Hypothetically, who could replace James Labrie if he ever left?

[Bertielee]

Can Russell Allen hit the high notes like JL? I also get the impression he isn't as "classy" as JL. Michael Kiske would be absolutely perfect. They be well off if they got a replacement whose been in a power metal band.

As high as James Labrie? I don't know, but i'm sure he can sing it beautifully, which Labrie can't, in my opinion. James' high notes are painful to hear.
And Allen has a very powerful voice. Singing is not just about how high can you reach

Yep, but try to make him reach the notes in UaGM or TtT.

B.Lee

[Konrad]

If its about high pitch singing, throw in Andre Matos. HE is almost SHE.

[Tis BOOLsheet]

Can Russell Allen hit the high notes like JL? I also get the impression he isn't as "classy" as JL. Michael Kiske would be absolutely perfect. They be well off if they got a replacement whose been in a power metal band.

The answer is yes, but it's really of minimal importance in the larger picture. Those high notes make up probably less than 10 seconds of music combined. JLB rarely hits them consistently and even that, in my opinion is not the biggest disappointment. It's the other 99% of music that is extremely simple and easy to sing that presents an issue almost every night.

Having seen Russ perform live several times over the years, I can confidently say he is FAR more consistent and has better technique, and fits the style. I hope one day he comes on as a special guest or something.

[adastra]

I'm still gonna go with Fabio Lione!


They even look kinda same!

ANd what a cool voice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TunaJNTkc04

[a51502112]

Yup! Count me in for Fabio Leone.

[MoraWintersoul]

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER ^ugh NEVER ^ugh NEVER

[Perpetual Change]

I don't think anyone could ever replace James, because his voice was so unique. But, I was listening to DT12 this morning, and I was thinking about how Josh Groban would sound singing "The Bigger Picture". I think it'd be pretty awesome 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER ^ugh NEVER ^ugh NEVER

KILLING IT FROM A FAR GO TELL IT IN A BAR YOU'RE KILLING IT FROM AFAR MY FATHER

[adastra]

FABIO FABIO FABIO FABIO!!!!!
.. And the band could be renamed as Dream Theater Of Fire

[BlobVanDam]

FABIO FABIO FABIO FABIO!!!!!
.. And the band could be renamed as Dream Theater Of Fire

Majesty of Fire

[adastra]

FABIO FABIO FABIO FABIO!!!!!
.. And the band could be renamed as Dream Theater Of Fire

Majesty of Fire

Well, that actually sounds pretty cool  .
After name change they could start to name their songs more interestingly... for example, THE DARK DRAGON RIDERS OF KHAZAD-DUM

[kirksnosehair]

He's irreplacable. His voice IS Dream Theater. Instruments sound pretty similar, generally speaking, so they can be easily replaced and carry on as normal, but when you replace the singer, you definitely notice the difference. Each human voice is unique. James LaBrie's voice is unique, and it has carried the DT sound for over 20 years now.

Topic: Hypothetically, who could replace James Labrie if he ever left?

 




I agree with everything you wrote, but we're just having a little fun thinking about it, don't be a party pooper        

[robwebster]

As a rule of thumb, if your vocalist leaves the best idea is generally to replace them with Floor Jansen.

But even as a hypothetical, I don't like it. You're playing with fire here. Look what happened last time!

[antigoon]

Just go the Journey route and finding some James LaBrie-in-his-prime clone on Youtube from like Chile or some place like that.

[Konrad]

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER ^ugh NEVER ^ugh NEVER

I had no idea it was Devin singing this when i first heard the tune,
I think he should replace Petrucci instead of Labrie... 

[Konrad]

I'm still gonna go with Fabio Lione!


They even look kinda same!

ANd what a cool voice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TunaJNTkc04

Hell yeah. Would be great.
I mean, his voice is beautiful and so skilled...
Won't even start about how hot he is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh_olFNMZng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFJkCdOUEQg (With Mrs. Turunen)

[adastra]

One more from Fabio Lione (And Christopher Lee) !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z16_mx1edG0

This is the good shit. He is so good!

