Post by falsetokaiba on Sept 22, 2019 21:58:00 GMT
Sebastian Philip Bierk (3 April 1968 -)Years Active: 1983 - present
Associated Acts: Skid Row (1987-1996), Solo (1998-present), The Last Hard Men (1996-1998), Damnocracy (2006-10), Madam X (1986-88), Kid Wikkid (1983-85)
Vocal Range: D2 - A5 (3 Octaves + 7 Semitones)
{Spoiler}{Vocal Summary}
As one of several star vocalists to emerge at the tail end of the 'hair metal' scene, Sebastian Bach from his debut with Skid Row was known for his superb upper register. Many of Bach's prime early career performances featured relentless belting around the upper fourth and early fifth octave, as well as showcasing the capacity to hit mixed notes as high as A5 and sustain mixed notes as high as G♯5. With a very naturally bright timbre to his voice, Bach was known at different times both for his cleaner high singing as well as his use of false-chord distortion, and indeed in his prime years displayed impressive agility in switching between these two different approaches, in memorable Skid Row tracks like 'I Remember You' and '18 and Life'. All things considered, Bach's natural grasp of distortion with very little tuition without doing real damage to his voice is nothing to be scoffed at, and indeed the 'huskier' reaches of his upper register have generally stood the test of time better than his 'lighter' approach- this was maybe best showcased on his 2007 solo album Angel Down, featuring some of his best distortion-heavy belting. Bach's mid-range timbre has generally been a bright one, showcasing his naturally high placement, though occasionally he will darken this with either intentional grit or a slightly lower-larynx approach for effect. Bach's lower register even in his youth was, considering his high tessitura and belting-orientated style of music and singing, altogether not too bad, displaying some moments of passable upper second octave singing even in his early days with Skid Row. 1998's The Last Hard Men presented Bach with more of a chance to showcase the bottom end of his range, showing fair lows down to G2 even at a fairly early stage in his career- this side of the millennium, his solo career and, especially, his lone album fronting supergroup Frameshift has provided some solid second octave singing since. Bach employs a somewhat 'breathier' tone at the bottom of his range- like other similarly styled vocalists, he's generally avoided plumbing the depths of his lower register live, although given how 'highs-centric' most of his material is, this may just be an inevitable result of his performing style. Bach's live performances have in general been regarded as something of a mixed bag down the years, with some fondly remembered performances but likewise even some struggles in his prime years in replicating his (admittedly extremely demanding) studio material. In more recent years, Bach has encountered more difficulties in reproducing his 80s/90s era material, though remains a pretty strong live vocalist on his day. Overall, due to these inconsistencies it's unlikely he will be remembered as a particularly great live singer, although given the extremely high bar he set in studio with Skid Row in particular, this seems forgivable when analysing him as a vocalist.
Still by the end of the 2000s, Bach still displayed impressive stamina and control in his upper register at least in studio, with plenty of fifth octave highs, having lost very little of his chops by 2007's Angel Down and still getting up to F5 on 2011's Kicking and Screaming. However, the passage of time has seen his upper register become altogether harsher, with more heavy distortion and fewer moments of clean singing, and in the case of the latter, a somewhat more thin tone and a more abrupt change around the second passaggio. The last few years have seen a bit more of a decline along these lines, with Bach's highs becoming more reliant on grit when venturing above C5- he rarely opts for cleaner singing nearer the top of his range particularly live, and generally sounds more thin when he does so, with notably less of that exuberant agility displayed in his youth to transition from one to the other. However, he's still pretty capable of solid belting and sustaining notes around the upper fourth and early fifth octave even today.
Overall, Bach is a highly talented vocalist, displaying some superb singing in his prime years and all things considered holding up against the tests of time fairly well for a singer with little to no formal tuition and having lived a pretty 'rock n roll' lifestyle. Although he can struggle with some of his own back catalogue these days, his fourth octave tone remains altogether comfortable and he shows in flashes some of his old virtuosity even now.
Written by falsetokaiba (additional thanks for clem for providing the vocal analysis on the original thread.)
