Steve Perry - Jon Bon Jovi

[CatEyes]

--- what a bunch of tupperware, Auto-Tuned, sensationalized nonsense.

Nice!

+1

[Michigan Girl]

I appreciate the fact that SP would rather retire while he was on top (and his vocals were strong)

On top?!?! Then he should have retired after the Frontiers tour. What followed were 2 sissified Journey albums and one of the single biggest shit heaps ever recorded. He cut ROR short, cut FTLOSM short and completely bailed on TBF. Way to go out "on top!"

PS And then there's the Bill Graham show. Guzzle guzzle.

for the average fan....he DID retire when he was on top. The average fan could care less that ROR tour was cut short, and FTLOSM and TBF are a small footnote at best. Unless you are a diehard, you have never even heard of the Bill Graham show, much less heard it.

To the average fan (which GREATLY outnumbers any other group), Perry retired after ROR when Journey was big. That is going out on top. The truth is a bit more complicated, but the popular perception is what it is based on.

I'm going to have to agree w/you, Kev!! I'm also going
to go one step futher, had there been a TBF tour,
it would've been bigger than ROR!! How's that for sheen?!?!
We remember Perry as The God of The Vox Box because he was/is!!

[STORY_TELLER]

Say what you will about Steve Perry stepping away from the spotlight and not recording any new music, but after watching Bon Jovi's performance on Sunday evenings AMA's (and witnessing Jon Bon Jovi's absolutely HORRIBLE vocals), I appreciate the fact that SP would rather retire while he was on top (and his vocals were strong) instead of continuing to tour and milk his fans of $$$ like Bon Jovi continues to do.

He's definitely lost vocal quality. Both Jon and Richie have. Getting older sucks.

That said, this still gives me chills:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLupqZmewHI

[Pelata]

They've lost some of their range...not their quality...they both still have something to offer vocally, IMO. When you lose some of your range, you accomodate by writing new material in lower keys and tuning down older material a touch finding a way to pull it off.

[STORY_TELLER]

They've lost some of their range...not their quality...they both still have something to offer vocally, IMO. When you lose some of your range, you accomodate by writing new material in lower keys and tuning down older material a touch finding a way to pull it off.

Granted re: range, but IMO JBJ has lost a bit of quality too. His sound is much more nasal now, which tells me he's forcing his voice to compensate for something. That compensating factor is what changed the quality. Ergo his vocal quality isn't as strong. The character has changed and it's less attractive as a result. Listening to the organic floating flow of his vibrato in the link I provided from his heyday, the difference is pretty stark to me.

[carleysdad]

Say what you will about Steve Perry stepping away from the spotlight and not recording any new music, but after watching Bon Jovi's performance on Sunday evenings AMA's (and witnessing Jon Bon Jovi's absolutely HORRIBLE vocals), I appreciate the fact that SP would rather retire while he was on top (and his vocals were strong) instead of continuing to tour and milk his fans of $$$ like Bon Jovi continues to do.

This post is absurd. Go see Bon Jovi live before you suggest they've jumped the shark. Jon had the same self-doubts and frustrations about the road and the business in the 90's, but instead of squandering the gift he was given, he re-evaluated himself and his band, reinvented their image, and carried on - to the delight of his fans. Bon Jovi is one of the few throwbacks to the supergroup era, and they give it every thing they have live.

FamilyMan - I have seen Bon Jovi live 3 times (in the late 90's and early 00's). I thought the band played a tight set at each show but Jon's vocals were nothing worth writing home about. He does this nasally thing all the time when he can't reach a note (which drives me and my wife nuts). Watch the video from the AMA's, he did it a number of times during their compilation of songs. And after watching BJ's recent documentary I get the sense that it's no longer about the music for them (collectively) but that they are just in it for the money. And quite honestly I didn't mean to start a 2-3 page thread and get everyone worked up. I was just trying to say that Jon's vocals are shot and maybe they should give it up before they become a joke. That's all. I definitely give kudos to the band for playing and singing LIVE though (versus all the crap that is being played today).

[Deb]

They've lost some of their range...not their quality...they both still have something to offer vocally, IMO. When you lose some of your range, you accomodate by writing new material in lower keys and tuning down older material a touch finding a way to pull it off.

Granted re: range, but IMO JBJ has lost a bit of quality too. His sound is much more nasal now, which tells me he's forcing his voice to compensate for something. That compensating factor is what changed the quality. Ergo his vocal quality isn't as strong. The character has changed and it's less attractive as a result. Listening to the organic floating flow of his vibrato in the link I provided from his heyday, the difference is pretty stark to me.

Agreed, still a helluva frontman and business man, but vocally he does nada for me........and this is coming from a once major Jovihead. He never was the best singer on the planet, but that nasal thing he seems to be doing more and more as the years go on lately, I find quite annoying also.

