SickthingsUK

Just seen footage of Liam Gallacher wandering off stage at a festival gig moaning that he'd lost his voice/ got a sore throat. For me, that's a result....but it did get me thinking about the number of singers who have to cut short gigs and tours because of voice "problems".
How come Alice is able, year after year, gig after gig, to keep delivering when his tour schedule seems to be far more punishing than singers a third his age? No matter how fit he keeps himself, surely he can't be immune from sore throats, viruses or infections which seem to floor others?

He's not. He soldiers on. Over 50+ years of singing, he's learned how to deal with it.

In 2010, he had a really bad case of laryngitis. I saw him in Kettering, OH, and was amazed that you could barely tell it during his show. I'd half-expected the show to be canceled because it. He sounded rough at times, but it was still a great performance. When he appeared on UK TV shows a couple of weeks later, he could barely talk. Yet he managed to perform those shows, too.

He does seem to have a remarkable immune system, because I'd think he'd be sick all the time from the punishing schedule, meeting and shaking hands with so many people, etc.

Hunter

I tried to post this earlier so if a double reply-sorry.

To the original post- I have heard Alice, once or twice, be suffering from a croaky throat whilst performing (via youtube). Once when he was a drinker and once when not. I think that fact that he does not drink alcohol is a big plus in that his throat will not dry out in the same way as a drinker. Someone having a drink to calm their nerves might find that their voice suffers. Delicate moisture balance needed in throat area for singers. Wider effects of dehydration, inflammation and hampering immune system especially as the singer gets older
( Alice does seem to be doing ok as he ages -probably a faustian pact in the 1970s lol)

SickThings wrote:He's not. He soldiers on. Over 50+ years of singing, he's learned how to deal with it.

In 2010, he had a really bad case of laryngitis. I saw him in Kettering, OH, and was amazed that you could barely tell it during his show. I'd half-expected the show to be canceled because it. He sounded rough at times, but it was still a great performance. When he appeared on UK TV shows a couple of weeks later, he could barely talk. Yet he managed to perform those shows, too.

He does seem to have a remarkable immune system, because I'd think he'd be sick all the time from the punishing schedule, meeting and shaking hands with so many people, etc.

Hunter

I've seen shows when his voice has been less then perfect, once or twice it's been almost shot. I remember one time in, I think, Glasgow when it was completely shot and seem to remember he maybe actually broke character for a second and said he would need help? The show was still amazing as the audience just carried him along (as you would expect in Glasgow haha). Two nights later he was okay(ish) again.
Of course there is also the Trash era awards show when his voice was shot as well... That was baaad.
So it does happen. I think he just gets on with it and does the best he can rather then cancel the show and disappoint people.

Before I go on stage I do about a twenty minute voice warm up..it amazes me the amount of younger actors I work with who don't do any or go and have a fag instead! I'm sure Alice does a full vocal warm up before every show! I wonder if he has a voice coach?

Second attmept at posting this one as well-gremlins tonight-seems to block out if someone else typing/posting

So, Si which Glasgow gig was that?

I saw him on SF tour 82 in Glasgow- a bit growly voiced. The crowd seemed high on being there (or high on something)and were in full support. From memory, I was upstairs beside a load of lairy Iron Maiden fans and we were all standing on the heads of the seats. The whole row of seats seemed to be swaying back and forth. Most of the rows seemed to be doing this but luckily none collapsed. Glasgow likes a wild party!

For anybody interested this link is about the effects of alcohol on the voice. I used to counsel people with alcohol problems so I retain links of this sort.

http://www.jeanniedeva.com/singers-alcohol

recoop wrote: So, Si which Glasgow gig was that?

DT maybe? I can`t remember exactly. Somewhere around there I think.

From Si:
"DT maybe? I can`t remember exactly. Somewhere around there I think."

It did happen in either on both legs of that tour, I think.

The childhood story of nearly dying made him stronger I'd suspect.

as far as i remember : at the beginning of Trashes the world he's voice is not perfect and also in the show at Basel he was not 100%
so it does happen. Human after all, isn't he !

I wrote:
"It did happen in either on both legs of that tour, I think."

That should be "It did happen on both legs of that tour, with Manchester being at least one place, I think."

From Patrick:
"at the beginning of Trashes the world he's voice is not perfect"

He did indeed have a cold before that show.

Well, he got a stomach flu at the beggining of the South American tour, He couldn't even move.

Chile got cancelled... lucky me, right?

dadascot wrote:Before I go on stage I do about a twenty minute voice warm up..it amazes me the amount of younger actors I work with who don't do any or go and have a fag instead! I'm sure Alice does a full vocal warm up before every show! I wonder if he has a voice coach?

I don't believe he does much/any warm up.

I like to attribute his and Dennis' extended youthfulness to all the long distance running early in life. Being non-smokers is definitely a plus.

NotSoPerfect wrote:

dadascot wrote:Before I go on stage I do about a twenty minute voice warm up..it amazes me the amount of younger actors I work with who don't do any or go and have a fag instead! I'm sure Alice does a full vocal warm up before every show! I wonder if he has a voice coach?

I don't believe he does much/any warm up.

I think you're right. I'm pretty sure there is little if none at all.

His voice is too ugly to attract germs

mr.barlow wrote:

NotSoPerfect wrote:

dadascot wrote:Before I go on stage I do about a twenty minute voice warm up..it amazes me the amount of younger actors I work with who don't do any or go and have a fag instead! I'm sure Alice does a full vocal warm up before every show! I wonder if he has a voice coach?

I don't believe he does much/any warm up.

I think you're right. I'm pretty sure there is little if none at all.

Why do you think that? I've never worked with a singer that didn't do a vocal warm up! Actors yes, singers no!