"The egomaniacal frontman is dead – at last" - Telegraph article about frontmen and women in rock, including Morrissey (February 14, 2022)

An interesting article yesterday in the Telegraph by Ed Power, charting the (alleged) changes in how lead singers see their role.

It's behind a paywall, but the relevant sections are below:

It’s hard to understate how seismic a shift this represents. In the alternative milieu where Wolf Alice and Black Country, New Road operate, the cult of the front person has long reigned unchallenged. Mention The Smiths and nobody thinks of Johnny Marr’s dexterous riffs. They think of Morrissey on Top of the Pops waving shrubbery over his head...

That’s because Stipe’s duties went beyond merely singing. As with Morrissey and other great frontmen and women, the job, above all, was to be an embodiment of the band. The music, rightly or wrongly, was seen as an extension of their personality. Its angst was their angst, its euphoria theirs.

 

[oim]

I never claimed to be the biggest DM fan. If I lived in England I'd have seen them more than once. I have all their albums on CD and most on vinyl. Yes I'm a fan. And you're a twat.

Ooooh I'm a twat
Very constructive and reasoned answer my friend...
Apparently you don't know the irony, but too bad...
I have never lived or traveled to the UK or the US but have seen them over 30 times in 35 years. I also have the CDs, videos, live bootlegs, etc...
I've never pretended to be THE biggest fan in the world, but I know a little about my subject and it's very unpleasant to see some people use examples when they don't know anything about it and who end up being rude...... And there you are.
It's the same here with some people regarding The Smiths or Morrissey, but life goes on

 

[Surface]

Personally I think they still exist, Alex Turner (Artic Monkeys) and Matt Healy (The 1975) are 2 that spring to mind.

 

[BookishBoy]

Personally I think they still exist, Alex Turner (Artic Monkeys) and Matt Healy (The 1975) are 2 that spring to mind.

Yes, definitely agree about Matt Healy, he's a brilliant old-school frontman. Slightly insane, can't stop talking, drug issues, all of it. And they're a great band, too.

 

[Surface]

Yes, definitely agree about Matt Healy, he's a brilliant old-school frontman. Slightly insane, can't stop talking, drug issues, all of it. And they're a great band, too.

I took my daughter to see them at the MEN just before lockdown, I only knew a couple of songs beforehand but thoroughly enjoyed it. His dad is funny as f*** as well.

 

[ACTON]

Ooooh I'm a twat
Very constructive and reasoned answer my friend...
Apparently you don't know the irony, but too bad...
I have never lived or traveled to the UK or the US but have seen them over 30 times in 35 years. I also have the CDs, videos, live bootlegs, etc...
I've never pretended to be THE biggest fan in the world, but I know a little about my subject and it's very unpleasant to see some people use examples when they don't know anything about it and who end up being rude...... And there you are.
It's the same here with some people regarding The Smiths or Morrissey, but life goes on

'Unpleasant'? I didn't say anything unpleasant about DM. They used to be great. You're the one who said I didn't know what I was talking about. For some reason it seems to be a sensitive subject for you. It's not my fault they haven't released a decent album since 2005.

 

[Surface]

Yes, definitely agree about Matt Healy, he's a brilliant old-school frontman. Slightly insane, can't stop talking, drug issues, all of it. And they're a great band, too.

Great videos as well, nice that they gave the JD estate some of the publishing rights for use of the Disorder riff.

 

[The Wild Turkey]

The 4 greatest livin' American frontmen ain't
in their bands no longer.

1. Iggy Pop

Even though he began to show his "cracks",
Iggy is still the greatest.
Sadly almost all the rest of The Stooges have died.



2. David Lee Roth

He did have a final victory lap with Van Halen,
but after the death of Eddie Van Halen, Diamond
Dave up and retired.



3. Jello Biafra

He got sued by The Dead Kennedy's and they started
tourin' with some other guy.



4. H.R.

He'd still probably be rockin' with Bad Brains,
but sadly H.R. is in declinin' mental health.

 

[gordyboy9]

Have you forgotten that we still
Have Chris Martin

bazz i would rather have dean martin ressurected from the grave,i fear coldplays best days are well behind them.

