Clockwork Angels---Geddy's voice

**CrossedSignals** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (trenken @ May 30 2012, 12:13 PM)

QUOTE (Shredder2 @ May 30 2012, 01:48 PM)

Guys, we're talking about Geddy Lee here! Sure his voice may be given out to sing the high-pitched vocal parts (like in "Freewill"), but he sure as hell knows how to make his voice work with certain classics today (like the "Limelight" chorus). His voice came out fantastic in Headlong Flight, if you ask me.

He struggles to sing stuff like Limelight. You can just hear his voice is really beat down after all these years of abusing it, and smoking for many years sure didn't help either.

He's doing what he can, but his voice is clearly so tired, and it sounds like that right from the start of tours. He barely sounds like the same guy from 30 years ago. It's very odd to me how he doesn't even sound like the same singer, his actual voice itself has really changed due to deterioration.

A lot of guys with very powerful voices like for example Sammy Hagar still sounds like the same guy he did when he was 25, and is still able to nail extreme highs like Geddy did when he was a kid. Sammy isn't a smoker but is a big time tequila drinker, although drinking doesn't have as much of a negative effect on your vocals.

I didn't know Geddy was a smoker (though I had an inkling )....

Some people will probably bash you for your honestly, but you're pretty much on the mark. Geddy's voice sounds nothing like it did on live recordings from the 70s and 80s. He simply can't hit the high notes on many songs from those decades, and so he often changes the melodies to suit his range now. There is also a certain amount of strain apparent on recent live CDs.

That said, I've grown to appreciate the emotion and freshness Geddy brings to old songs. To be completely honest, the first time I heard a recording of Geddy singing live in the 2000s, after having just discovered albums like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures, I was shocked and disappointed. Those albums truly feature some of the most incredible singing I've ever heard. But now, I'm able to get past the fact that Geddy's voice has changed, and I'm glad he is able to sing old songs in new ways that keep them emotionally alive. It seems like Geddy enjoys singing old songs on the newer live CDs, simply because he must interpret them in a new light, rather than creating a perfect copy of a performance from the 70s or 80s.

**nobodys hero** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (EmotionDetector @ May 30 2012, 12:02 PM)

Well, unlike most people...I've never had an issue with his vocals.

People keep complaining about his vocals nowadays...yeah, he's almost 60 now. He's not going to sing like he's 20. That's just a fact of life.

I love the way he sings now...his vocals were fantastic on S&A and are equally fantastic on the first three singles of CA as well IMO.

I do agree that he should keep focusing on singing at a lower register. But, I will say...his vocals on HF (especially the "I wish that I could live it all aggggaaaaaaaainn") give me chills. Love it.

^^^

**Shredder2** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (trenken @ May 30 2012, 02:13 PM)

QUOTE (Shredder2 @ May 30 2012, 01:48 PM)

Guys, we're talking about Geddy Lee here! Sure his voice may be given out to sing the high-pitched vocal parts (like in "Freewill"), but he sure as hell knows how to make his voice work with certain classics today (like the "Limelight" chorus). His voice came out fantastic in Headlong Flight, if you ask me.

He struggles to sing stuff like Limelight. You can just hear his voice is really beat down after all these years of abusing it, and smoking for many years sure didn't help either.

He's doing what he can, but his voice is clearly so tired, and it sounds like that right from the start of tours. He barely sounds like the same guy from 30 years ago. It's very odd to me how he doesn't even sound like the same singer, his actual voice itself has really changed due to deterioration.

A lot of guys with very powerful voices like for example Sammy Hagar still sounds like the same guy he did when he was 25, and is still able to nail extreme highs like Geddy did when he was a kid. Sammy isn't a smoker but is a big time tequila drinker, although drinking doesn't have as much of a negative effect on your vocals.

Yes, I do agree with your point, which was why I commented on Geddy's style to sing the classics today. But if he's struggling THAT bad to sing certain songs, then maybe he should just try to find a different way to sing it, or to not sing it at all.

**danielmclark** · May 30, 2012

Personally, I'm a little tired of the qualifiers. "He sounds good for his age." "It's amazing he sounds as good as he does after all these years." I honestly don't care what age he is, how long he's been doing it, or how he sounds compared to when he was 20. That doesn't interest me in the least. The only thing I care about is whether or not I enjoy listening to his vocals now. Is new Rush music pleasurable to listen to?

Yes. For now. It'll change, eventually. It always does. But right now, on the three songs we've heard so far, his vocals are good. Not "good for his age" or whatever... just good.

Live, on the other hand... Time Machine was a train wreck, vocally. I could hope that was an aberration, but the two times I saw them on that tour weren't much better. Without the studio processing to smooth him out and time between takes to rest, he suffers. The proof of the CA tour pudding will be in the eating, so to speak.

