In praise of Nick's vocals

[hummingbird]

Originally Posted by centralscrutiniser

I dint generally sit there awaiting a new album thinking ‘man, I hope there’s a few Nicky tracks on here’ but I can’t imagine James singing his songs now, and they do feel more personal and meaningful for his singing them.

That said, anyone know why he chose not to sing Liverpool revisited?

So the radio would play it?

[solitude]

Love a Nicky vocal!

Lady Lazarus with the two voices is a fantastic combination. More please.

Intravenous Agnostic, Afterbloom, Everything Fades, The Left Behind etc etc. WISH he had sung The Clock and The Bed which is a good song except for the guest vocals by Stewie Griffin.

[Borderliner]

I wish Nicky sung proper version of Rewind The Film and Four Lonely Roads not just demo

[UEF]

Marlon JD demo version is a Nicky song too (though I think James pips it)

[Borderliner]

Marlon JD demo is good.
Nicky-James interaction is the best. Lady Lazarus, Before I Leave, Futurology and so on. We need more songs where James and Nicky both sing

[Suicide Aldi]

What is Afterbloom??? How have i never heard this?

[Red]

Nicky Wire is the only Manic this side of the millennium to guest-vocal on someone else's single.

[solitude]

Originally Posted by Suicide Aldi

What is Afterbloom??? How have i never heard this?

I think it was the extra track on the Japanese version of IKTZ. Just a simple, sweet song. Is there a way I can send you the file? Send me a PM to let me know! There's no direct/legal way to buy it any more.

Originally Posted by Red

Nicky Wire is the only Manic this side of the millennium to guest-vocal on someone else's single.

'Turn No More' by Public Service Broadcasting wasn't a single? hard for me to tell what counts as a single tbh.

[usagainstyou]

I really like Nicky's vocals. Ballad Of The Bangkok Novotel, Dying Breeds and Concrete Fields are among my favourite MSP songs

[slop101]

There was an MSP album review (think it was from Pitchfork) that said something along the lines of "[song_title] with Wire singing lead as if to remind the listener why Bradfield is the band's lead singer".

That's where I fall. I just cannot get into Nicky's singing, at all.

[Marat Sar]

Adds some much needed sexiness to the vocal aspect of the manics. Nicky's vocals are course, punkish, emotional, they have the down to eart sex-appeal of your friend who has a band that is actually really good -- and now it's their live and wow, seriously good as well!

Dying Breeds is his greatest moment thus far, what a great addition to the Lifeblood era. An understated kind of celestial. Just really heartfelt and cool and cold at the same time. The kind of song that leaves a good impression of the person listening to it.

[Europa Gluten Free]

Nick's vocals on the demo of Sex Power are fantastic. A real lost Manics punk rocker.

[PaulTMA]

Originally Posted by Red

Nicky Wire is the only Manic this side of the millennium to guest-vocal on someone else's single.

That's really good! Better than many Manics efforts from Nick, including quite a few singled out for praise in this thread. Is he even doing some harmonies too?

I'd quite welcome another solo album with this kind of production, something largely un-Manics and un-IKTZ.

[River Boy]

There's lots of unconventional, even bad singers, in the music industry. As someone who has sang a few times without being naturally gifted at it, if you have the nerve to do it on stage you deserve respect.

It's a whole different kettle of fish to playing an instrument and I completely understand why some lead singers, like Axl Rose, are prone to grumpiness. They're in the limelight with a lot of scrutiny on a very personal ability. If they overdo something, the press will slag them off for sounding bad, but if your guitar goes out of tune or your amp fails then it's just unfortunate. Lead vocalists need to be a bit arrogant when on stage to counteract all the anxiety.

In Nicky's case he deserves credit for how much his vocals have improved. He's clearly thought deeply about the execution of vocals so, although I didn't like Wattsville Blues, the song was worth doing because of the subsequent progression of his ability.

My favourite is probably The Future Has Been Here 4 Ever.

[Phil C]

Originally Posted by Red

Nicky Wire is the only Manic this side of the millennium to guest-vocal on someone else's single.

No he isn't - 'Turn No More' by Public Service Broadcasting with James on vocals was a single.