ezbass Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Stage presence is key. If the person with that quality can also sing well - debate over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Best Singer. Good stage presence and confidence is sexy and attractive in itself. If the other one is a good singer - then get her in on backing vocals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 And we complain as musicians about the triumph of style over substance in music Facepalm aside, I’d say it all depends on the context of the band as a whole. If the “pretty lass with potential” is going to be fronting a bunch of muffin-topped 40-somethings (hello readers!), then no amount of beauty is going to make up for the downwards gravitational pull of what will otherwise be facing punters on stage. A middle-aged ‘dad band’ will always look like a middle-aged ‘dad band’. If your mate is serious about wanting to crack the corporate scene, then he’d be advised to focus on hiring someone who is (or capable of seeming like) a professional singer, worthy of spending a corporate fee on. Issues of prettiness and physique are - albeit sadly - mostly confined to the younger end of the market. Image is [i]always[/i] important, of course, but less so as the audience ages; by which time the content of the performance is what tends to count about all else. All sweeping generalisations. But then so is casual sexism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHW Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Can't do anything more than echo the previous comments- Hire Both, Hire the better singer, much of the audience will love watching a size 18 girl with confidence as much as a size 10, If I am going to be totally misogynistic, go for the one with the better backside- as you've got to stand behind it and watch it wiggle for a couple of hours. No seriously- the better singer every time (although how you fit in personality and commitment wise with the rest of the band is hugely important too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 #2 if she can sing at all then she will improve. However she needs to feel like she's earned it and didn't breeze it because of her looks. Respect what she has achieved and value what she has been given. Good point from Dad. Two would be awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted September 10, 2015 Author Share Posted September 10, 2015 [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1441891046' post='2862651'] And we complain as musicians about the triumph of style over substance in music Facepalm aside, I’d say it all depends on the context of the band as a whole. If the “pretty lass with potential” is going to be fronting a bunch of muffin-topped 40-somethings (hello readers!), then no amount of beauty is going to make up for the downwards gravitational pull of what will otherwise be facing punters on stage. A middle-aged ‘dad band’ will always look like a middle-aged ‘dad band’. If your mate is serious about wanting to crack the corporate scene, then he’d be advised to focus on hiring someone who is (or capable of seeming like) a professional singer, worthy of spending a corporate fee on. Issues of prettiness and physique are - albeit sadly - mostly confined to the younger end of the market. Image is [i]always[/i] important, of course, but less so as the audience ages; by which time the content of the performance is what tends to count about all else. All sweeping generalisations. But then so is casual sexism. [/quote] I don't think there was ever really any serious question in his mind about which was the right option, and he was just looking for a second opinion. We were in heated agreement from the get go about the better singer is always the right option, and I posted on here to see if that was the prevailing view, especially with the experience of the guys in function and corporate event bands. He's done a lot of hotel and cruise work overseas, and knows that world, and what works, but has come back to the UK now, as his ageing mum is not too well, and he's been trying to get a good band off the ground for a few months. The original singer was very good, but was offered a contract to tour the UK in a stage show, so that was that, and hence the auditioning. He's far and away the best player in the band, but the other guys are solid, with plenty of experience, but its his vision to really go for the top end : he'd like to get in horns etc. down the line for the better corporates for example, but he's very realistic that its a long way to there from weddings and Saturday at the dog and duck. His challenge is partly that the other guys have been playing the British Legion, Social Club and Golf Club circuit for a long time, where the guy booking will absolutely book partly on what the girls look like, but, as has been said here, when you get up the food chain, its about chops, not T&A. I suspect the keys player, who is keenest on the 'dolly', will find himself replaced - this is definitely a case of show business, not show friends, and the guitarist is used to making a good living, so he's very focused. As an aside, the rest of the band look pretty good, and they take it seriously on the gear and image side : black suits all round for example, and they look the part for the better paying gigs. It's going to be interesting to see how it pans out. Thanks for all the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 We have a similarly sized singer to your number 1 option and I wouldn't want to replace her. She'd probably divorce me, for one thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Obviously, go for the one with the biggest pair. Of lungs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Singer No.2 might be sidetracked by her job, boys, another band, babies etc. So could singer no.1 of course, but she sounds more stable and sure of what she wants. These assumptions, like every reply on BC are based on less than very little information