In other news (apolitical thread)...

[847badgerfan]

I mean, so did Jon Bon Jovi and pretty much every other guy that was a great singer 40 years ago and is just old now.  I suspect many of them wrecked their voices smoking cigarettes and other crap.

Although I'll say that I've recently (within the past 4 years) seen both Sammy Hagar and Simon Le Bon live, and both could still kill it onstage.

Saw Sammy at Cabo Wabo a few years ago. He and Michael Anthony kicked ass on that stage.

[jgvol]

Van Hagar > Van Halen  (not saying much though )

[utee94]

Van Hagar > Van Halen  (not saying much though )

I like 'em both.  Sammy is a better singer overall, DLR was a better front man.  Early Van Halen was iconic and genre-defining, but the band still rocked out for several albums with Sammy.

I saw them once with the guy from Extreme (which is a band I like) and it just wasn't the same.

[utee94]

Which could spark another discussion-- who's the best front man in rock music history?

I'd put DLR up there.  And Mick Jagger.  And Freddy Mercury.  Who else?

[847badgerfan]

Which could spark another discussion-- who's the best front man in rock music history?

I'd put DLR up there.  And Mick Jagger.  And Freddy Mercury.  Who else?

Ozzy.

[jgvol]

Which could spark another discussion-- who's the best front man in rock music history?

I'd put DLR up there.  And Mick Jagger.  And Freddy Mercury.  Who else?

Jim Morrison.

[utee94]

Jean Simmons probably deserves a nod.

Seems like the more modern bands are a little more ensemble-focused.  They might have lead singers, but do they really have "front men" anymore? 

I'd probably list Dave Grohl as a front man, and a pretty good one.  Not that Foo Fighters are a particularly "modern" band at this point.

[847badgerfan]

Jean Simmons probably deserves a nod.

Seems like the more modern bands are a little more ensemble-focused.  They might have lead singers, but do they really have "front men" anymore? 

I'd probably list Dave Grohl as a front man, and a pretty good one.  Not that Foo Fighters are a particularly "modern" band at this point.

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley?

They both fronted.

I tend to agree with you. Not a thing anymore.

[bayareabadger]

I saw the Foo Fighters last year, and it was very interesting to see how they had to space out the big songs and then have some random solos to preserve the singing voice.

The base solo was a bit much. 

[utee94]

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley?

They both fronted.

I tend to agree with you. Not a thing anymore.

I guess I tend to think of Gene Simmons as the front man, and Paul Stanley as a secondary lead singer.  Offstage Gene was always much more outspoken than Paul, and onstage he was more flamboyant.

Kinda like Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw with Styx.  Tommy lead-sang a lot, and I probably like more of his hits than DeYoung's, but that was still most definitely Dennis DeYoung's band.

[847badgerfan]

Angus Young?

[utee94]

I saw the Foo Fighters last year, and it was very interesting to see how they had to space out the big songs and then have some random solos to preserve the singing voice.

The base solo was a bit much.

Man you ain't seen nothin' until you've seen Michael Anthony down a liter of Jack Daniels whilst ripping on the bass for 15 minutes.

[utee94]

Angus Young?

That's a good one.

Steven Tyler.

[betarhoalphadelta]

That's a good one.

Steven Tyler.

Didn't know that Dude Looks Like A Lady was supposed to be a prediction about his future...