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Frontman: Surviving the Rock Star Myth
Being the frontman of a popular band is a high-risk profession. Richard Barone, former lead singer of indie rock pioneers the Bongos, survived two decades in the spotlight to tell the tale. From dallying with the glitterati in the trendiest night spots, to learning recording tricks from some of the top names in the music industry, to innovating the intimate chamber-pop genre and emerging as an A-list solo artist and producer, he continues to push the boundaries of modern rock and inventive self-expression. In Frontman , Barone tells his story in a frank and charmingly funny style. We are along for this ride as he recounts the supernova express of New York City stardom and endless parties; sexual politics, divas, disappointments, and drugs; his journey of self-discovery through music; and a lifetime's worth of hard-gained advice for anyone interested in getting into the music business or just surviving in it.
- GenresMusic
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 19, 2011
Inspiring, well-written, and very detailed: Barone recounts recording sessions, video shoots, specific gigs, and even rehearsals with amazing recall, capturing the psychological and sociological nuances of indie rock and the particular responsibilities of being a "frontman" that a lesser music memoirist would not even attempt. Also, Barone has interacted with every rock star imaginable and has endless colorful anecdotes. His gracious and positive perspective is free from ego--he sounds like a really nice guy.
December 20, 2010
I love Richard's music, especially the Bongos "Number With Wings" EP (1983) and his 1993 solo album, "Clouds Over Eden." When I interviewed him a couple months ago, he kept mentioning that many of the anecdotes he was sharing were detailed at length in his autobiography. Since I'm busy promoting my own damn book, I wanted to "pay it forward" and I bought a copy of Frontman. I was happy to learn more about Richard's relationship with Tiny Tim, and there were a couple "flashback" moments that made me smile (like recalling the Bongos, Bangles and the English Beat tour from my youth), but overall there's something about Richard's prose that doesn't connect as immediately as his music. He's succinct, but his foray into the printed word isn't imbued with the essential quirkiness that ignites his myriad musical ventures. I'd still recommend it for fans, but not casual fans of music biographies.
May 25, 2023
Imagine the scene. You are at the centre of attention of a large, and full room. Behind you is an incredible band of musicians, and you hope, your mates. It is every dream you have ever had. Fulfilled nearly.
This is the life of the Frontman, or what every glossy film tells you about, from the perspective of the successful band, both real and fictional. What you don’t see in the films, or read about in the magazines are the number of bands that split up due to musical differences before their first gig, the heritage band, doing one last lap of honour, where their only link to the glory days is the drum stool belonged to the first drummer in the 60’s.
Richard Barone has been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt. As the frontman, singer, guitarist and writer for the Bongos in New York in the 1980s, he and the rest of the band seemed bound for glory.
We see their many hours of rehearsals, in New York, the gigs growing incredibly larger, and the sing-along songs going higher in the charts. We see them split up, and reform, but we also learn about their time with such bands as The B52’s and their life in a rock scene that was both literate and degenerate, their energy given to the two hours that they spend on stage, and forgetting about the hours spent on planes, and on buses with people that increasingly irritate you.
Richard Barone, though has a second and maybe a third act. He finds himself in demand as a writer for community theatre projects and as the musical director for high-profile events featuring household names. The end of the book finds him at peace with his past, and with where his future might lie.
The book is very well written, full of wit, warmth and humanity. At times, you feel you were at the gigs, seeing the hours of preparation that allow the minutes of inspiration to spark.
This is the life of the Frontman, or what every glossy film tells you about, from the perspective of the successful band, both real and fictional. What you don’t see in the films, or read about in the magazines are the number of bands that split up due to musical differences before their first gig, the heritage band, doing one last lap of honour, where their only link to the glory days is the drum stool belonged to the first drummer in the 60’s.
Richard Barone has been there, done that, and bought the T-shirt. As the frontman, singer, guitarist and writer for the Bongos in New York in the 1980s, he and the rest of the band seemed bound for glory.
We see their many hours of rehearsals, in New York, the gigs growing incredibly larger, and the sing-along songs going higher in the charts. We see them split up, and reform, but we also learn about their time with such bands as The B52’s and their life in a rock scene that was both literate and degenerate, their energy given to the two hours that they spend on stage, and forgetting about the hours spent on planes, and on buses with people that increasingly irritate you.
Richard Barone, though has a second and maybe a third act. He finds himself in demand as a writer for community theatre projects and as the musical director for high-profile events featuring household names. The end of the book finds him at peace with his past, and with where his future might lie.
The book is very well written, full of wit, warmth and humanity. At times, you feel you were at the gigs, seeing the hours of preparation that allow the minutes of inspiration to spark.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews