Bruce's voice during the years

Bruce is rare case (well not the only one but still) as singer, because even if he had that voice in the younger years, he has somehow done miracle and he's also managed to heal his voice and kept good care of it. If he hadn't done so and not cared at all, it would have gone much faster downward spiral.
Now he's had remarkably well and long career. His voice and it's change during the years is deeply interesting really. During his solo-albums he fully found his own voice and managed to use it a bit more richer.
Everyone around his age (62) as singer must have had off-nights and bad ones..sure there has been rougher times for Bruce in 80's (some dates during World Slavery Tour which was too long and it didn't recover fully and Somewhere On Tour were he was sick on some dates as also on the next tour Seventh Tour Of A Seventh Tour too) but also later parts of more recent tours (for example Maiden England World Tour 2012-2014 + LOTB 2019) had problems and the only thing Im worried is that long tours without taking proper rest might be behind and so, they must do tours and then rest more. LOTB 2018 was his peak performances for long time, it was absolutely outstanding how he sang there..those who were lucky to witness those shows know it.
He's older now and so, it has more negative effect if they do too much shows and too long tours..the voice can't handle it all. Everyone might be sick and cold, but the singer suffers the most. Maiden should definitely keep on doing shorter tours.
 
Ascendingthethrone said:
I’m being Captain Obvious here but I believe Bruce has mostly sounded at his best when they have done shorter tours. Ed Hunter, GMETID, Early Days, AMOLAD and LOTB 2018. Longer tours have always taken a toll on his voice. Unless someone can change my mind on that.
Click to expand...
bruce voice during 1999 ed hunter tour is for me at the top. And i like a lot donington 1992. He sings the songs really good
 
Shavasku said:
Really? I think he sounded better in 2016 (especially on first months of TBOS tour) than 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Click to expand...

2016 was quite a mixed bag IMO. Although, he had 2 strings of dates where he sounded incredlible. One was in South America and the other was Dortmund-Ullevi, with exception of Switzerland and Austria, where he had a cold.
 
1997 - 2010 was, for me, his best years. TBOS tour was mixed bag - he was recovering from cancer, sometimes his voice was amazing, sometimes not so much. LOTB - I leg was mind-blowing for me, second one not so much. Either way - in terms of singing I'll take any 90+ recording over the 80s. He lost some of his range but he's putting more emotions and storytelling into singing to make up for that.
 
Zare said:
That album is more disjoint than people perceive it to be. If you take out the concept glue (Prophecy, Only The Good Die Young), what you're left with is a combination of almost thrash heavy metal and almost glam hard rock. Afterwards, only Smith wanted to pursue the latter. Rest of them didn't.
Click to expand...

Almost thrash metal in SSOASS? With the keyboards?

TETMD, The Clairvoyant and Infinite Dreams are classic heavy metal IMO. The only commercial/radio-friendly song is CIPWM (which can be categorized with glam metal). Moonchild is a very fast-paced song and the title track is a progressive epic, I guess.
 
Meliegree said:
1997 - 2010 was, for me, his best years. TBOS tour was mixed bag - he was recovering from cancer, sometimes his voice was amazing, sometimes not so much. LOTB - I leg was mind-blowing for me, second one not so much. Either way - in terms of singing I'll take any 90+ recording over the 80s. He lost some of his range but he's putting more emotions and storytelling into singing to make up for that.
Click to expand...

I agree with you and also would take the years 1997-2010 as my favorite.
 
So BoS vs LotB: I saw both shows, and even though Bruce was sick during the Washington DC (Bristow VA) show I saw, he still sounded much better than he did when I saw them three years earlier at Madison Square Garden for the BoS tour. And he still sounded phenomenal on that tour.
 
I've always wondered if Bruce putting on some Raspy tones during NPFTD and subsequent touring had a lasting affect on his voice.
In NPFTD he sounded great. Most of the time he was sweet and smooth, but on some occasions he put on a rasp. I think it was great experimentation and worked well.

But, perhaps it damaged his signing voice. On Fear of the Dark he sounds really bad. It was quite a shock to listen too. And over the years he has gotten worse, especially on the high notes, very strained.
It doesn't help how Shirley produces his voice, often with layers that make him sound more strained than he is.
 
MindlessPieces said:
I've always wondered if Bruce putting on some Raspy tones during NPFTD and subsequent touring had a lasting affect on his voice.
In NPFTD he sounded great. Most of the time he was sweet and smooth, but on some occasions he put on a rasp. I think it was great experimentation and worked well.

But, perhaps it damaged his signing voice. On Fear of the Dark he sounds really bad. It was quite a shock to listen too. And over the years he has gotten worse, especially on the high notes, very strained.
It doesn't help how Shirley produces his voice, often with layers that make him sound more strained than he is.
Click to expand...
I think he said he tried something different on that album, but on fear of the dark tour for me sounds amazing
 
MindlessPieces said:
I've always wondered if Bruce putting on some Raspy tones during NPFTD and subsequent touring had a lasting affect on his voice.
In NPFTD he sounded great. Most of the time he was sweet and smooth, but on some occasions he put on a rasp. I think it was great experimentation and worked well.

But, perhaps it damaged his signing voice. On Fear of the Dark he sounds really bad. It was quite a shock to listen too. And over the years he has gotten worse, especially on the high notes, very strained.
It doesn't help how Shirley produces his voice, often with layers that make him sound more strained than he is.
Click to expand...

Always liked the rasp on Fear of the Dark. "Judas My Guide" is such a great song and would have been way less good without that particular style.

Never thought he sounded very strained on high notes. He pushes himself, sure, but it doesn't sound either unhealthy or bad (arguably very subjective).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top