Music: The Greatest Frontmen in Rock n Roll History

[Jumptheshark]

Dee Snyder Twisted Sister is an interesting front man. He took it to audiences who sat on their hands and did nothing

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Until he threw **** at you

Well, going to a live show's a different story haha. But as depraved as he was, he was honest and uncompromising, which is more than you can say for most. And beyond the shock of it all, he had some kickass tunes.

 

[Jussi]

Freddie Mercury hands down. I mean, the guy got Wembley Stadium to do a call-response yodel with him in 1986.

He had it all. Range, was an entertainer, composer, stage presence, and longevity. He also played in a band that did many different styles from hard rock to opera to ragtime to funk to synth etc.

Queen had enough longevity as well. They were around for about two decades (1971-1991) and were just as relevant in 1975 as 1985.

1985 already at Live Aid:



And 21 years after his death:

 

[Hammettf2b]

Dave Grohl, dammit!

If Dave Grohl is on a list, then I would think Billie Joe Armstrong would as well. I've always said that Green Day has always put on a great show and a lot that has to do with Billie Joe working the crowd.

 

[Disclose]

for me Bon Scott should be there. Anyone who watches his old live performances see what could how great he was live. Paul Stanley is joint front man with Simmons and Simmons has more allure then PS

Gene is the "popular one" in KISS, but if you see them live, there is no question who the frontman of the band is....

 

[Ceremony]

I mean, here's what I can get behind. If front-man is just a code-word for stage presence and charisma of any variety, then I'm onboard, I guess. I can relate to the feeling of a band having just the right look/demeanor/schtick, adding mood and color to the performance with banter/wit/charm/just the way they carry themselves and all that. But whenever I see these lists, it always feels like a list of "the guys who are the best at dancing around on stage, being theatrical/dramatic, asking for attention and getting the crowd riled up" which has always felt like a pretty unimportant thing to me, so the term is a bit unclear to me. Dylan sitting motionless on his chair with that full harmonica contraption getup, wise-cracking with the audience between songs has an awesome feel to it, but does that make him an incredible front-man? Or is a front-man STRICTLY the TYPE of stage presence that Jagger is? And why would a great voice be a prerequisite? Also, does a person's front-man-ness depend on the crowd's reaction to it, or is it just judged by whatever your own personal reaction to the environment? What are the rules?

I haven't seen Can live before (except in videos), but I've always liked the description I've read of what Damo Suzuki seems like on stage. Just buzzes around the stage like a fly losing himself to the groove, almost like a wandering homeless man who doesn't seem to have any reason to be up there, and then occassionally, WHAM! picks the perfect spot to jump right in, nonsensically barking/wailing like a psychotic madman to give everything that extra punctuation. Is that front-man-ness?

If it's JUST strictly the stadium-rock-type thing that Mercury/Jagger does, I have no use for it, personally.

Have you ever seen a band live?

 

[GarbageGoal]

I think the fact no women are even mentioned here is pretty interesting, unless they are taking front"men" literally.

It tells me that indeed, testosterone is what fuels big stadium concerts maybe more than someone really getting up there and pulling you in emotionally, thru vocals, subtlety, the craftsmanship of a song. Not saying men can't do that, in fact it's probably a good reason that someone like Dylan, or Clapton or Levon Helm don't make this list.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

I think the fact no women are even mentioned here is pretty interesting, unless they are taking front"men" literally.

It tells me that indeed, testosterone is what fuels big stadium concerts maybe more than someone really getting up there and pulling you in emotionally, thru vocals, subtlety, the craftsmanship of a song. Not saying men can't do that, in fact it's probably a good reason that someone like Dylan, or Clapton or Levon Helm don't make this list.

FWIW, I find Karen O to be a very engaging and fun frontwoman.

 

[KirkOut]

Since when is Dave Grohl so special???

He's alright. I think he gets overrated because he's pretty much the only one in the post-2000 era who has that 'rock star' persona

 

[GarbageGoal]

FWIW, I find Karen O to be a very engaging and fun frontwoman.

By the same token, Shirley Manson is as entertaining as any frontman I've seen in concert.

 

[Aladyyn]

Gwen Stefani

Now I have a sudden urge to watch Live in the Tragic Kingdom for the hundredth time, thanks .

 

[beowulf]

One of those things is not like the others...and the answer is the one that has to do with Oasis.

 

[Augscura]

Chuck Schuldiner

 

[belair]

Danny Carey: Tool

Is this cuz Maynard usually hangs out backstage?

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Chuck Schuldiner

Good choice

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Well, going to a live show's a different story haha. But as depraved as he was, he was honest and uncompromising, which is more than you can say for most. And beyond the shock of it all, he had some kickass tunes.

Agreed.

 

[Know Your Enemy]

The best frontman i've seen live is Matt Barlow from Iced Earth

 

[WeThreeKings]

Is this cuz Maynard usually hangs out backstage?

