la grande boucherie --- best rock n roll frontman
by Ewok on Jun 4, 2011 11:29 AM EDT
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Printtime to break up all the amateur draft fanposts with a little music chatter. its been a while since there has been a music related fanpost. local radio has been playing some interesting songs lately, and a random spin of yankee rose by david lee roth led to a spirited debate in the workplace about who the top ten frontmen of rock history were.
i was quite certain who the best of all time was. i thought it was a slam dunk, should be unanimous. needless to say it wasnt. no, it wasnt dlr...although id put him in the top ten comfortably.
so, who do you think are the greatest frontmen in history
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The list should begin and end with one name:
Robert Plant.
No problem, fuckweasel! - jch24
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Jun 4, 2011 11:32 AM EDT reply actions
My first thought, exactly.
We Are ... Marshall!
by Thundering Turtle on Jun 4, 2011 12:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Turtle what about John Schlitt of Petra or Third Day's Mac Powell?
Although Robert Plant was (and still is great) see my list down below for the definitive Mainstream Top Front-persons of rock over the past 40 years.
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
Ah, excellent choices Maddy.
I favor Mark Hall of Casting Crowns. Hard to beat for strength of voice, effort and lyrics.
We Are ... Marshall!
by Thundering Turtle on Jun 5, 2011 1:51 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yep...
Dr. T weren’t you and going to start a Christian Reggae Speed Metal band…?
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
If I can be the Page to your Plant,
Maddy, we’ll do it!
We Are ... Marshall!
by Thundering Turtle on Jun 5, 2011 9:01 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Rock on my brother!!!
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
interesting
Schlitt could definitely go back to the street, but never really could beat the system.
"the only place they lost was the scoreboard"
by Ewok on Jun 5, 2011 2:29 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
KMiB makes a good point
But you’d have to put Jagger up there too, right?
I think Jagger defined the role of frontman, per se. There were bandleaders, there were performers with backups (a la Elvis or James Brown) and there were singers (John, I mean Paul, I mean John). But the “frontman,” who embodied what it meant to be the band, started with Jagger.
Here’s a simple test: you can’t imagine Jagger without the Stones, or the Stones without Jagger. Even when Mick is doing something solo, it is still infused with Rolling Stones. And even Robert Plant, singing with the Stones, would be Robert Plant singing with the Stones, not the “real Stones.”
"The USA despite its flaws and corruption and overall messiness is still a great and powerful instrument of freedom and hope for the entire world." - Madville
Jagger certainly "created" the modern rock n' roll frontman, sure.
Plant absolutely learned from him, and in my mind, surpassed him. Jagger was (and is) still one of the greatest.
For the record, after a bit of Saturday afternoon contemplating, here’s my list (not by personal music preference, simply by fame/fortune/notoriety):
1) Plant
2) Jagger
3) Mercury
4) Rose
5) Ozzy
6) Morrison
7) Bowie
8) Bono
9) Sting
10)
Bands like Pink Floyd, The Who, Van Halen, AC/DC, Skynyrd, The Band, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead, Eagles, CSNY, and the Allman Bros., while all unarguably absurdly famous bands, all had multiple singers/voices/frontmen, so it makes it a bit hard to consider them having a distinct frontman.
“Individual” artists like Springsteen, Dylan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Prince, Hendrix, Marley, and so many classic soul singers are really hard to quantify since in so many cases they were “the band” you went to see.
This is nebulous as hell, I know, but I guess is my best attempt to put a list together…a “rock and roll” list, mind you.
No problem, fuckweasel! - jch24
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Jun 4, 2011 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
How about Iggy at at #3
1) Mitch Ryder
2) Mick Jagger
3) Iggy Pop
4) Roger Daltry
5) Robert Plant
6) David ) Bowie
7)Anthony Kiedis (Chili Peppers)
8)Grace Slick (You had to see her live in her prime)
9) Ozzy.
