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#1 Frontman of all time

#31
So here's a question:

For the sake of this thread and discussion, should mega-talented entertainers like James Brown and Elton John be considered "front men?"

They are, without a doubt, among the most riveting and important entertainers in pop music, but they could do what they do with almost any group of competent musicians backing them up. They are like islands in the industry, pillars of unique talent.

Is a true "front man" someone who fronts a cohesive, consistent group of musicians i.e. Freddie Mercury of Queen or Steven Tyler of Aerosmith?
 
#33
electracoyote said:
So here's a question:

For the sake of this thread and discussion, should mega-talented entertainers like James Brown and Elton John be considered "front men?"

They are, without a doubt, among the most riveting and important entertainers in pop music, but they could do what they do with almost any group of competent musicians backing them up. They are like islands in the industry, pillars of unique talent.

Is a true "front man" someone who fronts a cohesive, consistent group of musicians i.e. Freddie Mercury of Queen or Steven Tyler of Aerosmith?
Click to expand...

i don't think the group has to be consistent- what i bolded is something that makes a great frontman. it didn't matter who was playing with him- (jamesbrown)- he FRONTED the group through and through miraculously!
 
#34
I saw David Lee Roth once live. It was at the end of the "Sam and Dave" tour and his voice was completely shot. Also, he had recently pulled something in his leg and couldn't really get around all that well.

It didn't matter. He had a charisma that took over the place. At the end of that show he could have led the whole of us into battle against a foe picked at random.

Close second (and I'm binding this to people I've seen) was Snoop Dogg. It didn't matter if you didn't like rap. It didn't matter that most of the backing tracks were pre-recorded. He had the audience in the palm of his hand. Really gifted performer.
 
#37
D.A.R.K. said:
james brown
/thread
Click to expand...


It's funny, I don't see JB as a "front man" - not sure why.
But it wasn't like he was fronting the band - the band was backing JB. JB IS (was) the show.

But he was the Godfather for a reason. All hail the king!
 
#38
kesslari said:
It's funny, I don't see JB as a "front man" - not sure why.
But it wasn't like he was fronting the band - the band was backing JB. JB IS (was) the show.

But he was the Godfather for a reason. All hail the king!
Click to expand...

This is what I was trying to get at in my earlier post.

Some of these entertainers are beyond any definition of "frontman," they are so talented and unique. They are more like entertainers who had backing bands.

Oh, what the hell, let's call them all frontmen then.

So, I'll be the first:

Elvis.

Okay, maybe he pales compared to many who came after, but isn't he the basic blueprint for everything that came after? Isn't he one of the giants upon whose shoulders others stood?
 
#40
electracoyote said:
isn't [Elvis] the basic blueprint for everything that came after? Isn't he one of the giants upon whose shoulders others stood?
Click to expand...

No. "Everything that came after"? Rock music maybe, I guess, but let's not even get into the idea of how his music was co-opted.

But music is not isolated. It's all a dialectic. Perhaps we need to go back to the blues, if we want to start thinking just about pop music. I know that often at TB pop music (and often even rock music more specifically) is considered the standard of music, but it's merely one style. All music influences all other music. So, for me, no, Elvis comes very late in the game.
 

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