Was Roger Daltrey really needed in the Who?

[sloopjohnc]

Maybe my memory is faulty but I have seen the Who maybe three or four times over the years and I can't recall Pete ever singing lead. I am including when they performed Tommy live. Am I misremembering things?

I've seen them live a few times too and my recollections are more along the lines of what Bobzilla writes. He sang maybe one song.

[sloopjohnc]

I think the same question could be posed for lots of the most popular '60s groups.

Jagger's probably the weakest link in the Stones. He's a songwriter and stylist, not a very good singer. Keith Relf was the weakest link in his group.

The only ones I could argue for would be Ray Davies, and while not a good singer, he wrote songs he could sing for himself.

Eric Burdon is probably the only one, besides the Beatles, where you could say the singer was one of the top things in the band.

[naughty boy]

Jim Morrison?

[Quaco]

I'm not sure I agree with you, sloop, except in regards Relf I guess. Jagger is great!

[sloopjohnc]

I'm not sure I agree with you, sloop, except in regards Relf I guess. Jagger is great!

As a singer? He does okay with an okay instrument. He wavers, he doesn't have much range - he's an icon, but not because of the pure quality of his voice.

I love the Stones - garage rock was born because of them, but it's because a multitude of singers could approximate his growl and snarl.

[Quaco]

No, I'm talking more about stage presence. I assumed we were still on that re Daltrey. But I do think Jagger was a great singer, better Brian Jones the guitarist, Bill Wyman the bassist, or Charlie Watts the drummer.

[sloopjohnc]

No, I'm talking more about stage presence. I assumed we were still on that re Daltrey. But I do think Jagger was a great singer, better Brian Jones the guitarist, Bill Wyman the bassist, or Charlie Watts the drummer.

Stage presence, Jagger's the master.

[yomptepi]

And Jagger sings 99% of the songs. He is the bands singer. Certainly before Who's Next, Townshend was doing 40 - 50 % of the singing. Which is why I asked the question.

[kath]

There is something transcendent about the way Daltrey sings those terribly vulnerable lyrics with such power. It made vulnerability seem cool, like it was nothing to be afraid of.

Then if you need some real old fashioned vulnerability, Pete could sing that one.

Pete has actually said about some of his songs, that when Roger sings the lyrics, they MEAN something different than when Pete sings them.

i like this post very much.

i remember watching a doc on quadrophenia, listenin to pete talk about roger's contributions, the whens and wheres and hows, what it meant to the whole feel and texture of the album.

to me, both voices are essential, and the way they interplay? alternate? work with each other or counter each other is a huge part of why i love the who. i think the band reduced to only one or the other is not the same band. for the worse.

[Rayge]

Certainly before Who's Next, Townshend was doing 40 - 50 % of the singing. Which is why I asked the question.

Just a point of information. Which singles does Pete sing lead on?
I can't give a toss about the albums, but the Oo were easily my favourite British singles band of the 1960s

[yomptepi]

From the Hoff Men

Sung entirely by Townshend:
A Legal Matter
Odorono
Our Love Was
I Can't Reach You
Sunrise
That Glittering Girl
Glow Girl
It's a Boy
1921
Acid Queen
There's a Doctor
Sensation
Tommy's Holiday Camp
Goin' Mobile
I'm One
Get Out and Stay Out
Four Faces
However Much I Booze
Blue Red and Grey
Music Must Change

Townshend sings lead on part of the song:
A Quick One
I'm a Boy
Little Billy
Naked Eye
Don't Know Myself
Baba O'Riley
Long Live Rock
Cut My Hair
Sister Disco

don't seem to be any singles there...

[Rayge]

Cheers, yomp.
Legal Matter was released as a single, I think, perhaps a b-side, but the only one of those I'm confident was intended as a single is I'm a Boy.

I think that the other three could have been a great band with a different vocalist, but it wouldn't have been the Who.

[Penk!]

No, I'm talking more about stage presence. I assumed we were still on that re Daltrey. But I do think Jagger was a great singer, better Brian Jones the guitarist, Bill Wyman the bassist, or Charlie Watts the drummer.

Stage presence, Jagger's the master.

Jagger's voice is the thing that really stops me loving the Stones.

A bit like Morrissey in that regard, isn't he?

[Penk!]

I always found Daltrey the least interesting singer in any major '60s band, though. Not a detrimental presence like Jagger, just not bringing any particular charisma or personality to the songs.

[naughty boy]

No, I'm talking more about stage presence. I assumed we were still on that re Daltrey. But I do think Jagger was a great singer, better Brian Jones the guitarist, Bill Wyman the bassist, or Charlie Watts the drummer.

Stage presence, Jagger's the master.

Jagger's voice is the thing that really stops me loving the Stones.

He's an absolute tit.

['skope]

Jagger's voice is the thing that really stops me loving the Stones.

He's an absolute tit.

oh fuck off the both of you.

[naughty boy]

[The Slider]

Jagger is an absolute tit
And Daltrey is a dullard

But neither band would have been anything like as great without them.

[Quaco]

From the Hoff Men

Sung entirely by Townshend:
A Legal Matter
Odorono
Our Love Was
I Can't Reach You
Sunrise
That Glittering Girl
Glow Girl
It's a Boy
1921
Acid Queen
There's a Doctor
Sensation
Tommy's Holiday Camp
Goin' Mobile
I'm One
Get Out and Stay Out
Four Faces
However Much I Booze
Blue Red and Grey
Music Must Change

Townshend sings lead on part of the song:
A Quick One
I'm a Boy
Little Billy
Naked Eye
Don't Know Myself
Baba O'Riley
Long Live Rock
Cut My Hair
Sister Disco

don't seem to be any singles there...

"Eminence Front" was a single, ever here at least.

[Jimbo]

Jagger is an absolute tit.

Speaking of Jagger and w/o a new thread, here is Mick himself calling into the WTF podcast the other day to talk with Mark, an absolute fan. Have a listen. Not so tittish IMO.