Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Arts and Entertainment => Topic started by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 09:14:12 am

Title: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 09:14:12 am
What's your favourite band of this genre?  In the 80s we had All About Eve and Katrina And The Waves.  The 70s had Blondie.  Now the kids have Florence And The Machine, who I haven't heard but I understand suck a fairly large one.

(Note: it doesn't have to be exactly three blokes, as long as they're faceless).
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 09:24:40 am
Blondie is the all-time best.  Other favourites of mine include the Sundays, Goldfrapp and Catatonia. 
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:28:40 am
Texas
Garbage
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 09:29:50 am
I'd forgotten The Sundays.  Yes, they'd be my favourite.  Will they ever get a fourth album out? I suppose Harriet is about 45 now.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:44:40 am
Republica.

Garbage should be disallowed because Butch Vig is hardly a faceless bloke.

Eighth Wonder are the template. A vanity project for the vacuous Patsy Kensit.

From the 70's, I proudly bring you Mama Lion and the sleeve to their album, 'Preserve Wildlife'

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Jaded on 20 August, 2011, 09:48:20 am
Martha and the Muffins. Too many people, but so what. Also good music.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:53:57 am
The Cranberries.

eta:

Sleeper
Elastica
No Doubt.

I'm finding this quite depressing, there's only one girl-fronted band that cuts the mustard IMO (apart from the previously mentioned Garbage) and that's The Pretenders, then again, they weren't three faceless blokes either. Well, two are now. Funnily enough, had a chat with Martin Chambers at Cornbury the other week. He told me, in a right broad Hereford accent, about his barn renovations. He likes digging. Oh, and he told me about the young falcons he has on his land. "They can fly alright, they just caaaan't bloody laaaand". Nice bloke.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Rhys W on 20 August, 2011, 10:35:28 am
Whatever happened to Echobelly?

The Muffs are very good pop-punk with cartoon attitude, but with the tunes to back it up.

Throwing Muses.
Belly.
Lone Justice.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 10:45:54 am
Bands with TWO birds upfront don't count, so Throwing Muses only counts since Tanya Donelly left.  By the way, check out:
http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/36386-kristin-hersh-set-for-edinburgh-festival-show/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imiMM6G05Mk&feature=player_embedded

More than 50% of the bands I like are fronted by women.  Blokes just don't sound as interesting.

Sundays 4th album?  I'm not too hopeful.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 10:56:04 am
Camera Obscura is another one I've recently got into.  A singer with a deeply affecting unusual voice, backed by blokes I wouldn't recognise.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: longers on 20 August, 2011, 11:18:53 am
Transvision Vamp?
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 11:22:03 am
The Primatives!  That's more like it.  They recently released a new downloadable 4-track EP.  It's pretty good.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 11:24:06 am
Quote from: longers on 20 August, 2011, 11:18:53 am
Transvision Vamp?
There's an apocryphal story about a TV gig where, as commonly happened, a fat oaf in the moshpit howled at Wendy James, "Get your tits out!".

At which she responded, "What's wrong with yours?".
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: bobb on 20 August, 2011, 11:26:26 am
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:53:57 am
Elastica

They were all girls except for a token bloke.  Which is another type of band. The Corrs also fit that one.....
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 11:28:46 am
Mazzy Star.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 11:39:26 am
Catatonia. Cerys Matthews is my all-time heroine.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 11:40:40 am
Quote from: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 11:39:26 am
Catatonia. Cerys Matthews is my all-time heroine.

I love her too.  Do you listen to her radio show on 6Music?
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 11:41:57 am
Quote from: bobb on 20 August, 2011, 11:26:26 am
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:53:57 am
Elastica

They were all girls except for a token bloke.  Which is another type of band. The Corrs also fit that one.....
Jim Corr was the most miserable bloke in pop, I think.  No-one was the remotest bit interested in him.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: bobb on 20 August, 2011, 11:45:39 am
Powder were one of many mid 90s Britpop bands that fit the "Three faceless blokes and a bird up front" bill. They weren't very good.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 11:46:20 am
Quote from: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 11:40:40 am
Quote from: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 11:39:26 am
Catatonia. Cerys Matthews is my all-time heroine.

