Best front man ever?

[beardown07]

each to their own tho

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

There is Mick Jagger, and then there is everyone else. Jagger is head and shoulders above the competiton, not even close.

 

[610mw]

Mike Patton gets my vote each and every time...

 

[geneh_33]

Are we talking about 3:37 in the song?

[YOUTUBE]J-_30HA7rec[/YOUTUBE]

I just played the part on the piano. It goes from D#2 to D#6.

Plus, I hate to state the obvious, but that entire measure was run transposed using a pitch shifting effect...so I doubt Bowie really did more than sing it in the natural key, and they transposed it, or perhaps some very clever tape speed adjustments like Pink Floyd made famous.

But hey, maybe I'm wrong.

Not sure where in the song it is exactly, been a while since I heard it, but it sounds to me like he goes all the way through the range of the piano, key by key.

You could be right, though, I had just heard on the radio several years ago that he spanned the entire keyboard when he was repeating the word Fame over and over again in different pitches. That is where I also heard that he is the only one to ever do it in one song/cut.

 

[outlaw okie]

Mike Patton - awesome front man!

throw "Ian Astbury" from the Cult in there too.

 

[SaintGibbs]

Not sure where in the song it is exactly, been a while since I heard it, but it sounds to me like he goes all the way through the range of the piano, key by key.

You could be right, though, I had just heard on the radio several years ago that he spanned the entire keyboard when he was repeating the word Fame over and over again in different pitches. That is where I also heard that he is the only one to ever do it in one song/cut.

You know what's uber cool about that Fame phrasing, is that it also includes John Lennon, who wrote, sang and added guitar parts to the song.

It's cool! I have to thank you specifically, because as I was listening to that song on Youtube, I saw a link to Station to Station, a DB song I haven't heard in probably 25 years...kind of like rediscovering one of your favorite songs all over again.

 

[$500 Million]

Freddy Mercury

 

[ThruTheEyesOfRuby]

Difficult to say. I have to combine stage presence, vocal prowess, and strength of song so my vote goes to Robert Plant.

Interesting votes thrown in here. I think Chris Cornell has a hell of a voice, but, though I never went to a Soundgarden concert, I'd heard the band showed a little contempt for the crowd when they were popular. Don't think it was Chris, but if the bassist Ben was doing it and Chris didn't tell him to knock it off, that doesn't spell 'great frontman' for me, no matter how much the audience might appreciate the "alternative" pissed-off stance.

I can appreciate the Mike Patton nod... I've always loved his ability to get his sexy croon on and, just like that, burst into full-throttle histrionics. Like Cornell, there seemed to be a little of that 'audience contempt' thing going on, so I can't give him a vote here either.

Freddie Mercury is great, but Queen just didn't have as many great songs as Zeppelin, imho. He's right up there in the top 3 though. His voice was fluid as all get-out.

I like the Peter Gabriel nod, too. When he wanted to let his voice soar, he could do it. Saw him during the Us tour and the stage performance he put together along with the caliber of songs were outstanding.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Mercury or Burdon, IMO.

I have to give a shout out to Maynard as well.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

If by "front man" you're looking for the best combination of talent, stage presence and overall performance quality, the only acceptable answer is Freddie Mercury.

If you're only judging by singing & songwriting ability, the answer is either Mercury, Jeff Buckley or Chris Cornell.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I don't get the Freddie Mercury love. He wouldn't make my top 50 but I do like Morrison. I've never heard of the other guys you listed.

What is there not to "get"? The man had an incredibly versatile and unique voice. Absurd talent and range. I'm not even a Queen fan, but Mercury was fucking incredible.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Cornell has one of, if not THE best scream in R&R IMHO.

He actually rarely "screams". His scream is raspy and thick. What you're usually hearing is simply the higher registers of his falsetto. That's not a scream. Those are actual notes being sung.

If you want to hear his scream, listen to the opening seconds of Room a Thousand Years Wide, or the bridge of Cochise. Jesus Christ Pose? That's not screaming. He can just hit notes that high. Loud Love also has another incredible example of his ability to hit and sustain high notes. The fade-in has about 8 seconds of what sounds like a single ringing guitar note. Nope. It's Cornell exploring the upper reaches of his falsetto.

 

[steveringo]

Some very good singers listed and some very bad singers listed.

The best part about music is that you do not have to understand it to enjoy it - and as long as someone enjoys it, you're doing a great job.

I'm surprised Matthew Belamy from MUSE hasn't been mentioned. Of the current crop of rock bands (since everyone is posting rock singers), he has to mentioned. Insane range and superior control.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Someone who's often overlooked but definitely deserves a mention imho..

Jerry Garcia

 

[packerzrule]

David Bowie
Donald Fagen
Robert Palmer
Michael McDonald

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

David Byrne
Freddie Hibbert (Toots)
Michael Stipe
Eddie Vedder
Nick Cave

 

[KansasSooner]

If by "front man" you're looking for the best combination of talent, stage presence and overall performance quality, the only acceptable answer is Freddie Mercury.

If you're only judging by singing & songwriting ability, the answer is either Mercury, Jeff Buckley or Chris Cornell.

That means it has to be Jim Morrison.

 

[packerzrule]

That means it has to be Jim Morrison.

agreed

 

[KansasSooner]

agreed

Pavarotti once told Johnny Carson that Morrison had the best vocals of any rock singer.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Lowell -muthafuckin'- George
and.....











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