Greatest Frontman: Axl Rose or Someone Else?

[the number 42]

Or Cyril 'Nasty' Jones, perhaps?

 

[Polly]

Ma is quite a common surname, literally it means a horse. Yo can be friend, chum, befriend and any noun derivatives of the same. Like you are a great yo .

 

[the number 42]

I was like - WOAH! , boy. Is 'horse' his nickname? He's a well known stud? He has unusually lucky dimensions?

So if this geezer's name is Friendly Horse, will he be marketed in the US as 'the new Mr Ed'? He deserves better. He kicks ass.

 

[Polly]

Well don't let your imagination run wild but my surname literally means a plum. The Taiwanese government recently reported that there are people by the surnames firewood, rice, oil, salt, soya sauce, vinegar and tea.

 

[the number 42]

Homer Simpson voice: "Mmmm, plum..."

My surname literally means Big Ol' Banana. Not wanting to put ideas in your head or anything, of course.

 

[hypnagogue]

When it comes to frontmen who can swoon the ladies with pure looks and animal magnetism, no one beats Ric Ocasek. Robert Plant, eat your heart out!

 

[the number 42]

Which one is he? Are you the other one?

 

[Chi Meson]

I'm recognizing a lot of names from "my" generation: John Rotton (as seen in videos from that time) was amazing. Ian Curtis was indeed disturbing but not exactly an ideal frontman. I suppose David Bowie doesn't count as a "frontman" per se, but he has been and remains one of the best stage "icons" thoughout the decades.

Yet I must hold up the banner for Bono as being the best (from the era that I know) at not only conveying excitement from the stage but acting as the spokesman for the ideals of the band. And his intergrity... few rock stars can match it (no not saying perfect, but who is).

Who would have thought, though, when we were singing along to "I will follow" that this same band would be known by everyone and their songs would be used to plug NFL football?

 

[hypnagogue]

He's the zombie. C'mon, don't you know your Cars? They had some good tunes.

 

[hypnagogue]

Bono really should have put some more thought into his moniker. He comes off looking even worse playing in the same band as a guy who calls himself The Edge. That's like trying to look nice by throwing on a turtleneck sweater while the guy next to you is wearing an Armani suit.

 

[the number 42]

He's the zombie. .

Like that answers my question

C'mon, don't you know your Cars? They had some good tunes.

The Cars? Don't you know Cars = War? Just being silly. Yeah, the cars, Let the Good Times Roll etc. Not bad, maybe a bit commercial though.

 

[the number 42]

Ian Curtis was indeed disturbing but not exactly an ideal frontman. .

Mmm, yeah. You are probably right. I don't really know. I'm basing my opinion on a couple of videos I've seen.

I suppose David Bowie doesn't count as a "frontman" per se, but he has been and remains one of the best stage "icons" thoughout the decades..

Bowie is great, but your statement begs the question: what is a frontman? I hope we aren't going to find out that the epitome of frontmanship is that annoying git from Kiss. 'Frontman' shouldn't mean 'circus performer', IMO. Perhaps if we transfer this thread to another part of PF we can get a mathematical formula for a frontman, or a blueprint for designing one. Nah, its a matter of personal taste.

Yet I must hold up the banner for Bono as being the best (from the era that I know) at not only conveying excitement from the stage but acting as the spokesman for the ideals of the band.

Yeah. U2 have been good for years. I've always found Bono's sincerity not very rock & roll, though.

 

[hypnagogue]

Like that answers my question

OK, the zombie on the left.

Yeah, the cars, Let the Good Times Roll etc. Not bad, maybe a bit commercial though.

Maybe, but not in a bad way. If anything, I prefer to think of it as 80s-sounding, but not in a bad way (which is quite an accomplishment, if you think about it!).

 

[kaos]

chester bennington rocks

 

[the number 42]

Maybe, but not in a bad way. If anything, I prefer to think of it as 80s-sounding, but not in a bad way (which is quite an accomplishment, if you think about it!).

Yeah, you're right. Considering it was the 80's - the decade where most music SUCKED like you never thought possible - the Cars were good.

 

[Andy]

Well it's my thread so, i will try and define frontman. Benn thinking bout it for a while now and i can't define it but i will use some examples. Axl Rose, Mick Jagger, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Kurt Cobain and that annoying git from Kiss.

Dunno if that helps at all.

 

[the number 42]

Well it's my thread so, i will try and define frontman. Benn thinking bout it for a while now and i can't define it but i will use some examples. Axl Rose, Mick Jagger, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Kurt Cobain and that annoying git from Kiss.

