Dirk's Golden Voice

[ShowgunSam]

Since the announcement of the tour earlier this year, there's been one burning question that's haunting me.

 

How well will his voice hold up this time around? They've got one very long tour ahead of them and judging by how he sounded towards the end of Time Machine, I'm worried that he might have been permanently scarred by that cold that he contracted around April of last year.

 

I'm 100% sure he'll be in top form for at least the entire first leg (as he always is), but how he keeps it in check remains a mystery to me. So, my fellow Rush brothers, what say you?

[OGr8imL84AD8inF8sBlackSedan]

Thought about that too. Saw them in Tampa and West Palm at the end of the first leg of TTMT and Geddy sounded pretty rough a couple of times. Can't blame him, being older trying to sing some of his shrieker stuff.

 

I think he'll be OK although there are a few parts off of CA that are gonna give him trouble later in the tour.

 

We'll have to wait and see. In any case I'm sure the shows will be great.

[D3strukt]

Everyone says he had a cold.

 

He's had a cold since 1996.

[WCFIELDS]

The last half of the TM tour, he was terrible. Not expecting for vocals to be any better this tour. Over the years, he is progressively getting worse.....

[jnoble]

I'm almost afraid for Geddy on the verge of this new tour. His voice has been getting weaker and weaker over the last couple of tours and some of the new CA songs sound pretty tough for him to pull off live night after night without some major strain/cracking/out of tune notes.

 

[eshine]

He'll have had well over a year to rest his voice, and it doesn't look like they are playing any back to back shows, so I'm not concerned.

 

Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great.

 

Its often the lower parts when his voice cracks - and when it does it isn't tragic, a crack here and there from a guy who does sooo much singing is nothing at all compared to some of the shitty vocal performances I hear from guys half his age. He sounds fine to me, often surprisingly good. The Camera Eye and Freewill sounded fantatsic.

 

Having said that - I am happy to be seeing them opening night and in Chicago when his voice will be fresh. They should record early, and he should pace out the songs better. The one two three punch of Spirit, Time Stand Still and Presto didn't do him many favors.

[pedro2112]

QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 05:59 PM)

Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great.

As long as they don't play Anarchist, Carnies and Seven Cities. His voice really struggles on those cuts.

[troutman]

He will be fine. He kicks a** on this album. And if his voice seems a little tired at times. So what? He and his mates have made it this far. Never underestimate the power of

[eshine]

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 08:29 PM)

QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 05:59 PM) Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great. As long as they don't play Anarchist, Carnies and Seven Cities. His voice really struggles on those cuts. Struggles? Are there versions of these songs I haven't heard that sound better?   It is unfathomable that they wouldn't play a song like the Anarchist - whis is one of the best songs on the album by a mile. Same with Carnies.   I personally love his voice on these tracks, particularly The Anarchist. Carnies is great too - such a killer chorus.   I'm not at all concerened with this whole "enunciation" thing when he goes for it, and I'm sure he's not either. It's more about attitude. He wont have any trouble with these live.

[J2112YYZ]

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 08:29 PM)

QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 05:59 PM) Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great. As long as they don't play Anarchist, Carnies and Seven Cities. His voice really struggles on those cuts. How does his voice struggle on The Anarchist and Carnies? I'll agree about Seven Cities but the other two

[ColdFireYYZ]

I thought he sounded great in New York last year, much better than when I saw them the year before. My show is towards the beginning of the tour so I hope he'll sound as good.

[pedro2112]

QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jul 8 2012, 08:08 PM)

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 08:29 PM) QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 05:59 PM) Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great. As long as they don't play Anarchist, Carnies and Seven Cities. His voice really struggles on those cuts. How does his voice struggle on The Anarchist and Carnies? I'll agree about Seven Cities but the other two The "Shout to Warn Toward the Crowd" verse in Carnies is cringeworthy. During the verses of Anarchist, it sounds as if he's got a mouth full of shit.   Despite that, I would love to hear both songs live. The choruses of both songs are phenomenal, and The Anarchist is the best song on the whole damn CD. It's better than Far Cry and Earthshine. Heck, you'd have to go all the way back to Dreamline from RTB before you get to a song that's as good as The Anarchist.   I was just responding to eshine's incorrect statement that Geddy doesn't struggle with the vocals any CA song. I was not making value judgements on the songs themselves as a whole.

