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Thread: Steve Winwood and Early Peter Gabriel: Are Their Voices Similar?

  1. #1
    WeatherWiseCDC
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    Steve Winwood and Early Peter Gabriel: Are Their Voices Similar?

    As fans of both Peter Gabriel and Steve Winwood, I've listened to several of their records many times. This may be a controversial and debatable point, but I've found that others have shared the same opinion online and in the discussion circles I've been in. Does anyone else think their voices sound similar? The characteristics of the two voices are different, but to me Steve sounds like a squeaky, clear Gabriel on perhaps a bit of helium. The qualities of his's voice are sort of the inverse of PG's. When Peter sings in his higher register, there are some similarities to me aside from his unique vocal strains and gravely rasp. While one would never confuse the two voices due to the differences, the tone of their voices sounds very, very similar. Especially in the 1980s, they at times sounded similar, in my opinion, on some of their recordings.

    Also, recall many voices change over the years. 2013 Peter Gabriel doesn't sound like 1970 Peter Gabriel either. The greatest example of change is Bruce Springsteen, who on "Hungry Heart" sounds nothing like his later self, and in fact sounds more like Barry Manilow. I am comparing early Gabriel with early Winwood.

    I've always meant to ask this and I'm curious as to what your opinions are. One voice is gruff and often sounds quite strained; the other is squeaky and smooth. One often sings in a much deeper voice, while the other sings in a much more elevated pitch, making the comparison less apparent than it should be. When both are singing in the same pitch, though, the similarities become quite clear to me. Look past the rasp as a factor. What do you think?





    Most of us often say Phil Collins could sound like Peter Gabriel when he wanted to. I've always found that interesting, as I think there are some very easy ways to distinguish between the two voices. I don't completely understand the comparison aside from the two being lead vocalists in the same band. I believe Steve Winwood's voice more closely resembles the latter's than Phil's does, though. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-13-2013 at 09:48 PM.

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    Have you ever seen them both together in the same place at the same time? Maybe they're really the same person!

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    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Nope.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

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    WeatherWiseCDC
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    I alluded to Bruce Springsteen sounding like Barry Manilow early on. Voices rarely ever stay the same. Springsteen doesn't even sound like Springsteen in this recording. His voice is smooth here. While we identify Peter Gabriel with his rasp and deep voice, he had a much lighter voice in his youth. Let's keep an open mind in this discussion.

    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-13-2013 at 11:59 PM.

  5. #5
    I can see how you might find some similarities, but I'd hardly call winwood 'squeaky,' I think he's always had a tremendously soulful voice, the antithesis of squeaky. Yes, Gabriel is more rough and, at times, raw, but there are definitely some intersection points, I'd say.

    In fact, I remember when I first heard Sledgehammer on the radio, not realizing Gabriel had a new record, I actually thought it was Winwood....it certainly sounded more up Winwood's alley stylistically, given Gabriel's direction up to that point. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was Gabriel.....though it was a surprise, I still loved it....I know he cae under some fire for doing more 'commercial' fare, but I just thought it was a lot of fun and it was great to hear him lighten up and get down to some groove music (especially with Tony Levin!)

  6. #6
    WeatherWiseCDC
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    Quote Originally Posted by jkelman View Post
    I can see how you might find some similarities, but I'd hardly call winwood 'squeaky,' I think he's always had a tremendously soulful voice, the antithesis of squeaky. Yes, Gabriel is more rough and, at times, raw, but there are definitely some intersection points, I'd say.

