Frontman
Who is the best frontman in rock and roll history?
I don’t think it is even close. It is Mick. Here is some early Stones from 1971.
Okay, there are later things. From Copacabana Beach in front of an intimate crowd of nearly 1.5 million.
The Glimmer Twins did that again in Havana and lit up Cuba.
The power of rock and roll can bring the world together, if only even a little closer.
That is a really good thing.
So, if not Mick Jagger, who is the best RnR frontman ever?
There are not that many possibilities. Daltrey? Mercury? Morrison? Bono? Robert Plant? Michael Hughcence? (If you never saw INXS with Hutchence, don’t count him out of this discussion). Then who?
Since it is a weekend, and that of the Austrian Grand Prix, a short note about that. The Austrian has never been the same for a long time, but it is currently a fast track. The grid is mostly as expected, though don’t know how Alonso let the two Ferraris ahead of him.
Freddy Mercury gave the single greatest performance ever at live aid. Impossible not to love him for that alone. I’m pretty sure Lady Gaga named herself after that performance (radio Gaga, google it)
So, this is kind of important, really. Freddie teases rhapsody and then stomps on everyone’s dick with this performance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpmXc-zUuiA
Agree about Freddie Mercury but I think Mick also borrowed from James Brown and David Bowie. George Thorogood gave a good show also as well as Elton John and Rod Stewart.
I was going to say Long John Baldry! After all he pulled Rod off the street as a busker, and gave the young Reg Dwight his start !
And don’t give me any of that Boogie Woggie music, or perhaps you should.
‘Borrowing’ is a very polite of putting it. And it was Liitle Richard whom he copied. By Mick’s own admission.
I think talent, longevity and …Mick although Bowie was an incredible visual artist as well as one of the greats and Prince was incredible as well as being one of the greatest guitar players ever. But take a look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aQTGqqXHw4
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I vote for Freddy Mercury, but of more contemporary bands, I nominate three: Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Tobia Forge (aka Cardinal Copia/Papa Emeritus II, III, and IV) of the band Ghost, and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance.
(I like my dark, theatrical, musical geniuses in eyeliner, what can I say?)
If nothing else, Way qualifies as the best front man/graphic novelist in r&r history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Umbrella_Academy
Hoping that link is acceptable.
It’s rare for me to publicly admit such as abject ignorance, but I had no idea! I am not worthy…
Tina Turner could out-sing, out-dance Mick or Fred.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-AzcJMkbjA
My personal favorite from an in-person concert was Chaka Khan.
Oh maaaan, I can only imagine!
Damn, I am late to this party. But, yeah, Freddie. Wish I had actually seen him live but I watched Live Aid as a teenager and he totally stole the show. And then I saw Live from the Rainbow on TV sometime later with him prancing around in his diamond catsuit. My military uncle was also watching and I remember him commenting, disapprovingly, ‘That’s so blatant.’ Me, I loved it.
I haven’t read all the comments yet, but has anyone mentioned Peter Gabriel? A charismatic, compelling performer, whether dressed as a flower or zorbing over a crowd.
I have never seen the Rolling Stones in concert, so I may speak from ignorance.
My first concert was Peter, Paul, and Mary in 1968 and I’ve seen a lot of concerts since.
The frontman I saw who really got the audience going, and engaged with the audience throughout the concert was Marc Bolan, frontman for T Rex.
If you ever get a chance go to YouTube and watch him sing and play guitar, in concert, for the Eddie Cochran song Summertime Blues from March 1972. Best version ever……
Oh, I, very early, saw Marc Bolan. But he was as much or more of a guitar player than singer. If we are going to talk the hybrids, you have to also consider Ian Hunter.
Also, I negligently left Rod the Mod off the original list/question. And Ian Gillian. And Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band.
This was next up in my youtube list
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNHdPPJGowY
Mott is a criminally underrated band. So is Badfinger.
My second favorite Ian Hunter song, reflecting how he go into rock n roll.
https://youtu.be/gLI4drqa5ys
The beauty of his songs are the lyrics, mainly autobiographical. (The beat works, also)
Oh, that is good!
Ian Hunter is awesome Live “All The Way From Memphis” when he starts with “Forgot my six string razor” wonderful and BMAZ Fred did ok in the stupid sprint although was surprised that Lance beat him but it was wet. Tomorrow tomorrow.
And Ariel Bender, aka Luther Grosvenor.
Ever hear how he got the name?
Seems they were walking down the street drunk and, well, some cars got damaged.
Hunter’s new album is awesome – as is his whole oeuvre.
The story of Badfinger’s demise is tragic.
Their manager stole the money and then two suicides.
Ian Hunter is my favorite all time rock n roller.
Best concert I have seen yet in my life was him and The Rant Band at the Fillmore in SF. He played 20 of my favorite songs, sipping champagne between songs. My wife said it was the best concert she had ever been to also.
He just released a new album at age 83, Defiance Part 1, unbelievable RnR (see “Bed of Roses”)
Can’t believe he is not in the RnR HOF.
But here’s my recommendation for greatest frontman:
https://youtu.be/27dfxVnI3rA
Peter Wolf is definitely worth a mention. I’ve recently been watching some old J Geils concert footage on Youtube and had forgotten how good he/they were live.
As an aside, I saw an interview with Peter Wolf recently and found out that he had been a radio DJ, in the Boston market if memory serves, pre J Geils. It was probably some great radio.
I grew up listening to that Boston station WBCN. Sly Stone was a brief dj as well as Wolf. Aerosmith was playing the college circuit. Charle Laquidarra was the main DJ. Howard Stern stole his act and became famous in DC. Bonnie Raitt and Van Morrison were playing local gigs as well in Cambridge.
bmaz, you should do one of these about great radio stations.
I grew up in NYC, went to school/worked around Boston for about 10 years, then moved to SFBA. So I was lucky enough to hear 3 great rock radio stations (WNEW, WBCN, and KFOG) from launch to their peaks. I thought all radio would be that way for the rest of my life :-(
Early on, BCN called itself “family radio” and it was truly freeform. They played stuff ranging from 1812 Overture (allowing time to catch a buzz, no doubt) to delta blues, obscure 50’s R&B, to even more obscure reggae. They even had a 2-hour show each week where they played dedications to inmates in local prisons.
Little Bill (a high school/college kid who came in on Fri or Sat nights for a couple of years) had a stunningly creative broadcast, perfect to accompany the mental excursions thet were underway.
Charles Laquidara’s morning drive show (The Big Mattress) was a lot more conventional, and like most drive shows he didn’t really play much music. I did enjoy the astrological weather report from The Cosmic Muffin, tho.
But the entire station was unspeakably great. All killer, no filler.
That is a pretty good suggestion. I grew up on KCAC, which later evolved into KDKB. Jeebus, those years were great.
Ahhh, ‘BCN! As a kid, that was the only station to listen to. ‘The Big Mattress’, Charles Laquidara, Duane Ingalls Glasscock, Mishigas, Tank, Yoop… After the morning sugar high you could settle back a bit with Ken Shelton, and then right into afternoon drive-time with Mark Parenteau. We also tuned into WCOZ just so we could hear Darrell Martini (Cosmic Muffin) tell us how our day was going to unfold.
My parents probably thought that the life-segue from Rex Trailer and Boomtown, to cranking the volume on WBCN was a bit jarring, for them anyway, but it was a fun time to be a kid. Thanks for bringing up the past.
The 1969-1972 years were the best, I think, largely because the quality of music was quite high and I was the right age. The garage band I was in during high school covered stuff by Hendrix, Cream, and Buffalo Springfield and I grew up listening to everything from classical to jazz to Peter Cook and Dudley Moore (thanks, Mom!) so I was ready when talent like King Crimson, Yes, CSN and so many more began to break early in college. So lucky to have been able to perform some of that music (though I never had the chops to be a progressive rock drummer).
Back on my head; the coffee break is over.
I vote for Peter Wolf.
Mick is a clear number one for me. Bono is a clear number two from the original list. Robert Plant was great, but he didn’t really stand out from the awesome guitar player and otherworldly drummer that were also in the band.
I think Neil Young deserves to be in the conversation, but only in the way that Jimmy Connors is in the conversation about the greatest tennis players.
I saw Percy with his Strange Sensation on his home ground at the Civic in Wolverhampton. He is a huge star but he didn’t hog the stage when he wasn’t singing; he stood back and let the band shine. I presume he knows how good he is but he doesn’t feel the need to push himself to the front all the time.
