Post by Anacrusis on Mar 18, 2022 22:13:00 GMT
Stephen Henry Perry
Also Known As: That guy from Journey (until you realize this is actually something completely different...), MC Large Drink, Buddy Love, Le Count d' Monet
Years Active: 1983 - Present
Associated Acts: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, White Hot Odyssey
Recorded Range: D2 - B5
Voice Type: Deeper than the other guy, that’s for sure
{Bio and Voice Summary}
In the 1930s, long before I was born, there was swing music.
Then in the 1990s, still before I was born, they apparently revived the swing music (yes, I am pretty salty they neglected to inform me this was happening so that I wouldn’t sleep through the ’90s like an idiot).
This short-lived, but stupidly sexy Frankenstein-esque phenomenon was known as the swing revival, and at its forefront was the one…the only… Cherry Poppin’ Daddies! (they did play on Letterman once, so I guess the crudest imagery hides in plain sight).
And fronting this blastin' bombastic band was an equally enigmatic man by the name of Steve Perry (Journey was pretty big by the time the Daddies started releasing music in 1989, but to his credit, Stephen Henry Perry did try a few monikers, including Buddy Love and MC Large Drink. It’s just that none of them stuck…).
Now, conducting the energy of a swing revival band is no easy feat, hence why the movement died young…but with his crisp tone, superb scatting, and charismatic, fast-paced delivery, Perry channeled the spirit of the Rat Pack and accelerated it to the speed needed to seal the marriage of ska horns and swingin’ jazz rhythms. He’s even used his versatile talent to shepherd the Daddies’ guitar-and-horn setup through various other genres where this eclectic lineup could really shine, including experiments with funk, rockabilly, ska, world music, slow jazz ballads, and psychedelic pop.
Perry’s subtle twang, booming lows (particularly below G2), and greasy rockabilly inflection serve to add unique flavor to this mix. And with his seamless approach to belting, that flavor stays long and strong, seldom hindered high or low. Toss in some captivating dance moves and stage presence, too, and you’ve got yourself one dazzling all-around performer in Mr. Stephen Henry Perry.
My only regret about this Steve Perry is that he hasn’t put out more albums like his one solo record White Hot Odyssey (2004), which unlike any Daddies album, is pure hard rock. His voice is so beautifully well-suited for that, with his sexy Billy Idol-esque crooned lows and monstrous Glenn Danzig-esque belts. However, swing ain’t a bad consolation prize, and all things considered, Perry's been one of my favorite singers to notewatch so far.
In the 1930s, long before I was born, there was swing music.
Then in the 1990s, still before I was born, they apparently revived the swing music (yes, I am pretty salty they neglected to inform me this was happening so that I wouldn’t sleep through the ’90s like an idiot).
This short-lived, but stupidly sexy Frankenstein-esque phenomenon was known as the swing revival, and at its forefront was the one…the only… Cherry Poppin’ Daddies! (they did play on Letterman once, so I guess the crudest imagery hides in plain sight).
And fronting this blastin' bombastic band was an equally enigmatic man by the name of Steve Perry (Journey was pretty big by the time the Daddies started releasing music in 1989, but to his credit, Stephen Henry Perry did try a few monikers, including Buddy Love and MC Large Drink. It’s just that none of them stuck…).
Now, conducting the energy of a swing revival band is no easy feat, hence why the movement died young…but with his crisp tone, superb scatting, and charismatic, fast-paced delivery, Perry channeled the spirit of the Rat Pack and accelerated it to the speed needed to seal the marriage of ska horns and swingin’ jazz rhythms. He’s even used his versatile talent to shepherd the Daddies’ guitar-and-horn setup through various other genres where this eclectic lineup could really shine, including experiments with funk, rockabilly, ska, world music, slow jazz ballads, and psychedelic pop.
Perry’s subtle twang, booming lows (particularly below G2), and greasy rockabilly inflection serve to add unique flavor to this mix. And with his seamless approach to belting, that flavor stays long and strong, seldom hindered high or low. Toss in some captivating dance moves and stage presence, too, and you’ve got yourself one dazzling all-around performer in Mr. Stephen Henry Perry.
