Best frontmen
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Best frontmen
I was playing lots of Monster Magnet recently and I started thinking about what an amazing showman Dave Wyndorf was when I used to go and see them live (I gave up on them about 12 years ago however). It got me thinking about who are the best frontman and wondered what others think. I'm taking about bands I like rather than legendary figures (Freddie Mercury etc.)
I'd list these guys:
Dave Wyndorf (Monster Magnet)
Mary Mary Golightly (Gaye Bykers On Acid)
Jerry A (Poison Idea)
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees - for the sheer fury of his presence!)
John Lydon (Sex Pistols)
Probably some more but these were the ones that sprang to mind.
I'd list these as the most over-rated:
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Roger Daltrey (The Who)
I'd list these guys:
Dave Wyndorf (Monster Magnet)
Mary Mary Golightly (Gaye Bykers On Acid)
Jerry A (Poison Idea)
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees - for the sheer fury of his presence!)
John Lydon (Sex Pistols)
Probably some more but these were the ones that sprang to mind.
I'd list these as the most over-rated:
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Roger Daltrey (The Who)
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I can and runcible mentioned him. Freddie Mercury was indeed legendary. Nobody else ever came close, Mercury was awesome.twentysixdollars wrote:Strangely enough, I can't think of a single band I like that has or had a really charismatic frontman.
Matt Johnson (The The) also a fantastic frontman of his own band. Brilliant frontman, especially when moody.
Agree with you about Daltrey but not Morrison.runcible wrote:I'd list these as the most over-rated:
Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Roger Daltrey (The Who)
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Genesis P Orridge - The only true entertaining front man who refuses to become tired & old. True rock n roll star!
Julian Cope - Have followed him for years & have yet to see a bad gig. Always changing and recent albums continue to be great. Genius!
Bobby Gillespie - Sometimes the gigs can be hit or miss but always loved his musical knowledge. Great front man and true lover of rock n roll!
Jack White - Every gig is about him & truely exciting. Great rock n roll star!
Julian Cope - Have followed him for years & have yet to see a bad gig. Always changing and recent albums continue to be great. Genius!
Bobby Gillespie - Sometimes the gigs can be hit or miss but always loved his musical knowledge. Great front man and true lover of rock n roll!
Jack White - Every gig is about him & truely exciting. Great rock n roll star!
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Arthur Lee and John Lennon are obvious, but clear standouts for me, plus I think Jim Reid deserves an honorable mention, though without the contrast of the anti-hero stance of his brother William it maybe wouldn't be so apparent...especially when they're fighting with each other or someone else, rock'n'roll at it's rawest but possibly its best!
Someone I doubt springs to mind would be Stuart Murdoch but his understated and often lack of confidence on stage makes his clear musical talent even more endearing.
Plus since we're here, I think Pete K deserves a mention, whilst I'm mostly too young to appreciate the good old days of Spacemen 3, in the gigs I've got on record and video he shines as a non self-promoting frontman who dealt well with it all both administratively and front-of-house ... "I fucked your mother" - "Well I fucked her first" ... classic stuff, if a little childish ... but who cares
As for overrated - Jim Morrison would've been a nobody without Jac Holzman (Electra) and the amazingly talented Ray Manzarek and grossly underrated Bobby Krieger.
Can't agree about Jack White - after the Glastonbury 2005 show I was very impressed with his talent and potential, but I think Jimmy Page covered all those musical bases in the privacy of the practice room in the 1970s, then went out and delivered a decent show in public.
I can see why folks think Roger Daltrey might not be worthy of a mention on his own, it's the presence of Pete Townsend that makes the post-Keith Moon stage presence of that band still stand out.
Someone I doubt springs to mind would be Stuart Murdoch but his understated and often lack of confidence on stage makes his clear musical talent even more endearing.
Plus since we're here, I think Pete K deserves a mention, whilst I'm mostly too young to appreciate the good old days of Spacemen 3, in the gigs I've got on record and video he shines as a non self-promoting frontman who dealt well with it all both administratively and front-of-house ... "I fucked your mother" - "Well I fucked her first" ... classic stuff, if a little childish ... but who cares
As for overrated - Jim Morrison would've been a nobody without Jac Holzman (Electra) and the amazingly talented Ray Manzarek and grossly underrated Bobby Krieger.
