Ed's voice on the 2012 boots

evenflow82

I've listened to some of the 2012 bootlegs (6/27, 7/4, 7/5, 7/9 to be specific) and Ed's vocals seem to be screechy on a lot of songs, more than I've ever noticed before. I know anyone's vocals would be shot after Ed's singing career and I know he gives it his all every show, so I'm not complaining, but just making an observation and wondering if anyone else has noticed this.

Dr.Teeth and the Electric Mayh

You bet.It's to be expected I would say.

evenflow82

6/27/12 it's very noticable.

foodboy

i have been saying this for 2 years now. but if you say it to a ten club cult member they want to punch your face in for saying anything bad. the wine drinking and cigarette smoking certainly doesn't help. i made a comment on the shows you are talking about wondering if he had a cold or something as i recently heard his las vegas show and his voice sounded great,but maybe thats because he's not having to scream . i wish the band would play full albums live before his voice gets any worse because i've seen too many times bands wait way too long to do this when voices are a shadow of what it could have been. just my observations from 40 years of going to rock concerts.

gdbear71

I thought he had a cold or got sick in the middle of the tour if I recall correctly some of his banter with the crowd from some of the bootlegs - that might be some of it... I was at the Amsterdam shows and it was not summer weather...cold rainy in the 50's/60's - plus he did crazy stuff like go to the Tom Petty show in Amsterdam on his day off and sing a few songs, not resting the voice...

mca47

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

reedrothchild

mca47 wrote:

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

this. that's why it's rough when the band is as sloppy as they were the past couple years as well...

rival.

mca47 wrote:

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

agreed. everyone is begging and demanding for full tours like the binaural/riot act days.

frankly, there is not a chance in hell eddie's voice can handle that workload. i think this is a major reason why the band tours like they do. preservation.

evenflow82

Look at the change in chris cornell's voice in Audioslave and now after he stopped drinking like a fish and smoking--it's incredible. Certainly not as insane as the early to mid 90's but still amazing for a guy who is pushing 50.

The real question is: would you prefer the band hangs it up when Ed's voice is just a welp (which it will be some day) or just keep touring in its hindered state?

PJ_Soul

Yeah, he loses control of the high notes sometimes now and cracks (not that I care). I have also noticed, though, that he is trying to control it. More and more he is remembering to control the note and trying for a way to sing it lower so that it doesn't crack. I think he just needs more time to get used to the adjustments needed and to work them so it still works in the songs.

evenflow82

Just wondering how the 2013 shows will go (if PJ plays any shows). I wonder if sitting down shows with only ballads is too far off...

Dr. Delight

foodboy wrote:

i have been saying this for 2 years now. but if you say it to a ten club cult member they want to punch your face in for saying anything bad. the wine drinking and cigarette smoking certainly doesn't help. i made a comment on the shows you are talking about wondering if he had a cold or something as i recently heard his las vegas show and his voice sounded great,but maybe thats because he's not having to scream . i wish the band would play full albums live before his voice gets any worse because i've seen too many times bands wait way too long to do this when voices are a shadow of what it could have been. just my observations from 40 years of going to rock concerts.

Who cares what the majority of those people say..

thefixer9

PJ_Soul wrote:

Yeah, he loses control of the high notes sometimes now and cracks (not that I care). I have also noticed, though, that he is trying to control it. More and more he is remembering to control the note and trying for a way to sing it lower so that it doesn't crack. I think he just needs more time to get used to the adjustments needed and to work them so it still works in the songs.

I agree with this. I didn't listen to most of the boots of this year and did notice how rough Eddie's voice was......but he does sound fantastic at his solo shows...

PJ_Soul

thefixer9 wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Yeah, he loses control of the high notes sometimes now and cracks (not that I care). I have also noticed, though, that he is trying to control it. More and more he is remembering to control the note and trying for a way to sing it lower so that it doesn't crack. I think he just needs more time to get used to the adjustments needed and to work them so it still works in the songs.

I agree with this. I didn't listen to most of the boots of this year and did notice how rough Eddie's voice was......but he does sound fantastic at his solo shows...

