# Bands where the lead singer plays a non-traditional instrument **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 8, 2025, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715 "2025-01-08T04:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/61 "2025-01-08T18:07:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Rindy Ross, lead vocalist for Quarterflash played the saxophone. The sax hook is like the most well known part of _Harden My Heart_, so it’s fun to know that the lead singer is also doing that. It’s got to be a lot of work though. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/62 "2025-01-08T20:20:06Z")
Is Frank Zappa a “lead singer”? He played non-traditional instruments, including a bicycle. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/63 "2025-01-08T21:31:31Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > He played non-traditional instruments, including a bicycle. Yeah, but he didn’t sing along when he played the bicycle. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/64 "2025-01-08T21:35:54Z")
John Linnell, They Might Be Giants, plays the accordion. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/65 "2025-01-08T22:32:20Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I didn’t see mention of David Bowie - he played a mean sax. As does Van Morrison. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/66 "2025-01-08T23:03:52Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > More cowbell ! > Has anyone played a jaw harp (Jew’s harp)? My uncle could really rock on those things. Pete Townshend is credited with “Jew’s harp” on _Join Together_, but only backing vocals. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/67 "2025-01-08T23:05:13Z")
The Guess Who’s Burton Cummings learned to play the flute specifically for the instrumental sections of “Undun.” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VLMF5GM0Kt8/hqdefault.jpg "The Guess Who - Undun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLMF5GM0Kt8) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/68 "2025-01-08T23:10:32Z")
So does Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, although I don’t think he sings. I once saw a “Behind The Music”-esque show about them which included an interview with Flea’s junior high band director. When Flea entered 7th grade, not only was he a shoo-in for first chair, he called his parents in for a conference. They probably thought, “Okay, what did Michael do THIS time?” but it was to tell them that he was far and away the most talented student he’d ever had in class. Who was in second place? Another trumpet player he’d had in his first few years of teaching, Herb Alpert. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/69 "2025-01-08T23:11:42Z")
Lead singer Lady Aïcha of Fulu Miziki bangs on some pipes in [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5IQuIaTPEg&t=177s). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/70 "2025-01-09T00:17:57Z")
One of the two lead singers of Gaelic Storm, Patrick Murphy, plays accordion, spoons, and occasionally bodhrán. The other, Steve Twigger, mainly sticks to guitar but I’ve seen him on bouzouki and mandolin. (Speaking of unusual instruments, the group’s piper, Pete Purvis, plays a few different types, including an electronic bagpipe, which is a total trip.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/71 "2025-01-09T00:24:22Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > John Linnell, They Might Be Giants, plays the accordion. Also saxophone. > [@Jaycat.again](#): > > > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > > > I didn’t see mention of David Bowie - he played a mean sax. > > As does Van Morrison. Mike Love (of The Beach Boys) has played what Wikipedia calls “rudimentary saxophone.” ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/72 "2025-01-09T00:29:36Z")
Blue Oyster Cult’s Eric Bloom gained some notoriety for playing the mysterious “Stun Guitar”. (as far as I know he did not play cowbell) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/73 "2025-01-09T00:39:57Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Mike Love (of The Beach Boys) has played what Wikipedia calls “rudimentary saxophone.” He knows two whole notes… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/flhaZZszgoc/hqdefault.jpg "Mike Love Saxophone on Record") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flhaZZszgoc) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/74 "2025-01-09T01:23:22Z")
Johnathan David of Korn plays the bagpipes ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/75 "2025-01-09T01:41:56Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > John Sebastian played autoharp… Got ninja’d on a couple of these instruments, but just had to mention that seeing John Sebastian live blew my mind. I’d grown up with elementary school teachers (with no musical talent) trying to play the classroom autoharp. They’d manage to play chords, awkwardly holding down the plastic bar labeled “C”, then “F”, then “C” again, to such rockers as “Jimmy Crack Corn” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, all at a slow-yet-off-tempo pace. To see “Summer in the City” and “Do You Believe in Magic” being played on an ELECTRIC autoharp was so cool. The man redeemed a despised instrument for me. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/76 "2025-01-09T02:14:01Z")
You may be interested in this YouTube channel. He deconstructs stuff including the Lovin’ Spoonful, breaking them down into the individual tracks. _Summer in the City_ includes garbage can. He has them live in 1965 doing _Do You Believe in Magic_ and _You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice_ with Sebastian playing autoharp. Lots of Who too. [https://www.youtube.com/@JumpStartation](https://www.youtube.com/@JumpStartation) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/77 "2025-01-09T02:34:05Z")
Thanks, cool site! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/78 "2025-01-09T02:34:24Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I didn’t see mention of David Bowie - he played a mean sax. Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders played sax. It was featured prominently on some of the early recordings, but later on he pretty much only used it as a prop. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/79 "2025-01-09T05:33:10Z")
I haven’t seen _Jacob Collier_ mentioned. He is a solo performer who plays multiple normal instruments and sings, but his showpiece is playing his own voice as a polyphonic instrument using a **harmonizer**. He also has a nice line in playing the audience as an impromptu choir. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715/80 "2025-01-09T07:15:48Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > So does Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, although I don’t think he sings. Only on one song I know of (“Pea” off _One Hot Minute_, which is basically a comedy song AFAIC) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bands-where-the-lead-singer-plays-a-non-traditional-instrument/1012715.md?page=5)