Steven Wilson vs. Maynard James Keenan
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Polls
Forum Description: Create polls on topics related to progressive music
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=49071
Printed Date: August 11 2025 at 15:48
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Steven Wilson vs. Maynard James Keenan
Posted By: Statutory-Mike
Subject: Steven Wilson vs. Maynard James Keenan
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 17:39
|
Myself being a huge Porcupine Tree fan, and my friend being a huge Tool fan have had this argument many times before..who's the better singer? I just wanted to get a feel for what the majority of you guys felt. ------------- 
|
Replies:
Posted By: xenuwantsyou
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 17:51
| As a pure singer Keenan has the edge. His voice is more unique and powerful. But I think Wilson is much better at stretching what he has and arranging good vocal parts. Both are at times brilliant and at others boring. |
Posted By: Padraic
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 17:53
| Better singer? I'll go with MJK on this one. |
Posted By: MovingPictures07
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:03
Steven Wilson!!! 
------------- 
|
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:07
|
wow guys really? i felt that wilson's voice is objectively the better one.......although then again Keenan's fits the music perfectly, so points to him. nevermind i can't decide...
better voice - steven wilson
better use of voice - MJK
|
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:51
|
Maynard James Keenen, no contest.
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005 
|
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:54
this guy: |
Posted By: sleeper
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:56
|
^Whats with the name change Siam?
------------- Spending more than I should on Prog since 2005
|
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 18:58
|
Just needed a change. |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 19:19
|
Neither of these guys can sing that great. I think there is a huge difference between a good voice and a singer.
I think Steven can utilize his voice better. Maynard is extremely overrated as a singer. There is A Perfect Circle track that shows his limitations in his range, and it is not that big. |
Posted By: SoundsofSeasons
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 19:27
|
Neither are really very good, but I find Wilson to be the better of the two. I would be suprised to hear someone actaully say Kennan is a good singer. Maybe entertaining, yes, but not actually skilled. Of course Wilson isn't either, altough at least he plays intruments and is multi-talented as well... ------------- 1 Chronicles 13:7-9 Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets. |
Posted By: moreitsythanyou
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 19:31
|
Wilson has one of the top five voices in prog. Maynard, albeit a good singer, does not. -------------  <font color=white>butts, lol[/COLOR] |
Posted By: Dominic
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 21:28
| Wilson is great, but i Keenan appeals to me vocally and lyrically. |
Posted By: eon_
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 21:58
|
Everybody loves PT here in the archives!! I don't get it for me this is an alternative - rock/pop band.. MJK by far, Wilson is a very bad singer ------------- Spiral out, keep going... |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 23:08
|
Wilson is one of my favourite singers,while Keenan is just ok. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: DJPuffyLemon
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 23:44
| i guess it comes down to taste! |
Posted By: Queen By-Tor
Date Posted: May 31 2008 at 23:57
|
I may be an undeniable PT fanboy but I voted Maynard on this one. Undoubtedly a vocalist with much better range and emotion. I've always thought of Steve as a composer/guitarist first and singer second. Granted, I love his voice but I think Keenan takes the win on this one for me. Wilson has yet to chill my spine with his vocals, while Keenan has done it many times. That said, I do love Wilson! I'll take PT over Tool most days.
 we disagree on something!?  
Quite right good sir. |
Sinkadotentree wrote:Posted By: darkmatter
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 00:00
| Both are a couple of my favorite singers, but there is no doubt in my mind that Maynard is better, especially for his work with A Perfect Circle. |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 00:28
|
Singing vs. whispering. hmmm ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 02:12
Who's whispering?? My vote is for the the guy that sings best. Maynard McAwesome. Wilson is borrrrrring. |
Posted By: Soulsiick
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 02:55
|
I was about to vote for wilson,but suddenly i saw the word : Singer ! Change my mind and voted for Meynard,definitly he is a better singer !
