Q Why are the front men in bands always guitarists

A.� The short answer is, they are not always guitarists. There are plenty of 'back line' musicians who sing, and in some cases they lead their bands as well.

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Q.� What about a few of the more famous examples

A.� Drummers who sing and in many cases have been the main singer in their band include Phil Collins, with Genesis and as a solo artist, Levon Helm from The Band, Don Henley of The Eagles, and�a couple of female drummers, Ann 'Honey' Lantree of sixties on-hit wonders The Honeycombs, and the most famous of all, Karen Carpenter who sang vocals and played drums simultaneously on The Carpenters' studio sessions, as well as live in concert.

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Bass players include Jack Bruce from Cream, Brian Wilson from The Beach Boys, Sting who played bass for The Police, and continues to do so in his solo recording and touring bands. There's always Paul McCartney as well, so the notion that the more 'humble' instrumentalists don't get a shout is pretty much shot down by the above list.

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Q.� So, the people at the back are still important

A.� Vital is the word. The rhythm section of any band, the bass and drums, are the 'engine room' that powers the entire sound. The Rolling Stones have managed to carry on without Bill Wyman who's unique swooping bass lines can be emulated, but if Charlie Watts was to vacate the drum stool, the band would probably have to call it a day. Ringo Starr used to joke that he wasn't the best drummer in the world, and John Lennon used to cuttingly add that Ringo wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles, but his distinctive 'back-beat' style helped to form the sound that influenced popular music for a generation and beyond. Anyone who thinks drumming is a 'humble' task should look no further.

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Q.� Are there any other distinctive rhythm players

A.� There are indeed, and, in some cases, a particular style of playing has meant that a replacement is simply impossible. John Bonham's powerhouse style that fuelled the blues/metal fusion into the mighty Led Zeppelin meant that his death spelled the end of the band. The idea of trying to duplicate such a unique combination of timing and brute force was simply never an option�- no 'Bonzo', no Zeppelin, the band died with him.

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Q.� Some bands do carry on with new players though

A.� They do, and with some success, but it's just never quite the same. The Who made a valiant attempt to carry on after the death of drummer Keith Moon, and Kenny Jones from The Faces is an excellent musician, but his style is different from Moony, and he certainly lacks the madcap sense of humour that Moon brought to The Who, and to sixties and seventies rock in general. Thin Lizzy still tour today, but who can fill the huge gap left by such a distinctive front man as Phil Lynott.

Q.� Who is the most successful 'non-guitarist' musician

A.�That depends entirely on what you are looking for, and how you define 'best'. For some, Dave Clark of The Dave Clark Five is an inspiration. He was one of the first people�to spot the money-making potential of buying the copyright to his group's songs and then licensing them back to the record company, thus hugely increasing�his personal profits�from�the band's hits, and making himself a millionaire in the process. As a musician, Dave was well down on the list of influential drummers, you only have to look at old films of his playing to see why.

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Ringo Starr influenced a generation of drummers, but probably the biggest success in this area is a drummer, and, unusually, a�female drummer. She began playing drums with a band called The Breakfast Club, and played drums for French disco star Patrick Hernandez, before deciding on a career at the front of the stage. Her name It's Madonna!

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By Andy Hughes