Brian's voice

[Wilsonista]

This is absolutely the point where I state that I wish Brian would let his band members take more lead vocals.  I dunno about giving up GOK - it's like McCartney not singing Yesterday.  The performance of GOK from 2005 Berkeley SMiLE and (especially) 2004 Chicago SMiLE were as good as anyone else's performances except for Carl's (coherent) performances.

[Mahalo]

I wish my voice was as good as Brian's....so does everyone in my household, including my dogs.

I say, do one more American tour, give it all you got, then retire from the road.........of course special appearances and performances would be great, but perhaps, dare I say it, it is time to settle down again and be a family man....but what do I know, other than I love his voice. Who cares if he sings out of key sometimes.

[Glenn Greenberg]

Brian's performance of GOK at the Beacon Theater in NYC last year was so beautiful that we gave him a 5-minute standing ovation. He was flabbergasted, and quite moved.

[Jay]

I've never really liked the way Brian does "GOK". It sounds to forced to me..."You'll never NEED to doubt it, I'll make you so SURE about it". I don't even like the way Carl would sing "But life would still go *on*, believe me".

[Awesoman]

His tone was so pure that it really could only have belonged to a young man. I know he did damage to his voice, but it seems like even if he hadn't, he'd have lost a lot of it just by aging anyway. His tone wasn't even as pure in 1968 as it had been earlier. Someone with a rougher voice doesn't show the signs of aging as much.

It's kind of like how a "pretty" man, with delicate features, ages much worse than a more rugged-looking man. I mean, Sir Paul, anyone?

I think you're absolutely right about that. (The voice, not the attractiveness part. I can't say I have ever given much thought to how good-looking men's features age.) And your example of "the cute Beatle" is actually a good one vocally, too. I know people say he can still sing well, and he can...for a 64-year-old. Similar situation with Al Jardine. These guys who didn't ruin their voices have still lost a tremendous amount of their youthful vigor, so to speak. They can still belt 'em out, but there is just no realistic person with ears that function who could say they sound the same. It's nothing to be worried or offended about...just nature. They're old. We'll all (gods willing) get that way someday.

Although I agree that Paul's voice isn't quite as good as it used to be, I'm still quite impressed with how well it has held up.  Unlike most artists around his age who have retreated to singing much of their material in a lower key, Paul still sings all his songs in their original key signature; and for the most part, quite well.  I would never have suspected him to sing a song as daring as "Helter Skelter" in his 60's.  And if his songs like "House of Wax" and "That Was Me" off his most recent album indicate anything, he can still hold a candle vocally to younger pop stars of today. 

[MBE]

Paul's voice has improved  a lot since the 1989 tour when it was at it's very worst.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Disagree, Mike... I think his voice was MUCH worse around 1993. Of course, if you're singing pure sh*t like "Biker Like an Icon", it has a way of making sound terrible Seriously, though, his voice sounded abysmal in '93. As bad as his 1993 live album was, I've heard tapes where it sounds even worse, if you can imagine, specifically one performance of "Kansas City" where it makes me wonder if HE got punched in the throat by a Love brother...

[Sheriff John Stone]

I think Paul has really made a big comeback vocally over the last 5-6 years, not that he was ever really terrible. His leads on Back In The USA Live are outstanding, especially on "Let Me Roll It", which might surpass the original version.

There are a few of Brian's (and Paul's) contemporaries who still sing pretty well. Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, and Ray Davies come to mind. An analysis of Bob Dylan's vocalizing would be an interesting exercise!

[Ron]

Paul's "Tripping the Live..." album was god awful.  I couldn't believe how horrible his vocals sounded.  He sounded like a cartoon character... it wasn't even that his voice had fallen, it was more like he had became a characature, or they were too whimsical or something.  I can't really explain it but I'm sure most have noticed it.

He did "Helter Skelter" on the Grammies a couple years ago (I think it was the grammies) when his previous album was out.  I could not believe it.  He played his single on piano, then stood up and said "WOULD YOU LIKE TAH RAWCK?" , put on the Beatle Bass and just broke right into it.  Amazing. 

[MBE]

Disagree, Mike... I think his voice was MUCH worse around 1993. Of course, if you're singing pure sh*t like "Biker Like an Icon", it has a way of making sound terrible Seriously, though, his voice sounded abysmal in '93. As bad as his 1993 live album was, I've heard tapes where it sounds even worse, if you can imagine, specifically one performance of "Kansas City" where it makes me wonder if HE got punched in the throat by a Love brother...

It was still pretty bad in 1993.  Flaming Pie on it's gotten better.

[MBE]

I think Paul has really made a big comeback vocally over the last 5-6 years, not that he was ever really terrible. His leads on Back In The USA Live are outstanding, especially on "Let Me Roll It", which might surpass the original version.

There are a few of Brian's (and Paul's) contemporaries who still sing pretty well. Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, and Ray Davies come to mind. An analysis of Bob Dylan's vocalizing would be an interesting exercise!

I like Dylan's voice best 61-76, but though it's basically given out since 1989, I think his singing on his last three albums was decent. He has learned how to sing well with his rasp kind of like Dennis did. I also saw him in 1992 and in 2005 and he was much better vocally the second time.

[Awesoman]

Disagree, Mike... I think his voice was MUCH worse around 1993. Of course, if you're singing pure sh*t like "Biker Like an Icon", it has a way of making sound terrible Seriously, though, his voice sounded abysmal in '93. As bad as his 1993 live album was, I've heard tapes where it sounds even worse, if you can imagine, specifically one performance of "Kansas City" where it makes me wonder if HE got punched in the throat by a Love brother...

He was having some throat problems during the 1989 tour due to a hectic schedule of excess touring.  For his 1993 tour he did not tour every night and tried to save his voice and (at least I felt) he sounded considerably better.  Tripping The Live Fantastic was his worst vocally.