really,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dgfyiyMMI" rel="nofollow -

 

He sang extensive backing vocals on all of Queen's albums.  He's as much a backing vocalist as any of the others on the list.  My vote goes to him, although Squire, Taylor, Phillips and Wright are also all good.  BTW, you also left Tony Banks off the list.  I find his voice to be quite pleasant in the lead role. 

So did Freddie Mercury. And what does that prove. They both just about sang on the songs they wrote in the early days. Or at least had a verse each.

So as I say..he wasn't or should maybe have said, he wasn't the backing vocalist. I'm right your wrong. So there!

 

I win! 

I will check your facts but I'm sure you are wrong. Anyway even if you are right it still proves my point. 

Glenn Huighes is definitely a lead vocalist relegated to backing vocals anyway.

 It's just my opinion. Which I believe I'm allowed. I didn't know you were a "we". Sorry your Highness.

Some Day, One Day

She Makes Me

39

Good Company

Long Away

All Dead, All Dead

Sleeping on the Sidewalk

Fat Bottomed Girls (the chorus)

Leaving Home Ain't Easy

Sail Away Sweet Sister

I Go Crazy (bridge)

Who Wants to Live Forever (first verse and chorus)

I Want It All (bridge)

Mother Love (1st Verse)

Let Me Live (last verse)

 

Those are all the songs that May sang lead on with Queen (maybe a b-side out there I missed).  All other May-penned songs were sung by Freddie.

Let me rephrase then. I don't consider May as a backing vocalist. Although he did (obviously) sing backing vocals as did Freddie.

Ian, I think he did some vocal contributions on Lamb & Wind & Wuthering, although I am quite happy to be corrected. But, in the context of your question, no he isn't. He did, I think, add some vocal textures on the aforementioned albums, but could never be described as a backing vocalist in the context of what you & I understand to mean by a backing vocalist. Accuracy, though, has never been a particular strong point in these polls

He developed a singing voice as his solo career developed, and I like it, BTW.

I was hard thinking of any genesis backing vocals. But now you mention it I seem to remember something vocalish sometimes. I like his singing too and it saves him having to hire a singer all the time.

Hackett was not replaced by Banks - what is that statement supposed to mean?

And, for your information, Banks primarily sang on The fugitive, an album I quite enjoy, but not, by any means, and by Banks' admission himself, a vocal triumph. On other solo albums, he drafted in guests such as Fish, Jackson et al.

Without being rude, dear chap, you surely must realise by now it is this series of quite basic errors in your polls that annoy people? Why don't you think a little more carefully before you create them? We would rather have fewer polls that make some sense than a pile of nonsense.

Maybe so - I didn't comment on the Brian May post for that very reason, but this doesn't detract from the basic point here, which is the proliferation of inaccuracies in these endless polls.

I remember seeing a Ward interview years ago, in which he said that if he ever sang on a Sabbath album, then the devil would take them all to hell a damn sight faster than would otherwise be the case! I have every Sabbath album, and I struggle to think of any such instance, although, as ever, I am happy to be corrected.

Look Gandalff, I don't mean to have a go at you. You are obviously knowledgeable about the genre. All we ask is a little bit of thought before you post these polls.

Yep, you are quite right. I forgot about that, the only time that all four members of the band (in any incarnation) made a vocal contribution. Again, though, this hardly qualifies Ward being described as a backing vocalist does it?

I think Gandalf is a nice bloke actually.

I just can't resist winding him up.

 

By the way, he's bloody good singer, I'm disappointed he has only few chances to sing - either in Sabbath or in his solo albums.

I love Pete's voice, but, again, he was not a backing vocalist in the sense I understand the phrase. It would be more accurate to describe The Who as consisting of Daltry as lead vocalist and frontman, with Townshend as co vocalist and guitarist and general genius.

Totally agree

 

Hackett did do backing vocals.  On his own solo albums (the first four, before he decided to sing lead on his albums).  The two I might agree shouldn't be here are Glenn Hughes, because he is primarily a lead vocalist who was relegated to backing vocals in Deep Purple and Bill Ward, because Sabbath really didn't have a lot of backing vocals. 

 

But then, it isn't my poll. 

 

 

My vote for Pete Townsend

 

 

I am the first to emphasize that we need to be clear on our definitions, as these seem to be the source of many disagreements, but there are many times when we split hairs on these things.  Hell, if we can't even agree on what the meaning of the word 'Prog' is, how can we agree on the meaning of any other word?  All of the vocalists listed have taken on lead vocals at some point or another to one degree or another.  It seems to me that the question is about these individuals as backing vocalists.  I do think the question could have been stated more clearly, but I think I understood what was meant.  One of the issues that came up was that several of those mentioned went on to solo careers and/or released solo albums, where they were the main vocalists.  I don't think those were part of the quesiton. 

 

Gandalf is like that one geeky student you find in philosophy classes that works reallly hard at the subject, and voices his quesitons and opinions to the annoyance of many other students, but actually adds a lot of spice and verve to the proceedings.  For me to call someone geeky is a compliment. 

 

It is interesting to see how extensive some of us know their Prog.  To see that, and to express our own knowldege, is the one of the main reasons we come here, is it not? 

Wish he had more leads.

A rare moment of agreement. 

 

The same case is Brian May, with the slight difference, he's not too prolific author like Townshend.

 

What's important - the majority of voters likes a gentle, Anderson-like voice of Chris Squire. A little disappointment is a zero votes for Anthony Phillips or Steve Hillage.

 

On the other hand I don't understand why Rick Wright is leading, he was actually rather weaker singer. Isn't it due to respect to the deceased?

No, it's because people feel he is the better singer

It is a bit mad that Wright is leading ahead of much better singers. What can you do?

weak? Have you seen him singing Arnold Layne at about 70 yrs old in David Gilmour's DVDs?

 

In any event, Wright didn't convince me about his vocal skills especially on his solo albums.

 

What a great song you have quoted! I love playing the Snowy White's acoustic solo. Easy but very nice. About his vocals he's not too dissimilar from Gilmour isn't it? And what about the duet in Echoes?

However thank you for posting "Against all odds." I have enjoyed listening to it again. 

Then liking his voice or not is question of tastes. I love Greg Lake's voice and there's a lot of people who hates it.

I'm sorry to be contrary but I do indeed "have a life". 

Perhaps I do have no life. Who am i to judge? When was the last time I went deep sea diving?

Stating the obvious is pretty pointless too.

Just because your post was immediately after mine, is there a relation? If yes I don't see it.

Bob Dylan.

That is all.

 

Better example? I'd suggest e.g. Andrew Latimer...