How d'ye speak, frontmen?

[Bande]

Hi guys!

I wanna ask a question from the ones who are the leaders of their band.
So you, frontmen! How do you deliver your speeches between songs on stage?
Presenly, I'm the leader of my band, and it happens to me very often that a few days before the gig I start to worry. I always think that I won't be able to speak well to the audience on stage, because of a very little bit of stage fright(anyway, I don't tend to be afraid on stage).
So, several days before the gig I start to plan my speech (what to inspire the audience with, what to tell them 'bout the next song, etc.), and then I tend to learn it almost word by word!!!! Then, when I'm familiar with my own speech, I speak very well on stage, and few can recognise that it isn't spontaneous.
The funny thing is that on our first ever concert I haven't planned anything at home, I just gathered my thoughts a few minutes before concert. And you know what? I amost forgot EVERYTHING. There's a video record of that night, and I only said half a sentence between songs.
So, I think that's the reason why I always plan what to say.

What do you think? Am I a worthless, poor little bastard, who shouldn't be speaking before more than 2 people? (please say if you think so)
And how do YOU deliver your speeches?
I just want to know if there's anyone who has the same "problem".

[Koala]

Well It depends on who and where im playing with. With my important project, Bangha I talk very little introduce only a couple songs, guest musicians, say thanks and leave. When Im out playing clubs doing jazz funk n rock I talk a lot more, I sorta feel the crowd and try to involve them a lot more, and it really works, the people enjoy it. As to preplanning my speeches, not really no.

[sugarbee]

I think it depends on the night, the crowd, the atmosphere, I have never planned out what I'm going to say, but usually come up with it on the spot, but if I find something that gets attention or something I may remember that for the future, so I guess it's not all spontanious, I guess you just figure out what works for you and go with that. I do find though that the more you do it, the more natural it feels , just like anything else I guess.

[UKRuss]

I know a guy who always introduced his guitarists instrumental cum guitar solo piece by saying that he had written it in memory of someone famous who had died recently.

It's just that he changed the name of the person who died to suitably twang the heartstrings of the particular audience he happened to be playing for that night based on their geographical location or allegiance to a certain sport or whatever.

He did it every night and it got the crowd whooped because they identified and were in sympathy with "their" dead person.

Sad, and slightly macabre, but true.

[fortymile]

i find that it doesnt matter too much what a band says, or if a band says anything at all. it never bothers me when you get a band that is absolutely silent as far as talk on stage, or who just mumbles introductions...i go for the music not the banter.

[wild_child]

i'm no frontman, but i've seen enough pub bands to know what i think is good..

i think its cool when the frontman introduces all of the band individually, maybe like 3/4 of the way through the set, the crowd will always go with that.

You shouldnt talk to much unless its particularly profound though, no crowd comes to listen to speeches! Maybe if you comment on what a good audience they are (don't lie though, but dont tell them theyre a bad audience either :p )

Nobody is really going to care much about how or why a song was written though, unless it has a particularly interesting story. Usually just shouting out the name of the song while the drummer counts in and you've got feedback going on works better than anything.

on a loosely related topic, i saw an awesome iron maiden tribute band at a local pub in Cardiff last night, check out their site at http://www.hi-onmaiden.co.uk wigs and everything :p Those guys know how to get a crowd going..

[Los Boleros]

I played with a bass player that liked to use this line alot,"I'ld like to thank my father for coming."

Now I am in a Latin Band and most of the venues we play are Art shows, Wine festivals and cultural events. I think the Crowd, (the English speaking crowd) likes it when we tell a short story of what the lyricks are about.

[frenzy1971]

Our front man is an old hand at working the medium sized bar crowd. He has a spiel he varies little. First off he drinks in plain view of the crowd and will feign a buzz and make sure they know he is "getting drunk" with them. He calls for shots on the mike and encourages the crowd to join him, and when leading into the song he makes it fit the town. For example playing in Guymon Oklahoma, we started to play China Grove by the Doobies and he led into by saying, "we're gonna do a little song about a sweet little place in Texas not far from the kick-a$$ town of (yelling- GUYMON!!!). It all sounds wierd but it works. He and the lead guitar also use wireless rigs and go sing to and play for people up close, sometimes dancing with the people from the crowd while performing. He also changes the words in the songs if applicable to things like the name of the bar/town, what the place is famous for, or the trade or industry everyone works at or what the main industry of the town is.

[bdemon]

Legend has it that David Lee Roth's raps with Van Halen were pretty much the same every night. Not too hard, I guess: Raps about hot chicks he scored with in whatever local city they were playing. I think rehearsing a rap is cool if it makes you comfortable and sounds at least a little spontaneous.

[sinconconfuso]

Hi there. in reply to your question about speeches onstage. Well i am a frontman myself but have also p;ayed guitar,drums,bass in bands and what i personally love to see from frontmen from an audience point of view is this. I love to see the frontman/woman deliver solid and concise messages in a confident and almost arrogant way. By this i mean no meandering and mixing up words. i think a frontman has to almost dictate his message to the audience almost as a teacher/lecturer would do to a class.This commands respect and ashows authority without being patronising.
I have witnessed many frontmen looking lost and intimidated in front of a crowd.Eye contact is a must and the best frontmen will pick somebody initially to speak to,usually the person at the front who looks to be loving the whole thing because then you have bridged the gap between and audience member and yourself and makes that member feel a personal connection with the frontman.That i think is vital.Then its a case of winning over all parts of the crowd so the next speach should be directed at one of those people who seem to be less involved like someone with crossed arm, sipping at a drink or so on.After that the audience should feel like everyone of them is valued by you and so the last task is to adress the crowd as a whole which shows a collective respect.
I am no expert but i have toured with some quite big name bands and have learnt much from them. Thanx.

[oRg]

What I would due is talk about something relatice to the meaning of the next song, or just hype up the crowd, or just plain out make fun of the other bands members (with their consent of course). One thing I used to do is make fun of my bass player and tell him to get off stage and he would insult me back. I say as long as everyone seems like they're haivng a good time...no harm no foul.

[sam6]

yeah as Ls Boleros said u can say how u made this song or a story of the lyrics .
im not the frontman in my band , but i remmber that my friend (the frontman) said at the end of the show THANK YOU , but all of crowds thought that he said F@CK YOU :D

[IdViscous]

haikus

[sam6]

Yeah Thanx