Tenology: Songs That Would Make Great Rock/Metal Covers

Sometimes, you'll hear a Rock or Pop song and think "Damn, that's good but it would sound so much better by a different band/in a different style". Well, here are ten cases where I thought exactly that! In the first of this week's blog posts, I'll be writing about ten songs that I believe would sound even better if tackled by another set of musicians, whether that means they'd faithfully record a rendition of the track with their signature sound OR they'd completely rebuild the foundations of the song from the ground up in a brand new style.
The songs I've picked to be covered by different bands come from a variety of genres so I'm not limiting the originals to JUST Rock or Pop. The cover versions will be Rock or Metal but I'm hoping at the very least, this post will introduce some viewers to a new way of thinking about music, potentially giving them more joy from hearing songs as they imagine riffs and melodies played on different instruments or with a new vocalist behind the mic.

It should go without saying that this is entirely based around my opinion and that at the time of writing this blog, none of these covers actually exist. This is a purely hypothetical post; a musical thought experiment that you may or may not agree with that is in no way meant to shit all over the original songs UNLESS I state otherwise. As a result, I might include covering bands that are no longer recording music or have had new members join that don't necessarily represent the sound that I had in mind when thinking about them covering certain songs. To make things easier, I've included a Spotify playlist of the original songs and examples of music by different bands that have been responsible for my opinions here at the bottom of this post which you can listen to once the sound of me forcefully scraping the bottom of the barrel has passed.

1. "Jesus He Knows Me" - Avenged Sevenfold
Original by Genesis (1991)

I don't mind the music of Avenged Sevenfold; to me, they're a serviceable modern Heavy Metal band with a few belters and a lot of angsty crap for teens BUT some of their bigger, louder hits with double bass drumming and furious guitar solos are great. To me, "Jesus He Knows Me" is a good Pop Rock song with a catchy melody but a little too light to enjoy to the max. Genesis did a fine job of gathering all the materials; they wrote some decent lyrics, played great melodies that suit the song well and did the best they could. HOWEVER, what the song needs is a more aggressive sound to really drive home the "fuck you" subtext the lyrics contain in their damning take on evangelical con artists.
I've always wanted to hear a Heavy Metal cover of this track with double bass and more complex guitar work to keep the momentum of the song going and I feel that Avenged Sevenfold could do a fine job of that (so could Disturbed, but they've already done a Metal cover of Genesis). Plus, I reckon the abrasive sound of M. Shadows' voice would fit into the vocal melody of this song quite well; it's not a challenging track to sing so it doesn't require a vocalist capable of falsetto or long sustained lines, just one who can carry a tune. All in all, I think an Avenged Sevenfold cover that maintains and then enhances the energy from the original could be awesome, so long as they're not TOO faithful to the point that they daren't add any guitar solos or frills.


2. "Love Lies Bleeding" - Rush
Original by Elton John (1973)

NOTE: If you're listening to this on the Spotify player, you'll need to skip to around about 5:36 to hear "Love Lies Bleeding"; you don't need to bother with "Funeral For A Friend".
This is one that I may need to rethink as to whether it'd be "better" than the original but I'd still be very interested in hearing Rush tackle this cracking Elton song, especially since the original Elton John track has many elements that are typical of your standard Rush track. The guitar tone sounds pretty damn similar to Lifeson's, the active bass screams Geddy Lee and I can imagine Geddy's voice, albeit adapted slightly to suit his vocal style.
The only thing that stops me from thinking this is cover would be a surefire success is the use of piano. Rush have definitely been known for using keys in their music (fuckin' "Tom Sawyer", anyone?) but to me, Rush are more synth and less piano. However, the piano solo could very easily be played on acoustic guitar, something Rush have done MANY times. Combine that acoustic solo with the full electric sound of Lifeson unchained (especially during the outro) and you may have a damn fine cover. For more evidence that this Glam Rock song would make a fine Prog Rock cover, seek out the Dream Theater cover of the same song.