For the record, I think he still sounds AMAZING at all the PJ shows. So his voice cracks a few times. I don't give a fuck - he sounds great!! I've enjoyed several of the 2012 boots! Even in Missoula, where he was sick with a cold, he sounds fantastic, it's a great boot, and you really couldn't tell he wasn't in perfect health until the very last song, where he actually put a hand to his throat from the effort - what a trooper. He's just fine; PJ isn't going to stop rocking. He might simply have to lower a note here and there. No big deal. I disagree that his voice "sounds rough." I only have noticed that there is a note he's having some trouble with, and that he's trying to adjust. Fair enough, he's nearly 50.

boyo79

To be honest at the 2 Pearl Jam shows I went this year I thought Ed (and the band) were back on form. Early on in the 1st Manchester show I was surprised how good his voice and the band sounded.

CrookedTom

mca47 wrote:

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

Nothing As It Seems - Amsterdam 2. Damn he's struggling on that one, during the Verses.
The man was at his peak 2000-2006 - but I guess pushing 50 it's natural the voice will decline a little.

boyo79

CrookedTom wrote:

mca47 wrote:

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

Nothing As It Seems - Amsterdam 2. Damn he's struggling on that one, during the Verses.
The man was at his peak 2000-2006 - but I guess pushing 50 it's natural the voice will decline a little.

Release at Amsterdam 2. He misses the notes badly towards the end. Not a good performance of that song. Can't complain though, he's a better singer than me

He's still got one of the best singing voices around

pandora

I feel it... that part never changes

grateful for him forever and ever

YLed2

CrookedTom wrote:

mca47 wrote:

It's gone south pretty fast since around 2006.

Still one of the best, but some songs are pretty rough these days.

Nothing As It Seems - Amsterdam 2. Damn he's struggling on that one, during the Verses.
The man was at his peak 2000-2006 - but I guess pushing 50 it's natural the voice will decline a little.

Wash at Amsterdam 2 he really struggles too, especially at the end when he starts his shreek. Still one of the best musicians, front men, lyricicts, and vocalists of all time though.

But I will still listen to countless bootlegs, be obsessed without fault, and try and see them play absolutely whenever and wherever I can.

thefixer9

PJ_Soul wrote:

thefixer9 wrote:

PJ_Soul wrote:

Yeah, he loses control of the high notes sometimes now and cracks (not that I care). I have also noticed, though, that he is trying to control it. More and more he is remembering to control the note and trying for a way to sing it lower so that it doesn't crack. I think he just needs more time to get used to the adjustments needed and to work them so it still works in the songs.

I agree with this. I didn't listen to most of the boots of this year and did notice how rough Eddie's voice was......but he does sound fantastic at his solo shows...

For the record, I think he still sounds AMAZING at all the PJ shows. So his voice cracks a few times. I don't give a fuck - he sounds great!! I've enjoyed several of the 2012 boots! Even in Missoula, where he was sick with a cold, he sounds fantastic, it's a great boot, and you really couldn't tell he wasn't in perfect health until the very last song, where he actually put a hand to his throat from the effort - what a trooper. He's just fine; PJ isn't going to stop rocking. He might simply have to lower a note here and there. No big deal. I disagree that his voice "sounds rough." I only have noticed that there is a note he's having some trouble with, and that he's trying to adjust. Fair enough, he's nearly 50.

Even though he sounded a little rough I still think he sounded great! I'm usually never the one to complain about his voice....but did notice he was a little off his game.....but then again I wasn't at the show so I can't say for sure. He is still one of the best singers out there IMO.

shetellsherself

PJ_Soul wrote:

For the record, I think he still sounds AMAZING at all the PJ shows. So his voice cracks a few times. I don't give a fuck - he sounds great!! I've enjoyed several of the 2012 boots! Even in Missoula, where he was sick with a cold, he sounds fantastic, it's a great boot, and you really couldn't tell he wasn't in perfect health until the very last song, where he actually put a hand to his throat from the effort - what a trooper. He's just fine; PJ isn't going to stop rocking. He might simply have to lower a note here and there. No big deal. I disagree that his voice "sounds rough." I only have noticed that there is a note he's having some trouble with, and that he's trying to adjust. Fair enough, he's nearly 50.

Agreed. Also his voice sounded incredible last night. Really beautiful.