The Old And Listless: Top Ten Frontmen, Er, Singers In Rock?
Today's post is from our friend HIM.
As many of you know, I treat top ten lists like I treat exercise. By which I mean, I find them only occasionally interesting. These sorts of lists are like puzzles designed to keep old people’s brains sharp, of dubious overall value though good for a bit of entertainment.
On April 7, the Cheat Sheet—a paragon of all things listed and lightly sourced—published “The Top Ten Best Frontmen in Rock” by Robert Yaniz Jr. With no disrespect to Yaniz Jr., it is clear that this is an opinion piece meant to elicit some sort of response. So I am responding. Well played, Robert. Well played.
The first thing I noticed is that there was a caveat re: who qualified. If a band had two frontmen (we will get to that issue in a moment), then they weren’t included. So that means you weren’t even in the running, Matthew and Gunnar Nelson. Secondly, you don’t need to actually need to be, well, a man (see number seven). So that might mean that Doro was considered.
Here is the list as presented:
1. Mick Jagger
2. Jim Morrison
3. Robert Plant
4. Freddie Mercury
5. Kurt Cobain
6. Roger Daltrey
7. Stevie Nicks
8. Joe Strummer
9. Bruce Springsteen
10. Bono
Honorable mention to (in no particular order, I assume): Steve Tyler, Axl Rose, James Hetfield, Eddie Vedder, and David Grohl. Hey, it is an honor just being nominated.
Now I am wondering whether the caveat was even necessary, seeing as how it is violated in at least two places. Stevie Nicks wasn’t the only frontperson in Fleetwood Mac (the name gives you a partial hint, as does the presence of a certain Buckingham who is not a palace). And I suppose Mick Jones just sorta’ hung out in the back so as to not clash, a train in vain to the chugging locomotive that was Strummer.
Of course, the substance of this list is, well, the list itself. One need not challenge the people represented. But you could. One need not question the order. But you might. One need not substitute someone not listed for someone on the list. But it is possible.
So what say you? Has Robert Yaniz Jr., writer for hire, finally got it right? If not, what did he get wrong . . . in your humble opinion?
I await your reply. In the meantime, I am going to listen to some early-era Van Halen and Heart. If I have a chance I might even give some Mach II Deep Purple a spin. Why? Oh, I don’t know. Something about this list I guess.