Bands using pre-recorded backing tapes live

[Progatron]

Is this how bad it's become, that audiences over time have gradually just accepted it getting to this point? I mean, it's a supremely lousy song anyway, but my god...

[the winter tree]

wow, and they didn't even get booed off the stage. If vocals sound too perfect live, there is a good chance that they are lip syncing.

[clivey]

My old band, a 7 piece " Blue On Shock"


did a support slot with a well known 2 piece Rave band back in 91. The 2 guys were in awe of us playing live. They had a couple of mics and their whole set on a DAT machine.
It was their gig though and their crowd tolerated us. I would have thought the sound crew would have at least had a bit of fun sorting us out.

To add. I saw Queen in about 1980 and they used a lot of recorded FX and stuff. Not sure about music though.

[Rarebird]

I think Depeche Mode did this, which in a way was a turn of for me in those days. Later I've become to appreciate their music.

[happytheman]

I saw Steve Howe on a solo tour years back.. he used backing tapes very effectively..

[Lopez]

The only band I saw that I'm positive used backing tapes, both times I saw them, was Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. I wasn't particularly bothered by it.

I've seen a couple bands' performances in which the singer was drunk. Lip-syncing might have been an improvement.

[wiz_d_kidd]

I saw Daevid Allen (Gong) do a show in Worcester, MA back around 1980 -- just him playing guitar with a backing tape. It was quite enjoyable. Using tapes or MIDI tracks to add subtle embellishments is acceptable, but if they replace the entire vocal track, they're just lazy or incompetent.

[JJ88]

Roger Waters is known for having pre-recorded vocals in his solo shows. Someone will say his shows are as much about the spectacle anyway, but this lip-synching puts him somewhat at odds with his contemporaries IMHO.

[Rarebird]

Kayak used for the live-performances of Merlin Bard of the unseen a backing-tape with the orchestra.

[NogbadTheBad]

I don't mind it for effects and atmosphere, I'd even take backing vocals if your tour as a smaller band than your studio work, but replacing lead vocals or lead instruments would be a huge turn off

[Progatron]

Yes, for sure the tapes have their usefulness for a band who simply don't have enough fingers to recreate every sound you hear on the records. They're still playing the main songs live. And if a solo musician like Steve Howe is touring and using backing, I get it. But when a band all walk away from their mics and all the lead vocals and playing continue on (as in this case, where they don't even pretend to sing or lip-synch), well, that's simply ridiculous in my view. And this example shown above is not even a song that requires anything extra. It's a cookie-cutter 1988 hair metal template with simple structure and an insipid chorus. These guys have no business even being on a stage, let alone charging admission.

[SteveSly]

Rush used backing tracks for years, although never for the lead vocals like this guy was doing. It seems to be an increasingly common practice though. I remember a few years ago when Meatloaf collapsed on stage and his vocals kept going. He later claimed that he was using it at a “guide” vocal or something like that. There was the whole scandal when Steve Aqari was in Journey towards the end where some crew members claimed all his lead vocals were pre-recorded. I also remember seeing a certain band at ROSfest a few years ago that will go nameless whose backing vocals were so perfect and sterile sounding that if they were not pre-recorded those guys were the best backing vocalists in the history of rock n roll.

Anyway………I can tolerate some level of backing tracks, but when it is obvious the lead vocalist is not actually singing as in the video I think I would have turned around and walked out.

[Progatron]

I also remember seeing a certain band at ROSfest a few years ago that will go nameless whose backing vocals were so perfect and sterile sounding that if they were not pre-recorded those guys were the best backing vocalists in the history of rock n roll.

Tull did this with Songs From The Wood, where the chorus of backing vocals was clearly three or four Ians (directly from the record, I think?), while whoever was on bass & keys at the time mimed along (funny how Dave Pegg and Peter Vetesse sounded identical to John Glascock and David Palmer!) and the real Ian sang his lead parts live. But again, that one's kind of understandable and I don't think they were really trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. Seems silly to mime along though, unless they really were singing quietly as well.

As for Rush, well, a perfect example of a band who were already so stretched to the limits of human capabilities that they had to have little additions on tape, as they didn't want to alter the dynamic and bring on a fourth member (an idea they did in fact toy with around the Hold Your Fire era).

[Rarebird]

Yes, for sure the tapes have their usefulness for a band who simply don't have enough fingers to recreate every sound you hear on the records. They're still playing the main songs live. And if a solo musician like Steve Howe is touring and using backing, I get it.

I've mixed feelings about it. I think I might prefer it if a group arange their songs for concerts, so they can be done live. A concert is not a record, so I think I prefer hearing just the group playing their stuff and leave out the parts that can't be done live. I want to see and hear what the group does. If they really need extra musicians, bring them on stage and don't hide them behind a curtain or under-stage, or put them on a tape. With some sound-effects, it might be different.

[JJ88]

It's a cookie-cutter 1988 hair metal template with simple structure and an insipid chorus.

Yeah TBH when I watched, I wondered whether this was some also-ran band from back then.

[Mister Triscuits]

Tull did this with Songs From The Wood, where the chorus of backing vocals was clearly three or four Ians (directly from the record, I think?), while whoever was on bass & keys at the time mimed along (funny how Dave Pegg and Peter Vetesse sounded identical to John Glascock and David Palmer!) and the real Ian sang his lead parts live. But again, that one's kind of understandable and I don't think they were really trying to pull the wool over anyone's eyes.

Ian even alluded to it onstage, announcing that they were about to sing "in impeccable four-part harmony--almost indistinguishable from the master tape playing behind the stage!"

[progmatist]

In recent Who shows, Pete, Roger, and their band play along with video tapes of Keith and John. Very well done, and a nice tribute.

[markwoll]

Back in the 80's I saw Howard Jones open for Eurythmics. He had pretty much everything sequenced, it was just him and a mime (!).
He would just get up and dance around while the music played. Do some melodies, or keyboard stabs for effect.
A perfect encapsulation of 'The 80's sound' at the time.

[Rarebird]

Back in the 80's I saw Howard Jones open for Eurythmics. He had pretty much everything sequenced, it was just him and a mime (!).
He would just get up and dance around while the music played. Do some melodies, or keyboard stabs for effect.
A perfect encapsulation of 'The 80's sound' at the time.

Well I can remember someone describing a Klaus Schulze concert where Klaus picked a drink or something, while the music went on.

[dropforge]

Is this how bad it's become, that audiences over time have gradually just accepted it getting to this point? I mean, it's a supremely lousy song anyway, but my god...

It's...Metalli Vanilli!!! The comments must not be missed.

I think more than just the lead vocals were canned. That drummer's way off.

[dropforge]

Ian even alluded to it onstage, announcing that they were about to sing "in impeccable four-part harmony--almost indistinguishable from the master tape playing behind the stage!"

[Rarebird]

It's...Metalli Vanilli!!! The comments must not be missed.

I think more than just the lead vocals were canned. That drummer's way off.

I had the impression everyone was faking it in a bad way. And with bad song.

You need to have drunken a whole lot of whisky to fall for this.

[dropforge]

I had the impression everyone was faking it in a bad way. And with bad song.

You need to have drunken a whole lot of whisky to fall for this.

I've concluded they were miming to their CD.

[Progatron]

I think more than just the lead vocals were canned. That drummer's way off.

Yeah, at first that's what I thought I was supposed to be noticing, which I did of course. Way too many notes that I don't see being played.

[Vic2012]

I once saw Phil Keaggy live, solo, acoustic guitar, but he had this contraption that he could record loops while playing live. It was great. It was all him performing live and recording loops on the spot. It was awesome.