A defensive reaction...

This Christmas, I'll be leading a presentation at the Christian Academy where I teach. It's going to be a nice combination of chimes and the guitar, I also convinced the choir director to let us perform a non tranditional song that we wrote together. It's going to be nice. And fortunately I gave them enough courgage to sing.

Now I'm not really a great singer, although I can hit the right notes and blend in rather nicely with the guitar, my voice isn't something I pride myself after. I've just never been very comfortable singing for the most part. However, as musicians, (and especially in my case) we sometimes have no choice. So although we don't like to sing, or despite whether or no we can find comfort within ourselves, it's important to try.

Now with todays current scene in music, there really aren't that may powerful vocalists in rock music. And those who can't sing choose to rap. Personally, if someone can't find enough courage to sing, they shouldn't use rap as a defensive reaction to certain quatlies that they don't possess, or are afraid to explore...

How do you guys feel?

-Joseph

Firstly i say good luck to you man with your concert
and secondly i totally agree with you that there arnt enough good rock singers out there
too afraid of exloring like you said cause they just want to be like other bands they kinda just blend in with each other
i feel that singers should be exploring for instead of indroducing kerboards and stuff into it to make them dsound a ltiitle different

I think that the Nu-Metal / Rap stuff has its place, but I agree that there is a shortage of good rock singers these days. Bring back Robert Plant !!!

I dont know... There is more than healthy amount of good singers (Steve Malcumus, Chris from coldplay, Ozzy, etc) it's just everyone thinks of Tom York or the Guy from Creed...
Anyway, what do you mean good vocalist? ... I think that Neil Young's a great singer, even though his voice could probably strip the paint off the walls...
ANyway, that's just my oppinion...

I dunno, Ozzy is a horrible singer- no range, usually off key, but dang it, I love his voice anyway. And he makes a great front man; he knows how to work a crowd.

I also think there are just as many mediocre rappers as there are rock singers.

"And those who can't sing choose to rap"

No. I think that its not so much about who can and can't sing but about who has a higher IQ than a sheep and who thinks making noise is music. The best representation of my feelings for rap is clearly defined by the skateboard deck designed by Jim Greco. See it here :D

http://store.ccs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=50442&prmenbr=1&CG1=1

You're right. Ozzy is a horrible vocalist. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time with Black Sabbath.

There are a few songs where he sounds halfway decent, Shot in the Dark and No More Tears. They must've fixed his voice up with some effects processor.

The song you are thinking of is 'in the end'. just so everyone knows its name and can avoid it.

It's the message, not the medium for me. But since when did rap have a coherent message?
Tunes like Modest Mouse's "Bankrupt on Selling" I quite like despite that horrible voice. Bleh. Raine Maida of OLP has a miserable voice as well.
-Daniel

"But since when did rap have a coherent message?"
Surely you haven't forgot public enemy! or Dela Sol! or Rage against the machine!... Am I the only person who likes rap music here?! Sure there's a lot of rubbish stuff about at the minute, but you cant have a dig at rap because of these "gimme dough, and gimme 'hos" morons who are about now...
They've certainly got better drummers... well, public enemy and Run DMC did...anyhow... This is just my oppinion...


[Edited by educatedfilm on 12-20-2001 at 06:51 PM]

Originally posted by friskynibbles
It's the message, not the medium for me. But since when did rap have a coherent message?
Tunes like Modest Mouse's "Bankrupt on Selling" I quite like despite that horrible voice. Bleh. Raine Maida of OLP has a miserable voice as well.
-Daniel

Find some Public Enemy, KRS1, or even newer Beastie Boys stuff, you'll find plenty of messages there. Though I'm not really a fan, I think that most old school rap was pretty decent content/originality wise. There were a few acts (like the two above) who were very message driven, and a lot of acts who were writting funny stuff or songs about hanging out. I even have a bit of a soft spot for NWA.

you might be able to help me out... Where does that sample ("express ya' self") on Express youself come from?

I made a generalization of rap based on 98% of it. I don't consider RATM rap (RATM RULES!!!) and Beastie Boys is pretty cool too. The rap I'm talking about (that sucks ass) is Eminem, D12, DMX, Nelly, P.Diddywhoeva, etc etc. Especially those NASTY female rappers *shudder*. Keep 'em away! Ick ick ick.
That's my feeling on it.
*shrug*

And Deftones... mmmmmm not rap, not even close IMHO.
-Daniel

I think we've all got varying oppinions on WHAT rap actaully is....

IT's like dance music... there is a lot of camp/cheesy/ very comercial stuff filling the market at the minute, but that doesn't mean "death in vegas" are crap... Any how, it's like a lot of the guitar music now, it's crap, but its bearable cos we thrive on guitar (Even if it's pretty bad)...

In no way am I saying that mostly all singers today sound like crap. However, wish tha more of these guys would put more effort into their vocals. It just seems like there are to many rappers trying to copy one another where they are afraid to search within their soul for their true voice. It's not a matter of whether they or not they choose to sing, it more like they can't sing and they are afraid to admit it. I just don't think that it's too much to ask to hear a song on the radio, where the singer is in even conjuction with the guitarist. Hey, either you love Creed or you hate them, but the truth of the matter is that Mark Tremonti and Scott Stapp have great chemistry together.

-Joseph

Do you think people who know how to sing decide to go solo instead of sharing the scene with great musicians. You get more money from being solo than being the great singer in a great band.

just a thought

As for rap. I'm not a fan but I always liked a rap bridge in a song. Not a whole rap song but just a bridge.

The only good thing about rap is it gives people something to laugh at.