As one of several star vocalists to emerge at the tail end of the 'hair metal' scene, Sebastian Bach from his debut with Skid Row was known for his superb upper register. Many of Bach's prime early career performances featured relentless belting around the upper fourth and early fifth octave, as well as showcasing the capacity to hit mixed notes as high as A5 and sustain mixed notes as high as G♯5. With a very naturally bright timbre to his voice, Bach was known at different times both for his cleaner high singing as well as his use of false-chord distortion, and indeed in his prime years displayed impressive agility in switching between these two different approaches, in memorable Skid Row tracks like 'I Remember You' and '18 and Life'. All things considered, Bach's natural grasp of distortion with very little tuition without doing real damage to his voice is nothing to be scoffed at, and indeed the 'huskier' reaches of his upper register have generally stood the test of time better than his 'lighter' approach- this was maybe best showcased on his 2007 solo album Angel Down, featuring some of his best distortion-heavy belting. Bach's mid-range timbre has generally been a bright one, showcasing his naturally high placement, though occasionally he will darken this with either intentional grit or a slightly lower-larynx approach for effect. Bach's lower register even in his youth was, considering his high tessitura and belting-orientated style of music and singing, altogether not too bad, displaying some moments of passable upper second octave singing even in his early days with Skid Row. 1998's The Last Hard Men presented Bach with more of a chance to showcase the bottom end of his range, showing fair lows down to G2 even at a fairly early stage in his career- this side of the millennium, his solo career and, especially, his lone album fronting supergroup Frameshift has provided some solid second octave singing since. Bach employs a somewhat 'breathier' tone at the bottom of his range- like other similarly styled vocalists, he's generally avoided plumbing the depths of his lower register live, although given how 'highs-centric' most of his material is, this may just be an inevitable result of his performing style. Bach's live performances have in general been regarded as something of a mixed bag down the years, with some fondly remembered performances but likewise even some struggles in his prime years in replicating his (admittedly extremely demanding) studio material. In more recent years, Bach has encountered more difficulties in reproducing his 80s/90s era material, though remains a pretty strong live vocalist on his day. Overall, due to these inconsistencies it's unlikely he will be remembered as a particularly great live singer, although given the extremely high bar he set in studio with Skid Row in particular, this seems forgivable when analysing him as a vocalist.
Still by the end of the 2000s, Bach still displayed impressive stamina and control in his upper register at least in studio, with plenty of fifth octave highs, having lost very little of his chops by 2007's Angel Down and still getting up to F5 on 2011's Kicking and Screaming. However, the passage of time has seen his upper register become altogether harsher, with more heavy distortion and fewer moments of clean singing, and in the case of the latter, a somewhat more thin tone and a more abrupt change around the second passaggio. The last few years have seen a bit more of a decline along these lines, with Bach's highs becoming more reliant on grit when venturing above C5- he rarely opts for cleaner singing nearer the top of his range particularly live, and generally sounds more thin when he does so, with notably less of that exuberant agility displayed in his youth to transition from one to the other. However, he's still pretty capable of solid belting and sustaining notes around the upper fourth and early fifth octave even today.
Overall, Bach is a highly talented vocalist, displaying some superb singing in his prime years and all things considered holding up against the tests of time fairly well for a singer with little to no formal tuition and having lived a pretty 'rock n roll' lifestyle. Although he can struggle with some of his own back catalogue these days, his fourth octave tone remains altogether comfortable and he shows in flashes some of his old virtuosity even now.
Written by falsetokaiba (additional thanks for clem for providing the vocal analysis on the original thread.)