10) Jim Morrison
10)
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
I agree with you there tHan
there was a time when he ruled!
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
James is the best, period
I’m biased though.
Also David Draiman from Disturbed and Jonathan Davis from Korn.
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
Sorry but Korn? Really....?
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
I always get the korn salsa at Chipotle
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
me too
looks the same goin’ in as it does goin’ out
The ends justify the means
by Highlifeman21 on Jun 11, 2011 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions
jim morrison
"And a high fly ball to center field. He hit it a ton. And the 2010 National League Central Division Champs are the Cincinnati Reds!"
I hate Jim Morrison.
Awful, awful lyrics. Just utterly, preposterously full of himself and his artistic intelligence.
Wear something sexy to my funeral.
by Pops Daniels on Jun 4, 2011 9:53 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Yep Pops he morphed into a sad fat addled imitation of his earlier self.
BUT his early shows especially before the Door became bigtime are the stuff of legend…he was a larger than life kinetic artist combining film and poetry and rock and acting into a phenomenal live multi-media show. However eventually his excesses overcame his artistic limitations and he became a foul drunken loser…but whenI saw him in 1968 in San Francisco he was incredible.What power he had then.
BTW although he contributed to the lyrics Robby Krieger the guitarist wrote most of the music and a lot of the lyrics E.G. Light My Fire had no Morrison music or lyrics all Krieger…but Morrison was a once upon a time artist of and for his times.
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
by Madville on Jun 4, 2011 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Couldn't agree more. One of the most overrated frontmen (and bands) ever.
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
Thirded, although it gives me the willies to agree with 'creds :)
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
Ah...a discussion after my own heart
I definitely agree with the discussion about the fact that there are many people who might have made the list like James Brown or Prince (and let us not forget Smokey Robinson), except they were “the band” you were coming to see…which makes the inclusion of David Bowie on some of these lists rather curious, as he was only in one band that I can recall, and that was well after he earned his bones.
But onto my thoughts.
1. Freddie Mercury — even if you thought that Jagger invented the stereotype and Plant mastered it, there was never a bigger showman in the history of rock and roll than Freddie. Hell, he made Paul Rodgers seem like a decent singer when he was out in front of Queen. :)
2. Plant — David Coverdale made an entire career out of copying everything Plant ever did.
3.Jagger — Amazing that he and Keef are still going.
4.Bon Scott — yeah, AC/DC has had a helluva lot of success with Brian Johnson, but if you closed your eyes and just thought about a frontman for your band, he’d look a lot like Bon Scott. And if you think that AC/DC was the same after he died, try listening to the version of “Back in Black” that Scott recorded shortly before that tragedy…you will get chills.
5. Todd Rundgren — how ‘bout a little love for a man who wrote so many brilliant songs with Utopia and as a solo artist that he takes what’s left of the Cars out on tour just to break up the boredom (and produced a helluva album out of it, I might add)?
6. Jim Morrison — succumbed to the Elvis ending before Elvis himself did, and in that way, symbolized the entire excess of that era, but man was he as hypnotic a singer as ever walked the planet.
7. Sting — redefined the term “egotistical prick,” but could really write a great hook before he drowned in his own reflective pool.
8. Roger Daltrey — if for no other reason than the scream from “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
9. Robin Zander — a little plug for the lead singer of the greatest live band I have ever seen. EVERYONE wanted to be Zander in the late 70’s.
10. Lawrence Welk — you might laugh, but Dude has his OWN THEME SONG. Represent.
"I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball" - Pete Rose
I'm with you on Welk Officer!!!
But Todd Runtgren ?
Freddy was interesting he’s no Mitch Ryder or Jagger or ….
He was great as the Little Richard of the 1970s-80s
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
Maybe not the best, but how about these guys?
The Motor City Madman?
Gene Simmons
Alice Cooper
Whoever is the frontman for Iron Maiden
Rob Zombie
Ronnie James Dio
The guy from Faith No More
Dee Snider
Trent Reznor
David Coverdale
Vince Neil
The ends justify the means
Ritchie Blackmore, too.