3. "Oh Well (Part One)" - The Who
Original by Fleetwood Mac (1969)

This song has had a shitload of cover versions over the years but to me, there has yet to be a perfect version of this song. Even the Fleetwood Mac original has a tepid solo that sounds great the first couple of times but would be much better with more energy behind it. To me, the perfect version of this song must have the following features: clean acoustic guitar riffs in the intro, tight vocal melodies (none of that loose, freeform shit that some Blues artists do; keep the momentum going), heavy percussion during the breakdown, sweet licks during the electric guitar solo, MAYBE a second solo at the end instead of Part 2. To this date, I have yet to find a cover version that satisfies all of those criteria. So who do I think is capable of rising to the challenge? I don't know. Who do I think COULD have risen to the challenge before they lost their magic? The Who...or Led Zeppelin, but let's say The Who for now.
They've proven that they can play clean acoustic guitar riffs with songs like "Pinball Wizard" and "Behind Blue Eyes", Daltry and Townshend have demonstrated tight vocal performances across their back catalogue, Keith Moon knows how to make an entrance when appropriate and "Young Man Blues" from their Live At Leeds record shows they know how to play a kickass breakdown with plenty of great solos/riffs. Back in their prime, The Who could've blown this song out of the water but sadly, I doubt we'll ever get a perfect version of this song. At least we've had some great attempts by bands like Aerosmith, Tom Petty The Rockets and even The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which, to me, arguably comes the closest.


4. "Brown Sugar" - Thin Lizzy
Original by The Rolling Stones (1971)

OK, I know for a fact that this would've been amazing. Much like everything The Rolling Stones released after 1970, "Brown Sugar" suffers from sounding bland and slow compared to Rock released around that time. However, the song has a great riff and catchy melodies, just played in the most bland possible way. This got me thinking about another song with fine riffs that was played in a boring, tiresome way; "Rosalie" - Bob Seger. If you've never heard his original version of that song, don't bother. It sucks. Even his live versions suck. Fortunately, a little Irish band named Thin Lizzy took the song and covered it for their Fighting album. Granted their studio version wasn't amazing either but when they played it live, as recorded for the Live And Dangerous record, my God. It was fan-bloody-tastic!
They sped up the tempo, added some fun little solos and brought the fucking fire. Lynott's voice sounds incredible too, easily worthy of carrying Bob Seger's lyrics. Now imagine them, on the same tour on the same stage, belting out a rendition of "Brown Sugar". Slightly sped up, heavier riffing, an actual vocalist who can sing performing instead of Mick Jagger, it would be better in every single way. But no, let's keep listening to the Rolling Stones version instead of a Rock song that actually, ya know, rocks. Woooooooooo bland sugar.


5. "Hello" - Shinedown
Original by Adele (2015)

I've said in the past that Chris Cornell could've sung an amazing cover of this track similar to the Disturbed cover of "The Sound Of Silence". However, that ain't happening until we can clone him from hair samples and lizards to fill in missing genetic details so it's time to find an alternative; a band that can bring the thunder with a vocalist who sounds sort of like Chris Cornell. Oh, hey, a band like that happens to exist! They're called Shinedown and yeah, they'd also do a great job with this song. Shinedown have shown that they can belt out Cornellian vocals ("Heroes", "Black Cadillac") but also take some time out to record sensitive, emotionally driven tracks that aren't really in the Rock genre ("Misfits", "Through The Ghost").
The main thing the cover would need is a strong vocal performance. The rest of the band can basically take the day off whilst Brent Smith does his work, although the piano could be covered with muted guitar chords...or just piano. I'm not certain if Shinedown's cover would be "better" than the original but I'd still give it a listen, provided Brent doesn't phone it in. This song would be a great opportunity for him to push himself, as I can't recall a softer Shinedown song where he really pushes himself to reach similar emotional heights that Adele does. However, based on their cover of "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd, I don't think it'll be an impossible feat. Interestingly enough, Shinedown have actually covered "Someone Like You" - Adele in live concerts before!