Did the Wolverhampton Wanderers really beat Leicester 3-1?
That’s all I can think of when I hear that city’s name.
Thank you for correcting your clear error re Mr. Wolf!
Eddie Cochrane was an amazing talent. Have one of his L.P.s some where. His drumming was amazing. Best song, Somethin’ Else. drumming is great.
Saw the Rolling Stones back in the day when they came to Vacouver. It was Keith Richards 50 birthday or so Jagger announced.
Jagger certainly has been the most constant front person. Just the fact he is still at it is amazing, he must be 80 by now. He still cranks it out when on stage. His shows are still great. The man is amazing and to topp it off he is still alive.
The headline gave me a start – I thought another voice from my youth had gone. Woof – of course one needn’t worry about Keith
I suspect Keef has pickled his body in enough chemicals to preserve it against pretty much anything. He’s probably indestructible by now.
James Brown?
I was never a huge Doors fan, but Jim Morrison had menacing sexuality Mick couldn’t match, not that he’d necessarily want to.
I was going to mention JB. I got to see him at the relatively intimate Keystone Berkeley in the late seventies or early eighties. Even though he was beyond his prime he still put on a dynamite show. More memorable than when I saw the Stones a few years before.
Gotta second this, and the folks below bringing up Tina.
Not to be argumentative buuut…basically, if the two of them aren’t on the short list what are we even doing?
(It’s like talking rock & roll guitarists without including Chuck Berry.)
Growing up in the Boogie Down and living in both SF and LA I have been blessed to see so much great live music. The Stones countless times. Bruce probably more. Bowie as Ziggy. Prince as… Prince. Plant right up there. Patti Smith. David Byrne. But I also saw James Brown at the Apollo. The list begins and ends with James.
James Brown–in both stage manner and raw sound–was like a lightning rod, drawing all eyes and rhythmic energy to him. That’s pretty much the essence of being a frontman. If you want to broaden the criteria you can start considering #2 candidates, like Otis Redding, Hendrix, or Chuck D (at least in audio-of course, he’s rapping over a track with JB’s rhythm section and vocal utterances, but Fight the Power captures quite a bit of the “thing”). Stevie Ray Vaughan had his moments. As with his songwriting, Mick was a tireless and always clever student, reaching genius at his best, but James Brown was all about the one thing – that pure, sparking, sizzling rhythmic energy – and no one has approached it that I’ve ever heard. There’s a Cuban guy who goes by Cimafunk who’s all the rage down there with a sort of JB-meets-timba approach, and if anybody could get there you’d think it would be a Cuban, but even from the front of the stage he didn’t come close to the raw power of even a scratchy JB recording through a transistor radio.
[later:] Forgot Little Richard, and both JB and Otis got their starts imitating him onstage. JB was even billed as him while Richard was in LA exploiting the success of his first big single.
James Brown played Atlanta Stadium in 1964. I was a sophomore in HS and played basketball with a lot of black guys at the black gym and was the only white guy to play there for several years. I just wanted to play where the best games were being played. Everything was segregated back then. I was lucky to meet those guys when I was young and playing their brand of ball allowed me to go to college and later play in the NBA. They told me they wanted to take me to a show and of course I was fired up. I’d hear a couple of James’ before, but only a couple times. The show was incredible and I truly believe I was the only white person there out of 30,000 folks. His band was awesome with great musicians, especially the horn players.
The question’s framing would seem to disqualify Dylan as “frontman” for the (mostly) Band/Hawks, or Bowie in front of the amazing Spiders from Mars. But ok….
I was recently thrilled to find that one of my all time favoritist of favorite bands ever, Bikini Kill, are still killing it live, very much including their primary “frontman” Kathleen Hanna, with some songs fronted by drummer Tobi Vail.
Here they are in Toronto, just last April.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy8wYTbkSEU
Okay, the combo of Gave Slick and Marty Balin may be in the discussion.
Grace Slick. She (and Airplane) were really, really good.
JA is my favorite group and I loved the Marty/Grace/Paul interweaving vocals, but neither separately or together do they challenge Mick, James Brown, Freddy Mercury, or Chuck Berry as frontmen/woman IMO. BTW, Signe Toly Anderson, Grace’s predecessor, was also an awesome vocalist. The role of frontman encompasses more than vocal chops.
What about front women? Or is that question counterproductive?
Ooops Mentioned Grace Slick. Ann Wison, Benetar, there are a lot. Out of that, only Wilson had mostly the same band. Not always the same, but consistent.
Oops again: Stevie Nicks.
Janis
100%.
Tina Turner, who taught Mick how to dance
Yup. And before her, Sister Rosetta Tharpe whose guitar work influenced all rock-and-roll guitarists to follow.
She was superb! Thank you for mentioning her. Also missing from this discussion are Bo Diddley, Little Richard, and “Killer” Jerry Lee Lewis.
Sister Rosetta is new to me as of this year. I honestly think she gave birth to RnR and she had the stretch marks to prove it. The history of recorded music is littered with tragedy and triumph and white washing.
Napoleon Murphy Brock gets my frontman vote. The Roxy band era of Zappa was truly gifted with great talented artists.
Let me introduce you to another Black woman front person who didn’t get her dues: Tina Bell of Bam Bam, grunge’s mother.
An introduction cum eulogy: https://youtu.be/KgoeBUpGObw
One of the best of Bam Bam: https://youtu.be/v8rA1qGUNqI
Rest in power, Tina.
Wow, that is good.
I can’t believe I never heard of them/her.
Noting Matt Cameron was the drummer, I’ve seen Soundgarden 3 times (once opening for Neil Young who played with Booker T, *et al*.)
Cornell was good.
Yes. The Queen Mother and a true inspiration. She was light years ahead of her time. Who else but her could dazzle while wearing this outfit?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9a49oFalZE
Goddamn but she was something. Another performer outside in the rain, giving it all without a care for the weather.
Don’t forget Irma Thomas. Not as famous but as great as all of the above. I saw her in 1966 for the first time.
Don’t forget Irma Thomas. Not as famous but as great as all of the above. I saw her in 1966 for the first time.
Janis. James Brown. Tina Turner. Grace. So many greats. For staying power and wide appeal, James Brown heads my list. Have seen him back in the say in both primarily Black audiences and mixed. Pure joy whenever and wherever.
How quickly we forget…
https://youtu.be/o8u8bvlDqq4
Fronting any band…
https://youtu.be/KOMhyngdx1E
….and dancing Mick’s Pony!!
Sadly, many don’t even think about women in this context.
And the greatest? No contest: Tina Turner.
Indeed. Debby Harry should be in the discussion.
Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie. Yes.
In the XY category, there’s something to be said for horrible old Johnny Rotten.
Chrissy Hynde, Florence LaRue, Pat Benatar, Debbie Harry, Christine McVie (vs Stevie Nicks). And others. All had beautiful voices and knew how to use them, whether through training or natural talent.
As far as I’m concerned, Carole King and Springsteen should have stuck with songwriting and let others do the singing. Their voices have always been painful to my ears.
Oh, and Linda Ronstadt. The bomb.
The Pointer Sisters killed it, from my perspective, on every one of their numbers.
Oh gods, yes, they were soooo fucking smooth, so good. And so much energy radiating off them as they performed.
Debbie Harry. Even given the impossible task of leaving aside her physical beauty, her songwriting, dominating presence and powerful, sweet, sharp, tender, sexy, scornful, glorious singing and sheer style put her at or near the top.
Counterproductive? No way.
Some of the most intense performances I have seen have been by women. Debbie, Siouxsie, and Kate are all well known (and brilliant) but I would like to say that, while I have seen the first two live and they were very, very good, I have also seen Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland); Diamanda Galas (only and ever herself); and Katy-Jane Garside (Daisy Chainsaw). They may not have become huge stars but they changed my life.
(Going a bit off-piste here but I would also suggest checking out Barbara Hannigan’s performance of Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre. I would offer a link but my computer seems to throw a major wobbly if I go near youtube lately.)
Freddie Mercury.
No offense to Mick or others, but Freddie was on another level. His vocal range was amazing, and his ability to connect with any particular audience was incredible. From the link: “The Who lead singer Roger Daltrey once described Mercury as “the best virtuoso rock ‘n’ roll singer of all time.””
As noted above, see Queen’s performance at Live Aid,
Speaking of Freddy and Queen…
https://youtu.be/UvM2Cmi-YRU
My Rolling Stones story.