Significant High Notes:
A5 "Beat Yourself Blind", "Big Guns", "Trouble"
G♯5 "18 and Life" Pre-album recording, "Back In the Saddle", "Back to School", "Can't Stand the Heartache", "Forever"
G5 "Angel Down", "Beggars Day", "Behind the 8 Ball", "Creepshow", "Dazed and Confused" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Here I Am", "Iron Will", "Livin' On A Chain Gang", "Midnight/Tornado", "Piece of Me", "Quicksand Jesus", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Riot Act", "Shame Shame", "Youth Gone Wild"
F♯5 "Axl Rose impression" Live Sweden Rock, "Back To School", "Can't Wait Till Right Here", "Communication Breakdown", "Dirty World", "Face Against My Soul", "Frozen", "In An Empty Room", "I Remember You", "Love Comes Down", "Medicine Jar", "Monkey Business", "Psycho Love", "Quicksand Jesus", "Stabbin' Daggers", "Subhuman Race", "Take A Look At Me", "Walk With a Stranger", "Wild Thing" Live with Bon Jovi 1989
F5 "American Metalhead", "Beggars Day", "Behind the 8 Ball", "Cemetery Gates" Live Portland 2018, "Finding My Way", "Holidays In the Sun", "Human Grain", "I Don't Live Today", "Live & Die", "[Love Is] A Bitchslap", "Neighborhood", "One Good Reason", "Sleep", "Take You Down With Me", "This Is Gonna Hurt", "The Threat", "Train Kept A-Rolling" Live Philadelphia 1991, "Blade", "You and Me", "You Bring Me Down"
E5 "18 and Life", "Angel Down", "Beating Around the Bush" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Beat Yourself Blind", "Big Guns", "Bonehead", "By Your Side", "Can't Stand the Heartache", "Cat Scratch Fever" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Cemetery Gates" live Portland 2018/Several other live performances 2018, "Children of the Damned", "Cold Gin" Live at The Marquee, Westminster 1989, "Creepshow", "Dirty Power", "Eileen", "Fire In the Hole", "Firesign", "Forever", "Forget You", "Frozen", "Get the Fuck Out", "Gun To A Knife Fight", "Here I Am", "How Long Can I Resist", "I Don't Know", "I Killed You", "In A Darkened Room", "Immigrant Song", "Kicking & Screaming", "Little Lover", "Little Wing", "Medicine Jar", ""Midnight/Tornado", "Mudkicker", "My Enemy", "Outcast", "Our Love Is A Lie", "Piece of Me", "Psycho Love", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Remains To Be Seen", "Rescue You", "Riot Act", "Rock 'N' Roll", "School's Out" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Slave to the Grind", "Sleep", "Take It Back", "Train Kept A-Rolling" Live Philadelphia 1991, "Unchained" Live Dimebash 2011, "Voodoo Child" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Wasted Time", "What You're Doing"
E♭5 "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" Live Dimebash 2011, "Alone Again", "Angel Down", "Back In the Saddle", "Back To School", "Blade", "Caught In A Dream", "C'mon and Love Me", "Dance On Your Grave", "Delivering the Goods", "Disengaged", "Finding My Way", "Girls Got Rhythm" Live Dimebash 2011, "Harmony", "In An Empty Room", "Knock Knock Baby", "Lost In the Light", "Man In the Box" Live with Alice In Chains, "My Michelle" Live with Guns N Roses 2006, "One Good Reason", "Rock Bottom", "Sweet Little Sister", "This Is Gonna Hurt", "Trouble", "Walk With a Stranger", "Wasted Time", "Wild Thing" Live with Bon Jovi 1989, "You and Me", "You're Crazy" Live Toronto 1991
D5 "All My Friends Are Dead", "American Metalhead", "Another Nail", "As Long As I Got the Music", "Beating Around the Bush" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Beat Yourself Blind", "Beggars Day", "Behind the 8 Ball", "Can't Stand the Heartache", "Closer to the Heart" Live with Trailer Park Boys 2011, "Communication Breakdown", "Dazed and Confused" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Delivering the Goods", "Dirty Power", "Dominator", "Edge of the Night", "Everybody Bleeds", "Forget You", "Get the Fuck Out", "Gun To A Knife Fight", "Had Enough", "Hell Inside My Head", "Here I Am", "Holidays In the Sun", "Human Grain", "Impersonating Klaus Meine on 'Trailer Park Boys' Season 7'", "Into Another", "I Remember You", "Iron Will", "Just One More" "Kicking & Screaming", "Knock Knock Baby", "Live & Die", "Livin' On A Chain Gang", "Love Comes Down", "[Love Is] A Bitchslap", "Makin' A Mess", "Midnight/Tornado", "Miseducation", "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star", "Mudkicker", "My Enemy", "Negative Light", "Outcast", "Piece of Me", "Push Away", "Push the Button", "Quicksand Jesus", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Rebel Yell" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Rescue You", "Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game", "School's Out" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Shame Shame", "Sin City" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Slave to the Grind", "Stabbin' Daggers", "Stuck Inside", "Subhuman Race", "Take It Back", "Take You Down With Me", "Taking Back Tomorrow", "Temptation", "The Threat", "TNT" ('Finding My Way' version), "Train Kept A-Rolling" Live Philadelphia 1991, "What You're Doing", "Working Man", "You Bring Me Down", "Youth Gone Wild"