------------- When the dogs are looking For their bones And its raining icepicks On your steel shore Im gonna break Im gonna break my Im gonna break my rusty cage and run |
Posted By: Kapitan_Mrok
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 03:42
|
Mynard on 101%... ------------- Terra Tegit Terram |
Posted By: Yorkie X
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 05:27
|
Steven Wilson I like his voice I don't think it sounds like whisper at all ? as far as Maynard goes this is prog archives and I can't even see his name on this poll maybe on an alternative metal site it may show up
|
Posted By: chemo
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 06:16
|
Neither are really that great singers, Wilson's glory comes from his arranging skills rather than his actual voice, which is fairly weak, and often quite flat. For instance in a few of his more passionate sections on the new album he really needs a stronger voice to pull them off. Maynard is really not great of a singer either, but he's got lots of original approaches and can pull off some impressive stuff (one of the songs on Aenima I think has a 25 second or so scream in it, which I've only heard one person beat.) I'll give to Maynard because he's got better presence. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 07:35
| I had to go with Steven. His voice is beautiful, and at times, hauntingly so. |
Posted By: JROCHA
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 09:44
| After seeing Tool live and A perfect Circle Maynards Voice is like nobody else. And i have seen Porcupine Tree too, Steven Wilson is great , but he is not even close to Maynard. |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 10:16
|
I love both, but for me, Maynard has the edge. Incredibly haunting voice at times. ------------- 
|
Posted By: Relayer09
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 12:01
|
They both have quite different styles of singing. I enjoy them both so it's going to be a tie for me and I'll enjoy them both equally. One doesn't really shine above the other. ------------- If you lose your temper, you've lost the arguement. -Proverb |
Posted By: explodingjosh
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 14:27
|
Singer: Maynard!
------------- 
|
Posted By: Erpland316
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 17:17
|
Maynard is one of the best vocalist of the past decade! Steven is great also, but he is a better producer and guitar player. Maynard's lyrics are outstanding! ------------- "Science is all metaphor"-Timothy Leary [IMG]http://freespace.virgin.net/martin.jones10/amonpic.jpg">[IMG]http://imagegen.last.fm/red/artists/Yeti316.gif"> |
Posted By: el böthy
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 18:17
|
Although I really like Wilson´s voice, Keenan owns this poll
------------- "You want me to play what, Robert?" 
|
Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 19:44
|
Porcupine tree + Many projects < Tool + APC
Maynard is a genious, Lateralus and escpecially thirteenth step are both in my top ten favorite albums. ------------- 
|
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 21:06
Steven sings, Maynard whispers. I would like to discuss how inferior Tool is to anything Steven Wilson has ever been involved with, but this about singing, not how Tool suck.  ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: ProgBagel
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 21:09
Awww, but I wanted to talk about how a Tool track cannot beat anything Wilson has touched  .
|
Posted By: Soul Dreamer
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 21:13
|
Steve Wilson, especially for his singing in Blackfield..(and some tracks of PT as well)
------------- To be the one who seeks so I may find .. (Metallica) |
Posted By: Dominic
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 21:23
Guitar player? |
Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: June 01 2008 at 21:55
I would like to talk about that too, except that your idea of Tool sucking dosent exist. Find a better performance by Steven Wilson better Than The Noose, than your idea may have a chance at existing, but until then.
