Best frontman in rock

Mars Bar

thebigcheese22 wrote: »

First of all you know the name of a Pearl Jam album...kudos! :rolleyes:

I don't think you can determine whether a frontman engages the crowd unless you've seen them live. You basically admit that you've never seen Foos, Bell X1, even Queen in the flesh and yet you still say Meatloaf are the best (or along those lines)
No I've never seen Meatloaf and never will (I'm under 50 yasee). I'm not saying that they're crap live but, you stated rightly before, that they're different genres - Rock and Rock Opera.
The OP said best frontman in Rock ergo not 'Rock Opera'.

But whatever floats your boat dude.

Ahm, I saw Meat Loaf and I'm only 19. He did actually help Steinman write songs believe it or not...

ShawnRaven

mars bar wrote: »

Ahm, I saw Meat Loaf and I'm only 19. He did actually help Steinman write songs believe it or not...

To be fair, Steinman needed Meat Loaf as much as Meat Loaf needed Steinman, because Steinman sure as hell wasn't going to make his millions from Bonnie Tyler, who was his next biggest success after Meat Loaf in terms of co-writing.

Let me see, Meat Loaf is still doing tours in big arenas, Bonnie Tyler is on Podge & Rodge.

Just saying, folks.

Mars Bar

Yeah, did you see the Meat Loaf documentary and Steinman and himself either had a tiff or because Meat's voice was gone, but Steinman went and recorded some songs with his own vocals. I think it was Bad For Good. It was a complete flop, then Meat Loaf recorded the same song and it was a hit. I do like the Heaven and Hell album with Meat and Bonnie.

But yeah, he was never going to be anything without Meat and vice versa...

ShawnRaven

mars bar wrote: »

Yeah, did you see the Meat Loaf documentary and Steinman and himself either had a tiff or because Meat's voice was gone, but Steinman went and recorded some songs with his own vocals. I think it was Bad For Good. It was a complete flop, then Meat Loaf recorded the same song and it was a hit.

Yeah, most notibly Rock and Roll Dreams Come True, which became a bigger hit for Meat Loaf 12 years after it's original release with Rory Dodd doing vocals.

Mars Bar

I think it's because Meat Loaf puts so much emotion and feeling into the songs, it's mad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzc8CzrHIAc&feature=PlayList&p=4505B152246F5C42&playnext=1&index=28

and they are back together!

doug1970

Whosbetter? wrote: »

Roger Daltrey & Pete Townshend!!!

The Who; Have you forgotten how good they are????

yes...the obvious choice...greatest band ever tried it.

and, therefore, here is the best frontman ever...in his prime..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK8xoOLCBR4

SoothsayerWrath

Freddy gets in the top 5.

#1 - Jim Morrison
#2 - Mick
#3 - Daltrey
#4 - Freddy
#5 - Bono

SoothsayerWrath

Jim wins out as Best Frontman of All-Time for the following reasons:

Jim was Jim on and off the stage. His stage persona was his real persona. Jim could bring the entire sold out Madison Square Garden to pin-drop silence and did so during "The End". No other frontman has borne such poetic infusion in a rock realm, controlled the masses and brought a unified communion to large-scale crowds the way Jim did. No one has been as authentic and everyone has borrowed from him since. All these other frontmen pose, steal concepts like leather pants and whatever else, and they all seem like cheap replicas. Many who've seen the Doors live have described it as a "religious" experience. And his voice, that elegant baritone-tenor that could shatter you or lull one into comfort. He provided a sense of theatre that has since been unmatched and scared the likes of Jimi and Mick and Janis, etc. There is no Freddy or David Lee or whom ever else, without Jim Morrison. As such, that inherently means that his style was ORIGINAL. Where as you can draw lines from him to others, you can not do the reverse. Ergo, Morrison is THE BEST. Mick put on a show as did Freddie M. Bono is another real deal but he was HEAVILY influenced by bands such as Joy Division and Ian Curtis. That doesnt take away his credibility but being the first, being the best and being original leaves a legacy that is the Morrison mystique. No one else in rock history has that. And it was well-earned. I challenge anyone to explain to me how Jim should not at least be considered #1 against any of your other #1's. I welcome the conversation.

And as a sidenote - Robert Plant is DQ'ed. He stole his lyrics, stole his poses, the band stole their songs and not just from older acts thereby revitalizing the tune with a modern charisma - Zep stole from their contemporaries. This somewhat well-known fact ruined much of the credibility i once gave LZ. And watching many of their shows, Plants saving grace was his vocal range which bordered on monotony after a while. Hit the high-note yell. No depth. Anyway, merit has to be taken into consideration and Zep walked right into Cream's empty shoes, at one point Page trying to steal half of The Who to make the best "Super Group".

So Jagger and Morrison were the true original frontmen and Jagger was an act. Everyone thereafter, they can thank these two for providing launch pads to be charismatic and display their talents. But only 1 person ever took 30,000 people and broke them all through - James Douglas Morrison. Musical theatre for your head sung in tune and outrageously in the face of authority as never before. Jim died for his way of life and hid nothing. Love him or hate him, the Lizard King wins.

