A new game for you

This is one that is wracking my brain. It will wrack yours too as soon as I tell you what it is.

Think of bands, any bands, all bands that you know. Is there a definite front man for the band? One that carry's the brand of that band. One that is so unmistakably that person, that if they weren't in the band, there wouldn't be a band. There are caveats and quid pro quo to this. If the band has a second, or third distinct member then they don't fall under the category. For example, one could say Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin. Well this wouldn't fly cause he has Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones, each legendary in their own respect. The Beatles are another one that don't fall into the pitch.

Bands or indivduals that would fall into the category would be Tom Petty, or Eric Clapton. Some of you could name people from those bands but if they didn't help carry the band in a legendary type of way then they can be included. One could argue Axl Rose was a serious front man but he had Slash so this is the gray area. Freddie Mercury was definitely THE front man but some could argue Brian May helped carry that band. U2, Bono, but the Edge so it's quite the challenge, this game.

Other examples of bands with a definite front man:

Peter Frampton
REM (michael stipe)
Jimi Hendrix
No Doubt (gwen stefani)
The Police (yes I know i can name the rest of the band, but it's Sting for chrissake)
The Commodores (lionel richie)
The Pips (gladys knight)
The Supremes (diana ross)
Ray Charles
Pearl Jam (eddie vedder)
Bon Jovi (jon)
Nirvana (even tho Dave went to Foo Fighters, he still didn't carry Nirvana)
Foo Fighters (he gets his due for the foo)

but dig this one...

Genesis? (phil collins?) he was technically NOT the front man but the drummer, so again, gray area.

The list could go on and on, IF you could think of them.

Other listings of almost but not quite, or no way (and it gets tricky with R&B and rap as they present particular challenges):

Guns and Roses (axl/slash)
Van Halen (was it Diamond Dave? or was it Sammy? one could argue they would be nothing and they would have been, without Eddie)
The Who (roger daltrey/pete townshend)
The Rolling Stones (all those old fuckers)
Public Enemy (the front man being Flavor Flav, but the talent being Chuck D)
NWA, (the front man being EasyE but the talent being Ice Cube and Dr Dre).


So roll that one around in your head and add some bands if you think of them. I've spent the last 3-4 days pitching this one and it's infectious. Even though I don't think it was my idea. i will still veto selections if anyone actually puts some in.