(Health Warning: This post has VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THEATRE.)
We admit it.
We're biased.
Even when it comes to male MT performers, anyone taking a look at any of our posts will notice a clear preference and the same names cropping up again and again. So we've decided the time has come to try and be slightly more objective and less gushy about the boys, even if it is just for the length of this post, and to see if we can isolate some more (possibly non-MT) performers who have managed to impress us purely because of their talent and skill.
We've made our preference for male voices clear. We'd draw the line at male voice choirs but male soloists are a different matter. It's the pitch and the tone; a nice well rounded voice is like having a shot of whisky infront of a log fire on a cold winters day. Or something like that. And as much as we don't like high female vocals, we like a well controlled male falsetto (Drew Sarich, anyone...?) as much as a good baritone. But. No favouritism. Therefore, a selection of guys we think are great (with no mention at all of Drew Sarich, Ramin Karimloo, David Thaxton, Lee Mead, Michael Buble (we soooo heart Mike Bubble!) or Josh Groban. None of our usual suspects. Be gone with you!!). Oh, and we're not limiting this list to MT either. In fact, it barely gets a look in, as you will see. Just good male voices. Or talent. Male talent. Or charisma...You'll see what we mean in a moment...
There is a little something we need to make clear though. See, we both have always found ourselves admiring...men in eyeliner. Men in make up. Maybe it's the whole theatrical element of it but starting from the days Karina was convinced she'd marry Adam Ant (before we started squabbling over Simon Le Bon's hand) to finding ourselves mesmerised by Johnny Depp, especially in his guise as Captain Jack Sparrow...though he does a mean moody musician...
...as if any proof was needed. Sure, this love for a slightly dishevelled, rocky, arty, tortured soul (with eyeliner!) doesn't encompass why we love certain performers more than others...though we do have a theory that most theatre boys long to be a Rock God in their private lives, maybe to balance out the stigma being in MT can sometimes carry. But we digress. Just keep these points in mind whilst we take you through our latest list of marvellous performers..
Simon Shorten
Seen in Les Mis as 2nd understudy Valjean, Simon properly impressed us - and as Valjean that ain`t easy. We are fussy. We know what we like, and we like what we bloody well know. But Simon was a revelation - a pretty faultless voice, and the acting.....wow. Just wow. He was good. He will forever be known to us as Sunday Valjean. Strange but true.
Jeff Nicholson
Current (and soon to be departing....sob...) understudy Javert. He is about 7 foot tall, and strikes a pose. His voice is faultless, and WHY OH WHY he has not been given the principal role in recent years is a mystery. Especially when up against Nordic Javert. Who was UNINTELLIGABLE. (But cute.) Catch him while ye can people.....
Adam Duritz
A bit of a Tamsin one this. Karina has joined by default through our friendship and has been infected with a liking for this man, but Tamsins adoration for him has been there for more years than she cares to count. Not the most perfect vocal, often erratic performance wise, but in terms of songwriting the man is a God. A poet. A genius. And everytime you see him live it`s a new performance because he freestyles, mixes songs together, and make stuff up from his head. Its amazing. He`s a troubled soul, who is married to his music, and we love him.
' "If it's love" she said, "then were gonna have to think about the consequences"
She can't stop shaking and I can t stop touching her and.....
This time when kindness falls like rain
It washes her away and Anna begins to change her mind
"these seconds when I'm shaking leave me shuddering
for days" she says.
"And I'm not ready for this sort of thing." '
ANNA BEGINS by Counting Crows.
You can`t argue with lyrics like that. And we are not alone in this............
Steven Tyler
If Adam Duritz was a 'Tamsin', this choice is a 'Karina'. The man is skinny, looks like a ferret with a huge big mouth, loves a good scarf and has been around forever. The frontman of Aerosmith knows how to perform and is mesmerising to watch on stage. And to listen to. Talk about having a 'Rock-voice'. And there's something about him that is just...just is. It is with much sadness that Karina admits some of this man's glow has vanished since he sold out by becoming a judge on American idol but what can you do other than Rock On.
Michael Xavier
Michael is still something of an enigma to us. A very pretty enigma. We've heard his name crop up all over the place; first in 'Into the Woods' (which we never got around to seeing, bummer) and then in 'Love Story' (which we missed, double bummer). But we heard him sing both at the WOS awards and the Oliviers. And he looks mighty fine with a bit of eyeliner (please see exhibit A) and the boy can sing. Beautifully. We will make it our mission to see him in whatever he is in next. It's our duty.
Adam Lambert
If ever a man was born to be on stage, Adam is it. Witness please as he wipes the stage floor with actual American Idol winner Kris .....something. There really is no comparison. Freddie lives and breathes.
Tony Vincent
While we are on Freddie, Tamsin was underwhelmed at her inaugural visit to We will Rock You, but overwhelmed by the stage presence and talent (also the eyeliner) of the original Galileo. Tony Vincent was a huge part of the shows success we feel - let`s face it, it wasn`t the script....
Matt Bellamy
Another mysterious choice, this one, but one that is particularly close to Karina's heart. The frontman of Muse just has that 'Je ne sais quoi' (and eyeliner) with the addition of vocals that, at their best, leave you breathless. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Wouldn't quite drink his bathwater, but he is spectacular all the same.
Tom Chaplin
Public schoolboy with the vocal chords of an angel. Seriously. If you have not seen the frontman of Keane live, raising the roof with the sheer belt of his voice, then you should do so before you die. End of. No eyeliner, sadly. He`s just not that rock n roll.... but he can sing. Oh yes.
Kelly Jones
Oh deear lord. Witnessed by Tamsin at the V festival back in the day, this man is sex on legs. Short in stature, big in stage presence, with a voice like he has smoked 60 B & H before he takes to the stage.... one person who defines the rock voice. Better than the grandaddy he models himeself on, Rod Stewart.
Listen & weep.
And there you have it. We didn't manage a post without a gush or two, and we conclude we're no more objective, either.
Do we care?
That would be a no, then...!
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