    In fact, I remember when I first heard Sledgehammer on the radio, not realizing Gabriel had a new record, I actually thought it was Winwood....it certainly sounded more up Winwood's alley stylistically, given Gabriel's direction up to that point. Imagine my surprise when I found out it was Gabriel.....though it was a surprise, I still loved it....I know he cae under some fire for doing more 'commercial' fare, but I just thought it was a lot of fun and it was great to hear him lighten up and get down to some groove music (especially with Tony Levin!)
    Perhaps "squeaky" was the wrong word, but fair point and thanks for addressing it. I think "smooth" and "squeaky clean" were what I meant to say -- "buttery" rather than "rugged." It's still not a "full, wholesome" sound, though. I was thinking of word to describe the polar opposite of Peter's rugged sound because that's what it seems to be. There's nothing rough about Winwood's voice, which I think is the characteristic that defines Gabriel's. Beneath those qualities the tone of their voices is quite similar to me. Age can add to or diminish those qualities, but their voices seem to naturally produce similar sounds if one can ignore the aforementioned grit in Gabriel's voice. They sing differently, sing different genres of music, and PG's vocal technique adds roughness to his voice (compare young Sprinsteen to old Springsteen; compare younger Gabriel to older Gabriel), but hopefully you see what I'm suggesting. Thanks for your comment, and thanks for understanding what I mean.

    One has to wonder how much of PG's vocal style produces his rough voice. I don't think it's all that natural, as he didn't sound as much like that when he was younger. Springsteen added grit to his voice voluntarily. Bryan Adams did the same.

    Here's a young Bryan Adams singing lead on a song for Vancouver-based band Sweeney Todd. He sang like this to sound like lead singer Nick Gilder -- very smooth and clean as opposed to the sound that now defines him.



    I think, without the grit, Gabriel and Winwood in fact sound quite similar. I think it is disguised because the two sing so differently. It's certainly possible to hear it at times in the records themselves; the natural qualities of their voices seem reminiscent of one another.
    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-13-2013 at 11:54 PM.

  7. #7
    Funnily enough, in 1980 (or was it '81) Phil Collins' Face Value and Winwoods' Arc of a Diver came out around the same times. A few times I turned on the radio to hear "While You See a Chance" or the title track I thought to myself "oh, that's that Genesis singers new album."

  8. #8
    WeatherWiseCDC
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    Here's Steve Winwood in 2009 performing his 2008 single, "Dirty City." On the recording itself, it's easier to hear the smoothness in his voice. Fortunately, somebody recorded the performance with their camcorder, the sound quality inherently being reduced enough to sort of mask that just a little bit. The point of this is to demonstrate that the basic characteristics of both voices are the same, rasp and soulfulness aside. One may argue if Peter Gabriel were a better vocalist, he would maybe sound more like Winwood. An old Steve Winwood perhaps sounds more like a young Peter Gabriel than even Peter Gabriel, at his current age, does.



    Now comparing this to Peter Gabriel on "Shock the Monkey," I think it's easier to identify why I think the two are similar. A little bit of grit is all that's missing.
    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-14-2013 at 02:48 AM.

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    Member Oreb's Avatar
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    It wouldn't be at all surprising if Steve did influence PG's singing (for all that SW IMO is a far better and more individual vocalist), but to my ears the comparison is arbitrary and forced.

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  10. #10
    WeatherWiseCDC
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oreb View Post
    It wouldn't be at all surprising if Steve did influence PG's singing (for all that SW IMO is a far better and more individual vocalist), but to my ears the comparison is arbitrary and forced.
    Interestingly enough, this appears to be a very highly-debated subject. It has appeared in other online conversations as well. Some seem to hear it, while others don't. I do hear it, which is why I brought it up. If people can hear similarities between Phil Collins' voice and PG's, I don't see how Winwood's could be any less similar.

    http://www.bcb-board.co.uk/phpBB2/vi...rt=20#p3273779
    Do you like Steve Winwood's voice? (Y/N)
    (something like "While You See A Chance" I don't think would work with any other vocalist).
    Peter Gabriel?
    Oh, God no!