My only regret about this Steve Perry is that he hasn’t put out more albums like his one solo record White Hot Odyssey (2004), which unlike any Daddies album, is pure hard rock. His voice is so beautifully well-suited for that, with his sexy Billy Idol-esque crooned lows and monstrous Glenn Danzig-esque belts. However, swing ain’t a bad consolation prize, and all things considered, Perry's been one of my favorite singers to notewatch so far.
Significant High Notes:
B5 ("3 in Bed", "Lick the Pole", "Permanent Juvenile", "The Search", "Siamese Connection")
B♭5 ("Head Cheerleader")
G♯5 ("Schizo")
G5 ("Platform Shoes")
F♯5 ("Midas in Reverse", "Subway Killer")
F5 ("Good Head")
E5 ("Blood Orange Sun", "Dirty Mutha Fuzz")
E♭5 ("Diabolic Tastemaker", "Head Cheerleader", "Julie Grave", "Skaboy JFK")
D5 ("Dirty Mutha Fuzz", "Platform Shoes", "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)", "You Better Move")
C♯5 ("No Mercy for Swine", "Siamese Connection")
C5 ("Diabolic Tastemaker", "Good Head", "Jake’s Frilly Panties", "Permanent Juvenile", "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)")
B4 ("2:29", "3 in Bed", "Bust Out", "Dr. Bones", "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbage Man", "Head Cheerleader", "The Impossible Dream", "Jake’s Frilly Panties", "Lick the Pole", "Permanent Juvenile", "Popularity Contest", "Spit It Up", "Subway Killer")
B♭4 ("Blood Orange Sun", "Diabolic Tastemaker", "Jake’s Frilly Panties", "Kickin’ the Gong Around", "Ride the Snake", "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)", "You Better Move")
A4 ("3 in Bed", "The Babooch", "Bleeding Ceremony", "Come Back to Me" Please Return the Evening, "Dirty Mutha Fuzz", "Dr. Bones", "Drunk Daddy", "End of the Night", "Flat Butts and Beer Guts" live at Wonder Ballroom 2009, "Good Head", "Here Comes the Snake", "Hot Tub Party", "Julie Grave", "Kickin’ the Gong Around", "Lick the Pole", "Luther Lane", "Modsquadrophenia", "Pink Elephant", "Pool Shark", "Popularity Contest", "Ride the Snake", "Schizo", "Shake Your Lovemaker", "Siamese Connection", "So Long Toots", "Sockable Face Club", "Spit It Up", "Stay, Don’t Just Stay (If You’re Gonna)", "Switchin’ to Glide", "Tom the Lion", "Trickeration", "Up From the Gutter")
G♯4 ("42nd Street", "Big Mouth Royalty", "Cold Hard Cash", "Come Back to Me" both versions, "Come Fly With Me", "Diamond Light Boogie", "Don Quixote", "End of the Night", "The Enemy Within", "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbage Man", "God Is a Spider", "Head Cheerleader", "Irish Whiskey" Both versions, "I’ve Got You Under My Skin", "Jake’s Frilly Panties", "Live Like an Animal", "Mister White Keys", "The Mongoose and the Snake", "My Mistake", "No Mercy for Swine", "Permanent Juvenile", "Skaboy JFK", "Sockable Face Club", "Spit It Up", "Subway Killer", "Suicide Kings", "Uncle Ray", "Whiskey Jack", "Zoot Suit Riot" studio / live)