Dunno if that helps at all.

Andy, that was about as useful as the War on Drugs

Much better, here is what the OED says:"(a) A person, organization, etc., that serves as a cover for subversive or illegal activities. So front man, organization. orig. U.S.; (b) the leader of a band; (c) one who represents an organization, etc., publicly; spec. a television presenter". See? Problem solved. The best front man is is either Richard Branson, Daman Albarn, or Michael Fish.

What? Not good enough? How about: "...a frontman is a person who is generally the focal point of a group live, on recordings, and in various types of media (such as pictures, videos, etc.) What are some obvious examples? Sting, Bono, Billy Corgan, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, etc.(keep in mind I'm using rock for these examples, but the same things apply to all styles - rap, jazz, country, metal, even classical)".
http://www.indie-music.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1372

 

[Polly]

My surname literally means Big Ol' Banana.

Oh really? What a nice name, although I must say I have always thought it would be something along the line of Big Mean Baboon . Hmmmmm, I guess it's only fair I tell you my real name now, you see it's quite close to Yo Yo Ma - *clears throat* listen up now Babona, my first name means Yum, and my second name also means Yum, so you see it's Yum Yum Plum *blows kisses* .

 

[Math Is Hard]

I need to remediate an omission - in Robin Trower, Trower played lead guitar, but the bassist James Dewar was lead vocalist, at least at the time Bridge of Sighs was released.

I saw Robin Trower play in a small venue in L.A. a few years back. So awesome - just two feet in front of me playing "Bridge of Sighs" and "Day of the Eagle". Oh, man - after all these years he still SHREDS!

As far as my fave frontman, I think I might have to go with Prince. He's really amazing!

 

[Curious3141]

Tool - Maynard James Keenan.

Without a doubt my favorite band and frontman.

 

[the number 42]

Oh really? What a nice name, although I must say I have always thought it would be something along the line of Big Mean Baboon . Hmmmmm, I guess it's only fair I tell you my real name now, you see it's quite close to Yo Yo Ma - *clears throat* listen up now Babona, my first name means Yum, and my second name also means Yum, so you see it's Yum Yum Plum *blows kisses* .

Oh no - it seems that I have been redirected to the 'Carry-On PF' discussion board, and my next post has to include a link to I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts.com. Its only a dream... Its only a dream...

 

[Chi Meson]

Bono really should have put some more thought into his moniker. He comes off looking even worse playing in the same band as a guy who calls himself The Edge. That's like trying to look nice by throwing on a turtleneck sweater while the guy next to you is wearing an Armani suit.

To their credit, they took those stage names when they were 16, 17 years old! THe drummer I think was 15. I think that the continuity of the band also speaks volumes. I have an old bootleg recorind of U2 where Bono asks his guitarist "What song do you want to do next The Edge?" NOt just "Edge," but "The Edge." Still sounds odd. I heard it was named after the shape of his skull.

 

[Gokul43201]

I have an old bootleg recorind of U2 where Bono asks his guitarist "What song do you want to do next The Edge?" NOt just "Edge," but "The Edge." Still sounds odd. I heard it was named after the shape of his skull.

I still can't get used to calling The Bob, 'The Bob', but I do it.

 

[Astronuc]

I also really like B. B. King - what a master!

And for that matter, I really liked Louis Armstrong, but he is probably before time of most PFers.

 

[Gokul43201]

Pray, tell me is Bach "before time" of most PFers ?

I liked the early satchmo recordings better, when he was in the Hot 5 and Hot 7. I think his Allstars recordings are probably more appreciated, but somehow didn't do it for me. Among his later works, I liked his vocal rendition of 'What a Wonderful World' - ooh !...that's just such a powerful picker-upper !

 

[Astronuc]

Pray, tell me is Bach "before time" of most PFers ?

Which one?

 

[plover]

M i n g u s

 

[marley.wannabee]

No doubt in my mind Zappa is/was the "best". I don't think he will be really understood until the aliens land. Ever read the philosophy book written about him? "The negative dialectics of poodle play" i put it down after 100 pages for fear my head was going to explode.

My favorite? tied: vedder, marley, brad smith from the band abandon jalopy

 

[quantumdude]

Boy, this is tough. Here goes:

1. Jimi Hendrix: Great rock voice, genius guitar playing, and never took a bad picture
2. Robert Plant: Takes a mighty, mighty man to stand in front of the 3 best rockers in history
3. Bono: Writes brilliant songs and fronts the best band in the last 2 decades.
4. Mick Jagger: Also a great songwriter, and dispels the myth that white men can't dance.