Dee Snider recently celebrated late drummer Cozy Powell’s 75th birthday and called him a drum god. This ignited a debate on Twitter about the greatest musicians in rock music history. After revealing his thoughts about several names in the scene, Snider argued he was a fan of Robert Plant’s vocals but not his stage performances.
When Dee Snider declared Cozy Powell as his drum god, one of his followers told him that Rainbow’s ‘Stargazer’ had a mind-blowing intro. “How amazing was Cozy Powell?” Snider said in his tweet. “Listen to the first 11 seconds of this Rainbow song, and you will know. Then listen to the rest of ‘Stargazer’ with the incomparable Ronnie Dio on vocals, and you will know why many consider it to be the greatest metal song ever!”
Upon seeing this, another fan joined the conversation and argued Ronnie James Dio was the second-best frontman in the history of rock after Freddie Mercury. “You are confusing singing with performing,” claimed Dee. “There is a huge difference between a great frontman and a great singer. Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage and sang. Freddie was an amazing singer and frontman.”
Then, another Twitter user said Robert Plant should be on this list as he was the quintessential rock frontman in the late ’60s and early ’70s. “I’m a huge Plant fan vocally, but he showed me nothing as a performer,” Snider argued. “Looked amazing, great hair, stood on stage with one hand raised and sang his ass off. Not a frontman, in my opinion. And FYI, many great frontmen are not great singers.”
One of his fans responded that they disagreed with Snider as she watched Plant perform four times, and the Zeppelin frontman never stood there and sang. “I toured with him,” said Snider, implying he saw Plant’s performances closely. “(Beat ya!) He is one of my vocal heroes, but my frontmen are all over the stage and interact with the crowd. Showmen. Think David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury, Axl Rose… The list goes on.”
So, Dee Snider believes that David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose, and Ronnie James Dio are great examples of rock frontmen due to their energetic stage shows and interactions with the audience. However, he argued that Robert Plant doesn’t belong to this list despite his great vocals because he just stands there and sings without giving a stage performance.
How amazing was Cozy Powell? Listen to the 1st 11 seconds of this Rainbow song & you will know…https://t.co/EqMu4hd7rU
Then listen to the rest of "Stargazer" with the incomparable Ronnie Dio on vocals & you will know why many consider it to be the greatest metal song ever! https://t.co/ozjPk5yfvO
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
You are confusing singing with performing.
There is a huge difference between a great frontman & a great singer.
Ronnie was one of the greatest singers of all time, but as a frontman, he pretty much just stood on stage & sang.
Freddie was an amazing singer AND frontman. https://t.co/akrNVaoI49
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
I'm a HUGE Plant fan vocally…but he showed me nothing as a performer. Looked amazing, great hair…stood on stage with one hand raised and sang his ass off. Not a frontman in my opinion.
And FYI many great frontmen are not great singers. https://t.co/621U1fnBdM
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
I toured with him. (beat ya) He is one of my vocal heroes, but…
My frontmen are all over the stage and interact with the crowd. Showmen. Think David Lee Roth, Paul Stanley, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury, Axl Rose…the list goes on. https://t.co/baKr9nFraH
— Dee Snider🇺🇸🎤 (@deesnider) December 30, 2022