G4 ("Answering Machine", "Blood Orange Sun", "Bloodshot Eyes", "Bobby Kennedy", "Bust Out", "Cherry Poppin’ Daddy Strut", "Come Back to Me" both versions, "Cosa Nostra", "The Ding-Dong Daddy of the D-Car Line", "Don Quixote", "Dr. Bones", "Drunk Daddy", "The Enemy Within", "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbage Man", "Fly Me to the Moon", "Good Head", "Gym Rat", "Inertia Rhapsody", "Irish Whiskey" Both versions, "Johanna of the Spirits", "Let’s Misbehave", "Master and Slave", "Modsquadrophenia", "The Mongoose and the Snake", "New Lincoln Brigade", "Platform Shoes", "Rebel Stomper", "Say It to My Face", "Shake Your Lovemaker", "Skyline Drive", "Throwback Man", "Tom the Lion", "Trickeration", "Up From the Gutter", "When I Change Your Mind", "White Trash Toodle-oo", "Yankee Pride", "You Better Move")
F♯4 ("Bigger Life", "Bleeding Ceremony", "Blood Orange Sun", "Brown Derby Jump", "Concrete Man Blues", "Cosa Nostra", "Diabolic Tastemaker", "Diamond Light Boogie", "Doug the Jitterbug", "End of the Night", "God Is a Spider", "The Good Things", "Hammerblow", "Here Comes the Snake", "Hi and Lo", "Hot Tub Party", "I Love American Music", "The Impossible Dream", "Inertia Rhapsody", "Kickin’ the Gong Around", "Kids on the Street", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "The Lifeboat Mutiny", "Luther Lane", "Midas in Reverse", "Millionaire", "Mister White Keys", "Mr. Success", "New Lincoln Brigade", "Pink Elephant", "Pool Shark", "Popularity Contest", "Say It to My Face", "The Search", "Shake Your Lovemaker", "Skaboy JFK", "Sockable Face Club", "Soul Cadillac", "Suicide Kings", "Tom the Lion", "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails", "Trapped Inside the Planet of the Roller-Skating Bees", "Uncle Ray", "We’ll Always Have Paris", "You Better Move", "Zoot Suit Riot")
F4 ("42nd Street", "Ain’t That a Kick in the Head", "The Babooch", "Cold Hard Cash", "Doug the Jitterbug", "The Fixer", "Gym Rat", "Hazel, South Dakota", "I Love American Music", "I’ve Got You Under My Skin", "Johanna of the Spirits", "Julie Grave", "Lick the Pole", "Luck Be a Lady", "Lullaby of Broadway", "No Mercy for Swine", "Puttin’ on the Ritz", "Roseanne", "So Long Toots", "Teenage Brain Surgeon", "That’s Life", "Trickeration", "When I Change Your Mind", "White Teeth, Black Thoughts")
Significant Low Notes:
C♯3 ("Bleeding Ceremony", "Brown Flight Jacket", "Chrysalis", "Cold Hard Cash", "Diamond Light Boogie", "Dirty Mutha Fuzz", "Doug the Jitterbug", "End of the Night", "Flower Fight with Morrissey", "Hi and Lo", "I Love American Music", "The Joint is Jumpin’", "Kickin’ the Gong Around", "Kids on the Street", "The Lifeboat Mutiny", "Live Like an Animal", "Luck Be a Lady", "Luther Lane", "Midas in Reverse", "Millionaire", "Mister White Keys", "My Mistake", "Permanent Juvenile", "Pink Elephant", "Silver-Tongued Devil", "We’ll Always Have Paris", "White Teeth, Black Thoughts")
C3 ("3 in Bed", "The Babooch", "The Best Is Yet to Come", "Cherry Poppin’ Daddy Strut", "Come Back to Me" both versions, "Diabolic Tastemaker", "Diesel PunX", "Doin’ the New Lowdown", "The Enemy Within", "Fly Me to the Moon", "Good Head", "Hazel, South Dakota", "I’m Gonna Live Until I Die", "Irish Whiskey" Both versions, "The Joint is Jumpin’", "Let’s Misbehave", "Platform Shoes", "Puttin’ on the Ritz", "Ragged Ol’ Flag" live at The W.O.W. Hall 1992, "Rebel Stomper", "Ring-A-Ding-Ding", "Siamese Connection", "So Long Toots", "Steamrolled", "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)", "Temptation", "Trickeration", "Up From the Gutter", "White Man")
