Jon's Voice
 

Do you think he sounds better than 2015??Is there a chance of improvement until the 2017 tour??

Definitely sounds better than 2015 but still not even close to sounding 'good'

On the new songs he sounds decent enough but BM and Who Says are still a challenge.

I think he is getting better slowly. A world tour could kill him vocally even more or it could get him back to some sort of decent vocal.

He is sounding better with each performance I think, though...

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Nope, sounds exactly the same.

He only sang Who Says and Bad Medicine in recent shows - one is really easy and the other one has plenty of ways of dodging the higher notes. And yet, at certain notes it was still obvious how struggling he was to go even remotely higher.

Once the 2017 tour starts and more older songs return to the setlist, people will realize that.

I think that tunning down to Eb or D will make his job easier

I can't imagine a world tour without These Days, Always, BOR, IBTFY, SIBSN performed on every single show...

I guess we can also say goodbye to rarities like Hey God, Something To Believe In, TIALS etc.

Might help with the high notes, but what concerns me is his shortness of breath.

Ever since I watched the Target show video I've wondered if there isn't a pulmonary or respiratory issue. From all accounts, Jon works out regularly, so it's not that he's simply out of shape; but in that show he couldn't finish a single line of Bad Medicine without skipping words to grab for air.

Maybe that's why he stands behind the mic so much. He doesn't have the wind to move around a lot AND sing, so he has to choose.

It might also explain his remark at the BB King Runaway show when he first started talking about the new album and said the band might go out again in February... "depending on everyone's health and well-being".

Slightly better than 2015 but still a long way off even 2013.

However, it's not an issue on the new songs, as literally every one sounded fine vocally. Who says sounded OK, sadly, but bad medicine was horrible. It'll be interesting to see what songs he can still do and which ones he can't. Might need to share more vocals like on THINFS

We already did, halfway through the 2013 tour.

2017 rarities will be 2010-2011 regular songs and 2013 audibles.

Does he has a vocal coach?

I don't think the reason rarities were dropped in 2013 was because of vocal stuff. He DID do rarities that tour btw (Undivided, some album cuts from These Days). Pulling a song out of nowhere is more complicated when it becomes "Has Phil learned this one"

Also someone mentioned tuning to Eb, they've been doing that for decades. Going even lower, I think would just sound wrong.

There is also what defines rarities and I do not limit my definition or high ranking of them to songs from These Days or prior. After The Circle /Greatest Hits Tour, I kind of had my appetite for those filled and getting Dry County in LA on the BWC tour didn't do anything for me.

Undivided is a bona fide rarity now, as would be Next 100 Years, The Distance, or even One Last Cigarette. "Everyday" practically qualifies as a rarity! I remember folks being quite excited when they opened with Bounce in 2011.. I believe it was in London?

That's why I said halfway through the 2013 tour. What rarities did he do starting September? Thick as Thieves? He stopped doing them after the European leg for the most part. It's no coincidence that starting September most ballads were dropped from the regular set (the ballads actually became the rarities!), Saturday Night electric was permanently replaced with acoustic version, etc.

If you don't think Jon's voice was the reason for drastic changes in the setlist from legs 1-3 to 4-5, you are wrong. Jon's voice has EVERYTHING to do with EVERYTHING as far as setlists go.

Dresden ;) I was there...and excited :D

Thank you! :)

Really? Was there myself and had forgotten about that :-(

Yeah, still does.

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Yep. This and Undivided :)

I was also in Dresden and for me was one of the best shows of the tour.

Guys please stay on topic.

This thread is for one purpose only - trash Jon's voice :D

I just don't get how weak he is on songs in such low keys. I think it's more than just his range has gone. He's got no confidence in his vocals. He's playing it extra safe on songs he should/could be singing with more power.

That's also my impression. But I'm optimistic. Jon is a fighter. :)

He doesn't and he has talked in a recent interview about that reasons are more of psychological nature.