6. "The Moon Upstairs" - Poison
Original by Mott The Hoople (1971)

Mott The Hoople are largely known for their Glam Rock singles such as "All The Young Dudes" and "Roll Away The Stone" released around the end of the band's career. However, before David Bowie got involved, Mott The Hoople were mostly a standard 70s Hard/Classic Rock outfit with some heavy tracks like "The Moon Upstairs". It's a good song but the mix is a little weak and the fuzzy guitar/organ combo means it's difficult to appreciate the riff when it sounds like it was recorded in a pub instead of a recording studio. A good cover of this song would keep the structure the same but basically have each instrument and vocal melody sound a lot clearer, so a band with decent production values would do a solid job.
So why Poison instead of any other Hard Rock/(Hair) Metal band? Even though Poison have been ridiculed lately for their lame music and weak guitarist, their covers album Poison'd has some solid covers of 70s/80s Rock tracks, each with clearer guitar without pissing all over the original material. I feel like Poison could do this song justice both musically and vocally, as I can imagine hearing the song's riffs played in their style and it doesn't sound bad. Of course, there are probably lesser known bands that would do an excellent job at covering this song but I wouldn't bet against Poison doing a solid job too.


7. "Don't Stop Believin'" - Billy Idol
Original by Journey (1981)

I've gone on record as saying that I think this song is overrated as fuck, even if that is a slightly overrated opinion. I do not get why everybody adores this song when it's easily one of Journey's weaker Rock songs BUT I will concede that when sped up slightly, "Don't Stop Believin'" becomes pretty awesome (just like "Night Moves" - Bob Seger and "Man In The Box" - Alice In Chains). I would love a cover version of this song slightly sped up but with similar guitar tones, which got me thinking about other 80s Rock artists who could take this song on...like Billy Idol.
Imagine a version of "Don't Stop Believin'" but with a little more of a "Rebel Yell" twist. Slightly faster and with softer vocals from Mr Idol during the verses. I'll admit that the chorus might sound weaker due to Idol's rougher singing compared to Steve Perry's but everything else from the guitar solos to the build up throughout the song would be great. I'm not sure if the piano intro would be better played on keyboard or a special guitar tone but I would still love to hear this version one day, especially since this is easily more likely than most of the others in this list.


8. "Billie Jean" - Ozzy Osbourne
Original by Michael Jackson (1982)

This blog post probably should've featured more Pop songs reimagined as Rock/Metal covers but since I'm not as familiar with Pop that's in desperate need of reworking compared to Rock, this is what you've got. However, I can say with certainty that "Billie Jean" would be a great Metal song if handled properly. Hell, many Rock/Metal bands have tried to record heavier versions of this song (and I'm not counting the terrible Chris Cornell version) and they're all relatively decent. However, I reckon that 90s era Ozzy could've rocked this song in a way none of those bands could've even touched.
Imagine the opening bass on rhythm guitar with subdued bass underneath, maybe some keys/synth accompaniments underneath. Then you've got the string melody played on lead guitar before Ozzy's vocals come in. It might not have been as tight as MJ's originals but you know the sound of Ozzy's voice with each lyric dripping out of his lips would've sounded pretty cool. Then we get to the chorus, which I believe would've translated really well into Ozzy's proper singing voice. Songs like "Miracle Man" and "Perry Mason" are proof that Ozzy could sing on occasion and when you factor in the inevitable guitar solo this cover would've got? I'll say no more.


