Worst Replacement lead singer

[motely36]

Who came along and ruined your favorite band?

[ogneopasno]

1. HA! I thought this was about the Replacements.

And I was all, wait, Lionel Ritchie fronted the Replacements? WTF?

[motely36]

2. yeah, but all the others made sense!

:P

[cinci_democrat]

52. Mickey Thomas

In my book, no one tops Mickey Thomas as replacement singer for Grace Slick and Marty Balin in Jefferson Starship. Uggg...worse than worst!

[MnFats]

56. does he do those 'real men of genius" beer ads now?

I swear that's him.

[GOPisEvil]

60. That is Dave Bickler, formerly of Survivor.

[Orsino]

87. I think those commercials are brilliant enough to redeem him. n/t

[MnFats]

93. Thanks! that had been bugging me for years

and i agree....there is a certain genius to the ads themselves.

[tigereye]

62. me too - they didn't need a replacement singer!

:rofl:

[wyldwolf]

3. Gary Cherone

[motely36]

4. I had to look that up

I vaguely recall them having a third lead singer.

[wyldwolf]

5. never quite understood it

he was a decent singer in Extreme, but horrid in Van Halen.

[driver8]

22. That was the first name I thought of...WTF?

The guy is a decent singer, but not for Van Halen!

[last_texas_dem]

6. In all fairness, Peter Cetera was always with Chicago

He, Lamm, and Kath split the lead vocal duties. He just tended to be the lead singer on the ballads, which they started to do more and more of in the early- to mid-eighties.

[motely36]

7. I thought he came later

I'll have to look that up. Thanks :hi:

[motely36]

8. Wow!

The DU can be really educational! Thanks again. :)

[last_texas_dem]

10. Oh, no prob..

Cetera did dominate the lead vocal duties as their sound changed in the eighties, so it makes sense that it would seem like he had joined later.

[KamaAina]

54. I always wondered why he didn't form his own band

and call it Et Cetera. :-)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. David Lee Roth wasn't good enough for Sammy Hagar to be considered a bad replacement

Early Van Halen was pretty good, but the band had already gone way downhill even before Roth left.

[Orsino]

88. But Roth had a pulse, and a soul.

Smarmy, fake ones, but they kept the band and the audience awake.

[Radical Activist]

91. When I compare the solo work of both

it's easy to see that Hagar is the one with at least a little talent. Roth is a joke.

[Orsino]

94. That may well be true.

I will only maintain that Roth made Van Halen worth listening to. VH remained listenable in spite of Hagar's blandness, not because of it.

Eddie's becoming an even more amazing player helped a lot, there.

[Radical Activist]

90. Exactly. Hagar was an improvement if anything.

The band sucked regardless.

[southpaw]

11. David Coverdale - Deep Purple

Sorry, but there are a couple of 'must-have' ingredients for Deep Purple: Richie Blackmore and Ian Gillan. David Coverversion... not on the list.


Also: Trevor Horn - Yes. Thankfully, that only lasted one album/tour. Jon Anderson is essential.

[motely36]

12. I figured there were some missing

:hi:

[semillama]

13. Blaze Bayley - Iron Maiden

There is no substitute for Bruce Dickinson.

[rcrush]

27. I had the unfortunate experience of seeing Blaze Bayley perform with Iron Maiden

but then the next year Bruce was back and all was well again.

[rcrush]

28. delete

[mac56]

14. Seth Justman, the keyboard player, became lead singer of the J Geils Band after Peter Wolf left.

Jumped right over that ol' shark.

[southpaw]

15. Ooooooh... I remember that

Just didn't work well, did it?

[SteppingRazor]

16. I realize VanHagar's gonna win this poll, but I had to vote McDonald.

Say what you want about Hagar, but when he came on, Van Halen was still a hard rock band. They weren't as good, but their soul did not change. When Michael McDonald came on to the Doobie Brothers, he took a fun, swamp-funk boogie band and turned it into an unspeakably horrific approximation of blue-eyed soul. Van Halen wasn't as good a hard-rock band with Hagar on the mike, but the Doobie Brothers were a sick joke with McDonald.

