The strange thing is that they had really used a live performance for TOTP back in 2001:

Yeah, it looks like this was the raw footage used for something else.

Isn't that footage from Anaheim on the opening night of the tour? They broadcast the first three songs live.

But it's no live (the audio) and the arena is empty...

Here's a reply I got from Walleris when I was a bit more optimistic about Jon's voice than most members here:

"I will mark your words and show it to you the next time Jon butchers a super easy song and you will look really stupid."

I mean, am I stupid for actually noticing some level of improvement in Jon's vocals - something that many others have done as well? Are we all complete morons?

EDIT: I understand. Back when I posted my original verdict about Jon's current situation as a vocalist and a performer, I wrote the following:

"If the progression continues in the way it's lately been, the guy will probably be back to decent vocal shape on the European tour next year."

I didn't mean "decent" by '08-'11 standards, as those times were vocally too good to ever be matched - let alone surpassed - again. For me, a decent-sounding Jon can be heard here:

https://youtu.be/ASu7VtQVEOM

His vocals are not perfect and he's gripping the f*** out of the mic stand, but there's power, punch and energy. Instead of whispering and shouting, he at least attempts to SING the whole song as resonantly as he can and manages to stay in key for the most part, whereas nowadays he struggles mightily to control his pitch even during the verses.

I don't think that level of vocal consistency is impossible for Jon to regain.

Aloha !

Yes.

Salaam Aleikum,
Sebastiaan

Welcome back, Seb!

Thank you for your polite and thoughtful answer. I appreciate it very much. I don't know you and you don't know me, but I can safely say that I also think Jon's voice sucks ass now in general, and I - for one - still haven't thrown the towel in regarding him or the band yet.

However, have you thought about all the stressing things Jon's been going through during the last 4-5 years? The recent times haven't been easy for him to take, and I'm sure that he feels really bad about sounding this poor, as we all know him being a perfectionist.

Also, his voice went downhill exceptionally (dare I say, unnaturally) fast back in 2013. How do you explain that? I mean, he was still sounding somewhat tolerable in March/April - at times even in June, like during the encore in Milan - and then horrendous in July. How do you explain that? Or were the best vocal performances in June (especially Love's The Only Rule, These Days and This Ain't A Love Song - for the most part, Always sounded rather poor back then already) "Jon putting on 120% effort in an unsustainable way", as Walleris often calls Jon's effort on the more demanding stuff?

Let's see.

These renditions of TD and TAALS don't sound that bad:

https://youtu.be/FJjFwnsFw7g

https://youtu.be/8HfPJN-ocok

These versions of I'll Be There For You and Always do. Actually, they sound horrible:

https://youtu.be/B4uWJBUoglI

https://youtu.be/9hVGvxrh3dw

Can this level of vocal deterioration be natural in such a short time? I mean, it's been more than four years since the end of the BWC tour, and Jon still doesn't sound any better. I honestly think he needs to recover from something more difficult or severe than your average technique-related vocal problems.

I'm not being funny, we all go through stress in our lives, but we still have to get up everyday, go to work and do our job adequately. Hell, I'm sure that Jon as a lot more tools as his disposal than most of us here when it comes to dealing with whatever stress has been put upon him. I'm tired of hearing that used as a constant excuse for his terrible vocals.

The sudden decline is not uncommon for singers, at all, especially when you get to a certain age. It's pretty clear that Jon hasn't looked after his voice as well as he perhaps should have over the years. The smoking, the constant pushing of his vocals on stage, even the way his voice was trashed during the slippery tour could have done some serious long term damage that didn't show it's ugly head until much later in life. These are not easy songs on anyone vocals chords! Sometimes, there is no specific way to explain why a voice goes it's just does through years of use. Like when you're Car breaks down all of a sudden after working perfectly for years...

By the way, has Seb always been as rude as he was towards me on his previous post? I mean, it's clear that he's no longer the kind of a fan he used to be, but I don't appreciate it turning into disrespect towards the people that still somehow believe in Jon and the band (like me).

If you're implying that Jon is not doing everything possible to get his voice back, I have to disagree... no one works harder than Jon at anything...

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