The next group of people are some of the greatest front men in the music business. Some of these singers play guitar, but for the purpose of this post, they are being judged on their stage presence and vocal ability.
Howlin Pelle Almqvist-The Hives
This guy is by far, one of the greatest front men around. He feeds off the crowd's energy and never gets tired. His scissor kicks and mic-swings always gets the crowd moving. After every song, he demands more claps and yells from the crowd to continue the show.
Milo Aukerman-The Descendents
A staple in punk rock band, Milo always rises above. His spastic stage presence and amazing vocals brought originality to the band.
Joey Ramone-The Ramones
One of the greatest punk rock singers ever. He was lanky, dirty and snarled often. He is by far, the most iconic singers in the world.
Joe Strummer-The Clash, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
Along with Joey Ramone, Strummer is an amazing iconic singer. His one-of-a-kind vocals, great stage presence and strong passion puts him in rock n roll hall of fame.
Jessie Michaels-Operation Ivy, Common Rider
He fronted the legendary Operation Ivy, and could sing incredibly fast. He used his passion about politics and government issues to compose some of the greatest songs ever wrote.
And now, the best of the best on the skins. It took me a while to try to narrow down my list.
Being a drummer, I'm a big fan of a lot of drummers. But here are some of the most influential and overall, awesome drummers.
Derek Grant/ Glenn Porter (Alkaline Trio)
I put both of these drummers in (since they both play/played in Alk3) Glenn Porter was Alkaline Trio's first drummer. He played sloppy, fast and was the perfect fit for their early albums and
e.p.'s. His stuff is still pretty difficult to play at times. Especially "97". It's all over the place, which worked well for them.
Derek Grant, (their current drummer) is equally amazing. His work on Good Mourning is fantastic. "Fatally Yours" Donner Party (All Night)" showcase his quick-hitting skills and fast fills. He's a major influence on my drumming as well as Glenn Porter.
Dave Raun (Lagwagon)
Now typically, I don't care for drummers who can wail on the double bass, but his band Lagwagon are awesome. His quick foot work and fills are a force to be reckon with. "Alien 8", "Choke" and "Stokin the Neighbors" are great songs to hear how this guy can rip.
Niel Hennessy (the Lawrence Arms/The Falcon/The Smoking Popes)
He is an amazing drummer who can play just about everything. His work on the Lawrence Arms album The Greatest Story Ever Told is awesome. The fills are technical, and he is a major influence on my current style. He recently took the reigns on drums for The Smoking Popes and plays with the same intensity.
Vinnie Fiorello (Less Than Jake)
Last but not least, one of my favourite drummers rounds up my list. He doubles up on duties in the band writing lyrics and pounding the drums. Over the last 5+ years he has been ridiculed for not being that exciting of a drummer, for Less Than Jake, you don't need ridiculous beats and fills. He rips ska beats as well as fast punk. That's all that matters.
82 here: My choice is Bill Stevenson from All/Descendents:
The guy is in his mid-40s and can still play amazingly strange time signatures...
...and straight ahead pop-punk back in the day
And how could Mikey forget Josh Freese?
Skip to 2:14 of that vid if you don't want to hear the Vandals.
Bassists. Often forgotten in the band, especially live. But if you're really talented, you'll stand out every time you hit stage. 82 Already listed the greatest bassist of all time, but along with Matt Freeman (of Rancid) are two some of my favourite bassists Dan Andriano of Alkaline Trio and Roger of Less Than Jake.
Dan is not only a technical bassist, but sings and writes very very well. His bass playing in his early days were untouchable. Such master-pieces are "Goodbye Forever" and "Cringe". Although Alkaline Trio gets a lot of heat for some commercial success, his work on Agony and Irony go above and beyond.
Roger Manganelli of Less Than Jake tends to steal the show every time they hit stage. He plays so fast, it's almost impossible to rap your head around his skills. "Plastic Cup Politics" is a prime example of his attack on the bass. But at the same time, he can slow it down and play all over the fret board.
I've come up with some of the greatest musicians in the field of their instrument. This week I'm going to focus on a couple of the greatest piano, bass,guitar and singers of all time. And by all time, I mean in my most humble opinion.
Today it's piano players. Two big names come to mind when I think of the best.
Ben Folds is one of the most creative piano players of all time. I've seen him perform at least 3 or so times and every time he performs, it's an amazing show. But it's not just his stage performance and the ability to improv. He has written some of the greatest songs. Some involving pain, others humor and growing old. He plays with the most intense passion and at the same time, can make you crack up.
"Philosophy", "Still Fighting It", and "Landed" highlight a great list of his wonderful works of art, and on the other side "Rockin The Suburbs", "Hiroshima", and "Army" always bring a smile to your face.
The second noteworthy piano player is a legend in many ways. He goes by The Piano Man, but is also known as Billy Joel. His songs are still song and enjoyed by many. One classic song that seems to never fade away is "Piano Man". It's probably the most played song at weddings besides whatever the flavor of the month is. Other classic songs are "The Longest Time", "New York State of Mind" "The Downeastern 'Alexa'", "Only The Good Die Young" plus many others.
He seems to hold a special place in my wife's heart because our wedding song was "She's got a way", which was performed by her brother.
Billy Joel is a fine piano player that remains a favourite among many. His classic songs warm up the heart and can usually get anyone singing.