No problem, fuckweasel! - jch24
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Jun 5, 2011 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions
Blackmore can hit a lick or two as well
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
Whoever is the frontman for Iron Maiden?
Bruce Dickinson, and hang your head in shame for not knowing.
Iron Maiden?
EXCELLENT!!
"The USA despite its flaws and corruption and overall messiness is still a great and powerful instrument of freedom and hope for the entire world." - Madville
this will come as no surprise
was too lazy to look it up
I was going with a list of guys I hadn’t seen listed previously in this thread
The ends justify the means
by Highlifeman21 on Jun 11, 2011 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I think this discussion tells us how poor of a state rock n roll is in now.
I mean seriously- The top front men in more modern rock- not including guys that have been around for quite some time, like U2 or RHCP… Gotta be… umm, Dave Grohl? Maybe Chris Martin? Whoever you go with, there’s just no one anywhere near the quality of these other guys we’ve been discussing.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
has everything to do with the development of genre markets
nothing to do with the “state of rock.” there is great rock music out there and great frontmen. but times are different now. guys like jagger and plant are great because they were what was available then – that’s what radio played and everyone knew them. these days, corporations tell the masses what pop music to listen to, tone deaf music snob hipsters who can’t even play an instrument dictate what indie rock gets played based on their perceptions of cool, people who don’t want to deal with complicated ideas listen to country, and people who have perceptions – real or otherwise – of being oppressed listen to hip hop. american idol covers the rest. few people listen to more than one kind of music. meanwhile, virtually all decent music programs in schools have been cut so if you ask most people under 30 to point out the notes on a scale, they’ll look at you like you’re an alien. yeah, it sounds like i’m judging because i find this very disturbing – talented musicians are being pushed out of the industry in favor of some noise that people with no knowledge of music are demanding.
it’s soundscan that killed radio. but soundscan didn’t kill music.
no one listed eddie vedder or kurt cobain or thom yorke from bands of the nineties when rock was breathing it’s last mainstream breath. now, win butler is a darn good frontman. but arcade fire got too big and are no longer cool to listen to, you know, cuz they won a grammy and all. it’s just not cool to be a rock star any more (which explains the irrational hatred of U2.) the quality is there. the business has just changed. that “there’s no good music these days” meme is a tired old cliche.
as arcade fire says in one song on The Suburbs “The music divides us into tribes/you choose your side I’ll choose my side.” So very, very right. Now, excuse me, I’m going to go listen to that album right now. Actually, I don’t have to go anywhere, it’s just two clicks away…
So much to disagree with here.
I’ll (mostly) ignore the AF love, except to say that Win Butler has zero stage presence and is nearly tone deaf himself.
You are delusional if you think corporations/labels/corporate radio didn’t “tell” people what to listen to then too. If anything, labels had more power then because music of so many genres wasn’t so readily available then like it is now.
That is some ridiculous stereotyping as to what “kinds” of people listen to certain genres.
With the exception of a few select states (CA, OR, MA) and in inner cities, school music programs are as alive and well as ever. If anything, they are better now because many of them treat “pop” music more seriously and allow students to engage with it in school, providing students with a more well-rounded music education. I’d wager that if you asked most people over 30 to point out the notes on a scale the couldn’t either. Has nothing to do with music ed programs and everything to do with the fact that people only remember stuff from school that they cared about and continued dealing with past school. There is very, very little from MS/HS that I remember in almost any of my subjects.
Also, this
guys like jagger and plant are great because they were what was available then – that’s what radio played and everyone knew them
That’s why those guys are famous, not why they are great. There are great frontmen now, but they aren’t as famous because the whole field of popular music is so much bigger than it was then. We aren’t as homogenous or mainstream of a society as we were then, so it’s harder for a musician to find a large audience without the help of a “corporation” (like Idol). That doesn’t mean music was better then. It just means great artists have to work harder/get luckier to find a large audience.
