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[Ernest]

Commence Rob Halford vs. Freddie Mercury, round 1.

[Thrillho]

Oh.

Serious answer time.

Queen. I firmly believe that Freddie Mercury was the greatest frontman ever.

I feel this is as opportune a moment as any to post this.

[NiMRoD420]

Halford owns... but that's seriously difficult. I'm even primarily a metal listener and I love me some Judas Priest, but Queen is definitely one of the best bands ever. In terms of song-versus-song they would probably beat JP hands down. But JP has a lot more material, and it's almost all great...

But Halford wins the fashion show part, that's a no-contest.

[KharBevNor]

I feel this is as opportune a moment as any to post this.

Surprisingly good list actually, for a slightly more mainstream-oriented thing, but I don't know how in the hell they can get away without even mentioning Alice Cooper. I'd also personally of course want mentions for Lemmy, Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson: Halford wins for (along with Accept) tricking half the metal scene in to dressing like gay bikers for most of the eighties, Lemmy wins for just being the coolest motherfucker alive ("We're Motorhead, and we play rock and roll". Never has a man spoken truer words so often.), and Dickinson, as well as having a ridiculously powerful voice (everyones heard the tales of times his mic or the PA has gone and he's managed to continue singing over the music), pretty much wins for his performance at the Ozzfest where Sharon Osbourne tried to drive him off stage. These colours don't run! I think it's no coincidence that all the most enduring metal bands of all time have had great front-men, and no shock either that despite splits they've always come back to the original/best known (I suppose Black Sabbath needs a mention for having TWO damn good front-men, Ozzy and Dio. Neither though, in my opinion, is really 'great').

I mean, you have to remember, this is not about the musical qualities of the bands as much as the performance qualities of the singer. Freddy was great, but he still didn't ride on stage on a fucking motorbike dressed like a centerfold for Leatherboys Monthly.

[Johnny C]

The list would have been better with Mackaye and Tweedy actually in the top ten, and Halford instead of Mercury, and a different order.

[ScrambledGregs]

Two words: Dave Grohl. You're fucking joking, right?? Automatic fail. Also, Stipe?? Christ. I like Stipe, but the last time R.E.M. released an album worth owning (I didn't say listening to, I said owning) was...1992.

And how did they get away without Robert Plant??

[Thrillho]

Khar - 'They,' unless otherwise noted (i.e. Heather's bit on Liam Gallagher) is me.

Tweedy isn't THAT good of a frontman, dude. He's my favourite, certainly, but I really don't think he can contend with the others in that list.

As for the other people mentioned, a lot of them used a lot of props and theatricality. While they are great frontment, and probably would have got into a 20 or 25 list, I was considering less of the props and more the weight of their personality as a frontman rather than anything else - i.e. Nick Cave, who is like a pantomime villain in himself, rather than, as you said, riding onstage on a bike like a gay model.

And Robert Plant was a fucking joke.

[Kai]

Replace one of them (preferably Grohl or Stipe) with MacKaye, but otherwise a pretty good list, methinks.

Lemmy is a hell of a frontman. Everybody knows Lemmy.

[Johnny C]

Tweedy isn't THAT good of a frontman, dude. He's my favourite, certainly, but I really don't think he can contend with the others in that list.

The movie 'I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,' the band's live performances and a sterling string of solo appearances and finely-written albums all disagree with you.

[Thrillho]

I'll level with you Johnny.

He'd be in there. He'd be pretty high, too.

But no-one's fucking heard of Wilco. At least not enough people for me to be able to justify putting him on that list.

[Johnny C]

Once again I feel I must correct you. A Ghost Is Born broke the U.S. Top Ten and won two Grammy awards.

[Ernest]

I'm pissed that Ian Curtis got on there.  Yeah, he's a great frontman if your idea of a great frontman is someone who just stands there and sings horribly.

How is Robert Plant a joke?

[NiMRoD420]

Robert Plant is severely overrated. I will take Dio in a heartbeat.

[Thrillho]

Once again I feel I must correct you. A Ghost Is Born broke the U.S. Top Ten and won two Grammy awards.

Midgets is more of a British site.

Robert Plant is a joke because he didn't really DO anything. Curtis couldn't sing, no (although he did not 'just stand there,' you clearly don't know what you're talking about. did you even read the fucking paragraph?) but he had an undeniable passion and weight of emotion in his singing and his performances, clinging onto that mic for dear life. Plant's lyrics were either stolen or worthless, he did even less on stage than Curtis and had no presence...but then, I don't particularly like Led Zep, so maybe I'm biased.

