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#1 Frontman of all time
- Thread starter ClaytonMUSE
- Start date
Some guy named Hendrix. I hear he did good.
No, I take that back.
Louis Armstrong. I doubt anyone could challenge him for what he brought to his music.
No, I take that back.
Louis Armstrong. I doubt anyone could challenge him for what he brought to his music.
my favorites, based on who I've actually seen...
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ah sorry bout that...
in order of appearance-
David Yow (Jesus Lizard)
Gene Ween (Ween)
Trent Reznor (NIN)
Warren Ellis (Dirty Three) (and also Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, but not a frontman there... speaking of which, I would probably put Nick up there as well but I have yet to see him, although he did sit in on piano for half of the Dirty Three show I went to)
Guy Garvey from Elbow is apparently really good, never seen them live myself but has anyone here?
Curtis Eller. Not many people can get a crowd to sing stuff like "save me, Joe Louis, save me and let the gas chamber take me away" like he does here:
Just spit 'em out- that's what comes from the gut, and will be the most true, even if you don't "like" them the best. The stuff you just spit out is the real deal.
Gene Ween! I love it. I think Ween is brilliant and have everything they've ever released. I even have one of the live DVDs.
However, we all seem to have some very different sets of criteria for the term "front man."
Speaking for myself, just standing under the spot light doing your part extremely well is not enough. If that were true, many of us posting to this thread would qualify for "#1 Frontman Of All Time."
Somehow, I think there's more to it.
I saw him at a live artist showcase in a tiny room with about 30 or so people. They played a stripped down almost acoustic set. He sat on a stool up front and was very entertaining between songs. It was a 10:30AM show and he said it was the first time he's performed sober in 10 years. Here's a pic.
Attachments
What a contrast.
(Elbow fans, set aside those flame throwers. I'm sure Mr. Garvey is a very talented singer, songwriter, musician, and bandleader worthy of your attention and affection.)
(Elbow fans, set aside those flame throwers. I'm sure Mr. Garvey is a very talented singer, songwriter, musician, and bandleader worthy of your attention and affection.)
- Feb 27, 2005
- 3,218
- 125
- Disclosures
- Full disclosure, I'm a certified Fender technician working in a music store that carries Fender, Yamaha, and Ibanez products among others.
Diamond Dave
Robert Plant
Jim Morrison
Perry Farrel
I don't know that anyone's been able to improve on these guys. The guy from Oasis (they're still around?) doesn't even remotely qualify IMO. We're talking frontman, not just singer. There's a difference.
Robert Plant
Jim Morrison
Perry Farrel
I don't know that anyone's been able to improve on these guys. The guy from Oasis (they're still around?) doesn't even remotely qualify IMO. We're talking frontman, not just singer. There's a difference.
I've seen many many frontmen in my lifetime having been in attendance at many Motown reviews.. I also saw Sly Stone (before he became cokey). But I also attended every P-Funk concert that came within 100 miles of Philly and lots of them had Bootsy's Rubber Band as the second group. (noone ever left the stage, cause they all just jammed together) Based on that George Dr. Funkenstein Clinton (who can't sing a lick) is #1-A with me with James Brown # 1-B...then there's Bootsy baba
I would be a sin not to consider Plant,Tyler.....Or "The King" (That's Elvis Presley,youngsters) too,for that matter. After all,he did start this thing we all love. Youtube a little "Aloha,from Hawaii",guys/gals! IMHO,I think it requires the following:
Big Balls
A sense of humor
MINIMUM EGO!!!!
Charisma...Running from every orifice of your body.
Attitude
Confidence/Cockiness..... There's a very thin line between the two,IMO.
Someone that gets mucho press....Good press,bad press. Remember kids,ANY press is good press!! I learnt that from all the paparazzi here in Logan,WV (Be careful for what you wish for,guys. You just may get it.)
As for new/current frontmen? I DEMAND to know where the cookie-cutter factory is for these characters. Oh,and one more demand......A hook-up for some TNT (To blow up said factory).
My #1 choice...By far!!!
Please,just take 2:26 out of your day for the best....Of all time:
Big Balls
A sense of humor
MINIMUM EGO!!!!
Charisma...Running from every orifice of your body.
Attitude
Confidence/Cockiness..... There's a very thin line between the two,IMO.
Someone that gets mucho press....Good press,bad press. Remember kids,ANY press is good press!! I learnt that from all the paparazzi here in Logan,WV (Be careful for what you wish for,guys. You just may get it.)
As for new/current frontmen? I DEMAND to know where the cookie-cutter factory is for these characters. Oh,and one more demand......A hook-up for some TNT (To blow up said factory).
My #1 choice...By far!!!
Please,just take 2:26 out of your day for the best....Of all time:
Interesting discussion when I think of front men, I think of "pop stars" like Elvis, James Brown, and Prince first and then band front men like Freddie Mercury. A few things surprise about this discussion, one the lack of mentions for Prince and Robert Plant. Two, the derth of country stars, GARTH BROOKS certainly merits a few nods. And in Jazz what about Al Jarrerau? He is certainly one of the most expressive Jazz vocalists out there. I've seen him a couple of times and he can really hold an audience as good as any of the rock front men.
Read the whole thread, these two have been mentioned several times.
+1, he broke that stage barrier between country and Kiss. Thanks to Garth, a lot more country acts are playing stadiums and arenas if they commit to doing a more visual show.
I don't think of a front man being a major player instrumentally in the band. People have mentioned Hendrix, some of the major jazz guys that lead quartets, and the like, but a Front man to me is a guy that fronts the band with a voice and a presence. I know DLR and Daltry will put on a guitar occasionally, but they don't strike me as players before they are singers like Hendrix and SRV do.
So - using my criteria, I say DLR and Bowie and their drug infused love child Scott Weiland
So - using my criteria, I say DLR and Bowie and their drug infused love child Scott Weiland
To say someone is the #1 frontman of all time implies to me someone who has had great financial success over a relatively long period of time (lots of fan support). They must be a "member" of a band and basically be the face of the band. While they are not and never were my favorite group, I do not see how this could be any other than Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