[WCFIELDS]

He struggles a fair amount vocally on CA.....some of these songs are going to be tough for him to pull off and sound decent....

[eshine]

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 10:43 PM)

I was not making value judgements on the songs themselves as a whole.

Just classy value judgements like "Geddy Lee sounds like he has a mouth full of shit" on versus of songs you wish sounded different then how they were written and performed, as if there is a magical better version only you have heard - and predictions of how they are going to sound live months before the first performance.

 

And the "Shout to Warn Toward the Crowd" verse in Carnies sound cringeworthy to you?

 

You must cringe easily I guess.

 

 

Edited July 9, 2012 by eshine

[pedro2112]

QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 10:22 PM)

You must cringe easily I guess.

No, not really.

 

It's too bad about the described verse in Carnies, though. The melody in that one is lovely. Unfortunately, he just didn't sing it that well.

[eshine]

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 9 2012, 12:03 AM)

QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 10:22 PM) You must cringe easily I guess. No, not really.   It's too bad about the described verse in Carnies, though. The melody in that one is lovely. Unfortunately, he just didn't sing it that well. In your opinion.   I like the way he sings it - and regardless I don't think he will have trouble singing it live, which is the original point and something neither of us will know until he does.

[J2112YYZ]

QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 10:43 PM)

QUOTE (J2112YYZ @ Jul 8 2012, 08:08 PM) QUOTE (pedro2112 @ Jul 8 2012, 08:29 PM) QUOTE (eshine @ Jul 8 2012, 05:59 PM) Also, he isn't really singing anything on CA that sounds out of his range? Much of it is very monotone - and the higher stuff, like Headlong flight, doesn't sound any more difficult then the ending of "Working Man" from the TMT, which sounded pretty great. As long as they don't play Anarchist, Carnies and Seven Cities. His voice really struggles on those cuts. How does his voice struggle on The Anarchist and Carnies? I'll agree about Seven Cities but the other two The "Shout to Warn Toward the Crowd" verse in Carnies is cringeworthy. During the verses of Anarchist, it sounds as if he's got a mouth full of shit.   Despite that, I would love to hear both songs live. The choruses of both songs are phenomenal, and The Anarchist is the best song on the whole damn CD. It's better than Far Cry and Earthshine. Heck, you'd have to go all the way back to Dreamline from RTB before you get to a song that's as good as The Anarchist.   I was just responding to eshine's incorrect statement that Geddy doesn't struggle with the vocals any CA song. I was not making value judgements on the songs themselves as a whole. I think Geddy sounds fine on The Anarchist and Carnies. Both are easily within his current vocal range and I think will be easy for him to do live. The chorus to Seven Cities will not be though and some parts in Headlong Flight he will struggle with to.

[drgrendel]

After about 15 shows he will lose his voice for good. That, my friends, will be all she wrote.

 

[Rushchick10]

QUOTE (ShowgunSam @ Jul 8 2012, 03:24 PM)

Since the announcement of the tour earlier this year, there's been one burning question that's haunting me. How well will his voice hold up this time around? They've got one very long tour ahead of them and judging by how he sounded towards the end of Time Machine, I'm worried that he might have been permanently scarred by that cold that he contracted around April of last year. I'm 100% sure he'll be in top form for at least the entire first leg (as he always is), but how he keeps it in check remains a mystery to me. So, my fellow Rush brothers, what say you?

Dirk is a consummate professional. That being said, I have read several interviews with him where he talks about conserving his voice. I worry mainly with the fans demanding older stuff (and bitching when it is tuned down, even though he has said numerous times that it was too high in the first place).

 

Geddy is, and always will be my hero. If we have to tune 2112 down three steps, I'll still show up!

[drgrendel]

QUOTE (drgrendel @ Jul 12 2012, 09:09 PM)

After about 15 shows he will lose his voice for good. That, my friends, will be all she wrote.

In all seriousness....he will be just fine.

 

[librarian]

He'll be fine and we'll sing if he can't - he just has to be there.

[rushbabe]

I for one think Geddy's voice has matured and sounds better now than the shrilly vocals of old. I love the harmony work he does as well; it adds alot of depth to the songs. I love hearing Geddy embrace his lower register on the live stuff. The "tweaks" to some of the melodies of the older songs don't sound hokey at all to me. Can't wait to see these guys again in Seattle..WOOT!!