Greatest Rock Frontman of All Time?

Something of an anti-frontman, but I'll go with Mark E. Smith of The Fall. Last time I saw them, he had broken his hip and performed the show seated behind a table, and still managed to be his usual cantankerous self -- Foe
 
Zappa.

Incredible wit.
Genius intellect.
Great fingers.

"Of COURSE we'll play Petrouchka tonight!"

"Of COURSE we'll send the penguin through the flaming hoop tonight!"

"Boys and girls, welcome to the desecration of Carnegie Hall."

"Tonight we'll play Louie, Louie on the mighty and majestic Royal Albert Hall pipe organ!" (the perfect sacrilege no?)

"This song is dedicated to the prick in the back counting the overtime money!" (Carnegie Hall 1971 after paying additional money to the management for using the hall past midnight)



I saw Jimi Hendrix live and in person. Least amount of audience interaction by a long shot. When he DID speak, it was barely understandable. Mostly sounded like mumbling.
 
Toasted Almond said:
I saw Jimi Hendrix live and in person. Least amount of audience interaction by a long shot. When he DID speak, it was barely understandable. Mostly sounded like mumbling.
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I think its less about crowd involvement and more aout the real rock&roll icon. When I think of frontman, however, Hendrix doesnt immediately come to mind (though I love Jimi). Usually I think of guys who ONLY sing....Mick Jagger and Robert Plant are clearly the greatest and most recognizable icons...for the right reasons, not because they dressed up like wierdos or maniacs. Show people pictures of that dude from tool or whatever and see how many people recognize him as a frontman. I know this is all opinions and all, but come on.
 
Frontmen (singers):

1. Daltrey
2. Mercury
3. Jagger
4. Roth (just the slew of "hair bands" left in his wake proves influence)
5. Byrne (See "Stop Making Sense" and then tell me it ISN'T so)
6. Scott (the blues voice in AC/DC is the icing on the cake - and played the most devilish and mischievous bad boy of all)

Frontmen (player/showmen)

1. Hendrix
2. Townsend
3. Page
4. Rhoades (See Blizzard Of Ozz)
5. Simmons (enough show to make up for the step-down in playing)

Frontmen (player/more for substance, but not as much showtime)

1. Garcia (Jerry's influence is still expanding)
2. Clapton
3. Young
4. Dylan
5. Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane)

Frontmen - composers (wrote thier own lyrics and/or wrote music for the band)

1. Townsend
2. Garcia
3. Morrison
4. Lee/Peart (Rush)
5. Page/Plant
6. Dylan
7. Young
 
AlphaLimaXray said:
Marilyn Manson(that cruddy poseur):uzi: and his mostly execrable lot should all pray at the altar of Hawkins for basically trailblaizing their genre.
Cheers.
:beerchug:
-AlphaLima
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marilyn manson covered "i put a spell on you" . i think for the movie "lost highway".
it's actually pretty good.
 
Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil. he didnt resort to make up or costumes to freak you out, nobody put more energy into their performances and he's a one-man geek-fest tour-de-force.
 

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Rod Stewart and Faces with Ron Wood, Linda Ronstadt with the Eagles, Bob Dylan with the Band. I think this would have to be classified in decade eras. I have been watching video clips of old bluesmen and Howlin' Wolf had some stage presence I think he would have to be my pick.
 
Dino Valente

jimbecky48001 said:
will probably get slapped here but Ted Nugent in the 70's was an act to see
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:twak:

I saw Ted Nugent in 1974: one of the worst shows of all time. Saw Quicksilver Messenger Service at the same venue in late 1972, and they were magnificent. Dino Valenti knew how to work a crowd. Their last song, before the encore, was "What About Me?" Had the audience singing along, set down their instruments and walked off stage. The audience, instead of erupting into applause, kept singing until the band came back out. They played a five-song nonstop encore. Still one of the best shows I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of live music.

Probably didn't hurt that the band passed around a fatty someone on the front row handed Dino.
 
Bob "The Bear" Hite-Canned Heat

Randy California-Spirit

Wayne Kramer-Mc5

Alvin Lee-Ten Years After

Aurthur Brown
 
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