Your Favorite Voices of Prog?

the subject basically says all. i truly believe that a passionate vocalist is ESSENTIAL to what makes or breaks a band that has vocals in their music. it is not always necessarily about skill--- for example, ian anderson, who even in his young prime, was not an expectionally skilled singer, but it is his unique quality and the way he "sings you a story" that makes him outstanding.

my favorite singer in progressive music is Jon Anderson. he has such an exhuberant sound and an amazing tone. i feel that the way he presents his voice really tells us that he loves to sing, which is very important. another favorite singer of mine (it is arguable as to whether or not this band should be considered prog) is steve perry of journey, for fairly obvious reasons. he is fantastic.

who are your favorite singers in progressive rock, and why???

bobby mcferrin is my absolute favorite

followed by:

jon anderson

greg lake

peter hammill

phill collins

geddy lee

david surkampf

kate bush

...

they are all unique

 

Peter Hammill - My favorite voice in music. His drama and emotion, combined with range and control (+ letting go of control) is almost uncomparable. Nothing is just sung in a pleasant way. His lyrics and vocal performances at his best reminds me of the late Romantic works by Brahms (Alto Rhapsody, Four Serious Songs), Mahler (Kindertotenlieder, Das Lied von der Erde) (try them all; beautifully and heartfelt sung by Kathleen Ferrier). Its high art, and it rocks.

Try 'Through the Looking Glass' from the soloalbum 'Over' or My Room (Waiting for Wonderland) from VdGG's 'Still Life' for overwhelming beauty. 'Gog-Magog' from 'In Camera' also solo, for demonic insanity, intensity and even some humour. Try 'Lemmings' from VdGG's 'Pawn Hearts' for range and contrasts, or just try the whole album. I could go on for days.

Robert Wyatt - I love his jazzy vocals on early Soft Machine, but his solo effort 'Rock Bottom' is the album that puts him in first division for me. I won't even try to describe it, but his voice heartbreakingly moving. You haven't heard vocals like on the three last songs that go together as one long, before. On 2002's Cuckooland he's back in top form again.

As impressive as Hammill and Wyatt's voices are, they are never about showing off skills. They both seem to gladly sacrifice perfection to total openess to what the lyrics and music demands.

Other favorites: Richard Sinclair from Hatfield & the North mm..., Family's Roger Chapman, Thom Yorke, Mike Patton, Curved Air's Sonia Kristina, Can's Damo Suzuki, Spirogyra's Barbara Gaskin and when it comes to growling, nothing I've heard beats Mikael Åkerfelt (from Opeth)

+Kate Bush.

Not Prog: Joanna Newsom, Joni Mitchell, Josephine Foster, Tim Buckley and David Eugene Edwards (try Woven Hand - Consider the Birds). I also have a soft spot for Tiny Tim, Bing Crosby and Yma Zumac (no connection).

      

Male: Peter Gabriel.
Female: Kate Bush.

Ricochet wrote: Peter Gabriel Peter Hammill Laurie Anderson

Good choices Victor nice to see you on here.(sparrow)

I would add Geddy Lee.

 David Gilmore'S voice, marvellously completed by Roger water's voice. There is a lot of good voices in prog but they both are my favourites. Gilmore's voice is so soothing! Concerning female vocals, I just don't like women's voices.

Jon Anderson ...unique
Peter Hammill ...the man of the thousend voices and ...moods in them
Peter Gabriel ...theater comes out of his mouth
Ian Anderson ...the funniest voice in prog, and also a very good stroy teller
Daniel Gildenlow ...very emocional, yet not mushy at all...and he can get really hard too
Cedric Baxler ...can´t listen to him a lot...but I must mention him
Tom Yorke ...maybe not prog, but...so much pain in his voice...
Arjen Lucanssen ...mmm, I really like his work in Ayreon

Daniel Gildenlow, Fish, Peter Gabriel. yeah.

 

Cedric Bixler-Zavala for number one singer.

Peter Gabriel for me, a pretty decent range and an unmatched theatrical style thats just mind-blowing.