Lead singers that stand-out

[iron yuppie]

Well, people bought tickets for Elvis performances. Therefore, I would hope for their sake that Elvis stood out; they would need new glasses otherwise. That's why solo acts should be discounted from this discussion...stand out from what? The backing band full of stock session players?

Okay, but how then does Bowie, whom you mentioned earlier, fit into this equation? I doubt that many people went to see a Bowie show for Mick Ronson, awesome though he was.

However we define "frontman," I think that the influence of Elvis on rock performance cannot be denied. Almost all of the frontmen that we have mentioned cite him as an inspiration - Plant and Daltrey especially.

 

[LemonMelon]

I was joking because Cobbler said Liam Finn.

Friggin Yuppie.

 

[iron yuppie]

I was joking because Cobbler said Liam Finn.

Friggin Yuppie.

Oh. I obviously missed that one. Your humor is getting too wry for your own good.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Ok well then James Brown and Frank Sinatra where really good frontmen then

 

[LemonMelon]

However we define "frontman," I think that the influence of Elvis on rock performance cannot be denied. Almost all of the frontmen that we have mentioned cite him as an inspiration - Plant and Daltrey especially.

Oh, and I totally agree with this, for what it's worth. Every frontman alive directly or indirectly learned to carry themselves on stage and hold a mic stand through Elvis.

 

[iron yuppie]

Ok well then James Brown and Frank Sinatra where really good frontmen then

I just think that the distinction is ultimately meaningless. Take Morrissey, for example. He was clearly frontman for The Smiths, but did he then cease to be a frontman when he went solo and started billing his group as "Morrissey"? He was still functioning in the exact same capacity.

 

[U2DMfan]

Elvis' "band" was called Your Woman Wants To Fuck Me.

 

[cobl04]

I just think that the distinction is ultimately meaningless. Take Morrissey, for example. He was clearly frontman for The Smiths, but did he then cease to be a frontman when he went solo and started billing his group as "Morrissey"? He was still functioning in the exact same capacity.

 

[U2girl]

I thought maybe she meant Elvis Costello? Ha.

THE Elvis .... well, he had the Jordainnaires, but they were a group of backing vocalists. I don't think he belongs in this conversation, because he's known as a solo artist.

The Blue Moon Boys - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Sinatra was never in bass/drums/guitar band. Nor was James Brown.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I think that the "frontman" tag certainly applies to Elvis. He sang in front of a band; whether or not he billed them in the name is inconsequential. If U2 decided to play one night as Bono Vox, would we say that Bono was no longer a frontman? It's a purely semantic distinction.

well that would put bruce springsteen immediately into the conversation... who is more of a front man than elvis ever was, considering the e street band is an actual, ya know, band. i consider bruce to me more of a band leader though, in the vein of james brown or even sinatra, despite the fact that they play the geetar.

elvis had backing musicians... certainly not the same thing. incredible performer, but not a "frontman" in the sense of being the lead singer of a band. the blue moon boys were no more prevalent than james brown's "JB's" were. probably less so.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

The creator of this thread really needs to set some rules

 

[cobl04]

people remember Elvis for his moves, his charisma, the crooning, the whole package right? so he has to be right up there. trailblazer. i'm amazed he never gets discussed here.

 

[Burlington77]

The creator of this thread really needs to set some rules

Okie dokie.

Lead singer must be in a band and not a solo act like Sinatra or Yanni lol.

any other rules?

 

[BVS]

Okie dokie.

Lead singer must be in a band and not a solo act like Sinatra or Yanni lol.

any other rules?

Yanni?!

 

[U2girl]

people remember Elvis for his moves, his charisma, the crooning, the whole package right? so he has to be right up there. trailblazer. i'm amazed he never gets discussed here.

Exactly.

And he was in a band (unlike the hired musicians in his Vegas years), he was only billed as Elvis later on precisely because he stood out live.

And Bruce owes a lot to a great backing band.

