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Ytse_Jam 
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Joined: December 08 2011
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 Posted: April 20 2013 at 10:41 |
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I was at the TAAB2 tour too, and his voice was quite weak actually, he couldn't sing almost any high pitched note, but he's still a great flute player and entertainer...
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rogerthat
Prog Reviewer
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Posted: April 20 2013 at 10:52 |
 icmrocha wrote:
I've always thought that Ian's voice, from 87 until recently, suffered, more because of his breathing than his actual singing (not sure if I made myself clear here...)
Listen to Locomotive Breath Live, for instance (on recent tours); It looks like he's having troubles catching his breath..
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Breath management is pretty fundamental to singing and a singer would generally regard singing as an extension of proper breathing. I would have to listen to that to understand his exact problems but if a singer's voice is not co-operating, he might try to power through his attack. That only adds to the strain and consumes a lot of breath, leading to panting or inability to hold back breath to complete the vocal phrase. EDIT: I just found a clip from 2007 and yes he sounds like he's breathing too heavily to sing but that effect comes from a weakened voice. The singer tries to push it harder to get a powerful tone and sounds strained in the process. If Ian Anderson had general breathing problems, he would struggle to play the flute. Instead, he actually plays the flute better here than in some 70s performances I have come across.
Edited by rogerthat - April 20 2013 at 10:56
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progbethyname
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Joined: July 30 2012
Location: HiFi Headmania
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Points: 7750
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Posted: April 20 2013 at 12:10 |
Metalmarsh89 wrote:
A good diet and healthy living habits really help keep a singing voice intact for many, many years. Some people are blessed with an amazing voice that not only sounds amazing, but continues to do so for decades. Unfortunately, not all singers are this lucky, so if they pursue the life of heavy drinking and/or smoking, there are great risks down the road. I remember reading an article/interview with James LaBrie of Dream Theater on this topic, and him explaining what he does to keep his voice in top shape.As for what is going on with Ian Anderson's voice, I haven't a clue. I haven't listened to anything he's sung after the early 90's studio stuff. If he is/was a heavy chain smoker as some have stated here, than I don't find it at all surprising that lifestyle has come back to bite him.
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James LaBrie is a huge model of consistancy for my ears. I hear he drinks alkaline solutions to sooth his throat! Pretty interesting. He is one of my gods for sure. Really like Ray Alder as well. His voice has really matured nicely over the years. :)
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saber4x
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Joined: April 02 2014
Location: FLORIDA
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Posted: April 02 2014 at 14:20 |
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I think part of the problem is he doesn't have enough WIND from smoking.
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makesMusic
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Joined: May 02 2015
Location: Milwaukee, WI
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Posted: May 02 2015 at 11:45 |
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WARNING! BORING OLD MUSICIAN POST! IA's voice started to lose it's top end (and to be fair-and I do love Tull-Ian never had a large vocal range anyway. Just about two octaves, and he (almost) never sang in his lowest octave-(E below middle C to e just above mid.C (written, not actual pitch)) around Stormwatch. He encountered massive throat problems (due to excessive smoking and poor breath control-remember breath control from singing and breath control from playing flute are two different techniques) during the Under Wraps tour and never recovered. It worsened on the Crest Of A Knave tour, and when I saw them on th Rock Island tour his voice was pretty thin...The last time I saw them was in the late '90s (I think...early aughts, maybe?) On a double bill with ELP...and it was a shock...IA could no longer hold any note for more than a few seconds. Mostly rewritten instrumental versions of songs with a LOT of (unrecognizable) flute parts and very little vocals. Then there was Keith Emerson's 2 finger+thumb only keyboard playing, and Greg Lake's voice made IA (now, yet) sound like Tony Bennett ...but that's another topic...
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Rednight
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Joined: January 18 2014
Location: Mar Vista, CA
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Points: 4807
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Posted: May 03 2015 at 11:40 |
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It happens to many of the great ones: Sinatra, Anderson, Gabriel, Lake, etc. Vocal chords age, also. Jon Anderson seems the most immune. Even though it was 14 years ago, saw him on the Magnification tour, and he sang like the angel he always sounded like. Not a missed note.