My best buddy in school was ecstatic the Stones were coming to Cleveland.
He went on and on that we gotta go see them. We probably won’t ever get another chance.
So we went.
The year was 1978.
1966 Memorial Auditorium Sacramento
Fourth row – dead center, just a few feet from Mick’s mic.
Eyeball to … ahem, ‘eyeball’ with Mick’s…
Still I say Janis, forever.
Vancouver, 1972 (or thereabouts).
I hadn’t expected to go. I had a rule in those days that I wouldn’t line up for anything (after lining up for George Harrison and having the show sell out before I got to the window), that I would leave it to fate. A friend-girl had an argument with her boyfriend, phoned me up and said, Do you want to go? $25 for the tickets and you pay for the gas.
Reader, I went. The warm up act was Stevie Wonder who brought the house down. After him, Mick and the boys delayed coming on stage for nearly an hour. Absolutely amazing show.
I’ll try not to let this happen again but I find myself agreeing with bmaz on this one.
Had the fabulous opportunity to see the Stones in Baltimore during high school in ’69 or ’70 having just moved to the DC area (small town Idaho farm boy makes it to the big time).
The “warm” up act was B.B. King. I thought who is this guy? Wasn’t until later in life that B.B.’s music got me through a rough patch. Now I’m working on playing his stuff. Just learned what it means (from a music theory perspective) to bend the guitar strings. My ear could hear it but my mind didn’t know what was going on.
“I’ll try not to let this happen again but I find myself agreeing with bmaz on this one.”
Happens to the best of us. We won’t hold it against you.
And BB King a a “warm up act”? Damn. Never seen Mick and the Stones, but I’ve seen BB on multiple occasions.
Again . . . damn.
I am reminded of Shine the Light, about the Stones: Mick introduced, “Buddy-muthafucking-Guy!” Amen.
Hub just said Peter Wolf and J.Geils put on one of the best shows he ever saw-smaller venue in DC-maybe DAR?
He said the whole joint was on their feet and Wolf was pulling people up to dance.
Girlfriend saw the Stones at Madison Square Garden tour before last
and exclaimed, “Those geezers can Move!”
This is regional and weird, but Root Boy Slim and The SexChange Band was a Hilarious, bawdy show; that dude had presence. “You Broke my Mood Ring” anyone?
RIP Mr. Watts
Root was such a character; his whole mumble-sing thing was great. If you liked the band (I did, and saw them many times in DC) you should check out Defunkt and HarMar Superstar.
Root Boy was truly amazing, they played regularly in Albany, I probably saw him ar least a dozen times. I still listen to him a bit, great sruff.
Root Boy was truly amazing, they played regularly in Albany, I probably saw him ar least a dozen times. I still listen to him a bit, great stuff.
Janis Joplin
I saw Hutchence in ’83 and he was great, but I would suggest that his moves were too derivative of Jagger to take the crown (as a sidenote, I came to know his daughter Tiger a little bit twenty years later vis working on a software project at her school — a very lovely young girl who had to process far too much).
From the classic era, I don’t know how one can reasonable choose anyone BUT Mick. In the indie/alt/college rock waters of the 80s and 90s (and late 70s), there were certainly many absolutely amazing frontmen and women, but their cultural impact was far more limited. Still, for the Gen Xers in the crowd, I’d mention Jon Spencer, Jello Biafra, Bob Pollard, David Thomas, Mark Mothersbaugh….
Of those, Spencer’s retro blues schtick was easily the best in the Jagger/Presley lineage. But David Thomas of “avant garage” Cleveland artpunk cult faves Pere Ubu was definitely the most captivating lead man I ever saw live, even if his vibe is more eccentric and desperate than commanding and enticing. Ubu had a first-wave peak in the last few years of the 70s, but re-emerged ten years later with — for a couple albums — a more accesible form of weirdness. Google “Pere Ubu David Sanborn” to see a 1990ish version of their poppy Waiting for Mary with Sanborn chiming in on horns and Debbie Harry fleshing out the choruses. The tune itself is fairly normal nervy pop but you will see Thomas is a strange dervish.
As for the Stones, I did see them once in ’87 or ’88, with Living Colour opening. I worked local support for the show in Ames and the bulk of my work was shuttling dry cleaning, though I was asked to buy a hundredish bucks worth of “assorted condoms” for the road crew. Went to the Rite Aid or whatever, grabbed a bit o’ these, a bit o’ those, and took them to checkout. Guy looks at me, of course. “Stones crew,” I say. “Oh, that IS this week, isn’t it?” Those were days, perhaps not the days of Gimme Shelter but still….
[Mods who may or may not also be rockers: not sure if this is my previously used email address. If not, it was [email protected]; I will stick with this one moving forward]
DIAMOND DAVID LEE ROTH
You beat me to it but as I said down-thread “If God wanted to create a rock star from scratch he would have created David Lee Roth.”
Pretty California boy with long blonde hair, great clothes, amazing moves and sexually super-charged lyrics.
Not my groove, but Dayum, if Mr. Roth wasn’t Hilarious. PS: Sammy who?
Agree about Freddie Mercury but I think Mick also borrowed from James Brown and David Bowie. George Thorogood gave a good show also as well as Elton John and Rod Stewart.
Apologies to the moderators if multiples of this post occurred – presently at a campground where the network apparently does not tolerate randomized MAC addresses well.
Forgot about the Rodster. Great show. I think he was still with the Small Faces at the time.
Rod Stewart fronted The Faces. The Small Faces vocalist was Steve Marriott, nominated below, and whose singing style Rod & Robert Plant both copped.
You’re not even going to vote for your own front man?
I’m reminded that I read Prince once opened for George Thoroughgood during an early stadium tour and Purple Rain was a result.
Now, we Almost saw Prince at a small club in Atlanta not long before he died. We balked at the ticket price. Shoulda gone. I have always heard That Man Put on a Show!
I have Adore in my head now which works for me. Fine day to you fine people.
Jagger kind of defined the role.
Iggy, but not sure if he qualifies since a lot of his stuff is post-Stooges.
Peter Wolf is surely on the list. You really had to see that band live, none of their records did them justice. Bryan Ferry in the early Roxy Music days could have been a contender but he got less interesting as he got more control over the band.
David Byrne if you want to go in a more rock as performance art direction.
Nothing tops prime Freddie but his reign was, alas, too short. Hard to ignore that Mick has been at or near the top of the game for 50+ years. 50 years. Gotta respect the longevity.
Moves like Jagger…
https://youtu.be/iEPTlhBmwRg?list=RDiEPTlhBmwRg
Only very slightly off-topic–I like this anecdote about Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts:
“… ‘We were in Amsterdam for a meeting, Mick and I [Keith] weren’t on great terms at the time but I said c’mon, let’s go out. And I lent him the jacket I got married in. We got back to the hotel about five in the morning and Mick called up Charlie. I said “don’t call him not at this hour.” But he did, and said, “Where’s my drummer?” No answer. He puts the phone down. Mick and I were still sitting there pretty pissed – give Mick a couple of glasses, he’s gone – when about 20 minutes later there was a knock at the door.
” ‘There was Charlie Watts, Savile Row suit, perfectly dressed…I could smell the cologne! I opened the door and he didn’t even look at me, he walked straight past me, got hold of Mick and said “Never call me your drummer again.”
” ‘Then he hauled him up by the lapels of my jacket and gave him a right hook. Mick fell back onto a silver platter of smoked salmon and began to slide towards the open window and the canal below.’
” ‘And I was thinking, this is a good one, and then I realized it was my wedding jackey. And I grabbed hold of it and caught Mick just before he slid into the Amsterdam canal. It took me twenty-four hours after that to talk Charlie down. I thought I’d done it when I took him up to his room, but twelves hours later he was saying “Fuck it, I’m going to go down and do it again”…” https://www.noise11.com/news/fact-check-did-charlie-watts-say-to-mick-jagger-youre-my-fucking-singer-20210828
AMAZING. Much thanks.
Another frontman to consider: Bob Marley and the Wailers. The hub and I saw them a couple times in the early-1970s, once at the Roxy on Sunset in L.A., and once at the Santa Monica Civic. You hadda be there.
Hi! First-time commenter and I have been a long-time lurker. I am not one to posit unnecessarily and/ or uninformedly on the myriad topics that populate this EXCELLENT site, but this topic is in my wheelbox and I realize that if I’m ever going to first-time post now is my chance. So here goes!
