Bands where the guitarist/bassist/drummer are better singers than the singer.
otcconan
Posts: 5,677
Bumbling around on YouTube looking at different Les Paul videos led me to this conclusion.
Ritchie Sambora is a better singer than Jon Bon Jovi. Hell, he blows him away on "Dead or Alive."
So it got me thinking...are there other examples? So I explored my vast archive of over 46,000 mp3's on my external drive.
So in alphabetical order, here for your considerations...supporting cast who sing better than the singer.
Alice in Chains - yeah, it's arguable that Jerry's best role was as the backing guy, but then again, Jerry's role is similar to Ty Tabor in King's X. And Layne Staley was NO Doug Pinnick.
Deep Purple: Glenn Hughes - personal preference. I preferred him to Coverdale.
Since we're in the non-dino area, Eagles: Most of the hits were Don Henley. I much rather prefer Glen Frey and Randy Meisner.
Extreme: Gary Cherone sounds weak and airy. Nuno sounds like he actually has balls.
Early Journey: Greg Rolie was great in an understated way compared to Steve Perry. And he sang numerous hits for Santana as well.
King's X: My personal preference is Ty. But really...who can argue with Doug? So this was out of the question.
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Take a listen to "You Got That Right." Steve Gaines would have been the undisputed leader of that band if he had not died.
Pink Floyd: Hard to determine who was really the lead singer of that band, obviously. But Waters wrote most of the material yet Gilmour was clearly a better singer.
Queen: Nah...I'm just kidding about this. But they were all great.
Styx: Tommy Shaw was every bet the equal of Dennis DeYoung. And he didn't have that annoying vibrato.
Van Halen: Any version that has Michael Anthony, well, yeah he was better than the frontman.
Ritchie Sambora is a better singer than Jon Bon Jovi. Hell, he blows him away on "Dead or Alive."
So it got me thinking...are there other examples? So I explored my vast archive of over 46,000 mp3's on my external drive.
So in alphabetical order, here for your considerations...supporting cast who sing better than the singer.
Alice in Chains - yeah, it's arguable that Jerry's best role was as the backing guy, but then again, Jerry's role is similar to Ty Tabor in King's X. And Layne Staley was NO Doug Pinnick.
Deep Purple: Glenn Hughes - personal preference. I preferred him to Coverdale.
Since we're in the non-dino area, Eagles: Most of the hits were Don Henley. I much rather prefer Glen Frey and Randy Meisner.
Extreme: Gary Cherone sounds weak and airy. Nuno sounds like he actually has balls.
Early Journey: Greg Rolie was great in an understated way compared to Steve Perry. And he sang numerous hits for Santana as well.
King's X: My personal preference is Ty. But really...who can argue with Doug? So this was out of the question.
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Take a listen to "You Got That Right." Steve Gaines would have been the undisputed leader of that band if he had not died.
Pink Floyd: Hard to determine who was really the lead singer of that band, obviously. But Waters wrote most of the material yet Gilmour was clearly a better singer.
Queen: Nah...I'm just kidding about this. But they were all great.
Styx: Tommy Shaw was every bet the equal of Dennis DeYoung. And he didn't have that annoying vibrato.
Van Halen: Any version that has Michael Anthony, well, yeah he was better than the frontman.
Comments
I love Phil Lynott but I prefer John Sykes as a singer.
I like CC Deville better than Bret Michaels, his voice isn't as annoying. And since Richie Kotzen was in Poison I guess he qualifies too.
Anyone in Ratt, Electric Sun, the Plastic Ono band, 10000 Maniacs, Lou Reed's band.
Jeff Pillson in Dokken.
Anyone in Ratt, Electric Sun, the Plastic Ono band, 10000 Maniacs, Lou Reed's band.
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I wouldn't be so sure of Ratt, in the Whitesnake gigs with Demartini that I've watched, his backing vocals almost ruined the songs.
But Sykes doesn't have as much character/ manliness as Coverdale. I found a really old thread on here where a forum member described Coverdale's voice as "manly" and that's stuck since.
Sykes is a better singer, but doesn't sound as manly as Coverdale.
Sambora > Bon Jovi
That's probably the best example in the history of other members being better singers than the lead singer. I actually have Sambora's solo albums from the early 90s. Songwriting is VVVVV on the debut, and abysmal on the second -- but there are some good cuts on that one. I like Father Time a lot.
Gary Moore in Thin Lizzy
Toughest Street in Town, Sarah, all feature amazing vocal harmonies with him and Phil. It wouldn't have been the same with just Phil or just Gary singing it. I think Phil's a much better writer and lyricist though.
Sambora is probably the best example.
I love Phil Lynott but I prefer John Sykes as a singer.
I like CC Deville better than Bret Michaels, his voice isn't as annoying. And since Richie Kotzen was in Poison I guess he qualifies too.
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Sancho, for point 2 give the kid a wrap over the knuckles with a Thin Lizzy vinyl cover, this is sacrilegious "fighting" talk- :hmm: :eyetwitch: :nope: :laugh:
But totally with you on Kotzen in Poison.
Just to throw this into reverse for a moment...
Why did Glenn Tipton decide to sing on his solo album? What's worse, in the liner notes he gushes about how his voice has "depth of character"....
:wank:
John Entwhistle was involved in that project, maybe he should have done the vox and saved Glenn from embarassing himself.
i like gilmour better than rogers. gilmour can still sing on "on an island" his voice is v ery airy and serene, i love it.
i liked hughes better than coverdale in DP too.
wasn't jeff martin or something (the drummer for badlands) also the singer for racer x? he's NOT better than ray gillen, but in his own right, he's a damn good singer. very halford-like on the high stuff IMO.
not really related, but kinda. dave meniketti is easily just as good a singer as he is a guitar player, and he's a world class guitar player.
As for Coverdale, listen to the old Whitesnake albums (Moody-Marsden era), where he particularly shines: way more balls, power, emotion and even range. Of course, nowadays Sykes is probably a much better singer.
In another domain, I agree about the general consensus on Pink Floyd: I like Gilmour much better than Waters.
[quote author=ingve link=topic=8923.msg136341#msg136341 date=1250991734]
Why did Glenn Tipton decide to sing on his solo album?
[/quote]
Indeed. Sometimes, even the best guitarists seem to be tonedeaf when it comes to their own singing abilities...
Pilson is a much more powerful and better singer than Don, no doubt about that!
Sykes is pretty good but I wouldn't take him over Coverdale, never :nope:
[quote author=CrazyW link=topic=8923.msg136306#msg136306 date=1250965352]
Sambora is probably the best example.
I love Phil Lynott but I prefer John Sykes as a singer.
I like CC Deville better than Bret Michaels, his voice isn't as annoying. And since Richie Kotzen was in Poison I guess he qualifies too.
[/quote]
Sancho, for point 2 give the kid a wrap over the knuckles with a Thin Lizzy vinyl cover, this is sacrilegious "fighting" talk- :hmm: :eyetwitch: :nope: :laugh:
But totally with you on Kotzen in Poison.
[/quote]
I'm pretending I didn't hear it...