[donnaplease]

Yeah, that last effort was so shitty that it got nominated for a grammy. Sheesh, what utter trash.

[Glenn]

Didn't Bon Jovi just sellout The New Meadowlands Stadium, not to mention a fortnight of shows at the O2 in London? if there is a demand there from the public, why should ther Band retire? The fans seem to understand that Jon's voice isn't what it used to be but for them it's the memories and reliving the past most likely, while for the new fans, he sounds just as good as most of the new artist vocal wise.
If Bon jovi couldn't pack them in anymore, I might agree but next to U2, AC-DC and Bruce Springsteen, they are the biggest old school rock out there. When the fans have had enough, that's when the band should hang it up.

Well said...I respect the this thread starters opinions, but some things said were just plain laughable. Weather you like Jovi or not, they can still do, and have the fan support, that most bands from that era don't have anymore.k Perry

JBJ has had a 27 year career that to this day is still current and viable. And that deserves some respect.

[bru87tr]

JBJ vocals have been terrible for a long long time.

This is coming from a huge fan who bought the first album when it came out. BJ wasn't even a headline then.

Someone said he never had strong vocals ? Sure, he was no SP, but back in the day he could really belt it out. I seen him live many times and very early on, he had a very strong voice.

Now he sounds like my grandmother singing. He sounds terrble IMO and has been singing this way for a very long time.

[Rockindeano]

JBJ vocals have been terrible for a long long time.

This is coming from a huge fan who bought the first album when it came out. BJ wasn't even a headline then.

Someone said he never had strong vocals ? Sure, he was no SP, but back in the day he could really belt it out. I seen him live many times and very early on, he had a very strong voice.

Now he sounds like my grandmother singing. He sounds terrble IMO and has been singing this way for a very long time.

You do know Jon gets serious help live right? He isn't 100% live. That has been well known for years now.

[BobbyinTN]

Say what you will about Steve Perry stepping away from the spotlight and not recording any new music, but after watching Bon Jovi's performance on Sunday evenings AMA's (and witnessing Jon Bon Jovi's absolutely HORRIBLE vocals), I appreciate the fact that SP would rather retire while he was on top (and his vocals were strong) instead of continuing to tour and milk his fans of $$$ like Bon Jovi continues to do.

I saw him on a few shows recently and while he didn't sound horrible, he has definitely been taking voice lessons and whoever is giving them to him is telling him to sing more through his nose and for some reason he's not closing his mouth and forming words, more like mushing them together.

I've REALLY disappointed in his "new sound".

[marco17]

JBJ vocals have been terrible for a long long time.

This is coming from a huge fan who bought the first album when it came out. BJ wasn't even a headline then.

Someone said he never had strong vocals ? Sure, he was no SP, but back in the day he could really belt it out. I seen him live many times and very early on, he had a very strong voice.

Now he sounds like my grandmother singing. He sounds terrble IMO and has been singing this way for a very long time.

You do know Jon gets serious help live right? He isn't 100% live. That has been well known for years now.

David Bryan hits most of the high notes during Livin' on a Prayer these days... Jon hasn't been able to hit them for years. They put on a helluva spectical live, but now they have 2-3 other background players behind them. It used to be the 5 of them out there live. I guess they are trying to capture the ablum sounds that can't be done live without extra help....who knows..

[Rockindeano]

JBJ vocals have been terrible for a long long time.

This is coming from a huge fan who bought the first album when it came out. BJ wasn't even a headline then.

Someone said he never had strong vocals ? Sure, he was no SP, but back in the day he could really belt it out. I seen him live many times and very early on, he had a very strong voice.

Now he sounds like my grandmother singing. He sounds terrble IMO and has been singing this way for a very long time.

You do know Jon gets serious help live right? He isn't 100% live. That has been well known for years now.

David Bryan hits most of the high notes during Livin' on a Prayer these days... Jon hasn't been able to hit them for years. They put on a helluva spectical live, but now they have 2-3 other background players behind them. It used to be the 5 of them out there live. I guess they are trying to capture the ablum sounds that can't be done live without extra help....who knows..

Hell, I am fine with that. I believe Bon Jovi is trying to be as authentic as they possibly can, and using help in the form of other singers is acceptable. Now if Jon was circling his arm overhead like he was trying to lasso a runaway calf, then I would be suspicious.

Hint- that was Augeri's signal to Elson to roll tape, when he rotated his arm in the air.

[PianoMan1986]

Hint- that was Augeri's signal to Elson to roll tape, when he rotated his arm in the air.

I never knew that one either -- I assume since the '01 DVD?

[Rockindeano]

Hint- that was Augeri's signal to Elson to roll tape, when he rotated his arm in the air.

I never knew that one either -- I assume since the '01 DVD?

To my recollection, he always had that "move" and I always remember him doing it for the start of Escape. Anyway, during the Lipping Tour, that was the "signal" to let it(tape) roll baby!