or used to smoke?
pretty sure that the answer is doesn't, and never did. :)
don't know he get hit both the highs and lows he hits being a smoker - that would be pretty amazing.
I only ask as I have a friend who's an aspiring singer with a great voice I tell him he needs to stop smoking as eventually it will wreck his voice and he won't be able to hold a note properly or sing those high notes. His argument was that his voice sounds better when he smokes regularly he then reeled off a list of singers who he claims smoke and which hasn't really effected their singing like bowie, Buckley, Neil young, guy garvey etc he also reckons Jim smokes. I then gave him examples of great singers who smoked and voices are now shot. I also argued some of the singers he mentioned like Jeff Buckley had there voices greatly affected by smoking I think Jim used to smoke but smokes no longer? Maybe I should have called this thread smoking singers vs non smoking singers.
unless he's aspiring to sound like Marianne Faithfull, I would urge him to quit.
As a smoking non-smoker, I go years between smoking and not smoking, and when I start again, I throw down packs at a time. It's hard to quit, and the older you are, the harder it gets...persuade him to give it up now while he's young.
Neil Young doesn't have the greatest voice in the world, so I wouldn't use that as an example.
Not saying that Neil has a bad voice, it just isn't that strong to begin with. It's his songwriting that makes him great.
Bob Dylan has smoked for over 40 years I think and it shows! I know he's not a really good example but if you hear the clarity and beauty in his earlier recordings vs. now, the change is terrifying!
i see your neil young point but i think he means he has stayed at that level and it hasnt deteriorated. Neil young he can still hit those whiney highs like on after the gold rush and his vocal sounds the same live today as it did 30 years ago.
Does Neil smoke?
A lot of it has to do with whether or not you've had some kind of vocal training, too. There are ways of singing which, smoking or not, will fuck your voice. I think Jim's pretty careful about maintaining a good throat. Drinking a lot screws your voice, too.
Smoking AND drinking is seriously stupid.
Signed,
Stupid.
alledgedly only patricks pole according to some rumor mills. ;)
When Neil was recording On the Beach, he was smoking a couple packs a' day, and its definitely reflected in his voice on that (classic) record.
I doubt Jim smokes...cigarettes that is. I'm sure he puffs some weed now and again.
he has a cig in his mouth on the back of the tennessee fire
QuoteI also argued some of the singers he mentioned like Jeff Buckley had there voices greatly affected by smoking I think Jim used to smoke but smokes no longer? Maybe I should have called this thread smoking singers vs non smoking singers.
as the self-proclaimed resident jeff buckley expert - i can assure you that your argument is correct. buckley picked up smoking on tour in late 95, early 96 and was trying to quit up until his untimely departure. on a bootleg of one of his last shows he has several banters in between songs going back/forth on the topic - ultimately claiming that it was shredding his voice. im not saying this holds true for all artists, but the odds are certainly not in his favor.
QuoteNeil Young doesn't have the greatest voice in the world, so I wouldn't use that as an example.
Not saying that Neil has a bad voice, it just isn't that strong to begin with. It's his songwriting that makes him great.
Ummmm.....I love Neil's voice....sets him apart from everyone else.His songwriting is great,no doubt.
QuoteUmmmm.....I love Neil's voice....sets him apart from everyone else.His songwriting is great,no doubt.
Part of the reason I love Neil is that everything he does feels like it's probably totally him. He's not trying to be anybody except Neil.
Quotehe has a cig in his mouth on the back of the tennessee fire
Yeah, I gotta run and check, but I thought I remembered thinking once that those weren't lit... I remember thinkin' it was kind of funny. Lemme check.
Nope.
Nat King Cole smoked because he thought it made him sound better, even though he was amazing before he started smoking.
Then he died of lung cancer at age 46.
I doesn't sound like a good career move.
Nat King Cole smoked because he thought it made him sound better, even though he was amazing before he started smoking.
Then he died of lung cancer at age 46.
It doesn't sound like a good career move.
smoke what?
Okay, Y'all.
Speaking as a Speech/Voice therapist who has worked with numerous people who have had laryngeal CANCER, tongue, oral, throat/pharyngeal cancer, etc., I think I can say that smiking is BAD, mm-kay.
Some people/singers think their voice sounds 'better' when they smoke because inhaled smoke cause irritation and inflamation to the vocal cord tissue. That can result in a 'huskier' sounding voice. They think it's 'cool.' However, over time, this chronic irritation can lead to a thickening of the mucosa/tissue that covers the vocal cords, and eventually (and often times paired with alcohol abuse) can lead to development of plaques that turn into.... guess what? Cancer.
So, whether Jim smokes or not (I hope it is NOT - at least chronic tobacco, haha), it may or may not have a long term effect on his voice. It seems that some people are more predisposed to developing cancer (geez, look at George Burns who smoked cigars AND drank and lived to a ripe old age... and recall HIS voice? yikes). But anecdotal 'advice' from singers about their perception of the 'benefits' of smoking vs. no should be taken with a grain of salt, and the actual medical/physiologic effects should be considered first and foremost.
Bob's voice sounds like SHIT now (sorry Bob, I love your songwriting, though), Neil's could go either way, Nat was a product of his ultra-suave environment and personal style; it's all really a toss-up as to how one will sound later in life. AS for Jim, I hope that his sweet tenor with AWESOME range (and not smoking will help this) rocks on for a LONG time a-comin!!!
Be cool!