Partly, Danny is the focal point if you go see Tool live. He doesn't say anything, he doesn't do anything, he just plays the most innovative, complex and creative drum parts in the history of music and never ****s up.

I once saw Danny Carey drop a stick and he continued to play the song with one hand, flawlessly, until he retrieved a second stick. Closest I've ever seen to him making a mistake.

 

[Shareefruck]

Have you ever seen a band live?

Sorry, I missed this. I've seen some modern acts live, but admittedly, most of the peak guys we're talking about are before my time, and I've either only seen concert films of them or the over-the-hill version of them. So if that means only take my comment with a grain of salt, that's fair.... I just don't really understand why there's a distinction between the crowd-work front-man kind of charisma/stage presence and just ANY kind of charisma/stage presence. They're both an ability to impress through performance.... shouldn't that be the only measure, then? Just seems a little strange to me that the crowd-effect/performance type matters enough that these guys get their own special label for it.

 

[Led Zappa]

Sorry, I missed this. I've seen some modern acts live, but admittedly, most of the peak guys we're talking about are before my time, and I've either only seen concert films of them or the over-the-hill version of them. So if that means only take my comment with a grain of salt, that's fair.... I just don't really understand why there's a distinction between the crowd-work front-man kind of charisma/stage presence and just ANY kind of charisma/stage presence. They're both an ability to impress through performance.... shouldn't that be the only measure, then? Just seems a little strange to me that the crowd-effect/performance type matters enough that these guys get their own special label for it.

You changed your post ha ha.

Those of us who think it weighs heavily are the ones who have experienced it and give it weight. You can't or haven't, therefore you don't give it much weight. Apparently the majority of people judging this subject have experienced it and therefore give it a lot of weight.

You keep using words that put those of us who feel that way down as well. I don't think you can help it lol.

We are getting "worked up" by a frontman? Seriously, it's as if getting into a concert is us being less thans who can be tricked into dancing and cheering by these people just because they scream "I can't hear you "Insert city name", Are we gonna have some fun tonight? Crowd ROOOOOOOOOOAAARSSS!!!

 

[McPuritania]

Mike Patton is so criminally underrated.

A thousand times this.

 

[Shareefruck]

You changed your post ha ha.

Those of us who think it weighs heavily are the ones who have experienced it and give it weight. You can't or haven't, therefore you don't give it much weight. Apparently the majority of people judging this subject have experienced it and therefore give it a lot of weight.

You keep using words that put those of us who feel that way down as well. I don't think you can help it lol.

We are getting "worked up" by a frontman? Seriously, it's as if getting into a concert is us being less thans who can be tricked into dancing and cheering by these people just because they scream "I can't hear you "Insert city name", Are we gonna have some fun tonight? Crowd ROOOOOOOOOOAAARSSS!!!

I changed my post? What do you mean?

I understand that people have different experiences, and I really didn't intend to comment on anyone's experience but my own, as well as my own lack of being able to relate with the popular view. Again, I really don't think the phrasing I'm using is "talking down" to anyone. I'm not removing the possibility for genuine invigoration from the experience a front-man gives, I just don't see what's different about this type of genuine invigoration and what you get from guys who don't also have that monster effect on the collective crowd. I didn't understand how your description didn't just fall under charisma/stage presence instead. And the only other remaining difference between the two groups that I can think of is "crowd-work", which seemed less important to me (and judging by your comment, if you thought Mercury/Jagger did it, would seem less important to you as well). The fact that I use words that reflect this breakdown, and the fact that I didn't mention this other feeling that YOU get which I don't understand, shouldn't be taken as an implication that your experience is not to be taken seriously and should be dismissed as crowd-work, though.

 

[cupcrazyman]

Freddie Mercury

 

[Ceremony]

Sorry, I missed this. I've seen some modern acts live, but admittedly, most of the peak guys we're talking about are before my time, and I've either only seen concert films of them or the over-the-hill version of them. So if that means only take my comment with a grain of salt, that's fair.... I just don't really understand why there's a distinction between the crowd-work front-man kind of charisma/stage presence and just ANY kind of charisma/stage presence. They're both an ability to impress through performance.... shouldn't that be the only measure, then? Just seems a little strange to me that the crowd-effect/performance type matters enough that these guys get their own special label for it.

What bands have you seen? What size of venue have you been in?

 

[Shareefruck]

What bands have you seen? What size of venue have you been in?

Just stuff like Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, U2, and over-the-hill-Stones when I was younger in various stadiums/venues in Vancouver. Admittedly I'm not a big live concert guy, they probably weren't the most ideal venues, and these are not the best guys to judge by. It's mainly just something that I don't grasp/make sense of conceptually and basing on found footage rather than a "I know concerts, and this is what I know from first hand experience" claim, though. For example, I've seen a bunch of Rolling Stones concert films, looked at Jagger's front-man-ness and wondered-- Why is this its own category of thing?