Rock's biggest names of the 2000s often started in obscure bands before finding fame, and this article highlights three Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who honed their craft in largely forgotten early groups. It's a reminder that even the most influential figures in modern rock served lengthy apprenticeships before achieving recognition, often changing instruments, line-ups or genres entirely along the way.

Dave Grohl, born in 1969 in Warren, Ohio, played guitar and later drums in the high-school band Freak Baby before joining Nirvana and eventually founding Foo Fighters. Tom Morello, born in 1964 in Harlem, played in Lock Up, whose debut album came out in 1989, prior to his breakthrough with Rage Against the Machine and later Audioslave. Trent Reznor, born in 1965 in New Castle, Pennsylvania, moved through Option 30 and several synth-pop outfits, including The Innocent, Slam Bamboo and Exotic Birds, before releasing Nine Inch Nails' debut album in 1989.