9. "Antisocial" - Samson
Original by Trust (1980)

If you're not familiar with "Antisocial" - Trust, it's a French Hard Rock/Heavy Metal song from the 80s by the band that Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain used to be in. Most people will know the French original by Trust or the English cover by Anthrax (which is a little too Punk/Thrash to me) but Trust actually recorded one with English lyrics. Same music, just without all the French words...and it sucks. Well, the chorus does. Their vocals are terrible enough to ruin the otherwise decent verses and great music. With that in mind, we need a cover of this song with music as close as possible to the original and vocals by someone who can sing them properly IN ENGLISH (although the French version is fine after a few listens).
Enter Samson! Their music sounds kinda close to Trust (particularly the guitar tones in songs like "Hunted" and "Riding With The Angels") but with a different member of Iron Maiden involved. Bruce Dickinson was with Samson before he joined Iron Maiden, channelling his best Ian Gillan imitation for most of their hits. I can imagine Bruce kicking ass covering the vocals for this song before he got into his operatic phase. Then again, I think Bruce could do justice to most songs he covered, regardless of whether it's with Iron Maiden, Samson or his solo career.


10. "Bust A Move" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Original by Young MC (1989)

The last song in the list and there's actually some justice behind this choice, which I'll explain in a bit. Most of you will probably know the Young MC track but did you know that the bassline throughout the track was written and played by RHCP bassist Flea? You did? Well did you also know that he got paid a pathetic amount of money for his work on the song too, even claiming that the record label lied about how much work he actually did when it came to writing and playing the riff? My point is that even though the original will be more well known, I think it'd be pretty good to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers play a Funk Rock version with Flea on bass again.
However, ignoring all the financial bullshit about this track, I reckon mid-90s RHCP would do a damn fine job of covering it. Their cover of "Love Rollercoaster" in Alt-Funk style was decent and tracks like "Give It Away" prove that the band aren't against quickfire rap-like vocals. Naturally, it wouldn't be a serious cover like some of these but then, neither are many other RHCP covers.


So that's it. I'm sure there are songs I've missed that would make amazing covers but that's what you're here for! If there are Pop/Rock/Metal songs that you think would make sweet Rock/Metal covers, let me know via Twitter or the comment section.
COMING SOON: More video game posts and (hopefully soon) album reviews.
Oh, and here's the Spotify playlist!

Tenology: Valuable Vocalists In Rock/Metal

Here we are! The end of this four-part Tenology collection looking at impressive musicians who take on the four main roles of any great Rock/Metal outfit. We've covered guitarists, drummers and bassists so far so vocalists are finally getting their time in the spotlight...you know, apart from all the time when they're on stage.
As I feel obliged to mention whenever I write a Tenology post, this is not the equivalent of posts proclaiming that Vocalists 1-10 are THE best in Rock and/or Metal, nor is it my personal top 10 list of all time. There are almost certainly going to be talented vocalists that I overlook when writing this (I'm still kicking myself for completely missing a fucking awesome bassist in my last post. I might go back and edit it soon) but as the name suggests, this is merely a 10-person list of vocalists whom I would place on a pedestal.
If I've missed any shining stars that you believe deserve a space more than some of my other entries, feel free to let me know in the comments or via Twitter. However, if they've appeared in previous blog posts for their talents as a different musician (e.g. Geddy Lee of Rush) then you won't find them here, although chances are I value them as a vocalist if they can play and sing simultaneously. Also, be aware that there are some vocalists I have intentionally left out because I personally believe that when it comes to singing, they're a bit shit (or at best, overrated). Here are some of them!

Ozzy Osbourne
Mick Jagger
Bruce Springsteen
Janis Joplin
Bob Dylan
Serj Tankian
Blaze Bayley
Axl Rose

Right, now that we've got that unpleasantness out of the way, let's look at the valuable vocalists!


1. Paul Rodgers

Largely responsible for one of the best live shows I've ever been to

I don't usually write these posts in order of personal ranking but I felt like I had to start this list off on a strong note, so to speak. Paul Rodgers has been in quite a few groups over the years (notably Free and Bad Company, although he also recorded an album with Queen) but I'm mostly counting Paul's contributions as the Bad Company frontman for his placement here. The man's voice is simply incredible; smooth and soulful but able to fully Rock at the drop of a hat. Some of the bands big hits such as "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Electricland" showcase his ability to flawlessly flip between two different singing styles but if you need even more proof, go and see him perform live. The fact that the man can still belt out the classics after four decades as if he were in the studio laying them down for the first time is the sign of an incredible vocalist.


