Drummer as Lead Singer?

[AshInAmsterdam]

I knew a local band who we would frequently go to see in my teens whose lead singer was the drummer. They performed standard pub fare - Beatles, Van Morrison, Oasis, Blur, that kinda pop-rock.

Nothing wrong with the drummer singing. The guitarist and bassist backed him up, and the overall effect was impressive, not to mention 13 year old me learning guitar who could barely play an E and sing over it, watching a DRUMMER singing!

 

[madbass6]

Sure why not!! What ever is in the bands best interest!

 

[Max Blasto]

I've seen them perform several times with Henley singing lead while playing drums and he sounds awesome.

Have you checked sales figures on that? Hell Freezes Over sold 10 million copies. Frampton comes alive sold 11 million.

Kiss Alive 1 and 2, combined, didn't break 10 from what I'm seeing.

No way in hell Thin Lizzy can touch that number. Their lifetime worldwide album sales were *almost* 10 million as of 5-6 years ago, per the one source I could find on the subject.

Live And Dangerous was never certified Gold in the US, which requires 500k sales. It was in the UK, where the bar was lower at 300k.

HFO had a DVD/VHS release that sold a ton of copies as well.

So. I don't think we agree here.

Wow. You went down the most irrelevant of statistical rabbit holes just to say you were right. And yet...

You missed the point: The Eagles had a front man and it wasn't Don Henley. Yes, I've seen them too, as well as Henley solo, several times. The last few times I saw him, he didn't play drums at all. Still sounded great. Know why? Cuz he's Don f'n Henley. And Don f'n Henley is a great singer, an average drummer, and a zombie of a frontman. That's why Glenn Frye was the frontman for the Eagles. And as for your irrelevant point about sales figures, their albums sold because of their great songwriting, not because the drummer was the singer on half of it.

Since you missed the point, here it is again - The OP has a band. They want to fire the drummer and stick the singer behind the drum kit. He wants to know if it's okay. Of course it's okay, but it comes with a price: The reason bands don't commonly use drummers as their sole lead vocalist is because the kit is a barrier to interaction with the audience, and the nature of the instrument impedes good vocal technique. Henley is a good singer, but his drumming is run of the mill. If he played like Neil Peart, he wouldn't be able to sing like Don Henley. You have to choose.

The OP's situation is that they don't have a Glenn Frye or a Randy Meisner to take the load off the singer now trapped behind a kit. They play modern progmetal, not 70's California softrock, so there's no danger of selling multiplatinum albums via radio airplay. Your example of Don Henley is not very applicable to the OP's situation. I hope they rock on and find a lineup that best serves their music whether live or recorded. But there's a reason the very good drummer was choosing to be the singer/frontman and not the drummer.

And really, dude. Album sales? That's what you think matters?

 

[Ulf_Hansson]

That's what I was going to suggest. Some friends of mine had a band where they did that, and it worked fine. It was a 3 piece, and the put the drummer front and center.

I say go for it.

I agree. Put the kit in focus and then you and the guitar player will have to take some responsibility in the "engage the crowd" department.

 

[WorkingBassHero]

My old classic rock band had a drummer/lead singer/front man. Just put the drumkit where the lead singer would be and you'll be OK. We did that and it worked fine. I hope it helps. Cheers, dude.

 

[mancefine]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm all for him singing and playing, at least until we can find the right fit. Finding another singer and having our vocalist move to Drums is definitely out of the question. He is an incredible singer who's voice really carries the band. That is next to impossible to replace.
As far as the aesthetic goes well also have a really good light show. I'm thinking the guitarist and I get a couple of wireless packs and really engage the crowd.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

This band annoys me to no end.It's a party band,I get it! Geez,do you have to shove it down my throat?



This is not your music,I get it. There defintely should be someone else
moving around,if you don't have somebody with an ego this big!

See what happens when you give a tent preacher drumsticks?

 

[RRDieselbass]

Totally cool, go for it!

 

[AltGrendel]

Notice how Phil has the cymbals up so you can see him:

 

[Smilodon]

Well, if you want movement you could do this:

 

[tbz]

Wow. You went down the most irrelevant of statistical rabbit holes just to say you were right. And yet...

You missed the point: The Eagles had a front man and it wasn't Don Henley. Yes, I've seen them too, as well as Henley solo, several times. The last few times I saw him, he didn't play drums at all. Still sounded great. Know why? Cuz he's Don f'n Henley. And Don f'n Henley is a great singer, an average drummer, and a zombie of a frontman. That's why Glenn Frye was the frontman for the Eagles. And as for your irrelevant point about sales figures, their albums sold because of their great songwriting, not because the drummer was the singer on half of it.