    I get the Gabriel has some of the same superficial vocal characteristics as Winwood (a slight "I really must gargle with something different" quality), but I don't think I'd like it much.
    http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5135256AAwocDj
    Artist in 80s that had a Steve Winwood-type rock song?
    I don't remember the lyrics to this song, at least correctly but it's an 80s song, I'm sure and the song sounds Steve Winwood, Peter Gabriel or something like and I have an audio sample recorded that has the melody of it if this helps you determine the song...The tune sounds somewhat smilar to "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood but somewhat different as well.. It almost sounds like someone might be saying "............free again" or "..............feel again" or something... HELP???????!!!!! It's killing me that I can't find this song!
    http://glyphs.gardenweb.com/forums/l...234247475.html
    Hey everyone, been awhile since I posted. Thought I would post something interesting. I was listening to Alice Cooper's night show the other day and he made a very good point. He said that Huey Lewis and Stevie Ray Vaughan sound very similar vocally. I never realized that before but he is right. Then I made a comparison myself a few minutes ago. I realized that Steve Winwood and Peter Gabriel sound very similar. Anyone else come up with a few others? Thought it would be cool to see!
    Peter Gabriel/Steve Winwood? I can see the similarities in vocal style, but PG always sounded lower/gruffer to me.
    I bring it up because I don't hear it being discussed; it's as if people simply don't identify it. It may also be a strange way to assert that if Gabriel were a better vocalist he would maybe sing a bit like Steve Winwood. Gabriel's rasp developed throughout his career; in his early Genesis recordings it was more of a strain than a rasp. At times in his Genesis days, it honestly sounds as though he was forcing his voice to hit those high notes. Even on "Supper's Ready," there's no rasp. His voice is fairly clear, though sometimes harsh. Comparing albums like Foxtrot to any of his solo albums, it's clear that the rasp developed over time or became a learned technique.

    If he had been able to sing more easily (with some sort of training or natural ability), he may very well have sounded like Winwood instead of settling for a gruff, deeper voice. Steve sings most of his sings in his upper register -- simply because he can -- while Gabriel often does not. Most of Winwood's songs involve him singing naturally and effortlessly in the same range Peter wails "knights in the green shield stamp and shout" in "Dancing With the Moonlit Knight."

    Phil Collins' voice has Winwood's "buttery" sound, though his voice is a fair bit different from Gabriel's. I actually don't understand that comparison much since Collins and Gabriel both sang at the same time frequently and it's still fairly easy to distinguish between the two (some claim they're indistinguishable). Even when both are singing lead together, as in "Counting Out Time," (especially the Nick Davis mix) it's easy to tell which is which. Phil was in the band and became the replacement vocalist, which makes the comparisons inevitable. I feel Winwood's voice is closer to Gabriel's than Collins' ever was. As soon as one hears "For Absent Friends" on Nursery Cryme for the first time, Collins' voice is immediately identified. There are maybe some similarities, but that would be the same argument we're using here for Winwood as well.

    Steve left Traffic in 1974 and was bouncing around for a few years as a session musician and as a member of the supergroup Go (1976-77). That coincides with Peter Gabriel's departure from Genesis, which in retrospect peaks one's curiosity about how, in some alternate universe, Winwood had become Genesis' lead vocalist. This probably means nothing at all but it's a fun question to toss around since we're comparing the two voices.
    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-14-2013 at 03:36 AM.

  11. #11
    I think that Collins does a reasonable approximation of Gabriel when singing his stuff, but I can't imagine it being the case in reverse. Winwood and Gabriel sounded similar when they were young but not now

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by WeatherWiseCDC View Post
    Perhaps "squeaky" was the wrong word, but fair point and thanks for addressing it. I think "smooth" and "squeaky clean" were what I meant to say -- "buttery" rather than "rugged." It's still not a "full, wholesome" sound, though. I was thinking of word to describe the polar opposite of Peter's rugged sound because that's what it seems to be. There's nothing rough about Winwood's voice, which I think is the characteristic that defines Gabriel's. Beneath those qualities the tone of their voices is quite similar to me. Age can add to or diminish those qualities, but their voices seem to naturally produce similar sounds if one can ignore the aforementioned grit in Gabriel's voice. They sing differently, sing different genres of music, and PG's vocal technique adds roughness to his voice (compare young Sprinsteen to old Springsteen; compare younger Gabriel to older Gabriel), but hopefully you see what I'm suggesting. Thanks for your comment, and thanks for understanding what I mean.
    Of course!

