GREAT vocal performances

grimtraveller said:
Strangely, it's unavailable for me too. If you're interested it's at
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Okay, that was weird. I don't know how that happened !
Seeker of Rock said:
They are the biggest influence for me learning guitar and getting into music and still one of my favorite all time bands/recording acts
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John Paul Jones was the third bass player I took notice of way back when. And Jimmy Page was a huge influence on my eventual emergence as a home recorder. When I started getting Zeppelin albums back in 1980, I noticed he was always credited as the producer. Prior to that, being a Beatle lover, I knew all about George Martin as the producer and to me at the time, there was something revered about the guy in that role. Because I knew Jimmy Page was the guitarist, I was fascinated that a band member could be the producer too. And so before I ever picked up an instrument or started writing songs, the idea of a George Martin-type producer began to recede from my consciousness. By the time I was learning the bass and thinking in terms of songs, being the producer was indivisible from being a writer and player.
Sky Blue Lou said:
Great reminder of how truly remarkable they were.
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They were a band that gave seriously quality value for money, live. Three-and-a-half-hour gigs ?
'Kin'ell.
But I've never liked their live sound. Jimmy always sounds thin and weedy on electric guitar to me. Robert changes up the notes and parts of the melodies too much. For me, Led Zeppelin represent the premier league of bands that made records. They were viewed by the critics as heavy metal gods but they were so much more than that. There's not actually been many artists that were as diverse as them, right from the beginning.
The weirdest thing about Jimmy as a producer is that I never particularly rated him as one !
 
brassplyer said:
Me too but I'm suspicious of anything on AGT. A lot of their acts are recruited from talent agencies not from open auditions. Supposedly he's a school janitor which doesn't mean he doesn't moonlight as a performer. I wouldn't bet the farm that the syrupy backstory they provide is actually true.
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May be, but he still sang Steve Perry nicely
 
There were some brilliant artists from the Republic of Ireland in the early 70s like Horslips and Tir Na Nog. The Nogs did 3 outstanding albums that basically never got anywhere but they've been in my collection for over 30 years. Leo O'Kelly and Sonny Condell harmonized so well and trotted out ideas for breakfast. I've always thought the lead vocal on this one sounded like Bono of U2. Bono was still in short pants when this was recorded though. I bet he was taking note....

I've long loved Gil Scott-Heron's voice. He's possibly the laziest sounding naturally talented singer I know of. He was simultaneously so expressive and laconic in his delivery. In concert, he really knew how to get an audience going. He had this ability to say really difficult things but in such a brilliantly singable way that it might not be until later that one would realise they'd been got at. The implied criticism of the Nixon administration in particular and American government in general in the song are actually really easy to miss but hilarious when it catches.

I think I may well have been one of the Monkees' first 3-4 year-old UK fans ! I was having a conversation with an uncle of mine back in '77 {it was the first we'd had. It turned out to be the only one we ever had} and he was fascinated that I was into the Beatles. He told me that when the show first started in the UK in late '66 or early '67, I never missed it and became obsessed with the Monkees. I remember being hugely enamoured of Micky Dolenz {being a stupid kid, I thought he was called Mickey Dyer ~ I was learning to read around that time} and "the one that wore the hat." And interestingly, it's those two that feature in this one. I actually love all four Monkees' singing voices, but Nesmith's lead and Dolenz's harmony on this one are fantastic.Although it was their TV show that first grabbed me, by the time I was 12 and 14 it was definitely their songs. I absolutely love their stuff whereas, having seen the 2 seasons of the show a couple of years back, I wouldn't cry if I never saw an episode again.
This is in my top 3 of their songs. It's a surprisingly hard top 3 to get into.
 
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I think there have been some really good vocal performances that have turned up on crazy songs that are not entirely serious on first listen. Such as this
or this
The interesting thing about Peter Tork, aside from the fact that he wrote some great songs for the Monkees, was that he wasn't really much of a singer but he had the voice to do what was required on the rare occasions it was required. He did this in one live take. I think it's a great vocal.
There again, I once did "Postmaster's Wife" ! 🫨 :ROFLMAO:
And then there's John Ylvisaker, an early Jesus folk-rocker {ish} who did 2 really interesting albums in the mid to late 60s that got nowhere but which in retrospect may have had more of an influence than was realised at the time. He wouldn't be welcome in the evangelical wing of the Republican party !
 
Late to the party....

This guy has done so many superb vocal performances, it's a shame that he's not more widely acclaimed. His voice so pure, almost angelic!

 
TalismanRich said:
Late to the party....

This guy has done so many superb vocal performances, it's a shame that he's not more widely acclaimed. His voice so pure, almost angelic!

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At least in my book, he's one of those "if I could sing like anyone" guys, but just like Steve Perry I wouldn't really want to be stuck with it. I don't know, maybe a little over done at times, too deliberate and maybe show offy, "watch how I sing so beautifully", but I do like the way he often hangs back, singing a bit behind the beat.
 
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