[NotePad]

I'm sure there are some Labrie 'clones' out there. I like what Priest did by getting Ripper. He's very comparable to Halford. Only, the music was just so different, that didn't help peoples opinions on him. Although, looking at Painkiller, Jugulator is just a step further, really. but that's another discussion altogether ;p

I really wonder what they'd do if James decided to leave. Would they keep going as DT? If they got a new singer, how would it change their music? I wonder. James has a very operatic like quality to him, that really is quite unique. I can't think of anyone comparable to him. (although, like i always say, i prefer when he sings aggressively, but i must say his emotion of Looking Glass is fuckin beautiful. Makes me cry man tears. Well, not really, but whatever....)

[Konrad]

One more from Fabio Lione (And Christopher Lee) !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z16_mx1edG0

This is the good shit. He is so good!

Always been a fan of Lee's voice.
A true Basso.
Maybe HE should sing in DT 

[NotePad]

a change of front-man can kill a band. That seems to happen in most cases. I wonder if JLB being the frontman has played a part in DT not varying up their sound enough. He's a good vocalist, and right for what DT has been doing. But as I was listening to the band ARK (which it seems few here listened too), i love Burn the Sun but finally gave their first album a listen. And on that album, and all ARk, Jorn was just absolutely the perfect singer for that band. He could do so many things. It's like that band was not limited at all and could do whatever style they desired because Jorn can sing in so many ways and have  so many different effects with his voice. He can do what JLB does and more. Nowadays Jorn is only really singing in a hard rock style, but with Ark he showed he can do anything.

I wonder if DT had a vocalist like Jorn Lande, how it would change their music. I bet they would a lot of things they can't do with JLB. One of the reasons Ark died was because Jorn was impossible to replace, but I have a feeling DT would continue strong if they had to replace JLB.

[MinistryOfLostSouls]

I'm sure there are some Labrie 'clones' out there. I like what Priest did by getting Ripper. He's very comparable to Halford. Only, the music was just so different, that didn't help peoples opinions on him. Although, looking at Painkiller, Jugulator is just a step further, really. but that's another discussion altogether ;p

I really wonder what they'd do if James decided to leave. Would they keep going as DT? If they got a new singer, how would it change their music? I wonder. James has a very operatic like quality to him, that really is quite unique. I can't think of anyone comparable to him. (although, like i always say, i prefer when he sings aggressively, but i must say his emotion of Looking Glass is fuckin beautiful. Makes me cry man tears. Well, not really, but whatever....)

I went to high school with Ripper.  My son's mom was married to his cousin for a little while. I've always thought Tim would be able to match James' range.  Though, if Tim were chosen it would be Dream Theater featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens because Tim would never do something that didn't have his name plastered all over it. 

[NotePad]

I'm sure there are some Labrie 'clones' out there. I like what Priest did by getting Ripper. He's very comparable to Halford. Only, the music was just so different, that didn't help peoples opinions on him. Although, looking at Painkiller, Jugulator is just a step further, really. but that's another discussion altogether ;p

I really wonder what they'd do if James decided to leave. Would they keep going as DT? If they got a new singer, how would it change their music? I wonder. James has a very operatic like quality to him, that really is quite unique. I can't think of anyone comparable to him. (although, like i always say, i prefer when he sings aggressively, but i must say his emotion of Looking Glass is fuckin beautiful. Makes me cry man tears. Well, not really, but whatever....)

I went to high school with Ripper.  My son's mom was married to his cousin for a little while. I've always thought Tim would be able to match James' range.  Though, if Tim were chosen it would be Dream Theater featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens because Tim would never do something that didn't have his name plastered all over it.

[/b]

I disagree with this. I don't think 'Ripper' being such a big name was really his choice. I don't know how he got the nickname Ripper, and he's also well known as just Tim Owens, but I think it just kinda happened by joining Priest.

[bl5150]

Well Ripper has worked with Malmsteen and he would let Ripper put his name all over everything over his dead body.  He'd be lucky to get singing credits 

I don't know how he got the nickname Ripper, and he's also well known as just Tim Owens, but I think it just kinda happened by joining Priest.

