Fozzy’s Chris Jericho Shoots Down Criticism of Paul Stanley + Vince Neil’s Live Vocals
KISS and Motley Crue are two of the most legendary acts in rock, but both have taken their fair share of hits in the YouTube and meme era with people being critical of both Paul Stanley and Vince Neil's vocals. But those being critical are missing the point of why you see those bands in the first place, says Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho.
Jericho, a longtime KISS fan who recently launched a KISS covers band Kuarantine that covered "No No No," spoke with Australia's Triple M (heard below), explaining why people should back off their criticism of Paul Stanley. "Listen, they're in their late 60s, early 70s, whatever it may be — I really don't care at this point. If they're out there playing and doing the best they can, and there's tricks they can use to make it better, if need be," said Jericho.
He added, "Paul Stanley is one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time. Nobody can tell me differently. And that, to me, is enough. Ozzy Osbourne — one of the greatest singers of all time. All of these guys — even Paul McCartney is starting to sound a little weathered with his melody lines; that's some high stuff. And you look at a guy like Mick Jagger, and he still sounds pretty much the same, but his melodies were always in the same key; they never really went too high."
Jericho went on to address those complaining about the vocals, stating, "Listen, I'm a musician. I get it. I don't care. I'm a fan. But if you're going to a rock and roll show and you're sitting in a crowd live and going, 'Wow, this band sounds like shit,' then maybe you're missing the point of why you're here in the first place. It's easy to watch a YouTube video back and go, 'That didn't sound great.' That's not the point. It's when you're there and you're in the moment and you're enjoying the show and the energy, that's the most important thing."
The singer was then asked about Motley Crue's Vince Neil, whose vocals were called into question during a widely circulated meme and some bad reviews.
"That, to me, is way worse, but that's always been Vince," Jericho reasoned. "I wish that Vince would maybe try a little harder, and I think if this tour happens, 'The Stadium Tour,' I bet you he will. I bet you he gets the motivation to work on his conditioning a bit and maybe take some vocal lessons."
But Jericho says his same argument applies with Neil. "With all the pomp and circumstance and the hits that the crowd sings every word, if you're going there to bag on 'em with 50 thousand other people, you're missing the point. Those stadium shows were sold out, man. So my point is whether Vince sings every second word or whether he comes out there 160 pounds of abs and sounds like freaking Bruce Dickinson, it [doesn't] matter. People [go] because they wanna see Motley Crue. To me, if people are gonna go see it, it's not my position to bag on it. To me, if it's working, it's working."
KISS have already done some adjusting to their touring schedule during the coronavirus pandemic. Motley Crue, meanwhile, are in a holding pattern, with "The Stadium Tour" still scheduled for this summer. Stay tuned to the band's website for updates.
Chris Jericho Speaks With Australia's Triple M
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