Managing Illness when you are a singer
July 25, 2007
Filed Under Singing Lessons |
I just received the bad news that Kim from Dead Letter Circus is ill and the band has had to pull out of their comittments with Butterfly effect at the Hifi bar in Melbourne.This is always distressing for the singer ESPECIALLY if you are Kim.
He has a voice like no other rock singer in this country.His live voice can only be described as perfect in pitch and presentation and he has worked incredibly hard to get it to that stage.Most people who think they can sing like this would bumble their way through a week of illness just for the sake of doing the gig but miss the point of why people actually go to see them.They want to be entertained and do not want to walk away from that gig feeling they only got 50%.
I toured my band with Crowded House when they first busrt onto the scene.I got a virus like Kim but still pushed on.I lost my voice after the first three songs every night and after a week was forced to quit the tour.As a result of not stopping and recouperating the virus turned into an infection and blood disorder and I had to quit the band.I could not sing literally for six months and I only had two octaves(probably less).
It is always a tough call people but a voice is not a hand or a foot.When in doubt pull out.Good move kim.
Lots of pineapple and really hot green tea, on stage, and eat pineapple all day if you have to and keep talking.Never stop talking when you have a cold or flu because it keeps mucus from building up behind your throat and constantly humm scales, one octave will suffice every couple of hours if you really have to do the gig. If you can still get BUCKLEY’S CANADIOL it is the holy grail for singers.I have completely lost my voice many times after a week of singing and one third of a small bottle and IT’S BACK.Thin but BACK.You can sip it during a gig and I guarantee everyone that it will see you through the night and then some more.
The most important thing is not to be a sook and let everyone know how sick you are.Deal with it with pineapple and Buckley’s Canadiol.
I heard a band last week by the name of MONSTERWORKS.Jon the singer has a few tones over four octaves.Yes, four.Not one or two.I downloaded the album from their website and was glad to feel my bones rattle from the great tunes these guys have produced.They are metal as anything but have broken a mould that has been around for a long time and have set the benchmark now for singing and songwriting.The singer will give Rob Halford a run for his money and I am sure has destroyed many a mic diaphragm.For those bands and metal singers out there that are looking for the next wave, the tsunami is in England and they are Monsterworks.I am sure Jon has some great illness remedies, oh and by the way he is also one of the guitarists.You must check this out if you like Judas Priest.They are the twenty first century version on Steroids.
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