Band Frontmen Trivia Quiz

Answer: Paul Hewson

Bono was given the nickname Bono Vox in his Dublin youth by his street gang peers. He did not like the name initially, but when he discovered it meant "good voice" he embraced it. In time it became Bono which is the name he is known by even with close family.

As the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist for U2, this frontman with the powerful voice has always given a power driven live experience for the band's fans. It was "Live Aid" in 1985 that made U2 superstars, due in part to Bono climbing down from the stage, impromptu, and dancing with a female fan. This meant that the band could not sing "Pride (in the Name of Love)", their biggest hit to date but the unscheduled performance of Bono won over a new bevy of fans.

Bono is also known for his humanitarian efforts particularly in seeking better living conditions for people in Africa.

Answer: The E Street band

Bruce Springsteen may be seen as a solo performer, but he got his musical start fronting the E Street Band, which formed in 1972 but was not named until 1974. Springsteen became an international superstar soon after, fronting a band with the musical nous of Max Weinberg on drums, and Clarence Clemons on sax. Springsteen's best music came, arguably from when he fronted the band with songs like "Born in the USA", "Born to Run", "Glory Days" and "Dancing in the Dark"; his music plateaued when he went solo in 1988 and picked up again when he re-united with the band in 1999.

Answer: Roger Daltrey

Roger Daltrey's vocal talent and stage presence arguably exceeded Jagger's, and made the band's live performances overshadow their studio recordings. The only thing that overshadowed Daltrey's stage performances was having to share a stage with Townshend, one of the most freakish guitar talents the rock world has ever seen.

Perhaps the best example was the Concert for New York City in 2001 where their four song set was absolutely stunning. Daltrey was 57, but his vocal performance was the same as it was for the previous four decades as the frontman in The Who, who completely stole the show which also hosted music heavy weights like David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Mick Jagger.

If anyone doubts his credentials as a frontman check out his screaming delivery on the finale of "Won't Get Fooled Again". It could not have been delivered by anybody else better.

Answer: False

Kurt Cobain was the charismatic frontman who wrote nearly all of Nirvana's songs. Dave Grohl was known as an excellent drummer but he hit the spotlight post-Nirvana with Foo Fighters. Cobain became one of the definitive frontmen of rock when the band played one song - "Smells Like Teen Spirit".(1989) The song, written by Cobain, was the the archetype Grunge song before the term was known. Nirvana's role in defining the Grunge era is well documented but it was that one song with Cobain's alternate soft passages and banshee-like screaming that enthralled a generation.

His suicide at the peak of the group's success somehow only added to his 'persona'.

Answer: False

Queen were four multi-talented musicians but it was lead singer Freddie Mercury out front that carried the band. Few could compete with Mercury when it came to personality but he had the musical range and talent to match. He could shift from full-blown machismo of "Another One Bites the Dust" to the almost classical "Bohemian Rhapsody" in a blink.

The highlight of his career was his Wembley performance of Live-Aid, where he not only enraptured the 100 000+ audience but a world-wide TV audience, just floored everybody. It rightly closed out the Queen biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody" (for which Remi Malek won a Best Actor Award). Paul Rodgers replaced Mercury when he died in 1991. Whilst Mr Rodgers' talent as a vocalist is noted he could not fill his predecessor's shoes and Queen diminished as a rock force.

Answer: INXS

In 1977 Michael Hutchence joined Andrew Farris and his brothers to form a group originally called The Vegetables before becoming INXS in 1979. International success came quickly based on some original-sounding rock music usually written by Andrew Farris and Hutchence.

While the music was the main reason for success, it was Hutchence's charismatic presence and penchant for relationships with other celebrities that was a major contribution to the group's success. Check out the stage performances of "Don't Change", "Suicide Blonde", and "New Sensation". With his premature death in 1997, the group would never recover despite trying a bevy of new frontmen.

Answer: False

In 1968, the Yardbirds were winding down, exhausted from touring but Jeff Beck and others left the band before they completed their tour of Scandinavia. The 'other' guitarist, Page, recruited singer Terry Reid but he passed, recommending Robert Plant from Band of Joy, who bought the drummer with him. John Paul Jones 'applied" for the bass vacancy and the quartet rehearsed in the basement of a record store; they successfully toured Scandinavia as the New Yardbirds. Buoyed by success, they toured Britain in October 1968, changing their name to Led Zeppelin (a play on lead balloon) on that tour.

It may have been Jimmy Page's brainchild but it was Robert Plant that completed the band. The music was intricate and complex but it demanded Plant's searing voice and depth of emotion that grounds every song. The raw power in his voice matched the music and his stage presence was magnetic. It would be impossible to think of Led Zeppelin without Robert Plant. He was the one member who had a successful solo career post-Led Zeppelin.

Answer: Bon Scott

Bon Scott was not the original lead singer for AC/DC but was when their popularity as a young group in Australia in 1973 took off; they soon became internationally recognised. Bon Scott was charismatic, a rogue and a hard drinker. He could carry a tune and a band. Sadly he died after a drunken night out in 1980 when everything was 'Rosie' for the band.

At first it was thought that Bon Scott could not be replaced but newly recruited Brian Johnson did not try to be another Bon Scott. His singing style was very different to Bon Scott's, but with the release of the 1980 album, "Back in Black", a tribute to Bon Scott, and one of the most successful rock albums of all time, all was forgiven and AC/DC continued to climb the the rock popularity ladder.

Answer: The Doors of Perception

The origin of the Doors started in July 1965 when former students Jim Morrison and Ray Manzerek met by chance at Venice Beach in LA (after both studying at the same film school). Ostensibly Morrison was a poet and Manzerek was a musician. Together they formed the Doors. It was Morrison who suggested their name, based on "The Doors of Perception" a book by Aldous Huxley. This in turn was based on a line from William Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" which contained the line: "If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is: infinite".

Morrison, an avid reader, thought the name was perfect but it was shortened to The Doors for obvious reasons. It was the lyrical compositions of Morrison's that entranced the rock world: "Light My Fire" and Hello I Love You" being prime examples. (Morrison did not use an instrument when composing his lyrics and vocal melodies - this was unusual.)

It was Morrison's stage presence that was intoxicating. He exuded mystery, sex and danger and the public loved it. Unfortunately, his drug habits affected his performances at times and ultimately killed him prematurely at 27 in 1971. Arguably his death increased his popularity.

Answer: Brian Jones

There may be a plaque on Dartford Railway Station in Kent stating that Keith Richards and Mick Jagger met there on October 17, 1961 and went on "to form the Rolling Stones" but it was Brian Jones who assembled the group, was their early leader and gave the group its name. (When being interviewed via phone, he was asked the group's undisclosed name. At the time there was a Muddy Waters LP nearby containing a song called "Rollin' Stone". Done deal!). However Jones lost favour with the band and left in 1969, tragically drowning a month later.

Mick Jagger became the front man of the band and unencumbered by a musical instrument most of the time (How many front men are?), he was free to strut and pose and dance while singing out the front of the band. Of course, having a hand on the main microphone helped as he could fill in the gaps between songs. Arguably Jagger was the archetype of band frontmen. Being able to demonstrate longevity, unusual in a frontman, Jagger carried the Stones for over six decades, gaining notoriety, musical kudos and a knighthood along his extended play as he strutted across the stage.