The COOLEST thing I've ever done...

by **Rip Rokken** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:46 am

Can't believe this... I worked too hard in 2010 and really wore myself out, and was planning on ending the year on a high note. Had a plan that was supposed to take place sometime in December, but there were endless scheduling problems. I'd all but written it off until I got an e-mail yesterday, asking if I'd be available next week in Nashville to do this. With two other trips and a few work projects with deadlines coming up before the end of the month, the timing is horrible for me, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and no way in hell am I passing it up. Personal vocal instruction over 2 days by one of my favorite rock singers of all time. I don't want to say who right now, but everyone pretty much knows who some of my favorite bands are. What a freakin' privilege and honor for me... Maybe I can post a pic when I return if it's ok with him.

by **Everett** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:48 am

It's steve perry right?

by **Melissa** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:07 am

Glad to hear it finally came through for you. :wink:

by **Saint John** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:10 am

Don Dokken's going to teach you how to smoke cigarettes? :lol:

by **Rip Rokken** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:20 am

Everett wrote:It's steve perry right?

Well, it was supposed to be, but I was worried he couldn't hit my notes anymore and that would make it hard.

Melissa wrote:Glad to hear it finally came through for you.

Why, thank ya!

Saint John wrote:Don Dokken's going to teach you how to smoke cigarettes?

I'm not paying that much to learn how to ruin my voice, lol.... And it was going to cost even more to learn how to drink again.

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:30 am

Ok... that damned certainly WAS the coolest thing I've ever done as a singer, and tomorrow is REALLY going to kick ass. Got all my confidence back and don't want to waste it anymore.

by **Everett** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 12:22 pm

Rip Rokken wrote:Ok... that damned certainly WAS the coolest thing I've ever done as a singer, and tomorrow is REALLY going to kick ass. Got all my confidence back and don't want to waste it anymore.

Ok i give up it was kevin cronin right? :lol:

by **Deb** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:07 pm

Everett wrote:
Rip Rokken wrote:Ok... that damned certainly WAS the coolest thing I've ever done as a singer, and tomorrow is REALLY going to kick ass. Got all my confidence back and don't want to waste it anymore.

Ok i give up it was kevin cronin right?

Michael Sweet?

by **Don** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:12 pm

Robert Plant

Website · by **steveo777** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:17 pm

Willie Nelson?

by **portland** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:28 pm

Deb wrote:
Everett wrote:
Rip Rokken wrote:Ok... that damned certainly WAS the coolest thing I've ever done as a singer, and tomorrow is REALLY going to kick ass. Got all my confidence back and don't want to waste it anymore.

Ok i give up it was kevin cronin right?

Michael Sweet?

Love him!

by **Deb** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:56 pm

portland wrote:
Deb wrote:
Everett wrote:
Rip Rokken wrote:Ok... that damned certainly WAS the coolest thing I've ever done as a singer, and tomorrow is REALLY going to kick ass. Got all my confidence back and don't want to waste it anymore.

Ok i give up it was kevin cronin right?

Michael Sweet?

Love him!

Not only does he have a GREAT voice, but he's still got one heck of killer rock scream too........... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXlnmlzAEYk

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:34 pm

Everett wrote:Ok i give up it was kevin cronin right?

Newer...

Deb wrote:Michael Sweet?

Bigger...

Don wrote:Robert Plant

Newer, but not bigger, lol!!!! An 80's metal icon, incredibly talented, still very active, still kicking ass.

steveo777 wrote:Willie Nelson?

Is he still alive? lol

I'm thinking I should probably ask Andrew to remove the thread soon out of respect for the artist. He's really going above and beyond and it's just so much more than I expected from 4 hours of vocal instruction. I will ask tomorrow if he minds if I post a picture.

Anyway, this started about 4-5 months ago. I found out he offered personal instruction in his spare time and it seemed crazy, but I just thought, what the hell -- the worst thing he could do is say "no", or just not answer. His assistant got back with me within a day, and I had to send in an MP3 of me singing so he could get an idea if he thought he could work with me. I was also surprised that the cost was much less than I expected -- not cheap by any means, but something I could work within. Didn't hear back for a few weeks and thought my MP3 probably gave him the best laugh of the week, lol. But after a few more weeks, I was surprised to get an e-mail to try to schedule my "upcoming lessons", and it just made my day. Problem is, the guy is constantly busy and very understandably it kept getting pushed back a few months. Just last week a friend asked me what ever happened with this, and I said unfortunately I was afraid it might not. I'd pretty much written it off. Then that night I got an e-mail from them that he'd be available this week. I jumped on it, got it scheduled and paid for, and here I am.

My voice is a little tempermental with allergies and weather, and I wasn't off to a good start today. It was sunny and warm this morning when I left, and the temperature quickly dropped -- I heard we're supposed to possibly see some snow flurries tonight. I was really afraid the sudden change would put me under the weather, and on top of that, I have been working my tail off, have barely gotten 3 hours of sleep per night the last week, and haven't had adequate time to practice. To be completely honest, I was pretty much preparing myself for bombing and embarrassing myself today, but I kept positive and just accepted that if it happened, hey -- at least I tried, and life goes on.