I love her too.  Do you listen to her radio show on 6Music?

Yes. Her music tastes are wildly varying, which totally rocks. She read out a message that I had sent her once. Awesome chick.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 11:52:56 am
Quote from: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 11:39:26 am
Catatonia. Cerys Matthews is my all-time heroine.
Ah yes - a classic example of the genre.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Rhys W on 20 August, 2011, 12:56:09 pm
Quote from: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 11:41:57 am
Jim Corr was the most miserable bloke in pop, I think.  No-one was the remotest bit interested in him.

Now he's the David Icke of pop www.jimcorr.com/ (http://www.jimcorr.com/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpLCrEor_xY
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 01:42:59 pm
Quote from: Rhys W on 20 August, 2011, 12:56:09 pm
Quote from: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 11:41:57 am
Jim Corr was the most miserable bloke in pop, I think.  No-one was the remotest bit interested in him.

Now he's the David Icke of pop www.jimcorr.com/ (http://www.jimcorr.com/)
My goodness.  This is probably all about Bono being invited to Davos, rather than him.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: IanDG on 20 August, 2011, 01:44:48 pm
The Pretenders, Portishead (2 blokes?), Suzi Quatro and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Baggy on 20 August, 2011, 01:50:57 pm
Saint Etienne were one of the only girl-fronted bands I liked in the 90s.
Of late, I've developed a liking for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. They'll probably split up now ::-)

All time best has to be Blondie though.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 02:04:50 pm
I was going to mention Saint Etienne - but Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs got their faces quite well known.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: her_welshness on 20 August, 2011, 02:11:08 pm
Fairground Attraction. Eddi Reader and that flawless voice of hers  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: nicknack on 20 August, 2011, 02:18:39 pm
I s'pose Pentangle would count as four famous blokes and a faceless bird upfront (sorry Jacqui).
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 02:23:54 pm
Mrs Z has some stuff by Sleeper.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Aidan on 20 August, 2011, 03:14:20 pm
Echobelly


Did one of the most uplifting and optimistic songs ever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-2fNeIT5kU

and no one ever noticed the blokes ;D
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 03:18:55 pm
Echobelly doesn't qualify.  Debbie Smith on guitar.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Aidan on 20 August, 2011, 03:24:07 pm
Quote from: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 03:18:55 pm
Echobelly doesn't qualify.  Debbie Smith on guitar.

Who noticed? ;D
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Jaded on 20 August, 2011, 03:59:55 pm
Cocteau Twins
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 04:16:59 pm
Nah.  I would have mentioned the Cocteau Twins long ago - but Robin Guthrie on guitar was hardly faceless.  He fronted the Cocteaus as much as Liz.  Or does it just seem like that to us hard-core fans?

http://youtu.be/iv9pMwnfiBQ
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:26:39 pm
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:44:40 am
Garbage should be disallowed because Butch Vig is hardly a faceless bloke.

Who  ???
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Woofage on 20 August, 2011, 09:46:47 pm
Martha's Vineyard (I think they were one "hit" wonders).

Cowboy Junkies.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:54:25 pm
Crowded House


Runs away from Mrs P  :P
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 09:59:27 pm
Coldplay    :demon:
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: arry_b on 20 August, 2011, 10:01:26 pm
Quote from: Biggsy on 20 August, 2011, 09:59:27 pm
Coldplay    :demon:

Bzzzt! Incorrect - they're three faceless blocked fronted by a "ladygarden".
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 10:05:35 pm
Two of the faceless blokes have been lost in this clip.

She's singing live  :o

Doesn't Julianne look like our Julian?  :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2JPxZTSlMo&feature=related
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 10:16:37 pm
Quote from: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:54:25 pm
Crowded House


Runs away from Mrs P  :P

*smacks penguin repeatedly round the head with a wet fish*
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 10:56:13 pm
Quote from: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:26:39 pm
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:44:40 am
Garbage should be disallowed because Butch Vig is hardly a faceless bloke.

Who  ???

