Jagger the Greatest Rock n Roll Frontman of All Time?

[Mutt]

It's kind of an extinct breed no? Who was the last big name frontman of a rock band?

if we could somehow get rid of hip hop/rap and dj electronic music we might once again have music.

[Got Domains?]

Originally Posted by Mutt

It's kind of an extinct breed no? Who was the last big name frontman of a rock band?

if we could somehow get rid of hip hop/rap and dj electronic music we might once again have music.

[Mutt]

Originally Posted by Got Domains?

wtf - that's a croissant

[seeandsee]

Hard to say, its a bit a taste question...

[iSpyCams]

A strong contender for sure, but I don't know if it's a lock. There are a lot of greats. only difference is most are dead now.

[GAH]

Yes. Way ahead of anyone else.

The Stones played Glastonbury Festival in the UK a few weeks back and amazed the [young] audience. It was simultaneously broadcast live on the BBC tv channel. A two-hour set and 20 songs later and the guy who has run the festival all that time said it was "the high spot of 43 years of Glastonbury". I've never seen anyone work the crowd like he did, most of which had never heard of The Stones, the energy he had (he's now 70). If anything, better now than ever before, or at least he was on that night. Jagger sang Sympathy For The Devil and the crowd spontaneously broke into the whoo whoo backing vocals, even though 99 per cent of them would not have the slightest idea what that song was. Ten minutes later they were still singing it.

[onlytease]

Originally Posted by GAH

Yes. Way ahead of anyone else.

The Stones played Glastonbury Festival in the UK a few weeks back and amazed the [young] audience. It was simultaneously broadcast live on the BBC tv channel. A two-hour set and 20 songs later and the guy who has run the festival all that time said it was "the high spot of 43 years of Glastonbury". I've never seen anyone work the crowd like he did, most of which had never heard of The Stones, the energy he had (he's now 70). If anything, better now than ever before, or at least he was on that night. Jagger sang Sympathy For The Devil and the crowd spontaneously broke into the whoo whoo backing vocals, even though 99 per cent of them would not have the slightest idea what that song was. Ten minutes later they were still singing it.

I think you would find if you asked most 18-30 year olds who the Stones are and you will probably find 90% of them know them and know the music. Great music like the Stones cross all generations - and will do for years to come!!

[Robbie]

If you read a lot about Jagger...He really watched James Brown a lot when he was starting out.

So he studied the greats when it came to showmanship and working an audience.

It's a lost art now. The new bands look like dorks and have about as much charisma as a doorknob. There are no great frontmen who know how to work a crowd in the new bunch.

And I think I know why.

In the "old days"...right up until the 1990's...bands would work the club circuit. You busted your ass, paid your dues, and honed your craft in front of live audiences playing in bars and dives as you built up a following.

That meant that bands had their shit together before you ever heard them on the radio.
And because they were "baptized by fire" so to speak...they had to not only have their musical chops, but they also had to have the skills to entertain audiences and draw crowds into bars.

That's not easy to do.

And it's something that none of the bands of today have.

The music scene in bars all but died out by the mid-1990's as bands were replaced by karaoke and of course the big DJ craze that is going on.

Without that nationwide network of "A Circuit" rooms that I used to play for a living...bands aren't left with a way to play 7 nights a week and learn how to be entertainers.

It's almost like baseball's "farm system" where they have the minor leagues.
Music has lost it's "minor leagues" and doesn't have that experienced talent pool of bands and frontmen coming up through the ranks anymore.

These days they just throw a Justin Bieber out there.
He's a mutli-millionaire now...but if he had come up in the 1980's he wouldn't have made the cut and wouldn't even have gotten a second look because he would have been among the least talented and least experienced. The competition used to be fierce because of the dues you had to pay.

[GAH]

Originally Posted by onlytease

I think you would find if you asked most 18-30 year olds who the Stones are and you will probably find 90% of them know them and know the music. Great music like the Stones cross all generations - and will do for years to come!!

Yes, very badly worded. Most knows The Stones. They interviewed a girl, maybe 18-20, and asked her what she was looking forward to that day. The Stones, she said. What do you hope they play she was asked. She giggled, she couldn't come up with one song. The interviewer was surprised by this then went to a passing couple, a bit older. Same thing, can't wait to see The Stones, but they too couldn't name anything, although they did their best and came up with two Beatles records. However, once the music started you could see the crowd knew the tunes and could sing along, just not the names of them.

[Bourke]

Onlytease is spot on. Especially now with the rise of the 'hipster' crowd. They are right into looking back into music from previous generations and getting right into it. There may well be children who dont know the Stones but anyone old enough to be buying their own tix to Glastonbury knows who they are.

If live music died out in bars in the 90's, it got resurrected at some point. Or maybe things are just different in Vegas than here in Melbourne. I go out to pubs and clubs to rock shows almost every weekend. Just last night I went and watched a show headlined by The Superguns and Dead City Ruins. Dead City have a front man who knows how to work a crowd. Dude jumped from the stage to the bar and walked the length of it without dropping a note. They were really good.

