Roger Daltrey can’t do the CSI scream anymore but he still sings with a full-bodied voice in the same range as back in the day. The version I saw of Love Reign O’er Me in May would’ve been impressive for a singer of any age.
― mott the hoopleheads (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:17 (five years ago) link
Stella Vander of Magma, 68 and doesn't seem to have lost anything of her range. Although I haven't seen them for a few years so maybe things have changed, I'll find out in October when they play London.
― Zeuhl Idol (Matt #2), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:25 (five years ago) link
kind of surprising but Van Morrison still sounds in good voice on his recent albums
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:35 (five years ago) link
Buck Dharma from Blue Oyster Cult sounds exactly the same (Eric Bloom on the other hand...)
wonder if she can still sing her yé-yé stuff (xpost)
― tandoor vittles (unregistered), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:35 (five years ago) link
I 100% agree with Robert Smith. I was really struck by the RRHOF set by how he literally sounded like he fell directly out of the 80s. (Also, he changes melodic lines and speak-sings some things in almost all of his live performances going back at least to 1992, when I first saw them live.)
― brigadier pudding (DJP), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:36 (five years ago) link
Also I haven't heard Dennis DeYoung this year but I know within this decade he was still incredible
― brigadier pudding (DJP), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:38 (five years ago) link
Rundgren is an interesting case. I think he has kept a lot of his vocal chops, but can't just blare them out at any time anymore (which is totally understandable). But when I saw him at a fundraiser for his charity two years ago, he was in pretty good form most of the night but def. had to pick his spots to really let it fly (ie, "Love Is the Answer").
he sounded really good when I saw him about a year and a half ago though he did lean pretty heavily on his newer material which doesn't have as many crazy notes
― frogbs, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:53 (five years ago) link
to chime in I saw the Cure over a year ago and was reaaaalllly surprised by how well Smith still sings
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:55 (five years ago) link
Xpost, Van Morrison sounds surprisingly good live as well. He’s lost the higher notes he could hit in the early 70s but that’s about it.
― that's not my post, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 16:58 (five years ago) link
I forgot a pretty obvious one, Gary Numan
having an odd, inimitable voice seems to help...see Peter Hammill or Mark E Smith
― frogbs, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:02 (five years ago) link
or Elvis Costello
― frogbs, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:04 (five years ago) link
Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden actually sounded better when I saw him - five times between 2003-2008 - than he did on Live After Death, recorded in 1985.
Diamanda Galás still has all her range and power, and may have actually gotten stronger in the last decade or so, too.
― shared unit of analysis (unperson), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:08 (five years ago) link
colin blunstone
― budo jeru, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:10 (five years ago) link
The problem with Van is when he lost his tenor range, he lost what was so great about that voice. Now he rumbles in the low ranges like an old blues guy, and it's fine, but it no longer astonishes. Listen to You Don't Pull No Punches or anything pre-75.
― Dr X O'Skeleton, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:14 (five years ago) link
saw the Zombies give an interview and a stripped down Blunstone/Argent performance of their hits in a tiny theater a couple years ago and Blunstone's voice wasn't what it was, but considering he was 72 or 73 at the time he really worked some magic with the classics.
― omar little, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:15 (five years ago) link
― mott the hoopleheads (voodoo chili), Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:17 PM (forty-nine minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
On the 2015-16 Who tour, the screams on "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Love, Reign O'er Me" were pre-recorded -- likely the original screams from the records triggered by a sampler. Which on one hand is disappointing, but on the other hand, jeez, the guy's in his 70s, and he can't reasonably be expected to do those screams on every show and still have a voice. I thought he sounded great the last two times I saw them ('15 and '16). More surprisingly/impressive, I heard him hit notes in 2000 that he seemed unable to hit in 1989.
Wisely, "Love, Reign O'er Me" isn't in their current setlist, and when they do "Won't Get Fooled Again," it's just Pete and Roger playing acoustic, and no scream.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:16 (five years ago) link
i actually think Kylie has improved over the years.someone could suggest studio based tweaks, however, Sundays performance (and last years Hyde Park show) would definitely contest that idea.she has learnt how to use her range really well.― mark e, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:14
as per ..
