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A band’s most lasting impression is made with a dynamic, charismatic leader who represents the group and presents all of their hard work where it matters most: in a live setting.

It takes a mind-boggling amount of stamina and hunger to wow the crowds night after night with the same amount of intensity and passion throughout a tour. We’re talking pails and pails of sweat, laryngitis, broken limbs, and above all, a supreme and unwavering passion for what they do. Festival season is upon us, and to pay tribute to the blockbuster UK festivals that started it all, we count down Britain’s finest leading lads of the past ten years.

Far from phoning it in, these ten frontmen have perfected the craft of embodying what it means to be a true rockstar…

10. Johnny Borrell

Johnny Borrell is probably most famous for either appearing shirtless and in white jeans, or proclaiming that he’s as good as Bob Dylan and Orson Welles, among others. He’s one of only seven men to have ever appeared on the cover of British Vogue and ever the arrogant frontman. But those who have seen a Razorlight show recall the thrill of their live performance. A sexy, swaggering frontman who knows he’s a hottie and really woos the crowd.

Watch: Razorlight - Before I Fall To Pieces

9. Jarvis Cocker

Jarvis Cocker’s songwriting skills (with Pulp, and as a solo artist) are undisputed - one minute he’s singing about woodchips on the wall and the next about teenage wet dreams. He’s got that classic British dry wit and deadpan delivery that Pulp fans have loved from the start. He’s the quintessential gentleman, always well-dressed and donning his trademark thick-rimmed glasses. And with the exception of his stage invasion during Michael Jackson’s performance at the 1996 BRIT Awards, he’s generally well-behaved and reserves his cultural commentary for more civilized forums like talk shows and interviews. Check out the rowdy performance of Common People below.

Watch: Pulp - Common People (@ Glastonbury)

8. Ricky Wilson

Every time I’ve seen the Kaiser Chiefs perform, I’ve been rendered exhausted just trying to keep up with Ricky Wilson himself. He’s a notoriously fidgety performer who never stands still - he’s airborne for nearly 50% of a typical Kaiser Chiefs set thanks to his trademark pogo-ing and sporadic leaping (usually performed while simultaneously playing a tambourine!). Add to that the fact that he likes to climb things (scaffolding, speakers, whatever) and crowd surf to “get out and see what the crowd smells like” and you have yourself quite an unpredictable riot of a show. Ricky’s so reckless, in fact, that in 2006 he was injured in a hit and run accident that resulted in an ankle cast, yet he still toured for the rest of the summer, getting up to his usual stage antics.

Watch: Kaiser Chiefs - I Predict A Riot (@ PinkPop 2006)

7. Chris Martin

Chris Martin kinda has it all. He’s a generally nice guy, he has the attention and adoration of thousands, plays piano and guitar, two cute kids and a superstar wife (Gwyneth Paltrow). Watching him perform with Coldplay is amazing because it’s such a complete experience. At a typical show you might see him bop from the mic to piano, then back to guitar, then tear across the stage, then disappear deep into the crowd to sing a spontaneous cover of Nelly’s Hot In Herre. And like many frontmen, Chris Martin knows exactly how to wield his star power to bring awareness to the causes he supports - in the last four years the back of his left hand has been almost permanently stamped with a “Make Trade Fair” equal sign.

Watch: Coldplay - Yellow (in Sydney, 2003)

6. Tom Chaplin

The amount of energy and passion that Tom Chaplin puts into every single Keane show is something I’ve rarely seen before. It’s a given that all three band members will end any show soaked in their own sweat, and Tom leads the way. He hits every note, inserts dramatic pauses at just the right moments and really engages the audience throughout. Watching them perform popular set-closer Bedshaped is phenomenal - at 3:41 especially Tom’s vocal abilities really shine.

Watch: Keane - Bedshaped (@ Rock Werchter, 2007)
Watch: Keane - Somewhere Only We Know (@ Live8)

5. Ian Brown

He’s constantly referred to by the UK press and tabloids as “King Monkey” or a ‘monkey’ variation thereof - a nickname I’m pretty confident he can’t possibly be a fan of - and in 2006 he won NME’s “Godlike Genius” award. Indeed, while on stage with his former band The Stone Roses or as part of his solo efforts, Ian Brown is godlike. Strong lyrical delivery, heaps of charisma and dynamic stage presence set him apart from the crowd. At a June show in Sheffield, a fan dragged Ian into the crowd where he fell and suffered a wound to the head that required 10 stitches. The injury wasn’t enough to keep him away from the stage - the unstoppable force performed a full set at the Isle Of Wight Festival the very next day.

Watch: Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored (@ T In The Park)

4. Matt Bellamy

Time and time again you hear people recount stories of Muse’s live show, saying either that it’s ‘the best show they’ve ever seen’ or marvelling at the ability of three seemingly unassuming dudes to absolutely OWN a massive festival-sized stage. Matt Bellamy is at the helm of this triad, and his stage presence and vocal ability are both mesmerizing. He’s been seen outfitted in a head-to-toe red jumpsuit rocking out behind a lucite, laser-clad baby grand piano on more than one occasion - watching a blisteringly-loud set by Muse is truly a sight to behold.

Watch: Muse - Knights Of Cydonia (@ Wembley Stadium)

3. Richard Ashcroft

Richard Ashcroft has been part of a massive festival circuit with the recently reunited The Verve - in 2008 they’ve already played Coachella, MSG in New York and headlined Glastonbury, where they featured their new single Love Is Noise, a song that the NME describes as “such an instantaneous classic that The Verve had the audacity to end their set with it”. Richard usually sports a uniform of sunglasses, tidy, zippered jackets and, most notably, no shoes. He’s a commanding frontman that never loses his cool - he engages the crowd and shuffles his way across the stage, but you just know he thinks he’s the tits, and frankly, we’re inclined to agree with him.

Watch: The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony (@ Glastonbury 2008)

2. Liam Gallagher

Liam Gallagher has what is arguably one of the most instantly recognizable mic stances in all of British rock ‘n roll. Instead of grabbing onto the microphone and using it as his instrument or tool, he prefers to approach the mic with his hands clasped behind his back or in his pockets, neck angled upwards towards it, with his upper lip and nose (instead of his actual mouth) closest to it. It’s like he’s a messiah (we already know he THINKS he is) and simply REFUSES to touch the microphone. Even at blockbuster shows like Glastonbury and T In The Park, he maintains a stoic, god-like presence on stage.

Watch: Oasis - Wonderwall

1. Dave Gahan

Most Depeche Mode fans can agree that Dave Gahan acts as a mouthpiece for the songwriting and lyrics that are primarily the work of bandmate Martin Gore. And even after over 25 years as the face of Depeche Mode, Dave remains a dangerously sexy, unstoppable force who manages to make grown women weep and render themselves hoarse from screaming his name. As a typical Depeche Mode set progresses, more and more clothing is removed and by the end of it, what you’re left with is a bare-chested, tattooed and ripped Dave gyrating his way down the catwalk like a sexy, sweaty mess. I dare you to not get chills when Dave commands an audience of over 150,000 people to wave their arms rhythmically at the 4:43 mark of the classic Never Let Me Down Again performance below.

Watch: Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again
Watch: Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence

Obviously there are heaps more that didn’t make it onto this list, so who are your favourite British frontmen? Post in the comments!

Photographs, except Matt Bellamy, Courtesy of Getty Images

Posted on Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 3:16 pm by Kat and is filed under Music & Videos.

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