C♯5 "18 and Life", "Another Brick in the Wall" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Blasphemer", "By Your Side", "Can't Wait Till Right Here", "Careless Whisper", "Caught In A Dream", "Crazy Train", "Creepshow", "Dance On Your Grave", "Day of the Eagle" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Dirty Power", "Dirty World", "Done Bleeding", "Don't Tell Lies", "Dream Forever", "Face Against My Soul", "Fame" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Fire In the Hole", "Firesign", "Forever", "How Long Can I Resist", "Immigrant Song", "Live the Life", "Lost In the Light", "Miseducation", "Monkey Business", "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star", "Neighborhood", "New York Groove" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Next to You" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "One Good Reason", "Our Love Is A Lie", "Out On the Tiles" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Psycho Love","Punishment" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Riot Act", "School's Out" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Shock Me", "Sweet Little Sister", "Trouble", "Tunnelvision", "Unchained" Live Dimebash 2011, "We Are the Ducks" Live on Jimmy Fallon, "What Kind of Animal", "Wild Thing" Live with Bon Jovi 1989, "Wishin'", "You Can't Stop Rock N Roll", "You Don't Understand"
C5 "All My Friends Are Dead", "American Metalhead", "As Long As I Got the Music", "Believer", "Big Guns", "Blade", "Bonehead", "Breakin' Down", "Children of the Damned", "C'mon and Love Me", "Cold Gin" Live at The Marquee, Westminster 1989, "Counterpunch", "Disengaged", "Falling Into You", "Forget You", "Harmony", "Holidays In the Sun", "Hell Inside My Head", "Hot For Teacher" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "I Killed You", "I'm Alive", "In An Empty Room", "Into Another", "Just One More", "[Love Is] A Bitchslap", "My Michelle" Live with Guns N Roses 2006, "Negative Light", "Outcast", "Push the Button", "Rescue You", "Rock 'N' Roll", "School's Out", "Shame Shame", "Slave to the Grind", "Stabbin' Daggers", "Superjerk, Superstar, Supertears", "Take You Down With Me", "Temptation", "This Is Gonna Hurt", "The Threat", "Tie Your Mother Down" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Walk With a Stranger", "Wasted Time", "We Are the Champions" Sing Your Face Off 2014, "What Kind of Animal", "When I Look Into My Eyes", "Who Made You Do It", "Wishin'", "You and Me"
B4 "18 and Life", "Ain't Talkin' Bout Love" Live Dimebash 2011, "Ain't There Yet", "All Right Now" Live with Bon Jovi 1989, "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Another Nail", "Angel Down", "Back In the Saddle", "Battle With the Bottle", "Beating Around the Bush" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Beat Yourself Blind", "Blasphemer", "By Your Side", "Can't Stand the Heartache", "Can't Wait Till Right Here", "Careless Whisper", "Caught In A Dream", "Children of the Damned", "Communication Breakdown", "Crazy Train", "Dazed and Confused" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Dirty Power", "Dominator", "Done Bleeding", "Edge of the Night", "Eileen", "Eyes Without A Face" Live Frosty, Heidi and Frank Show, "Face Against My Soul", "Finding My Way", "Firesign", "Forever", "Frozen", "Girls Got Rhythm" Live Dimebash 2011, "Had Enough", "Here I Am", "Hot For Teacher" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "How Long Can I Resist", "I Don't Know", "I Killed You", "In A Darkened Room", "I Remember You", "Iron Will", "Kicking & Screaming", "Little Lover", "Little Wing", "Live & Die", "Live the Life", "Lost In the Light", "Makin' A Mess", "Medicine Jar", "Monkey Business", "The Most Powerful Man In the World", "My Own Worst Enemy", "New