This dude is freaking magic, and if things had happened exactly as I'd hoped for best case, I would have short-changed myself. First off, he was completely disarming and humble and made me feel at ease. I never for a second felt uncomfortable or dumb. Second, I'd hoped to maybe record the lesson with a handheld digital recorder so I could have it for future reference, and he actually suggested I do that before I even asked. Third, he was totally cool with letting us use a few of his own songs for examples. We ran thru several from different bands, but I have to admit that singing some of his own tuned with him was the COOLEST. Forth, I don't know how to explain the rush of having this guy demonstrate full-on vocals 6 inches from my face -- I was absolutely amazed by his power and control. I couldn't believe that after the first hour of going over proper warm up techniques, he actually had me dishing that same power back at him and told me I had an "amazing instrument".

I asked him during the second hour what type of material he thought my voice was best suited for -- that though I loved singing everything, that I knew my voice wasn't best suited for covering certain bands. "Like what", he asked? I said, "Well, your stuff is a great example... I've learned a lot from practicing along with some of your songs, but even if I can carry the melody and hit the notes, I just don't have your kind of voice so it can't sound right". He said, "Yes you do! You have that inside you and I'm going to show you how to do it."

And I'll be damned if he didn't bring a lot of it out. Without being in practice, I'd worried that my voice would be toast after one hour if even that, but he took me thru two full hours hours, including some freaking' AC/DC ("Highway to Hell") -- I normally dread singing that type of stuff for ragging my voice out quick -- and I barely felt warmed up by the end. No pain, no hoarseness -- just power. I was just floored, and he couldn't have said nicer things about what he felt I was capable of.

I learned some other important things too, such as why I'm a half inch shorter than I used to be at age 20. The way I exercise in the gym has caused my muscles to pull me forward and hunch my posture, and it's something I'm going to have to unlearn -- he made some suggestions, and it could take me a year but it's reversable.

Tomorrow he's invited me to the studio of a bandmate, and we will finish up there and actually do some recording. So now I get to hang out with 2 of them! Like I said, he's really gone above and beyond what I've expected -- I always thought Rock N Roll Fantasy Camp seemed like a dream, and this just beats it. And I think I'll keep this going, maybe once a year at least, for as long as possible.

by **S2M** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:36 pm

Tell Kip I said Hi.... :lol:

by **portland** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:43 pm

S2M wrote:Tell Kip I said Hi....

Love him too...

by **Deb** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:55 pm

Geoff Tate?

by **Don** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:17 pm

S2M wrote:Tell Kip I said Hi....

Yeah, I was thinking it was him too.

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:38 pm

I'm surprised nobody has asked if it was Steve Perry yet.

by **portland** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:45 pm

Rip Rokken wrote:I'm surprised nobody has asked if it was Steve Perry yet.

Ummm Everett did^^^^^remember? :lol:

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 3:59 pm

portland wrote:
Rip Rokken wrote:I'm surprised nobody has asked if it was Steve Perry yet.

Ummm Everett did^^^^^remember?

Oh, yeah! I forgot, lol. Well....... he's absolutely......
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WRONG!

by **Maui Tom** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 4:03 pm

if it's DAVE Perry you are kicked off the internet for life.....

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:06 pm

Maui Tom wrote:if it's DAVE Perry you are kicked off the internet for life.....

I'd take Kevin Cronin first.

by **portland** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:13 pm

Rip Rokken wrote:
Maui Tom wrote:if it's DAVE Perry you are kicked off the internet for life.....

I'd take Kevin Cronin first.

How long do we have to guess?

by **S2M** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:19 pm

portland wrote:
Rip Rokken wrote:
Maui Tom wrote:if it's DAVE Perry you are kicked off the internet for life.....

I'd take Kevin Cronin first.

How long do we have to guess?

Don't bother....it's Kip Winger.

by **Melissa** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:34 pm

Sounds awesome, and knowing that voice it must be something else to hear how he uses it up close. Have fun!

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:25 pm

(sheeeeee's myyyyyy cherry pie....)

by **portland** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:34 pm

Rip Rokken wrote:(sheeeeee's myyyyyy cherry pie....)

Jani Lane? (that's if you like original singers....I know that's not your thing :lol:

)

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:38 pm

S2M wrote:Don't bother....it's Kip Winger.

Dude, if you could make THAT happen, there's a fat reward in it for you.

by **Rip Rokken** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:40 pm

portland wrote:Jani Lane? (that's if you like original singers....I know that's not your thing )

Hmmm.... hey, I'm still waiting for Gary Moon to return to Night Ranger! (great album, but kidding of course)

by **Melissa** » Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:40 pm

Rip Rokken wrote:(sheeeeee's myyyyyy cherry pie....)

ha

Is he still filling in for Jack in Great White? Haven't read anything about that since last year.

MR

The COOLEST thing I've ever done...

The COOLEST thing I've ever done...

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