Any of you professional singers familiar with D.C. Cooper?

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 4:55 am

Are any of you singers out there familiar with D.C. Cooper? He's an outstanding singer and I'm sure you professional singers out there will really like this guy's voice.

He's originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and was the singer for a few years for European prog metal band Royal Hunt. He left that band and now he fronts another band called Silent Force. Interestingly, he also auditioned for Judas Priest after Rob Halford left the band. Rumor has it that he was offered the job but chose to go with Royal Hunt instead.

I've got a zip file with some tunes that he sang on, but I'm not sure I can post a link here since they are not boots or just sound clips. Send me a PM if you're interested in hearing these and I'll shoot the link to you.

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:20 am

Any takers...I guess I'll post the link here and I'll delete it later, if necessary.

http://www.uploading.com/?get=9HKZHZVT

by **Todd H** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:35 am

I'll check out the link when I get home. No speakers here at work.

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:38 am

Todd H wrote:I'll check out the link when I get home. No speakers here at work.

Bummer! Fortunately, I have my own office, so I can turn it up fairly loud if I wish. :lol:

by **Todd H** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:39 am

I teach at a local college, so the administration would frown on me rocking during class. :lol:

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:42 am

Todd H wrote:I teach at a local college, so the administration would frown on me rocking during class.

Maybe you should teach a class ala "School of Rock". :lol:

by **Todd H** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:44 am

I wish!!!

by **Jeremey** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:50 am

I'd like to give this a listen over the weekend. Always love to hear Rob-style vocals - Though I'd be surprised to hear someone turning down the frontman job in Judas Priest to take a job with a relatively unknown european band!? At first I thought I recognized the name of the band, but I was thinking of the name "Coiled Runt," which sounds very similar but is, in fact, quite different.

Sorry, it's Friday and I need to get out of this office and get to Charlotte!

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:53 am

Jeremey wrote:I'd like to give this a listen over the weekend. Always love to hear Rob-style vocals - Though I'd be surprised to hear someone turning down the frontman job in Judas Priest to take a job with a relatively unknown european band!? At first I thought I recognized the name of the band, but I was thinking of the name "Coiled Runt," which sounds very similar but is, in fact, quite different.

Actually, he sounds nothing like Halford on these clips. The best description I can give is that he sounds similar to Joey Tempest (Europe) but with more range and a richer tone. Let me know if you like these and I can get you a track called "Infatuator" off the Silent Force album of the same name, where he sounds quite a bit like Halford.

Anyway, I'm glad he didn't front Judas Priest, because Royal Hunt's "Paradox" album is one of my all-time favorites.

by **Jeremey** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:58 am

conversationpc wrote:
Jeremey wrote:I'd like to give this a listen over the weekend. Always love to hear Rob-style vocals - Though I'd be surprised to hear someone turning down the frontman job in Judas Priest to take a job with a relatively unknown european band!? At first I thought I recognized the name of the band, but I was thinking of the name "Coiled Runt," which sounds very similar but is, in fact, quite different.

Actually, he sounds nothing like Halford on these clips. The best description I can give is that he sounds similar to Joey Tempest (Europe) but with lots more range and a richer tone. Let me know if you like these and I can get you a track called "Infatuator" off the Silent Force album of the same name, where sounds quite a bit like Halford.

Anyway, I'm glad he didn't front Judas Priest, because Royal Hunt's "Paradox" album is one of my all-time favorites.

Awesome, Joey Tempest has a great, powerful voice, though his tone kind of got on my nerves (all I can think about is "Final Countdown")....Would love to hear the clips, I'll download them when we get back this weekend!

by **Big J** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:00 am

Aha, couldn't place the name until you said Royal Hunt. Knew I'd heard the guy...and have heard the Priest rumors too. Talented singer.

by **conversationpc** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:44 am

Jeremey wrote:Always love to hear Rob-style vocals - Though I'd be surprised to hear someone turning down the frontman job in Judas Priest to take a job with a relatively unknown european band!?

Okay, it seems that he didn't turn it down but was one of four finalists and accepted the job with Royal Hunt before the final decision was made for Priest. Here's a quote from an interview with D.C. Cooper from a few years ago...

In lieu of the pending disappearance of commercial rock and metal, and after hitting many dead ends and hearing things like "That is not really what we need right now", and "That's not what we're looking for," Cooper's manager suggested that they start shopping DC alone. And that is how Cooper got his first big break.

At the time, Judas Priest was in search of a replacement for vocalist Rob Halford, and Cooper joined in the competition, becoming one of four finalists. He said that auditioning with the band was the highlight of his career, however, before the final decision was made, he was given a nice offer to sing for the Danish melodic rock band Royal Hunt.

With the Judas Priest situation up in the air, Cooper soon left home with a round-trip plane ticket to his destiny in Europe. He did twelve rehearsals with Royal Hunt and made his first appearance with the band only three days later in front of crowd of screaming fans in Tokyo, Japan.

by **finalfight** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:10 pm

I thought Priest couldn't find anyone suitable despite countless live auditions and tapes until drummer Scott Travis showed the band a video of Tim 'Ripper' Owens performing in a Judas Priest tribute band? Priest flew him over to England had him sing three songs and apparantly gave him the job on the spot.

He is a hell of a singer though! :shock:

by **conversationpc** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:32 am

finalfight wrote:He is a hell of a singer though!

A friend of mine turned me on to Royal Hunt and the first one that really caught my ear was their '97 album "Paradox". It's since become one of my top 5 albums of all time, any genre. Since that album and tour for it, Cooper left the band and joined up with another European band, Silent Force, and John West is now the singer (another great singer, actually). Actually, I think it may have been West who received a tryout with Journey or consideration anyway.

by **conversationpc** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:05 pm

Bump for Jeremey...Wanted to see if you've had a chance to download this yet and check out Cooper.

by **Jeremey** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 11:13 pm

Hey man!
The plan was to be at home this weekend after our show Friday in Charlotte, but then Journey tickets were brought into the picture and we ended up not getting back into town until yesterday evening. Back at work again today, but will download this evening!

MR

Any of you professional singers familiar with D.C. Cooper?

Any of you professional singers familiar with D.C. Cooper?

Who is online