 -------------
|
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: June 02 2008 at 00:01
You must not be familiar with whispering. In any case, Maynard's singing on Push*t is better than anything Wilson has done. |
Posted By: KoS
Date Posted: June 02 2008 at 00:13
|
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NtIRr9B9Hnk - http://youtube.com/watch?v=NtIRr9B9Hnk Maynard can keep singing while he chokes someone out. Now that's real skill. |
Posted By: stonebeard
Date Posted: June 02 2008 at 00:15
OK then...raspy hissing? ------------- http://soundcloud.com/drewagler" rel="nofollow - My soundcloud. Please give feedback if you want! |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 09 2008 at 14:56
| Wilson is a better singer in a better band. |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 09 2008 at 14:56
| I'm sorry, better bands |
Posted By: Floydian42
Date Posted: June 09 2008 at 15:17
| Don't get me wrong, PT is my favorite band of all time, I love everything they've done, Steven Wilson's amazing... but Keenan pwns him when it comes to singing. |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 09 2008 at 15:19
| As far as what? Whispering? |
Posted By: Seltzer
Date Posted: June 10 2008 at 06:38
| As much as I love PT (I like Tool too), Maynard is the better vocalist IMO. |
Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: June 10 2008 at 10:11
I dont know where you guys get this whispering idea. I'm very unbiased here, I love both bands, so dont get me wrong when I say: I have no idea what you're talking about, get a hearing aid. -------------
|
Posted By: BroSpence
Date Posted: June 10 2008 at 18:29
Tool doesn't make Black Metal. Sorry. |
Posted By: darksideof
Date Posted: June 11 2008 at 13:24
|
I am a huge PT fans for more than 10 years and I lovesteve wilson voice BUT! i have to admit that maynard is a superior but only as a singer. ------------- http://darksideofcollages.blogspot.com/ http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Darksideof-Collages/ |
Posted By: Dim
Date Posted: June 11 2008 at 17:01
|
Stony you're so contradictory, you bitch about people arguing, and in this thread you go off and just annoy the crap out of everyone with your childish comments, with absolutely no credibility, or argument, you're just biased. I'm sure even Steve Wilson will even admit Maynard can run rings around him!
Give me one legible example of Maynards hissing, whispering ect and you may have an argument. -------------
|
Posted By: siko237
Date Posted: June 16 2008 at 06:40
| I can't believe that ppl r calling steven wilson boring!!!! i mean im a huge fan of both PT n Tool (however a much huger fan of PT)...n definitely steven wilson is the better vocalist...i mean songs like trains, russia on ice, feel so low, dont hate me, all these are just examples of how amazing SW's voice is....Maynard on the other hand is extremely repititive, i mean he uses the same stuff he uses on albums, like these uncomforting whispers n stuff, they're both amazing, but SW is beyond comparison.... |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 22:27
THANK YOU |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 07:34
|
^I think it's fair to say both guys have been known to repeat vocal phrasings again and again, but that doesn't stop them from being amazing vocalists IMO.
-------------
|
Posted By: Prejjer
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 08:45
| i cant stand either. |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 13:01
Then get the hell out of here. I'm not saying that I don't like Maynard and Tool, because I do, a lot. Wilson IMO is just better. ------------- Idk, My BFF Steve. http://imageshack.us"> 
|
Posted By: Equality 7-2521
Date Posted: June 20 2008 at 12:36
|
Never realized people thought WIlson could sing. I think he's below average. Maynard is easily better. Got to love his sustain. ------------- "One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. " |
Posted By: Prejjer
Date Posted: June 21 2008 at 03:17
no ¿ |
Posted By: Jack-in-the-Green
Date Posted: June 21 2008 at 04:53
|
Maynard :-) ------------- Sorry if i have spelling mistakes, english is not my mother tongue. 
http://www.last.fm/user/grumfossil |
Posted By: Dr.No.7134
Date Posted: June 24 2008 at 22:17
| You have been proved wrong. People like Mr. Keenan better, although in my opinion both singers are incredible. |
Posted By: Dr.No.7134
Date Posted: June 24 2008 at 22:20
| Still like Maynard better though. :-) |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 29 2008 at 11:06
If you can't stand either, what exactly do you listen to? ------------- Idk, My BFF Steve. http://imageshack.us">
|
Posted By: Equality 7-2521
Date Posted: June 29 2008 at 13:06
|
^I'm going to take a guess and wager one of the other thousands of bands without either of those two as a signer. ------------- "One had to be a Newton to notice that the moon is falling, when everyone sees that it doesn't fall. " |
Posted By: preqT0THEseq7
Date Posted: June 29 2008 at 17:00
|
I would too But if you don't like Steven Wilson or MJK...idk what to say ------------- Idk, My BFF Steve. http://imageshack.us">
|
Posted By: The Prognaut
Date Posted: July 01 2008 at 01:10
|
Poisoned by Wilson's singing here...