On edit: Also, I feel like I should mention that, when I saw the title of the OP, I assumed this poll would have something to do with Paul Westerberg. :shrug:

On double edit: Also, there's a bunch of way worse choices than that, when you consider very late-in-the-career singer changes like those that happened in Judas Priest and Journey.

[southpaw]

17. IMO, The Doobies became McDonald's backing band

They must have kept the name for contractual reasons, or perhaps for the name recognition, but the Doobie Brothers essentially gave up everything they were about in exchange for sidemen roles in McDonald's band.

That said, I liked several of their early McDonald-era songs... I just didn't kid myslef that this was the same musical entity that created 'China Grove' et al.

[SteppingRazor]

19. Granted, and that makes it even more pathetic.

I mean, the band had its own thing, and they hang it up to follow McDonald's tainted muse? What the hell's wrong with them?

All that said, I should point out that, while I like the original lineup, I'm not a raging Doobie Brothers fan or anything. I just think they went from a pretty good band to a god-awful one.

[motely36]

20. Yeah, I said McDonald

for pretty much the same reason. :hi:

[jobycom]

21. Pretty much what I was going to post, only much better said. nt

[Sebastian Doyle]

"Say what you want about Hagar, but when he came on, Van Halen was still a hard rock band."

Uh... computer says "NO".....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usw3uKkowws

[leeroysphitz]

18. Chris DeBurg n/t

[Aristus]

23. Chris De Burgh was never a group singer. He was always a solo artist.

While we're on the subject, I've been disappointed with his output for over ten years now. He started out as a balladeer/storyteller and moved into a hard rock period. That period gave us his best albums, The Getaway, and Man On The Line. After that, he started to go down hill, with a lot of sappy glurge that all sounds the same. I still consider him my favorite singer, but it's mostly an honorary thing by now. there are musicians who far surpass him in musical accomplishment.

[southpaw]

24. Chris DeBurgh wishes he were Al Stewart...

He always struck me as a Stewart wannabe.

Of course, I'm not very familiar with his work, just the radio stuff.

Just an impression.

[leeroysphitz]

29. He took over from Robert Palmer with Power Station. n/t

[southpaw]

41. No way, dude...

That was Michael DesBarres...

But that's a pretty funny image... Chris DeBurgh belting out a funkified rendition of "Bang a Gong (Get it On)"

[mitchum]

44. Don't you mean Michael "Kiss of Death" DesBarres?

Actually, DesBarres is a very witty guy, but any musical enterprise he became involved in seemed to be doomed to coming crashing to the ground
Silverhead
Detective
Chequered Past
Power Station

[southpaw]

46. He's famous for almost making it big...

several times...

but never quite getting there.

Ironically, more people probably know of his ex-wife, Pamela DesBarres, for her book: "I'm With the Band" about her time as a groupie.

Michael did perform with Power Station at Live Aid.

[mitchum]

25. Whoever Jimmy Page is going to tap to front that upcoming abomination

just on principle alone

[southpaw]

26. Yeah... even though

Rumour has it that Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge is on the short list.

Whether you like Alter Bridge or not, Kennedy is a really good rock singer.

That's not the issue, though.

This Faux-Zep insanity should not be allowed to happen.

[Mr. Blonde]

69. I'm so glad that Jack White said no way not ever

when he was rumored to be considered.

Or as Pitchfork put it:

"Jack White, possibly the only person alive who could plausibly replicate Plant's swagger and yelp, has already said that he won't be involved with the tour. Last year, he told the British tabloid the Daily Star that "I do not believe you can have a band called Led Zeppelin, singing Zeppelin songs, without Plant." Which...yeah."

[rcrush]

30. Whoever the hell that guy was in Judas Priest for awhile.

[Iggo]

39. Tim "Ripper" Owens.

Mm-hmm. Ripper.