― mark e, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:17 (five years ago) link
oh, and agree 100% re Robert Smith comments.was very impressed on Sunday.
― mark e, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 17:18 (five years ago) link
xpost wrt Van I'm very familiar, and if the criteria is "someone's voice is exactly as powerful and good at 70 as it was at 25" I think this is a blank thread.... but here's In Tiburon off Keep Me Singing, I think he still sounds good and this is not blues growlinghttps://youtu.be/TDkkXovCCCE
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 18:11 (five years ago) link
Mark Stewart of The Pop Group
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:28 (five years ago) link
Lydia Lunch's voice is still super strong and powerful as the Teenage Jesus Years, but she sings those songs an octave lower now
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:30 (five years ago) link
I saw the Zombies at the Rock Hall induction thing a few months ago. Not only was Blunstone's voice still pretty much intact, but Rod Argent's nimble fingers were very impressive. Easy to take for granted, but physical dexterity into one's 70's cannot be assumed!
― henry s, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:36 (five years ago) link
if the criteria is "someone's voice is exactly as powerful and good at 70 as it was at 25" I think this is a blank thread....
― calstars, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:37 (five years ago) link
nah Diamanda Galas would still be on it
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:43 (five years ago) link
Susumu Hirasawa is 65 and his range is actually better now than it was in his 20s, not sure how he does it
― frogbs, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 19:58 (five years ago) link
Richard ThompsonNick Cave
I actually think Cave's voice is improving with age
― van dyke parks generator (anagram), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:00 (five years ago) link
it's actually not _that_ rare for a singer to sound as good in their 60s as in their 20s -- if you think about classical music and opera.
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:02 (five years ago) link
Sure but plenty of pop/rock performers don't take care of their voices as classically trained singers do.
― ˈʌglɪɪst preɪ, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:09 (five years ago) link
also, the 20s is a weird benchmark (tho I get it -- in the context of singers in bands, as that is when they tend to start) -- I just remember my classical voice teacher when I was in my late teens telling me, "I hear a lot of young people sing some of these songs, but their voices are too young, you won't have the best voice for them until you are in your 30s or 40s" -- certain things are likely to lead a continued "decline" as it were (a heavy smoking habit, lots of drinking, certain drug use, some medical problems), but if those things aren't going on, I think vocal development peaks later than the 20s.
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:10 (five years ago) link
xp - plenty of pop/rock performers are classically trained or get training at points in their careers!
― sarahell, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:12 (five years ago) link
I sing and my range really changed somewhere in my...forties, I guess? I don't have the higher range. Don't know as that the timbre of my voice has gotten worse, though. Maybe better!
― timellison, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:27 (five years ago) link
Mark Eitzel is another one who, at 60, seems to keep improving.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:38 (five years ago) link
See, when VDGG did the tour where they did all their old epics - "Lighthouse Keepers", etc - I thought the wear on Peter Hammill's voice was apparent. He was still good enough to attempt it, at least!
When I saw the Monkees a couple years back I was really impressed with Micky Dolenz's pipes, particularly considering the legendary amount of drinking he did back in the day...
― Quilter Ray (rushomancy), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:45 (five years ago) link
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 22:38 (six minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
Yes! He has developed into an amazing singer. Great phrasing
― Duke, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:49 (five years ago) link
Both Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins?
I also thought Paul Simon's voice was pretty amazing during his farewell performance & on his most recent albums.
― Valentijn, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 20:59 (five years ago) link
Al Jardine
― PaulTMA, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 21:02 (five years ago) link
Colin Blunstone
Morrissey
I went back to Rank to see if I was being unfair but... Morrissey wasn't that good in his prime so he really didn't have anywhere to go but up
― brigadier pudding (DJP), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 21:23 (five years ago) link
unsurprisingly, Akiko Yano's voice has held up really well
― frogbs, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 21:34 (five years ago) link
(Frank) Black (Francis) Charles Michael Kitteridge Thompson IV- not that I care to listen any more, alas
― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 21:55 (five years ago) link
Saw Petula Clark in her late 70s sing in a cabaret setting and she had flawless pitch
― Josefa, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 22:26 (five years ago) link
also to those folks citing live performances as evidence that singers don't rely on studio trickery - you know AutoTune et al can be applied to live vocals, right?
