Was Freddie a baritone? I"ve heard more than Montseratt suggest this, and, I certainly agree that he does sound so very rich and melodic in the lower tones, such as in Ensueno and Ride The Wild Wind...a live example of this which comes to mind is the joyful Tutti Frutti/You're So Square/Marylou set at Wembley. My mother, who isn't a Queen fan(Elvis, all the way), heard the Wembley set and was enchanted by Freddie's voice. She'd always thought him a tenor, or, a," hard," rocker...
In any case, interesting observations, all around. I do agree with Zebonka in that it seems as if Freddie's time with The Opera Singer served him well, and, it would have been interesting to see how much use he'd have gotten from this education, over time..
mike hunt · Member since
I'm no perfessional, but freddie was a natural bariton who sang tenor to fit the song he was singing in the studio. If you listen to his live voice it becomes obvious. Wembly in 86 or his early shows in 74 to 76 his voice is obviously bariton.
john bodega · Member since
Goodness, please don't get the tenor/baritone argument started again. Classifying his voice in those terms is largely fruitless anyway because he wasn't classically trained to work within the disciplines that go with the definitions. He just did what he wanted!
Legy · Member since
What you do in the studio and what you do live are totally different things. Merc sounded like a tenor in the studio. For various reason. But live wise, he was what he was, a baritone with awesome power.
But I completely agree with Zebonka. He did what he wanted, and my is it beautiful magic.
Angeline · Member since
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
Raf · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Angeline wrote: [/b]
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
[/QUOTE] If I'm not mistaken, his voice cracked once during Fat Bottomed Girls and only that particular line was "fixed" in the studio, and the rest was done live. Despite all people say about the great audience participation, Freddie being flattered and all that blah blah blah, Freddie's performance on Rock In Rio was one of his worst performances ever, so don't let it deceive you. ;)
lalaalalaa · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Angeline wrote: [/b]
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
[/QUOTE]
If I'm not mistaken, his voice cracked once during Fat Bottomed Girls and only that particular line was "fixed" in the studio, and the rest was done live. Despite all people say about the great audience participation, Freddie being flattered and all that blah blah blah, Freddie's performance on Rock In Rio was one of his worst performances ever, so don't let it deceive you. ;)
[/QUOTE]
Rock in Rio might have been his worst performance but it still surpasses other artists' performances.
John Oswald · Member since
I think Freddie's voice was great over the years though of course sometimes he would've been a bit off key like everyone else but that's natural
Raf · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]lalaalalaa wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Angeline wrote: [/b]
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
[/QUOTE] If I'm not mistaken, his voice cracked once during Fat Bottomed Girls and only that particular line was "fixed" in the studio, and the rest was done live. Despite all people say about the great audience participation, Freddie being flattered and all that blah blah blah, Freddie's performance on Rock In Rio was one of his worst performances ever, so don't let it deceive you. ;)
[/QUOTE] Rock in Rio might have been his worst performance but it still surpasses other artists' performances.
[/QUOTE]
Hey, we're talking about Queen... Their worst isn't necessarily bad! :)
beautifulsoup · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Zebonka12 wrote: [/b]
Goodness, please don't get the tenor/baritone argument started again. Classifying his voice in those terms is largely fruitless anyway because he wasn't classically trained to work within the disciplines that go with the definitions. He just did what he wanted!
[/QUOTE]
Coming from a classically trained singer (and teacher) who has her own definite opinion on the baritone/tenor issue but will not voice it, I have to say that Zebonka's answer is the best I've ever read on the subject. [img=/images/smiley/msn/regular_smile.gif][/img]
Wiley · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Zebonka12 wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]artemismoon wrote: [/b]
Wilson on the other hand is not even half the artist he once was. His previous drug abuse has really taken a toll on a once wonderful musician
.
[/QUOTE]
He'd make a splendid comedy act.
[/QUOTE]
I always thought he looked like a Muppet at the Queen's Jubilee in London 2002: Only his upper body visible, singing and waving his hands in the air to the tune of "Good Vibrations".
lalaalalaa · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]lalaalalaa wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Angeline wrote: [/b]
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
[/QUOTE]
If I'm not mistaken, his voice cracked once during Fat Bottomed Girls and only that particular line was "fixed" in the studio, and the rest was done live. Despite all people say about the great audience participation, Freddie being flattered and all that blah blah blah, Freddie's performance on Rock In Rio was one of his worst performances ever, so don't let it deceive you. ;)
[/QUOTE]
Rock in Rio might have been his worst performance but it still surpasses other artists' performances.
[/QUOTE]
Hey, we're talking about Queen... Their worst isn't necessarily bad! :)
[/QUOTE]
Did you not read my whole comment? I said it still surpasses other artists' performances ;) I never actually said it was bad.
«¤~Mrš. BÃD GÛŸ~¤» · Member since
I don't think anyone's voice stays the same over the years, whether you're a performance artist or not.
Try and find anyone who can come close to him even today. Freddie's voice was very unique.
bhm0129ad · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]«¤~Mrš. BÃD GÛŸ~¤» wrote: [/b]
I don't think anyone's voice stays the same over the years, whether you're a performance artist or not.
Try and find anyone who can come close to him even today. Freddie's voice was very unique.
[/QUOTE]
On the whole you are right, but I think there are a few examples of some people who managed to maintain the essence of their voice, like David Bowie and Tom Jones for instance, but the best example (the greatest voice ever) was Roy Orbison, who sounded just the same in his final major concert (Black and White Night in '87) as he did when he wrote/performed the songs in the late fifties/early sixties. That man's voice was pure silk.
Raf · Member since
[QUOTE]
[b]lalaalalaa wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]lalaalalaa wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Raf wrote: [/b]
[QUOTE]
[b]Angeline wrote: [/b]
So I'm new here and I imagine this has been discussed umpteen times before - but is not Live At The Bowl one of the best live vocal performances? Can someone tell me is it over-dubbed or anything? It blows me away especially when compared to Rock In Rio...
[/QUOTE] If I'm not mistaken, his voice cracked once during Fat Bottomed Girls and only that particular line was "fixed" in the studio, and the rest was done live. Despite all people say about the great audience participation, Freddie being flattered and all that blah blah blah, Freddie's performance on Rock In Rio was one of his worst performances ever, so don't let it deceive you. ;)
[/QUOTE] Rock in Rio might have been his worst performance but it still surpasses other artists' performances.
[/QUOTE]
Hey, we're talking about Queen... Their worst isn't necessarily bad! :)
[/QUOTE] Did you not read my whole comment? I said it still surpasses other artists' performances ;) I never actually said it was bad.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I did. I was only confirming that I actually thought the same, and wasn't actually saying Queen were a subpar act on that festival! ;D