 

[Hewson]

Love him or hate him, he fits the bill:

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Exactly.

And he was in a band (unlike the hired musicians in his Vegas years), he was only billed as Elvis later on precisely because he stood out live.

And Bruce owes a lot to a great backing band.

You are factually incorrect on your batshit argument.

Heartbreak Hotel, verymuch an Elvis solo recording, came out in 1956. The blue moon boys were less relevant than the other 4 Jackson's... by a long shot.

If you want to just argue that Elvis should be in the argument regardless because of his talent, okay fine... but to try and argue that Elvis was simply a part of a band until later in his career is just plain wrong.

But hey, never let facts get in the way of a good argument.

As for Bruce? Yes, obviously the E Street had a lot to do with developing his sound. But considering that all of the songs are written by Bruce, I think the E Street owe a tad more to Bruce then he does to them, and every one of them has pretty much said just that.

 

[gvox]

Bob Marley...and there's no valid debate whether he belongs in the discussion in terms of solo vs band because he was always the lead singer of The Wailers, and at least two other Wailers had successful solo careers independantly of the band.

He's legendary, he really stood out..and inspired many many artists across many genres, not just reggae. Honestly, I do believe he belongs in probably the top 10 frontmen of all time.

 

[Burlington77]

Nope - must be a band only, not solo. Thats the rules

 

[gvox]

Thread: Fail.

At least 3 of the initial 5 artists listed have/had solo careers.

 

[Burlington77]

Thread: Fail.

At least 3 of the initial 5 artists listed have/had solo careers.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

U2 aside, my homer pick is Mikel Jollet from The Airborne Toxic Event.

Bono-esque, climbing the speakers, walking on the roof, running across the bar (and grabbing a bottle of Grey Goose and drinking just a sip or two for the audience!). Had the whole punk rock reel to him as well when they came out for the encore doing The Clash's "I Fought the Law" with a sleeveless leather jacket running into the crowd and hanging simply separating the barrier between band and audience.

 

[LUNEDEMINUIT]

Eddie Vedder.

Still going the old fashion way with a wired microphone......and a bottle of wine.

 

[Salome]

Michael Stipe

 

[LemonMelon]

Still going the old fashion way with a wired microphone......and a bottle of wine.

This reminds me:

Matt Berninger.

 

[PhilsFan]

I have been struck in the head with the wire of his microphone.

 

[LemonMelon]

Have you washed your hair since?

 

[cobl04]

Can't dance.

 

[AndrewCowley]

Lists are silly. Pick one.

Freddie Mercury

 

[U2girl]

You are factually incorrect on your batshit argument.

Heartbreak Hotel, verymuch an Elvis solo recording, came out in 1956. The blue moon boys were less relevant than the other 4 Jackson's... by a long shot.

If you want to just argue that Elvis should be in the argument regardless because of his talent, okay fine... but to try and argue that Elvis was simply a part of a band until later in his career is just plain wrong.

But hey, never let facts get in the way of a good argument.

As for Bruce? Yes, obviously the E Street had a lot to do with developing his sound. But considering that all of the songs are written by Bruce, I think the E Street owe a tad more to Bruce then he does to them, and every one of them has pretty much said just that.

That was the argument several people have made... Elvis being on a list like this should be a given, based on his talent and moreso his influence on ... pretty much every lead singer in rock that stands out.

The "not being in a band" argument only came in later. If you don't want to consider the BMB a band (bearing in mind the explosion of classic songwriting bands didn't really happen until the British invasion years later, which doesn't mean that all bands that didn't write their music get scrapped) that doesn't change Elvis should be on this list.

I wasn't talking about the sound or songwriting. I'm saying majority of people still associate Bruce with E street very closely. In comparison to the most of guys debated here, who most people would recognise even without knowing the name of their band.

but to try and argue that Elvis was simply a part of a band until later in his career is just plain wrong. It is indeed wrong. Re-read the point I was making.