― an incoherent crustacean (MatthewK), Wednesday, 3 July 2019 22:28 (five years ago) link
Kate Bush comes to mind.
― octobeard, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 23:01 (five years ago) link
A couple of classic singers that I have heard in the past couple years that seem to still have a strong voice were Judy Collins and Roger McGuinn.
https://youtu.be/l3ChFfKsaXI
― earlnash, Wednesday, 3 July 2019 23:02 (five years ago) link
I just saw Mark Eitzel at a living room show with a bad flu and no amplification and he still sounded great
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 4 July 2019 00:14 (five years ago) link
also Morrissey's new albums have more autotune than T-Pain
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 4 July 2019 00:15 (five years ago) link
Although he just technically retired from live performances, Garland Jeffreys still sounds pretty good at 75, wait 76 now.
― Vini C. Riley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 4 July 2019 00:22 (five years ago) link
Aimee Mann
― Paul, Thursday, 4 July 2019 02:14 (five years ago) link
xpost i would love to see Satan live
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 6 September 2023 15:12 (one year ago) link
i mean performing live, he was there when we signed the paperwork
lol
― Dinglebert Humperstink (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 6 September 2023 15:29 (one year ago) link
granted this was a few years ago but hoo boy Chaka Khan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMCxw_nENWA
― Florin Cuchares, Thursday, 7 September 2023 04:01 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsCIeklgp1M
A rickroll for your Thursday
― H.P, Thursday, 7 September 2023 08:19 (one year ago) link
Ann <3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBq_THTWNM4
― Sons of Haneke (weatheringdaleson), Thursday, 7 September 2023 08:44 (one year ago) link
Russell Mael is the gold standard for this thread imo
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 11 September 2023 00:28 (one year ago) link
Listening to her Sun’s Signature EP, Liz Fraser still has her wonderful voice.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0f-gwU5dhI
― AlXTC from Paris, Monday, 11 September 2023 04:14 (one year ago) link
David Crosby obviously sings no more but his voice remained intact when be still did.
I saw him in 2019 and this was indeed a pleasant surprise, especially given his various addictions over the years. They took a toll on him in every way EXCEPT on his voice. I only went to see him because it was free but I'm so glad I went - it exceeded every expectation I had, helped by a near-flawless setlist. (I'm a far more of a Byrds fan but besides his best work with them, he also picked the CS&N(Y) and solo songs that I actually liked, closing out with a furious take on Young's "Ohio.")
I'll also add Bonnie Raitt. I've never done a direct comparison, and to be fair, given the blues and R&B nature of her work, rougher textures in anyone's voice can actually help, but I saw her last year and for all I know she didn't sound different from the first time I saw her on a VHS copy of her Road Tested concert video.
― birdistheword, Monday, 11 September 2023 05:45 (one year ago) link
I mentioned this in the Taylor Dayne thread, but I saw Taylor Dayne recently, and… well, Taylor Dayne has kept her voice!
― I made it weird, I made it worse (morrisp), Monday, 11 September 2023 13:55 (one year ago) link
Couldn't quite believe my ears when I heard Jimmy Somerville's falsetto as a guest vocal on Oliver Sim's Hideous last year.
― Alba, Monday, 11 September 2023 14:53 (one year ago) link
David Hidalgo, although he always had this "Elder Zen" thing going on.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 15 October 2023 02:41 (eleven months ago) link
#onethread
Check out Smokey Robinson's NPR Tiny Desk Concert. What a singer!
― banjoboy, Tuesday, 17 October 2023 06:32 (eleven months ago) link
Kevin Rowland is sounding good on his/Dexys' current tour. If you were being churlish you might say he's not as strong on the high notes as he used to be, but still I thought he was on fine form, sounding very much himself.
― giraffe, Tuesday, 17 October 2023 07:05 (eleven months ago) link