2 Strategies for Multiple Lead Singers

From what I’ve heard there are a couple of strategies when having multiple lead singers in a band. The first strategy is to have obvious differences between the lead singers so one can easily tell the voices apart. This Strategy was done with Supertramp whose Roger Hodgson had a high distinct voice whereas Rick Davies’ low voice obviously contrasted.

It was also done with Styx. Dennis DeYoung’s voice was more theatrical as he almost acted out his different characters. Tommy Shaw took a more normal approach. Shaw lit up more when it came to background singing as the combined backing vocals of this band were quite distinct.

Also good at this strategy was Fleetwood Mac. Christine McVie’s singing was the most normal of the three singers of this band. Stevie Nicks, with a second female voice, was very distinct with the heavy vibrato on her voice. She had so much vibrato that she sounded like a sheep. There was no mixing up these two women. And Lindsey Buckingham had a definitely male voice that also contrasted with the other two.

The second strategy for having multiple singers in a band is to have them sound the same. I was surprised to find out that Triumph had two lead singers. Rik Emmett, the guitarist and Gil Moore, the drummer could quite possibly have learned to sing from each other.

I didn’t know Saga had two lead singers till I recently saw the video for Scratching the Surface. Both singers are strikingly the same as if they had learned to sing at the same singing school.

I was also shocked to find that Ann and Nancy Wilson can sound much the same as they do in the video for These Dreams. But these two are sisters and have similar genes so perhaps it’s not that surprising.

Wait just one moment! All the similar singing bands I listed are from Canada. Heart maybe less so but they were considered to be Canadian enough to be up for Juno awards one year.

What is it about Canada that makes bands want to conform? Are they worried about being called out for being a hoser?

Or maybe these bands are rebelling against another Canadian band like Rush and their singer Geddy Lee. Geddy Lee has such a distinct voice that no one else seems intent on mimicking. He sounds like what the wicked witch of the west should sound like. Excepting the green colour, he almost looked like the wicked witch of the west, too. Is Geddy Lee unhappy that they won’t accept men in the part of the wicked witch of the west in movies and on Broadway?

Anyhow, no Canadian singers want to miss their calling like Geddy Lee and, thus, they try to conform.

#AnnWilson #Canada #ChristineMcVie #conform #DennisDeYoung #different #FleetwoodMac #GeddyLee #GilMoore #heart #LindseyBuckingham #multipleLeadSingers #NancyWilson #rebelAgainstRush #RickDavies #RikEmmett #RogerHodgson #Rush #Saga #ScratchingTheSurface #similar #similarGenes #StevieNicks #Styx #Supertramp #theatrical #TheseDreams #Triumph #wickedWitchOfTheWest

Even acknowledging the great difficulty to update any kind of discussion about these topics in an overwhelming shape shifting landscape I still think the book SUPERSTORM and this conversation are a good starting point for critical thinking about them.

#scratchingthesurface #noemibiasetton #superstorm #design #politics #media
https://scratchingthesurface.fm/260-noemi-biasetton

260. Noemi Biasetton | Scratching the Surface

🔴 Scratching the surface #podcast 262
HOST: Jarrett Fuller @jarrettfuller
GUEST: Jack Murphy IG: @yhprumkcaj
Jarrett and Jack talk about the history of The Architect’s Newspaper , printed publications, & design: practice & publishing.
#design #TheArchitectsNewspaper #JackMurphy #ScratchingTheSurface

https://scratchingthesurface.fm/262-jack-murphy

262. Jack Murphy | Scratching the Surface

🍓 Vitamin Txt explores the use of words in contemporary art
Feat.: #Phaidon IG @phaidonpress
Vitamin Txt: Words in Contemporary Art
by James Dyer IG: @orlz_well_
at #JarretFuller 's #scratchingthesurface
#book #culture #design #review

https://scratchingthesurface.fm/stories/vitamin-txt-review

Vitamin Txt explores the use of words in contemporary art | Scratching the Surface

🔴 #ScratchingTheSurface
GUEST:
Gregory Wessner
Jarrett and Gregory talk about the structure of the National Academy and how it serves artists and architects, changing definitions of design & the value of non-profits
HOST @jarrettfuller
#podcast #design

https://scratchingthesurface.fm/261-gregory-wessner

261. Gregory Wessner | Scratching the Surface

🟥 Scratching the surface Podcast
Host: Jarrett Fuller @jarrettfuller
EPISODE:
257
GUEST:
Lesley-Ann Noel ig: @lesleyannnoel @mamaazure
RELEASE DATE:
Oct 23, 2024
#podcast #design #teaching #ScratchingTheSurface

https://scratchingthesurface.fm/257-lesley-ann-noel

257. Lesley-Ann Noel | Scratching the Surface

@Greenheart Here's an interview (1h) with Jenny Odell, author of "How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy"

https://scratchingthesurface.fm/132-jenny-odell-rerun
(originally aired 2019)
#ScratchingTheSurface

132. Jenny Odell | Scratching the Surface