Ahhh, the frontman. The member of the band that generally bears the brunt of performance responsibility. They need to be intriguing, commanding, larger than life and of course, a great singer. Unfortunately, responsibility combined with exposure can lead to out of control egos. And a sense of band entitlement called ‘frontman syndrome.’ The true greats avoid this perilous area of the ballpark. But some don’t. And it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not incredible and what they do. Here’s a look at roundtable of nine. The wisest and most powerful of all rock and metal frontmen in the land of metal.
David Coverdale – Whitesnake, Deep Purple
Coverdale may not be a revered as Robert Plant, Ian Gillan or even Glenn Hughes. Yet, he eclipses them all. If you’ve ever seen Whitesnake live you know. And if you haven’t, look up the 1990 Donnington show recorded in front of 80,000 insane fans. Coverdale is a frontman who gives his entire being to the audience. He can croon like Sinatra, wail like Rob Halford and has the soul of Aretha Franklin. And while many of his peers’ voices faded out through the years, Coverdale’s voice has largely stayed in shape. Sure, it might not be as sharp as it was in his 80’s heyday. But it’s still largely intact. A little downtuning never hurt anyone. Plus, his energy is insane to this day. Even as the Whitesnake moniker begins to slow down. It’s impressive how he can still run, sing and not really miss any notes. Not to mention all the insanely memorable songs over the years.
Steven Tyler – Aerosmith
The almighty Steven Tyler. Not just the frontman of a legendary band, but simply a legend in his own right. His look, utterly unique. His charisma, through the roof. His songwriting skills, as legendary as he is. His voice, eerily, eternally youthful. I said above that a good frontman needs to be larger than life. Well, no one epitomizes that more than Steven Tyler. He’s been in nearly every corner of pop culture for the past 45 years. He even bought a major state of the art private plane in the late 70’s. A dual propeller prop that could get from San Francisco to Baltimore in ten hours. An incredibly fast trip for a plane like that. Particularly at the time. But it’s not just material items that make him so legendary. It’s also merely his persona. The man gives off an insane amount of voltage. Whether he’s on stage performing or not. He lives and breathes his lifestyle unapologetically. And it’s that confidence that caps off his long list of intriguing qualities.
James Hetfield – Metallica
Metallica as a whole may musically be outdone by Megadeth and Anthrax. But it’s hard to imagine a greater frontman for the thrash genre. He’s basically the reason Metallica is the biggest metal band of all time. Lars Ulrich is a competent drummer. Kirk Hammet can play, but he’s often repetitive. They have had their share of excellent bass players though. And Robert Trujillo is no exception. But it’s Hetfield’s riffs, lyrical themes and guitar textures that made Metallica’s albums sell. But what really puts Papa Hetfield on this list is how he treats the fans during a Metallica performance. He truly creates a community. You don’t just feel like a fan. You feel like you’re part of some sort of metal family. It’s common for fans to feel like they know their heros after studying them day and night. But for a fan to feel like their hero knows them? That is truly a gift. Hetfield commands the audience without ever seeming like it’s an ego trip. Which is what makes him such a great frontman.
Chris Cornell – Soundgarden/Audioslave/Solo
Staying humble yet larger than life can be very challenging for a frontman. But Chris Cornell does it in spades. Honestly, his vocal capabilities alone are enough to earn him a spot on this list. His low yarl puts him in the grunge greats. But his high register is really where it’s impressive. Giving Soundgarden a unique take on the Seattle scene. His sarcastic banter between songs is one of a kind. And he never minded telling a deeply personal story to his audience in more intimate settings. His vulnerability giving him a very unique vibe on stage. Particularly for a guy who spent 80% of his career doing heavy music. Unrivaled in his raw talent, Cornell brought grunge music to new heights. He is without question the voice of the movement. And really has become the voice of a generation.