One final thought: A lot of what makes the guys who have been listed “great” is that they were the first. Pioneers in anything tend to get a lot of credit (and rightly so) because they were the first. It’s going to be hard for any frontman today to enter into the conversation with those guys unless he does something completely new.
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
by nycredsfan on Jun 6, 2011 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Woulda rec'd this if not for the AF swipe
I’m happy with the tradeoff of getting more music in today’s fragmented market and losing the iconic frontman.
by ken on Jun 6, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed
I think a lot of people have bias against some guys just due to the fact that they don’t like their music. I’m not a big Rolling Stones fan, but Mick Jagger is one of the top 3 greatest frontmen of all time. It isn’t just talent alone that makes someone a great frontman.
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
Also, Arcade Fire fucking blow
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
by btcoop71 on Jun 6, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
welll...I disagree with this:
“You are delusional if you think corporations/labels/corporate radio didn’t "tell" people what to listen to then too. If anything, labels had more power then because music of so many genres wasn’t so readily available then like it is now.’
Music Corporations do control what happening commercially…some of it is good like M & M, Outkast and The White Stripes…most of it is terrible: Justin Bugger, Pink, 10,000 Maniacs, Foo Fighters, Lady gag-Me etc etc…do a little historical referencing on why Justin Bugger is so big or Pink or Lady Gag-Me…pre-sold and packaged, branded to the hilt and sold to the masses…give them something that sounds just like David Cassidy only different (insert Bugger)
Mick Jagger is 1st and foremost a businessman. He was hardly a pioneer of anything. Like most good artists he stole from the pioneers and built on their successes with his own. Little Richard was a pioneer, Bill Haley was a pioneer, Robert plant was not..Dick Dale was a pioneer…Duane Eddy was not
So what if the market is bigger..there’s just that much more room talented and creative people to shine…but alas it happens almost always because they are picked up and groomed by corporate music entities…like Usher for example.
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
by Madville on Jun 6, 2011 11:42 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I honestly have no idea what point you are making
I wish I did, but I can’t figure it out.
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
simply that the music industry does tell people what to listen and sets the stage for that to happen and people drink that kool aid opver and over.
Music has always been sold via the predominant media..
whether it be Shindig or Idol..that’s all
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
Kurt Cobain nips at Jim Morrison's heels as the most overrated frontman ever
I don’t think Nirvana is in the top three band of that time, maybe not the top five.
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
I liked Nirvana, but they aren't even top 3 to come out of Seattle in that time period
Pearl Jam, Soudgarden, and Alice in Chains were/are better.
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
SOUNDGARDEN RULED
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
I'd maybe agree with that (don't care for Alice in Chains)
But Smells Like Teen Spirit is the most perfect grunge song of the decade.
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
Cobain is idolized because he committed suicide (or did he?)
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
Yep...he did and was a very talented songwriter and performer too
But he couldn’t keep the needle out of his arm…
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
Its a great song
I wasn’t trying to slam Nirvana, I liked them. They are just overrated a tad.
Alice in Chains may be the best of that group…..
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
Alice In Chains isn't bad but there's no way they top that list
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
That is more personal preference for me
Pearl Jam probably is the best, but I like AIC the best.
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
fair enough
And if we want to cheat a little, Temple Of The Dog was the supergroup that smokes em all.
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
That was mainly cornell's project
Very good stuff, timeless.
I’d pay $100 to see CC sing that album solo with just an acoustic guitar.
Sorry I'm late the thread here
FVA and I had this conversation some time ago. I made the claim that Nirvana was no great snacks, and his argument was, and he readily admitted it was kind of a weak cop-out, but he argued that you just had to be there. He claimed to be a big fan of INXS at the time Nirvana hit the scene, and they were like an oasis in a vast desert. I mean, INXS.
