Singers with Soul
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Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Music Lounge
Forum Description: General progressive music discussions
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23844
Printed Date: February 14 2025 at 09:04
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Topic: Singers with Soul
Posted By: WaywardSon
Subject: Singers with Soul
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 09:19
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The other day I was thinking why I like Kansas 70īs stuff so much. After a bit of analyzing I narrowed it down to the vocals. I really donīt know that many Prog Vocalists that sing with the same ammount of soul and emotion. I think Steve Walsh (Weīre talking in the 70īs) really could sing from the heart and "belt it out" so to speak.
Another example would be David Suurkamp, really emotional vocalist with a lot of soul.
Although vocalists like Ian Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Geddy Lee etc are each unique in the way they sing, to me they donīt push themselves to the limit.
Maybe its a blues type thing (Teaflax made me think about that
 ) that some singers have, when I listen to "Lonely Street" by Kansas I love that sort of passion!Are there any other vocalists you know (from the 70īs up until today, but I prefer 70īs) that sing from the gut! Also in the 70īs they didnīt have pro tools to make the voice sound better, what you hear is the "real" voice.
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Replies:
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 09:36
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I quite agree about Steve Walsh. Anyway, if we're talking about prog, the obvious choices would be Peter Gabriel and Peter Hammill - although neither is a "belter" in the blues tradition. If I have to think of somebody really singing from the gut on a prog album, I'd have to mention James Litherland of Colosseum fame. Just listen to "Elegy" from the monumental "Valentyne Suite", and you'll see what I mean. Roger Waters is also very passionate in his singing, though his voice is very much an acquired taste. And then there's the great Steve Winwood, the voice of white soul. However, seeing the topic of the thread, I could not help thinking of three of my all-time favourite, non-prog singers: Ronnie James Dio, Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale (pre-hair-metal period for the latter). Just listen to their different interpretations of the heart-wrenching Purple classic "Mistreated".  |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 09:50
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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 isnīt 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. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 09:53
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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 ------------- 
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Posted By: The Hemulen
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:04
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Peter Hammill, Demetrio Stratos, Francesco Di Giacomo. I dare anyone to find more powerful singers than those three in prog.
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Posted By: Psychedelia
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:16
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Hmm for really impassioned singing what about Greg Lake he really belts it out. has possibly the most powerful voice i've heard. For a non prog band Nick Cave.
------------- Another emotional suicide, overdosed on sentiment and pride |
Posted By: Nakatira
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:21
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Demis russou, on the old Aphrodithes child is just full of soul, he sings his heart out.
specially in its five o`clock. ------------- http://daccord-music.com/home.cfm |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:26
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Hmmm E-dub, I suppose Neal Morse has a bit of soul, but what I really mean is vocals that soar, "Journey from Mariabron" and "Lonely Street" with Walsh for example. I donīt think it has too much to do with their hits "Dust in the wind" and "Carry on wayward son" Other bands had songs like Kayleigh, Abacab etc.. It could be their bluesy side that puts people off Trouserpress-I will have to hear some more of those vocalists you mentioned and report back. |
Posted By: Teaflax
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:32
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.
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.
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. -------------  
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RycheMan wrote:Posted By: Masque
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:47
Steve Walsh (Kansas) back in the 70`s ... for me nothing comes close 
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Posted By: Masque
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:48
 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)  |
Posted By: fairyliar
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:50
| Michael Sadler of Saga of course!!!! In the same style than Walsh but with little more emphasis I think. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:55
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<<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 -------------
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 10:57
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<<Michael Sadler of Saga of course!!!! In the same style than Walsh but with little more emphasis I think.>>
Has this guy lost anything off that voice since that band began? I just bought Trust and he still sounds amazing. E -------------
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Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:00
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<<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 -------------
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Posted By: Teaflax
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:01
Or have more cogent arguments. I haven't heard anything to defend Kansas' supposed Prog staus other than "I like them and they do have many Prog elements", which doesn't really get to the crux of it all. -------------
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Posted By: Masque
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:11
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Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:15
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Teaflax, surely songs like "Magnum Opus" "The Pinnacle" and "Song for America" are considered prog classics.
If we look at a lot of bands that are considered prog in the archives, we would have a lot of defending to do.
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Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:21
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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. ------------- 
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Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 11:40
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I still havenīt heard any Saga, so I will check that out as well.
Ha ha I see Masque edited his post quickly to avoid a bloodbath!
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Posted By: Tuzvihar
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 12:01
Peter Hammill of course! Also Fish, Czeslaw Niemen, Jozef Skrzek.  ------------- "Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent." Charles Bukowski |
Posted By: Man Overboard
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 12:19
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Daniel Gildenlow and Hasse Froberg come to mind.