I’ll second Mick, Freddy, and Janis. GV-San-Ya has a VERY good point mentioning Diamond Dave. That dude was a consummate showman. You’d have to include Elvis, although for me he is a bit before my time. Robert Plant as well.
Phil Anselmo of Pantera…if you like metal. Even if you don’t, he brought it.
There’s so many talents and maybe instead of a one ‘best’ a top-ten list would be more appropriate?
You could very easily add Ray Davies.
There are so many. And intent here was to draw them all out.
Yes, there are lots of first rate performers.
I saw Ray Davies a few times, solo and with the Kinks. He was a more low key frontman than, as a lot of his songs are reflective. But in their Schoolboys in Disgrace tour he was out there.
Joan Jett is a high energy frontperson .
John Lydon, Johnny Rotten, can really catch your attention.
Remember them all, always brings a smile.
My favorite was always Daltrey…great power in his voice!
I have too mention 2 others people might not think of…Joey Ramone Hey Ho! And Bob Geldof was AMAZING when he fronted the Boomtown Rats.
At the risk of newby over-posting, I just spent the last half hour+ so chasing down performances of many performers mentioned in the comments. Re-visiting some (Live Aid) and in awe of some that I didn’t know (Ray Davies, holy crap!).
Thank you for what you do. I come here for serious, informed, and intelligent insight on very serious subjects. That considered…this post makes me take pause, focus on what is perhaps more important, and enjoy being human.
Even if you don’t speak French, Matthieu Chedid (“M”) is an incredible performer.
Can I share an example?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7yA5rdXlA0
All righty then. I graduated HS in ’73, studied guitar, and went to hear live music in the bay area almost every weekend, about ’70 > ’77. There were so many.
I never cared for theatrics. Can’t argue with Jagger, but I liked others better.
Jon Anderson was my favorite. Amazing voice and range, he was less a frontman then another instrument in a great band… all great musicians in their own right.
2nd favorite: Roger Daltrey. I saw then indoors three times, including Cow Palace show when Keith Moon passed out on his drums and Townsend held drummer “auditions”. They were always great, and I always loved Daltrey’s voice. One of the best.
Joni Mitchell. ‘Nuff said.
Surprised nobody mentioned Paul McCartney. He’s like a 100 years old, and better then ever. :) Saw him about 6 or 7 years ago in Shanghai (of all places). Unbelievable.
Brian Johnson. Really good at what he does. Always surprised he never blew his vocal chords out.
Always thought McCartney was over rated. Always preferred the Stones over the Beattles. Stones always had an extra sound to them.
At his best, Ray has the uncanny ability to make the rest of the audience disappear, leaving him singing right to you. Neil Young can do the same. Actually, I’ll put in a vote for ol’ Shaky here—he’s not your standard “front man,” but is still a bouncing ball of energy onstage. The new Crazy Horse stuff is great—Nils Lofgren shows he’s a more than adequate Ponch replacement, with the bonus of being a solid songwriter in his own right.
NB: Updated user name.
That is a perfect description of Neil. Gravitas w/o theatrics doesn’t begin to describe his stage presence though he did dip his toes into a bit of “performance” with the Shocking Pinks, Third Greatest Garage Band in the World… His Neil Young Archives website is equally spectacular.
I’ll throw Ian Anderson in the mix since I didn’t see him mentioned (apologies if I missed it). He held court in a way that kept you fully engaged and was funny to boot!
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Phil Anselmo grew up across the street from my brother who described Phil as very polite and a nice guy.
Lemmy. Frontman of the entire profession from ~1980 to present. From the same world, Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford also need mention. Arguably Ozzy although musically he has always been a hack.
summa summa … Hendrix ?
Late to the discussion but: finally! Seriously, to get this far without any mention of Jimi makes me question my previous high regard for the people here. Stage presence off the charts – but also check out what happened in the London scene when he showed up. Jagger et al were revealed as the posers they were when they had to be in the same room as he.
Also seconding Ann Wilson.
Also all those other Seattle front-people.
Also disappointed there has not been a heated argument with moderator intervention about the precise definitions of “rock and roll” and “front man” as well as a reference to a previous post by Dr Wheeler which definitively establishes the correct answer.
Following up with second thoughts:
The Stones and Jagger are an astounding show.
But.
They’ve always seemed like a calculated, carefully prepared outfit (on stage) with Jagger’s LSE roots showing.
Jimi was just wild magic.
Yes, Jimmy! And Johnny Winter too! Saw them both, many times :)
Mick FTW. Top 5: Prince
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Copy that 8 letters. Fun convo going on here. I have seen them all many times as my tinnitus will attest. Having lived in Asbury Park in the mid 70s yeah, Bruce brings it too. But then, any of the aforementioned in a small venue. Prince at Tramps ’98. OMG
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I tried so hard to go that Tramps show and the ones at Irving Plaza. Fortunately I saw Prince at the Metro in Boston in 1982 (I think…getting old!).
Well, please throw Prince in the mix. Not quite as great music, though way up there as a musical and theatrical performer.
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Yes. Prince was a musician’s musician, a total fucking genius on so many levels.
https://youtu.be/6SFNW5F8K9Y
Yes. I was also not a big fan of his music, but…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MC6s9HHonU
The show starts at 3:27
When you referenced a show 3 minutes in, I knew exactly which video you linked. One of the best parts of that performance is that the camera ignores Prince for the entire early portion.
Of course there are genuine legends on stage. But everybody is pretty much replicating George’s part. Prince just takes it as a foundation and then builds an amazing new cathedral on top.
Note that on the Beatles version, Clapton (another “front man” I guess) actually did the unacknowledged solo.
Clapton more a guitar player who sang the a frontman.
Yes! That is one awesome performance!
The expression on Danni Harrison’s face?!
Thank you for saving me trying to describe it. It is the best bit of shameless scene-stealing I have ever seen, heh. I was not and am not really a Prince fan but this made me understand why so many people loved him.
Yeah, same performance I’d shared.
This one — Jesus H. Christ, this one: https://youtu.be/-WYYlRArn3g
“Can you make it rain harder?”
backstory: https://youtu.be/7NN3gsSf-Ys
Best Halftime show of All Times, no contest.
Prince & Sheila E. https://youtu.be/eWESS-xjhTs
They were tremendous, weren’t they? Breathtaking.
If that was the SB show, I am inclined to agree. Wholeheartedly.
Thanks for sharing that link, Rayne! That was outstanding. I had never seen it before. Wow!
I respectfully nominate Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil. He’s absolutely mesmerizing from the second he steps on the stage.
Glad to see Garrett’s name come up – the passion and the power, so to speak. And there’s always room for Jello – Jello Biafra fronting Dead Kennedys at Mabuhay Gardens was peak punk for me.
Sentimental favorite – Roger Daltrey. Such an expressive, supple voice and maybe the most beautiful hair and chest in rock n roll.
I’ve seen everybody and, for rock and roll, it’s Jagger by 2000 light years. I preferred David Bowie live, but for sheer rock and roll incandescence, it’s Mick.
An old friend of mine used to run the Days on the Green back in the seventies and eighties. He told me once that what the Stones were doing was channeling and focusing the collective energy of the crowd. He told me about walking to the back of the stage when the Stones were in the middle of their set and getting hit with a huge wave/pulse of the energy of 50K people or more all aimed at the Stones. That’s what Mick and the boys were doing.
2000 light years – an excellent combination of semi-obscure reference and correct units.
agreed. as a BGP staffer, my favorite part of working in the production office at Day on the Greens was walking through the steel catacombs to the stage. it was another world, with band crew in their carved out hidey-holes, the sound pounding through you, getting louder and louder until you walk up that ramp to the side of stage and look out at the 60,000 singing and screaming mass of shiny happy people. magic.
The Grateful Dead shows must have been awesome!
Only saw one of their shows, but it was when they were touring with the Wall of Sound speaker set-up. I thought I had died and gone to Star Trek. Beautiful beautiful sound with everything clear and sharp, none of the fuzz and distortion you so often got at the big concerts. And they did some “go on forever” songs too. A good night all ’round. Ah, my well-spent youth.
There’s a video out there – not on stage but on a tarmac. Mick and Jerry and their lady friends are waiting to catch the same small plane to some show somewhere. It’s the first time they’ve met and they’re introduced. Mick is his prissy little prima-donna self who can barely be bothered, while Jerry is his stoned out hippie self. So you know who gets my vote.