2. Klaus Meine

No, this isn't Ronnie James Dio

Compared to some vocalists, Klaus Meine probably isn't the first choice for a list of undeniably talented Rock/Metal frontmen but to me, there is no Scorpions without Klaus Meine. His raw vocals are synonymous with the band's own blend of Heavy Metal, whether it's in the band's iconic anthems ("Rock You Like A Hurricane", "Wind Of Change") or lesser known deep cuts ("Catch Your Train", "Another Piece Of Meat"). To me, the sign of a strong Rock/Metal vocalist is the ability to use the sound of their singing voice as its own instrument unique to that band. Some of the vocal melodies sung by Klaus give the songs that extra push that separates them from generic material by other 70s/80s Metal bands, hence his inclusion here.


3. Sean Harris

In an alternate universe, this guy is as popular as everyone else on this list

It's hard to compare the works of former Diamond Head vocalist Sean Harris to the rest of the entries on this list when you factor in that most iconic and well respected Rock/Metal vocalists have had many, many albums to hone their ability and make a splash on the music scene. However, the fact that Sean's only had a couple of albums worth of decent material to show how great he is only adds to my admiration of the man. There was a time when he was hailed as the next Robert Plant and after listening to such tunes as "It's Electric" and "Trick Or Treat", I can understand why. I'm hesitant to describe his singing as "wailing" because it sounds like criticism but if you've ever listened to the band, you'll know what I mean. His vocal work isn't as harsh or aggressive as you'd expect from a Metal band but it still works incredibly well. It's a shame these guys didn't get a bigger break as I imagine we only scratched the surface of what Sean Harris would've been truly capable of.


4. Steve Perry

Not sure if this guy counts as "underrated" but if there's a tier just behind that, this guy's in it

Whilst I'm not the biggest Journey fan on the planet, I would defend Steve Perry's inclusion on this list for one song and one song alone. Naturally he's a great vocalist on a wide range of Journey's material but whenever I think of his work, I always find myself drawn to one clear example of what I would consider his finest hour: "Keep On Runnin'". It's the kind of song that would inspire me to learn to sing just so I could blast it out without sounding like a completely tone-deaf wannabe although I doubt any amount of practise would make me capable of matching his vocals. The verses Rock extra hard because of his singing and the chorus is driven by the sheer power of his voice alone. Your average music fan will probably be impressed by his work on "Don't Stop Believing" and "Open Arms" but seriously, listen to "Keep On Runnin'" if you haven't already and tell me that this guy doesn't have pipes of fucking gold.


5. Stevie Nicks

From Steve to Stevie. If Aerosmith were a bit better, I could've had the hat trick

The first woman to appear on these Tenology posts although she's not the only one worthy enough to grace this list (hint hint). Fleetwood Mac has had a few vocalists but none as significant as Stevie Nicks. Stevie's stage presence and, most importantly, her voice gave the band a specific image; one of mysticism without going into full weird territory like some Prog Rock bands. Female vocalists like Lizzy Hale and Ann Wilson succeed in bringing power to songs through conventional means but Stevie Nicks achieves that same level of pure Rock through her haunting, raspy vocals that were easily responsible for putting Fleetwood Mac on the map. The whole Rumours album is essential listening if you want to hear some of her best work but there's also signature songs from her solo career, even if you think "Edge Of Seventeen" is a bit dull when it comes to the structure.


6. Phil Lynott

Photography 101: black and white makes everything better

I know I mentioned Phil Lynott in the honourable mentions of the bassist blog post BUT he didn't make the main cut so technically he's still a contender for this one. The main reason I didn't give Phil a proper place in the bassist post is because I believe he was a much greater vocalist than a bassist, hence his inclusion here. I mean, his voice was just so fucking cool! When he sung about "the boys" (and let's face it, he sung about 'em quite a bit!), you got the impression that he was not just one of them but one of the more badass ones. At the risk of sounding repetitive, Phil was also skilled at adapting his voice to suit softer or less powerful Rock songs ("Sarah", "Don't Believe A Word") and heavier, fast paced powerhouses ("Cold Sweat", "Angel Of Death"). His voice was so unique, so irreplaceable that his death effectively killed Thin Lizzy once the rest of the band realised there would be no Thin Lizzy without him. Granted they then formed Black Star Riders but if Phil didn't have his incredible voice, you can bet that they would've stuck with the original band name.