    Yes, absolutely agree that Winwood is smoother compared to Gabriel's rougher timbre. But beneath it, as you say, there's something they share that, in the right context (like Sledgehammer) can make them sound very much alike, imo

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    There was certainly a point in the 80's where they bore a similarity, in the timbre of their voices if not the actual style of delivery. As for Peter & Phil, it's weird looking back on it, but when I first listened to Genesis, I couldn't immediately tell the two apart, but now I wonder how I could ever think they were so similar. Certainly the earlier Phil would, consciously or otherwise, have tried to sound consistent with the material, plus we were used to their voices blending together on some songs anyway, but as the years progressed he definitely found his own style.

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    I do hear similarities. Here's the first Gabriel song I thought of when I saw this post (esp around the 1:35 mark and the 2:55 mark):
    "Normal is just the average of extremes" - Gary Lessor

  15. #15
    Gabriel in the early 70s always struck me as being very Roger Chapman influenced.He's like a softer version of chappo.

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    Member rcarlberg's Avatar
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    They are both "white soul" singers in the upper tenor range. Aside from that their voices are each pretty uniquely identifiable. I'd say Winwood has a better high end than Gabriel, but Peter has a much better low end than Steve.

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    Voices usually change over time as one gets older, or the after effects of drugs, alcohol and the road take their toll. It's got to be a challenge for a singer/songwriter to write music that is compatible with those changes and still keep their audience. I mean Gabriel's voice is very different in those early Genesis years vs the raspy sound it's evolved to now. Not complaining, just sayin'. I also didn't think it was him singing forst time I heard Sledgehammer.

    Some others, like Robbie Robertson come to mind. Love his new sound on "How to Become Clairvoyant", but it's definitely different from his The Band days. Same for Joni Mitchell, she can still thrill an audience.

    What is sad, but inevitable in most cases, is when that change is just really, really bad, like Ian Anderson, or Meatloaf, or so many others as they age.
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  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by BobM View Post
    Voices usually change over time as one gets older, or the after effects of drugs, alcohol and the road take their toll. .
    Winwood has done a pretty great job of bucking this trend, but he always seemed to be into clear(er) living.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by rcarlberg View Post
    They are both "white soul" singers in the upper tenor range. Aside from that their voices are each pretty uniquely identifiable. I'd say Winwood has a better high end than Gabriel, but Peter has a much better low end than Steve.
    Yes, that would be my take on it as well

    Ed

  20. #20
    I'm not sure a lot of Genesis fans appreciate how much soul influence there was on the first wave of Brit prog rockers. Many tend not to hear it because the two styles are so different. "Sledgehammer" makes this admiration really clear, but that's a late example. Phil's love of Motown fits right in with all of this. It's a pretty good bet that Gabriel adapted some of Winwood's style quite consciously. He'd probably be flattered to be told of the similarity.
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  21. #21
    Never thought they have, or had similar voices. I can clearly differ one from another.. Winwood's style has more in common with Gary Brooker's, IMO. Gabriel's voice at it's best sound more like Dave Cousins, when he got a cold.

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    i love both singers, but you can't compare them- they are two different animals!

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by BravadoNJ View Post
    i love both singers, but you can't compare them- they are two different animals!
    If that were true, you could never really compare anybody. Kinda defeats the purpose of discussion.
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  24. #24
    WeatherWiseCDC
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    Simply out of curiosity, I thought I'd see what would happen if I raised the pitch of "Sledgehammer" to the range Steve Winwood usually sings in, and did a few very quick things to the recording. By the way, this video is set to unlisted -- I don't intend to share it on YouTube in case you're worried, haha.

    I don't know if this helps at all. The album cover is supposed to be a subconscious thing.

    Last edited by WeatherWiseCDC; 06-16-2013 at 06:10 PM.

  25. #25
    Interesting - of course I've heard In Your Eyes by Gabriel for years and years, but this morning when I heard it, just at the end, I suddenly had the thought that Steve Winwood might have been involved somehow in the song. Not necessarily because of his voice, but the style and instrumentals when Gabriel begins doing his African-sounding riff. Because I obviously have too much time on my hands, I leaped up to google whether Winwood wrote or backed the song, which led me to this forum. Does anyone think there are certain similarities in instrumentation or style, or maybe it's just this song? Thanks.

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