------------- https://soundcloud.com/erin-susan-jennings" rel="nofollow - Bedroom guitarist". Composer, Arranger, Producer. Perfection may not exist, but I may still choose to serve Perfection. Commissions considered. |
Posted By: E-Dub
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 12:36
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<<Hasse Froberg>>
Glad somebody brought this guy up. I hope he never leaves The Flower Kings. Great vocalist. E -------------
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Posted By: ryba
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 12:52
| david surkampf |
Posted By: condor
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 12:56
| Bryan Ferry, especially on their debut album. |
Posted By: Nasalspray
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 14:29
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Peter Hammill, Maynard James Keenan and Jozef Skrzek
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Posted By: crucify_the_ego
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 15:04
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Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Thom Yorke both have very emotional voices. The first probably has the more powerful voice, the second, the more soulful. But I like high voices in music  |
Posted By: Proghat
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 15:25
| Edu Falaschi!! |
Posted By: Kleynan
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 15:26
Jeff Buckley!  He reallly challenges himself. And he has also inspired alot of singers with his high-pitched voice, including Matt Bellamy.------------- 
You've just had a heavy session of electroshock therapy, and you're more relaxed than you've been in weeks. |
Posted By: Kleynan
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 15:26
Yeah! Cedric is one of the best singers I have heard in years. Now that's SOUL! -------------
You've just had a heavy session of electroshock therapy, and you're more relaxed than you've been in weeks. |
Posted By: int_2375
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 15:53
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I agree very few prog vocalists put forth much emotion.
A few in the archives that I think have lots of emotion: Kate Bush, Maynard James Keenan, Peter Gabriel, and everyone in Pink Floyd.
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Posted By: alan_pfeifer
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 22:30
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Cedric Bixler (Mars Volta) |
Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: May 26 2006 at 22:50
Maybe, but I'm having a hard time rationalizing Bryan Ferry and Steve Walsh in the same thread.  ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |
Posted By: Raff
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 01:54
I agree with you. Although Cedric's voice, like Geddy Lee's and high-pitched voices in general, may not be to everyone's taste, I find him one hell of a singer. His vocal style complements TMV's music perfectly. I have to admit I was a little bit puzzled myself when I saw Bryan Ferry mentioned in this thread... I like his singing style, as I like Roxy Music, but I wouldn't really call him a "soulful" singer. |
Posted By: bsurmano
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 02:01
Glad to see James Litherland mentioned, surely one of the most soulful singers. ------------- 'Sundown,yellow moon, I replay the past I know every scene by heart, they all went by so fast..... Either I'm too sensitive or else I'm gettin' soft.' Bob Dylan |
Posted By: Faaip_De_Oiad
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 03:45
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Maynard- TOOL Cedric - Mars volta Tori - Tori Amos John wetton - KC Thom yorke - Radiohead ------------- 
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Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 09:29
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Not trying to start a fight, but for me Thom Yorke's voice is kind of dull. It fits the style of the band and its nice like that because I don't want a screaming Yorke in a soft Radiohead. Now the singer of Muse (can't remember his name) sounds alot like Yorke but sings more passionetly. Check them out.
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Posted By: Forgotten Son
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 09:42
| Peter Hammill, Fish and Steve Hogarth. |
Posted By: crucify_the_ego
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 12:49
Agreed, thom Yorke's voice isn't to everybody's taste. it's quite downbeat and depressing, without a lot of energy most of the time. However, it's this understatedness, this quiet desperation (to borrow from Floyd ), that gives his voice so much soul. To me, Thom Yorke sound like he's singing straight from the heart, while Mark Bellamy, while being more dynamic and passionate in his vocals, doesn't have the same quality. I really get the feeling that there's something behind Thom Yorke's voice. Feel free to disagree, though, just my gut reaction |
Posted By: WaywardSon
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 13:45
| Sorry but vocalists like Yorke, Ferry and Hogarth just donīt have the power if we are comparing to Steve Walsh. Sure Fish has the emotion but doesnīt really belt it out. |
Posted By: chamberry
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 14:08
Let me give some few more listens to Radiohead and I'll try and see what you're saying. -------------
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Posted By: R o V e R
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 14:08
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i like "Rick Wright" Very much." His voice touch soul directly Songs like see saw remember the time I # - love peter hamill a lot though Man _erg Sleepwalkers Geddy lee Tears 2112
Peter Gabriel I grieve Growing up Ronnie james dio Catch the rainbow Greg Lake - I talk to the wind
from the begining
Ce la vie
KayaK - Merlin (whole album) Roger waters - i n the flesh (both versions)
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Posted By: Rorro
Date Posted: May 27 2006 at 15:31
| I find La Mschera Di Cera's singer very emotional |