You know i’m talking about Bob B. :) I’m editing his memoir of late.
fabulous!! i’ve been savoring Rita’s book – finally real stories of life with Bill and BGP. can’t wait to read Bob’s!!
Holy Moly, Day on the Green. Growing up in the Bay Area was such a privilege; insane amount of local talent that went world wide, and everyone came here to play.
SO many greats mentioned, but I have to stick with Freddy for musicianship AND showmanship AND that IT factor.
As much as I love Grace, Janis was ELECTRIC.
A different type, but the Peter Gabriel shows I’ve attended are the most fun I’ve ever had (at a concert, anyway).
I hesitated to “go there”, because artsy prog rock was such a tangential off-shoot to classic rock and roll. Not to mention that it hasn’t aged very well. But Peter Gabriel fronting early Genesis – the only version of the group that matters, in my opinion, with Phil Collins as one of the best drummers anywhere – stands the test of time. Pretty epic solo career after that.
Along those lines: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull was a real showman.
The list gets really short after that, maybe because lots of prog groups focused on ensemble musicianship. Jon Anderson of Yes? Greg Lake of ELP?
Do please ‘go there’. I was too young to see Genesis with Gabriel but I’ve watched some old videos of Nursery Cryme- and Foxtrot-era stuff and Pete just pulls your eyes to himself. He is amazing.
Later, I got to see Collins-era Genesis at Wembley in 1987. Brilliant performance but I don’t like stadiums so I’ve never been to another one. For Collins fans, if you haven’t heard Brand X, do check them out.
And as for Ian Anderson: well, I really don’t mind if you sit this one out, but youtube seems to be playing so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAt1b21S97k
There’s a great live performance of Awaken by Yes on there somewhere too.
Coupla possibilities for the top ~10 list:
Bowie — https://youtu.be/HivQqTtiHVw
Morrison — https://youtu.be/k9o78-f2mIM
Springsteen — https://youtu.be/IxuThNgl3YA
Anderson — https://youtu.be/LoUgCCxKN1A
Fogerty — https://youtu.be/b0Upk41P7aw
She was not a rock and roller per se, but Eunice Kathleen Waymon shined very brightly. Here’s Nina Simone performing Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne in 1969.
Another long-time lurker, first-time poster.
Although a huge Ian Hunter/Mott fan, I have to disagree with previous posters – I never thought of Hunter as a compelling frontman. With Mott he shared the workload with Ralpher, and as a solo artist it’s much more about the songs than the “show.”
I was never a Top-40 kind of guy, but I’ll try to keep it to bands with a major label deal and at least one hit.
For top frontman from a megaband I’ll go with Freddie.
My overall #1 though, has to be Fee Waybill/Quay Lewd of The Tubes. Bonus points for being from AZ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SyixSHWgR8
The single most magnetic personality, the guy I couldn’t tear my eyes from for two hours straight, is Sal Solo of Classix Nouveaux, a British band with one minor US hit. However, I’m one of maybe 47 people in the US who have seen them.
Honorable mention:
Doug Bennett of Doug & The Slugs
Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy
Willy DeVille of Mink DeVille
Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys (mentioned by an earlier poster)
Vivian Stanshall of The Bonzo Dog (Doo Dah) Band
Question – Should a solo artist get consideration as a frontman? What was Bowie fronting?
A Bonzo Dog Band shout-out? Yes! Back in the stand-up days I’d walk on stage to The Intro and the Outro. The references and times mentioned in the song made me feel as if Lord Buckley himself was the MC bringing me on.
Yes to Phil Lynott—he was a true bard and a riveting live performer. Thin Lizzy was the best band on the face of the earth for a hot minute.
Fee had crossed my mind too. Always an amazing showman. And someone mentioned the Fab Mab(uhay Garden) . I spent much time there in the late 70s and early 80s. Fun memories.
Finally a thread I can post on.
Baltimark makes some great points, but I’d add Mark E. Smith. Absolutely stunning using just a bullhorn in 1986. Intelligent, captivating, vaguely threatening, in the best way.
saw the stones in ’72 at madison square garden. sticky fingers tour, the mick taylor era. really just as good as it gets. i’d throw into the mix springsteen. been seeing hime since the 70’s and he can command a stage and audience like no one. two also rans for me, Peter Garrett of midnight oil and ian anderson of jethro tull. just great live in their prime.
Tina Turner surely. Howlin’ Wolf was pretty great. Muddy Waters. Nina. What about the Motown Frontwomen? Diana? Martha?
Wait until bmaz finds out that Keith Richards inducted Aretha into the R&R HoF…
“Aretha Franklin Became the First Woman Inducted Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame” | Billboard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIj9WBG_2gM
Uh, I knew that.
Lol, I thought you might! So, you probably also know that he inducted Chuck Berry, ZZ Top, The Ronettes, Leo Fender, James Burton, and Johnnie Johnson. Pretty cool.
I think Mick only inducted The Beatles. Controversial place, the R&R HoF. It also probably doesn’t help to be in Cleveland.
Keef went and played with all kinds of people. Was really good friends with Billy Gibbons.
Bruce Springsteen, anyone? I’ve seen him – and the E Street Band – in concert every time he’s been on tour since 1980 and slept on the sidewalk of Amsterdam and 79th Street in 1985 to be 1st in line to get tickets to his show at the then-Meadowlands – and he has always, always, every single time, put on a 3+ hour show that gets the entire arena of attendees on their feet, dancing, singing, and full of joy. The soundtrack of my life, starting with “get me the hell out of NJ”. The fact that I’m going to see him again in December in LA is filling me with joy NOW, and much needed, given everything else….
yup. i grew up in asbury park in the 70’s so saw him from the beginning. he continues to astound live.
You from Jersey? I’m from Jersey! What exit?! My family moved to Lincroft, NJ, smack in the middle of a new house built in what was an apple orchard, across the street from a 9-hole golf course with a prominent sign stating that No Blacks and No Jews allowed that made me swear to never, ever play golf: It was eventually knocked down and replaced by a Bell Labs research office. I spent many a summer in Asbury Park and the beaches around there – one of the few things about living in NJ that I loved…. thanks for bringing back those summer memories. :)
exit 11. lived in Deal and then Asbury Park. Patti Scialfa was a classmate and friend through elementary and high school. graduated from Asbury Park High School in ’73. another friend became the guitarist in the Asbury Jukes. Spent alot of time at the Stone Pony in the 70’s. good times.
Saw him once and got really close to the front of the audience. He turned his head and blew his nose illuminated by a light behind him. A vast shower of snot flew through the air in a giant multi hewed arc. Very impressive, he has my vote.
Honorable mention? Elvis? Or, did he leave the building? “Honk, if you’ve EVER loved Elvis!”
Pretty hard to argue with Jagger as best frontman, given 50+ years of touring. He was better when I saw him in his 70s than he was in his 40s! As Joe Biden reminds us, experience counts for something. I’ll take Paul Rodgers for pure, soulful singing. Someone already mentioned Ian Hunter from Mott the Hoople, who was bigger in England than here. Van Morrison, although a vaccine shithead, is iconic as a vocal frontman although he hasn’t had a dedicated backing band since Them or The Chieftains. Fun topic!
It’s hard to disagree with your choice of Jagger, but he does have the Stones and longevity to back him up ! Now, for front men that could have fronted any band you threw at them , how about:Springsteen? Or that coy little songstress Tina Turner?
I’ve seen each of them in ancient times, just the once. The Stones were more than great, but the other two absolutely blew me away.
I’d suggest Joe Cocker as one of the greats. he was so amazing. Saw him in Vancouver and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Some may consider Stevie Ray Vaughan as more R & B., but as a front man for his band, amazing as was the sakis player.
SRV is the greatest guitar player I have ever seen. I love a great guitar and have many that I consider great and enjoy (Carlos Santana, Joe Bonamassa, Frank Zappa are all among the greats). But SRV was from another planet.
Yep & Yep!!! Reminds of one of the best who too many people have never heard play. Phil Keaggy. Don’t know if it was true, but rumored for years Hendrix said Phil was the best guitar player he ever heard. Keaggy makes the guitar sound soooo…. pretty.
His best known acoustic masterpiece is County Down. Good showcase on electric (with his band: Glass Harp) jam & solo. This one really starts to move around 2:00 in.
