Members onelife Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 I'm not into the idea of rating musicians or singers but if I was to do such a thing, Paul McCartney would certainly deserve consideration. I was watching some video of the Shea Stadium and was blown away by "Baby's in Black". I started thinking how versatile he is, from the Little Richard/Elvis stuff in the early days to the backup vocal on "Something" that he sang at the George Harrison Tribute Concert. There's the "Helter Skelter/I'm Down" toughness and then things like "Michelle" and "For No One". This is not a poll or even a real question - just an appreciation of McCartney as a Rock Singer with greatness, versatility and longevity. He's also a pretty good songwriter and bass player and he can certainly hold his own on the guitar, especially the acoustic guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cozzer Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Though I'm not always in love with his music, Bono has a great set of pipes ... least he did when I last saw U2 live (circa 2001). And even if he's not a rock musician per se, Van Morrison is extraordinarily faithful to his recordings and doesn't hit a bum note .. ever!! Would have said Plant in 1972 but he cannot go to the same places anymore ... Paul Rodgers? He's great but a bit boring I dunno .... [EDIT] Skim read your post and didn't take in the last para. Didn't realise this was a Paul McCartney thumbs aloft love-in. Yep, he's super, smashing great ... but he also brought us the Frog Chorus. Some of us cannot forgive or forget Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted June 22, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Not so much a "thumbs aloft love-in" but an appreciation of his vocal ability - the guy can sing. I agree with the others you mention and with the idea that not everything McCartney has given us is good - in fact, some of it was awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members uab9253 Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 I could never name just one but here is a list of people, pipes only- rock only, that I think are great:Robert PlantChris CornellFreddie MercuryPaul RogersLou Gramm (Foreigner)Brad Delp (Boston)Steve PerryBonoRonnie James DioBilly SquierKlaus Meine David CoverdaleBruce Dickinson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dparr Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 John Lennon David Bowie Roger Daltrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Andrew- Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Robert Plant...especially Zep's earlier stuff. Love his soulful tone of voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alndln2 Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Too many for there to be a "best" and too many different preferences. That said, I'd put Little Richard/Mitch Ryder and Felix Cavaliere(Rascals) near the top that stand out to me at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Ozzy was quite good in the 70s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Russel Mael. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Ian Gillan - end of thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thankyou Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 If you were to ask someone who's just a fan, not a musician, you'd probably hear "Elvis", and they would not be wrong. Because there is no right or wrong in this kind of discussion. Elvis Costello, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mark L Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Russel Mael. I preferred Ron's voice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members uab9253 Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 I wouldn't put him on any greatest list, but I think Brian Setzer never got credit for his vocals. "I Won't Stand In Your Way" is a great vocal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the stranger Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 The whole concept is ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members www777 Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Chris Cornell is by far the best I have personally seen live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 These 3 came to mind first... MercuryBonoPlant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Russel Mael. Yesssss!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onelife Posted June 22, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 The whole concept is ridiculous. This was never meant to be a poll - I realize now that I should have used a different title for the thread - but a realization that McCartney, purely as a vocalist, is great. That being said, the other names listed in the thread so far show that he is in good company in the category of great rock singers. I've been watching bits of the Beatles Anthology over the last few weeks and McCartney's vocal parts, both lead and harmony really stand out. Even now he can still sing the stuff - although I don't think "Oh Darling" ever makes it to the set list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the stranger Posted June 22, 2010 Members Share Posted June 22, 2010 Just messin' wit ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted June 23, 2010 Moderators Share Posted June 23, 2010 This is not a poll or even a real question - just an appreciation of McCartney as a Rock Singer with greatness, versatility and longevity. He's also a pretty good songwriter and bass player and he can certainly hold his own on the guitar, especially the acoustic guitar. McCartney certainly has made his place in music history, but he's by no means a fantastic singer or a fantastic bass player. He's most definitely an accomplished songwriter and an adequate singer and bassist. It's totally ok that he doesn't have killer chops on bass or amazing vocal range, quality, and skill. I would also classify the Beatles as pop, not rock, though the definition of those two terms has changed quite a bit over the years. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted June 23, 2010 Members Share Posted June 23, 2010 McCartney certainly has made his place in music history, but he's by no means a fantastic singer or a fantastic bass player. He's most definitely an accomplished songwriter and an adequate singer and bassist. It's totally ok that he doesn't have killer chops on bass or amazing vocal range, quality, and skill. I would also classify the Beatles as pop, not rock, though the definition of those two terms has changed quite a bit over the years. Terry D. Lee Flier is going to kill you, while you sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted June 23, 2010 Members Share Posted June 23, 2010 Well, he's very good at all that, all that, y'know, but if you compare him to an Indian instrumentalist or vocalist who has been studying 8 hours a day for twenty days and has supreme control over every nuance or someone who has been playing classical violin every day since s/he was four years old, then no, he's not "fantastic" by those standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the stranger Posted June 23, 2010 Members Share Posted June 23, 2010 James Brown, Jello Biafra, Mark Greenway, OZZY...oh wait, I think I figured it out: The greatest rock singer has to be Rob Halford. Because nobody can touch his classic work on the early JP albums. Exhibit a: [YOUTUBE]H_mpt8xyZVI[/YOUTUBE] Exhibit b: [YOUTUBE]GjMizl3qQGE[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators MrKnobs Posted June 23, 2010 Moderators Share Posted June 23, 2010 Lee Flier is going to kill you, while you sleep. There are worse ways to die. Oh, and Ms. Flier should start listening to some newer music, there's plenty of good stuff being recorded today. Terry D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cooterbrown Posted June 23, 2010 Members Share Posted June 23, 2010 There are worse ways to die. Oh, and Ms. Flier should start listening to some newer music, there's plenty of good stuff being recorded today. Terry D. feh...next thing you know, you'll be telling us Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" is better than "Yesterday". :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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