[MrSlayer]

63. Ripper did a credible imitation of Halford.

But that's all it was. You can't fill the shoes of a god.

[Justyce]

31. I *love* VanHagar.

:shrug:

[ok_cpu]

32. Ray Wilson

On that Genesis "Calling All Stations" debacle. No matter what you may think of Uncle Phil as a replacement lead singer in his own right, that dude and that album sucked.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

68. I'll never understand how they talked him into that...

...probably Banks & Rutherford new the concept would tank and they simply waved a big, fat check under his nose so they could milk the Genesis cow one more time. When they finally reunited with Collins for the tour and album they must have laughed all the way to the bank.

Except for a song here and there, I pretty much gave up on Genesis when Hackett left. I saw them on the "Seconds Out" tour...his last...and they KILLED. As soon as they started work on "And Then They Were Three" it was over, I.M.H.O...

:toast:

[flvegan]

33. That guy that briefly replaced Johnny Rotten.

He didn't ruin the Sex Pistols, they had already ruined themselves.

[Iggo]

34. I voted Hagar...

...but only because Cherone wasn't one of the choices.

[Throd]

35. Bruce Dickinson

[gmoney]

36. whoever sang on the two 1970's Doors albums after Jim Morrison died?

"Full Circle" and "Other Voices" had Kreiger and Manzarek on vocals. Shudder...

Not sure if Ian Astbury counts for that recent "reunion" tour, since I don't think they released a record.

[mitchum]

43. Good call...as a singer, Kreiger was a vastly underrated guitarist

as a singer, Manzarek was (and still is) a smug, insufferable twit who played lovely piano on "Crystal Ship"

[Tighelander]

84. HEY! How about Val Kilmer as Jim's replacement?

He did the vocals in the Doors movie, and in Top Secret. Why not have him tour with the band? Plus, it seems he almost as crazy as Jim was. I think the thread about Val made me think of this.

[Oeditpus Rex]

37. It's a tie

between Bob James, who replaced Sammy Hagar after two Montrose albums, and the aforementioned David Coverdale.

[last_texas_dem]

38. Paul Westerberg

:-)

[Career Prole]

40. Brian Howe - Bad Company

Replaced* Paul Rodgers.

*perhaps a poor choice of word there

[southpaw]

42. Paul Rogers - Queen

Doesn't work for me.

[mitchum]

45. They should have changed the name to "Butch"

[southpaw]

47. Hah! Perfect!

Rogers does seem like the Anti-Freddie, doesn't he?

[mitchum]

51. 70s era Bad Company is my guilty pleasure...

thanks in no small part to his vocals, but he is indeed the anti-Freddie

[Radical Activist]

92. Me either.

Major suck.

[mitchum]

48. Doug Yule...

however, it's still not fair that they shut him out of that Rock And Roll Hall of Fame nonsense

[southpaw]

49. He did sing some...

But he never really 'replaced' Lou Reed, did he?

[mitchum]

50. He fronted the band for a couple of years after Reed walked away

His vocals and instrumental contributions with the "real" Velvets are very good, but when he started writing and singing all of the material...ugh

[last_texas_dem]

59. I dunno...

Personally, I think "Who Loves the Sun" is the best thing VU ever did.

:hide:

[mitchum]

76. It is a lovely song

[sniffa]

53. This song sums it up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC3tJ_Nu7GQ

[CreekDog]

55. Sammy Hagar was an improvement!

I know it's hopeless to think people will ever support me on this. :crazy:

[TZ]

58. Of course not...

We all know that you have HORRIBLE taste in music :P

[CreekDog]

72. your cat sings better than Geddy Lee

:spank:

[TZ]

86. yes

she's a very talented vocalist, she meows in time with Tom Sawyer...:rofl:

[Orsino]

89. I would say that Geddy is an okay singer...

...cursed with a terribly irritating voice. I file him next to Billy Corgan.

[southpaw]

65. I agree...

If Dave had bailed after Fair Warning and been replaced by Sammy, my opinion would be vastly different.

