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two drummers who were also lead singers in all of Rock and Roll. Those two being Pete Rivera of Rare Earth and Don Henley of the Eagles. I'm not thinking of drummers who occasionally sang, but ones who sang lead while playing drums on at least half of a group's songs. I'm sure there has to be others, possibly Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, although he usually plays guitar when he sings lead.
Anybody else?
Opus 33 1/3
Follow Ups:
Duh!
Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish, live or in the studio, is/was a GREAT singer and decent drummer.
Not well known, but Richard X. Heyman was a well-regarded sessions drummer before he began his DIY solo career.
Also, I would include Sheila E(scovedo), a terrific percussionist though maybe not really a R 'n R singer.
Slightly off topic: Many don't realize that Stevie Wonder and Prince are very good drummers and play a lot on their own recordings and sometimes live. Paul McCartney has done sessions on drums for Steve Miller and Denny Laine among others and played on some of the early solo/Wings records. Though IMHO he's probably better off sticking to the bass.
. . . in theory, practice and theory are the same; in practice, they are different . . .
Co-founder of Dwight Twilley's band, played drums and sang of a lot of their songs including their hit "I'm On Fire", then made some pretty good solo lp's before his premature death.
Wasn't Dave Clark the singer?
Funny how that group has disappeared into history.
"We are all in God's hands... and God is a malign thug."
-Mark Twain
Mike Smith was.
Later Gator,
Dave
Dunno. I've heard the rumors about Clark being a royal prick, hogging all the rights to the songs.
Opus 33 1/3
Edits: 10/01/14
Some really good stuff, but they never made the fundamental pivots into the future that the Beatles did - their music in 1967 sounded the same as it did in 1964, something that you would never say about the Beatles.
Dave Clark was a smart businessman. He did put the group together - and he did the deals with the record companies so that he owned the masters after 3 years, something unheard of then. (He was the producer, too). But he misgauged the market, and there were no reissues for a very, very long time - not until the two CD set that came out in the mid-90s by which time the DC5 was in fact completely forgotten except for those of us around in the 60s.
I heard them live once, in about 1965. Very exciting, although hard to hear over the screaming.
A few months ago, PBS' "Great Performances" series aired a documentary about the DC5 called "Dave Clark Five - Glad All Over" or something close to that. I'm sure it will eventually be repeated. It was produced and directed by Dave Clark so there's no hint of anything negative about the band, but even with that it's very enjoyable. They had a unique sound based on Clark's powerful drumming, and unlike most contemporary UK acts, the DC5 understood the importance of the sax to rock 'n' roll. If you haven't heard any DC5 music in a while, it's impressive how many great records they had. It's clear that the Beatles and the DC5 respectde each other.
Yes, it was very good, although all about DC and not much about the other band members. I was a fan while they were active and I am a fan now.....but they occupied a rung below the Beatles.
I would love to see a vinyl reissue of their material, done with as much care as the Beatles.
on keyboards, was the lead singer.
Opus 33 1/3
Opus 33 1/3
tom
Opus 33 1/3
Started playing piano at 9. I would go so far as to say he was probably the best musician when the "group" formed.In fact, he was the only Monkee to play on the first album as I recall.
Edits: 10/03/14
His early recording with Brand X and Genesis is very good. His voice isn't bad either.
After Peter Gabriel left.
Serving up content-free posts on the Internet since 1984.
She is a very good drummer. she toured with Miles Davis for couple years, then she started her solo career. Yes, she can sing, too. Her solo album "Real life story" is one of my favorite LP
Robert Wyatt, before he suffered his injury.
Happy listening,
Jim
"The passage of my life is measured out in shirts."
- Brian Eno
Not THE Carpenters, but simply "Carpenters", they insisted. Karen Carpenter was a very good drummer.
Saw them in the early 1970s. Very good show.
Opus 33 1/3
Ditto. Saw the "Now and Then" tour. A very fond memory.
If you have the technology, the 5.1 SACD of their greatest hits is a stunner - one of the best in the format, to my ears.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Daddy and I disagree on the merits of Carpenters. My playing of their records may, indeed, lead to a split on the grounds of irreconcilable differences and intolerable cruelty (if Elton John doesn't do so first).
Nt
from Acoustic Sounds, IIRC.
Opus 33 1/3
how many very good songs they had, plus a few others, while not very good, were certainly radio staples.
--------------------------
"E burres stigano"
Gary Lewis (aka Jerry Lewis' son) also played drums and sang.
I read that if the Monkees had actually put the right person on the right instruments, Davy Jones would have been on the drums - apparently he was a good drummer. Nesmith would have played bass and Tork lead guitar, and Mickey would have been out front - but Davy was cuter and they wanted him out front.
.
... such as "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone," and "I'm a Believer."
But I have no idea how close to Opus's 50% line he came.
Actually - pretty sure that Mickey is lead on 50% plus, if you listen. He really was the go to guy, in spite of having what I would call a mediocre voice. The Monkees really got great songs to sing -there aren't many more beautiful than "Sometime in the Morning" for example.
I'm not sure of the actual song count, so maybe he doesn't meet your half criterion, but Don Brewer did (and I believe still does) a lot of singing with Grand Funk Railroad.
Happy listening,
Jim
"The passage of my life is measured out in shirts."
- Brian Eno
Pete Rivera and Levon Helm are two of my absolute favorites. Great singers and players.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Phil Collins (of Genesis) is one. Although MOSTLY, he sang and Chester Thompson played drums during the live shows. Phil HAS been known to sit behind the kit and belt it out while beating the crap of those skins!
Dman
Analog Junkie
Phil Collins?
Yes, PC back in the day could easily harmonize with Peter Gabriel during the live shows, as well as be the front man once PG had left the band. Seen PC-era Genesis many times.
Dman
Analog Junkie
!
Opus 33 1/3
... if you're discounting Dolenz as a co-lead, why wouldn't you also classify Levon – and even your original example Don Henley – as co-leads, too? There were multiple "lead" vocalists in both The Eagles and The Band.
Oh! Just remembered another drummer/vocalist: Buddy Miles. Besides the lead vocals he did with Electric Flag and Band of Gypsys, he recorded many albums under his own name, including the 'way cool Buddy Miles Express.
...another great one.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
Not one who sings "with" another singer for most of it. Kinda like the Beatles. Paul sang some songs and John assisted and vice versa. Same with Henley and Fry. Fry was lead on Take it Easy and others (Henley harmonized on the choruses) while Henley was lead on Hotel California and others (and Fry harmonized along with Schmidt and Walsh). Same for Levon.
Actually Rivera was the only drummer who sang all of a groups songs. Very distinctive singer.
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Mickey Dolenz was the lead voice on some of the most recognizable Monkees hits: "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," and "D. W. Washburn" – five of the group's ten biggest hits, with Mike Nesmith and Davey Jones taking the leads on the other five.
Dolenz did the leads on two of the group's Number Ones (Jones on the other).
Surely this grand showing more than justifies M. D.'s inclusion in the "All-Time Greatest Rock'n'Roll "'Lead Singer / Drummer'" category here at VA.
I rest my case ... and head off for a couple of bottles of Rogue Dead Guy Ale while spinning the second disc of The White Album and – just to clear the palate from all of my recent Beatles listening – some Neil Young, Zep, and the ever popular "a player to be named later."
O.K., and probably at least one side of "The Nightfly."
Cheers!
-=- Charlie F.
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