greatest rock frontman in last 25 yrs (lyric, singer, metal, metallica)

lighterfight · 09-22-2005, 05:45 PM

I would give axl rose the nod as the best rock frontman in the last 25 yrs. Granted he's vanished the last 10 and counting but what he did for gn'r is amazing

TheBig3 · 09-22-2005, 09:04 PM

Um 25 years? since 80 huh? Axl was damn good without a doubt but we should define what a frontman is before we go off slapping it on people who may not deserve it.

Everyone post a rule:

1. utility: a lead vocalist who has the ability to fill in multipple positions should get a boosted rating as opposed to a singer who can only sing.

Merkaba · 09-23-2005, 01:27 AM

2. Idealogical: Must have considerable song writing ability, and a strong variance on his material.

If everyone is to post a rule then when will we start to discuss the actual topic?

fidelityfiend · 09-23-2005, 07:58 AM

3. attittude: must think and act like the coolest/baddest MF on the planet.

my 2 cents -
Axl was OK but obviously lost it, at some point his ego took control and now he's just an idiot - also GnR ain't done squat since Slash and the crew bailed.
David Lee Roth was the penultimate frontman for a while and then his ego took over, also his lyrical content was very one dimensional
Rik Emmett of Triumph - under rated and mostly unknown - great singer and guitarist with good tunes - not enough attitude
****ie Barrett from MMB - this guy is a frontrunner. He has all of the qualities and still has cred - got popular and then told the record company to blow.
Tim and Lars from Rancid (neither one is really the frontman) - cred and attitude and a variety of song subjects - but thier tunes pretty much all sound the same.
Scott Weiland from STP and VR - has the chops and the attitude - now if he can just stay off the smack......
OZZY - has all the goods but looks like a fat penguin waddling around the stage.
James Hetfield from Metallica - has the talent and attitude - nah F*&K them.
There's a lot more , maybe later......

fidelityfiend · 09-23-2005, 08:01 AM

are you kidding? they censored the short form of Richard? how f%#king retarded.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 09-23-2005, 08:35 AM

Well Ian Curtis qualifies by 5 and a half months

Urban Hat€monger ? · 09-23-2005, 08:36 AM

Frank Black

Close the thread

Metallica_rox · 09-23-2005, 12:50 PM

Axl's good but James Hetfield is way better... dealt with alot of shiiit too

jr. · 09-23-2005, 01:02 PM

4. Command: Must be able to grab the audience by the throat, put foot on said throat, and hold them captive for entire duration of the show.

Well, I am probably only semi-qualified to give an opinion on this, since I don't know too much about today's music. I'll preface this by saying I am only going on the bands I have actually seen live.

At one time, Steven Tyler was the quintessential frontman. He could say "Eat your chair", and people would do it. Unfortunately, he evolved into a charicature of...well, himself.

David Lee Roth has been a clown all his life, but it was his pairing with Eddie Van Halen, that enabled him to show his one-man circus to the world. He was never a great front man, in my opinion, because he always put himself before everything, even his audience.

Roger Daltry was a great front man, in his day. He had it all. Leather lungs, good looks, and a boy next door charm that captured the women, and an a$$ kicking side that captured the imaginations of the guys.

Ozzy was drunk when I saw him. LOL. So, I can't really say much about him. I will say this for Ozzy...when he left Sabbath, he was smart enough, for the next 10 years, to have young gunslingers on lead guitar. Randy Rhodes was great, and innovative, but in my opinion, Jake E. Lee was better. Ozzy, somewhere down inside, knew he couldn't carry it all by himself. Hence, the lightning quick youngsters. A distraction, or whatever you'd like to call it.

I'll say, Robin Zander had the crowd in the palm of his hand all three times I saw Cheap Trick. There was nothing flashy or overly spectacular about him. He just related well with his audience. Drew them in, and made them feel as though they were part of the show.

Ted Nugent, whom I've seen 4 times, didn't so much include his audience, insomuch that he snatched them up and beat them over the head with his guitar. I enjoyed it, though. Thank you sir, may I please have another. The great thing about Ted is, while he was never innovative (much), and never varied or strayed much from what made him top dog from 74-77, he remained true. One guitar, eight Marshall cabinets, and no effects in between to clog the signal. Here's my guitar, I'm going to play it. Loud. Dig it?

Obviously, the greatest front man of all time, was Freddie Mercury. If there is such a thing as doing what you were born to do, Freddie was the prime example of that. Onstage, he was personable, haughty, bold, shy, blatantly over the top, and wonderfully understated. He knew who to be for each and every song. He never forgot the fact that there were anywhere from 20 to 50 thousand people looking at him. Freddie made the audience an intricate part of the show. Oh, yeah, and he could sing a little bit, as well. He was a wonderful showman, and I am fortunate to have seen him live.

fidelityfiend · 09-23-2005, 02:22 PM

great observations jr - another killer frontman that barely qualifies for the 25 year window is Peter Wolf from the J. Geils Band. Great performer.

