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is this just too weird?

B

b to g is yummy

Jan 6, 2007
270
2
Kitchener, Ontario Canada
www.unified-band.com
#1
My band's singer (thankfully) quit around new years. We haven't had much luck attracting decent candidates to fill the role.

Recently I got the brainwave that maybe our guitarist could be our new singer. He has a decent voice, although he'd definitly need some lessons as his technique is pretty bad. A friend of mine is moving back into the area after being gone a couple years. He is possibly twice the guitarist 'Jamie' is and a great guy. He has expressed interest in joining our band if "we ever need another guitarist".

This would give us:
-A decent singer who could play guitar (something we've been wanting)
-A singer who is humble
-A singer who is on the same page as the rest of the band
-A killer guitarist who would work his fanny off..

However..
current guitarist is fairly reserved, not exactly typical frontman material. He's also the youngest member (18). Rest of us are low 20's. I've been toying with the idea that he could sing and I could do a lot of the PR stuff onstage. I'm not terribly outgoing either, but people like me and think I'm funny. I just am not good at making stuff up on the fly...more the sit down and write something out to read....although with time and practise I'm sure I'd improve a lot. Also the *new* guitarist is really outgoing and could help out a lot with the speaking.

However, this just seems kinda weird to picture-seems like a shy, wimpy singer and a glory hungry bass player. :(

There's no rush for a singer, we're not desperate yet so obviously we want to take however long it'll take to get things the way we are comfy with.

And no no no...I am not becoming the lead vocalist!!!!! :rollno:

The cool thing would be that it would seem more like a 'band' than a one man show with every one of us chipping in our $0.02. Might even be a refreshing change for people.

I haven't mentioned this idea yet to anyone, I just wanted some good ol TB feedback before i open my yapper. I have a feeling current guitarist isn't gunna like this idea!!
 
#2
I am a bass player who was in a situation similar to yours a few bands ago. I became "lead singer" because we couldn't find anyone else to do the job. Did it work? Yes I think so. Did we fool anyone? Hell no. Everyone seemed to know that we didn't have a lead singer. But to be honest, how many bands really do? A truly talented vocalist that fits in with a group is a rare thing. More often I think people just work hard and are sincere and that is usually enough. We worked hard at playing and played hard and people appreciated it--even if the vocals were frequently less than stellar.

Stage dynamics: don't sweat it. I think a little sincerity and humor goes a long way. There have been many bands where the "lead singer" doesn't have good stage banter. It doesn't matter who is talking as long as they are trying to engage the crowd in an unpretentions way and the breaks between songs aren't that long. Unless you are Willie Nelson, few people are there to hear you (or anyone else in the band) talk. In my current band, no one care hear what our lead singer says between songs anyway. The PA usually isn't mixed right to pick up when he is talking as the PA is mixed to make him clear while he sings. People know he's (or occasionally we're) talking but can't hear a damn thing he says.

Your plan sounds good. Try it out.

Hope that helped.
 
#4
Don't worry about your new singer's reserved personality. As soon as he gets the first bra thrown at him, he is going to turn into an 18 year old David Lee Roth & 'assume' the position of musical director & creative visionary & head negotiator of the band. Sorry to make problem worse.
 
#5
There's nothing weird about it at all. In my one band the singer was never outgoing, hated stage banter, a didn't project much presence. But me and the drummer would ham it up on the mics and we were pretty animated onstage with all sorts of goofy antics. But we were a band-band not a lead singer's band.

We're trying again with a new singer who is more of a frontman and not uncomfortable playing songs with names like "Bitch, Get Out of my Kitchen" or "Crisco Inferno".
 
#8
well, your lead singer has to have a good voice. Even drunk people notice a bad singer.

But my current gig has taught me something that I always knew but didn't realize the impact of fully until now -- that the lead singer is most effective when he/she is an ENTERTAINER as well. My current lead singer isn't pretty, he has a good voice but not the best I've ever heard -but what separates us from other bands around here (and we are pulling in a $1000 minimum a gig, and usually get more, so yes we have success) is that he really knows how to interact with the crowd and draw their interest! Not just throwing out "Hey, how's everyone doing tonight? Are you ready to rawwwwwwwwwwwwk??" No, he's much more than that. We grab people's attention and hold it and I think a big share of the credit goes to him.

So I wouldn't have a band of mine fronted by a wall flower. No way.
 
#9
We have a female singer that is now prohibited from interacting with the crowd unless she is singing. (long story, but essentially she's a mental midgit in front of people) Our keyboard player does all the talking, song introductions, etc. Works fine, the singer just has to either turn around or step back, or some how get out of the way.
 
#10
If your singer is anything like ours.. then its definitely worth trying..

10 months ago this guy wouldn't say a word into a microphone..

Now hes our lead singer/guitarist and hes doing very well..

Link Removed

lol.. the myspace hasn't been updated in like.. 4 months.. the name has changed to Black Blues and those tracks have finally been mixed. They still sound pretty good though.. listen to devil and the deep blue sea..

anyway.. its worth a shot :o
 

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