7. Biff Byford

Now THAT's a name and a half!

It's no secret that Saxon are one of my favourite bands of all time AND that I feel they're one of the few proper Rock/Metal bands in existence that have only improved with age. If you listen to rerecordings of their classics, they sound so much heavier without losing part of what made Saxon incredible and the main reason for that is Biff Byford's raw vocals. Some of the vocalists here will never be able to recreate the magic they captured in the recording studio all those years ago but to actually surpass it many, many years later is a talent that Biff deserves way more credit for. And yes, his voice is awesome in every single Saxon song that I've heard so far; the perfect Heavy Metal vocals for a band as great as Saxon. I recommend checking out some of the rerecordings on the Heavy Metal Thunder compilation as well as the original recordings to hear how Biff's voice has remained incredible since the early 80s.


8. James Hetfield

Ugh, Metallica. Right? Am I cool yet?

Whilst Hetfield may have gone down in my books on a personal level due to his refusal to flat out denounce Trump (claiming that politics separates people and indirectly stating that he's totally OK with Nazis and shitheads getting joy out of his music), he's still right near the top on a professional level. To me, any vocalist who can play an instrument whilst singing without fucking up either task has a great amount of skill but the fact that James can shred out some pretty fucking heavy riffs from Metallica's back catalogue whilst belting out each line is something I will always admire. James Hetfield is also notable for being one of many singers to be affected by puberty in the 90s, as the rage filled vocals from Metallica's first four Thrash albums gradually sunk into a deeper (but still powerful) tone. However, if you listen to live footage, it's clear that James still has the ability to keep up with his past self so at the very least, he's not the worst member of his own band...aaaand that's all I'm gonna say about that on this post!


9. Eddie Vedder

I'm usually the first to criticise vocalists with an acoustic guitar and stool on stage but I'll make an exception here

I'll admit, I wasn't sure if I was going to choose Eddie Vedder or Chris Cornell for this post. Whilst I like both vocalists a great deal, I think I had to give it to Eddie purely because I'd rather belt out Pearl Jam tracks than Soundgarden ones. Both vocalists have a similar 90s Grunge style to their voice but to me, Eddie's classic drones make for more pleasurable listening than Chris' passionate shouting. I also admire Eddie for adapting his voice with the band's sound from typical Grunge based vocals to modern Alternative ones without compromising the overall quality. There's something uniquely primal about some of his vocals in tracks like "Animal" and "Jeremy" that encapsulates exactly what Rock is about; releasing the beast. That's why Eddie's here!


10. Bruce Dickinson

Nearly made it to the end without mentioning Iron Maiden...but that was never gonna happen

If you've been keeping up with these Tenology posts so far, you'll know I've listed at least one member of Iron Maiden in each post so far and with bloody good reason. They are my number one favourite band and I firmly believe that each member brings their own skills to the table to create a unified, incredible sound. However, if you have to single out one driving force behind the band's success (and you don't know about Steve Harris), you'll probably pick Bruce Dickinson due to his operatic, screeching vocals that propelled the band away from the Punk sound they were dangerously close to solidifying with in their first two albums. Bruce has a supreme vocal range, great songwriting talents and knows how to be a top notch (if not slightly outspoken) frontman. Final cherry on top? The guy had throat cancer not long ago and kicked it right in the fucking cunt before releasing a brand new Iron Maiden studio album AND going on tour to promote it. Top bloke indeed.


So those are the ten vocalists I've selected but that's not to say there aren't other great vocalists who leapt to the front of my mind as I was thinking about great voices in the world of Rock/Metal. Here are some slightly fleshed out Honourable Mentions along with reasons why I didn't choose them to be listed up above.

