Non-prog vocalists

[progdirjim]

Here's a random thought that might be fun: Which non-prog vocalists would or could have made a good/great prog vocalist? No rules since this is for fun, but I don't think Freddie Mercury counts since Queen's first two albums are pretty prog, for instance. I'll start with Roland Orzabl from Tears For Fears - he has such a rich voice, and TFF has some complex-ish music; top that! :yougo

[a.f.held]

To me it is definitely Mark Hollis from "Talk Talk". Smooth yet colourfull voice filled with emotions.. But on the other way - Talk Talk has some more proggy records than other Prog bands (like "Spirit of Eden" or "Laughin Stock" CDs) so it is hard to say whether he is still non-prog voice :).. And regarding Roland Orzabl - definitely yes!!

[KeithieW]

Definitely agree with Roland.

Also Colin Blunstone of the Zombies could fit the bill. He's recorded a few songs with APP but I've always felt that in a Prog band he could be superb.

[DamoXt7942]

Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead)...

Certainly, I think his vocal was unskillful, but confortable.
The Grateful Dead without his vocal is not "grateful", isn't it?

[Rick and Roll]

I'm having a hard time doing this, because I would just pick out my favorite singers and say they could sing anything. Prog really isn't different, unless you can yodel or go "cha cha" :)

But here's an interesting thought: Ayreon has all kinds of different singers on each record, many non-prog (many are though). An example is Damian Wilson, who I think has a killer voice (His performance on "And the Druids Turn To Stone" is breathtaking). Another example of the genius of Arjen Lucassen.

Actually Barry Manilow could work.... :neener:

[VAXman]

Andre Bocelli :P

[OverHillandDale]

Mel Torme would work for me. He could sing anything and wow, what an emotional and beautiful vocal instrument he had.

On another level: John Lennon from that liverpool group. What was their name??

And Holly Johnson from 'Frankie Goes to Hollywood" - Another Liverpool band.

[RogorMortis]

K.D. Lang has sung songs in the near prog vicinity so I'm sure she could be a progger

[VAXman]

On another level: John Lennon from that liverpool group. What was their name??

You're going to have one hell of a time getting him back into a recording studio. :(

[mailotron]

Italian folk singer Angelo Branduardi

[Rick and Roll]

K.D. Lang has sung songs in the near prog vicinity so I'm sure she could be a progger

and her name is not capatalized, that's prog!

[OverHillandDale]

You're going to have one hell of a time getting him back into a recording studio. :(

Instead of another 'level' I should have said in another life or plain of existence. ;)

Well, it is a fantasy list. :notsure:

[Mike413]

Interesting topic.

Roger Daltry (the Who)
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
David Bowie (does he count? I know some of his stuff was prog but not all)
Ann Wilson (Heart)
Steve Perry (Journey)
Sting (the Police & or solo)
Bono (U2)
Michael Stipe (REM)
Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil)
Randy Jackson (Zebra -proggy but not quite prog ditto Triumph)
Tori Amos
Bryan Ferry ( I know RM are proggy but prog is not the same as proggy)
Sandy Denny
Janis Joplin
Grace Slick (maybe)

[schupdoggy]

Most definetly Ian Gillan from Deep Purple.

[OverHillandDale]

another dead guy, but he would have been good too:

Michael Hutchence - INXS

[VAXman]

Interesting topic.

Roger Daltry (the Who)
Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin)
David Bowie (does he count? I know some of his stuff was prog but not all)
Ann Wilson (Heart)
Steve Perry (Journey)

PUHLEEZ! Pery is, IMHO, what ruined Journey!


Sting (the Police & or solo)
Bono (U2)
Michael Stipe (REM)
Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil)
Randy Jackson (Zebra -proggy but not quite prog ditto Triumph)
Tori Amos
Bryan Ferry ( I know RM are proggy but prog is not the same as proggy)
Sandy Denny
Janis Joplin
Grace Slick (maybe)

Tiny Tim!

[Giloeada]

Enya
Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries
Annie Lennox
Nina Persson of The Cardigans

Al Stewart
Meatloaf
Adam Duritz of Counting Crows
David Clayton Thomas of Blood Sweat & Tears
David Gates of Bread
Rod Stewart

[KingRat]

Joan Armatrading
Loreena McKennitt
Tori Amos
Shawn Phillips
Bjork

[dinosaur]

I've always liked Elton John in his rare near-prog moments, e.g., parts of Tumbleweed Connection, Madman...
Grungers Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) would be good for prog projects.

Rick...I'm just not ready for the great BM in prog (no pun intended)...

[Himbo]

My wife has had two experiences regarding two of the singers mentioned:

1) she lived next door to Steve Perry and his family growing up in the farmlands of Hanford/Lemoore CA. Her brothers played with Steve and his brothers. No idea he had such a powerful voice at the time.

2) she apparantly rode on a bus going cross-country from CA to NY, sitting next to Mark David Chapman, who would shortly kill poor John Lennon.
she thought he was pretty weird guy and very vague about what he was going to do in NY. she was stunned when she saw the picture of Lennon's assassin.

sorry for getting off the subject, but i thought it was pretty interesting to share.

