i love wayne. i love the lips astronomically, but if the pitchfork show is any kind of hint of how the new shows are gonna be, then i'm not too pumped. wayne's pipes are probably the worst i've ever heard. even on the UFO's at the Zoo show, he was awful on Race, but eased his way into the rest of it, but for the pitchfork set, he just could not hold a note to save his life. i understand wayne's pushing 50 as is probably steven and michael, but i dunno. as beautiful as the music is, when i hear wayne sing like that, it just rings of awful karaoke. seems like after a few more years, even the brightest show couldn't deter you away from how much worse the singing could get. i think that's partly why they don't want to do older tunes. i could tell when they were doing Bad Days.
It's pretty obviously accepted that Wayne can't sing worth a damn. It's also generally accepted that he doesn't play guitar for real onstage.
Everyone's allowed to think what they want about these things. I love Wayne leading the Lips, and I don't care if he can't sing for shit live. The experience is still there, and he has more heart/passion in his performance than 90% of rock musicians who CAN sing.
Posts: 781 | Location: Baseball teams | Registered: April 14, 2008
Pesonally, I think Wayne is a GREAT singer. To me, singing is more than being in perfect pitch. Who could sing the Flaming Lips songs better I ask? If Roy Orbison were alive, I might vote for him. lol.
Posts: 26 | Location: Deep Space | Registered: August 09, 2009
Originally posted by daveffreep: I don't think anyone is suggesting someone else sing.
Would it be so bad for Wayne to take care of his voice and work to make it stronger? So he could save what he has?
exactly. that's all i'm saying. i'm not dumb. i know that in the grand scheme, he's not the greatest singer. he's never been. but about five-ten years ago, his voice didn't break, crack or strain as awful as it is now. there's endearing and then there's just plain bad. yes the passion is there. i'm aware of this. hell, i watched the pitchfork set on youtube and wanted to cry just from the idea of being there. i miss the big show. at the same time, his voice matters to me. that voice. that endearing broken neil young daniel johnston thing he's had for years. now it's just sort of a daniel johnston thing. and even in that i think he wouldn't be offended by that statement, but it just matters to me.
Originally posted by thesoundoffailure: but about five-ten years ago, his voice didn't break, crack or strain as awful as it is now.
His voice has been cracking, reaching, and straining ever since they started making records. It's only been in this last decade while attempting to work within radio and other mainstream outlets, has his voice become altered in the studio not to sound that way. And even in these situations there are certain songs where it seems like his voice sounds like his own.
Posts: 65291 | Location: The sun and the moon? | Registered: August 31, 2002
Wayne CAN sing if he tries, the problem is that he's untrained, has always been untrained, and has therefore basically destroyed his voice by using bad singing methods. He wouldn't sound as bad right now if he had gotten a bit of training so maybe a bit of his voice could have been saved. It sounds like he's hurting himself sometimes.
I don't mind it though. I listen to a lot of bands with singers who can't really sing well.
I agree that Wayne definitely puts more heart into his performances that most rock singers and will always support him because of that. Plus, I think there's a bit of charm to his voice that you just don't get with perfect singers.
Posts: 4 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: August 12, 2007
I agree that Wayne definitely puts more heart into his performances that most rock singers and will always support him because of that. Plus, I think there's a bit of charm to his voice that you just don't get with perfect singers.
+1
Posts: 136 | Location: The present-day composer refuses to die! | Registered: February 02, 2009
I started thinking that it's life's imperfections that are the most meaningful. We all suck at things, but the people that love us can see past it, and maybe even learn to enjoy "the way we are".
On the other hand, we can talk about it, but what could be done that the band isn't already doing?
This message has been edited. Last edited by: von Bobo,
Posts: 774 | Location: at a house on Blossom Street near Five Points. | Registered: May 26, 2007
Originally posted by weirdojace: Wayne CAN sing if he tries, the problem is that he's untrained, has always been untrained, and has therefore basically destroyed his voice by using bad singing methods. He wouldn't sound as bad right now if he had gotten a bit of training so maybe a bit of his voice could have been saved. It sounds like he's hurting himself sometimes.
I'm ok with your thoughts, but is this documented anywhere? I can't imagine a professional musician would never have any training in their craft- even if just by default of experience. Saving his voice and training have never even been a concern of his?
Posts: 774 | Location: at a house on Blossom Street near Five Points. | Registered: May 26, 2007
a lot of the techniques you learn with training are the same as those neccessary for recording...like you have to learn to sing from the chest and make rounder, whole sounds with your mouth to avoid the plosive sounds making pops on the microphone....so he probably does know what he is doing but struggles to apply it live, with abig full band behind him and everything so loud
Posts: 604 | Location: it's still weird that you've seen your boss' penis, isn't it? I know it'd be weird for me. Then again, my boss is a woman... | Registered: June 23, 2009
If Wayne had done proper vocal training, I don't think the Lips would sound anything like what they do, and I love where they are. It's like the punk rock humanistic mentality from the Ramones..."anyone can do this!"
Posts: 781 | Location: Baseball teams | Registered: April 14, 2008
my wife is really talented in hearing voice sytels and then mimicking what she hears- I think she is a natural actress, she is so good it usually has me laughing!
Anyway, we were singing along to the pitchfork audio today, and I just happened to overhear her singing all of wayne's cracks and warbles note for note. It's nothing but endearing to us, I don't mind my heros having flaws too!
Posts: 774 | Location: at a house on Blossom Street near Five Points. | Registered: May 26, 2007
Wayne's voice has obviously improved a lot in the studio over the years. Whether that's tinkering during production or not who knows.
Live it's kind of hit and miss, in my experience anyway. I caught a free show at a college in Gainesville, FL and he was absolutely spot on. Bonnaroo, eh, not so much.
It doesn't have any effect on the quality of the performance to me though. I always saw their shows as an outlet for chaos, not order and perfection.
I think Wayne's voice is so precious and endearing it says so much about the wonderful person that he is.. what a terrible thing to insult an artist voice.. how can one call themselves a fan and say such horrible things about such a wonderful person.. the Lips can do no wrong.. I stand by that!
Posts: 50 | Location: Louisville | Registered: January 07, 2008
I love to hear Wayne sing live, even though I really do think he's hurting his vocal cords. I think that, while I love the studio music, the live has humanity, emotion, life. I hate that in this part of the world people are bombarded with the idea that they can't sing. it kills a part of us. The "real" voice I hear from Wayne live really makes me feel happier! what an empty world it would be if everyone had some 'ideal' voice. no punk, no blues, no folk.
Posts: 52 | Location: sittin' on the couch with a chicken | Registered: January 05, 2008