Can't agree about Jack White - after the Glastonbury 2005 show I was very impressed with his talent and potential, but I think Jimmy Page covered all those musical bases in the privacy of the practice room in the 1970s, then went out and delivered a decent show in public.
I can see why folks think Roger Daltrey might not be worthy of a mention on his own, it's the presence of Pete Townsend that makes the post-Keith Moon stage presence of that band still stand out.
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i thought genessis p. was a woman now. not only that but he wants to be idnetical to his girlfiredn/wife?nasty wrote:Genesis P Orridge - The only true entertaining front man who refuses to become tired & old. True rock n roll star!Yeah but how out there was the article?mojo... watch your back!
....anyone here remember Psychic TV's good vibrations?
anyways frontmen.....mick collins of the dirtbombs, ohh and that one guy from the rolling stones, without him you'd have no richard ashcroft.
iconic band singers- ian mcculloch, ian curtis, lou reed
but personaly the one person that i could not get enough of live has to be dylan. you just can't tear your eyes away
julian cassablancas (strokes) was surprsingly endering live with his half scared mumbles between songs. i thought liam was far overrated when i saw oasis live, though he truely is iconic. ian brown was a other one that was surprisingly good.
don't understand the kuffufle over matt bellamy (muse) live, i thought they were pants and i love their albums...figure...
but personaly the one person that i could not get enough of live has to be dylan. you just can't tear your eyes away
julian cassablancas (strokes) was surprsingly endering live with his half scared mumbles between songs. i thought liam was far overrated when i saw oasis live, though he truely is iconic. ian brown was a other one that was surprisingly good.
don't understand the kuffufle over matt bellamy (muse) live, i thought they were pants and i love their albums...figure...
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
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yeah brownie with his yo-yo!
my votes with Syd Barret or Mad Richard. don't really listen to oasis that much anymore but still go to 1 or 2 gigs when they tour, Liam has got quite a presence though his voice is struggling these days, I listened to Champagne Supernova this morning and compared it to a recent record, can't remember which - my what a difference!
suprised jagger hasn't been mentioned. Bob Marley?
my votes with Syd Barret or Mad Richard. don't really listen to oasis that much anymore but still go to 1 or 2 gigs when they tour, Liam has got quite a presence though his voice is struggling these days, I listened to Champagne Supernova this morning and compared it to a recent record, can't remember which - my what a difference!
suprised jagger hasn't been mentioned. Bob Marley?
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I'm a bit scared to see Dylan live, i'm worried he'll be really crap. But he is a bit of a god to me- some pictures and video clips of Bob just ooze charisma and presence.bunnyben wrote:
but personaly the one person that i could not get enough of live has to be dylan. you just can't tear your eyes away
My choices- Richard Ashcroft, Iggy Pop (i'm not a huge fan but he is a great frontman nonetheless), Patti Smith...
Weirdly though most of my favourite bands either have no frontman or, in a weird way, more than one.
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Mad Richard was good 10 years ago but his recent albums & supporting Coldplay have vastly diminished any talent he originally had! I saw him a couple of years back & he was fucking awful with little stage presence & seemed more suited to a schmaltzy hotel lift!!!!
Ian Curtis is a great call but i have never seen him live. Would love to have had the opportunity see him live! Any footage i have seen looks massively intense & seriously captivating! Rock n roll star!
Iggy again i have seen a few times & always brilliant! Rock n roll star!
Jarvis Cocker - Seems to have got better & better. Loved him with Pulp & his recent album good early morning walking music. Running The World - Genius! Pop star!
Ian Curtis is a great call but i have never seen him live. Would love to have had the opportunity see him live! Any footage i have seen looks massively intense & seriously captivating! Rock n roll star!
Iggy again i have seen a few times & always brilliant! Rock n roll star!
Jarvis Cocker - Seems to have got better & better. Loved him with Pulp & his recent album good early morning walking music. Running The World - Genius! Pop star!
I've heard of the Meanies, Ash.
They've got a track on an Aussie AC/DC tribute album called Fusebox.
Speaking of which, when I was in Red Eye Records in January, I picked up a copy of an album by Legends Of Motorsport, partly cos of the sticker on the cover recommending it and partly because the sleeve was designed by Peter 'Hate Comic' Bagge.
I think they're brilliant. Heavy riffs n keyboards garage stuff. Do you know much about them? I think they might be from Melbourne.