Teh wiki sez. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Vig)

 ;)
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 11:02:59 pm
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 10:56:13 pm
Quote from: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:26:39 pm
Quote from: Illegal Combat Ant on 20 August, 2011, 09:44:40 am
Garbage should be disallowed because Butch Vig is hardly a faceless bloke.

Who  ???

Teh wiki sez. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butch_Vig)

 ;)

Pretty much faceless then.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: IanDG on 21 August, 2011, 08:36:50 am
Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 10:16:37 pm
Quote from: Pingu on 20 August, 2011, 09:54:25 pm
Crowded House


Runs away from Mrs P  :P

*smacks penguin repeatedly round the head with a wet fish*

Now that's enough Mrs P, we don't need any detail of what you two get up to behind closed doors ;)
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: IanDG on 21 August, 2011, 08:39:31 am
Quote from: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 10:05:35 pm
Two of the faceless blokes have been lost in this clip.

She's singing live  :o

Doesn't Julianne look like our Julian?  :o



All about Eve? If they fit the category then so do Rodriguez and Gabriella. Who pays any attention to Rodriguez?

OK, I forgot about Regulator
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Jaded on 21 August, 2011, 09:04:50 am
Robert Palmer.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: IanDG on 21 August, 2011, 09:41:05 am
Quote from: Jaded on 21 August, 2011, 09:04:50 am
Robert Palmer.


I think that was 5 faceless (leggy) birds and 1 tit
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Peter on 21 August, 2011, 10:10:38 am
Quote from: windy on 21 August, 2011, 09:41:05 am
Quote from: Jaded on 21 August, 2011, 09:04:50 am
Robert Palmer.


I think that was 5 faceless (leggy) birds and 1 tit

You sure that wasn't Bryan Ferry?
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Torslanda on 21 August, 2011, 10:45:38 am
Iconic video tho'but.

What about Queen?

<Hides from our Scottish Rosa Klebb or whatever she's called herself this week>
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Torslanda on 21 August, 2011, 10:46:45 am
The Thomson Twins?  :o
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Illegal Combat Ant on 21 August, 2011, 11:58:34 am
If the Thomson Twins qualify, and I think Tom Bailey might take issue with that, then surely Wings qualify under the same criteria.

 ;D
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 21 August, 2011, 12:21:46 pm
Quote from: torslanda on 21 August, 2011, 10:45:38 am
Iconic video tho'but.

What about Queen?

<Hides from our Scottish Rosa Klebb or whatever she's called herself this week>
I see all.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Cunobelin on 21 August, 2011, 01:46:15 pm
Quote from: rogerzilla on 20 August, 2011, 10:05:35 pm
Two of the faceless blokes have been lost in this clip.

She's singing live  :o

Doesn't Julianne look like our Julian?  :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2JPxZTSlMo&feature=related

I prefer this version  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1JIe8Zlvr4&feature=related)
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Woofage on 21 August, 2011, 03:03:08 pm
While we're on the subject of JR: Mice.

Not a great success but I have their first (and only?) album and it's OK. Saw them live at some dodgy place on Sarfend sea-front.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: IanDG on 21 August, 2011, 03:11:46 pm
10,000 Maniacs

OK- 4 faceless blokes with Natalie Marchant up front (who wouldn't be happy being classed as a 'bird'.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Flying_Monkey on 22 August, 2011, 10:05:51 am
This thread reminds me of some people I knew from my days living in Oxford. The band was called The Mystics, and they should have been big, as big as their Oxford contemporaries, Supergrass and Radiohead. But things just didn't go their way, their debut album wasn't released, and they are now all but forgotten...

