Success with 2 different lead singers

Manfred Mann

 

Speaking of which, where are they now?

 

The Searchers.

Their first few hit singles had bassist Tony Jackson on lead vocal. Then they had a big hit with Mike Pender on lead vocals. Then Jackson left the band, and they had additional hits with Pender singing lead.

I think “same level of success” is difficult to define. If a band is able to keep going, have some hit singles and/or albums and draw a significant audience for their live shows after changing lead singers, that’s a “success” that a LOT of artists would kill for.

 

The Hollies ,

Three singers, actually - Graham Nash (departed in '68) along side Allan Clarke (remained until '71, returned in '74 ), and in '72 & '73 during Clarke's temporary absence, lead vocalist Mikael Rickfors gave them their classic hit cover of Judee Sill's 'Jesus was a Cross Maker' (from the album 'Romany').

 

Black Sabbath - Ozzy, Dio

 

The Moody Blues.

A big hit and some lesser ones with Denny Laine, and then much greater success with Justin Hayward (and occasionally other members).

 

Nash sang some solo lead vocals on album cuts, but he never had a lead vocal on a hit single to himself, though he did sing some co-leads (e.g. Just One Look, Yes I Will, On a Carousel, Carrie-Anne).

So he can’t really be put on the same level as Clarke and Rickfors.

 

Alice in Chains?

 

Didn't Nash sing sole-lead on King Midas?

 

Well technically KC had success with more than 3 lead singers as did journey

 

The Crickets.

Hits with Buddy Holly, but also a Top 5 hit in the UK with Jerry Naylor on lead vocal, and two more Top 40 hits after that.

 

Fleetwood Mac

 

I’d have to listen closely. He sings the intro solo, but on the verses with harmony, the chorus and the bridge, I’m thinking he switched to high harmony and Clarke sang the melody. But I’m not sure of this.

 

Yes it's Nash alone at the start , but once Clarke joins in , it's hard to separate whose voice is where. Those were some tight harmonies !

 

Black Flag
Success is relative, the band has always been one of the most influential US punk groups.

 

Temptations, hits with what 6, 8, 10 different leads? some of whom overlapped and some didn't. don't forget, even David Ruffin was not an original member.

 

Wanted to write that, but Vienna sold roughly 15 times as much as Systems Of Romance. Same level of success seems a bit of a stretch (although I like the Fox years too).

 

The Tremeloes

 

I’m not a fan, but how about Lynyrd Skynyrd?

 

Don't think PF really applies to this. All the members of Pink FLoyd sung one time or another at some point, even Nick Mason on Scream Thy Last Scream, and voice on One of these days, if that count.
But even if we exclud Nick Mason, Syd Barrett and even Rick Wright wich I think has no vocals after DSOTM (and lead on Obscured by Clouds) and only returns on vocals in the DB album, Roger Waters and David Gilmour always shared vocals since day one. Pink Floyd never had no one who can be really be called the main vocalist, only after Waters departure.

 

That’s all correct but Syd was pretty clearly their lead singer/frontman for Piper and those singles. He’s completely absent after Saucerful and they went on to great success.

 

Helloween - Hansen, Kiske (the rest not sure if it's that successful)

 

The Village People.

Singer/songwriter Victor Willis quit and was replaced by Ray Simpson and the machine kept chugging along with Willis only intermittently returning.

 

Longevity must be some measure of success. Plus their annual Cropredy Festival, one of the longest-running large festivals in Britain (currently 20,000 attendance). So I think Fairport are in!

 

Paul Jones and Mike D’Abo tour together