Who's Your (Science) Rock Star?

After I posted earlier on Joe Perry's bare-chested R.S.o.S. adventures, an interesting discussion crept up on Twitter. Let's say you had a scientific charity approach you for a lab photo shoot. Who would you want to invite? Chemjobber has already weighed in here. Personally, I trend towards more eclectic acts, so I'd be inclined towards TMBG (they did write a song about nuclear fusion, after all...).

So, readers, who would you like? More 'arena rockers' like Bon Jovi or KISS? Perhaps a socially-conscious musician like Bono? Classical, perhaps? (I think Yo-Yo Ma would look great in goggles). Or maybe someone more modern, like Will.i.am or Lady Gaga?

Voice your choice in the comments. Thanks!

Rock Star PPE

I'm not usually up-to-date on the latest GQ, but something caught my eye as I thumbed through the December issue: Joe Perry, lead guitarist of Aerosmith...in a lab coat.

Apparently, Mr. Perry donates his time to a charity - Rock Stars of Science - sponsored by clothier Geoffrey Beene. Along with other artists, they sponsor cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The grantees, naturally labeled "Rock Docs," have received substantial funds via this venture: G.B.'s website claims $126 million since 2006!

Joe Perry tours Sloan-Kettering
(That jewelry begs to get caught in an overhead stirrer)

While the fan in me says "Awesome," the safety-conscious chemist cries out: where's Mr. Perry's PPE? No goggles? No gloves? No hair ties? To risk sounding prudish, bare chests and chemicals don't exactly mix. Sure, it's a posed photo-op, but hey - when a VIP visits a building site or machine shop, they force him into glasses and construction helmets, right?

Well, I suppose it's for a good cause, and if the idea of guitar gods getting involved with basic cancer research gets the general public excited, I'm all for it.

*Update: Apparently CENtral Science blogged this all the way back in 2009.