Robbie, I think you're definitely right when it comes to mainstream music. When the rock you are talking about was at its height it was the dominant genre around and when you compare that to what is the dominant genre now, the current music loses. No argument there. But that does not mean there are not some amazing, talented young muso's out there. It just means what they are playing is not mainstream and you have to look a little harder to find it.

as for great front men- Mike Patton. The guy is fucking amazing, and one of the most prolific musicians of our era.

[SilentKnight]

Freddy - FTW.

[Jman]

Jager is a true leader of Rock n Roll, hence why you rarely hear about him or see him on TMZ ;)

[NaughtyRob]

Its a good argument but I'd have to say that Steven Tyler is the best front man ever in my opinion. Pure rock voice.

[Theo]

Mick is by far the greatest!!

[brassmonkey]

Originally Posted by Got Domains?

[Black All Through]

...along with Paul Mccartney

[Harmon]

Originally Posted by brassmonkey

Is this all you do? Fucking yard ape

[VicD]

If you ask me, yes

[candyflip]

Originally Posted by Jman

Jager is a true leader of Rock n Roll, hence why you rarely hear about him or see him on TMZ ;)

You don't see him on TMZ because their demo doesn't give a fuck about him. And that is the only reason.

[Grapesoda]

[bushwacker]

Originally Posted by SilentKnight

Freddy - FTW.

[CaptainHowdy]

Originally Posted by Got Domains?

[kane]

I have never seen the Stones live, but I am a big fan and think Jagger is clearly among the greatest.

Of those I have actually seen live a few stand out.

Bono - say what you will about him, but he is charismatic as hell and can sing his ass off.

Axl Rose - Guns N Roses had so many issues they didn't live up to all the potential they had, but they put out a couple of great albums and live they were fantastic. When he was in the mood and on Rose was great.

Eddie Vedder - When it comes to passion and presence, Vedder is amazing. His voice cuts you in half and live he has every ounce of the power he has on tape.

Neil Young - Not a traditional front man by the typical sense, but he has so much passion, talent and raw energy on stage it is something to see.

David Lee Roth - Not a great singer, but damn the dude is energy and personality cranked up to the max.

Johnette Napolitano - Probably my all time favorite female singer. Live she is fantastic. She puts on a great show and her voice will bring the walls down on you.

Just a few from off the top of my head.

[GregE]

In his prime (i.e. up through Steel Wheels, at least), Jagger was unquestionably the best.

Jim Morrison owns the number two spot IMHO.

[Spunky]

One of the best indeed,I wonder if they will ever retire or when they are wheeled out in a wheelchair to perform

[poncabare]

Eddie vedder

[GregE]

Originally Posted by Spunky

One of the best indeed,I wonder if they will ever retire or when they are wheeled out in a wheelchair to perform

Back when he was in his early 30's, Jagger was quoted as saying something to the effect that there was no way he'd still be doing the same shit when he was 40.

Having long since passed that threshold, it seems clear now that he has elected to take it to the other extreme.

Methinks he'll either buy the farm onstage somewhere, or in a nearby hotel room on top of a groupie.

[adulttraffic]

Originally Posted by Harmon

Is this all you do? Fucking yard ape

Why are you calling him "yard ape"?
Yea he may annoy people but why such strong raciest comments?
Did I miss something that he said to deserve this?

[NETbilling]

Jagger of course is a great. However, to me being te best frontman means being a great singer too and Jagger does not have a great voice.
Compare his to voices such as Bruno Mars, Bruce Dickenson and Roger Daltry, and there is no comparison.

[winter_]

Originally Posted by Mutt

It's kind of an extinct breed no? Who was the last big name frontman of a rock band?

if we could somehow get rid of hip hop/rap and dj electronic music we might once again have music.

keith richards is a drug addled mess, mick jagger just looks like one. the bi-sexuality back in the seventies the glam rock and rock n' roll era is just astounding. it was about coke fuelled orgies in high rise hotels with nothing but bright orange and dark brown fabrics.

layne stanley of alice in chains is a very good band but their music is being copyright protected on youtube now, check out anything you can though anyway mutt my dear.

[kane]

Originally Posted by winter_

keith richards is a drug addled mess, mick jagger just looks like one. the bi-sexuality back in the seventies the glam rock and rock n' roll era is just astounding. it was about coke fuelled orgies in high rise hotels with nothing but bright orange and dark brown fabrics.

layne stanley of alice in chains is a very good band but their music is being copyright protected on youtube now, check out anything you can though anyway mutt my dear.

Not so sure about the Youtube stuff with Alice in Chains. I just went there, did a search for Alice and Chains and three of the top five results are their full albums.

They were a great band though!

[DamianJ]

Mike Doughty. But I doubt any of you know him.

[kane]

Originally Posted by DamianJ

Mike Doughty. But I doubt any of you know him.

Soul Coughing is a great live band. I also love this collaboration he did with BT.

[DamianJ]

Originally Posted by kane

Soul Coughing is a great live band. I also love this collaboration he did with BT.

Woop! No one in the UK has ever heard of him or SC!