[David_Dovey]

The movie 'I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,' the band's live performances and a sterling string of solo appearances and finely-written albums all disagree with you.

From what I can gather (I haven't really listened to much Wilco), Tweedy is an incredible songwriter and musician, but that isn't what we're talking about here. This is a list of great frontmen, where the main criteria is charisma.

Dio...not great

Oh no you di'in't

[Scytale]

Some of my fav Sabbath songs are Dio's, Neon Knights, Sign of the Southern Cross, Children of the Sea etc

That said Ozzy was still the better front man for Sabbath.

I think Rainbow is the best band Dio was ever in, he and Blackmoore just had this unbelievable chemistry.

[MadassAlex]

Man Freddy is not even the greatest blatantly homosexual frontman ever.

FASTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER THAN A BULLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEET
TEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING SCREEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM
ENRAGED AND FULL OF AAAAAAAAAAAAAANGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER
HEEEEE'S HALF MAN AND HALF MACHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE

... yeah, I'm done now.

[Johnny C]

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE WE ARE
BOOOOOOOORN TO BE KINGS
WE'RE THE PRINCES OF THE UUUUUUUUUUU-NI-VERSE!

[TrueNeutral]

I guess I kinda like the Eels.

[ScrambledGregs]

While we're on the subject, I care for love Wilco. I should probably get Tweedy's solo DVD, huh?? What say you, fellow Wilconauts??

[Thrillho]

While we're on the subject, I care for love Wilco. I should probably get Tweedy's solo DVD, huh?? What say you, fellow Wilconauts??

The opportunities just keep on coming: http://www.rockmidgets.com/releases.php?&id=1616

[kokeyjoe]

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE WE ARE
BOOOOOOOORN TO BE KINGS
WE'RE THE PRINCES OF THE UUUUUUUUUUU-NI-VERSE!

Wait, what?  Funny, I think I just felt The Quickening...

[ScrambledGregs]

While we're on the subject, I care for love Wilco. I should probably get Tweedy's solo DVD, huh?? What say you, fellow Wilconauts??

The opportunities just keep on coming: http://www.rockmidgets.com/releases.php?&id=1616

That review did not give me the impression that I should buy the DVD, despite the 5/5 rating. I like Wilco but I am not enamored of the Tweedy cult. I guess I was hoping the DVD was something other than Tweedy performing every song alone, acoustic, because I can think of very few modern performers who I would pay to see that, and Tweedy is not one of them.

[Thrillho]

While we're on the subject, I care for love Wilco. I should probably get Tweedy's solo DVD, huh?? What say you, fellow Wilconauts??

The opportunities just keep on coming: http://www.rockmidgets.com/releases.php?&id=1616

That review did not give me the impression that I should buy the DVD, despite the 5/5 rating. I like Wilco but I am not enamored of the Tweedy cult. I guess I was hoping the DVD was something other than Tweedy performing every song alone, acoustic, because I can think of very few modern performers who I would pay to see that, and Tweedy is not one of them.

There's about four songs with other Wilco guys on, and to be fair they are the DVD's best moments outside of 'Sunken Treasure.' But if you're not a Tweedy fan then it's a bit of a no-brainer that you don't want to buy this Jeff Tweedy solo tour DVD.

For what it's worth, I don't know to what you refer when you say the 'Tweedy cult' but I'm certainly no part of it.

[Aram]

There are a number, but I'll list the first few that come to my mind.

Iron Maiden, The Beatles, Opeth, System of a Down, and probably Panic! At the Disco!

These are just the first five that came to my mind, but I'm not going to plague the thread with a long long list
Also, I'm assuming this is about bands that have some degree of fame.

[ScrambledGregs]

While we're on the subject, I care for love Wilco. I should probably get Tweedy's solo DVD, huh?? What say you, fellow Wilconauts??

The opportunities just keep on coming: http://www.rockmidgets.com/releases.php?&id=1616

That review did not give me the impression that I should buy the DVD, despite the 5/5 rating. I like Wilco but I am not enamored of the Tweedy cult. I guess I was hoping the DVD was something other than Tweedy performing every song alone, acoustic, because I can think of very few modern performers who I would pay to see that, and Tweedy is not one of them.