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SteveG
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Joined: April 11 2014
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Posted: May 03 2015 at 12:29 |
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The last JT album that featured Anderson with vocals intact was the dreaded Under Wraps album from 1982. After that, he reportedly blew out his vocal chords and, sadly, never recovered his voice.
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The Dark Elf
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Posted: May 03 2015 at 13:10 |
I've seen two concerts in the last 10 or 15 years where Ian actually sounded alright: The Rubbing Elbows tour (2002-03) - All acoustic in a small theater setting. He didn't have to strain, and didn't have to reach embarrassingly for high notes on songs such as Aqualung or Songs from the Wood. Orchestral Tull (2005) - Primarily instrumental with orchestra and the talented (and definitely hot!) Lucia Micarelli on violin. Otherwise, Ian has been absolutely painful to listen to since the late 80s. I have been to concerts were I actually felt bad for him, and with Martin Barre gone I see no earthly reason to go again. Memories of fabulous Tull concerts from the 70s will more than suffice.
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makesMusic
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Posted: May 04 2015 at 10:05 |
I dunno if I would feel bad for him...touring is usually about needing money (really). IA seems to be doing all right...song royalties...salmon farming...(I think he still does this)...no regular band to pay a salary to...seems like an ego thing...that's not a judgement (promise)...just sayin'... RE: JON ANDERSON...he is a natural male alto (a rare vocal range to be sure). They sing naturally about a sixth higher than a tenor...IA is a baritone (having a much lower range than a tenor). Erm...for comparison Freddie Mercury was a tenor...Jon A. has also had massive problems with his throat and lungs and now when he performs the song keys have been (in some cases) drastically lowered.
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makesMusic
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Posted: May 04 2015 at 10:18 |
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Sorry about two posts in a row...but "The Dreaded Under Wraps" album? (I missed that comment.) Umm...both Ian A. And Martin B. think it's one of Tull's best lp's. (Sources: a LOT of interviews.) Not a personal favorite I admit but the two of them seem to be very proud of that album. Martin B. calling it "the one I really enjoy listening to"...(I swear that's a (semi-direct) quote").
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NotAProghead
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Posted: May 04 2015 at 10:49 |
^ In my opinion the only good thing in "Under Wraps" is its cover. Very impressive. 
Back to the subject, I'm always trying not to miss Tull (or Ian Anderson with his band - Florian Opahle etc) concerts. I've seen about six shows in 2000s, including the latest TAAB2 tour and never had problems with Ian's voice. Yes, he sings lower than in the 70s, I can easily live with it. I even think that now there is more feeling in his voice than before.
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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makesMusic
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Posted: May 05 2015 at 13:32 |
The point (I think..) is should IA still be touring if he only plays the flute and sings the occasional lyric? At what point does he become a prop in his own show? Granted I did not see the TAAB2 show so maybe his showmanship is still top notch. (He was always fun to watch onstage.) But if he has been reduced to being the compere and a side musician at what point does this act become a JT tribute band featuring Ian Anderson? (And yes, UW has an awesome cover...  ) |
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NotAProghead
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Posted: May 05 2015 at 14:13 |
^ I think JT = IA (though Ian does not call his band, without Martin Barre, Jethro Tull). What the hell tribute band? I never understood these complaints "oh, Ian's voice is not the same anymore" because JT always had one singer, we all know his name.