York Groove" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Next to You" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Only" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Out On the Tiles" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015, "Piece of Me", "Push Away", "Quicksand Jesus", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Remains To Be Seen", "Rock Bottom", "Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game", "SATO", "Save Your Love", "School's Out" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "Sleep", "Spider Love", "Stuck Inside", "Subhuman Race", "Take A Look At Me", "Take It Back", "TNT" ('Finding My Way' version), "Train Kept A-Rolling" Live Philadelphia 1991 "Tunnelvision", "Voodoo Child" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "We Are the Ducks" Live on Jimmy Fallon, "What You're Doing", "Who Made You Do It", "Working Man", "You Don't Understand"
B♭4 "All My Friends Are Dead", "Alone Again", "Believer", "Big Guns", "Born to Rage", "Counterpunch", "Dance On Your Grave", "Disengaged", "Dream Forever", "Falling Into You", "Gun To A Knife Fight", "Harmony", "Human Grain", "Into Another", "Just One More", "Knock Knock Baby", "[Love Is] A Bitchslap", "Man In the Box" Live with Alice In Chains, "My Own Worst Enemy", "Neighborhood", "School's Out", "Superjerk, Superstar, Supertears", "Taking Back Tomorrow", "Trouble", "We Are the Champions" Sing Your Face Off 2014, "What Kind of Animal", "Youth Gone Wild"
A4 "Ace of Spades" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Ain't There Yet", "Always On My Mind" Sing Your Face Off 2014, "Battle With the Bottle", "Blasphemer", "Bonehead", "Born On the Bayou" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Breakin' Down", "Cat Scratch Fever" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Cemetery Gates" Various live performances 2018, "Closer to the Heart" Live with Trailer Park Boys 2011, "Cold Gin" Live at The Marquee, Westminster 1989, "Crazy Train", "Dominator", "Had Enough", "Hell Inside My Head", "How Long Can I Resist", "I Don't Know", "In An Empty Room", "Jacob's Ladder", "Little Lover", "Little Wing", "Miseducation", "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star", "My Enemy", "Negative Light", "Only" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Our Love Is A Lie", "Parasite" Live Los Angeles 1998, "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015, "Rock 'N' Roll", "Seasons of Wither" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Spider Love", "Stranglehold" Live at Ballroom Empire 2006, "Stuck Inside", "Sweet Little Sister", "Take A Look At Me", "Tie Your Mother Down" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "TNT" ('Finding My Way' version), "Working Man", "You Bring Me Down", "You Don't Understand"
Significant Low Notes:
E3 "Another Nail", "As Long As I Got the Music", "Battle With the Bottle", "Beat Yourself Blind", "Breakin' Down", "By Your Side", "Creepshow", "Dazed and Confused" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Dirty World", "Doggy Dogg World" Live with Kurupt, "Eileen", "Face Against My Soul", "Frozen", "Get the Fuck Out", "Here I Am", "I Killed You", "Little Wing", "Monkey Business", "Our Love Is A Lie", "Parasite" Live Los Angeles 1998, "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015, "Piece of Me", "Psycho Love", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Rock N Roll Is A Vicious Game", "Voodoo Child" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "You Don't Understand"
E♭3 "C'mon and Love Me", "Falling Into You", "I Don't Live Today", "Jacob's Ladder", "Live the Life", "My Own Worst Enemy", "Save Your Love"
D3 "Ain't There Yet", "American Metalhead", "Battle With the Bottle", "Cemetery Gates" Various live performances 2018, "Eileen", "Fan Mail", "Here I Am", "How Long Can I Resist", "Human Grain", "I Killed You", "In A Darkened Room", "Into Another", "Just One More", "Little Lover", "Live & Die", "Midnight/Tornado", "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star", "Mudkicker", "Negative Light", "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015 "Piece of Me", "Push Away", "Push the Button", "Rebel Yell" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Silent Night" Live Waverly Beach Club 2014, "Slave to the Grind", "Stabbin' Daggers", "Taking Back Tomorrow", "The Threat", "When I Look Into My Eyes"