But by 1984, Dave was late for the door and practically anybody with a vocal range of more than 4 notes would have been an improvement.

[swishyfeet]

70. For me, it was a push

I thought Hagar's style was close enough to DLR that it should work, and DLR was probably a major PITA by then.

Unfortunately for me, their best music was done by then.

[Sebastian Doyle]

80. Freeper!

Seriously.... the guy hangs around Nugent and Toby Keith. AND sings sappy assed cheese ballads with Hallmark card lyrics about aliens pulling tampon strings......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EDnQxh6ItA

When Eddie isn't even playing the fucking guitar, how did they even label that shit as "Van Halen"? :puke:

[martymar64]

57. Brian Johnson - I miss Bon Scott more than you can know

[flvegan]

61. Yeah, but Johnson honored Bon and said he never expected to replace him.

He just filled a role pretty well, but he never pretended to be Bon, as good as Bon or better than Bon. Johnson has class.

I'm not saying anything bad about Bon. I miss him dearly as well.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

67. The recent Rolling Stone interview (November 2008) backs up everything you're saying...

...I'm sure many people would be surprised by the work ethic and overall level of integrity in the band. These guys are rock stars who simply see themselves as people with jobs to do and work their asses off to make sure that their fans receive every penny's worth. I've been a fan of the band since the beginning and considered "Black Ice"...along with Tom Petty's "Mudcrutch" project and Jeff Beck's "Live At Ronnie Scotts"...to be the unquestionable high point of music in 2008.

:toast:

[flvegan]

71. Hell, he was the bus driver who admired the guys

and lucked into the job because he had the pipes and the presence. Nobody in that band has ever suggested Brian was "the new Bon". He's the guy who's the lead singer for the band now.

I've loved AC/DC since I was 11. Genuine rock and roll from some pretty modest guys.

[Fenris]

64. Michale Graves.

[Sebastian Doyle]

81. Yeah, he's the second worst after Hagar

And also a goddamn Repuke.

Conservative punks?? Makes about as much sense as gay Klansmen.

[blue neen]

66. My son says "whoever the hell it is who is singing for Alice in Chains now."

I personally say the old Mick Jagger in place of the young Mick Jagger.

[mitchum]

75. I think yours is the most correct answer to the question

[CreekDog]

73. Lionel Richie didn't replace the lead singer

He replaced the Commodores.

Arguably, McDonald did the same with the Doobies.

(this is not to say that was bad, but it bore no resemblance to the band that preceded)

[mitchum]

74. That old bald derelict singing for REM now

[Sebastian Doyle]

82. Nah, the bad replacement in REM was the drummer

They haven't been worth a shit since Bill Berry left.

[mitchum]

85. That is indeed the truth

Despite all of the drummer jokes in the world, Berry proved to be the one of taste and discernment

[bluesbassman]

77. Michael McDonald turned the Doobie Brothers into the Oregano Brothers.

Just fluff after McDonald was brought in.:puke:

Second place should go to Benoît David replacing Jon Anderson in Yes.

[swag]

78. Phil Collins

[swag]

79. My nominee wins.

Nobody can top Phil Collins.

He sucks rubber donkey dicks.

[underpants]

83. Tyler replacing Robert Plant?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3679104

[Zavulon]

95. With all due respect to the 43 Hagar voters as of this writing,

I can't understand how Cetera hasn't gotten every single vote so far - or at least how he hasn't gotten well over half with McDonald getting a lot of votes, too. Those guys did a lot more to destroy their respective bands than Hagar did, in my opinion anyway.

Cetera was HORRIBLE.

[southpaw]

96. I see you'r point about Cetera, but

as others have pointed out, Cetera wasn't a 'replacement' for anyone.

As Chicago devolved into an 80's pop ballad band, and the other singers disappeared, Cetera became the main vocalist.

Cetera didn't destroy Chicago. Chicago died and Cetera inherited what was left of it.

[swag]

97. "Democracy Spawns Bad Taste" - The Crucifucks