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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makesMusic
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Posted: May 06 2015 at 11:08 |
Erm...yes (almost) but that was a musical development, not the original concept. (for the "almost " cf.Mick Abrams sings "Move On Alone" on This Was, and Jeffrey Hammond does "The Hare Who Lost...." on Passion Play). It may be true that NOW IA=JT but in a lot of fans eyes without Martin B. it's just not Tull...including me. MB wrote an awful lot of JT music without credit. Also the different personas of the band (i.e.:John Evans "sad clown" act) made JT a band...a group...like , maybe, Genesis...who also only had one singer, but Peter Gabriel is NOT Genensis, Phil Collins is NOT Genesis...Peter Hammil is NOT VGG....etc... oh...a tribute band is a bunch of musicians who love a particular group SO much they play nothing but that group's material. The big difference is that none of these musicians had anything at all to do with the original recordings, tours, line-ups (official or dissolved). They exist to recreate the sound of a band they love but were never in. So...the argument is something along the lines of: Are Roger Daltrey/Pete Townshend really The Who (just because they say they are)? Should Jon Anderson/Rick Wakeman book themselves as Yes? Would the (aborted) reformation of Jimmy Page/John Paul Jones/Jason Bonham-but no Robert Plant-really be accepted as Led Zeppelin etc...?
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fawleyjude
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Posted: December 20 2016 at 18:45 |
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Actually, Ian's voice took a beating as far back as the Aqualung tour. He had to take some time off to give his voice a rest because he found he wasn't hitting some notes in the quieter parts of songs. I've read some articles by voice coaches who say that in general rock singing is really hard on the vocal chords and if you don't learn certain techniques you're likely to burn out your voice.
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rogerthat
Prog Reviewer
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Posted: December 20 2016 at 19:38 |
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Ian Anderson doesn't do real hardcore rock singing and not over a large range either. But I remember down here there was this chap who played the flute (and very well too) for a composer but when the composer started making him sing, it affected his flute playing and he stopped. It's possible that vice versa too there is an effect - that is, all the flute playing affects Anderson's singing voice. And if he was a smoker that would compound problems; that's good enough by itself to destroy the voice.
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Nanook
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Location: United States
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Posted: December 21 2016 at 16:46 |
I saw Tull back in October 2007. He and the band were excellent, although his voice was a bit rough. I attributed it to his age, he was around 63 then I believe.
It was a great show, one that you hated to see end.
We all get old, it is inevitable. And cigarettes do not help a singer.
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Bring me my broadsword, and clear understanding.
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Flight123
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Joined: September 01 2010
Location: Sohar, Oman
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Posted: December 22 2016 at 03:37 |
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Nothing to do with cigs - the voice ages and it affects people in different ways. Ian Anderson is unlucky as it has affected his noticeably, which is a shame. I saw Tull at High Voltage in 2011 and was alarmed and I am surprised he hasn't retired the voice. By coincidence, I was looking at the YouTube footage of Greg Lake performing 'I Believe in Father Christmas' accompanied by Anderson on flute. Greg's voice sounded great - and so did Anderson on flute!!
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rogerthat
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Joined: September 03 2006
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Posted: December 22 2016 at 09:07 |
Flight123 wrote:
Nothing to do with cigs - the voice ages and it affects people in different ways. Ian Anderson is unlucky as it has affected his noticeably, which is a shame. I saw Tull at High Voltage in 2011 and was alarmed and I am surprised he hasn't retired the voice. By coincidence, I was looking at the YouTube footage of Greg Lake performing 'I Believe in Father Christmas' accompanied by Anderson on flute. Greg's voice sounded great - and so did Anderson on flute!! |
Can't be luck. There's nothing lucky about taking care of one's voice and those who do seem to have their voice well intact even as they age. Ronnie James Dio's singing was 10x extreme of Anderson and he had it until he finally fell prey to cancer. There are some singers who get away with smoking but THAT is a matter of luck and it's more likely than not to affect the voice. Anderson's flute playing - in particular his vigorous use of breath - probably also contributed to the problem.
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lazland
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Posted: December 22 2016 at 11:30 |
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Anderson had an operation on his throat in the 1980's. The band's first appearance after this was supporting Marillion at The Garden Party, Milton Keynes Bowl in 1986.
The set was mainly an instrumental one, owing to voice issues. It has clearly never fully recovered, although singer's voices do lose a lot of their range in most cases (even Jon Anderson, whose voice is in remarkable health, has lost some of his range). I just put it down to the ravages of old age and that condition which necessitated surgery.
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Ian Anderson's voice