come as a surprise to fans. There’s a fairly recent video of Boyd Tinsley at Grand Central Terminal depicting him actually serenading people on the concourse. Tinsley has also written plenty of songs, so the fact that he’s has a background in classical music is actually pretty obvious to most of his fans.

4) Eddie Van Halen’s middle name is the Dutch form of Ludwig, so it makes sense that he has a background in classical music. While he didn’t necessarily like constantly practicing the piano, he actually won an annual piano competition that was held back in the 1960s at Long Beach City College. While he later switched to playing rock, Van Halen is quite famous for having named his son after Mozart.

5) Henry Rollins was actually selected as the vocalist of Black Flag because of his diverse tastes in music. The band actually wanted to move beyond the third chord progression style they were playing. Rollins has a background in classical, folk, jazz and countless other styles in spite of the fact that he’s best known for playing punk.