Since you missed the point, here it is again - The OP has a band. They want to fire the drummer and stick the singer behind the drum kit. He wants to know if it's okay. Of course it's okay, but it comes with a price: The reason bands don't commonly use drummers as their sole lead vocalist is because the kit is a barrier to interaction with the audience, and the nature of the instrument impedes good vocal technique. Henley is a good singer, but his drumming is run of the mill. If he played like Neil Peart, he wouldn't be able to sing like Don Henley. You have to choose.

The OP's situation is that they don't have a Glenn Frye or a Randy Meisner to take the load off the singer now trapped behind a kit. They play modern progmetal, not 70's California softrock, so there's no danger of selling multiplatinum albums via radio airplay. Your example of Don Henley is not very applicable to the OP's situation. I hope they rock on and find a lineup that best serves their music whether live or recorded. But there's a reason the very good drummer was choosing to be the singer/frontman and not the drummer.

And really, dude. Album sales? That's what you think matters?

lol. Sure buddy.

 

[MDBass]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm all for him singing and playing, at least until we can find the right fit. Finding another singer and having our vocalist move to Drums is definitely out of the question. He is an incredible singer who's voice really carries the band. That is next to impossible to replace.
As far as the aesthetic goes well also have a really good light show. I'm thinking the guitarist and I get a couple of wireless packs and really engage the crowd.

Yep, that's the answer.

The new Shure units are pretty incredible, I'll never go back to hardwired.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Gotta love Cowboy Mouth. Fred is pretty engaging from behind the kit.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Eagles' greatest hits is a studio album. OP is asking about a live situation. Can't see the difference?

Let me help: Hell Freezes Over isn't even close to the best selling live album of the 20th century. For that, you might try Peter Frampton, Kiss, or maybe even Thin Lizzy in the rock world.

Hey, guess why else your example isn't very good?

Eagles had three top flight singers, two of which were in the front of the stage (Frye and Meisner/Schmitt), and one adequate one also at the front of the stage (Walsh). Frye was the unquestioned frontman and the delivery of the music was centered on harmony vocals and guitar talent (Walsh and Felder).

What about that setup has anything to do with the OP's situation? Want a hint?

Wow. You went down the most irrelevant of statistical rabbit holes just to say you were right. And yet...

You missed the point: The Eagles had a front man and it wasn't Don Henley. Yes, I've seen them too, as well as Henley solo, several times. The last few times I saw him, he didn't play drums at all. Still sounded great. Know why? Cuz he's Don f'n Henley. And Don f'n Henley is a great singer, an average drummer, and a zombie of a frontman. That's why Glenn Frye was the frontman for the Eagles. And as for your irrelevant point about sales figures, their albums sold because of their great songwriting, not because the drummer was the singer on half of it.

Since you missed the point, here it is again - The OP has a band. They want to fire the drummer and stick the singer behind the drum kit. He wants to know if it's okay. Of course it's okay, but it comes with a price: The reason bands don't commonly use drummers as their sole lead vocalist is because the kit is a barrier to interaction with the audience, and the nature of the instrument impedes good vocal technique. Henley is a good singer, but his drumming is run of the mill. If he played like Neil Peart, he wouldn't be able to sing like Don Henley. You have to choose.

The OP's situation is that they don't have a Glenn Frye or a Randy Meisner to take the load off the singer now trapped behind a kit. They play modern progmetal, not 70's California softrock, so there's no danger of selling multiplatinum albums via radio airplay. Your example of Don Henley is not very applicable to the OP's situation. I hope they rock on and find a lineup that best serves their music whether live or recorded. But there's a reason the very good drummer was choosing to be the singer/frontman and not the drummer.

And really, dude. Album sales? That's what you think matters?

Trying to figure out why you are so angry about this topic.....

 

[AltGrendel]

There's also this:

(RIP)

 

[Max Blasto]

Trying to figure out why you are so angry about this topic.....

No anger at all. The OP has a issue to resolve regarding his frontman leading the band from behind a drumset. However they solve the issue, I hope he does well with it.

There are reasons why it can work, and reasons why it might not. Pointing out the sales history of the Eagles' Greatest Hits doesn't help him either way, because the situation doesn't apply to him. Doubling down on that point just means that the original question wasn't understood.

It doesn't make me angry when people answer questions with answers that aren't relevant. It just leads me to think we aren't helping the OP. So I provided more relevant information. Hensley's situation doesn't apply to the OP, nor does Levon Helm's or Peter Criss'. Sure, they could sing but none of those guys were fronting their bands. The OP and his singer might find the story behind Steve Tyler or Marvin Gaye more applicable.

YMMV.