A_delle
Very interesting info. Have you done any research on the weed smoke? Is it less harmful than tobacco on the vocal chords?
QuoteVery interesting info. Have you done any research on the weed smoke? Is it less harmful than tobacco on the vocal chords?
Pretty sure it's more harmful, honey. The resin from weed can be really sticky and build up over time. (Like it does in your pipe.) Actually, that's a great analogy. Over time that resin builds up in your lungs and your throat. Like tar from regular cigarettes.
I remember reading or hearing somewhere that weed resin even builds up on your brain stem, which is part of the reason that chronic weeders forget so much stuff.
But that might've been told to me from a high person, so it may not be true...
thc builds up around brain cells. kind of putting a layer on them. but when you quit smoking this goes away and it only really effects chronic smokers. well, not necessarily "chronic smokers" so much as constant smokers. ;)
also the cannibanoids in weed cancel out cancer causing properties of carcinogens that are created when smoking weed. of course its not necessarily "good for you" to inhale anything other than oxygen. so eat the weed.
sorry here people, but its well know published facts that pot smokers have a slightly less cancer rate than non smokers. it may affect someones voice, i wont dispute that. the cancer thing is just another common myth like pot being linked to driving accidents and memory loss. when a person is high, yes therye likely to have their memory affected, but when they come down they perform just as well if not better on cognitive tests. dont make me get links if you disagree with this because i will. ;D
My sister is a Dr. & she got really worried when I started visiting Mary Jane once or twice a week.
She produced all sorts of info for me, memory loss & paranoia were her too main concerns.
Most of the young mental patients she treated during her time in psychiatry were there due to all the weed they had smoked :-/
mental patients? that one and marijuana-related emergency room visits are always two of my favourites too. if youre going to the ER because you burned your finger on a metal pipe, ok ill believe that. i guess if you end up in the mental ward supposedly because of weed, you werent meant to be smoking it in the first place. its like acid, if you think youre gonna freak out, then ummm dont even try it.
this just in: marijuana is more harmful than cocaine and heroin!! :-/
You're quite right, i got that wrong.
Not mental patients, psychiatric (spelling?) patients?
What were we talking about again?
Something about Jim and Patrick being together, wasn't it?
QuoteSomething about Jim and Patrick being together, wasn't it?
You are B.A.D.A.S.S. ;)
Speaking of pandas, I'm very happy that Riny put that little guy up in the top left corner. I love him.
Jim & Patrick are gay?!!
That's it, I'm burning all my MMJ CDs right now & you'll never see me on the forum again.
(If I change my mind & come back I'll change my name like that dude Prince - theposterformerlyknownasdragonboy)
;)
QuoteJim & Patrick are gay?!!
That's it, I'm burning all my MMJ CDs right now & you'll never see me on the forum again.
(If I change my mind & come back I'll change my name like that dude Prince - theposterformerlyknownasdragonboy)
;)
No no no. Tom meant they're "together" in rhythm. ;)
No need to burn your cds. Just send them to me, and I'll, ah, burn them for you. Yeah that's it.
Quote
No no no. Tom meant they're "together" in rhythm. ;)
No need to burn your cds. Just send them to me, and I'll, ah, burn them for you. Yeah that's it.
yeah yeah yeah, thats the ticket!
Does/did Leonard Cohen smoke? 'Cause goddammit, he sure fucked up his voice. And he didn't really have a voice at the first place!
QuoteDoes/did Leonard Cohen smoke? 'Cause goddammit, he sure fucked up his voice. And he didn't really have a voice at the first place!
Not sure.
But, this is an interesting conversation. What makes a good voice? We had a big discussion at home about this this very morning. Because a gal like Celine Dion is supposed to have this incredible voice, but I can't really stand it. Same with most opera singers. I don't really like it.
I think the only thing, for me, that makes me like someone's voice, is if they sing their song as themselves. Like, Neil Young sings like himself. Bob Dylan sings like himself.
Some people have naturally pleasant-sounding voices, and other people don't, but for me it doesn't matter as long as they really mean it when they sing. (I kind of stole that from the Dylan documentary, but I remember when I heard it, it was the closest thing to what I've been trying to say but couldn't find the right words.) Plus, I like imperfect voices. Because that (to me) means that the person is focusing more on the guts behind the song than they are on the "sound".
But I also try not to think about all that too much. ;)
yeah, i don't like wshen everything's dead on and cut and dry, but rather when you can hear the singer's personality through their vocals. like Jim's pretensiveness on Butch Cassidy. Or the full on craziness and mumbliness of half of What a Wonderful Man. Stuff like that. I love it. Beats the hell out of Brandon Boyd. That guy's never hit a bad note. And he's so crisp. But it's just too sterile.
to answer the OC's question: i'm almost postive he does not. i was at the chicago show from sound check to break down, and didn't see him light up.
i was asked by my old college buddy (monitor man Dave) not to smoke in the dressing room area, as to no f'up the air, and subsequently, Jim's vocal cords.
how much do you think the boys live the rock'n roll lifestyle...sex, drugs, etc, etc...?
as much as they are playing they probably don't have time for it...
i asked Patrick's brother if Jim smokes and he said "off an on," but i am not sure if he was talking about cigs or weed...
Quotehow much do you think the boys live the rock'n roll lifestyle...sex, drugs, etc, etc...?
I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the boys take part in the occasional satanic ritual/sacrifice with their groupies...