Replacement lead singers you like better than the original lead singer

[MCChris]

Jimi Jamison was an improvement over Dave Bickler.

No.

[DBraz]

Bruce Dickinson - Iron Maiden

Mike Patton - F.N.More

Brian Johnson - AC/DC

Kiske - Helloween

Joey Belladonna - Anthrax

Coverdale - Deep Purple

[velorush]

I liked Tommy Shaw better than John Curulewski (tho JC did have a few good songs...but he went in directions that didn't fit the band).

I'm surprised to see 2 Styx references before me. What, did Styx become acceptable/not a punch line all of a sudden?

Unacceptable? News to me. I've been a Styx fan since buying the new 45 of "Lady" to get the girl across the street to come over and listen to it!

Regarding VH, it's Sammy for me, but that's only because I wasn't aware of Van Halen until Crystal Pepsi came out (man, I miss that. Actually did like it). Right Now!

All in all, they aren't my thing. Can appreciate EVH, but it ain't my style no matter who the fronting puppet is.

Among all celebrities whom I would likely least enjoy hanging out with, Diamond Dave would be near the top of the list, but as a front man I don't think he has many equals. That said, I liked "Van Hagar," but like someone else mentioned, I see Van Halen and "Van Hagar" as two very different bands. To a lesser extent, I see the Bon Scott and Brian-Johnson led AC/DC's as two different bands (and I like them both).

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

I liked Tommy Shaw better than John Curulewski (tho JC did have a few good songs...but he went in directions that didn't fit the band).

I'm surprised to see 2 Styx references before me. What, did Styx become acceptable/not a punch line all of a sudden?

Unacceptable? News to me. I've been a Styx fan since buying the new 45 of "Lady" to get the girl across the street to come over and listen to it!

Styx is a great band. My personal favorite. But they catch a lot of grief for the lasting impression from "Babe", the Kilroy Was Here album, and Dennis DeYoung's Broadway leanings and general Diva-ness. I think they are starting to get renewed respect, but it took some time for their over-exposure to fade, maybe?

Dunno. In some ways Winger had a very similar arc.

[velorush]

Styx is a great band. My personal favorite. But they catch a lot of grief for the lasting impression from "Babe", the Kilroy Was Here album, and Dennis DeYoung's Broadway leanings and general Diva-ness. I think they are starting to get renewed respect, but it took some time for their over-exposure to fade, maybe?

Dunno. In some ways Winger had a very similar arc.

Ah, the "Winger Effect." I had no respect and never gave Winger any time until I came here. I see now that beneath the objectionable (to me at the time) "pop gloss" was actual talent. There were likely a number of bands in the 80's that I skipped over for similar reasons. My loss.

I remember going over to a friend's house the day Kilroy Was Here came out. Just about everyone we knew was a Styx fan. We were also fans of Alan Parsons Project, Floyd, Rush, etc. and were not averse to concept albums and long, proggy, thematic works. When the album finished and the needle came up we looked at each other and said, "man, that's a career-ender!" It's great to see we were wrong and to see them still around. I've really enjoyed seeing recent concert videos and would love to see them live. They seem just as powerful as ever and the personnel changes seem to have been really good.

[FGJ]

In my most humble opinion, DLR is to Van Halen what Sean Connery is to Bond. The originals often define their respective roles ... except in the case of the Beiber. He could be replaced by another girly-boy and I'd never notice.

[Steve Haynie]

In my most humble opinion, DLR is to Van Halen what Sean Connery is to Bond. The originals often define their respective roles ... except in the case if the Beiber. He could be replaced by another girly-boy and I'd never notice.

That is soooooo true.

[DaveL]

I disagree with Rhett Forrester over Guy Speranza in Riot, I saw Rhett live, he was good, probably a little better frontman

over Guy... but IMHO they were hitting their stride with Fire down under just when metal was opening up on album radio,

thought they had a better shot of getting played with Guy, his voice seemed to cut thru better... maybe the record company

didn't think so, or it was drugs....

[elduave]

It's very close on the Guy/Rhett thing for me, and I have NO problem with Guy. Truth be told, it's the Rick Ventura songs on Riot records that I connected with most, and I like Loved By You, Over To You and Dream Away just a tad more than Feel The Same and No Lies, and as I type, I wonder if that's even the case. Fire Down Under and Restless Breed, equally great records to me, maybe just a hair tipped towards FDU.

[cmatthes]

Dennis DeYoung made Styx a joke.

[Biz Prof]

In my most humble opinion, DLR is to Van Halen what Sean Connery is to Bond. The originals often define their respective roles ... except in the case of the Beiber. He could be replaced by another girly-boy and I'd never notice.

Regarding Bieber: he wouldn't even be the originator of that role. If you take that formula back far enough, I think you arrive at either Pat Boone or Ricky Nelson, right?

[zorrow]

Mark Tornillo is NOT a better replacement for Udo Dirkschneider in Accept.

Arguably.

[vexed73]

I like VH music better with DLR but I think Sammy was better for where they went. I think sammy is a better singer and still alot of fun. Know only question is was Sammy respinsible for where VH went? I do love the ballads the Sammy sang with them though!

[Submariner85]

I don't like replacement lead singers. I think they might as well just rename the band when that happens.

Chuck Mosley did suck so that's one that I'm glad got replaced but that's about the only one.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Dennis DeYoung made Styx a joke.

Yep.

But he was arguably also the driving force that got them to the top, too. He wrote several very good songs before he went insane. That band hand three different strong, creative personalities that made them what they were.

Still, my favorite Styx songs are all James Young, a very under-rated guitarist, IMHO.

[bcsride]

Dennis DeYoung made Styx a joke.

Yep.

But he was arguably also the driving force that got them to the top, too. He wrote several very good songs before he went insane. That band hand three different strong, creative personalities that made them what they were.

Still, my favorite Styx songs are all James Young, a very under-rated guitarist, IMHO.

Dennis DeYoung made Styx

Dennis DeYoung made Styx a joke. Both true.

But, I think Tommy's stuff stands the test of time better. Also, some of the ones I like are "band" compositions like Borrowed Time and Rockin in Paradise.