When, How, and Why did Ed's Voice Change? Options

[Voodoo Lady]

Probably also a post by me.

[World Dreamer]

Yea, keep trying to be an ass.
Ed very rarely sang with eyes closed. Ed's crazy eyes and his I'm-gonna-look-right-into-this-camera-while-I'm-singing-with-my-eyes-buggin',-looking-straight-into-your-soul, made him one of the coolest motherfuckers to ever front a band on this planet!
You can keep your eyes closed Chris Shinn.

For fun I did a simple "Ed Kowalczyk Live" google search.

8 of the 16 photos of him singing live in concert his eyes were closed. I took a screenshot if you want to see it.

[World Dreamer]

For the record, it was so lame when Ed went to wearing sunglasses during concerts.

Bono is a legend and it is lame for him to wear them.

And CT doesn't get a pass either. Stop wearing sunglasses indoors. My 92 year old grandma does that.

[Hoodstock]

Studio recording has been VERY kind to Ed. After listening to countless live performances and listening to him live, it is clear to me that Ed was given MANY takes in the studio, and a lot of it was cleaned up with editing tools.

I totally disagree. I think Live sounds way better in concert. I'd say the recording studio has actually ruined some of their songs.

I prefer the live performances over their albums.

[Unsheathed]

I totally disagree. I think Live sounds way better in concert. I'd say the recording studio has actually ruined some of their songs.

I prefer the live performances over their albums.

I prefer the live performances over the albums much of the time as well. I just never thought Ed sounded like a vocal powerhouse during those concerts. For me, Ed's persona on stage was not defined by the quality of his voice, but rather how he presented it.

[Merica]

You did read that. In my excellent post just above yours.

Loool.

I think Ed started trying to fine tune his craft and use his voice as a good singer, instead of a rough and tumble alternative rock singer with angst. I think I really heard it first on TDTH. But I think that the change was intentional, not that his voice changed or that he couldn't so it anymore. The evolution of Ed's voice was (in my opinion) when Ed started trying to sound good, like a good singer. He started using more vibrato and trying to deliver a prettier sound on ballads. He was singing Imagine and Overcome and Turn My Head and Dance With You and stuff like that, and he started varying the album versions fo the hits to throw in some vocal runs. But I think that Ed could still deliver a great vocal performance on Lakini's Juice and White Discussion right up until the end of their run. I saw some great shows at Hershey and Atlantic City right near the end. I didn't walk away from those shows thinking there was anything wrong with Ed's vocals. I loved his early acoustic solo performances. I think Ed's voice still has plenty in the tank and can sound great.

Fishy bringing the goods. I think this is a good take on the intentional changes of Ed's voice. Couple it with Pokey's thing about Ed seemingly willingly becoming an overly manufactured performer on stage and that kind of explains it.

Probably also a post by me.

Loooooooool.

[World Dreamer]

Merica is the best poster I have ever seen besides myself.

+1