http://www.youtube.com/user/jackrushton#p/u/10/O9NqOoUT5JM

They weren't really three faceless blokes and a girl up front, because the girl was part of the unit, and the blokes were all really quite odd rather than faceless. Sam Williams, on bass and lead vocals, was also the producer of the first Supergrass singles and album. And Katherine (Kate) Garrett, on keyboards and backing vocals, was in a band with one PJ Harvey at school. She died, way too young, of cancer, in 2009, which was really my reason for posting this. RIP.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/community/obituaries/obits/4482180.Musician_nurtured_talents_of_others/
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Mr Larrington on 22 August, 2011, 11:08:40 am
Eric Blake (http://mischalke04.wordpress.com/2010/05/27/eric-blake-80%C2%B4girl-1981/).  I know little of them except that they were allegedly shit-hot live, Julie Harding was well fit and they had possibly the worst name of any band in the history of all things ever.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: padbeat on 24 August, 2011, 12:19:26 am
PJ Harvey started off as a trio in the early days. I clearly remember an early interview in the NME where she said that yes, Polly harvey was her name, but the band was PJ Harvey. That didn't last long though ...
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Valiant on 24 August, 2011, 10:35:18 pm
Hows about Portishead? They must count.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 24 August, 2011, 10:37:35 pm
Morcheeba
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Valiant on 25 August, 2011, 02:27:27 am
Skunk Anansie
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: fuzzy on 25 August, 2011, 02:04:41 pm
Siouxsie and the Banshees?
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 25 August, 2011, 02:26:25 pm
Quote from: fuzzy on 25 August, 2011, 02:04:41 pm
Siouxsie and the Banshees?

Yes, I can't picture the blokes' faces right now.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Woofage on 25 August, 2011, 02:27:52 pm
Quote from: fuzzy on 25 August, 2011, 02:04:41 pm
Siouxsie and the Banshees?

Not sure they count ;). Budgie (the drummer) did some solo stuff so was well known (I think he also played in another punk band - The Slits?) and Robert Smith of The Cure dep'd on guitar before be became a full-time member.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Biggsy on 25 August, 2011, 02:56:45 pm
This depends on how well you know the acts.  No members of bands you're big fans of seem faceless to you, whereas you tend to concentrate on the singer up front if you're just a casual observer.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Quisling on 25 August, 2011, 10:57:59 pm
Have we done The Tourists yet.  Early Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, pre-Eurythmics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Nu9bEkQaE
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rogerzilla on 18 December, 2023, 11:19:45 am
Sleeper were just on the radio.  Some idle Googling reveals that the generic term for faceless male band members is, in fact, Sleeperblokes.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MaleBandFemaleSinger
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 18 December, 2023, 11:58:10 am
Nena
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: rafletcher on 18 December, 2023, 06:55:56 pm
Elastica
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Deano on 18 December, 2023, 09:56:54 pm
Quote from: rogerzilla on 18 December, 2023, 11:19:45 am
Sleeper were just on the radio.  Some idle Googling reveals that the generic term for faceless male band members is, in fact, Sleeperblokes.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MaleBandFemaleSinger

The band I thought of when I saw the thread title :)
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Deano on 18 December, 2023, 09:57:25 pm
Quote from: rafletcher on 18 December, 2023, 06:55:56 pm
Elastica

Weren't they the opposite, three women and a bloke?
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Regulator on 19 December, 2023, 12:26:37 pm
Just to bring the thread a little more up to date... London Grammar.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: ian on 19 December, 2023, 09:33:56 pm
Wolf Alice qualify. Also light on actual wolves. Come to think of it, not one of them is called Alice either. Cheated.


Re Sleeper, I did enjoy Louise Wener's Different for Girls as a nice window on that era.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: Redlight on 21 December, 2023, 10:44:50 pm
Anyone else here of a certain age want to admit to a bit of a teenage crush on Noosha Fox?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1iEqzcJ_1k
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: MattH on 23 December, 2023, 10:26:24 am
Just seen this thread and thought of this.

Within Temptation - Faster. The drummer is literally faceless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQVei5C2N4E

The backstory being that the drummer on the recording was a session musician as they were between drummers at the time, and they didn't get a new one until after the video was shot so hid the one in the video.
Title: Re: Three faceless blokes and a bird up front
Post by: fd3 on 23 December, 2023, 04:01:07 pm
Quote from: fuzzy on 25 August, 2011, 02:04:41 pm
Siouxsie and the Banshees?
Depends on how you formulate the OP.
I can't think of any band fronted by a woman where the rest of the band don't fade into the background, so you could argue that S&tB count.
But mark II Banshees was pretty much a supergroup, moreso than Hyena/Nocturne era with Bob.