All-Around Entertainers?

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Who out there is equally as good as singer, songwriter, composer, arranger, dancer, bandleader and showman?
The only ones I can think of are James Brown and Prince (Michael Jackson and Smokey Robinson might fit... but I don't know if Jackson does his own arrangement/composition, and I have no idea how well he works as a "bandleader"; and I don't know if Smokey Robinson dances and does stage patter as well as he sings/composes/arranges/leads...)

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 31 January 2005 23:43 (twenty-one years ago)

troy brown!

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:01 (twenty-one years ago)

but seriously, folks...

maybe possibly:

david byrne (not sure who arranged the classic talking heads songs, probably the whole band in some way or another, but he certainly succeeds on all fronts)

stevie wonder (if you count the swaying-head thing as dancing)

bruce springsteen (the only points i'd dock him for are his somewhat hackneyed arrangement touch)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

i meant "all *other* fronts" for byrne.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

My design criticism is a lot better than James Brown's. And where's his blog? Ha, call yourself 'all-around', James? Around the waist, maybe...

― Momus (Momus), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

ooh, if design criticism counts, then david byrne gets even more points.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:09 (twenty-one years ago)

iggy pop? i dunno if he can play guitar though, but the igg was supposed to be a great drummer even before the stooges...

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Noel Coward had considerable success as and actor, playwright, director, producer, singer, musician, songwriter, novelist and painter. Dunno if he could dance, but he probably could.

― everything, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Beck!

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:21 (twenty-one years ago)

me!

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

lionel blair

― elwisty (elwisty), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

on that note, bruce forsythe

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Beck and Bruce enthusiastically seconded.

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

the world needs more tap-dancing comedians

― chris andrews (fraew), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread presumes that in order to be thoroughly (or all-around) entertained, we modern audiences demand dancing. This is not the case. Our huddled masses will also be appeased by juggling.

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread presumes that in order to be thoroughly (or all-around) entertained, we modern audiences demand dancing. This is not the case.
Music and dancing go together like cheese and crackers! One is the natural outgrowth of the other (and vice versa) and I, for one, like to see the frontman|frontwoman nut up during the solo.
(Side question: do "virtuosos" redirect the focus from their feet to their instrument so that they could get away with implying "I don't have to dance to amuse the audience! Here, instead watch my fingering technique!")

Our huddled masses will also be appeased by juggling.
Well if thats the case, why shouldn't every rock concert also be a circus, eh? Is Gene Simmons the only rocker who does the fire-eating trick?

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

(Wow the side question suddenly struck me as secretly obscene...
...focus on his instrument to watch his fingering technique...
Ye Gods! I'll never think about Eric Clapton the same way ever again!

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:23 (twenty-one years ago)

He's got a slow hand.

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Ian Svenonius

― Snappy (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Sadies...none of them dance, and I'm giving them credit as a band, because there's no clear bandleader (though if pressed, Dallas Good, I guess). But with their latest album, Favourite Colours, they have finally mastered songwriting to a degree commensurate with their unfathomable technical musicianship, which they translate in a live setting to enthralling showmanship.

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

He's got a slow hand.
but does he have an easy touch
and will he spend some time... or go in a heated rush?

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:54 (twenty-one years ago)

(maybe you should start a new thread devoted to finger-banger analogies)

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Speaking of finger-bangin' - ERIC CARTMAN

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Uh, maybe later.
(xpost)
But I'd really like to hear if anyone has an opinion on the side question. Or about the main question. That'd work too.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

(Oh, and Eric Cartman does sing and dance, but can he compose, arrange and lead a band?)

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I think that Dancing can be snuggled under the Showmanship heading, since no one would really fault, say, David Bowie for not being able to dance, but he brings the Andrew Lloyd Weber to the ROCK, or something.

― Huk-L, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

(Oh, and Eric Cartman does sing and dance, but can he compose, arrange and lead a band?)

Clearly you need to familiarize yourself w/ FAITH + 1.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

without a doubt... the world provider

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 20:05 (twenty-one years ago)

hell yeah!! seconded and THIRDED!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)

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