Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx Favourite Foxx vocals

We often talk about favourite song, or favourite lyric, etc.. but what about John's actual vocal performance?

The first time I saw him live, I remember being amazed at how strong his vocals were, as they swooped endlessly around Sheffield City Hall.

So, which of John's vocals do you enjoy the most?

While the list could be long (especially once you get into Cathedral Oceans) I'm just going to pick out a 2 or 3 favourites...

This City (original version)
Not only is it one of my favourite songs, but the sense of angst and ambition in his voice is simply marvellous. It reflects the scenario of the song so well.

Through My Sleeping (original version)
Another favourite - wonderful Beatles style harmony. Again his vocals suit the lyrics so perfectly.

Systems of Romance
Great track and a great powerful vocal - shows his range well.

The Falling Room
Another one that lets him show off his range.

Neuro Video
An odd choice - part of me likes the vocals here because they sound like David Bowie, but also because of the slightly melancholic style.

Another good topic Alex
I think the most outstanding vocal tracks for me other than his Cathedral Oceans work are The Falling Room (I really hope John does this song live on the tours this year) Nightlife (Live Version) and original Ultravox version of Dislocation.
Peter

I should have added "Slow Motion" to the list.

Ultravox! should have been huge. I don't think any other band at the time had a frontman with such a voice.

...then again, had they made it big, we might never have had Metamatic! Ho-hum, things always happen for a reason!

I can't stay long , so I'll say that one

I always think things happen for a reason in all walks of life and most things are outside our own control. They just happen. Why did I walk into Virgin in Watford June 2001 and looked under John Foxx? He hadn't done anything new since 1983 or so I thought and I found Modern Art

I've always liked Johns style of singing/music that's why I've stayed so long being a keen fan.
Sometimes for me it's hard to pick outstanding pieces although I do have them. I consider myself lucky to like such an influencial artist with such a wide range of talent.

Peter

Fascinating subject.

Clever use of the term 'vocal performance' instead of 'singing'.
Was that deliberate?

At the moment, I rate Camera very highly.

Conversely, I'd have to say that the 'crooning' delivery style used on some tracks on From Trash is someting that doesn't work for me

I did deliberately choose my phrasing, yes!

Yeah, I still find the "croon" on "A Million Cars" slightly frustrating. It's one of his best songs (for me) but he sounds tired. Live, when given more oomph, it's a killer.

One of the main reasons John is my favourite singer / vocalist is because of hes wide range of styles. Just think of all the forms of music hes performed over 30+ years. From youthful vocals live in the mid '70s to the 'From Trash' gigs last year. To pick just a few is dare i say Impossible.

The early ones that really stood out for me was studio and live versions of 'Quiet Men', 'Slow Motion', and 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' from the late '70s inc the 'Whistle Test' performance of 'Hiroshima Mon Amour'.

By the time Metamatic was released studio tracks like 'Underpass', 'No-one Driving' and 'This City' stood out. Favourites from The Garden and The Golden Section are 'Fusion / Fission', 'The Garden' and 'Like A Miracle'

From the Cathedral Oceans trio i dont have a favourite, but i remember being very impressed by how far John had developed that style overall from the days it first appeared on 'The Garden' and 'The Golden Section'.

Obviously Johns vocal range has changed in the years with Louis. Highlights are 'Broken Furniture', Falling Room', 'impossible', and 'A Million Cars'. From Live From A Room its interesting to hear 'Underpass', No-one Driving' etc, as John can still perform these songs to great effect today.

I re-discoverd John in a similar way.
I've only just remembered what I was doing at Virgin that day in 2003.
I was sorting out my dads will at Birmingham Probate office so I popped in Virgin to kill time until the appointment.Found Modern Art in the bargain bucket so I bought 2 for £10

Life is strange.If the old fella was still around,I wouldn't be typing this now.

As for the vocals I like a lot of his Ultravox work.

My all time favourite is more recent though.
Its Never Let me Go.

Processed,multitracked,overdubbed,(whatever) I know but its beauty shines through for me.

Brian

As an after thought to my previous post I wouldn't have found, met or spoken to so many people that I can freely discuss John's career and life with and I've made some great friends along this journey.

I find it hard to imagine John singing such fast placed songs as Satday In The City Of The Dead and Young savage nowadays.

Peter