(This is quite O/T, sorry)
They've got a track on an Aussie AC/DC tribute album called Fusebox.
Speaking of which, when I was in Red Eye Records in January, I picked up a copy of an album by Legends Of Motorsport, partly cos of the sticker on the cover recommending it and partly because the sleeve was designed by Peter 'Hate Comic' Bagge.
I think they're brilliant. Heavy riffs n keyboards garage stuff. Do you know much about them? I think they might be from Melbourne.
(This is quite O/T, sorry)
** gratuitously off topic **
And that's reminded me of another great frontman - Roman Tucker from Rocket Science. They've spent a fair bit of the last four or five years in the UK after being taken under the wing of Supergrass, so some of you may have come across 'em. Very 70s-keyboard-heavy garage rock with particularly driving guitar lines. As mentioned in the theremin discussion last year, he is particularly fond of stashing a second theremin somewhere away from the stage, crowd surfing over to it mid-song, and playing it whilst held up by the punters. Very charismatic chap.
It's a pity they don't dress up in those pilot's uniforms anymore...
Aah yes, replacing the iconic bagpipe solo of It's A Long Way To The Top with a kazoo solo. Classic.Starfish wrote:I've heard of the Meanies, Ash.
They've got a track on an Aussie AC/DC tribute album called Fusebox.
Don't know too much about them, I'm afraid, although I have seen them a few times, at free street festivals and what not. But yeah, they're a great, fun band to see live.Starfish wrote:I think they're brilliant. Heavy riffs n keyboards garage stuff. Do you know much about them? I think they might be from Melbourne.
And that's reminded me of another great frontman - Roman Tucker from Rocket Science. They've spent a fair bit of the last four or five years in the UK after being taken under the wing of Supergrass, so some of you may have come across 'em. Very 70s-keyboard-heavy garage rock with particularly driving guitar lines. As mentioned in the theremin discussion last year, he is particularly fond of stashing a second theremin somewhere away from the stage, crowd surfing over to it mid-song, and playing it whilst held up by the punters. Very charismatic chap.
It's a pity they don't dress up in those pilot's uniforms anymore...
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lila something orother from the duke spirit... when i saw her she had broken ribs! that's what i call pluck
'raging and weeping are left on the early road
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
now each in his holy hill
the glittering and hurting days are alomst done
then let us compare mythologies
i have learned my elaborate lie
of soaring crosses and poisened thorns'
<<<Good Vibrations>>>ro wrote:shonn I'll try to get a hold of that Psychic TV.
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Males - Suggs and Sean Ryder as well as some previously mentioned.
Females - errm not sure how about all of the sugababes?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JbsAn4ZHVKA
Females - errm not sure how about all of the sugababes?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JbsAn4ZHVKA
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise.
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I agree with the Travis memory, that was puke. The Sugababes version of I bet that you look good on the dancefloor is much better than the original but as I think the Monkeys (the arctic ones not Davy Jones' lot) are shit so the suga girls were always on a winner with me.MUFCSPACEMAN wrote:Great pick.Flathaddock wrote:I would like to add Adam Ant
Re. Sugababes - big Heidi fan (even before she knocked back Carl Barat), always thought Mutya was cute too.
This trend of getting pop gals to cover cruddy current indie hits is really getting on my nerves. The Sugababes don't need the Arctic Monkeys. I'll even take Lily Allen (who I can't stand) over the Kaiser Chiefs (who are just the pits).
I suppose it's better than the other way around - cruddy indie pin-ups covering pop hits in an 'ironic' fashion (brings back horrible memories of Travis gurning and lumping their way through "Baby One More Time").
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise.
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I am already humming itMUFCSPACEMAN wrote:Idea - Sugababes covering Davy Jones' lot would be a good thing > "The Boy That I Knew Somewhere".Flathaddock wrote:The Sugababes version of I bet that you look good on the dancefloor is much better than the original but as I think the Monkeys (the arctic ones not Davy Jones' lot) are shit
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset, I am in paradise.
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Errrrr, i think i missed out a little word like ''see'' somewhere in that last post....Flathaddock wrote:You did Freddie in concert? Some claim to fame that Jig.The Jig wrote:Said it on pages 1, 2 and 3 and now 4. The best frontman i ever did in concert was Freddie.
What more can the heart of a man desire?
