Singers with Soul

The other day I was thinking why I like Kansas 70´s stuff so much. After a bit of analyzing I narrowed it down to the vocals. I really don´t know that many Prog Vocalists that sing with the same ammount of soul and emotion. I think Steve Walsh (We´re talking in the 70´s) really could sing from the heart and "belt it out" so to speak.

Thanks Ghostrider, I will try check out James Litherland from Colosseum. Another great one is Ian Gillan "When a blind man cries"

I was also just wondering about the reason why Kansas isn´t that popular with a lot of serious Prog fans and maybe it could be because of this "singing from the gut" type of style that Steve Walsh has. Just a thought.

Peter Hammill, Demetrio Stratos, Francesco Di Giacomo.

Demis russou, on the old Aphrodithes child is just full of soul, he sings his heart out.

RycheMan wrote: Maybe its a blues type thing (Teaflax made me think about that) that some singers have,

And it's precisely that quality - paired, of course with the tendency for Blues-based melodies and harmonies - that I find makes Kansas only partially Prog. Prog came about as a reaction to the stifling rules about how Rock music could be arranged, written and played, so to retain one of the most limited compositional guidelines while chucking most of the others just seems odd.

E-Dub wrote: Steve Hogarth of Marillion and Neal Morse instantly come to mind.

IN-deed - if we're talking about Walshiness. When Morse rawkifies his vocal lines with little slides making a word like "way" become "way-e-hay" I just cringe.

E-Dub wrote: In regards to why Kansas isn't popular with the prog audience, maybe it's because they had fairly big hits with "Dust In The Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son". Just a thought.

I think you're putting the cart before the horse there, my friend. The quality that allowed Kansas to get hits is probably precisely the quality that a lot of Prog heads don't like about them. I think very few adults choose their music based on things other than if it honestly appeals to them or not-

I mean, I know I don't give a toss if a song's been a hit or not, or if an act has had massive chart success or none - if it's good, inventive and otherwise interesting music, I don't care what the genre is or if they're obscure or platinum sellers.

By the way, I don't hate the Blues, I just think that it's possibilities had pretty much been fully mined by the time Rock 'n Roll was invented (Zeppelin is one of the few acts that managed to add something to it, partly because of their irreverence).

Just like I'd rather listen to original Desmond Dekker (RIP) than No Doubt or Save Ferris, I'd rather hear Robert Johnson than Eric Clapton or The White Stripes.

E-Dub wrote: Steve Hogarth of Marillion and Neal Morse instantly come to mind. In regards to why Kansas isn't popular with the prog audience, maybe it's because they had fairly big hits with "Dust In The Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son". Just a thought. E

if you honestly believe Kansas isn`t popular with the wider prog audience you need to get out more, there's stacks and stacks of Kansas fans on this site  ... unfortunately haters have bigger mouths and tend to get heard more    not aiming this at you because I think you mean that Kansas`s commercial success alienates the prog world , and that is partly true ..look at what happened when Yes released owner of a lonely heart  (though I still believe at the time that was a great song despite the fact it wasn`t typical prog n stuff)


Edited by Masque - May 26 2006 at 10:56

<<if you honestly believe Kansas isn`t popular with the wider prog audience you need to get out more, theres stacks and stacks of Kansas fans on this site for every 2 people that love Kansas 1 says they are ok and one hates them ... unfortunatly haters have bigger mouths and tend to get heard more >>

I didn't say I believed it. Just threw out a possibility.
E    
    

Edited by E-Dub - May 26 2006 at 10:56

<<Sorry E I didn`t mean any offence>>

None taken. Personally, I think Kansas is phenomenal. I've loved that band ever since I was a little kid. One of the first bands I got into. I still get mad to think my sister saw them on the Audio Visions tour. :-)

E

Teraflex wrote: Masque wrote: unfortunately haters have bigger mouths and tend to get heard more Or have more cogent arguments. I haven't heard anything to defend Kansas' supposed Prog status other than "I like them and they do have many Prog elements", which doesn't really get to the crux of it all.

Kansas in the 70`s music was so well arranged and so full of passion I dare say that if you fail to feel their concord of  sweet sounds , that's too bad , but please don`t judge Kansas on their respectable hits because they have another side that is serenity and fusion a melting pot of ideas , they invented their own brand of progressive rock !     This Foolish Game is Still the Same , The Notes Go Flying Off in The Air     


Edited by Masque - May 26 2006 at 11:31

On the metal side of things, Daniel Gildenlow sings with all that he has. The singer of The Moody Blues in the song "The Actor" also sings his heart out and Vanilla Fudge's "You keep me hanging on"  is also a good example too of emotional singing.