Kilzer wrote:
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I would agree with most of what you just said with the exception of one or two things about their range. Jimi actually in his prime sang as high as Bickler but his voice is so much thicker on high notes that it didn't sound as high. Listen to how thin Dave's voice gets on Eye of the Tiger on the high parts and then try to remember when you saw Jimi do it live back on the "Vital Signs" tour. Do you remember that the high parts Jimi sang didn't actually sound as high as Bicklers version but yet he hit the notes?

The song was done in the same key Dave did it in. It's just that Jimi didn't have to reach as high in his range to hit it and it didn't get real high and thin sounding.



Oh, I'm not doubting the fact that Jimi technically had the better, richer--and more versatile--voice. Bickler's voice was something more of like a Sammy Hagar/Danny Bowes hybrid with a kinda bluesy feel. I'll still maintain though that on "Ever Since the World Began" that JJ was not hitting all those high notes ("try to go as FAR as we can" in the chorus--JJ didn't even try for that note, be it stylistically or range-wise)--and IMO, didn't sound too hot singing that high. To me, he sounded strained and shouting. Speaking of VS however, I found it interesting that JJ's voice was a LOT deeper live than it was on the cd--and he definitely had a lot more depth by the time When Seconds Count rolled around.

My main problem with JJ covering Dave's songs is that the attitude in the vocal that Dave did so well was never something I really thought JJ could ever capture. Again, something due to the stylistic differences in the voices with Dave being rough and JJ being smoother in his delivery. Both were great singers and I guess it's just personal preference as to which style you prefer. Kinda like DLR vs. Sammy in VH. Sammy obviously had the better voice, but never could get the attitude Roth had.

Needless to say though, Dave covering JJ wasn't too hot either since Dave sings SO different. He got thru the songs, but it was obvious the songs weren't in his "comfort zone" for singing and his attempts to clone JJ's singing style met with mediocre results at best most of the time, though he did some KILLER versions of the heavier Too Hot To Sleep songs.



I haven't seen Jimi in the 90's, it's a real shame he's lost much of his range as you said. I guess that comes along with getting older though for some singers.

Well, JJ has lost a bit--listen to the live songs on the Empires release. His voice currently is kinda like a on-off thing---one night it's really good, the next night it isn't. He hasn't lost nearly as much as some singers, but those years of cigarette smoking and other stuff have taken their toll--he's lost a lot of that clarity he had.
Dave, on the other hand, who knows what is going on with his voice. The reason JJ joined the band in the first place was because Dave shot his voice during Caught in the Game (throat nodes which would need to be surgically removed)...and you can tell it listening to the cd that his voice wasn't nearly as strong as it had been on previous cds. When he rejoined in '93, his voice was as strong as it ever was, but by '97 or so, it was declining again. If you caught him on an off night in '99, by the end, he was ok but it took him about 5-6 songs to get his voice warmed up and it was pure torture listening to him. I heard a theory a while back where someone said that he was singing higher than his voice was really supposed to go (ie pushing his voice) and it would eventually just give out and maybe there is a bit of truth in it.


It's interesting how many of the singers from that era still have their full voices like Dennis Deyoung, Tony Lewis, and John Waite and then others....

Yea, I've found that really interesting also. Some singers like Phil Collins and others have lost practically nothing despite years of touring and then you have the other extreme like Steve Perry who's voice was either on or REALLY off during the FTLOSM tour of '94, and cd-wise, it's hard to tell it's the same person comparing Infinity to Trial By Fire because his singing style and natural voice have changed SO much. 'Tis weird to say the least...

Kevin