B2 ("2:29", "Billy Liar", "Blood Orange Sun", "Bobby Kennedy", "The Boys’ Night Out", "Brown Flight Jacket", "Chrysalis", "End of the Night", "The Enemy Within", "Equus", "Flovilla Thatch vs. The Virile Garbage Man", "The Good Things", "Grand Mal", "Hot Tub Party", "Inertia Rhapsody", "Johanna of the Spirits", "The Lifeboat Mutiny", "Live Like an Animal", "New Lincoln Brigade", "Nuages", "Schizo", "The Search", "Skyline Drive", "Sockable Face Club", "That Lindy Hop", "Tom the Lion", "White Trash Toodle-oo")
B♭2 ("Big Mouth Royalty", "Bigger Life", "Billy Liar", "Bust Out", "Come Fly With Me", "Diesel PunX", "Hammerblow", "I Love American Music", "The Lady Is a Tramp", "Master and Slave", "Mr. Success", "Night and Day", "Rebel Stomper", "Siamese Connection", "Throwback Man" live at Slim’s 2019, "Tom the Lion", "Yankee Pride")
A2 ("2:29", "3 in Bed", "Ain’t That a Kick in the Head", "Answering Machine", "The Best Is Yet to Come", "Blood Orange Sun", "The Enemy Within", "Grand Mal", "Hazel, South Dakota", "Hi and Lo", "I’m Gonna Live Until I Die", "The Impossible Dream", "Julie Grave", "Just One of Those Things", "Lick the Pole", "Lovers Understand", "Luther Lane", "Millionaire", "The Mongoose and the Snake", "Popularity Contest", "Roseanne", "Saddest Thing I Know", "Say It to My Face", "Silver-Tongued Devil", "Skaboy JFK", "We’ll Always Have Paris", "White Man")
G♯2 ("The Best Is Yet to Come", "Diamond Light Boogie", "Huffin’ Muggles", "Irish Whiskey" Soul Cadillac, "I’ve Got You Under My Skin", "Tom the Lion", "Wingtips")
G2 ("Answering Machine", "Breathe", "Concrete Man Blues", "Dirty Mutha Fuzz", "Fly Me to the Moon", "Julie Grave", "Just One of Those Things")
F♯2 ("Billy Liar", "Bust Out", "The Lifeboat Mutiny", "Roseanne", "Schizo", "Wingtips")
F2 ("The Babooch", "Lovers Understand", "White Man")
E2 ("Breathe", "Hammerblow", "Roseanne")
E♭2 ("Bigger Life")
D2 ("Breathe", "Hammerblow")
{Questionable Notes}
C♯6 ("Permanent Juvenile" [1, 3])
C6 ("Ride the Snake" [3] Pitch is dubious)
B♭5 ("Diamond Light Boogie" [1, 3], "Hot Tub Party" [1, 5] Pitch isn’t so dubious, but it just lacks control/intention)
A5 ("Lick the Pole" [3, 5] Sounds like an A4 with overtones)
G5 ("Cold Hard Cash" [1, 3])
F5 ("Cold Hard Cash" [5] Too squeaky)
E5 ("Diabolic Tastemaker" [1])
D5 ("The Joint’ is Jumpin’" [1, 3])
C♯5 ("Bust Out" [2])
C5 ("Say It to My Face" [1])
B4 ("Breathe" [2])
G♯2 ("Good Head" [1, 3], "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)" [1])
E2 ("Gym Rat" [2])
E♭2 ("Bleeding Ceremony" [2] Sounds like some kind of drone or sound effect)
D2 ("Irish Whiskey" Soul Cadillac [5])
C2 ("Julie Grave" [2], "Nuages" [3] Fry is good, but pitch is dubious, "Siamese Connection" [5] Shit fry)
F♯1 ("Dirty Mutha Fuzz" [1, 3] Shit fry)
..................................................
