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What About Geddy Lee's Voice!!

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Logan View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 22 2020 at 08:59
^ That's one of those posts that seemed witty in my head but didn't translate well to text. Humour is tough, no wonder I was told "Don't quit your day job." Poor concept, and even worse execution.

So not to leave this thread on a poor humour *crickets chirping* attempt at humour note (I'm such a dweeb -- I don't really find that to be a very offensive term, I call myself that a lot):

I don't mind Geddy Lee's vocals, but he's far from a favourite of mine. It didn't get in the way of my enjoyment of Rush, and I think it does work for the music. In fact, I have often liked his vocals. Going to put on "Bastille Day". Caress of Steel is my particular favourite Rush album.

I love the vocals of another singer who is often compared to him, David Surkamp of Pavlov's Dog.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Logan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 10:18
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:

What kind of sound does velvet make...?

Confused
It sounds like butter, but better. Come on
Doc, get with the program!


When I hear Geddy Lee’s vocals, I don’t think “I can’t believe it’s not butter or velvett. ;)I think it sounds more like a nails on a chalkboard kimono or an Eastern screech owl.negligee than a velvet cape in terms of fabric wear. By the way, there are serious fields of study, not surprisingly if you think about it, that measure the sounds that fabrics make when rubbed against each other and against other things. Noisy-wear can be a fashion statement. Ninjas favoured fabrics that helped with mobility as well as minimizing sound.

Alternately, velvet can have a sort of underground sound. Think Venus in Furs



Then think Venus in Velvet, then if you are like me, think Venus in nothing at all. Mmm, nude Venus sounds good to me.

And come to think of it, a buttered up Venus sounds even better. But if a velvety buttered up Geddy Lee is more your or other people’s thing, I won’t judge you.   

Edited by Logan - May 20 2020 at 14:22
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 09:48
Tbh, it was always the haters that took issue with Geddy's voice. Saying things like "a rat caught in a shredder..blah, blah." I don't recall any fans that didn't like his vocals. It was just a part of the Rush "sound".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Catcher10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 09:44
Originally posted by Squonk19 Squonk19 wrote:

Geddy's voice is integral to Rush and I had no problem with the earlier albums and the live ATWAS. It was just part of what Rush was all about and maybe that was why they were such a cult band for those who 'got' it. However, it was an obstacle to many of my friends not taking to the band earlier on. However, I have to admit occasionally I would grimace at times - notably the final section of Cygnus X-1. I think from Hemispheres through to Moving Pictures there was a slight softening and consequently this was my favourite period. After that, his tone softened very much through the late 80s and 90s and whilst it undoubtedly led to the band being more accessible, the material was generally not as good. The final years were a return to form and the smoother tone worked well in the studio. However, live, his vocals increasingly struggled on the earlier songs and I find I don't listen to the later live albums (and there are many) as much.
I'm not sure who it was, maybe Terry Brown, suggested that Geddy try a lower register to calm the highs. I too am one who in the early years had no issue with Geddy's vocals. I'm talking mid-late 70's and during HS years, it never bothered me, I also don't recall any friends that were into Rush and those that were not ever complained about the early albums and ATWAS.
I just remember playing albums after school.......For me it has only been in the last 10yrs or so that I realized how many people did have an issue with his vocals, but mainly from music journalists. I have the Rush tour book Wandering the Face of the Earth and there are many many snipets of live show reviews and many focus on Geddy's vocals early on, many not very kind.
But clearly, the music world over all had no issue with his vocal style, early or in the later years.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sacro_Porgo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 02:27
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

I reckon his best vocals are on the 90's albums. Nobody's Hero is a great example but they were more of a straightforward hard rock band at this point. The last attempt at anything 'prog' was maybe Hold You Fire. I still like a lot of those later albums though and Geddy generally is very good.

What about Clockwork Angels?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 01:01
Geddy's voice is integral to Rush and I had no problem with the earlier albums and the live ATWAS. It was just part of what Rush was all about and maybe that was why they were such a cult band for those who 'got' it. However, it was an obstacle to many of my friends not taking to the band earlier on. However, I have to admit occasionally I would grimace at times - notably the final section of Cygnus X-1. I think from Hemispheres through to Moving Pictures there was a slight softening and consequently this was my favourite period. After that, his tone softened very much through the late 80s and 90s and whilst it undoubtedly led to the band being more accessible, the material was generally not as good. The final years were a return to form and the smoother tone worked well in the studio. However, live, his vocals increasingly struggled on the earlier songs and I find I don't listen to the later live albums (and there are many) as much.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2020 at 00:01
Richard, don't you mean the '80s albums?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 19 2020 at 00:00
I reckon his best vocals are on the 90's albums. Nobody's Hero is a great example but they were more of a straightforward hard rock band at this point. The last attempt at anything 'prog' was maybe Hold You Fire. I still like a lot of those later albums though and Geddy generally is very good.

