DreamTheaterForums.org Dream Theater Fan Site
General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: WildRanger on February 26, 2019, 12:15:42 PM
-
What do you think?
Is a frontman of RHCP a weak link in the band? Would you put him on the list of 'bad' vocalists?
-
Probably. I mean, I think of his singing in a similar vein as, say, Neil Young or Bob Dylan. Probably "bad" singers, but with pretty distinct voices that served the music they were playing. So, yeah, maybe he is a "bad" vocalist. But he is one who serves the music well, so who cares?
-
I hear that Anthony Kiedis is not really a great vocalist in comparison to all the other great rock vocalists. However, do you imagine anyone else sing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and do the songs justice?
-
This needs to be thought about carefully. Disclosure, I can't stand RHCP.
Bad vocalist? Maybe. He fits the band, at least, so I can't knock him there. Bad singer? In my opinion, yeah, he's not good. Bad frontman? Nah.
-
Define "bad vocalist."
Explain how this question is different from "do you like Kiedis's vocals?" or "do you like RHCP?"
Objectively, Kiedis is (I believe) the only lead singer of a band that has had a 35+ year career, has sold upwards of 80 million records worldwide and has won over a dozen Grammys, AMAs, VMAs, etc. Thus, it cannot be argued that he is anything other than a massively successful vocalist.
Is he an objectively good singer? I'm not really sure what that might mean, but I don't know the answer.
Do I like RHCP? Maybe one or two songs are ok, but as a general matter, I don't. Is my general dislike for RHCP primarily attributable to Kiedis's vocals? Probably not -- i.e., it's not as though I'd like the band with a different singer. I just don't care for the band's style. I can't stand his vocal performance on "Give It Away," but that performance is appropriate for the song. Moreover, I would say that all of his vocal performances have been appropriate for the songs.
-
In my view, one of the three worst vocalists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it's a distinction without a difference, but Neil Young, Bob Dylan - there are others - aren't technically great singers, but for the most part they are in key and they are consistent; any bum notes are not "ability" as much as the vagaries of live performance. I've heard vocals by Neil that are breathtaking in their emotion and simplicity. Same with Dylan. I cannot say the same for Keidis.
-
Whether or not you think he is a good singer, I think there is one objective truth here we can all agree on:
He definitely has a voice.
-
In my view, one of the three worst vocalists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it's a distinction without a difference, but Neil Young, Bob Dylan - there are others - aren't technically great singers, but for the most part they are in key and they are consistent; any bum notes are not "ability" as much as the vagaries of live performance. I've heard vocals by Neil that are breathtaking in their emotion and simplicity. Same with Dylan. I cannot say the same for Keidis.
How about Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler?
-
If you look at the very beginnings of the Chili Peppers, it was never about "good" singing. It was about rapping, shouting, talking, being freaky and most of all being unique. Kiedis is all of that.
-
I love RHCP and he is fine on the album, fits the music and all so from that perspective, I'd say no. However, the first time I saw RHCP live in 2003 I thought he was absolutely terrible live and felt he ruined the show with his poor performance. I did see them again a couple years ago and left thinking he was fine live.
I'm going to say he is a bad live vocalist overall but he's fine for the band. The guy is the voice of RHCP and there isn't anyone else that can replace him IMO.
-
I don't mean to derail the topic, but I think Dylan is one of the greatest vocalists ever. His style is completely his own, something almost no other singer (even superior talents, which I wouldn't deny) can say.
-
In my view, one of the three worst vocalists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it's a distinction without a difference, but Neil Young, Bob Dylan - there are others - aren't technically great singers, but for the most part they are in key and they are consistent; any bum notes are not "ability" as much as the vagaries of live performance. I've heard vocals by Neil that are breathtaking in their emotion and simplicity. Same with Dylan. I cannot say the same for Keidis.
Bob Dylan? In key? Stadler, C'mon, man!
I hear that Anthony Kiedis is not really a great vocalist in comparison to all the other great rock vocalists. However, do you imagine anyone else sing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and do the songs justice?
He's excellent. He is his generation's Steven Tyler.
-
Anthony Kiedis...IN HIS PRIME...was a monster. Do any of you guys have any idea how difficult it is to do scales the way he does and hit every note? I used to do lots of vocal exercises to get that down right. It's not that easy.
Mike Patton was even better at it. The first Mr. Bungle album has some amazing vocal gymnastics. My vocal coach used to study that album.
-
Not.
-
Not.
I disagree. :angel:
-
Not.
I disagree. :angel:
No you don’t.
-
Not.
I disagree. :angel:
No you don’t.
Before we continue, is this the five minute argument or the full half hour?
-
In my view, one of the three worst vocalists in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it's a distinction without a difference, but Neil Young, Bob Dylan - there are others - aren't technically great singers, but for the most part they are in key and they are consistent; any bum notes are not "ability" as much as the vagaries of live performance. I've heard vocals by Neil that are breathtaking in their emotion and simplicity. Same with Dylan. I cannot say the same for Keidis.
How about Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler?
Both better than Keidis. Neither have the tone or range of a say Steve Perry or even a Neil Young, but they are good singers, on key, and in the mood of the song. I actually think that Mark Knopfler has a great tone for what it is, and really delivers on his songs.
-
As I see it, you don't have to be a great singer in order to be a great vocalist. Hell, you can be a great vocalist and royally suck at singing. The vocalist's job is giving the most effective voice to a tune's/band's peculiar sound/mood. The singer's job is being a vocal instrument capable - by technical proficiency and musical knowledge - of playing whatever vocal line you throw his/her way. If you agree with that, Anthony Kiedis is an excellent vocalist.
-
He may not be a great singer but at times, I like his singing if that makes sense. He is though a great frontman.
-
It's a well documented fact that you don't have to be a great singer to become famous or even legendary.
What do you think?
Is a frontman of RHCP a weak link in the band?
Obviously he's done pretty well for himself with his band.
Would you put him on the list of 'bad' vocalists?
Yea he's not that great but I still love alot of their songs.
-
He is a good vovalist for RHCP's music.
-
As I see it, you don't have to be a great singer in order to be a great vocalist. Hell, you can be a great vocalist and royally suck at singing. The vocalist's job is giving the most effective voice to a tune's/band's peculiar sound/mood. The singer's job is being a vocal instrument capable - by technical proficiency and musical knowledge - of playing whatever vocal line you throw his/her way. If you agree with that, Anthony Kiedis is an excellent vocalist.
And I agree with that 100%. I love Gene Simmons (as a vocalist), Ace Frehley, Brian Johnson, Ozzy, even Lemmy. But the key word is "technical proficiency". Keidis is woefully out of tune a lot of the time, and while it can be said of all of those that I mentioned, I've seen all of them live multiple times and more often than not they're able to compensate. I equate Keidis not with those guys, but more with a guy like Vince Neil (who is horrible as well, in my opinion).
-
To be fair, RHCP went from a funk/punk style to more of a mainstream pop/rock style. As a result, Kiedis went from rapping, yelling, talking, screaming to singing.
Bad vocalist? Yes, in live settings. However, his stage presence makes up for the vocal deficiencies. He's a good front man but not a good singer.