FM Member For Member, Are They Still Good?

[aleuzzi]

I think Mick and John are doing great, considering both of them are in their 60s. Mick is a few years behind Christine. So he has to be about 65-ish.

Stevie's lost a lot of her voice but she still has an octave of strong notes. She'll sing until she has only one or two notes left--but they'll be good notes. I just wish she'd stop the pageantry. I'm so tired of hearing Landslide, Stand Back, Rhiannon and Dreams! Just play new things now.

Lindsey's voice has deteriorated but he still knows how to present himself and make the most of what he has. He has also grown as a songwriter. He more than any member of the Rumours lineup has managed to reinvent himself in ways that aren't nostalgic.

Christine's 2004 Meantime album showed her voice was in terrific shape. Her song writing skills were strong, too. When you hear her live in 1980 you think, "Gosh, her voice is shot." But, oddly, she got much stronger as a singer as she aged. Her live vocals in 87-92, for example, were miles better than what she was doing almost a decade earlier. Her vocals on the dance are equally impressive. I do think, however, a full-blown tour would exhaust her very quickly.

[elle]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Lindsey's voice has deteriorated but he still knows how to present himself and make the most of what he has. He has also grown as a songwriter. He more than any member of the Rumours lineup has managed to reinvent himself in ways that aren't nostalgic.

agree. vocally, he has lost a lot of his higher register, but i actually like his voice much better now (i don't like tenors and really disliked his younger voice, even if he could hit any note he wanted). in the register he uses now (live) his voice is very strong and sounds really good, especially on his solo songs. (i hate what he does with his voice on albums, but that is not a part of the question anyway.) his music has evolved in great ways (i'm one of the people who thinks SWS is his best album, followed closely by 2001 GOS). and he's very true to himself now, not trying to fit in with one trend or another. his guitar skills are as good or better than ever but he showcases them more in his newer songs so more people notice them.

re Christine, i think what Lindsey said at USC about her technique is interesting - he said something to the effect that she sings as you are supposed to - from diaphragm vs throat. that might be the reason why her voice has not been ruined by years of singing and she still sounds great.

re Stevie, she has definitely lost most of the higher register she had, but i actually like better how she sounds now, compared to extremely nasal voice from 10 or so years ago (including on SYW).

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by elle

agree. vocally, he has lost a lot of his higher register, but i actually like his voice much better now (i don't like tenors and really disliked his younger voice, even if he could hit any note he wanted). in the register he uses now (live) his voice is very strong and sounds really good, especially on his solo songs.

Yes, in a way, these last couple of tours, his voice has been stronger live than it was during the Tusk and Mirage tour. Maybe you're right, it's because of the register and it allows him much more control. His sound has more timber and nuance to it. Considering the fact that he has spent a lot of stage time just SCREAMING, it's amazing that he has any voice left at all.

Michele