C♯3 "Dream Forever", "Lost In the Light", "Our Love Is A Lie", "Play In the Clouds", "Tunnelvision", "What Kind of Animal", "Wishin'"
C3 "Blade", "C'mon and Love Me", "Counterpunch", "Fan Mail", "In An Empty Room", "In Search of the Peace of Mind", "Jacob's Ladder", "Just One More", "Outcast", "Push the Button", "Stabbin' Daggers", "This Is Gonna Hurt", "Who Made You Do It"
B2 "Ain't There Yet", "Always On My Mind" Sing Your Face Off 2014, "Battle With the Bottle", "Done Bleeding", "Eyes Without A Face" Live Frosty, Heidi and Frank Show, "How Long Can I Resist", "Human Grain", "I Killed You", "Push Away", "Rebel Yell" Live Iridium NYC 2012, "Tunnelvision", "What Kind of Animal", "Who Made You Do It", "You Don't Understand"
B♭2 "Dream Forever", "Fame" live at Lucky Strike Live! 2016, "This Is Gonna Hurt"
A2 "Beat Yourself Blind", "Counterpunch", "Just One More", "Midnight/Tornado", "Superjerk, Superstar, Supertears"
G♯2 "Lost In the Light"
G2 "Fan Mail", "Play In the Clouds", "Who Made You Do It"
D2 "Everybody Bleeds"
{Spoiler}{Questionable Notes}
G♯5 "Finding My Way" [4a]
G5 "Communication Breakdown" [1], "Holidays In the Sun [5a], "I Don't Live Today" [4a], "Time For Change" [2]
F♯5 "Neighborhood" [2]
F5 "Counterpunch" [4], "Voodoo Child" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [5b]
E5 "Hot For Teacher" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [3], "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star" [5], "Rebel Yell" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [3]
D5 "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015 [5a], "Time For Change" [2]
C5 "Doggy Dogg World" Live with Kurupt [3]
E3 ""TNT" ('Finding My Way' version) [4]
C3 "Falling Into You" [1a]
B2 "Firesign" [1], "I Killed You" [3]
B♭2 "I Don't Live Today" [3]
A2 "Bonehead" [3], "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star" [1]
G2 "Iron Will" [3], "This Is Gonna Hurt" [3], "When I Look Into My Eyes" [1]
F♯2 "What Kind of Animal" [1]
F2 "Dream Forever" [1], "Who Made You Do It" [1]
E2 "Spider Love" [3]
D2 "Push the Button" [3][4]
Note that the demo version of 18 and Life available on YouTube has been pitch-shifted half a semitone up, and thus the G♯5 Bach hits just after the guitar solo sounds more like an A5. It was previously listed as an A5 in this thread, but this error has now been corrected.
(There's also some instances of extremely low overdubbed vocals on the album An Absence of Empathy, although it seems pretty certain these aren't Bach.)
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
a. Melody very briefly dips down here, I'm on the fence about counting it given how brief it is, although the fact it's mid-melody might suggest it was intended/controlled.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
a. Possible alternative pitches (or possibly just overtones) for the green notes already counted at different pitches for these songs in the thread.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
a. On the fence about these notes, given he hits the pitch clearly enough, but they're so poor and strained they're arguably not 'significant.'
b. This note is completely off-key so I'm guessing the pitch was not intentional, even though he does land it on fairly clearly.
G♯5 "Finding My Way" [4a]
G5 "Communication Breakdown" [1], "Holidays In the Sun [5a], "I Don't Live Today" [4a], "Time For Change" [2]
F♯5 "Neighborhood" [2]
F5 "Counterpunch" [4], "Voodoo Child" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [5b]
E5 "Hot For Teacher" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [3], "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star" [5], "Rebel Yell" Live Iridium NYC 2012 [3]
D5 "Patience" Live with Duff McKagan 2015 [5a], "Time For Change" [2]
C5 "Doggy Dogg World" Live with Kurupt [3]
E3 ""TNT" ('Finding My Way' version) [4]
C3 "Falling Into You" [1a]
B2 "Firesign" [1], "I Killed You" [3]
B♭2 "I Don't Live Today" [3]
A2 "Bonehead" [3], "Motorvatin'/Fallen Star" [1]
G2 "Iron Will" [3], "This Is Gonna Hurt" [3], "When I Look Into My Eyes" [1]
F♯2 "What Kind of Animal" [1]
F2 "Dream Forever" [1], "Who Made You Do It" [1]
E2 "Spider Love" [3]
D2 "Push the Button" [3][4]
Note that the demo version of 18 and Life available on YouTube has been pitch-shifted half a semitone up, and thus the G♯5 Bach hits just after the guitar solo sounds more like an A5. It was previously listed as an A5 in this thread, but this error has now been corrected.
