In His Own Voice
On his Facebook page, would-be Roxborough resident and Newbridge mayor Jon Wurster, partner-in-crime with Tom Scharpling on The Best Show on WFMU (my favorite 3 hours of radio—heard over the Web, often after the fact, in archive form) and drummer for Superchunk (among many others), asked the following question of his close, personal friends, a question that is right up our alley. Jon has approved of us re-posting this for discussion here. He looks forward to your responses.
News broke recently about a Peter Buck solo LP that’s in the pipeline. This will be the first the world hears his singing voice (as far as I know). What other major songwriting forces never sang in their bands? My entries (and let me know if I’m wrong, just don’t preface it with “You stupid idiot”):
- Johnny Marr?
- Did Robbie Robertson sing lead on any Band songs?
- Greg Ginn
- Jimmy Page
- Steve Harris
- Angus and Malcolm Young
- Johnny Ramone (didn’t write a lot but…)
- Neil Peart
- Tom Scholz
- Eddie Van Halen
- Iommi/Butler
- Nikki Sixx
- Did Walter Becker sing lead ever?
- Has anyone but James Hetfield sung lead on a Metallica song?
Robbie sings lead on “To Kingdom Come,” anyway. And maybe “co-lead” if one can say that on “Chest Fever”?
I don’t Marr ever sang until his solo debut, which according to my wife was terrible.
“Did Robbie Robertson sing lead on any Band songs?”
“Kingdom Come” off of Big Pink; takes a verse on “Ain’t No More Cane” on The Basement Tapes.
Walter Becker sang one song on Steely Dan’s last album. I think he occasionally sings an old song or two live that Fagen originally sang.
John Deacon was probably the least prolific songwriter in Queen, but he wrote two big hits (“You’re My Best Friend” and “Another One…”) and never sang.
Buck’s case is intriguing, since I don’t think he ever sang even backups for R.E.M.
Did Brian May ever sing lead in Queen while Freddie was alive? (I’ve barely ever heard a deep cut by Queen.)
Yes, he sang “39” and a few others. There’s some song he sings on Day at the Races that’s a total jangly Big Star-type song. I don’t like everything by Queen but they sure did try a little bit of everything.
Robbie also sang Out of the Blue on the Last Waltz.
That guy from the Gin Blossoms wrote all of their hits which sounded like they were deeply personal but as far as I know, he never sang any of them. And then they kicked him out of the band. Somebody on here is a big Gin Blossom fan (maybe Sammymaudlin?). He’ll need to confirm.
“39” was my favorite song off that album in 7th grade.
Yes, it’s sammy. They were hometown heroes for him. Maybe his homegirl, ladymiss, remembered them fondly for similar reasons.
That was the title I was trying to remember. TERRIBLE!
I like that one. Not my favorite but it fits in nicely on that album side.
Has Carlos Santana ever sung on record?
tonyola or BigSteve, you can correct me if necessary: What about Robert Fripp – singing?
I recall reading an article, years ago, about INXS. One of the brothers in that band, I think it was Andy Farris, was complaining somewhat that he wrote a lot of the songs but played keyboards in the band. So while the singer and lead guitarist were getting attention, he was stuck behind a keyboard thinking how he wrote that vocal melody or guitar riff. Given what happened to that band, I think it would’ve been better if they had let him become the singer, since they lost whatever credibility they had with their reality show and revolving door of guest singers.
I was in a band where I played drums and wrote songs. It’s a funny thing, because I don’t think I cared about the songs as much because it wasn’t me fronting them. Thus, I churned out some truly awful stuff and the other guy had to sing it!
Only time I know of for Mr Buck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJg7bJz8D5U
Occasionally he would sing back up vocals live.. especially on their cover of See No Evil
Nice find, BrotherBruno, and welcome to the Hall!
“Thus, I churned out some truly awful stuff and the other guy had to sing it!”
Ha! I did that too (except I was playing guitar).
He sang on his first album. Not sure about the others.
I think you’re right about INXS and Andrew Farriss. He was the main songwriter. But he managed to pick up the guitar and get out from behind the keyboards sometimes. The problem with him moving to lead singer might be a combination of voice and looks, trying to replace a rather rock star-ish front man.
Speaking of drummers writing “bad” stuff for the lead singer — I actually do like Stewart Copeland’s material, but I remember reading that there was a song of his that Sting refused to sing because the lyrics weren’t up to his standards (yeah, yeah). I don’t remember whether that meant it didn’t make the album or Stewart had to sing it.
Oats — is your wife talking about Johnny Marr + The Healers Boomslang from 2003? I love that album for some reason — it didn’t translate live, but it’s kind of a driving, droning rock masterpiece to me.
Check out this slow burner — Need It
http://youtu.be/6-8rmEfw-aM
The only Jimmy Page vocal I know of is the studio bit at the beginning of Black Country Woman, where they wait to be rid of an airplane noise, and he says “Nah, leave it, yet” or some such thing.
I don’t remember any instances of Fripp singing, but Walter Becker has a solo album (11 Tracks of Whack) where he sings every song.
Louie Perez of Los Lobos co-writes most of their material, but, even though he has come out from behind the drums to play guitar, I don’t believe he sings.
How about Michael Brown? The Left Banke, Stories, etc. He didn’t stay any place to long but I think he was usually the primary writer but didn’t sing (as far as I know).
The pre-King Crimson group/recording Cheerful Insanity of Giles Giles & Fripp features the rare vocals of Fripp on one song. I think that may be the only recorded singing of Robert.
Wow, good call! I was wondering if that album would come back to bite my suggestion.
I agree and disagree – replacing Michael Hutchence seems like it would require finding someone up to par in terms of voice and looks. They had struck gold with him. But at the same time, when he died, I think the band’s popularity was in decline, which made their scampering for a replacement all the more sad, especially when they were choosing dudes who were 20 years younger than the rest of the band.
If they just promoted somebody internally, it would’ve been a new phase for the band – perhaps not as successful, but at least not completely pathetic, because they’re just a joke now.
That’s a very good point and would have been a vastly more dignified route. I just don’t know if A. Farriss can sing lead or not since I’ve never heard him.
I believe that Marianne Faithfull did co-lead vocals on a Metallica track.
And what about Rick Nielsen? I canna recall if’n he ever sang a whole lead vocal on any of Cheap Trick’s stuff.
Great call.
No fondness. I met them at a show in RI and they admitted some minimal AZ connection. However, I believe that Sammy clarified the facts for me and that at least one Blossom was indeed from Tempe.
Oops, cover blown. Two avatars in this family and sometimes we forget who is logged in.
And Roger Taylor sang “I’m in love with my car.”
I was wondering who that was.
Copeland definitely had to sing his own stuff with the Police. And I love his wacko Klark Kent e.p.!
Roger Taylor was actually responsible for quite a few Queen lead vocals, just none of the hits.
Jimmy Page sings backing vocals on “Thank You” (the “little drops of rain” segment).