[progzealot]

Daniel Cage--Peter Gabriel like voice: one the best 1 cent cds on amazon you'll ever buy.

[jtmckinley]

Hmm, well, my definition of prog is broader than most folks, for example I consider the The Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Tears For Fears to be progressive albeit pop at the same time, so is some XTC. Some interesting picks by other posts, but here's a couple more to consider:

Dale mentioned Mel Torme, another Jazz singer that coulda been great with a prog band (or any band really, and was) is Al Jarreau, check out his cover of the Chick Corea classic Spain.

How 'bout Joni Mitchell? She can (and did) sing pretty much anything from rock to folk to jazz.

And then there's CSN, those three guys (and Neil to some extent too) were sorta prog at least in the early days, check out Guinnevere off the CSN record, it compares to Yes for example vocal-wise IMHO, the mix is less airy and the vocal pitches lower, but kinda similar in the vocal department.

I could prolly go on and on, but I'll leave it there for now.

[Yesspaz]

1. I think a lot straight rock vocalists would work as prog vocalists.

2. Steve Perry, despite VAX's opinion (!) is perhaps the greatest tenor ever in rock music. He didn't ruin Journey (at first); Jonathan Cain ruined Journey (or it could be argued Gregg Rolie ruined Journey when he left!). Even with Cain, Journey released two great albums (Escape, Frontiers), but THEN Perry killed them by pushing them to make an R&B album (Craised on Radio). Cain wrote the great "Faithfully," but first "Open Arms," which while assuring them their retirement, put them on the path to try and recapture that EVERY ALBUM SINCE. I don't like you, Cain.

3. Someone with lots of vocal versatility, like Bono, would be a great prog vox.

4. Best pure rock vocalist if you just want to rock out? Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Check out "Alive" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_LQU2-GOXY
As a prog vocalist? Maybe in a prog metal band.

5. Elvis Presley, anyone? :P

6. Though I doubt anyone here's heard of him, Pete Stewart, the guitarist and singer for '90s Christian metal/grunge band Grammatrain has an amazing Rock voice, but I don't know it it'd translate to prog.

My six cents.

[TheFish]

Dean Martin, Hands Down.

[progzealot]

Dean Martin, Hands Down.

Don't forget Sammy!!! :thumbsup:

[jtmckinley]

I agree with spaz about Bono, he's got a great emotional voice and could sing with anybody (and has, he's on the Sinatra duets record for example). The Joshua Tree, while some might not consider it prog per se, was very progressive IMHO, no doubt helped by Eno and Lanois being the producers for that record.

[DEzerov]

Roland Orzabal
Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)
Andy Partridge (XTC)
Lol Creme and Kevin Godley (artsy 1/2 of 10cc)
Stanley Clarke (interesting voice)
AND
I would love to hear the Manhattan Transfer do some prog with those voices!

[Michael]

Bruce Dickinson(Iron Maiden)
Robert Smith(The Cure)

Flame-away!!!:)

[Rick and Roll]

Don't forget Sammy!!! :thumbsup:

Sammy Hagar? About him, he....oh yes Davis :smirk:

Tony Bennett was always in with the new wave crowd, why not prog...

Michael - Bruce D. - another example of a singer on a Prog album by Ayreon.

[kevishev]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the great Paul Rodgers of Free, Bad Company and lately Queen. Or how about Arthur Brown? As in The Crazy World Of... I know Alan Parsons tapped him for the Tell Tale Heart song. Amazing voice to say the least.

[Yesspaz]

How about the ladies?

Davia Vallesillo of Dakoda Motor Co. (Good old rock band) Wind and Sea (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6JyMLqKRmk&feature=related), Trip to Pain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FuUh7bF33c&feature=related), Truth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPoXCELfZHA&feature=related)

Sarah Meeker of Chasing Furies (Alternative) Thicker (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eStUYhhCJuY)

Korey Cooper of Skillet - (industrial) She doesn't sing a lot, but she's great. Rebirthing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeptcTsQFbU) (BTW, lady drummers are inherently hot).

Wilson lady from Heart.

Leigh Nash from Sixpence None the Richer (unfairly pigeon-holed by Kiss Me, a great guitar/alt/pop rock band) Angletread (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfLWbY6dQY), Breathe Your Name (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwk3SbUzUto) You might not dig the music, but you can't knock the voice.

Any other lady vox?

[Yesspaz]

Enya
Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries
Annie Lennox
Nina Persson of The CardigansOh yeah. Especially Dolores.

[OverHillandDale]

How about the ladies?

Leigh Nash from Sixpence None the Richer (unfairly pigeon-holed by Kiss Me, a great guitar/alt/pop rock band) Angletread (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfLWbY6dQY), Breathe Your Name (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwk3SbUzUto) You might not dig the music, but you can't knock the voice.

Any other lady vox?

Yes, Leigh is wonderful.

Charlotte Martin (sort of like Tori Amos, but with a positive spin on life).

And let's not forget Madona. Wait, no. Let's forget her.

Paule Cole and Fiona Apple would fit the bill as well.

[progzealot]

Imogen Heap from Frou Frou---what a beautiful sultry voice !!

[KeithieW]

Any other lady vox?
Well, Doris Day always does it for me. :)