Frontman coaching.

[Inearthed]

I really want to work on having a commanding / powerful / explosive frontman for my band, but the current guy is a funky case. He does do a good job performing the songs, he throws in all sorts of extra vocal parts that really get people into the music and also little lead licks here and there (he plays guitar too), but he sort of freaks out between songs and gets quiet. Lots of "Uhh...", dead space where he just doesn't say anything and waits for the drummer to count in for the song, and on top of this his stage banter is weak as if he's intimidated / made nervous by the crowd. Is there any way I can coach him or anything I can do to encourage him to get fired up and be a commanding presence on stage. I've already encouraged him to watch bootleg videos of the great metal frontmen (90's Hetfield, etc.) but that doesn't seem to help. He doesn't seem to think its an issue. Kicking him out or getting a seperate singer isn't an option.

He is only 19 (which I think has a lot to do with it), but I want to really get an explosive live show going and I think that the frontman's connection with the crowd is an essential element to the performance. He should be drawing people into the performance instead of just being a radio DJ ( "That was ______ and this is______!" )

Any suggestions from you folks? Any experience with fronting a band or anything like that? Anyone have any advice that I should pass on to him?

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Getting him slightly to majorly drunk should take the edge off .

[zeegler]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Dale Carnegie

[Tom B]

Re: Frontman coaching.

yeah, i guess james hetfield used to be a grate frontman when he drinked (like on live shit binge and purge) but sober, he's way less wild, like i saw them last year. He looked almost bored. But then again, metallica sounded way tighter then they did on live shit binge and purge, and that's probably also an effect of the drinking

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Nah, Tom.

It's not so much the soberness, as it is having a family with some gorgeous kids, which is keeping him more or less straight nowadays.

[Tom B]

Re: Frontman coaching.

yeah, but i meant as a stage frontman. he wasn't really interacting alot with the crowd, and when he did, it sounded kinda like formula's he used on every show. The playing was great tough

By the way, i just checked the '666'thread, and i'm guessing you did latin in high school [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[HuntinDoug]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Solution in 2 words..."shock collar" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] J/K....We had the same problem. The bass player, drummer & I were all in our mid/late 30's. We were into playing fairly heavy stuff. Our singer was like 23...he wanted to do blues based songs, and stuff like Clapton.

Between songs he would turn away from the crowd and look at me or the drummer while I switch guitars, or tune. He and I both worked at GM at the time. One gig was 90% GM people... and he still did it. I ended up having to "get the crowd going" between songs: "HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE WORK AT GM??(crowd responds) HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE THINK GM SUCKS!? ( CROWD RESONDS MORE)".

He still didn't get it.... Now he sings for a different band.

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Good guess. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

I do mean on-stage presence as well, his kids and family have a great influence on it nowadays. He cut back on the cursing, for example.

[ROCKPRO]

Re: Frontman coaching.

Look at this guy in the eye. Does he have any talent? Is he a "flash in the pan"?. Sounds like the latter to me.

No star with talent. Your Doomed!! You'll be posting "I wasted Nine Years".
[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Frontman coaching.

I cured that problem with a bandmate once who was a boring sack on stage. During a gig, he did his usual "get quiet and turn his back to the audience in between songs" thing. I would always get stuck entertaining the crowd which sucked because the band (IMHO) needs 1 frontman.. not 2 or 3. ANYWAY....
I walked over to the center of the stage in front of the drum riser where he was "hiding" until the drummer gave his 4 count and I punched him in face. It was a nice clean shot. He tried to tackle me but tripped on the bass players guitar chord and knocked over the bass amp. The bass player came over totally in a rage and kicked him in the nutz. I then rolled his pathetic ass off the stage and we finished the gig with me and the bass player singing the rest of the songs. We became a power trio from then on.
Bottom line bro... your lead singer is not a frontman. He is just a lead singer. If you want a frontman, you need to start looking for one.

[VitaminG]

Re: Frontman coaching.

before you kick him in the nuts [img]/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/sick.gif[/img] could the guy enrol in a public speaking or drama class to maybe get his confidence up speaking in front of an audience?

[HuntinDoug]

Re: Frontman coaching.

I thought you were gonna say..."He kicked him in the nutz, and we did Journey songs the rest of the night". [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Frontman coaching.

A frontman either has it.. or he doesn't. Drama or a public speaking class might change his phonetics on stage but so would a nice public on stage beat down. You could also try pissing on him while he is silently standing there.

[VitaminG]

Re: Frontman coaching.

fair enough. I wasn't thinking of his diction. Sounds like he's performing the material fine, but then he's rehearsing for that. If he's not confident with stage banter, maybe it's because he doesn't work on that away from the stage.

I know guys at work who can deliver a sparklingly entertaining impromptu presentation at the drop of a hat. I also know others who can put on an equally impressive presentation, but require a lot more prep time beforehand.

But you guys know a lot more about stagecraft than I. It sounds like the guys is doing a good job singing, just needs a bit of work on his stage presence. Seems to me the situation would be worth salvaging, if the guy's prepared to work on it, rather than sack the dude to find a DLR type who has loads of charisma but can't perform the tunes.

[skarhead]

Re: Frontman coaching.

[ QUOTE ]
I've already encouraged him to watch bootleg videos of the great metal frontmen (90's Hetfield, etc.)

[/ QUOTE ]

i add Anselmo to that.

or just look at Slayer - The singer is not the frontman there - One of the guitar player is