Some prog/power albums I've been spinning as of late...

On Dio: he's phenomenal live, but Tate AND Halford still bring the absolute goods. Their respective bands might not make music like they did in their heydey, but each vocalist is still 1000% awesome. Dickinson is a great frontman who IMO has lost a bit off his voice. Not so for Halford or Tate (having seen them both fairly recently).

I'm just kidding about Lande; I really don't know his stuff all that well. Basically I just refuse to let any other name enter the conversation :loco:
 
At the last ProgPower, I spent a good deal of time, on a number of occasions, chatting one on one with Urban Breed (vocalist, Tad Morose). Since I Believe he's a phenomenal vocalist, and siince from our conversation I got the sense that he has spent a good deal of time studying singing, I was curious who he thought was the best Metal vocalist. He didn't have to think about it, he simply said "Dio". He explained that Dio does more with his "true voice" than any of the other greats. If memory serves me correctly (I was quite hammered), he explained that by "true voice" he meant not using a falsetto or any other techniques to acheive a range that your voice doesn't naturally belong in.

As I said, I have a good deal of respect for Urban's own vocal abilities, so I give weight to what he has to say about singing.

Zod
 
lizard said:
he really is a good vocalist. Breed, that is.
And the most fan-friendly musician I've met. Because I'm friendly with his fiance, I spent a good deal of time around him at this last PP. I can't tell you how many people came up to him to chat, shake his hand, ask for a picture, an autograph or all of the above. Not only didn't he turn down a single request, he seemed genuinely happy about doing it.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
At the last ProgPower, I spent a good deal of time, on a number of occasions, chatting one on one with Urban Breed (vocalist, Tad Morose). Since I Believe he's a phenomenal vocalist, and siince from our conversation I got the sense that he has spent a good deal of time studying singing, I was curious who he thought was the best Metal vocalist. He didn't have to think about it, he simply said "Dio". He explained that Dio does more with his "true voice" than any of the other greats. If memory serves me correctly (I was quite hammered), he explained that by "true voice" he meant not using a falsetto or any other techniques to acheive a range that your voice doesn't naturally belong in.

As I said, I have a good deal of respect for Urban's own vocal abilities, so I give weight to what he has to say about singing.

Zod

Unless I'm mistaken, he also said that Dickinson was "out of tune" throughout Seventh Son, so to ME, his credibility just *poof* vanished.

:D
 
markgugs said:
Unless I'm mistaken, he also said that Dickinson was "out of tune" throughout Seventh Son, so to ME, his credibility just *poof* vanished.
I recall he had a complaint with one of Dickinson's performances. However, I don't recall what he didn't like, nor do I recall what he said about it. That said, I recognized long ago that there are incredibly skilled musicians who hear things in music that I just don't hear. Case in point...

I have a friend who use to play guitar in my band. He was an incredible drummer; the best in our town. Until he switched to guitar, and then he was the best guitar player around. Oh yeah, he was lead trumpet in the HS band. And he composed an entire symphony at one point. Anyway, he went off to GIT in California. Studied with Marty Friedman and Paul Gilbert and all those cats. After playing/studing guitar for 16 hours a day for two years, he comes back and is in love with Country music. He's trying to explain to me the feel that some of these guys play with, and the incredible tone they get. I don't hear it. However, I don't doubt it's there. I'd put this guys understanding of music theory and his ear up against just about anyone. So, if Urban says he hears something in Bruce's voice that you and I don't, I don't doubt it.

Zod
 
I'm not disputing the part about musicians, but hell, I have ears. I know what's in tone and what's not (more often than not, at least).

Do you honestly mean to tell me that Steve Harris, Dickinson himself (musicians themselves, btw, and pretty good ones at that), and producer Martin Birch would actually have let that album be "finished" with off-tone vocals? I think Mr. Breed is simply jealous in this case.
 
markgugs said:
Do you honestly mean to tell me that Steve Harris, Dickinson himself (musicians themselves, btw, and pretty good ones at that), and producer Martin Birch would actually have let that album be "finished" with off-tone vocals? I think Mr. Breed is simply jealous in this case.
No. And I don't think that Urban said there was something that was wrong with the recording. I think he said there was something about it he didn't like. After all, you can't dismiss the very personal way that vocals resonate with each individual. I think Barlow's a god, other's think he's a Paul Stanley clone. You and Ali apparently like Kai Hansen's vocals. I think he's as whiny and annoying as they come.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
No. And I don't think that Urban said there was something that was wrong with the recording. I think he said there was something about it he didn't like. After all, you can't dismiss the very personal way that vocals resonate with each individual. I think Barlow's a god, other's think he's a Paul Stanley clone. You and Ali apparently like Kai Hansen's vocals. I think he's as whiny and annoying as they come.

Zod

lol, I know what you mean.

I guess JayK was privy to the conversation, he related to me that Urban specifically said "Bruce sang out of tone" throughout the album. I thought that was hilarity, to be honest. I don't hold it against Mr. Breed (or Tad Morose, for that matter), hell, I really liked their last album (that I heard). I just believe that even a musician can be wrong.

Where do I stand with regards to Barlow? I think he's fantastic, and yet, a Paul Stanley clone. :tickled:
 
Urban Breed said that Bruce Dickinson was "all over the shop" in his pitch/tone on Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.

Knowing Urban Breed talked about Bruce like that was, in a word, surprising...you know, it's not as if Tad Morose haven't been influenced by Maiden somewhat.

It is weird with vocals. People hear things differently. There are those that have issues with Dave Mustaine. There are those that don't even bat an eyelid when first hearing Quorthon (especially on Twilight of the Gods).

I like Kai Hansen -- actually he reminds me of Mustaine. But my fave current *new* vocalist is probably Jorn Lande.
 
markgugs said:
I guess JayK was privy to the conversation, he related to me that Urban specifically said "Bruce sang out of tone" throughout the album.
I think I was there for that conversation as well, though I can't say I recall exactly what Urban said. Maybe JK will drop by the thread and clarify.

markgugs said:
I just believe that even a musician can be wrong.
Most certainly.

markgugs said:
Where do I stand with regards to Barlow? I think he's fantastic, and yet, a Paul Stanley clone. :tickled:
Well, at least ypur half right. In all seriousness, I don't hear the slightest bit of Stanley in his voice. However, I do think Bruce sounds horrible on "Seventh Son".:loco:

Zod
 
There's only 1, maybe 2 songs where Barlow sounds like Stanley, but it's blatant! One of them is either Melancholy or Watching Over Me.

And please tell me you're kidding about Bruce on SSOASS! Please Zod, for the love of all that is holy!
 
Believe it or not, I actually think one of Bruce's best performances is on Brave New World.

His best live performance (that I have on record) is "Beast over Hammersmith". However, Live After Death is their greatest live album due to song selection.
 
General Zod said:
Did you just rank Scalzi with Kiske? Perhaps you mean Tommy Kiske? Or maybe Jonathan Kiske?o_O

Zod

Guess which one I think is overrated and which one's severely underrated...sure, he's no Dickinson in terms of range (whose performance on LAD and numerous Maiden classics defines metal vocalist for me), but one of the things that first attracted me to HOM was the power in his voice.
 
Doomcifer said:
I agree completely. That fucker can make the hair on my arms stand up.
And this is why I've always maintained, that vocalists are the most personal thing about music (for a lot of people), especially Power and Prog Metal. Fuck, I know it's blasphemy, but I'll take the aforementioned Mr. Breed over Halford and Dickinson. I'm not saying he's a better vocalist (though if he's not, he's not far off), I simply think he's got a cooler sounding voice.

Zod