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Brad Delp of Boston

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Vocalist Dad

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I lurk around the message board quite often but I really don't recall much discussion about the vocals of Brad Delp of Boston but hearing Lou's acapella version of Carry on my Wayward Son got me thinking of this track. Make sure you are not sitting by anything glass at the 3:24 mark :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlNnk6nSUGU

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Brad was criminally underrated, and left us way too soon.

Yes, everyone and their brother knows this song, and anyone who's ever attempted to sing it knows it's a beast, but Brad's name isn't often spoken in greatest rock singer discussions for some reason. Based on my own experience, anyway.

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Brad was definately underrated. Maybe because BOSTON songs were not universal as were some from other bands. I loved the tone of their guitars but that tone did not fit with other Rockers at the time.

It is amazing that Brian Johnson would be revered as a better singer than Brad.

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Just a guess, maybe Brad, despite his crazy technical ability, doesn't get much attention because he wasn't unique enough? I personally find his tone and overall vocal expression rather generic, a bit stereotypical of the genre. Almost too perfect in a way.

Whereas guys like Robert Plant or Steve Perry...there's no mistaking their voices. So they get all this attention for being unique.

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Just a guess, maybe Brad, despite his crazy technical ability, doesn't get much attention because he wasn't unique enough?

You know, that's actually quite possible now that I think about it. I think the band's sound as a whole was very distinct/identifiable. Perhaps it was so much that it overshadowed the character of his vocals.

I don't know. It's strange, because I understand what you mean, yet at the same time, I can't think of anyone else I could even begin to compare him to.

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This, if anything I always found his voice TOO unique, where I could never figure out how I would even begin to emulate him/do an impression of him.

I almost think he maybe sounds too "alien" for like of a better word, and people couldn't relate to him enough to really like him.

I'm grasping at straws here.

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Wow, interesting. You guys clearly have a different viewpoint than me regarding Brad's level of uniqueness. And that's totally cool.

Here's another idea. Maybe the studio polish, double tracking etc. kind of covered up his real voice and took the listener's attention away from the living being behind what they're hearing.

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I think it was a combination of things. The first Boston album was a huge success. The next came 2 years later and was fairly successful, but then things fell apart with the label. They never had the lasting presence like Led Zepplin or Foreigner or Styx or Kansas...

That, and they were pre MTV - so people never got to know what Brad looked like, or even know his name. Bands were known as the name of the band not the individuals. To be honest, I didn't know his name, and I didn't know what he looked like until this thread.

I must say after listening again, this guy was a really good singer. Maybe not enough uniqueness in his style.

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