The Ripper is a Priest song - he was doing Priest covers for years and was nicknamed "Ripper" ages before he joined Priest

[Dreamer]

Hi all, this is my first post here! I've always thought Ted Leonard of Enchant is a far superior singer and would be perfect for DT!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

No offense, but over my dead body.

[Nefarius]

NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER ^ugh NEVER ^ugh NEVER

KILLING IT FROM A FAR GO TELL IT IN A BAR YOU'RE KILLING IT FROM AFAR MY FATHER

You're driving home, It's one PM!

(Probably the only forum where this kind of combo opportunity is recognized, appreciated, used, and continued. What a great place.)

Greetings...
Nef

[NotePad]

Ripper seems like he wants to be in a band, as opposed to just releasing under 'Tim Owens', but the bands don't stick. Iced Earth was destined to fail at some point, but Ripper was not the reason because he was their best vocalist. And i realize Iced Earth is still around, but most fans seem to have a grudge against them (Jon Schaeffer). If Barlow had never left I think IE would be regarded more highly, and being more innivative wouldn't have hurt either ;p

And Jugulator was a fuckin awesome album! Painkiller is considered by many, and me, to be JP's best album. It's is fuckin awesome and goddamn brutal! And Jugulator took it to the next level! It was just less speed metal, more thrash, and speed metal works better with JP fans more in general. Ripper was the perfect replacement for Halford, and Jugulator sounds like Priest. Never will Ripper be known for anything more then being the guy who did THOSE Priest albums. Fuck, Jugulator is awesome.

[lonestar]

I want to second the Floor Jansen idea, cause Floor.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Löic Rossetti.

[MoraWintersoul]

I want to second the Floor Jansen idea, cause Floor.

I'd actually kill to hear Floor Jansen cover something off IAW or Awake.

Löic Rossetti.

I don't think he'd be a fit, but then again people are suggesting Fabio Lione. There's no one out of the game when someone thinks it would be a good idea to have Mr Emerald Sword singing in Dream Theater in this hypothetic event. For starters, if you think James' enunciation isn't up to par, you'd have a hell of a time with Fabio's accent

[adastra]

I want to second the Floor Jansen idea, cause Floor.

I'd actually kill to hear Floor Jansen cover something off IAW or Awake.

Löic Rossetti.

I don't think he'd be a fit, but then again people are suggesting Fabio Lione. There's no one out of the game when someone thinks it would be a good idea to have Mr Emerald Sword singing in Dream Theater in this hypothetic event. For starters, if you think James' enunciation isn't up to par, you'd have a hell of a time with Fabio's accent

Fabio's accent is cool as hell Just think about all the classics with fabio's accent and vibrato! Pull me under, Metropolis, Surrounded. you name it! It would rock!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I know Löic wouldn't fit, but he's awesome so I don't care.

Plus he'd rock Nightmare To Remember.

[?]

Fabio's accent is cool as hell Just think about all the classics with fabio's accent and vibrato! Pull me under, Metropolis, Surrounded. you name it! It would rock!

No thanks

[NotePad]

Michael Kiske! He would be perfect!!!

Or that one guy, Roy Kahn? Yeah him

[Öxölklöfför]

I want to second the Floor Jansen idea, cause Floor.

I'd actually kill to hear Floor Jansen cover something off IAW or Awake.

Löic Rossetti.

I don't think he'd be a fit, but then again people are suggesting Fabio Lione. There's no one out of the game when someone thinks it would be a good idea to have Mr Emerald Sword singing in Dream Theater in this hypothetic event. For starters, if you think James' enunciation isn't up to par, you'd have a hell of a time with Fabio's accent

Fabio's accent is cool as hell Just think about all the classics with fabio's accent and vibrato! Pull me under, Metropolis, Surrounded. you name it! It would rock!

I think the he has a very static and exaggerated vibrato. Works well with Rhapsody (of fire) but not with DT.