If you have never heard him, your ears will thank you if you do. :)
[FYI — links edited to remove tracking. /~Rayne]
No one has mentioned Vincent Furnier yet, but he’s still going strong. He’ll never top the material he put out with the original Alice Cooper group, but still knows how to work a crowd. His current lead guitarist Nita Strauss is a badass!
Since I don’t think I saw in the comments above, will offer JOE STRUMMER!
Apropos of this community:
https://youtu.be/BwKn1b1X6dc
Here’s my favorite Joe Strummer…….
He was Great!
https://youtu.be/zdIdv2ReeDY
(Trouble getting the right save, have to touch middle screen to get started……..)
“The only band that mattered…”
Such an important band on so many levels… fighting for racial and social justice with killer sounds and tunes… there is a thru line from The Clash straight to Public Enemy. Chuck D (also a mighty frontman) even says so!
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-48352061
Seconded on David Lee Roth… would also have to give Iggy Pop a shout out…. Saw Stooges (Mike Watt on bass) do a live taping for NPR in a tiny club – East Village, this was like 2013 – and still totally insane energy from him!! Jagger has plenty of that too, of course.
then saw him at a Phillip Glass – Tibet House benefit…. But this time he was fronting New Order doing an entire Joy Division set — ridiculous!
Can’t believe it took this much digging to get to Iggy Pop :).
Mark Sandman from Morphine (RIP) was also otherworldly.
But for energy integrated over time, Mick’s hard to top.
Fun story – I saw the Stones on their 1972 tour at RFK stadium in DC. Stevie Wonder opened for them. I skipped school to stand in line and get the tickets, and then I got fired from my lifeguard job because I refused to work that day, which happened to be July 4. We got pepper gassed at the concert. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been to a lot!
That’s great!
Also at that show; saw the Stones at DC Coliseum in, I think, 1966. I was a child, they showed up at least 2 hours late, and it was sweltering. I cried and my mother took me home after two songs. There was also a great Dead+Allman Brothers show at DC Stadium around 1972 (can’t bring myself to call places by their “rename”).
Long-time lurker. Thanks for everything. I grew up listening to “Get Yer Ya-Yas Out” nearly every day of my teen years in the 1970s. I don’t know, but there was something perfect for teen rebellion/angst. I finally got to see the Stones in Tokyo in 1989. I could see Mick’s moves through opera glasses by watching the big screen, I was so far up. Great show. Thousands of Japanese fans doing “hoo hoo” to Sympathy.
I offer Michael Stipe. I saw REM twice in the early ’80s and Stipe was painfully shy, hiding behind his hair. But watch any of their concerts from the 1990s on and he commands the stage and engages the crowd masterfully. Definitely not a Mick-style performer, but one who really came into his own.
Top 3: The Boss, Peter Wolf and Prince, in no particular order. Jagger is good, but I think longevity doesn’t necessarily make him better than he is/was. Bob Marley was a great, great concert.
Peter Wolf is seriously underestimated. But not by anybody that actually saw the J. Geils Band in their prime. Unbelievable show, always.
Fun fact: Mr Wolf rented a room from David Lynch. Who evicted him as being a little too weird.
That’s the best thing I’ve read all year.
Much to ponder.
I attended WPI a few years after J. Geils did, but the band came back to do a free show at the school in probably 1970. They were on Boson radio all the time, but were just breaking nationally.
I think First I Look At The Purse was on the air.
Yeah, pretty good stuff. They closed Fillmore East along w/ the Allman Brothers
If we’re talking about front men in the sense of great live performers, its generally agreed that we’re talking first about Mercury at Live Aid and James Brown at the TAMI Show, the latter of which has to be seen to be believed [it was the first time white people saw it, so it was ‘new’]. Elvis and Jerry Lee also belong in this conversation.
As far as great front men who wrote great stuff but were nothing special live, its hard to top Davies, who was paranoid that the Beatles et al were stealing his stuff, and might sometimes have been right. But its a very long list of people like this, including Mick of course.
Turning back to live performers, we once were fortunate enough to see the late Sharon Jones, with the Dap Kings [how does one become a ruler of Dap exactly?], and she clearly modeled herself on Brown, and it was one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen live or on video. May she rest in peace.
Its just stupid to say anything bad about the Stones, but I’m equal to the challenge: they never wrote anything after the early 70s that I ever wanted to hear again. Your actual mileage may vary.
Wow, reading all these comments is taking me back decades to the 70’s with my first concert being Led Zeppelin. Since then have seen many of the artists mentioned here. I would like to mention Ian Anderson with Jethro Tull. His showmanship with his flute was truly mesmerizing.
Ps: Apologies for not figuring out how to change my username to eight characters.
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Thank you
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While I love Jagger, and would rank him near the top, it has to be one James Douglas Morrison. The whole package, the look, the talent, the attitude, the stage presence. The ULTIMATE rock star. There will never be another like him.
Bmaz is definitely out in front on this one.
But the bandana-wearing Little Steven can back up a truckload of joy and drop it off on your driveway.
There is no turning back after you read his memoir Unrequited Infatuations….
Frank Zappa. He was funny, iconoclastic, and the best guitarist you never heard.
All you need to hear is Watermelon in Easter Hay. Supposedly, it was Frank’s favorite as well.
Live in New York ‘77 with Mike Brecker. At the Palladium. You really can’t beat that.
There’s hundreds of frontpeople that are amazing. Depends on your musical taste. Let’s whittle this down to an interesting select group: a frontperson who is someone whose primary job is to carry a microphone (not a guitar or sit at a piano) sing, banter with the crowd between songs and get everyone involved. Their act is big enough to play the biggest football arenas and the frontperson is captivating to everyone all the way to the back row. The ones that come to mind are Jagger, Mercury, Roth (even with terrible vocals), Bono. That is an amazing ability.
Check out Kip seriously gettin’ down with his Mic Jagger, @4:43…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQtOHmzj1Kg
“Pine Mountain Logs” (The Venice Band’s “cover act” LOL)
No! No cover bands!
Though have to say, long ago there was a Jimi cover guy named Randy Hanson, and he was fantastic.
No cover bands, but it reminds me, there was a LA band; Hammerhead. Really good cover band, with a twist. There was also a longe-style pianist in the Bay Area, DJ Lebowitz, who covered punk on his piano. Very entertaining.
Rod Stewart had a long dry spell in the last part of the 20th century, and at that time it was said that Rob Hanna did a better Rod Stewart than Rod Stewart
No, no, I know that. I’m all in on The Jagger. I just thought that Kip’s sendup was spot on. Made me laugh. Venice isbadass. They are the offspring — brothers and cousins — of the Lennon sisters, from the Lawrence Welk show.
Yes, he was very good; came through Chi a few times.
The 80’s?
Shit, we are old.
Yes. Late 70s or early 80s. Lol I guess the age is showing. Oops! Hanson was really great though
I recall Wayne Cochran and the (C.C. ) Riders because it was one of the few concerts I went to as somewhat awkward teenager in the mid 60s.
I do not suggest he belongs on such a list such as this, but he either invented or copied/refined some things you may notice.
See if you can pick out Joe Willie and Ann Margret here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTY78K_t84c
My Favorite – him sans band in view which misses a lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvXBsJTtJM
Bonus points if you can remember the band from movie fame that covered this song later on.
for a frontman, I’m Team Freddie all the way. Mick and the Stones put on a kick-ass show, but Freddie and Queen put on an amazing performance. Getting to see Freddie & Crew at the height of their powers three times, their concerts – and Freddie’s showmanship – engaged the audience from beginning to end in a way I’ve never experienced with other groups.
Little Richard by a mile over Jagger. Schooled Mick who borrowed heavily from the master.
Lol, Mick stole from Tina Turner by a light year more than Little Richard. Also, Little Richard was the key musician of his band, not a traditional frontman.
Let’s not substitute personal faves over true frontmen.
Two documentaries highlight the direct impact Little Richard had on Jagger. Standing in the wings watching Little Richard, and his own admission. There’s no debate.
“Little Richard: I Am Everything” ( Amazon )
“Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” American Masters / PBS
So, you are basically arguing that “any” singer is a “frontman”. That is not a proper construct.
It’s a funky category…. I was thinking in terms of innovator/influence on the form. He sang and played. Sometimes, just fronting. Sometimes accompanying himself w his band.
I do recommend those documentaries. Influenced Paul McCartney and the band when they were unknown–introduced to LR by Brian Epstein. LR tells funny story of how he taught Paul how to sing ‘woooo’…
Anyway, happy 4th of July to you bmaz.
