They are both 48, from Manchester, and members of two of the most important British bands ever. Now Johnny Marr and Ian Brown have another thing in common: being banned from driving.

The former Smith's guitarist Marr is the latest rock star to be banned from driving for speeding, just two weeks after Stone Roses' Ian Brown was sanctioned with a similar offence.

Marr avoided a six-month driving ban despite being caught speeding at 72mph in a 40mph area - instead magistrates imposed a ban of 56 days and fined him £535, the Daily Mirror reported.

The case of Ian Brown is more severe. The lead singer of the Stone Roses was caught last year doing 93mph through roadworks on the M6 near Stafford, where the limit was 40mph.

It was the third time Brown was caught breaking the speed limit in four years. Now he has been banned from driving and warned to face prison if caught behind the wheel during the disqualification period. He was also fined £900 and ordered to pay costs of £1,015.

In mitigation his barrister said at Stoke-on-Trent magistrates court that Brown needs his car to shop for his elderly parents and that he was a "caring father and family man," according to the Guardian.

Looking back in time is easy to see how often cars have been added to the cliché "sex, drugs & rock'n'roll." Only last year Pete Doherty was also given a 12-month driving ban and fined £500.

The fault this time consisted in allowing his manager to drive his Daimler without insurance. An episode that could have gone unnoticed if he hadn't run into a pedestrian and then left the scene of the accident.

Of course things were even wilder in the sixties. The most striking anecdote is that of Keith Moon, the Who's drummer, who ran over his own chauffeur and accidentally killed him. Moon had never passed his driving test.