Ronnie James Dio

No, this isn't Klaus Meine

Arguably the greatest voice in all of Metal and quite possibly one of the most talented, considering he's been in three iconic Rock/Metal bands (Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio) along with several smaller outfits. Out of the three main bands he's been a part of, I'd rate his tenure with Black Sabbath at number one simply because his vocals had all the power with none of the...hmmm, how should I put this...pomposity? There's something a bit ridiculous about some of his vocals in Rainbow and Dio tunes as if he took himself a little bit too seriously. It takes me out of the music when I hear him trying to vocally simulate the sound of a door slamming or shouting "NO! NO!" over and over again. He was a great vocalist but a little too absurd at times.


Chris Cornell

"Come at me, bruh"

I've already gone into a bit of detail about why I chose Eddie Vedder over Chris Cornell for the main list but come on, I couldn't just completely ignore him. I wrote a Rapid Fire post looking at three albums by three bands/projects Chris Cornell sung in after he died where I praised his voice and songwriting abilities as half the reason why Audioslave are worth listening to. The guy's influence is peppered throughout modern Rock (notably Shinedown) and similar to Anthony Kiedis, Chris' vocals are much better when he's singing softer songs. However, since I prefer Soundgarden to his solo work, I feel like I never got the best out of the guy based on what I've heard.


Brad Delp

Another great vocalist who took his own life

Boston definitely aren't one of my favourite bands but their debut is easily one of my all-time favourite albums. I've talked about why various times but I feel like I haven't really focused too much on Brad Delp's contributions to it. Sure, he had a sweet sounding voice but there's some genuine talent buried beneath the music. Take "More Than A Feeling" and that section before the final chorus where Brad hits that high "slipped away"; that's fucking impressive, especially with how long he holds it for. The main reason he isn't in the list above is simply that I feel other vocalists deserved it more with their wider selection of records and talents that were showcased, but I still think Brad Delp deserves a shout out here.


Grace Slick

Get it? "GRACE this list"???

Similar to Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Airplane also had shared vocalist duties that most people will probably agree was easily dominated by the sheer talent of the female artist. However, whilst Stevie Nicks rocked the mystic, Classic Rock oriented vocals, Grace Slick locked down the psychedelic style and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she helped inspire Stevie's stage presence too. Overall, I couldn't deny that Stevie was the superior vocalist but tracks like "White Rabbit", "Somebody To Love", "Law Man" and even backing vocals in "Volunteers" showcase an incredible voice at work, I felt like this voice didn't quite match some of the others in the list above.


Roger Taylor

Just give me a paragraph to explain myself, that's all I ask!

Yeah, I picked one of the OTHER band members who shared vocalist duties from Queen. There are two reasons for this. 1) We all know Freddie Mercury was an amazing vocalist, probably one of (if not THE) best in this list. I didn't feel the need to place him here when I felt like other vocalists deserved more recognition or my personal take on why they're great although yes, I do think Freddie was a fantastic frontman. 2) Some of you may not know that Queen's drummer, Roger Taylor, took the helm for a few tracks and did a pretty fucking great job. Songs like "I'm In Love With My Car", "Rock It (Prime Jive)", "More Of That Jazz" and (my personal favourite) "Fight From The Inside" all feature Roger on lead vocals and whilst Freddie will always be instantly more recognisable as a vocalist and frontman, I personally believe Roger successfully held his own and provided a more aggressive side to the Rock band that Freddie could never quite pull off to the same degree. However, since Roger isn't exactly the band's main vocalist in the same way that everyone else in the post is, I felt Honourable Mention was the best place to shine a light on Roger Taylor's vocal work.


So that's my list of valuable vocalists in Rock/Metal! I hope you enjoyed reading and waiting two months at a time for each Tenology related to band members. Next year, I might revisit these in some format but for now, all four key band members have been accounted for!
COMING SOON: I dunno, maybe something Christmassy. Probably not though.