Edited by richardh - May 19 2020 at 00:00
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Green Shield Stamp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2020 at 14:24
I think his vocals have got better over time - a little lower and more soulful. This is one of the reasons why I like the later albums the best (from Signals onwards). Having said that, 2112 and Farewell to Kings are two of my favourite albums ever.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote micky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2020 at 05:38
no one .. outside of 'rush fan' would ever consider Geddy a great singer.. but his vocals.. were fun to listen to..very endearing in a geeked out Rush kind of way. 

Few vocalists can make me smile as hearing Geddy really get after it in the pre AOR/MTV days of their first 4 or 5 albums and become the shrieking elf of prog..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Icarium Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2020 at 01:00
Hes best vocals is to be found in Rush album "Signals", there he both have a warmth, soulfull and powerfull voice. It really comes out on that album.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 17 2020 at 00:30
^ Jon Anderson?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote verslibre Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2020 at 09:24
Originally posted by Jeffro Jeffro wrote:

My only issue is that when singing the older songs in recent years, he couldn't sing them like he could when they were created. 
 

It happens to all of them except the ones named Sammy Hagar.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Jeffro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2020 at 07:25
Originally posted by rogerthat rogerthat wrote:

Originally posted by M27Barney M27Barney wrote:

Oh and you will get some smart arses on here who wińl tell you that Rush only became interesting after PW.....words escape me on such flagrant betrayal of the prog ethos...

Nobody here is saying that but Peart did say it.  Wink

Yup, he thinks that Rush "began" with Moving Pictures which I think is complete kooky talk but totally understandable given Peart's personality.

As far as Ged's voice? I never had a problem with it. Love the screech. My only issue is that when singing the older songs in recent years, he couldn't sing them like he could when they were created. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Gordy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 14 2020 at 19:52
How did it get so high? I wonder if he speaks like an ordinary guy?

(I know him and he does!)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote M27Barney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2020 at 10:08
Oh I forgot The Enid at Band on the wall...good gig also...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote M27Barney Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2020 at 10:05
The Gallery was manchesters equivalent of the Marquee...also saw IQ, Marillion and Trilogy there, tho the place was at capacity for those gigs....I also saw Pendragon at Manchester uni, when a lot of their later material was very much extended and far more bombastic than what was eventually recorded. I also saw Twelfth night at the Target club...possibly the third best concert I ever saw...tho Hackett at the Lowry (with stolt on bass guitar) was the best modern gig I have seen...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 03 2020 at 03:37
Originally posted by M27Barney M27Barney wrote:

^ I saw Daga band at the Gallery in Manchester. A small late night music venue. As with Pallas at the same venue the number of paying customers could be counted by a one handed man. At both gigs I was drinking with the bands prior to tbe gig. And both dagaband and Pallas did stuff for the mad geezer who had just told them that he liked long bombastic mellotron chords and synth arpegios aplenty. Thus dagaband did their self indulgent jam paraplasma, with classical piano, bach organ like stuff, and an extended old castle by ELP in amongst wakeman exerpts...Pallas did a 70 min plus version of March on atlantis + half hour renditions of the ripper and queen of the deep...the guitar solo in that was the best solo I have ever heard on stage...both those gigs were so magic a true description escapes me...
 

Sounds like it was a lot of fun!
 
I never got to see Daga Band although I did see Pallas at the Astoria many years ago . I remember the fans great enthusiasm more than the music though.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote geekfreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 02 2020 at 08:54
I likee it 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote someone_else Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 02 2020 at 08:44
Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

When I first heard Rush it was around the Moving Pictures era, and his balls were just starting to drop. I actually really liked his voice. Although, overall, the albums after GUP were not as good as their predecessors, his voice only improved with age.

On the 70's albums, his voice is like Robert Plant throwing a hissy fit in a crack lounge, but, for me it no way impairs the quality of the music.

In summary, I have no problem with his voice.
 

I agree with this (and I first heard of Rush around the Moving Pictures era as well). From PW onwards his singing has improved. I found his squealing and shrieking vocal style not quite attractive, although it did fit the music in a way.
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