May 20, 2013

Greg's Top Ten Favorite Vocalists (1-5 today, 6-10 tomorrow):

1. George Michael - Yeah, I know, but I'll tell you, than man has some serious pipes. I couldn't care less about his personal life, although it does provide some incredible comedy. I mean, only George Michael would get caught soliciting sex in a public bathroom, right? Anyways, the man can sing and I grew up listening to a ton of Wham! and George Michael solo. In fact, his 1988 release "Faith" was one of the first records I ever owned. Scott, you know all to well of my fondness for that record. How many times did I sing the hell out of "One More Try" when we used to go to karaoke together? Ah, those were the days. Anyways, here's a favorite track of his that I usually end up singing on my way to work...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izGwDsrQ1eQ

2. Freddie Mercury - Well, if George Michael is #1 then that means Freddie Mercury can't be all that far behind, right? If this were a top ten performers list, Mercury would be #1 with a bullet. The man is the single greatest front man ever and nobody can dispute his place in music history. He's the artist I most wish were still alive today who's time came too quickly. This is, IMO, the single greatest live performance I've ever seen. I know I've posted it on my page countless times before, but it's un-fucking-believable how Mercury has every single person in the crowd of over 100,000 clapping and singing in unison. It's insane. Watch to the end, when he starts playing with the crowd. It's like nothing I've ever seen before or since.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0omja1ivpx0

3. Ann Wilson - I'm the kind of person who really doesn't give a crap what people think of me. I've listed two openly gay singers and now a woman. Deal with it. If I were a girl this is, without question, the person who's voice I would want. Not Aretha Franklin. Not Mariah Carey. Not Norah Jones. I would want to sing like Ann Wilson from Heart. That girl can cut glass with her voice and has some of the most incredible range I've ever heard. Her sister, Nancy, has a pretty damn good voice, too. It's almost unfair how two sisters could sound so amazing and be so talented. I hate how the music industry in the 1980s turned its back on Heart because of Ann's weight problems. You can even see it in this video as evidenced by the number of facial close-ups Ann gets as opposed to full body shots. Meanwhile, the very svelte Nancy gets a bunch of full body shots. Fat, thin, old, young...Ann Wilson has the best voice in rock, IMO...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWzy5q_M5Ho

4. David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust had to make this list. It's unreal how Bowie has been able to re-invent himself countless times over the past five decades. Some would say he's a master at adapting to the current sound. I say he's a master at blazing trails. I think he has one of the most recognizable voices in music and there must be two or three dozen songs of his that I sing on a regular basis. I guess that's to be expected when an artist's body of work spans over 40 years. "Heroes" came out the year I was born, 1977, and might be my favorite of his "Berlin Years" tracks when he worked with producer Brian Eno. It's timeless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgcc5V9Hu3g

5. Daryl Hall - About fifteen years back a friend of mine pointed out to me that Hall & Oates are the most successful duo in music history. They have charted more Top 40 hits than any duo ever and that record still stands to this day. It's not a surprise, really. The two had 34 singles chart hits on the US Billboard Hot 100, seven RIAA platinum albums, and six RIAA gold albums. Only the Everly Brothers come close to the success that Hall & Oates have enjoyed. The phrase that most commonly gets associated with Daryl Hall is "Blue Eyed Soul" which seems fitting. He was blessed with an incredibly smooth sound. He's one of those singers who can sing with or without a band backing him up and sound outrageously good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccenFp_3kq8