The concert all the celebrities went to see was Neil Diamond immortalized on the album “Hot August Night”.
I once walked past a club in Georgetown (DC) late 70’s with two gorillas in suits out front and the whole glass front was heaving. The music was so incredibly loud a block away you couldn’t actually tell what music was playing. Turns out the Stones snuck in and wanted to play a club that night, invitation only. Your ears were so overloaded you couldn’t make sense of the sound. Of course all those guys were so deaf by then that the record companies wouldn’t let them produce.
That club was likely The Bayou. Emergency (saw Janis Joplin there in something like 1968) was the smaller room on M Street that brought in ‘big’ acts.
Interesting you knew that, but we walked there from my favorite club, the Bayou. It was some upscale place up the street across from White Castle I think. The Bayou had a great sound system there with 1800W sound reinforcement.
I witnessed the first time Foreigner played in front of people practicing their first tour set there. (The Bayou was owned by Cellar Door Productions, the largest promoter in the world at the time). They hadn’t released their first album yet so there was only a dozen people there on a Tuesday and nobody had heard their music. I could tell from their first note they were pros. Hard to handle a guitar on stage with 1800W without practice. They had a goodbye show before they tore the Bayou down.
There was a place by the White Castle (N Street; can’t remember the name), but definitely not as big as The Bayou. I recall a bar, maybe close to Dumbarton?
Hard to argue with putting the top-tier girls and boys towards the top of the list, but there are plenty of second- (and lower-) tier bands that have great frontpeople: Mark Mothersbaugh, David Bryne, Fee Waybill.
It is a crime that Devo is not in the Rock Hall.
Fee Waybill was sort of a parody of frontmen, especially when inhabiting his Quay Lewd character
Still, the man could (can) sing. I like his album from last year.
Good call with David Byrne, fronting one of the best bands of an extremely formative era.
Fortunate enough to have seen DB about 30 times, starting in 1977. He is still incredibly vital and his new music is as fine as his earliest. He is NOT a nostalgist, which Mick really is. While bmaz says ‘no cover bands’, the Stones are indeed the (best) Stones cover band in the world. They have done, essentially, the same set for over 30 years. Moving away from fronting a full band, has anyone here seen Tim Curry live. Sadly, he’s quite ill currently, but he was beyond extraordinary when he toured in the 1980’s.
In my opinion it’s Bon Scott
Live fast, die young
https://youtu.be/LeVAHvuCpdQ
And Amy from Amyl and the Sniffers is pretty awesome too
https://youtu.be/RSmLNKrqqSQ
Bon Scott is a great call.
I have become a fan of hers, she’s so … honest.
Punk had some good ones. Henry Rollins, D Boon, John Lydon
But you are right about Mick Jagger. He’s the GOAT.
And add to the punk/glam era was one of the early founders – the great New York Dolls with David Johansen fronting. I saw the Dolls many times at the Mercer Arts center in the Village. An old 19th century 3-4 story building that collapsed from all the vibrations from the Dolls’ guitars; luckily very late/very early one night/morning and not a soul was hurt. Malcolm McClaren saw the Dolls, went back to the UK and put an ad in the NME and thus, the Sex Pistols were born. Johansen had another life as Buster Poindexter and is still out there, alive, kicking ass and taking names.
Don’t know if it’s on satellite radio anymore, but Johansen’s Mansion of Fun was must-listen radio for me. He is an amusing sage whose knowledge and love of music runs very deep.
DJ and BP were really alter egos, but the Dolls suffered because of all the bogus comparisons that were made to the Stones. Great shows at CB’s and Max’s in the early 80’s.
Front people that I have seen magnetize audiences in order:
Janis
Iggy
Peter Tosh
Freddie Mercury
Henry Rollins
Artist I have not seen but from movies and videos etc:
Prince
Having seen Van Morrison in small clubs, he is an anti-magnetic shoe gazer, but his darkness is weirdly compelling.
Thanks for bringing the Stepping-Razor/Bush-Doctor into the discussion. Peter Tosh is to Bob Marley as Malcom X is to Martin Luther King.
His righteous anger is unmatched.
Look north and you’ll find singer-songwriters Mark Knopfler and Mike Scott who helmed Dire Straits and The Waterbouys! They don’t strut so much, but they write a lot more. And sure, we’re big Mick fans around here.
He is not my favorite, but it is hard to argue against Mick. Have been a Who fan my entire life. Roger Daltrey was so dynamic on stage. I saw them in 1982 and again in 1988. Past their peak, but still damn good. Tina is in a class by herself, but I want to throw Annie Lennox into the mix. I do not know if she fits the category exactly, but she is damn good. Thank you all for this thread. I have learned about some people and listened to some good music.
Good call on Annie Lennox.
Well, the best in history..We are not talking about performance, but history. The only one who who puts the best Rock and the best Roll in R&R history is Mick. I saw him in 1970 and we had to wait for 3 hours while the band was detained at the airport for drugs, And their lead in was (just how I pictured it) Stevie Wonder …Mick delivered his all, all night…
Just watched the Austrian sprint race. Epic mid-field battles in the rain. Gotta go with Terry Adams of NRBQ fame. Some of the best shows I’ve seen.
Who needs Jagger when you’ve got King Kahn?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDAPISyDKJs
Don’t see any love here for Bruce and Greg might not be the front man but he ran the ABB shows. Currentl think TTB is the best show touring.
Steve Marriott did Robert Plant earlier and better. Helluva performer, too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gWqrP30YXQ
Beth Hart should also not be omitted from the list. What the hell, same song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5XoP755yC8
Lol, Steve Marriott was far more of a guitar player than frontman. Again, the idea was for a discussion of true frontmen, not who your favorite musicians are or were.
I did neglect to list Ozzy though.
Only reason I checked back here now was to see if there was still nobody who could even give an honorable mention to the guy who did not hesitate an instant when he had his one and only chance on the stage to bite the head off a live bat.
I mentioned Ozzy a bit ago.
But somehow did not mention my own neighbor, Alice.
Yeah, I remember you mentioning before that he was your neighbor, so thought it funny he wasn’t mentioned either.
God, the misery we must have put our parents through. Very late in Mom’s life I mentioned that to her. Oh, yeah. She’d suffered. We didn’t use headphones. And she was naturally nervous anyway. Our music didn’t help one bit. Amazingly, the parents never got nasty about it.
The one we all agreed on, where everyone could enjoy, was the one and only Willie Nelson.
Seriously, my bad. I did not do well there!
I mentioned Alice Cooper, but I used his given name.
I saw Alice Cooper perform some time between 1978-1980 — sorry, those early years in college are a little blurry LOL — and he was a blast. So much fun. The crazy part is that Cooper appeared with Cheap Trick. I wish I could remember if this was before/after Live at Budokan, though.
Live at Budokan was incredible. But don’t know the answer to that question. But that would be a hell of a show.
They’ve worked and toured together for years – even this bit says they had 25 years under their belts as of 2005. You might even have missed them in your backyard this year.
I just wish I’d have kept the ticket AND not been so damned hammered that night. Young and stupid, what can I say?
I like ’em big and stupid…
https://youtu.be/ug0tax34AbQ
Marriott not a great frontman? I gotta disagree, but he did play a pretty mean guitar, as well.
I’m going to vote for Jerry. Not because the fat guy could move or gyrate but because he didn’t need to. All he had to do was stand still and channel the universe.
On the other hand, if God wanted to create a Rock Star from scratch, he would have created David Lee Roth.
LOL. There were times at Winterland their music was so good, it seemed that way. I saw ’em maybe 20 times, all over the west. 4 or 5 of those at Winterland produced the best, most complete, and literally beautiful music I heard my entire life. Mozart like.
We used to say there was a Grateful Dead concert, and then there was everything else.
Wish I could have been at the pyramids.
5/8/77
Have to include Roger Daltry – The Who one of the greatest bands, especially with that nutcase (affectionately) Keith Moon on drums. But have to agree with MJ the best overall, with Janis a close second. See here with Keith Moon https://youtu.be/SCNeVHv3Mlg
Eric Burdon. Ian Gillian. Janice Joplin. Rokie. Different flavors than Mick, but killer.
I saw the Stones in the early nineties in Syracuse. Mick, exceptional front man, VERY high energy. Concert too loud, but that’s besides the point. The Dead? Not a “front man” group, just pure jam, so can’t compare. Elvis Costello, excellent front man, but not Mick.