I got to see their last live show in NYC. AMAZING. And yes, the BT stuff is great. I also really love his solo work. Seen him several times with just him and a guitar and he is amazing the way he talks with the audience etc. Also, I didn't know until recently the whole drug mess he was in with SC. Amazing story. He has a new project on kickstarter.

[kane]

Originally Posted by DamianJ

Woop! No one in the UK has ever heard of him or SC!

I got to see their last live show in NYC. AMAZING. And yes, the BT stuff is great. I also really love his solo work. Seen him several times with just him and a guitar and he is amazing the way he talks with the audience etc. Also, I didn't know until recently the whole drug mess he was in with SC. Amazing story. He has a new project on kickstarter.

I really want to read his book which is all about his early years in music and his time with SC. I saw him with SC a few times, the best was at a big radio sponsored Christmas festival where all the acts played acoustic. They were freaking amazing acoustic. There were some great bands at that show, some of which were paid a hell of a lot by the radio station to be there and SC blew most of them away.

I would love to see him solo. I'll have to keep an eye open to see if he plays anywhere near me.

[alex.missyouth]

Jagger is #1, no doubts there. Steven Tyler is probably #2. Just naming people alive 'cause Morrison and Freddie Mercury were probably better, tho I'm not sure. Dickinson is great as well.

[Axel_Crak]

My vote for JAgger too


Morrisson, Plant, Cobain were good too...

[uniquemkt]

Comparing the Stones (well, pre-2000 stones at least) to a modern singer is silly. Yes, Mick may not have the most serene voice, but when he sang, you heard him sing. Fast forward to modern times and the voices you hear are digital misrepresentations of the real thing.

Kind of like most porn producers, they find a pretty girl to take a picture of, then they spend hours in photoshop making her look like something else entirely. (Here's a picture I drew of a girl!)

Even "live" performances reduce the value of the term, Autotune works in real-time too.

[John-ACWM]

Yes, I would say the same. What a legend...

[akkad47]

Jagger is Definitely amongst the Elite. But to me, Freddie Mercury Holds the Crown!!

[Mutt]

Originally Posted by winter_

keith richards is a drug addled mess, mick jagger just looks like one.

i hope at 70 should I get there I have half their energy and half their hair - most won't. i don't know any 70 year olds personally who could do what they are doing.

[Choopa_Pardo]

Freddy Mercury, Bruce Dickinson, and Mike Patton are all among the best.

In regards to there not being any good bands around, you just need to look a little harder. Good rock bands don't get the airplay they got in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. That era has ended. Stop lamenting about a bygone era.

[The Porn Nerd]

A. Thanks for being inspired by my 'Name One Male Rock Star This Century' thread Mutt. STOP RIDING MY COATTAILS DUDE!! :D

2. Nope, it's Daltry or Plant.

C. Mick Jagger fucked David Bowie in the alley behind CBGB's in NYC.

4. David Bowie fucked Mick Jagger while his wife Angela (the Stones song "Angie" is about her) fucked Lou Reed in the next bed.

Carry on.

[Robbie]

Jagger and The Stones in concert right here in Vegas a couple of months ago. 70 years old and kicking ass:

[dig420]

Imma let you have your moment for Mick Jagger, but Bon Scott is the greatest frontman of all time.

[Rand]

It's way too hard to call any single frontman the greatest. There are many greats.

But in terms of vocal range and showmanship... there's never been anyone like Freddy.

[Robbie]

Yeah, Freddy was definitely one of a kind. One of the greatest SINGERS and most flamboyant entertainers of all time.

I know people keep bringing up modern obscure bands who are really good...but they don't any guys like Mick Jagger or Freddy Mercury who have that "it" factor. If any modern rock bands actually had those kind of guys fronting them...they wouldn't be obscure. Everyone would know about them.

Music, art, and literature are "weird" like that. If you look back in history you'll see "dry" spells for all of them...and then suddenly an explosion of talent from out of nowhere (like the Renaissance era for instance).

There was definitely one of those explosions in the 50's and more so in the 60's. Just so many incredibly talented musicians and singers/entertainers that looking back at it now it's just amazing.

Elvis, Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, Otis Redding, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, etc. , etc.

Not just "good bands", but great bands who influenced everything and helped change our entire society and ended up making music that has endured and stood the test of time.

[CDSmith]

Jagger
Plant
Morrison
Mercury
Waters

Can't go wrong with any of these.

Hell, some might even throw in Bon Scott, Steven Tyler, David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley and Geddy Lee to round out the top 10. Arguable of course.

I would add in Brad Delp to the list. Not saying he's #1 mind you, just that the guy was utterly fantastic and deserves a mention. Same with Steve Perry of Journey for that matter.

There are no "larger than life" front men in today's sea of crappola we call music. The likes of these legends will never come again. Today more people know Jusin Beiber's name than who the front man's name is of [ instert any current rock band ]

Such a shame.

[Rand]

Yes, Jim Morrison and Robert Plant belong on that list too. Two great front men who "made" the band what it was and who couldn't be replaced.

There's a really good documentary about Morrison and the Doors called "When You're Strange" that, if you're a fan, you shouldn't miss.

[CDSmith]

Forgot Roger Daltry.