But you guys that think all he needed was a kick in the ass to start screaming like he did in the 70's are in for a rude awakening. It might very well be that Nick pushed him back toward that style of singing, but Geddy can't maintain it live. He didn't suddenly wake up one day and decide that he was tired of the way he's been doing things and that he'd go back to 1979

**2112rush** · May 30, 2012

He seems to find a really nice balance with his voice, especially on Headlong Flight. Can't think of many Rush albums where his voice has sounded this good. Yes, he can't hit the really high notes but his voice has matured and i think it sounds great on the songs released for CA so far

**losingit2k** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (Tombstone Mountain @ May 30 2012, 01:53 PM)

QUOTE (Shredder2 @ May 30 2012, 01:48 PM)

Guys, we're talking about Geddy Lee here! Sure his voice may be given out to sing the high-pitched vocal parts (like in "Freewill"), but he sure as hell knows how to make his voice work with certain classics today (like the "Limelight" chorus). His voice came out fantastic in Headlong Flight, if you ask me.

You nailed it...his passion and power really shine through on that track. If the three songs are indicative of what is to come, which supposedly they are, it could be his most accessible vocal effort for the non rush fan.

His vocals are powerful, but he's had much better efforts in the past! Personally I think the quality of the 80's is gone, but he does sound much more raw and powerful now!

Edited May 30, 2012 by losingit2k

**Presto-digitation** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (Tombstone Mountain @ May 30 2012, 12:06 PM)

Over the years we've all witnessed how Geddy's singing has matured. At this stage of the game it appears that he is going back to really wailing and letting it rip (see HF)...is this the Geddy we all be waiting for?

I've liked his voice since Presto, so I'm down with the Geddy we have. I much prefer this to '75 Geddy. Sorry, I know it's the equivalent of taking a shit in the Pope's mouth or kicking a puppy to admit that around here, but that's how I feel...

Edited May 30, 2012 by Presto-digitation

**SchemingDemon** · May 30, 2012

I've definitely grown accustomed to Geddy's voice the past couple albums. There's definitely a few slip ups, and I can think of a few off the top of my head from SnA, but overall I think he sounds good. He's a little weaker on stage, but that doesn't bother me one bit. I'll listen to him til he goes completely hoarse

But, my only complaint is that the way he sings now is too easy for me to sing I prefer trying to match his vocals from AFTK or Hemispheres. HF is too easy, it's right within my register.

**ShlappinDahBass** · May 30, 2012

I'd still listen to their music even if his voice got hoarse! I'd be perfectly fine with an all instrumental album! lol

**Pound of Obscure** · May 30, 2012

QUOTE (eshine @ May 30 2012, 01:20 PM)

I can't think of many rock vocalists of his generation who can sing as well as he still does. What he may lack in precision he makes up for in sheer passion.

Let's be honest, these guys are so good we have gotten spoiled. At 58 years old, with the style of singing he is known for and the amount of touring they do, there is no reason why Geddy Lee should not sound utterly horrible at this point - especially in a live situation, so I'm perfectly willing to accept a crack here and there and less the razor sharp "enunciation" as a very small price to pay for what he can still deliver.

On the tracks we have heard so far, he is singing with a youthful exuberance that fits well within his range. By the time they go on tour he will have rested his voice for a year.

Its all good - rock on Ged

I don't understand the enunciation part. Ok, his voice isn't as strong, he can't go as high. Did his tongue and lips stiffen with age?

**SchemingDemon** · May 31, 2012

QUOTE (Pound of Obscure @ May 30 2012, 06:22 PM)

QUOTE (eshine @ May 30 2012, 01:20 PM)

I can't think of many rock vocalists of his generation who can sing as well as he still does. What he may lack in precision he makes up for in sheer passion.

Let's be honest, these guys are so good we have gotten spoiled. At 58 years old, with the style of singing he is known for and the amount of touring they do, there is no reason why Geddy Lee should not sound utterly horrible at this point - especially in a live situation, so I'm perfectly willing to accept a crack here and there and less the razor sharp "enunciation" as a very small price to pay for what he can still deliver.

On the tracks we have heard so far, he is singing with a youthful exuberance that fits well within his range. By the time they go on tour he will have rested his voice for a year.

Its all good - rock on Ged

I don't understand the enunciation part. Ok, his voice isn't as strong, he can't go as high. Did his tongue and lips stiffen with age?

I think he struggles with enunciation when he's trying to reach the high notes that are becoming increasingly harder with his age.

Example: Marathon from the TM DVD. Watch at 4:44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOwiOkcoXJs

Edit: Also, Headlong Flight at 6:38

Edited May 31, 2012 by SchemingDemon

**trenken** · May 31, 2012

QUOTE (CrossedSignals @ May 30 2012, 02:26 PM)

QUOTE (trenken @ May 30 2012, 12:13 PM)

QUOTE (Shredder2 @ May 30 2012, 01:48 PM)

Guys, we're talking about Geddy Lee here! Sure his voice may be given out to sing the high-pitched vocal parts (like in "Freewill"), but he sure as hell knows how to make his voice work with certain classics today (like the "Limelight" chorus). His voice came out fantastic in Headlong Flight, if you ask me.

He struggles to sing stuff like Limelight. You can just hear his voice is really beat down after all these years of abusing it, and smoking for many years sure didn't help either.