09-22-2005, 05:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
lighterfight Groupie Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: missouri Posts: 31	greatest rock frontman in last 25 yrs I would give axl rose the nod as the best rock frontman in the last 25 yrs. Granted he's vanished the last 10 and counting but what he did for gn'r is amazing

09-22-2005, 09:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Um 25 years? since 80 huh? Axl was damn good without a doubt but we should define what a frontman is before we go off slapping it on people who may not deserve it. Everyone post a rule: 1. utility: a lead vocalist who has the ability to fill in multipple positions should get a boosted rating as opposed to a singer who can only sing. __________________ I've moved to a new address

09-23-2005, 01:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
Merkaba Whitewater! Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 2,885	2. Idealogical: Must have considerable song writing ability, and a strong variance on his material. If everyone is to post a rule then when will we start to discuss the actual topic? __________________ She thinks I'm a reclusive genius, she's going to be very disappointed when she finds out i'm a reclusive wanker

09-23-2005, 07:58 AM	#4 (permalink)
fidelityfiend Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tampa FLA Posts: 80	3. attittude: must think and act like the coolest/baddest MF on the planet. my 2 cents - Axl was OK but obviously lost it, at some point his ego took control and now he's just an idiot - also GnR ain't done squat since Slash and the crew bailed. David Lee Roth was the penultimate frontman for a while and then his ego took over, also his lyrical content was very one dimensional Rik Emmett of Triumph - under rated and mostly unknown - great singer and guitarist with good tunes - not enough attitude ***ie Barrett from MMB - this guy is a frontrunner. He has all of the qualities and still has cred - got popular and then told the record company to blow. Tim and Lars from Rancid (neither one is really the frontman) - cred and attitude and a variety of song subjects - but thier tunes pretty much all sound the same. Scott Weiland from STP and VR - has the chops and the attitude - now if he can just stay off the smack...... OZZY - has all the goods but looks like a fat penguin waddling around the stage. James Hetfield from Metallica - has the talent and attitude - nah F&K them. There's a lot more , maybe later...... __________________ is it 4:20 yet?

09-23-2005, 08:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
fidelityfiend Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tampa FLA Posts: 80	are you kidding? they censored the short form of Richard? how f%#king retarded. __________________ is it 4:20 yet?

09-23-2005, 08:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Well Ian Curtis qualifies by 5 and a half months __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

09-23-2005, 08:36 AM	#7 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Frank Black Close the thread __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

09-23-2005, 12:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
Metallica_rox Music Addict Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 140	Axl's good but James Hetfield is way better... dealt with alot of shiiit too __________________ i love all of you lol add me so i may rant 121 on msn be_my_b-tch@hotmail.co.uk

09-23-2005, 01:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
jr. Seeker of Peace Join Date: May 2005 Location: Newark, De. Posts: 341	4. Command: Must be able to grab the audience by the throat, put foot on said throat, and hold them captive for entire duration of the show. Well, I am probably only semi-qualified to give an opinion on this, since I don't know too much about today's music. I'll preface this by saying I am only going on the bands I have actually seen live. At one time, Steven Tyler was the quintessential frontman. He could say "Eat your chair", and people would do it. Unfortunately, he evolved into a charicature of...well, himself. David Lee Roth has been a clown all his life, but it was his pairing with Eddie Van Halen, that enabled him to show his one-man circus to the world. He was never a great front man, in my opinion, because he always put himself before everything, even his audience. Roger Daltry was a great front man, in his day. He had it all. Leather lungs, good looks, and a boy next door charm that captured the women, and an a$$ kicking side that captured the imaginations of the guys. Ozzy was drunk when I saw him. LOL. So, I can't really say much about him. I will say this for Ozzy...when he left Sabbath, he was smart enough, for the next 10 years, to have young gunslingers on lead guitar. Randy Rhodes was great, and innovative, but in my opinion, Jake E. Lee was better. Ozzy, somewhere down inside, knew he couldn't carry it all by himself. Hence, the lightning quick youngsters. A distraction, or whatever you'd like to call it. I'll say, Robin Zander had the crowd in the palm of his hand all three times I saw Cheap Trick. There was nothing flashy or overly spectacular about him. He just related well with his audience. Drew them in, and made them feel as though they were part of the show. Ted Nugent, whom I've seen 4 times, didn't so much include his audience, insomuch that he snatched them up and beat them over the head with his guitar. I enjoyed it, though. Thank you sir, may I please have another. The great thing about Ted is, while he was never innovative (much), and never varied or strayed much from what made him top dog from 74-77, he remained true. One guitar, eight Marshall cabinets, and no effects in between to clog the signal. Here's my guitar, I'm going to play it. Loud. Dig it? Obviously, the greatest front man of all time, was Freddie Mercury. If there is such a thing as doing what you were born to do, Freddie was the prime example of that. Onstage, he was personable, haughty, bold, shy, blatantly over the top, and wonderfully understated. He knew who to be for each and every song. He never forgot the fact that there were anywhere from 20 to 50 thousand people looking at him. Freddie made the audience an intricate part of the show. Oh, yeah, and he could sing a little bit, as well. He was a wonderful showman, and I am fortunate to have seen him live. __________________ Be strong then, and enter into your own body; there you have a solid place for your feet. ~ Kabir

09-23-2005, 02:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
fidelityfiend Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tampa FLA Posts: 80	great observations jr - another killer frontman that barely qualifies for the 25 year window is Peter Wolf from the J. Geils Band. Great performer. __________________ is it 4:20 yet?