(There's also some instances of extremely low overdubbed vocals on the album An Absence of Empathy, although it seems pretty certain these aren't Bach.)
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
a. Melody very briefly dips down here, I'm on the fence about counting it given how brief it is, although the fact it's mid-melody might suggest it was intended/controlled.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
a. Possible alternative pitches (or possibly just overtones) for the green notes already counted at different pitches for these songs in the thread.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.
a. On the fence about these notes, given he hits the pitch clearly enough, but they're so poor and strained they're arguably not 'significant.'
b. This note is completely off-key so I'm guessing the pitch was not intentional, even though he does land it on fairly clearly.
{Spoiler}{Bio/Known For (Written By clem )}As a solo recording artist and former lead vocalist of several bands, most notably Skid Row from 1987-1996.
Pre-Skid Row:
Born Sebastian Philip Bierk (adopting the stage surname 'Bach' from Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach), in The Bahamas, he was raised in Ontario, Canada, joining the metal band Kid Wikkid at the age of 14 (around 15 years younger than the oldest members of the band). KW did not record any LPs, releasing some demos before splitting in 1985. Bach spent a year fronting another glam-tinged metal band, "Madam X", before joining Skid Row in 1987.
Skid Row Years:
SR achieved great mainstream success with their self-titled debut, getting regular airtime on MTV in the midst of the heavy metal boom. The record showcased Bach's proficiency with singing powerful, gritty high notes, garnering great praise as a rock/metal vocalist. He would record 2 subsequent albums, Slave to the Grind and Subhuman Race, before his eventual departure. Subhuman Race in particular demonstrated the band's evolution towards a grungier sound, as grunge and alternative rock succeeded metal as MTV's main focus in the rock genre. It must be said that they handled the change significantly better (at least to my ear) than a lot of the other metal bands who had risen to prominence in the 80s.
Bach was kicked out of SR in 1996, after a disagreement regarding Bach's interest in opening for KISS on an upcoming tour, conflicting with the feeling of the band, believing they should have been headlining tours at that stage in their career.
Post-Skid Row:
Whilst Bach is generally associated with his time in Skid Row, he has had success in a number of other forms. On top of his ample solo recording career, Bach fronted an alternative rock supergroup in the 1990s, The Last Hard Men, releasing a solitary album. Though not selling a great many copies, the record was generally well received, showing Bach in a polar opposite context to the '80s metal with which he made his name.
As a stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway as 'Riff Raff' in a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as touring as the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar. His performances as Jesus were generally not well received, such criticisms being failure to adapt his singing to the convey the sentiment of the role, poor timing and inconsistency hitting some of most important high notes.
On television he appeared in numerous episodes of "Gilmore Girls", the seventh season of cult-worshipped Canadian comedy series Trailer Park Boys, a reality show called Supergroup (forming a short-lived band called Damnocracy, along with Jason Bonham, Scott Ian, Ted Nugent and Evan Seinfeld), and even a television special of Spongebob Squarepants.
Pre-Skid Row:
Born Sebastian Philip Bierk (adopting the stage surname 'Bach' from Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach), in The Bahamas, he was raised in Ontario, Canada, joining the metal band Kid Wikkid at the age of 14 (around 15 years younger than the oldest members of the band). KW did not record any LPs, releasing some demos before splitting in 1985. Bach spent a year fronting another glam-tinged metal band, "Madam X", before joining Skid Row in 1987.
Skid Row Years:
SR achieved great mainstream success with their self-titled debut, getting regular airtime on MTV in the midst of the heavy metal boom. The record showcased Bach's proficiency with singing powerful, gritty high notes, garnering great praise as a rock/metal vocalist. He would record 2 subsequent albums, Slave to the Grind and Subhuman Race, before his eventual departure. Subhuman Race in particular demonstrated the band's evolution towards a grungier sound, as grunge and alternative rock succeeded metal as MTV's main focus in the rock genre. It must be said that they handled the change significantly better (at least to my ear) than a lot of the other metal bands who had risen to prominence in the 80s.