Yeah, I got that impression, too. Sometimes he seems to go for it (like in the Toronto show in some parts), and then his voice seems "normal" (i.e. not so weak), whereas when he thinks too much, he seems to hold himself back.

its obvious he overthinks it in certain songs like the intro line of bad medicine when he is off time, a bit late these days while in the past it was second nature for him to be right on the beat of bad medicine

Forget the rarities, Jon has trouble singing his standard catalog. Obviously the reason behind this series of concerts that exclusively feature THINFS songs, including a live stream, is so that the songs will catch on with the fans and be a prominent part of the 2017 tour. I think this is very wise. The new songs are structured so that they are easier vocally. Also Jon is supported more vocally on stage and the band members are being featured more. The new members add energy and Jon is letting the band stand out more so it is not "all Jon all the time." That had always been a sore part with me that the band members weren't spotlighted more during the concert via the screens and via solo highlights. This new and improved band can only help take some of the stress off Jon and allow the fans to be even more responsive.

Do you have a link to this interview?

I remember Shania Twain having problems with her voice too and how it was not the vocal chords being injured but psychological issues.

Here's (around min 5.50 or so):

Jon's Voice
 

Apart from the link above, there is also this clip, around 1:38, where Jon clearly indicates problems with his voice.

https://youtu.be/BnnmQUhGIvE


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I'm shocked that the guy struggles on WSYCGH or that doesn't even sing in the chorus of some new songs like THINFS. But the Tidal streaming sounded a little better than that Ellen show, hopefully he will improve a bit.

Is anyone on this board able to offer an explanation for Jon's vocal issues - I don't mean what has caused it, more about why he struggles on certain songs which to the untrained ear seem to be in a relatively easy key?

Singing live, how can he sound strong(ish) on tracks such as Come On Up To Our House then sound weak on tracks which do not seem to be any higher?

Stress! (Richie's leaving and bullshit with the record company)
Also extensive smoking doesn't help either.

But why does he seem fairly strong voiced on certain songs then weaker than a new born on other songs that seem quite similar? Is that a breathing issue or just technique? (As well as those factors you mentioned)

Probably both, just watch the Cleveland 2013 show and listen to the European 2013 shows after that. You can clearly see what stress did to him, lost his confidence in his voice.

Yeah, the confidence thing has really taken a hold oF him.

I'm convinced that is a major reason why he retained Shanks as producer all these years. I understand the friendship and collaborations are a big factor, but I can imagine Jon being wary of bringing in a new producer who may not realise the extent of his vocal decline.

That's an interesting point of view, you could be very right sir.

I've often thought this. Jon seems to be in his comfort zone and seems content to stay in his comfort zone. Shanks, just as much as anyone, will understand and know the problems with Jons vocals as he hears him day in-day out.

I never thought of it as a confidence or a psychological problem until we seen the video of Jon in the Karaoke bar and hit the Prayer notes better than he has in years.

When Jon is about to hit a note higher than a lower/mid range, you can see him almost prepare himself which is probably doing himself no favors. He's aware he has to go a bit higher and it's coming out strained.

Is he trying too hard? Has his upper range completely gone? Can he actually sing anymore?

I think the correct question is the first one.

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that karaoke video made the voice matter even more weird than it previous was...
he sings good in that clip...

someone correctly mentioned through the live stream it looked like he uses different techniques through the live,...

even during the speech after the second song jon looked too nervous and out of breath, of course he is getting older but maybe he has some serious anxiety issues the last years and tries to work them out...

if jon had confidence issues only he d be able to nail certain songs during rehearshals and casual gigs, it must be partialy phycological..i wonder if a surgery would help

he is nasally now & I also wonder if this is due to adenoids but indeed anxious of the surgery if it goes wrong?

Agreed. He grips that mic stand like his life depends on it.

Jon's voice on the howard stern show is the WORST i've ever heard Jon... He is pinching the high notes with everything he's got to get through bad medicine.. It was almost horrible.. He did MUCH better on IML and THINFS for obvious reasons... but wow was the older stuff bad.. I don't think it's anxiety or him "trying to hard", this man has been singing for 40 years, he knows what he's doing, he knows what works and what doesn't work..
Sadly, and I hate to say it, but his voice is shot.. be thankful it lasted this long lol.. We'll see major changes in the way he sings from now on just so he can get through a show/tour.

The band sounds great though!