SoothsayerWrath

Honestly, Meat Loaf? Are you f&cking kidding me?

Mac Masters

For me the top 10 frontmen would have to be:

1.Axl Rose.
2.Mick Jagger.
3.Jim Morrison.
4.Robert Plant.
5.Roger Daltery.
6.David Lee Roth.
7.Jon Bon Jovi.
8.Freddie Mercury.
9.David Bowie.
10.Ozzy Osbourne.

It had to be Axl, as much as a twat as he is, if you look back at all the old G'N'R live shows he had this tenasity and energy on stage and was the constant show man. He may have been late for most of his shows but it would have been well worth the wait! Just my opinion!

davylee

I'd be for freddy and philo - saw james dean bradfield a few times thought he was unreal and worth a mention

niallon

From those I've seen I'd say Springsteen, Bono, Bowie and Tom Waits are the greatest frontmen/entertainers/crowd engagers. There's a really fine line between a good showman and someone who can really engage a crowd. Dunno how but somehow you can always tell if an artist is genuinely having a good time on stage. Like Bowie in The Point in 2003, he was genuinely taken aback at the response he had received on the first night and so on the second he was just giving it loads!

Also, s**t frontmen, Clapton and Keidis though Keidis is just genuinely nervous/shy whereas Clapton is just a cnut.

DrumSteve

Tallspoon wrote: »

Who is the best frontman in rock?
I just watched Richard Ashcroft sing Bittersweet Symphony and Love is Noise at Glastonbury on Youtube and in my book he is TGFITHOR or The Greatest Frontman In The History Of Rock. Are you with me?

sorry i was just (s)trolling through here and seen that... and well...LOL.

handsomecake

anthony keidis
caleb followill
ian brown
brandon flowers

Mars Bar

SoothsayerWrath wrote: »

Honestly, Meat Loaf? Are you f&cking kidding me?

You obviously haven't seen him live have you?!

niallon

The Meat does a great show, regardless of whether or not you like his music he's a great entertainer. That being said, the Ardgillan gig a few years back was horrific.

happyoutscan

SoothsayerWrath wrote: »

Jim wins out as Best Frontman of All-Time for the following reasons:

Jim was Jim on and off the stage. His stage persona was his real persona. Jim could bring the entire sold out Madison Square Garden to pin-drop silence and did so during "The End". No other frontman has borne such poetic infusion in a rock realm, controlled the masses and brought a unified communion to large-scale crowds the way Jim did. No one has been as authentic and everyone has borrowed from him since. All these other frontmen pose, steal concepts like leather pants and whatever else, and they all seem like cheap replicas. Many who've seen the Doors live have described it as a "religious" experience. And his voice, that elegant baritone-tenor that could shatter you or lull one into comfort. He provided a sense of theatre that has since been unmatched and scared the likes of Jimi and Mick and Janis, etc. There is no Freddy or David Lee or whom ever else, without Jim Morrison. As such, that inherently means that his style was ORIGINAL. Where as you can draw lines from him to others, you can not do the reverse. Ergo, Morrison is THE BEST. Mick put on a show as did Freddie M. Bono is another real deal but he was HEAVILY influenced by bands such as Joy Division and Ian Curtis. That doesnt take away his credibility but being the first, being the best and being original leaves a legacy that is the Morrison mystique. No one else in rock history has that. And it was well-earned. I challenge anyone to explain to me how Jim should not at least be considered #1 against any of your other #1's. I welcome the conversation.

And as a sidenote - Robert Plant is DQ'ed. He stole his lyrics, stole his poses, the band stole their songs and not just from older acts thereby revitalizing the tune with a modern charisma - Zep stole from their contemporaries. This somewhat well-known fact ruined much of the credibility i once gave LZ. And watching many of their shows, Plants saving grace was his vocal range which bordered on monotony after a while. Hit the high-note yell. No depth. Anyway, merit has to be taken into consideration and Zep walked right into Cream's empty shoes, at one point Page trying to steal half of The Who to make the best "Super Group".

So Jagger and Morrison were the true original frontmen and Jagger was an act. Everyone thereafter, they can thank these two for providing launch pads to be charismatic and display their talents. But only 1 person ever took 30,000 people and broke them all through - James Douglas Morrison. Musical theatre for your head sung in tune and outrageously in the face of authority as never before. Jim died for his way of life and hid nothing. Love him or hate him, the Lizard King wins.

Nonsense. Jim was heavily influenced by writers such as Nietzsche (Nietshzean philosophy), artwork, actors and religion (more the spiritual aspect) all of which when combined would have contributed (ie. borrowed) in some way or other to his onstage-persona. The influence of drugs and alcohol would also have gone some way into this persona.

This raises the question how you can state that his onstage persona was his 'real' persona when the above were such clear defining influences on the man. I agree he was a class act though but not in a way that allows all the other greats to be cast aside.

Mars Bar

niallon wrote: »

The Meat does a great show, regardless of whether or not you like his music he's a great entertainer. That being said, the Ardgillan gig a few years back was horrific.

it's 50/50 with him when you buy a ticket, you just gotta hope it's gonna be the better half...