Highest / falsetto voice in music?

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Following on from the 'deepest voice in music' thread, how about perfect-pitch high voices?

Not wishing to include mental extremes like Italian 'Castrato', but people who sing high and on key live - not just on albums.

As a singer myself I know how difficult it is to sing perfectly on key for a full set and still hit high notes when you're getting tired.

But singers I've seen live who have sung these notes perfectly time after time on stage include (and there's a bit of a Rock theme here - guess what I'm a fan of?) :

Sebastian Bach (Formerly Skid row)
Rodney James Dio (No introduction required really)
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)


Over to the floor...

[Honk]

Klaus Nomi
Russell Mael
Geddy Lee
David Surkamp

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Geddy Lee...

Good call

Love Rush, but never seen em live. Have you?

[Honk]

Yes, 1979 Liverpool Empire
c 1981 Deeside
the last tour at M.E.N.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Honk said:

Yes, 1979 Liverpool Empire
c 1981 Deeside
the last tour at M.E.N.

Nice one

I was 7 years old in '79

Going O/T but related to Rush - Neil Peart eh? Drummer of the millennium IMHO

[Honk]

Aye...very technical rather like Carl Palmer I've often thought. I'm probably more of a Moony/Bonham enthusiast.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

Honk said:

Aye...very technical rather like Carl Palmer I've often thought. I'm probably more of a Moony/Bonham enthusiast.

Anyway, we've gone O/T already! I did start a 'Legendary Drummers' thread a while back, it's here somewhere....probably dropped down the back of the Pistonheads Sofa...

[kiteless]

Andreas Scholl (counter-tenor; sort of equivalent of the medieval castrati) has a captivating voice. Also, sticking with the classical theme, Juan-Diego Florez - although a tenor, and not my favourite - hits high C's for fun.

Moderns? How about:

Roger Taylor
Dave Coverdale
Ian Gillan

[bartylash]

Probably not a thread-winner but I was impressed with the Temper Trap's Dougy Mandagi.
Great voice, IMO.

[suthol]

Maybe not the highest but certainly a wonderful high voice.
Kathy Westmorland

[Whitester]

How about Bruce Dickenson? Incredible singer, hits a D5 on Run To The Hills.

[waffles]

I always liked Frankie Valli.

[wal 45]

What about the late, great Billy Mackenzie from The Associates or maybe Hayden Thorpe from Wild Beasts.

[Blackpuddin]

Aaron Neville

[russ turner]

Ray Luxury-Yacht said:

Geddy Lee...

Good call

Love Rush, but never seen em live. Have you?

Never seen Rush - where you been ?

Seen them on every UK tour since I saw them the first time in about 1979.

[toasty]

Awful music but Mika's got to be in there.

[The Nur]

toasty said:

Awful music but Mika's got to be in there.

For some reason I get the feeling he isn't hitting the high notes on stage.

[celticpilgrim]

Are we talking hitting high notes, like say a pop singer, or hitting them with some power, cos rock singers take most of the medals here

I'd definitely agree with Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford, Geddy possibly DC

[Ozone]

Jimmy Somerville can still really hit the high notes as clear as a bell, i saw him at an 80's show last year and was very impressed.

[B Huey]

Curtis Mayfield.