and should not be taken to seriously Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Had a very very similar situation years ago. Chose the best singer ( the larger lady ) who turned out to be an amazing front person and had the guys ( and plenty of girls ) in the palm of her hands and the band soared. About two years ago she lost 7 ( yes that's 7 stone ) and now she looks....................awesome :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 This is what I believe our American cousins call a "no-brainer". Ability and experience over looks , every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickeyboro Posted September 10, 2015 Share Posted September 10, 2015 The one factor we haven't mentioned is stage presence. I depped for a girl-fronted band this year. Fab voice but so shy she tried to sing half the songs to the drummer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skybone Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 The one who's the better singer, and has more stage experience/presence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Better singer - the length of time it took to mull it over was so small it even doesn't have a name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xzodar Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I'd support the better singer view of a lot of previous posters to this thread. Hiring both definitely gives the band more options though. My own function band has three girls fronting the band (2 lead and 1 BV), all under 32. Imagine my surprise last year when each of the two leads announced that they were pregnant within one month of another. What with that and my other half (who plays keys) in the band also falling pregnant it's been an interesting 18 months. Band socials are more like a mother and toddler group at the moment... :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Get them both - simples... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 Thanks for all the input. Plan A is Singer 1 for all gigs, with Singer 2 at all she can commit to, and for the dual vocalist gigs, they'll split the leads - about 60/40. The band will also go out with just Singer 1, where necessary. The offer is out to both, and Singer 1 is very happy, whilst Singer 2 is less so, but accepts that the band can't be constrained by her day job impacting on rehearsal etc. she's also smart enough to realise they could have said no completely, and it's a great opportunity to learn from the experience, and probably from Singer 1 specifically. Final acceptance required by close of play Friday, with a full rehearsal day on Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 [sharedmedia=core:attachments:167485] Best of all possible worlds, then, eh..? Hope it all works out well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonky2 Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 (edited) Sounds like a great plan that could work really well....... But in the whole, Forget looks..... Personally, I would KILL to play this song with this lady........ http://youtu.be/7QlKRPRwjZo it don't matter what she looks like........ Edited September 14, 2015 by Wonky2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkboy Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1441891046' post='2862651'] And we complain as musicians about the triumph of style over substance in music Facepalm aside, I’d say it all depends on the context of the band as a whole. If the “pretty lass with potential” is going to be fronting a bunch of muffin-topped 40-somethings (hello readers!), then no amount of beauty is going to make up for the downwards gravitational pull of what will otherwise be facing punters on stage. A middle-aged ‘dad band’ will always look like a middle-aged ‘dad band’. If your mate is serious about wanting to crack the corporate scene, then he’d be advised to focus on hiring someone who is (or capable of seeming like) a professional singer, worthy of spending a corporate fee on. Issues of prettiness and physique are - albeit sadly - mostly confined to the younger end of the market. Image is [i]always[/i] important, of course, but less so as the audience ages; by which time the content of the performance is what tends to count about all else. All sweeping generalisations. But then so is casual sexism. [/quote] Quoted for (a) truth and (b ) despair that we're still having this conversation in 2015. Edited September 22, 2015 by sharkboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 I wasn't sure whether to update this, but as its received a post this morning I will. Had a quick chat with my guy yesterday - he rang me to tell me how it had gone, and he was very happy. Apparently, and I have to say this is the sort of thing that women do really well, as there is no knob waving involved, the girls had contacted each other, went out together for something to eat on Friday night and came to the rehearsal on Sunday with the set list carved up as to who sings lead/BV, ideas on arrangements and keys, and suggestions for additional songs for the set! It seems they boys in the band have swiftly turned into the backing band for the ladies - who are also taking charge of their collective image, and will be out shopping for stage outfits together this week for themselves. I do find this slightly amusing, as the whole kind of testosterone backed bullshit about the younger girl has clearly gone by the board, and apparently they boys were all behaving very nicely, as if they had been told off by nanny. Hilarious. Oh, and it sounded awesome apparently - they did 'Proud Mary' and it was a hairs on the back of the neck job I'm told. Also showed up Mr Keys as the weakest link - and he was the major letch, so he could be on his way out for a number of reasons. Don't you just love a happy ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Best of all worlds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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