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THEY SAID IT “Fame is proof that people are gullible.” RALPH WALDO EMERSON WRITER KRT CAMPUS ^ead singer Gwen Stefani of the band No Doubt performs during the half-time show of Piper Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26, 2003. Fronts Center Stage To be the ultimate frontman — or frontwoman — it takes talent, style and, oh yeah, a whole lot of cool By MARIA CHARLES THE GAMECOCK Charisma, control and confidence characterize these people. They are the lead singers, the frontmen, the leaders of the band. The best can incite a crowd and inspire awe. Who exactly defines the “ultimate frontman” is up for debate, but those at the top are able prove their worth by the praise of their diehard fans. “Spin Magazine” recently published a list of the Top 50 frontmen. Claiming the choice was easy, the editors’ No. 1 pick was Prince, gushing, “He sings like an oversexed elf and dances the whole world into the dirt.” Rounding out the top 10 are Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Axl Rose, David Lee Roth, David Bowie and Bono. Others on the list include Freddie Mercury, Steven Tyler, Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love and Chuck D. While “Spin” is sure of its first choice, others contest their conclusion. “Robert Plant really formed the template for what a leading rock singer should be,” second-year journalism student George Stevens said. According to Stevens, the lead singer of the 1970s rock band Led Zeppelin had it all. As a blond frontman, Plant stood out from the rest of the band. He had stage presence, a good singing, voice and strong songwriting skills. “Robert Plant maxed out the potential in each of these categories,” Stevens said. Boasting five albums among the 100 best selling albums of all time and a total of 84 million records sold, Led Zeppelin clearly has an audience. Stevens believes Plant played a major role in attracting a large following. Known for their live shows, on stage, Plant had a unique style. “Robert Plant didn’t move around much. He was never super active on stage, but at the same time he would elicit huge responses from the crowd. It was almost like he built a tension in the audience,” Stevens said. A flip of his hair would make the women go crazy. “I have seen no one match what Robert Plant was,” Stevens said. The ultimate frontman “doesn’t overshadow the band, but complements it,” second-year journalism student and WUSC DJ Steve Waldon said. Artistic growth also characterizes the truly talented. Waldon names 311 frontman, Nick Hexum, as his favorite lead singer. “As the CDs progress, he takes on more challenging subjects. His new lyrics are so profound,” Waldon said. Seeing 311 live, Waldon remembered how Hexum connected with the audience. “You could see the emotion in what he (was), singing and you could tell he believes what he sings,” Waldon said. Ultimately, it comes down to the innate ability to entertain. “I paid to see a show. If they are just a good singer you can listen to them on a CD, but if they entertain, they are a good frontman,” second-year advertising student Robyn Torkewitz said. But, to see her favorite frontman, Torkewitz goes no farther than Columbia. Second-year advertising student Chad Henderson is the frontman of the local band Rudy. During shows, Henderson, who describes his band’s sound as “rock with horns,” makes it his mission to ensure everyone in the audience is having a good time. “Audience participation is important. They become part of the show,” Henderson said. Treating performances like a party, Henderson takes any opportunity to get the crowd to clap and sing.along. He isn’t afraid to mix with fans either. “I like when Chad jumps down in the audience and dances with people. That’s cool,” Torkewitz said. Performing with Rudy for three years, Henderson says confidence is key. “Stage presence comes about when you are confident and having fun,” he said. A clear voice with good range “and a little soul” doesn’t hurt either. While touring this summer, Henderson was put to the decisive frontman test. Playing to new crowds in cities like New York, Pittsburgh and Knoxville, Henderson knew, “We had one chance to make an impression. We want (the audience) to remember us and our name.” To achieve recognition, maintain it and provide innovative entertainment is the way to icon status. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatnres@gwm.sc. edu Rock’s range The Mix offers a mini-dictionary of some frequently used, but often confusing, genres found in the music world By MEGAN TREACY THE GAMECOCK Musical genres range from the , very broad to the very specific, and new ways of classifying musical sounds seem to be created every day. Genres have sub-genres and those sub-genres have sub-genres, and it can all become very confusing very quickly. But there are ways to make sense of it all. A good place I to start is to understand the prefixes attached to many of the more obscure labels. THE POST “Post” at the beginning of a genre name generally means that the type of music is a derivative of the original form of a broader genre. Most of the time it includes the addition of new instrumentation or moods to a basic style. Genres using th? post prefix include post-punk, post al rock and post-hardcore. A clear ' example of this evolution from one genre to the next is post punk. Post-punk began after the initial boom of punk music and added a darker and more intricate sound, often with the help of synthesizers, to a punk foundation. Examples are bands like The Cure, Joy Division and New Order. Current bands that are fronting a post-punk revival, sometimes called post-post-punk, include Interpol, The Killers and The Rapture. THE NEO “Neo” as a prefix for a genre usually indicates that the bands involved in the sound were influenced by the original genre, but didn’t evolve directly out of it, like a “post” genre. Some genres baring the neo prefix are neo-psychedelia, neo-glam and neo-prog. Neo-psychedelia is a good example because many of today’s bands fit in this category. Neo-psychedelia or neo-psych is composed of bands that were largely influenced by such bands as Pink Floyd, The Byrds and The Beatles and any others involved in the psychedelic sounds of the 1960s. Bands that fall into this category include The Flaming Lips, Spiritualized and Super Furry Animals. THE INDIE The “indie” prefix