GuitarGeordie Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 A follower of 'blues' music since the early 60's with vinyl to prove it, I thought that Cream was heavy metal. I am still uneasy when it comes to some rated bands: singers specifically. I am an admirer of the guitarists who came out of the Yardbirds. Clapton left to follow a more fundamental blues line. Ex Yardbirders, Beck and Page are at the top when it comes to virtuosity. But singers? Robert Plant was named by "heavy metal magazine as the greatest metal vocalist of all time". And that's my problem.Comments on a postage stamp, or smaller, please.
jedzep Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 Uh, LZep was metal? I guess in context. They might qualify as the first, if you don't count Deep Purple.
cookieman15061 Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 I'm not sure what your problem is? Plant? The Mag? The Blues?
Pin Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 I think Robert Plant is a brilliant singer and no less a brilliant Blues singer to boot. Witness his singing on: "I can't quit you babe" or "You shook me". Are these heavy metal songs? I wouldn't say so. It might be a generational thing. Given my age I am sorry to say I am still rooted in the 1960s when it comes to music and the bands of those days still do it for me. Bonamassa and co do produce some great stuff but I'll never forgive Bonamassa and Beth Hart for absolutely murdering "Strange Fruit". Go to Jeff Buckley if you want to hear how it should be done with an electric guitar.
jdgm Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 Since the advent of the 'power' trio (Cream/Hendrix/SRV) or trio plus singer (Free/Zeppelin/The Who), the blues has been rocked up, turbocharged, commercialized and....'metal-ized' (excuse me). Plant does not usually sing blues these days, though of course he can do in his own style. I wouldn't call him a blues singer or a folk/country blues singer, despite his recordings. Jagger and Rod Stewart are 2 examples of singers who were primarily completely inspired and influenced by classic blues. Look at them now. Paul Rodgers is a fine blues singer, but his "Muddy Water Blues" features far too many guest guitarists widdling in over-the-top heavy-rock style for it to be anything but a rock album. His later 'Royal Sessions', a tribute to the soul singers who inspired him, is arguably 'bluesier'. Clapton's "Me And Mr Johnson" is a highly-polished, state-of-the-art-digitally recorded electric tribute to a man who lived in a different era and played alone, entirely acoustically and who never lived to see any of his royalties. Clapton's tribute may be sincere, may be blues but it is a world away from its own source. John Hammond is still AFAIK a blues singer. Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Robert Cray, Eric Burdon are all great blues singers. But they don't make albums of straight - or 'pure' - blues; it doesn't sell so well these days. Buddy Guy makes rock-blues albums now. You have to remember that for every famous name, there are scores if not hundreds of lesser-known artists you will never hear about who do it just as well, and are still out there doing it for whatever reward they can get. Back in the 60s-70s I had to search to find a lot of the good stuff, and I don't think it's that different now, except searching is much easier. As to the "greatest of all time", this is actually only within the last 40-50 years until now. Meaningless really IMO......
american cheez Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 rolling stone's opinion is worthless anyway. who the hell are they? they are the same people who said led zep sucked and would amount to nothing. they're also the same dummies who chair the rrhof, you know the people who inducted donna summer.
Black Dog Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 A follower of 'blues' music since the early 60's with vinyl to prove it, I thought that Cream was heavy metal. I am still uneasy when it comes to some rated bands: singers specifically. I am an admirer of the guitarists who came out of the Yardbirds. Clapton left to follow a more fundamental blues line. Ex Yardbirders, Beck and Page are at the top when it comes to virtuosity. But singers? Robert Plant was named by "heavy metal magazine as the greatest metal vocalist of all time". And that's my problem.Comments on a postage stamp, or smaller, please. This drives me crazy. When Zeppelin were inducted into the Hall of Fame they were described as a heavy metal band. It made me cringe. Have these people actually listened to Zeppelin?? Brau-Yr-Aur-Stomp? Yeah, that's heavy metal for sure.
merciful-evans Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 When I first heard Zep I hated Plants voice. Understand this is when the band were first breaking & I was a mere callow youth. It took me about 3 months to come around & I eventually bought vol II. As jdgm says, there are wonderful blues singers about. I especially like John Hammond & Taj Mahal. What about this fella... :)
Pin Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 When I first heard Zep I hated Plants voice. Understand this is when the band were first breaking & I was a mere callow youth. It took me about 3 months to come around & I eventually bought vol II. As jdgm says, there are wonderful blues singers about. I especially like John Hammond & Taj Mahal. What about this fella... :) That guy is quite something: Here he is again: The old "originals" take some beating.