 ------------- break the circle reset my head wake the sleepwalker and i'll wake the dead |
Posted By: Prospero
Date Posted: July 02 2008 at 14:34
| Keenan is more innovative to me. |
Posted By: michaelwk8
Date Posted: December 09 2008 at 14:40
|
< ="-" ="text/; =utf-8">< name="ProgId" ="Word.">< name="Generator" ="Microsoft Word 11">< name="Originator" ="Microsoft Word 11">
Tough call! I never thought MJK or SW have a very powerful voice. But MJK with TOOL and APC is pretty impressive and it works well, but when you look at his work on Puscifer I think it falls short. SW on the other hand is by far the better musician that is why his solo album is better then Maynard’s solo album. I voted for MJK because the way he crafts his lyrics in TOOL. |
Posted By: manofmystery
Date Posted: December 09 2008 at 22:35
|
not really a fan of Wilson's but:
me with a flute up my ass>Keenan
hope i didnt give him a song idea, everytime he puts out music i cringe -------------  Time always wins. |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: December 10 2008 at 03:17
| Two great bands. But I prefer Steven Wilson's vocals above MJK's. |
Posted By: Silhouette
Date Posted: December 20 2008 at 08:51
|
No vote. I can't decide between them. Silhouette ------------- Silhouette http://www.last.fm/user/Zammiz/?chartstyle=Geldropdown-small - Profile @ Last.fm |
Posted By: chipyting
Date Posted: March 02 2009 at 01:22
|
I think it's funny when people on here accuse others of being fanboys, when in fact they are a fanboy of their favorite bands. I am a fanboy of no-one (maybe Kevin Gilbert (R.I.P.) It's stupid to compare SW to MJK. What's the point? PT fans will say SW, Tool fans will say MJK. They are both good with their respective bands. I prefer SW myself because I'm more familiar with his music. I have all of the Tool albums as well, but they just haven't grasped my ear like PT has. It's all personal taste, no-one is wrong, no-one is right.
|
Posted By: Captain Capricorn
Date Posted: March 02 2009 at 06:40
| My vote goes to Rev. Maynard... |
Posted By: bananorange
Date Posted: March 02 2009 at 07:12
Well I like Pt a bit more, but I believe that Maynard is the better singer. Even though I don't find either to be all that impressive. I know what people are talking about when they say the whispered vocals but to me they add more emotion to the song which is why I like Maynard better. MORE EMOTION. Period. Wilson does have better production and backing and harmonies and arrangements but no power in his voice.But in terms of a musical genius.....Wilson>>>>Maynard, by far.
|
Posted By: bananorange
Date Posted: March 02 2009 at 14:39
| I was thinking wouldn't it be inetresting if Steven Wilson worked with Tool on their next album? Or maybe it's me. |
Posted By: Kashmir75
Date Posted: August 27 2009 at 01:40
|
Wilson.
I don't see how anyone can knock PT. To me, they sound nearly flawless. Maybe some don't like the amount of production that goes into their music. ------------- Hello, mirror. So glad to see you, my friend. It's been a while... |
Posted By: progkidjoel
Date Posted: August 27 2009 at 01:43
This. On that note... How many "Steven Wilson VS..." threads do we need? 
Whats next, Steven Wilson VS The Admins? And I think we all know who would win that! ------------- 
|
Posted By: camilleanne
Date Posted: August 27 2009 at 03:35
|
Steven Wilson for me he's one of my favorite artist but I also listen and like tool...
------------- The planet is fine the people are f**ked. -George Carlin- |