1. Brief jumps into high or low range (eg. Yelps, trills, anacrusis, etc.).
2. Notes whose singer is unclear.
3. Non-melodic (ie. Spoken or off-key) notes that also lack a clear pitch.
4. Possibly pitch-shifted notes.
5. Notes that do not fit the labels above but whose quality is still unrepresentative of the singer's usual work (eg. excessively distorted screams or sustained, but non-projected vocal fry).
C♯6 ("Permanent Juvenile" [1, 3])
C6 ("Ride the Snake" [3] Pitch is dubious)
B♭5 ("Diamond Light Boogie" [1, 3], "Hot Tub Party" [1, 5] Pitch isn’t so dubious, but it just lacks control/intention)
A5 ("Lick the Pole" [3, 5] Sounds like an A4 with overtones)
G5 ("Cold Hard Cash" [1, 3])
F5 ("Cold Hard Cash" [5] Too squeaky)
E5 ("Diabolic Tastemaker" [1])
D5 ("The Joint’ is Jumpin’" [1, 3])
C♯5 ("Bust Out" [2])
C5 ("Say It to My Face" [1])
B4 ("Breathe" [2])
G♯2 ("Good Head" [1, 3], "Swingin’ With Tiger Woods (The Big Swing)" [1])
E2 ("Gym Rat" [2])
E♭2 ("Bleeding Ceremony" [2] Sounds like some kind of drone or sound effect)
D2 ("Irish Whiskey" Soul Cadillac [5])
C2 ("Julie Grave" [2], "Nuages" [3] Fry is good, but pitch is dubious, "Siamese Connection" [5] Shit fry)
F♯1 ("Dirty Mutha Fuzz" [1, 3] Shit fry)
..................................................
1. Brief jumps into high or low range (eg. Yelps, trills, anacrusis, etc.).
2. Notes whose singer is unclear.
3. Non-melodic (ie. Spoken or off-key) notes that also lack a clear pitch.
4. Possibly pitch-shifted notes.
5. Notes that do not fit the labels above but whose quality is still unrepresentative of the singer's usual work (eg. excessively distorted screams or sustained, but non-projected vocal fry).
{Range Timeline}
With Cherry Poppin' Daddies:
Ferociously Stoned (1990): F♯2 - B4 (chest high) - E5 - F♯5 (mixed high)
Rapid City Muscle Car (1994): F2 - A4 - B4 - B5
Kids on the Street (1996): A2 - A4
Soul Caddy (2000): G♯2 - B♭4 - D5
Susquehanna (2008): D2 - A4 - E5
White Teeth, Black Thoughts (2013): F2 - B4 - C5 - E♭5
Please Return the Evening (2014): G2 - A4
The Boop-A-Doo (2016): B♭2 - B♭4
Bigger Life (2019): E♭2 - A4 - G♯5
With White Hot Odyssey:
White Hot Odyssey (2004): A2 - B4 - F♯5 - B5
With Cherry Poppin' Daddies:
Ferociously Stoned (1990): F♯2 - B4 (chest high) - E5 - F♯5 (mixed high)
Rapid City Muscle Car (1994): F2 - A4 - B4 - B5
Kids on the Street (1996): A2 - A4
Soul Caddy (2000): G♯2 - B♭4 - D5
Susquehanna (2008): D2 - A4 - E5
White Teeth, Black Thoughts (2013): F2 - B4 - C5 - E♭5
Please Return the Evening (2014): G2 - A4
The Boop-A-Doo (2016): B♭2 - B♭4
Bigger Life (2019): E♭2 - A4 - G♯5
With White Hot Odyssey:
White Hot Odyssey (2004): A2 - B4 - F♯5 - B5
..................................................
• Blue: Falsetto, head voice, and/or whistle register (projected mixed voice is kept in black).
• Bold: Some of the singer's arguably most impressive notes within a given register (click on a bolded song title to hear audio of that note).
• Italics: Non-melodic notes (ie. Spoken or off-key).
• Underlines: Notes that are buried in the song's mix or which blend together with the other voice(s) in a harmony.
