The Singers Who Didn’t Quite Work Out
In light of the news that INXS and J.D. Fortune have parted on bad terms, here is the Classic Rock team’s verdict on all of the vocalists that never quite worked out as planned. Come in and add your own suggestions!
Sian Llewellyn (editor) – Gary Charone when he was in Van Halen. Why? Because he wasn’t Dave Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar.
Geoff Barton (editor at large) – ‘Ripper’ Owens, obviously. No one could replace Halford in Priest, even though Jugulator in particular is a pretty good album. AC/DC’s first singer Dave Evans – where would they be now if they hadn’t replaced him with Bon Scott? It doesn’t bear thinking about. Black Sabbath – David ‘Donut’ Donato. Not a good idea to replace Ozzy with a male model (even though these days, with his Armani outfits and all, Ozzy is something of a clothes horse himself…). Last but not least… ‘Kick Ass’ Kevin Kozak being forced out of Rox, to be replaced by Mark Savage (who also happened to be the band’s first vocalist, when he went under the moniker of Mark Anthony). One of the saddest, most tragic, most tearful days in rock, to be sure.
Ian Fortnam (reviews editor): Riding on the huge and unexpected domestic and stateside success of Love Your Money, Daisy Chainsaw were devastated by the departure of lead vocalist Katie Jane Garside.
So they recruited a new singer in the shape of Belinda Leith. A whole new set of songs were written and recorded and on the release of their second Belinda-fronted For They Know Not What They Do they hosted a press-only launch gig in Camden before setting off on their first UK tour with the new line-up.
Tragically one thing had been overlooked when recruiting the lovely Belinda.
Having never been onstage before her first press showcase she didn’t realise that she suffered with crippling stagefright. And a couple of gigs into the tour she quit, leaving guitarist and songwriter Crispin Gray to sing all the songs himself.
The album wasn’t what you’d call a hit.
On a similar note. Back in the sixties one lead vocalist was so paralysed with shyness and stagefright that he had to perform every gig with his back to the audience throughout.
Tired of starving, the band’s bass player suggested that the singer play a different character for each song and hide behind each theatrical persona he adopted. It worked, and as time passed one single character was settled upon. The meaner and nastier the singer played the part, the better the audiences liked it, so every night of his subsequent career the painfully shy and retiring singer had to hide behind the character which he eventually gave a name: Alice Cooper.
Dave Ling (news/Radar editor): Top of the list – Blaze Bayley because he sounded like Mike Yarwood doing an impression of Alistair McGowan mimicking Dickinson, very badly.
I think Graham Bonnet joining MSG has to be one of the most notorious.
But from a personal point of view: Nick Tart in Diamond Head?! What’s that all about? I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke, but Sean Harris is the real deal.
Get it together guys: 2009 for the DH comeback!
Joe Lynn Turner in Deep Purple?
Ray Wilson didnt exactly work out in Genesis, Calling All Stations was a very underrated album though in my opinion.
Cherone and Blaze were not too bad in Extreme and Wolfsbane, but really lacked something in their stints with VH and Maiden.
In his defense, Gary at least sang in key all the time, and the VH III tour had a perfect balance between Roth’s and Hagar’s material. And I wonder what would have happened if they had a chance to record a second album.
Blaze, on the other hand, shouldn’t have taken the job with Maiden in the first place. He struggled with the old material from day one, and had trouble even singing his songs on stage. Shame on Steve Harris for thinking he’d be the perfect man to front Maiden. And this considering thy had auditioned Doogie White months before Blaze took the job!!!
Jamie St James replacing Jani Lane to front Warrant, one album released and a tour then back to Balck n’ Blue.
Steve Augeri fronting Tyketto before Danny Vaughn forming ‘Vaughn’.
John Corabi leadin Crue to one of the best albums made to date by the band before Vince Neil making a return due to legal reasons
How about Jeff Scott Soto’s short stay Journey
Ian Gillan, brilliant singer, Black Sabbath, brilliant band, put the two together, not so good
Dave Ling, you’ll make Blaze Bailey paranoid, you know! Ha ha.
Gerry – Assault Attack was probably Bonnet’s best work ever, but live, yes, what a disaster.
Almost any vocalist Gary Moore has worked with, apart from Lynott (obviously!), because Moore himself has a fine voice.
gillan in sabbath!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i loved gillan in purple and his own band,but sabbath ,no!!!!!!!!!!
dio the perfect sabbath/rainbow singer!!
david reece replacing udo in accept…..
Never been a version of Foreigner without Lou Gramm
The band should be playing state fairs (oh they did do that-first with Johnny Edwards and now Kelly Hansen)
John Payne in Asia. John Wetton was a bit harsh when he said he couldn’t sing … but was not that far off the mark !!
Jeff Scott-Soto in Journey. Great singer but all wrong for Journey. Not good at all.
Haven’t heard Benoit David doing his Yes bit … but replacing Jon Anderson at this stage in the band’s career (even temporarilly) doesn’t feel like a smart move. No great surprise they haven’t lined up any UK dates …
Kick Ass Kev !!!!!
Love Ya Diamond
Hot On Ya Trax For Love
Do Ya Feel Like Lovin
Classics !!!
All because of Geoff ‘Deaf’ Barton !!!!!
Paul Rodgers with Queen. The greatest mis-match of all time ever – in the history of popular music. The greatest vocalist of all time, singing with perhaps the most over-rated band of all time! C’mon Rodgers re-form Free with Fraser and Kirke and get a young hot n’ hungary geetarist in and hey presto you’ll be singing some of the all time greatest songs again! Not the kack that you currently sing with Queen !!
David Reece, who replaced Udo Dirkschneider in Accept (although Udo’s initial replacement was Rob Armitage from Baby Tuckoo). Reece was/is not a bad singer and “Eat the Heat” is by no means a bad album but Udo is THE lead signer of Accept.
Anette Olzon replacing Tarja Turunen in Nightwish.
Replacing Paul Rodgers with Brian Howe in Bad Company wasn’t probably a very good idea either.
Another singer who didn’t quite work out: Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe replacing Keith Caputo in Life Of Agony.
Johnny Solinger of Skid Row. Not quite the full Sebastian Bach if you ask me.
Thomas Vikström, who replaced Messiah Marcolin, the Friar Tuck of Heavy Metal, in Candlemass.
Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan replacing the mighty Cronos in Venom.
Steve Grimmett, who replaced Sy Keeler in Onslaught on the “In Search of Sanity” album. Steve was great on the three Grim Reaper albums, but joining Onslaught was a mistake.
Tony Mills (ex-Shy), who replaces Tony Harnell in TNT.
Tim “Ripper” Owens replacing Matthew Barlow in Iced Earth.
Mike DiMeo (ex-Riot) replacing Jorn Lande in Masterplan
Paul Shortino, who replaced the late Kevin Dubrow in Quiet Riot
Damond Jiniya, the guy who looked like Dani from Cradle of Filth, who all of a sudden became Savatage’s lead singer in 2001. What the hell were they thinking!
Wade Black, who replaced Midnight in Crimson Glory and Michael Olivieri in Leatherwolf
Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul becoming the new lead singer for Trouble (instead of Eric Wagner)
There will never be a real Journey without Steve Perry
I hope to see them reform and play live before I die
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