A band’s frontman is the first port of call for interviewers and they confidently lead the band through their career, often providing the lyrics and the vocals, which will resonate with fans for years to come. Sometimes being at the forefront of success goes to their heads…
One example that comes to mind is Paramore’s Hayley Williams. The red-haired front woman of a band that started in 2004 always appeared to overshadow the rest of her band members. Posters would appear in Kerrang! of various photo-shoots with Hayley, not Paramore. By 2010, the band’s future was rather up in the air when two of the members left after issuing a statement about how Paramore were never really a band, but were effectively backing for Hayley’s solo career. However, this is not always the case. Plenty of frontmen can provide the appropriate lead for their band without forgetting that they are, in fact, a collective act.
Fronting the ever-popular Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl brings a profound presence to the stage when he stands amidst the glare of stage lights and thousands of camera flashes. Fans will exuberantly cheer for the bearded frontman, but that’s not to say that the other members go overlooked. Plenty of screams are left for drummer Taylor Hawkins and the band’s guitar and bass players, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Nate Mendel respectively.
Whilst not everyone will know much of the other members, Grohl is far from outshining his band mates. He may take the limelight on stage but he regularly calls for the applause of his band, as he did at Leeds Festival in 2012, and it does not come across as false, but endearing. It’s clear he hasn’t let the Foo Fighters’ success ruin the fundamental elements of being in a band – that it’s about the group as a whole, not the individuals. This humble quality may well have come from experiencing band life as a drum player in Nirvana prior to Foo Fighters.
Green Day are similar: Tré Cool and Mike Dirnt are a long way from being overlooked in favour of Billie Joe Armstrong. Speaking personally, when I think of the band, I conjure up an image of all three members pulling silly faces. With groups like this you really get a feeling of them being exactly that – a group. When it comes down to it, isn’t that how it should be?
Too many bands that dominate the charts today tend to place too much emphasis on the lead figure. Yes, they are the lead for a reason as they usually carry certain charismatic qualities and are often the identifiable figure in the band. But the true frontmen, those who are worthy of leading a band through its career, are the ones who don’t choose fame over those that contributed to the success of the band in the first place.
What do you guys think? Do frontman steal the spotlight from their supporting talent? Comment below or find us on Twitter @labelonline