Bach was kicked out of SR in 1996, after a disagreement regarding Bach's interest in opening for KISS on an upcoming tour, conflicting with the feeling of the band, believing they should have been headlining tours at that stage in their career.
Post-Skid Row:
Whilst Bach is generally associated with his time in Skid Row, he has had success in a number of other forms. On top of his ample solo recording career, Bach fronted an alternative rock supergroup in the 1990s, The Last Hard Men, releasing a solitary album. Though not selling a great many copies, the record was generally well received, showing Bach in a polar opposite context to the '80s metal with which he made his name.
As a stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway as 'Riff Raff' in a production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as touring as the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar. His performances as Jesus were generally not well received, such criticisms being failure to adapt his singing to the convey the sentiment of the role, poor timing and inconsistency hitting some of most important high notes.
On television he appeared in numerous episodes of "Gilmore Girls", the seventh season of cult-worshipped Canadian comedy series Trailer Park Boys, a reality show called Supergroup (forming a short-lived band called Damnocracy, along with Jason Bonham, Scott Ian, Ted Nugent and Evan Seinfeld), and even a television special of Spongebob Squarepants.
{Spoiler}{Album Ranges}
With Skid Row:
Wrong Side of the Tracks (Demo) (1988) E3-G♯5 (although these recordings as available on YouTube sound a little between pitches)
Skid Row (1989) A2-E3-A5
Slave to the Grind (1991) D3-G5
B-Side Ourselves (EP) (1992) C3-E5
Subhuman Race (1995) A2-D3-A5
Solo:
Original studio releases:
Angel Down (2007) B2-C3-G♯5
Finding My Way (EP) (2009) E♭3-F5
Kicking & Screaming (2011) G♯2-F5
Give 'Em Hell (2014) B2-E5
Other: *
Bring 'Em Bach Alive! (1999)
Bach 2: Basics (2001) (missing tracks 6 and 16)
With The Last Hard Men:
The Last Hard Men (1998, re-released 2001)** G2-C5-F5
With Frameshift:
An Absence of Empathy (2005) A2-F♯5
*note that these two albums do not include album ranges as the material of which they were comprised was not all recorded at one time, and so is not reflective of the singer's range utilised at any specific stage of their career.
**The version available online is the re-released version in 2001, which contains some new tracks but no longer features the tracks 'Fucked Over Jesus' and 'Destiny'.
With Skid Row:
Wrong Side of the Tracks (Demo) (1988) E3-G♯5 (although these recordings as available on YouTube sound a little between pitches)
Skid Row (1989) A2-E3-A5
Slave to the Grind (1991) D3-G5
B-Side Ourselves (EP) (1992) C3-E5
Subhuman Race (1995) A2-D3-A5
Solo:
Original studio releases:
Angel Down (2007) B2-C3-G♯5
Finding My Way (EP) (2009) E♭3-F5
Kicking & Screaming (2011) G♯2-F5
Give 'Em Hell (2014) B2-E5
Other: *
Bring 'Em Bach Alive! (1999)
Bach 2: Basics (2001) (missing tracks 6 and 16)
With The Last Hard Men:
The Last Hard Men (1998, re-released 2001)** G2-C5-F5
With Frameshift:
An Absence of Empathy (2005) A2-F♯5
*note that these two albums do not include album ranges as the material of which they were comprised was not all recorded at one time, and so is not reflective of the singer's range utilised at any specific stage of their career.
**The version available online is the re-released version in 2001, which contains some new tracks but no longer features the tracks 'Fucked Over Jesus' and 'Destiny'.
.......................................................
Blue marks falsetto notes.
Green marks extremely harsh/distorted notes.
Underlines mark notes that are obscured in the song mix.
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person's vocal capabilities.
Big thanks to clem for the original thread, including the bio present in this current version. Also thanks to secondplatypus for sharing the 'Wrong Side of the Tracks' demos which were a great find. :) There's a playlist of Bach live guest spots and other non-studio stuff which should keep me busy for a while too.
There's another descending scale at 3:38, but it's hard to tell where Bach's vocals stop and Nuno's talkbox takes over on that one.