He's doing what he can, but his voice is clearly so tired, and it sounds like that right from the start of tours. He barely sounds like the same guy from 30 years ago. It's very odd to me how he doesn't even sound like the same singer, his actual voice itself has really changed due to deterioration.

A lot of guys with very powerful voices like for example Sammy Hagar still sounds like the same guy he did when he was 25, and is still able to nail extreme highs like Geddy did when he was a kid. Sammy isn't a smoker but is a big time tequila drinker, although drinking doesn't have as much of a negative effect on your vocals.

I didn't know Geddy was a smoker (though I had an inkling )....

Some people will probably bash you for your honestly, but you're pretty much on the mark. Geddy's voice sounds nothing like it did on live recordings from the 70s and 80s. He simply can't hit the high notes on many songs from those decades, and so he often changes the melodies to suit his range now. There is also a certain amount of strain apparent on recent live CDs.

That said, I've grown to appreciate the emotion and freshness Geddy brings to old songs. To be completely honest, the first time I heard a recording of Geddy singing live in the 2000s, after having just discovered albums like Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, and Moving Pictures, I was shocked and disappointed. Those albums truly feature some of the most incredible singing I've ever heard. But now, I'm able to get past the fact that Geddy's voice has changed, and I'm glad he is able to sing old songs in new ways that keep them emotionally alive. It seems like Geddy enjoys singing old songs on the newer live CDs, simply because he must interpret them in a new light, rather than creating a perfect copy of a performance from the 70s or 80s.

WAS a smoker. He quit years ago, but a combination of absolutely brutalizing his voice in the 70s, and smoking during those years and the 80s, and mix in natural aging of the voice and now he struggles to sing everything well.

He can't hold a smooth note anymore, his vibrato is very subtle now since he just can't do it well anymore, and the real highs are painful so he's lowered the register so the highs on the new songs aren't really high, which like I said was a smart move and something he should have done a long time ago.

It doesn't matter who bashes me, it's just what I'm hearing. If someone else likes his voice now that's totally fine. I still like the band even if he can't sing well anymore. I dont personally think he's been a very good singer since I guess Power Windows, after that was when it started to tank, and Ive stuck around this long so...

**trenken** · May 31, 2012

QUOTE (SchemingDemon @ May 30 2012, 07:02 PM)

QUOTE (Pound of Obscure @ May 30 2012, 06:22 PM)

QUOTE (eshine @ May 30 2012, 01:20 PM)

I can't think of many rock vocalists of his generation who can sing as well as he still does. What he may lack in precision he makes up for in sheer passion.

Let's be honest, these guys are so good we have gotten spoiled. At 58 years old, with the style of singing he is known for and the amount of touring they do, there is no reason why Geddy Lee should not sound utterly horrible at this point - especially in a live situation, so I'm perfectly willing to accept a crack here and there and less the razor sharp "enunciation" as a very small price to pay for what he can still deliver.

On the tracks we have heard so far, he is singing with a youthful exuberance that fits well within his range. By the time they go on tour he will have rested his voice for a year.

Its all good - rock on Ged

I don't understand the enunciation part. Ok, his voice isn't as strong, he can't go as high. Did his tongue and lips stiffen with age?

I think he struggles with enunciation when he's trying to reach the high notes that are becoming increasingly harder with his age.

Example: Marathon from the TM DVD. Watch at 4:44

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOwiOkcoXJs

Jesus that's horrible, I havent seen that yet since I didnt buy that DVD. Honestly if Im singing for quite a while, then say try to sing the highest parts of Hemispheres, I can hit the notes just fine, but my voice is so tired that's pretty much what I sound like. Can't pronounce words well due to straining.

The problem with him is that part right there is not even that high at all. Not even remotely close to being as high as some of the older stuff, so that tells you his voice in general is really shot.

Im not bashing him, I may just as well sound like that. I'm over 20 years younger than him so it wouldnt surprise me if I keep beating on my voice.

**They Bow Defeated** · May 31, 2012

QUOTE (trenken @ May 30 2012, 07:12 PM)

Jesus that's horrible, I havent seen that yet since I didnt buy that DVD. Honestly if Im singing for quite a while, then say try to sing the highest parts of Hemispheres, I can hit the notes just fine, but my voice is so tired that's pretty much what I sound like. Can't pronounce words well due to straining.

The problem with him is that part right there is not even that high at all. Not even remotely close to being as high as some of the older stuff, so that tells you his voice in general is really shot.

Im not bashing him, I may just as well sound like that. I'm over 20 years younger than him so it wouldnt surprise me if I keep beating on my voice.

Do you have any clips of your singing or bass playing online?

Just curious, because you seem to mention your playing and singing quite frequently.

**Phantom** · May 31, 2012

I've been impressed with Ged's vocal's on recent albums. In fact, I thought he sounded amazing on The Larger Bowl.

**aaronrusso** · May 31, 2012

I love geddys voice, old and new

**danielmclark** · May 31, 2012

QUOTE (trenken @ May 30 2012, 06:07 PM)