Barry Palmer (944 views)

[ProgBoi]

Barry Palmer (1958-)
Also Known As: Barry Joe Palmer, D.C. Palmer
Years Active: 1972-2012
Associated Acts: Triumvirat (1975-1978), Mike Oldfield (1983-1985)
Vocal Range: B♭2-G5

Barry Palmer is an English singer/songwriter who has worked with several artists over his forty year career but is best remembered for his work with Mike Oldfield and German prog group (and ELP clone) Triumvirat. Palmer started work in small local bands, eventually landing a few uncredited session gigs and recording a few covers before joining Triumvirat. After his time with the German group, Palmer recorded with a couple of other German bands before receiving an offer to record with Mike Oldfield, which he bizarrely turned down in favor of recording a solo album (which, as far as I can tell, is out of print). A year later, Oldfield tried again and Palmer accepted, recording the single “Crime of Passion” and the album Discovery over the next couple of years. After touring with Oldfield, Palmer went back to focus on his solo career; he released his first album, Without an Aim, in 1985, recorded with John Payne (the other singer/bassist who was in Asia), and released songs sporadically until the late ‘80s. After more than 20 years, Palmer released his second solo album, Night Thoughts, in 2012.

Palmer’s voice is a light tenor; he hits clear and (mostly) easy notes in the lower-to-mid 5th octave, but his voice can also have a bit of a grit to it. While he seems most comfortable in his upper register, Palmer has shown that he has a solid lower register. He comfortably sings around the lower 3rd octave but tends not to push himself much lower than that. I have not checked out his second album properly but that may have some lower singing from an older Palmer. 

Significant High Notes:
G5 (“The Time Of Your Life”)
F5 (“Vesuvius 79 A.D.”)
E5 (“Journey of a Fallen Angel”) 
E♭5 (“Journey of a Fallen Angel”, “The Rich Man and the Carpenter“)
D5 (“History of Mystery, Part 2”, “Journey of a Fallen Angel”, “The Rich Man and the Carpenter”, “She’s Leaving Home”, “The Time of Your Life”
C♯5 (“Poison Arrows”, “Tricks of The Light”, “Vesuvius 79 A.D.”
C5 (“A Cold Old Worried Lady”, “The Hymn”, The Rich Man and the Carpenter”, “The Time of Your Life”, “Unknown Singer”, “Vesuvius 79 A.D.”)
B4 (“A Cold Old Worried Lady”, “Journey of a Fallen Angel”, “Poison Arrows”, “The Rich Man and the Carpenter”, “The Time of Your Life”, “Vesuvius 79 A.D.”)
B♭4 (“A Cold Old Worried Lady”, “Poison Arrows”, “Take a Break Today”, “When The Night’s On Fire” Mike Oldfield Demo
A4 (“A Cold Old Worried Lady”, “The Earthquake 62 A.D”, “Old Loves Die Hard”, “Poison Arrows”

Significant Low Notes:
E3 (“A Cold Old Worried Lady”, “When The Night’s On Fire” Mike Oldfield Demo)
D♯3 (“The Rich Man and The Carpenter”)
D3 (“The Earthquake 62 A.D.”, “When The Night’s On Fire” Mike Oldfield Demo)
C♯3 (“Tricks of The Light”)
B♭2 (“Journey of a Fallen Angel”)

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• Blue denotes falsetto and whistle notes.
• Green denotes harshly distorted notes.
• Grey denotes growl and fry notes.
• Boldface denotes outstanding passages.
• Italics denote non-melodic and spoken notes.
• Underlines denote obscured and background notes.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Notewatched Material}
ProgBoi
Old Loves Die Hard (1976)
Pompeii (1977)
“She’s Leaving Home”/“Unknown Singer” Single (1983)
Discovery (1984)