Bass players as lead singers?

[volt9stormrider]

In rock music I've noticed that this is not very common. Bassists aren't usually singers in the band and hardly ever lead singers? I've noticed myself that it is much harder to sing while playing bass than while playing guitar.

What well-known bands have bassists that are lead singers? I only know of three:

RUSH - Geddy Lee
Sting & The Police - Sting
All-American Rejects - Tyson Ritter

 

[WAID]

Lemmy-motorhead

 

[caesarbass]

Phil Lynott-Thin Lizzy

 

[StanFan]

Doug Pinnick- King's X

 

[alexclaber]

Me! It's very hard at first but it gets a LOT easier.

Alex

 

[double-muff]

Les Claypool - Primus & those 1 million jam bands that he is or was in.

 

[rfclef]

Hmmm Didn't McCartney sing lead once in a while??

 

[cujjo91]

Tom Araya - Slayer

 

[ben_the_bass]

the dude from Venom, my friend just showed me a vid of them, their singer is insane lol

 

[X Wolf]

Jack Bruce


I've sung lead and played bass in many band situations over the last 47 years. I've been lucky to have always found it easy to play bass while singing, I just sing in spite of what I'm playing rather than trying to sing with what I'm playing. Anyway, it works for me.

George

 

[Baryonyx]

Mark King of Level 42.

 

[Hellbastard]

Glenn Hughes: Deep Purple, Black Sabbath
Burke Shelley: Budgie

 

[gweimer]

James Dewar - Robin Trower
Martin Turner - Wishbone Ash
Jack Blades - Night Ranger, Damn Yankees
Gene Simmons - KISS
Lemmy - Motorhead
John Wetton - King Crimson, Asia
Greg Lake - King Crimson, ELP

 

[Johnny Mack]

Cassandra - Crucial Taunt (Wayne's World)

 

[Andrew.Glose]

Not terribly difficult, but pretty neat, nonetheless.

I've come to realize that bass and vocals go together like "lamb and tuna...or spaghetti and meatballs, whatever you're comfortable with."

 

[Lammchop93]

Gene Simmons - KISS

Gene Simmons didn't sing. at least not lead. he did back-up

 

[ndrly]

Kavyen Temperley - Eskimo Joe

Gene Simmons didn't sing. at least not lead. he did back-up

Yeah he did. He sang lead on "I Love It Loud" and "Unholy", among others.

 

[Hellbastard]

Gene Simmons didn't sing. at least not lead. he did back-up

I believe you're wrong!
Proof:

 

[ishouldbeking]

Mark Burgess of The Chameleons. Phenomenal band, btw.

 

[ZonPlyr]

I can believe no one mentioned this one. Way back in the 80's at the height of hair band:

kip winger: Winger