Rock'n'roll is still just a generation old, so although several well-known musicians have celeb parents, few have famous grandparents. But we managed to, er, dig up a few

Mervyn Peake (1911-1968) Grandfather of Jack Peñate.

What's so interesting about him? Before it was profitable or fashionable, Mervyn Peake displayed a passion for the grotesque. An accomplished and successful exhibiting artist and book illustrator, he was also a writer. He is best known for the books that make up The Gormenghast Trilogy (Titus Groan, Gormenghast and Titus Alone).

Little known fact: Fellow writer Anthony Burgess described The Gormenghast Trilogy as "one of the most important works of the imagination to come out of the age that also produced The Four Quartets, The Unquiet Grave, Brideshead Revisited, The Loved One, Animal Farm and 1984."

Michael F Kitt Snr (1914-1975)

Grandfather of Irish singer-songwriter David Kitt

What's so interesting about him? Michael F Kitt Snr was one of the longest serving TDs in Irish political history. He was elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time in 1948 (for Galway North) and bowed out of political life in the mid-1970s.

Little known fact: Politics clearly runs in the family: son Tom Kitt (David's father) is Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach; daughter Áine Brady was elected to the Dáil this year and son Michael P Kitt is a Minister of State with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights.

Al Hansen  (1927-1995)

Grandfather of US alternative rocker Beck

What's so interesting about him? Al Hansen was once a member of the acclaimed performance art group Fluxus, and is considered a pioneer in the fields of art 'happenings' (one of his "happenings" was to push a piano off the top of buildings, which he did several times). A contemporary of both Yoko Ono and Andy Warhol, Hansen was a highly influential figure in terms of the 1960s pop art movement.His book, A Primer of Happenings and Time Space Art, is considered a seminal text on performance art.

John Mills (1908-2005)

Grandfather of Kula Shaker's Crispin Mills

What's so interesting about him? Mills is of the same generation as Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud. A segment of his appearance in the 1958 movie Ice Cold in Alex, made him even more famous when it was used in a lager commercial.

Little known fact: John Mills's Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his village idiot role as Michael in Ryan's Daughter (1970) was, said film critic David Thomson, "more a tribute to the make-up artist and to [ the] English admiration of impression."

Daniel Boone (1734-1820)

An ancestor of 1950/60s crooner Pat Boone. Pat claims to be a direct descendent of Daniel.

What's so interesting about him? Daniel Boone was an American pioneer who quickly became a folk hero due to his frontier exploits.

Little known fact: Before the end of the 18th century, almost a 250,000 settlers entered Kentucky by following the route originally undertaken by Boone.

Herman Melville (1819-1891) Great-great-great-great uncle of Moby.

What's so interesting about him? Herman Melville is the author of Moby-Dick, a book recognised as one of the masterpieces of literature - and presumably the inspiration for the musician's stage name.

Little known fact: Melville's novella, Billy Budd, was published posthumously in 1924 and was subsequently turned into an opera (by Benjamin Britten) and a film (by Peter Ustinov).