MR

I was just wondering whether people prefer Perry's early voice with it's smooth texture and huge range, his middle voice with a combination of power, grit, and range, or his later gruff, scratchy voice with less range but arguably more depth.

What does everybody think?

(I'm using the Journey albums he's on as an estimate of the different phases of his voice. You might think that the Frontiers era should be included in the early voice option for instance, but this is just a rough guide.)

What happened to "all of the above" and "whatever the future may bring"?

Sorry, I didn't think about that. I'll put an all of the above.

We haven't heard what the future may bring, since it's in the future, so I'm not sure how that can be an option.

Don't read anything into it btw, this is my first poll.


Edit: It won't let me add a new option, so please pick the one you like best.

If you like them all equally, maybe you could just say so in your post.

I'll select choice "D"...All of the above! I think Debbie Gibson said it best about Steve Perry, on VH1 when being interviewed about Journey, (some 80's show I was watching....sorry, I'm OLD)...Her exact quote was "Steve Perry's voice is simply mind-boggling", and I couldn't agree more!


John from Boston

Enigma869 wrote:I'll select choice "D"...All of the above! I think Debbie Gibson said it best about Steve Perry, on VH1 when being interviewed about Journey, (some 80's show I was watching....sorry, I'm OLD)...Her exact quote was "Steve Perry's voice is simply mind-boggling", and I couldn't agree more!


John from Boston

You sure she didn't mean Fleischmann?

Cool post Jeremy, I'd pick them all since I love his voice at each of those stages.

Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

Journeyman2122 wrote:Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

Age, overuse. Loons will just say he "matured".

I personally liked his early voice when it was clear as a bell and smooth as could be. His mid years were very good too but something about his voice on Infinity and Evolution really grabbed my attention.

For me, that smooth, high, clear as a bell tenor will always be the best.

NealIsGod wrote:Age, overuse. Loons will just say he "matured".

He DID!

Journeyman2122 wrote:Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

I think a lot of it probably had to do with the notes Perry was constantly hitting, night after night. I'm not a singer and certainly not an expert in the field, but, I can't imagine hitting the notes that Perry hit wouldn't take its toll on his vocal chords! Heck...try singing a couple of Journey Karaoke songs, and try emulating Perry's notes, and let me know how your chords are doing just after two songs!


John from Boston

All of them...the last one was extremely sexy and mature...each era had its own"pearl"

Enigma869 wrote:

Journeyman2122 wrote:Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

I think a lot of it probably had to do with the notes Perry was constantly hitting, night after night. I'm not a singer and certainly not an expert in the field, but, I can't imagine hitting the notes that Perry hit wouldn't take it's toll on his vocal chords! Heck...try singing a couple of Journey Karaoke songs and try emulating Perry's notes and let me know how your chords are doing just after two songs!


John from Boston

I am a singer and after 2 journey songs my voice is tender. It just seems between Escape and frontiers his voice changed.

NealIsGod wrote:

Journeyman2122 wrote:Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

Age, overuse. Loons will just say he "matured".

Well, uh, yeauh, like duh-uh, go figure.

I voted for the last one but I think '86 and '95 should be in the same category.

I voted for "B"...

That era captured the whole "Steve thing" for me...it was right after the "Frontiers" concert in '83 that I decided to pursue Music as a Singer.

And besides that...."Still They Ride" on YT...captured LIVE, as it happened...no "CUT ~ Um, can I start OVER??"

CANNOT beat that!

the early years with the harmonies on infinity and evolution and departure!! Just great synergy with Rolie.

key songs... Feeling that Way/Anytime Open the Door... and Just the Same way... LTS/City of Angels..too late..
Precious Time. Good Morning girl/Stay awhile...


Rick

I do love ALL his voices and ALL his looks...so versatile and that is what makes him so special. But, I did vote for the first one because that was what hooked me back in '78.

I love all things Steve Perry, but I think I like the middle years the best. He seemed to be having the most fun, and it showed in his performances.

bufordt9 wrote:All of them...the last one was extremely sexy and mature...each era had its own"pearl"

I agree. Each era was special unto itself. His voice was kind of like a fine wine. It's a shame there won't be anymore vocals forthcoming...just think what could have been...

NealIsGod wrote:

Journeyman2122 wrote:Does anybody know why his voice changed? Did he purposely change his style or did he blow his voice out?

Age, overuse. Loons will just say he "matured".

I think it is a combination of the 3.

The Voice is The Voice,no matter which era.

Shania wrote:The Voice is The Voice,no matter which era.

Yeah, but which era do you prefer?


Aaaaaand.....which The Voice is The Voice?


The Voice
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Voice could be:

The Voice, a Bobby McFerrin album
A common nickname for several singers, including Frank Sinatra, Garth Brooks, Jackson Browne, Mariah Carey and Russell Watson

I'm just being cheeky.

Omg,am I on the Bobby McFerrin Message Board??

Damn,I partied too hard last night.



You are too funny,Jeremy.

I prefer Perry during the Frontiers era. Simply the best.....ever.

Perry's voice during Frontiers had a certain quality to it that I haven't heard before or since. His early voice, while technically at the top of his game, sounded too adolescent to me. I remember getting into a friend's car in high school and he threw a Journey tape in - I think it must have been Evolution or something - And I just ragged the guy asking why he was listening to some girl singing like that! Funny thing was this would have been around 1987, so my friend was obviously a big fan to be listening to an older tape like that.

Latter, without question, but I inlcude FTLOSM of '94 in that. Middle second and the Infinity-Captured squeak dead last.


Good poll question.

I've always loved his voice the most on "Frontiers". The extra little bit of rasp in his voice gave Journey a slightly heavier sound that I think they needed for that album.

I prefer the 80's Perry... but if you listen to GHL and then some live songs from the RoR tour off Time3, you can see that he was really overused at that point.

I feel that Perry of the 70's just sounds too 'kiddy' to me... even though Patiently is just wonderful.

Perry of the 90's just pisses me off. So much wasted potential to just have TWO albums in 10 years.

Mid 80's Perry voice by far! That is when I became a huge Journey fan. Even though that the earlier stuff grew on me (of course I did like Escape) I felt Frontiers brought more muscle to Perry's voice.