Freddie Mercury – Queen
Freddie Mercury’s impact on not just rock, but all of popular music, cannot be overstated. He, along with his other three band member in Queen revolutionized what could be done in hard rock music. They expanded the pallet so much, that no one has dared to ever try and follow in their footsteps. Sure, there’s many hard rock and metal bands that have influence from Queen. But no one has ever tried to write another ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ It’s one of a kind. Just like Freddie. On stage, he was truly an enigmatic legend. His command of the space he used could make Wembley Stadium feel like the Marquis club. The ultimate flamboyant frontman. Who was surprisingly shy offstage. With a consistently amazing vocal performance, night after night, to boot. His call and response vocal play with the audience being his signature moment. One need only to see ‘Queen, Live At Wembley’ or ‘Live in Budapest’ to understand why Freddie Mercury gets a coveted spot on this list.
Sammy Hagar – Montrose/Solo/Van Halen
For those of you who are disappointed that Sammy is on this list and David Lee Roth isn’t, tough. You can sound off in the comments. But the fact of the matter is, where DLR can seem a bit over the top, and even douchey at times, Sammy stays classy and humble. All while still giving the same amount of energy. And a vastly superior vocal performance. Every Sammy Hagar fronted Van Halen album went number one. Even in 1995 at the height of the grunge movement. And that’s largely due to Sammy Hagar’s leadership and standard for excellence. Whether he’s in the studio creating a bad ass rock track (Heavy Metal, Get Up, Cabo Wabo) or a timeless ballad (Give to Live, Can’t Stop Lovin’ You, Love Walks In), it’s all about a standard of quality. And his humility is also another feature that earns a spot on this list. Often carrying a sharpie on stage and signing items thrown at him mid song.
Rob Halford – Judas Priest/Fight/Two/Halford
If having the widest vocal range and finest voice in all of rock and metal isn’t enough to get you in the council of nine, I don’t know what is. Not only that, but he’s almost single handedly responsible for creating the metal image aesthetic: chains, leather, spiked dog collars, motorcycles…the whole nine yards. He’s not called the metal god for nothing. He’s also a killer song writer. Providing collaborative energy towards many metal classics such as ‘Freewheel Burning,’ ‘The Sentinel,’ ‘You’ve Got Another Thing Coming,’ and ‘Victim of Changes.’ To this day, Halford’s live vocals are still in nearly top shape. Sure, there’s a little downtuning. But his vocal effort on some 70’s material from the most recent ‘Firepower’ tour shows that he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. From low, baritone tones to glass shattering banshee screams, Halford has it all.
Ozzy Osbourne – Black Sabbath/Solo
Sometimes being just absolutely out of your damn mind can be a boon to being a legendary frontman. While most of the singers on this list are in the humble end of the ballpark, Ozzy Osbourne is the exact opposite. True, he’s not cocky or rude. But onstage he’s just plain crazy. And it’s perfect. The Prince of Darkness was a majorly integral element in bringing Black Sabbath to the top of the world in the early 70’s. And in the 80’s, he dominated the area scene and MTV. But it wasn’t his looks, or fashion that garnered such a large fan base. It was his relentless energy. When you left an Ozzy show, you were worked over. All the audience participation, the screaming, the ‘I CAN’T FUCKING HEAR YOU!!’s. He never lets up live. Even during the ballads. Not to mention all the guitar legends he’s helped give rise to. And, with the exception of the last ten years or so, he never drops a note live.
Dug Pinnick – King’s X/KXM
A truly incredible frontman is one who bears his/her soul on stage. For the whole world to know. And to tie it into what the band is doing musically and artistically. No one does that better than Dug Pinnick of King’s X. Sure, he may not be as famous as the rest of the group. But he’s certainly as respected, if not more so. His gospel wails, his spot on harmonizing with the other two members and his unbelievable soul metal screams. Plus, he’s one of the best motivational speakers you’ve ever heard. He truly makes you want to make the world a better place. All while keeping it fun and kick ass. Pinnick’s sermons will leave you emotional and exhausted. Best displayed on King’s X’s unbelievable Woodstock ’94 performance; that left many of the following bands cowering. Dug Pinnick is true rock star through and trough. Living the life and not caring about what others think. Persisting through trends and continuing to spread the hard rock/metal gospel.
So there’s the list of the round table. Who do you think deserves a seat. Sound off in the comments.
