Todd Michael Hall - 'Alone' (Heart vocal cover)

I hear the ticking of the clock
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark
I wonder where you are tonight
No answer on the telephone
And the night goes by so very slow
Oh I hope that it won't end though
Alone

Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone

You don't know how long I have wanted
To touch your lips and hold you tight, oh
You don't know how long I have waited
and I was going to tell you tonight
But the secret is still my own
and my love for you is still unknown
Alone

Till now I always got by on my own
I never really cared until I met you
And now it chills me to the bone
How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone

How do I get you alone
How do I get you alone
Alone, alone

Το "Alone" το γνωρίζουμε ως τραγούδι των Heart. Πρόκειται όμως για διασκευή. Αποτελεί σύνθεση των Billy Steinberg - Tom Kelly και πρωτοκυκλοφόρησε ως μέρος του δίσκου των i-Ten "Taking a Cold Look" που "βγήκε" το καλοκαίρι του 1983.

Την φήμη του όμως την "χρωστά" στην εξαιρετική προσέγγιση των αδερφών Wilson και της μπάντας τους. Κυκλοφόρησε τον Μάιο του 1987 ως πρώτο single του album "Bad Animals" και τα υπόλοιπα είναι... μουσική ιστορία. Προς τι η αναδρομή στο παρελθόν;

Ο Todd Michael Hall έγινε γνωστός στο "μεταλλικό" κοινό λόγω της παρουσίας του στους Riot V (τα τελευταία δεκατρία έτη). Παράλληλα έχουμε ακούσει την φωνή του σε δίσκους των Jack Starr's Burning Starr, Timo Tolkki's Avalon, Reverence κλπ.

Παράλληλα "τρέχει" και την προσωπική του καριέρα, στην οποία προστέθηκε ένας ακόμη δίσκος. "Off the Rails" ο τίτλος και "βγήκε" στην "καρδιά" του περασμένου φθινοπώρου. Στο πλευρό του Todd ο κιθαρίστας (των Metal Church, Presto Ballet κλπ) Kurdt Vanderhoof.

Σήμερα θα τον παρακολουθήσουμε, σε βίντεο, να αποδίδει (φωνητικά) το προαναφερθέν τραγούδι των i-Ten ("Alone") στην προσέγγιση των Heart και να μας λέει σχετικά:

«Back in the 1980's, it seemed like almost all the hard rock bands had at least one ballad on each album. While I don't consider Heart to be hard rock, they definitely know how to rock and Ann Wilson has an incredible voice. In addition, Alone, written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, is a great song that went all the way to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks back in 1987.

Special thanks to Ann, her sister Nancy, and the rest of the guys from Heart for their awesome music that continues to inspire us to this day.

On the technical side:

I am calling this a live vocal cover, because I sang the song from beginning to end in one take without any vocal overdubs or edits.

I know this song well, but it took me a few tries to get as much of the high tone that Ann achieves as I possibly could.

For a male singing in this range, the pronunciation, where you place the note in your throat and head, and even the shape of your mouth is important for achieving the high tone without it sounding like you are straining.

It is also takes a fair amount of control to fade out / resolve some of the high notes, because you have to transition from head voice into a mixed voice while holding the note.

I think this was about my fifth attempt over two sessions. The music came from Moises (with just the lead vocal deleted).

I sent my vocal track and the music track to my friend Kurdt Vanderhoof who added some effects to the vocals and blended them in with the music.

Special thanks to Kurdt for his assistance.»