So Who Will Use Backing Tapes On 'The Stadium Tour'?

The Stadium Tour with Joan Jett, Poison, Motley Crue and Def Leppard kicks off soon. We're going to have a lot of YouTube footage to enjoy - and criticize all the same I think.

Bret Michaels of Poison says the band doesn't use any backing tapes, ever. They practice vocal harmonies. I don't think Joan Jett uses backing tapes to punch up vocals. We all know Motley Crue uses them heavily. Def Leppard uses tracks in some situations - but the vocals are live, at least according to Phil Collen in the interview linked from 2019.

Personally, I don't care if a band uses tracks or not. Live shows will and should sound different from a studio recording. People need to accept that as reality. Of course, a band shouldn't just give up and rely on backing tapes for all vocals and musical parts, either. That's just lazy and not fair to paying customers. Do you expect lots of backing tapes on The Stadium Tour? Do you believe Bret Michaels and his claim?

BRET MICHAELS Says POISON Doesn't Use Any Backing Tracks: 'We Sit At Soundcheck And Work On Those Harmonies' https://t.co/B68sW9NZU3 pic.twitter.com/Q2PG4ojSFG

— BLABBERMOUTH.NET (@BLABBERMOUTHNET) May 28, 2022

Comments

[Him]

When it comes to Motely Crue, you should sorta' reverse the question: will MC do anything that is live? I know Animal (aka, Lee the Feminist) on his bongos will be live. Other than that? Hmm?

Def obviously needs to sweeten their sound onstage. No problem with that, if it is a supplement for all the studio wizardry that went into producing their albums (remember: they had a robot drummer at one point . . . giggle . . . and, again, not a jab at Rick Allen or Tony Kenning) and for Elliott's diminished (though better in recent years) vocals.

Agree with Allyson re: Poison and Jett. Those aren't exactly theatrical sounding bands, with lots of adornment.

I hope everyone who goes enjoys themselves.

[Mike]

Poison takes alot of flack for their musicianship, but I do admire them for being a “warts and all” live act; neither of the live albums I own are doctored in any way that’s for sure!

I saw them in 2000 (maybe 2001) and they had a keyboard player on-stage who helped out ALOT with the vocals, not sure if that is still the case.

Is adding extra people to enhance your sound more “legitimate” than a backing track? I think so, as it retains a human element; and spontaneity.

Crüe could bring back the “Nasty Habits” and solve alot of the vocal issues (at least where padding is concerned), but they still have to play with a click because video, lighting, pyro all have to run in synch. So I guess the reasoning is, the show is already automated to a degree what’s the difference adding some BG vocals.

I watched the footage of DL playing at the Whisky the other day and they sound great. I’ve read an interview with Vivian Campbell where he said that they warm up their vocals way more than their guitar playing before they play, and it shows.

[Him]

Nicely measured take, Mike. I appreciate it.

Poison aren't doing a lot of heavy lifting, music-wise. So it makes sense that they bring it live. Good on them. MC's issues go far beyond the need for orchestration to match their studio work. Well, at least the issues do now. Lep have sounded great in recent years (seen them live at least three times, pre-pandemic). I think Joe has taken a bit more care of his voice in the last few years. In the studio? Well, they can figured it out/fix it.

I also like your take on backing-tracks vs. additional singers. I mean, well, Whitesnake has pretty much admitted that it is adding singers to make up for the wailing cat's shot vox. So, good for them? But the best, most recent example that I saw live was ELO. Lynne had amazing backing vocalists. And he did a really cool thing: he acknowledged them and applauded them for picking up the slack that his voice can't manage these days. Classy.

But, again, I also understand the use of tracks to add embellishments that you find on albums and can't reproduce live. Take Lep's "Rocket." That is a whole lot of stuff going on. So pipe in the other stuff and let it rip!

Then . . . there's . . . Fozzy?!?! Audience vote: which do you prefer? Sab nowadays without tracks or Fozzy "without" (wink, wink) tracks?

[Metalboy!]

Okay, okay, HIM! … Hold it right there! … What, I gotta show up here every once in awhile to apply the brakes for you?

“Poison aren’t doing a lot of heavy lifting, music-wise.”?

When I saw them back in 2010, for which I wrote a review on here.

In the review, I remark about the superhuman guitar pyrotechnics of one Mr. C.C. Deville.

Believe me, he was doing a HELLUVA lot of heavy lifting and we’ll hopefully soon see him continue that trend on this tour, even more!!!

[Him]

I will respectfully step out and away on this one. My point was that Poison's music doesn't strike me as that difficult. And I say that as a person with ZERO musical talent. But, as a listener, that was my take. Only that. And I have no doubt that they 'bring it' performing live. Just not sure if that is the same thing as having it, talent-wise. But what do I know? Like I said, I am just a listener, not a musician.