There's about four songs with other Wilco guys on, and to be fair they are the DVD's best moments outside of 'Sunken Treasure.' But if you're not a Tweedy fan then it's a bit of a no-brainer that you don't want to buy this Jeff Tweedy solo tour DVD.

For what it's worth, I don't know to what you refer when you say the 'Tweedy cult' but I'm certainly no part of it.

The funny thing is that I bought The Wilco Book today. I guess it's more my style of thing. At least I bought it from a mom-and-pop bookstore, though.

[Joseph]

System of a Down, and probably Panic! At the Disco!

Reread thread title.

[Joseph]

Jim Morrison made L.A. Woman while fat and beared though.  I'm pretty sure fat and bearded Jim Morrison was my favourite.  By which I mean, I love The Doors as well.  They constantly fight for the title of my favourite band/musician with Bruce Springsteen.

[Joseph]

Personally, I would never pay the ridiculous prices the remaining Doors are asking for.  And frankly I think they're kinda being dicks, riding on the same songs for so long, and just constantly repackaging the same old things.  They really seem to be doing anything they can to get a buck.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Personally, I would never pay the ridiculous prices the remaining Doors are asking for.  And frankly I think they're kinda being dicks, riding on the same songs for so long, and just constantly repackaging the same old things.  They really seem to be doing anything they can to get a buck.

do they set their own ticket prices? if so they, and a lot of other "classic rock"artists kinda suck inmho. not that i would go to a doors show to begin with but charging exhorbiant amounts is just cruel to those who hope to see them. the same is true for any classic rock show. a friend of mine saw cream and paid  a couple hundred bucks per ticket. it's absurd. you'd think these guys are old enough and rich enough to not be assholes and make thier shows reasonably priced.

[ScrambledGregs]

Famous band != great band

Check your math there, Dr. No.

[camelpimp]

Franz F. was the band that got me into the slightly alternative music genres, so they'll always be a good band in my book.

I just hope they die soon before they start gaining weight and grow beards, like Jim Morrison did.

Hm, one of them is already there, so maybe it's not too long down the road?

(And I like Franz Ferdinand too. And fuck you if you want to rag on me 'bout it.)

[Scytale]

Hmm back to the topic,

Bands I Don't think have put out a bad release

Summoning
Nargaroth
Judas Iscariot
Therion
Limbonic Art

[KharBevNor]

I'd have to disagree on the Nargaroth. Never got the appeal, all seems rather boring to me. I also think Summoning are a bit over-rated, but then I think Isengard are better than Darkthrone so a lot of people like to ignore my opinions on black metal.

[Scytale]

Hmm I really like Darkthrone upto "Total Death" anyway That type of BM really apeals to me, probably why I rate bands like Judas Iscariot and Nargaroth so high as they are both hugely influenced by Darkthorne. The whole stripped back minimalist, repetive approach is what I'm really keen on. Nargaroth's Geliebete Des Regens is one of the best cd's I've ever heard in that regard. I'd only rate Filosofem above it.

As for Summoning at least in Australia's there pretty unheard of (apart from the "hey isn't that the old vocalist from Abigor"), which I think is unfortunate because IMO they are the best BM band around at the moment.

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

I hear Interpol's OK so I'll choose them

I don't really listen to music, but MTV told me to like them and I'm quite fond of puppets

STELLA
STELLA-HUH

[KharBevNor]

The whole stripped back minimalist, repetive approach is what I'm really keen on. Nargaroth's Geliebete Des Regens is one of the best cd's I've ever heard in that regard. I'd only rate Filosofem above it.

I love that style of BM: not saying Darkthrone are bad. Under a Funeral Moon, A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Transilvanian Hunger are three of the best BM albums ever, and they've been doing good stuff up into this decade: The Cult is Alive was a bit of a joke, but listen to something like 'Striving For a Piece of Lucifer' off of Hate Them and tell me it's bad.  I'm just saying I have a huge hard-on for Isengard, possibly because its now a discontinued project and what was done stands on its own as some brilliant music. Nargaroth, honestly, I've always seen as something of a pastiche of old-school BM. Judas Iscariot have some good stuff though.

[Schmitt]

I think Darkthrone wins most charismatic drummer award for Fenriz antics on the Transylvanian Hunger album, simply because he got Peaceville to put out an album that said Norsk Arsk Black Metal across the back, even without the debacle before hand, that still wins points.