is possibly the most broad and requires a basic definition of the term. Indie, short for independent, in its simplest form refers to artists on independent, as opposed to major, labels. When used to describe a sound, it mainly means that the sound is less produced and includes styles that are not found in mainstream music. Indie as a musical term originated in the 1980s and indie-rock and indie pop are the most common forms used. They include many different genres and styles within them just as the broader classifications, rock and pop, do. Bands that originally defined the sound of indie-rock include Pavement, Built to Spill and Guided By Voices, while newer bands include Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Curie and The Shins. An important thing to remember about genres is that they all overlap with other genres and any given band can produce albums that fall into separate genres throughout a career. If more obscure genres are too confusing, just stick to the basics, because most of the time it’s all rock V roll. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures®gwm.sc. edit Read up All the cool kids are doing it. Learn hip musical terms, genres and artists to name drop at: All Music Guide www.allmusic.com — everything about every band, genre, ever in existence ; Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org — a free online encyclopedia with lots about music genres Ice cream mixtures get taste buds tingling By MORIAH EMERALD McCarthy THE GAMECOCK Are you an ice cream fan? For many, the answer is an enthusiastic, yes. “Oh my gosh, I love ice cream,” said Renee Madden, a fourth-year music student. “Ice cream is like your best friend on the days you want to be alone and unwind.” Third-year advertising student Kelly Wright added that she enjoys simple and refreshing hard scoop strawberry ice cream “with little pieces of strawberry in it.” America’s ice cream obsession has led to an explosion of new creameries. A few years ago, the phrases “cold stone” and “marble slab” were more likely to bring to mind a morgue than dessert. Now, the phrases are synonymous with savory ice cream. Those two brothers from Vermont, Ben and Jerry, can still excite us with their fanciful flavors, but Cold Stone and Marble Slab creameries are drawing students in, day and night. Sure, Baskin-Robbins may have 31 flavors, but why limit yourself — there is something dreamy about being able to create your own creamy concoction. When we walk into such build your-own-flavor creameries, it is easy to be overwhelmed.' For those who aren’t feeling creative, Cold Stone Creamery offers 34 original ice cream and mix-in combinations. These “Cold Stone Originals” have something for everyone; whether you crave coffee, have a hankering for chocolate or really want berry comfort, you are bound to find .♦ Please see EXTRAS, page 6 JASON STEELMAN/THE GAMECOCK At Marble Slab, customers can choose from a wide variety of candy and fruits to mix into their choice of ice cream flavor. Jeans a timeless, necessary fall staple ■ Levi’s denim styles have been a popular staple since the 1850s With the end of the dog days of summer we’re inclined to begin wearing long pants regularly again, and for men there’s not a more trusted article of clothing than a broken in pair of blue jeans. After all, our every idol of masculinity — from the days of John Wayne to KEVIN Wrangler FELLNER spokesman Dale Earnhardt FOURTH-YEAR jr. _ has been ENGLISH , , STUDENT known for looking most at home in jeans. Maybe they make us feel like cowboys or racecar drivers, or maybe they just make us feel like men of the earth, like we’re not hesitant to conquer the outdoors. For whatever reason, men’s jeans are more stylish than ever before. And with the quick decline of the Britney Spears’ low-rise women’s look, men are left with clothing makers vying for the next big design for our denim-crazed generation. We’re certainly not the first such generation. In the 1850s, Levi Strauss used wagon and tent covers to stitch together miners’ pants during the California Gold Rush when times were short on everyday supplies. More than a century and a half later, his namesake still provides the coolest looks with those historic stitch pockets and red fahc Levi’s are classier than ever and provide some modern twists. The latest from the Silver Tab collection offer darker washes with names like Organic and Night Blast for a style more appropriate for evening events — especially at the clubs. Carpenter styles come complete with both a hammer loop and a special cell phone pocket for the modern day working stiff. Relaxed or comfort fit are good for any casual occasion, perfect for tailgating or tossing the Frisbee with the dog. Moreover, Levi’s offers more styles in each' of its wash colors than any other accessible brand. Wrangler, however, is aiming to make the new look about more than just cut and color. The combo of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Sheryl Crow on its multimedia ad storm gives the impression that jeans are more about unleashing emotion and energy than being relaxed and comfortable. The label’s famed five-pocket designs have a variety of small Lycra and poly blends for an added versatility to the standard 100 percent cotton. The company advertises much of its Western wear as made from a heavier type of denim than its day-to-day styles. Cargos are also a trend the company backs all the way, appealing to suburban teens and gardening fathers as opposed to Levi’s outdoorsmen and young working professionals. Virtually every brand today advertises at least one style to fit over boots and several that have “oversized” pockets, so men are never at a loss for utility. Some brands also design styles purposely to shrink after washing to tailor that perfect “anti-fit,” or a look that appears comfortable while still highlighting the wearer’s best features - perfect for small-waisted individuals. Wrangler’s extra wide legs allow for a looser fit from waist to ankle. Just as pop culture symbols like NASCAR and country music have seen a resurgence in identifying themselves as distinctly American, blue jeans, too, have re-emerged as a badge of patriotism — even while most manufacturers have relocated overseas. In a fashion world turned upside down every season, jeans have remained a staple for people of all social classes and backgrounds, and ♦ Please see DENIM, page 6»