Who is Michael Ball, why should I care...?- Page 3

[kec]

Posted: 7/20/03 at 4:59pm

Now why should we slap you? You made the effort to find out more about him and what you found didn't appeal. Fair enough. I for one, appreciate the fact that you made the effort.

I do hope that you will get a chance to see the Alone Together performance. Despite the cover photo, the performance itself is magnificent.

BTW... as an amateur singer with high standards , I have seen and heard many excellent singers over the years -- most of them just happened to be very good looking. I tend to focus more on the voice rather than the looks. Sure, the guy's got cute dimples, but I never noticed them at first... it was the way he sang a favorite song that hooked me.

[sharon1]

Posted: 7/20/03 at 5:01pm

Two things Yes there are pictures. Even at the curtain call during the speeches. Also I am sorry to belabor a point. You have your favs and I have mine. Enough said. Thanx always for the chat

[DofB5]

Posted: 7/20/03 at 6:02pm

Add me to the list. A voice will grab me a lot more quickly than a face. Mr. Crawford is a perfect example of that. I had no idea as to what he looked like. I was given the Premiere Collection as a gift because I had expressed an interest in Memory from Cats.

From the first time I heard MOTN I knew I had to hear more of that wonderful voice. I took the chance and bought the POTO LC CD--which at the time was quite expensive for me--and without seeing what he looked like, I was won over. Same for Mr. Ball.
So you can't say I've was swayed by a handsome face.

D

[jo]

Posted: 7/20/03 at 6:41pm

Interesting comment about the voice before the face -- I had become a fan of Michael Ball's voice long before I ever knew how he looked like. I was listening to the Original London cast of Les Miserables ( which I bought by mistake because what I actuallly wanted was the Broadway version, having just seen the show for the first time in 1988 in New York) when I discovered this beautiful voice singing the part of Marius. I was actually initially disappointed to see how he looked like six months or so later - because I thought such a rich and full-bodied voice would belong to a much older person - Lol!

Bulldog - I appreciate your response and your attitude. You probably like some singers whom I don't care about - but that's why we are all different human beings. If you don't mind my asking - which musical theatre actors and non-theatre singers do you prefer?

Also, it's best to appreciate Michael Ball's voice when he is singing in character - when he is singing in a cast album or singing songs from the theatre. I know you don't like ALW's musical style - but have you ever tried listening to ASPECTS OF LOVE. People ( including those who don't care about ALW) are always pleasantly and sometimes even rapturously surprised ( check readers' comments on the album on the Amazon.com site) to hear this musical gem and likewise discover the full range of Michael Ball's vocal power and emotive ability with a song. KEC also suggests listening to PASSION - I would second that wholeheartedly. He makes the role of Giorgio a lot more alive than Jere Shea's( no offense meant) interpretation. Probably because Michael was really trained as an actor - and his singing career was almost an accident.

Admittedly, the album CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG was no vocal challenge for him - after all, it is really just a fun show!

Lastly, I think one has to see the video/DVD of ALONE TOGETHER to appreciate what not just the fans but also London's critics ( including Variety's Matt Wolf) were raving about.

Thanks again for listening.

jo