As for singers I wholeheartedly agree with  KharBevNor in his post about the older styles of metal, but I also dearly enjoy Hansi Kursch, as much as I probably shouldn't because all he does is layer his vocals, but any guy that can get the crowd to sing along with guitar solos I think deserves some credit.
Mikael Akerfeldt as well, he's got a very nice sounding growl, and at the same time a damn clean voice, he's really not THAT charismatic or anything, but he does make blowjob faces when he solos.
Chuck Shuldiner also deserves some credit for being the father to just about every death metal band out there, and having such a wide-ranging influence that when he got his tumor, people no less than Dave Grohl, Napalm Death, Ozzy, and Anthrax tried to help him out.


Minamalist black metal rules, I often fall asleep to Burzum, or some of the earlier Burzum releases, but lately I've been listening to a ton of Agalloch.

[TheFuriousWombat]

I hear Interpol's OK so I'll choose them

'ok' is a good word to use. perhaps a little too generous at times. antics was pretty bad but i did enjoy Turn On the Bright Lights somewhat. it was interesting anyway, and i did like the general sound of the album, although i only actually liked a couple songs. lyrically somewhat interesting at times too. although i personally don't think they warrant the title of "great band."

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

I like them this much more than OK, and that's a lot more. That was my 13 word report on why Interpol is, in fact, a great band.

[Ernest]

i personally don't think they warrant the title of "great band."

Pitchfork would disagree with you there.  But Pitchfork also thinks Franz Ferdinand is a great band.  Enough said.

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

i personally don't think they warrant the title of "great band."

Pitchfork would disagree with you there.  But Pitchfork also thinks Franz Ferdinand is a great band.  Enough said.

P4k lolololololololololol

[Thrillho]

I hear Interpol's OK so I'll choose them

'ok' is a good word to use. perhaps a little too generous at times. antics was pretty bad but i did enjoy Turn On the Bright Lights somewhat. it was interesting anyway, and i did like the general sound of the album, although i only actually liked a couple songs. lyrically somewhat interesting at times too. although i personally don't think they warrant the title of "great band."

Is 'interesting' another word for 'utterly shite'? Paul Banks is one of the worst lyricists of modern times.

[TheFuriousWombat]

well.....maybe my reaction wasn't quite that extreme. i was trying to be polite. i honestly don't think he has a terrible voice, but it's not something i could put up with for an extended period, that's for sure.

[Thrillho]

I didn't say anything about his voice. I like Interpol. I like Paul Banks because he sounds like Ian Curtis and Joy Division are one of my favourite bands; but Paul Banks writes terrible lyrics. What's that line in 'Stella Was a Diver yada yada' she's my something something sex toy lovejoy diver? Load of bollocks.

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

Yeah I'm not too fond of Paul's lyrics either. But if you only focus on their bad qualities, such as the lyrics, you will fail to see the true glory that is INTERnationalPOLice. I can't really explain all their good aspects because 1. I'm more tired than a banshee in a Texas tea-fire and 2. I don't really get into all that complex shit with most music. But I'll just go ahead and say "zomg complex song structure and...the bass player wheres sweet gun holsters?" So believe me when I say that you actually do like Interpol and it's all just PITCHFORK'S FAULT THAT ANYONE DOESN'T LIKE INTERPOL...somehow.

But if I only focused on the bad aspects of bands, I wouldn't love Explosions in the Sky so much because, quite frankly, their vocals SUCK BALLS.

[Kai]

you mean

the vocals that Explosions in the Sky don't have, right

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

No they have them, they just suck so bad you subconciously block them out.
And their lyrics won't be winning any lyrical awards for good lyrics either. Like let's say there was an Oscar for good lyrics, right. Let's call this Oscar the "Best Director" Oscar. See, now Explosions in the Sky would not be winning an Oscar for Best Director any time soon.
Seriously, who the fuck tries to rhyme "wombat" with "Gatorade" anyway? I'll tell you who, Explosions. That's who tries to do that.

[Thrillho]

Yeah I'm not too fond of Paul's lyrics either. But if you only focus on their bad qualities, such as the lyrics, you will fail to see the true glory that is INTERnationalPOLice.

Is there something wrong with the way I type that means people miss what I'm saying or ignore half of what I typed?

I LIKE INTERPOL. I LISTEN TO THEM.
I DO NOT LIKE THEIR LYRICS.
I DID NOT PASS COMMENT ON PAUL BANKS' VOICE.

[Ben yayayayayayayay]

Oh sry. I thought you were saying you didn't listen to Interpol because you didn't like their lyrics. Didn't.
Still friends?