 

[gordyboy9]

Again, from a so-called "very early fan of DM", you don't know ANYTHING about DM.
I doubt you've ever bought DM records. Or to have seen them in concert.
Very pathetic

i was into depeche mode in the early eighties when they first started out,probably before you were born.

 

[gordyboy9]

You're a "very early fan of DM" and you say this....
If you been a fan of DM, you'd know he didn't die on the operating table

well it is very well documented that his heart stopped after taking too many drugs and it was mentioned in their official documentary which was 101 if memory serves me,our heroes arent perfect.

 

[ZOOM FROM GLOOM]

This world’s in a sad state when
dudes from A Monkeys or 1975 get mistaken for great frontmen,
at least they’ll never be mistaken for Artists, yes, with a capital A.

 

[Surface]

This world’s in a sad state when
dudes from A Monkeys or 1975 get mistaken for great frontmen, at least they’ll never be mistaken for
Artists, yes, with a capital A.

Well, the world moves on and maybe you're just old and past it nowadays. You have enjoyed Morrissey for many years and in years to come the youngsters of today will no doubt look at new bands and think they're nothing like the Arctics or The 1975 used to be.

I remember listening to The Ramones and telling my mum I'm off to see this band tonight, she said something along the lines of, what utter crap.

Time moves on!

 

[oim]

'Unpleasant'? I didn't say anything unpleasant about DM. They used to be great. You're the one who said I didn't know what I was talking about. For some reason it seems to be a sensitive subject for you. It's not my fault they haven't released a decent album since 2005.

I never said that you've said something unpleasant about DM, only it's unpleasant to read a false things about DM, that's one of the reasons, nuance.
As for the quality since PTA (Sounds Of The Universe, Delta Machine and Spirit), it's a question of taste, but it's largely better than YOR, WPINOYB and company (you can insult me, you or the others, it won't hurt me, really).

 

[Deleted member 30524]

This world’s in a sad state when
dudes from A Monkeys or 1975 get mistaken for great frontmen,
at least they’ll never be mistaken for Artists, yes, with a capital A.

I’m honestly struggling to think of front men/ woman who are energetic or have any kind of presence on the stage, I really am

 

[oim]

Actually, in Dave’s own words, he “died” on the operating table. Chump.

Sorry mate, but he was pronounced dead for two minutes in the ambulance, not the hospital. It's useless to put you on the operating table for an OD

 

[Deleted member 30524]

bazz i would rather have dean martin ressurected from the grave,i fear coldplays best days are well behind them.

We can only hope Gordy

 

[ACTON]

I’m honestly struggling to think of front men/ woman who are energetic or have any kind of presence on the stage, I really am

Martin Rossiter around 1997 Drawn To The Deep End tour. Ages ago I know.

Brett Anderson is like a Duracell bunny on speed.

I think Robert Smith still has presence in the right venue (i.e. indoors) but he moves less than Jabba The Hutt.

Peter Hook has great energy and presence I think. And Dave Gahan.

Kraftwerk has great energy if you count the electricity cables going in to their preprogrammed keyboards.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

Martin Rossiter around 1997 Drawn To The Deep End tour. Ages ago I know.

Brett Anderson is the like a Duracell bunny on speed.

I think Robert Smith still has presence in the right venue (i.e. indoors) but he moves less than Jabba The Hutt.

Peter Hook has great energy and presence I think. And Dave Gahan.

Kraftwerk has great energy if you count the electricity cables going in to their preprogrammed keyboards.

I agree
But I was kind of meaning from last 20 years ( I should have put that in
The previous post)
Even from the younger bands/ singers, it just seems all very flat .

 

[ACTON]

I agree
But I was kind of meaning from last 20 years ( I should have put that in
The previous post)
Even from the younger bands/ singers, it just seems all very flat .

100% right I think. I like Working Mens Club and The Murder Capital but don't know what they're like on stage. Although I did see The Murder Capital on TV and he had great menacing presence.

 

[Deleted member 30524]

100% right I think. I like Working Mens Club and The Murder Capital but don't know what they're like on stage. Although I did see The Murder Capital on TV and he had great menacing presence.

Different you could say