The lens of 20 years of history shows us that Kobain was the Godfather of melodramatic emo pussies, but I can buy that at the time, they were the greatest thing going. And it wasn’t even close.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Jun 9, 2011 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions
I can still remember hearing "Smells Like Teen Spirit' for the first time
I was just some idiot kid, but I knew that song sounded different than just about anything else I’d ever heard.
Also, Cobain had the best taste in music and pushed his favorite bands better than anyone in rock history, except for maybe Thurston Moore.
by Brendanukkah on Jun 10, 2011 3:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Yep, and you could probably add Stone Temple Pilots and Mudhoney to that list
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
STP was from San Diego, but I'm counting them anyway
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
I like Nirvana the best out of those (just personal preference)
but I agree that they’re a very overrated group.
"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."
I agree also that they are overrated
but I like them, not the best out of this grouping for me though
I was thinking about this the other day after reading this thread
I couldn’t come up with any modern rock front men, which is a shame really. Best I could come up with was Maynard James Keenan of Tool (good mix of mystery, humor, and mockery of pop culture. He’s also done well as a showman at the shows I’ve seen, not crazy but what he did fit the style of the band) and Zach De La Rocha of Rage (maybe not a fan of some of his political views but I highly admire the passion and dedication). another I’ll throw in is Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age.
Keenan gets double points for also being the frontman of A Perfect Circle
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
best rock and roll frontmen are from Cincinnati and Dayton
Greg Dulli- excuded so much sex that women would offer their tongues to every region of his ample body.
Uncle Bob- enough said.
semi-retired award- David Yow from Chicago fronting Jesus Lizard.
and for best banter- our own Chuck Cleaver and Lisa Walker. Chuck is particularly smart and concise with his banter almost like Jonathen Franzen is writing his sly comments beforehand.
by davidmac84 on Jun 5, 2011 11:50 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
For the record
I had mick Jagger number one.
Tyler, Vedder, Cornell, DLR, Plant, Mercury, and Axl in some order thereafter. And Jon Bon jovi, like him or not.
hetfield should be higher than vedder or cornell
i don’t know anything about plant.
roth is probably a very good choice
Hetfield is a singer/guitarist
I don’t see him as a frontman.
I see no need to re-SIS this one
how about best rock n roll frontwomen?
Joplin, Slick, Jett, Ann Wilson, Nicks, Debbie Harry, Kim Gordon, Lennox, Smyth…?
No problem, fuckweasel! - jch24
by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Jun 6, 2011 1:41 PM EDT reply actions
Joplin is the femalie Morrison/Cobain IMO
Way overrated.
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
We agree twice in one day? Talk about willies! (ravenriley'd)
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
Dogs and cats, living together!!!
"Wait, you think I'm being mean to the pretend orangutan?" -- battlekow
Rec'd for the Bill Murray reference!!!
Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain
I believe that was the opposite of rr'd
Everyone gets into her!
Billy Hamilton: Snax
Devin Mesoraco: Snacks
Chrissie Fucking Hynde
That is all.
"I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball" - Pete Rose
by Officer Dibble on Jun 6, 2011 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Surprised no one has mentioned Dave Mustaine
It's your right and your ability, To become my perfect enemy
Throw my nickel in for Ben Bridwell
Love watching Band of Horses.
You should have left that morning, should have left that day
take your love and your child away
Although
I wouldn’t consider him best of all time, I suppose, but if Mustaine or Vedder get mentions then Bridwell should as well.
You should have left that morning, should have left that day
take your love and your child away
No one's gonna love you like supergrover does, Ben Bridwell
by Brendanukkah on Jun 7, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's not a pool of sweat in the small of my back...
it’s the great salt lake
You should have left that morning, should have left that day
take your love and your child away
Did Brendan say Bob Pollard?
Brendan should have said Bob Pollard.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Jun 9, 2011 10:00 PM EDT reply actions
Oh, good
I only skimmed for the greens, honestly.
by Charlie Scrabbles on Jun 10, 2011 7:51 AM EDT up reply actions
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