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I thought I had never read an article about you and Freddie doing a live sex show, I read the sun and surely they'd have picked that story up.The Jig wrote:Errrrr, i think i missed out a little word like ''see'' somewhere in that last post....Flathaddock wrote:You did Freddie in concert? Some claim to fame that Jig.The Jig wrote:Said it on pages 1, 2 and 3 and now 4. The best frontman i ever did in concert was Freddie.
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Re: Best frontmen
Easy. Tony Yeboah.
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Re: Best frontmen
What abut Hope Sandoval? I saw various footage of her with Mazzy Star and she looked cooler than anyone ever. Nice singing too!
Re: Best frontmen
MUTHAFUCKING HANDS DOWN THE BEST.
should have been in tijuana with back in the day, that thong came flying off as well.
i love the cramps. that goddamned rockNroll.
me.
should have been in tijuana with back in the day, that thong came flying off as well.
i love the cramps. that goddamned rockNroll.
me.
Re: Best frontmen
burst wrote:What abut Hope Sandoval? I saw various footage of her with Mazzy Star and she looked cooler than anyone ever. Nice singing too!
uhhhhhhhm? she has a massive case of stage frieght. but yeah she does look cool!
me.
Re: Best frontmen
Q Magazine currently has a list of the 100 greatest frontmen of all time. As I thumbed the pages I felt a slightly panicy feeling as to who they'd have as number 1. And there it was - Liam Gallagher. My God what little imagination that magazine has and how much it is simply trying to sell copies rather than actually say anything of significance. A good friend of mine said that if he sees any band on the front of Q he immediately takes note to avoid that band if he can avoid it and I am inclined to agree.
That obnoxious twat Gallagher the greatest ever? Jesus Christ. I'm not much of a Nick Cave fan but the guy has more stage presence (and talent) in his little finger than Gallagher could ever hope for. Iggy Pop was number 8 in this list. 8. Love him or hate him but Iggy has genuine presence and knows how to perform. Most of the people mentioned in this thread are far greater frontmen - Robert Plant, Dave Wyndorf, Lux Interior... the list is endless. Gallagher knows how to lear and look like an arrogant cock.
Needless to say I replaced the shoddy magazine back on the shelf in disgust and feel ashamed I ever picked the fucking thing up.
That obnoxious twat Gallagher the greatest ever? Jesus Christ. I'm not much of a Nick Cave fan but the guy has more stage presence (and talent) in his little finger than Gallagher could ever hope for. Iggy Pop was number 8 in this list. 8. Love him or hate him but Iggy has genuine presence and knows how to perform. Most of the people mentioned in this thread are far greater frontmen - Robert Plant, Dave Wyndorf, Lux Interior... the list is endless. Gallagher knows how to lear and look like an arrogant cock.
Needless to say I replaced the shoddy magazine back on the shelf in disgust and feel ashamed I ever picked the fucking thing up.
Re: Best frontmen
I always thought Freddie Mercury was the greatest frontman man but obviously not. Talking of frontmen, did anyone see Holly Johnson on the One Show tonight? What a surprise to see him on tv. To use a phrase which helps give a sense to FGTH...
Holly and Paul were like a double dose of Johnny Rotten, only with a fierce gay agenda.
What more can the heart of a man desire?
Re: Best frontmen
I saw that Holly Johnson piece on The One Show. He said 'you know' about 20 times in 5 minutes. I have a thing about people on telly using repeated cliches and catch-phrases - on lazy Saturday mornings I've started counting the amount of times James Martin says 'there you go' on Saturday Kitchen (among others - James Martin bingo is a big thing in my house of late). I liked the stuff HJ said about his love of the Bowie 'Ziggy' period, music I am a big fan of. I'd heard that Meatloaf - also on that programme - was a fairly big homophobe so the curious combination of interviewees was unexpected
Freddie Mercury deserves his place - easily in the top 10 of that list and obviously above the Garragher twat.
Freddie Mercury deserves his place - easily in the top 10 of that list and obviously above the Garragher twat.
Re: Best frontmen
The Q list is so subjective ,its almost pointless even publishing, from a personal point of view any footage of 76/77 Johnny Rotten always makes the hairs on my neck stand up,oh for a shot of a non existant time machine.
Re: Best frontmen
I always thought David Baker, at the very least, made things very interesting at Mercury Rev shows.
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Re: Best frontmen
Kevin Ogilvie.