Dennis G Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 I've never considered LedZep to be either blues or rock. They're just well, LedZep. Not a real fan although I've often said that LZ was unique in that they didn't have a "unique" sound (like, you KNOW it's U2, the Stones, etc. as soon as the music starts). As for blues singers, how about Janis Joplin? I'd think of her long before Robert Plant! Not to mention Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes, but I guess you've got to define "Blues" first, no?
jdgm Posted March 11, 2018 Posted March 11, 2018 As for blues singers, how about Janis Joplin? She was a great blues singer. Anyone who watches "Ball and Chain" in the Monterey movie can see that, even though it is rock-blues so to speak...... Overwrought? Yup. Melodramatic? Yes. All part of her blues. Men don't do that, they'd look silly. Which begs the question, do you want to hear/see that much emotion? How do you want the emotion expressed? Bonnie Raitt conveys a lot without that much drama, for instance. Amy Winehouse was going to be great; we never really found out though because she partied too hard and left too early.
charlie brown Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 Ohhhh, AMY!!! [crying] What she could do, on a "Good" night! Just wish she (and we) would have had a LOT more of them, in the years to come. Sure miss her voice and stylings. Although I think of her as more of a "Jazz" singer, she could (obviously) sing "Blues," as well! What might have been?! CB
'Scales Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 Ohhhh, AMY!!! [crying] What she could do, on a "Good" night! Just wish she (and we) would have had a LOT more of them, in the years to come. Sure miss her voice and stylings. Although I think of her as more of a "Jazz" singer, she could (obviously) sing "Blues," as well! What might have been?! CB A Janis for a new generation. And apparently we learned nothing.
kidblast Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 we like what we like.. everyone's story is different here.
Digger Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 Even now I gravitate back to Led Zepp. quite often and whilst a lot of their stuff is Blues based, their interpretation is original and to me, compelling. I haven’t got the time to detail how much good blues is out there ATM and much of it is contemporary, but I listen to it all day, every day and some of the newer proponents are terrific!
Twang Gang Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 Defining the blues is pretty much a moving target. I grew up in Chicago and the blues was Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf those type of players. Many British rock bands (Stones, Clapton) were influenced by the blues, but the result was mainly 3 chord songs played on electric guitar. Way different than what came up from the Mississippi delta to Chicago and Detroit. If you remember what was being played on the radio in 1968 or 69 Zeppelin was very "heavy" compared to that, a strong bass line, heavy bass drum, blistering guitar licks. But I wouldn't call them "heavy metal" which to me was always more droning, louder, and very little melody and no harmony in the vocals. Zep was pretty unique in that they would mix in some acoustic guitar, layered parts. I think I read once that Plant and Page were contemplating an almost folk music band, but ended up with Zeppelin.
Mr. C.O. Jones Posted March 12, 2018 Posted March 12, 2018 Don't know about how modern that is but the last guys I really enjoyed were: SaRon Crenshaw and Mr. Sipp last summer both outstanding guitarists and singers. A few months ago Michael Dotson wich was fantastic. And last friday we enjoyed more Chicago Blues with Larry Taylor!
fortyearspickn Posted March 13, 2018 Posted March 13, 2018 1520861377[/url]' post='1923254']There is 2 types of music good and bad, and rap, but that's not music. You left out the "c" !
badbluesplayer Posted March 13, 2018 Posted March 13, 2018 Blues singers - No way Robert Plant or Janis Joplin are blues singers. They're rock and roll singers. Blues singers don't do more than about two octaves max. No screaming, falsettos, no weird noises or yelling, O.K? That leaves both of those rockers out. Blues singers hang back from the melody, they don't take the melody outside the lines of the groove or beyond. And they use the same voice for singing that they use for talking. No screaming, straining, bending over, reaching for the sky. And no making any weird harmonics like Janis did, being able to sing two notes at the same time. Delbert's good though. Sings the notes you can't write down. And Bonnie's the same - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYkgeql5AiQ
jdgm Posted March 13, 2018 Posted March 13, 2018 Blues singers - No way Robert Plant or Janis Joplin are blues singers. They're rock and roll singers. Blues singers don't do more than about two octaves max. No screaming, falsettos, no weird noises or yelling, O.K? That leaves both of those rockers out. Blues singers hang back from the melody, they don't take the melody outside the lines of the groove or beyond. And they use the same voice for singing that they use for talking. No screaming, straining, bending over, reaching for the sky. And no making any weird harmonics like Janis did, being able to sing two notes at the same time. I take your point; very well made. In that case Janis was a rock singer who could sing blues - had she lived, she would have done a lot more blues. However B.B.King and Buddy Guy (for instance) do some of the things you mention above. Buddy definitely screams occasionally, B.B. shouts for emphasis....etc. I'd like to hear more from the OP please if that's possible.
zigzag Posted March 13, 2018 Posted March 13, 2018 I don't get this post. Clapton, Plant, and Raitt may be considered "modern," but they've been around for almost 50 years. I would hope that the genre has evolved since Besse Smith and WC Handy.
charlie brown Posted March 14, 2018 Posted March 14, 2018 IMHO, ANY "Great" singer, worth noting, should be able to do some great/convincing "blues" singing, along with most other genre's, beyond their normal comfort zone. Just like any other "Great" instrument player. They may have their preferences, of course, but should still be able to shine in other areas, as well. But, that's just MY opinion, and we all know what they say, about opinions. CB
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.