Vinny Appice Calls Out Vocalists Who Cannot Sing Tracks Live

Drummer Vinny Appice is not a fan of vocalists who uses pre-recorded tracks during their live shows and concerts.

More musicians have been sharing their thoughts about vocalists who opt to sing alongside pre-recorded tracks. Although it mostly started during pop music concerts, many rock artists began using it, as well.

The former Black Sabbath drummer, who also worked with DIO and Heaven & Hell, recorded a video of him commenting on pre-recorded tracks. In the video uploaded on Syncin Stanley's YouTube channel, the drummer admitted that Heaven & Hell used backing tracks when performing Black Sabbath's "I" years before Ronnie James Dio's death.

"The chorus of "I", we just needed some more background on it, so it was Ronnie on a keyboard," Appice said. "And that's the only time we ever used it. Ronnie hate[d] that stuff. And to do anything more than that, he would have hated it."

The drummer added that he does not think it is right, either, especially since it proves that one cannot sing a song live.

With that, Appice suggested these vocalists play the tape and mime it instead.

More Musicians Disapproved Lip Syncing

Appice's comment came after several musicians also expressed disapproval toward lead singers who use backing vocals during concerts.

Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers said in 2020 that 90 percent of rock artists already used pre-recorded tracks. He told Rock Feed that it bothers him knowing how lip-syncing bothers people. He also reminds co-musicians that it should not be done that way if they want to put on the best rock show for fans.

Meanwhile, Skid Row's Sebastian Back revealed to Consequence of Sound that he is one of the last people who are still not using pre-recorded tracks during live shows. He noted that it is becoming rare to see a band perform as "a real band."

Anthrax's Joey Belladonna also condemned artists who choose lipsync vocals in a video message he sent to the same YouTube channel. The singer said musicians who use pre-recorded tracks should never think of wanting to be there if they could not do it.

"That's the fun part about being a musician, is to try to achieve that expectation of what you've been really working hard to get in the first place, is to be a great, great band and a great musician and just fight on each night to do a great job," he went on.