Jan's Vocals Question

[positivemusic]

I was just wondering how long Jan was using cocaine and during which years was he on it. And if that was the main reason for Jan's ragged vocals on Port To Paradise. Because he sounds so much better on Second Wave.

[owen]

I had a conversation with Rob Kuropatwa on a J&D forum in the early nineties, as Second Wave was being finished. I got the impression from him that technology might be partly responsible for the improvement in Jan's vocals.

They were both extraordinarily patient and the vocals were pieced together line by line and sometimes phrase by phrase. Jan was able to use the recording studio to create the vocals that he heard in his head much more than he was able in the previous decade.

This is not to say that healthy lifestyle choices and regular onstage vocal practice didn't also play a major part in shaping his vocals on what I think is a very creditable album (although I wish personally he had included more new songs and less remakes).

[Admin]

Yeah, I wrote about this in the liner notes for the Memorial Edition of Second Wave in 2004. I'ved interviewed the tech guys behind the album. They used pitch technology that later became standard for singers like Madonna, and similar acts.

[rob]

Jan sang all the lead vocals you hear on the recording (and shared them on the bonus track with Dean).  We did use a very early version of DAW tuning which was in beta testing at the time, helping Jan get to the sound he wanted to hear.

[Admin]

Welcome Rob!

[BlackSea]

It's well done. Not one you get just to complete the collection. Some of the songs; So Here I Go Again, Oh the love inside me, sound like the 60s Jan Berry to me.
Until next time

[rob]

Thanks for sharing that, glad you've enjoyed it.  I wonder what you'll think of the bonus track "Spring Break" on the May 4th 2018 re-issue.

[suee56]

I have a recording of deadman's curve, sung by Jan around 1976 and it's quite poigniant, because the last phrase  he sings is "I came back from deadman's curve" it's very haunting