My limited experience with front men would put Madonna in the running. My girlfriend talked me into going (late ’80s), and while stuck on Lake Shore Drive heading to the concert at Soldier Field, a car next to our bus caught on fire. We all exited and walked the remainder. Massive crowds. I was like, yawn, just let me get through this so I can get boyfriend credit for doing something against my grain.
Then Madonna came on stage. Ok, a little teasing. Extra dancers come on. And then she lights the place up! My jaw dropped as I watched her dance and sing. Even though I’m an old rocker (and back then, a young waterpolo player), I became a Madonna convert that night. I was in shape, but she was downright unbelievable. Will never forget her talent and abilities.
More contemporary but no youngster either, I saw Brad Paisley a few years back. Blown away not only by his showmanship but wow, one hell of a guitar player.
A couple of names who probably aren’t the top vote-getters tier but are as good as many of the other names thrown out.
— Does Ric Ocasek fit your definition of frontman, bmaz?
— And how is it nobody has brought up Steven Tyler?
Ike (ugh) and Tina came to my school around 1970 or 1971 and there were some tables set up at the edge of the stage. Could almost feel the wind as she moved around. She was even then.
I might vote for Aretha, though I’d probably vote for Ella too. Maybe we need some categories, so we can include guys like David Ruffin or Eddie Kendrick or Levi Stubbs or Ben E King or Clyde McPhatter, or Smokey-who-needs-no-last-name.
And everyone’s forgetting Elvis…
And Sting…
Adding Steven Tyler to the list is important. Somebody upthread did mention the King but noted that maybe he doesn’t count since he ‘left the building’.
Sting on the other hand was just the pretty poseur of a boy band (/s). But the dododah video is pretty fun.
I just remembered seeing David Johansen on the “Live it Up” tour. He knew how to put on a show [off to youtube to listen to “Buttercup” etc.]
Great front man; he played a bar I worked in in the early 80’s, saw him mebbe 3-4 times – terrific showman..
You know, funky but chic.
All of the obvious answers are already above, so I’ll add three more contemporary frontpeople.
Dave Grohl, Wayne Coyne, and Lizzo.
All three stand out as being first and foremost dedicated to making sure that their crowd has a good time. Great storytellers and very positive people putting on fun shows.
I’m a long time reader but never commented before, but I wanted to add my two cents to this topic. For me it is absolutely Roger Daltrey, I saw quite a few live Who concerts and the original band can’t be beat. There are so many others its hard to pick my next favorite but Bruce has got to be included also. I met him and most of the E Street Band back in the mid 70s after one of their shows in their hometown, and they were awesome and fun to party with.
Gotta be Bruce Springsteen.
in very different categories, just a couple of favorites:
Thom Yorke of Radiohead.
Beck.
I’ve seen many performers in my 70yrs and have to agree it’s Mick!
[Moderator’s note: Please confirm this is a change of username and that you have likewise changed your email address. Thanks. /~Rayne]
At the risk of being a thread-killer, I gotta agree that Mick is the one, but an honorable mention (at the very least) goes to Gord Downie, frontman for the Hip. Impossible to take one’s eyes off of him. “Go to the freezer and get your Daddy a Freezie”
https://youtu.be/DxGFUPYHzlA
Plant and Daltrey for me. My wife wanted to know what music should be played at my memorial service, I said “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. I’m going to add “Thank You” by Zep to round it out.
Also, Daltrey and Plant have way better hair than Jagger. Even women who don’t like their singing love their hair.
My first post, and I would like to nominate Fela Kuti, if AfroBeat can be considered in the rock and roll history category-o.
Oh Fela Kuti! I touched on his role as the progenitor of Afrobeat genre in a post back in 2016.
Welcome to emptywheel!
Can I just say nice Vivaldi-esque screen name?
Plus: Orchestre Baobab, Habib Koite. And the Touareg guitar monster Bombino.
Your name is so much more Howdy Doody than Vivaldi. I’ve got a picture some of my brother with the Princess
I was going with the Four Seasons.
Here’s an offbeat choice – Nina Hagen. There’s a video compilation out there somewhere, covering her career from pre-Wall-fall East Germany to today, and it’s like seeing a different performer every time. Absolutely mesmerizing.
Nowhere near Jagger, in terms of impact, but can I get get a shout out for Steve Winwood with Traffic? Another underrated band. Real shame that Dave Mason bailed out (poor career choice that he even admits).
Winwood wasn’t the most riveting live performer, but the music made up for it. And his voice—perfection!
I still have that album somewhere here.
Thanks. I was going to nominate him a couple days ago, but was afraid I would exceed my limit. :)
Oh yea, Bob Seger.
Not so much as a showman performer but as a singer and musician, certainly. From his early days with Spencer Davis he dominated the songs and continued with Traffic (Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys is a particularly far out and groovy track/album), Blind Faith, the solo Arc of a Diver, etc. I was happy to see him perform at the King’s coronation a few months ago, still in good voice.
And Winwood re-recorded some of his parts from Valerie for the huge (and hugely misogynist) hit “Call On Me”. I understand the label wouldn’t allow a direct sample of the record.
Frontlady with an eye for breaking the rules.
How about Kim Carnes?
Can’t forget Nico, and the three songs she fronted for The Velvet Underground.
All Tomorrow’s Parties
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vquoQkoeqc
I’ll Be Your Mirror
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGZWb1SIiR4
Femme Fatale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggHPtzVSEeE
So many deserving consideration.
One I did not see mentioned yet- Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction.
I have seem most of the big names mentioned, especially the Who, my all time fave.
Another notable name missing is Todd Rundgren, though he could be considered nearly a solo artist rather than a frontman. As well as Warren Zevon.
Chris Cornell and Anthony Keidis ? Excellent, but not jaw dropping.
Best front man may be Max Verstappen, but I’ll always like Kimi more.
Todd is MY absolute favorite musician of all time, but I didn’t think he fit the category or that most people would even know who he is. I’ve seen him at least 50 times over the years. My first concert was Utopia at Winterland in 1974. He just had a party in Hawaii for his 75th birthday and invited his fans. I attended a summer camp with he & his family & fans in Navarro (NCal) a few years ago. He has a very devoted following.
Jerry Garcia, David Byrne, far out pace that poser.
It’s gotta be Mick. Watching that video of It’s Only Rock’n’Roll, I must say I never noticed how Chuck Berry-ish Keith’s guitar part was before.
[Moderator’s note: Goodbye, dp. Been nice hearing from you though it’s a shame you couldn’t bother to check replies to your previous comments. /~Rayne]
Confining myself to the un-mentioned, and only whom I’ve actually seen, for consideration:
Richard Butler (Psych Furs)
Lowell George (Little Feat, RIP)
Wendy Williams (Plasmatics, RIP)
Willie Dixon (RIP)
Al Jourgenson (Ministry, Revco, *etc*.)
Billie Corgan, sometimes and early on (Smashing Pumkins)
Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, I mentioned above)
Mark Arm (Mudhoney, *etc”)
Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam, *etc*.)
Margo Timmons (Cowboy Junkies)
Ted Nugent (hate his politics but he’s magnetic)
George Strait
Billy Joe Shaver (RIP)
And let’s not forget Josh Homme when he’s hanging with QOTSA…
https://youtu.be/s88r_q7oufE
https://youtu.be/0wTxqHbJOzg
His rep is mebbe not the nicest guy but I was just watching this 061823 concert – he starts off appearing rather wasted – is very cool:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmxajSyMdeE&
To the original question, who is the best RnR frontman ever? I think I agree with the premise that Mick Jagger
is about the best front man. The way he engages the audience and connects the performers with the crowd is nearly unmatched.
Of the others:
Daltrey, Mercury, Morrison, & Plant: Amazing performers who deliver to the crowd in a one-way exchange. I’d include Prince, Morrison and Turner in that cohort.
Bono, Hughcence, G.G.Allen, Rollins, Paul Stanley, Ian Astbury and many others were great frontmen, but not on the same level as Jagger.
The only other I’d put up with Jagger in connecting with a crowd would be Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys.
I will also put Simon LeBon (Duran Duran) near the top. But not above Jagger.
Maybe Roth, but still not better than Jagger. He might agree.
The best front man (snicker) for my money is right here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uG2gYE5KOs
THIS is an AWESOME conversation!
Many THANKS to bmaz and Everyone!