Really enjoyed hearing Ren perform with his band for the first time! There's no shortage of interesting elements to analyze between the vocals, the instrumentation, the arrangement, all of it. Hope y'all enjoy! What else from Ren do I still need to check out?
I totally agree! I hope that is the next Big Push song that Peter reacts to!!! (***GUY! There are a couple of videos of different performances. It's Very important to see The Big Push busking performance where Ren is wearing RED Suspenders, not a jacket of any kind!) 💜
YES, and I'd love it if Peter could do some commentary on the structure/composition of the vocal harmonies in Swan Song. They've always struck me as unusual-ish for choral music & madrigal ensembles I've been involved with. I think Big Push fans would be interested to hear about that, if there's anything to be said. I have my theories but I don't remember enough of what I learned in the one year of music composition class I took.
@@rebeccaburnell9319 I love Choral Music and enjoy being a part of Choirs. That's probably why I love this song so much! I started singing in choir during my first year of College and loved it so much I stayed in choir all 4 years! After I graduated I was on the road a lot and wasn't able to be part of a choir and I really missed it! Just Last year I settled down in one place so I started looking around and found a local Choir that is very similar to the one I was in during college. I was very excited when they invited me to join!!! I have lost a lot during the 6 years I was out of choir, but I'm picking things back up. I suffered a TBI in 2022 so I think that is playing a big role in the struggles I've had getting back into it. But I'm loving being back!
Great reaction, Peter. My absolute favorite of theirs is "I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop." If you do it, do the one where Ren is wearing the red suspenders... it's awesome.
@@garygreen1782 Weeell, for a foto I can play the trombone too ;) I can't do any of the other stuff he does though, so yeah, he probably can play the trombone.
In fairly certain I have heard Ren talk of playing the trombone. I wish I could remember where but I believe it would have either been in his "chapters" or one of his TH-cam interviews.
Back on 74 is a great reaction video because of the range of vocals in it! One of the versatile vocalist/instrumentalists I’ve come across in my 55 years!
I remember when I started watching reactions by professional artists a few years ago, there's was often a bit of snobbery surrounding the imperfect pitch and emotion-driven freestyle dynamics of storytellers like the Ren/The Big Push (although not actually TBP, of course!) and talented mainstream artists like Billie Eilish and Lana Del Ray. I rarely see that attitude anymore and it's thanks to people like yourself and Chris Liepe and Elizabeth Zharoff who add a wonderful technical layer to these reactions, but who also understand that it is not the only lens for appreciating art. Great stuff, thanks!
The Big Push band busked in Brighton. and if you see some of their other vids you will see that he has a fan base in the crowd, plus of course passers by who stop to watch and listen. All good stuff. Keep Reacting!
Trouble So Hard is such an important song to Ren that he got the rights to sample Vera Hall's original for the track he just dropped last week (called Troubles).
I didn't see anyone mention the other members of the band. Ren Gill: bass and vocals Gorran Kendall: guitar strap tech, acoustic guitar, and vocals Romain Axisa: Electric guitar Glenn Chambers: Drums Ren, Gorran, and Romain all trade vocals and all three guitars as needed. Gorran and Romain also have solo music careers and have their own TH-cam channels with their own music.
Back on 74 is an awsome track where he utilizes great back up singers and you get more of his singing voice. I hope you also check out the guitarist Romain Axisa -good bye good days. He is french and his accent bleeds into his singing voice and sounds amazing.
Ren sings from his soul, a love for music, and a playful ADHD brain. Definitely one of the most interesting vocalists to listen to cause you never know what he’ll do next. And while it might not be technically on point, it just works.
I just thought maybe he does that, because humanty is such a big topic for him, that he doesn't mind showing his imperfections, and even rather highlights those by singing like he does, allowing voice cracks that transport feeling as well as "human imperfection"
Loved this! If you haven't checked out Ren's retake of Back on 74/Message in a Bottle, please do. Also, The Big Push's Swan Song is amazing to show off their singing abilities and harmonies. Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, drums among other instruments 💜💜
Ren has said he can figure out pretty much any instrument given time. He regularly plays guitar, bass, drums & piano with other things here & there. He also uses his voice for any noise he might need at any time, which isn’t really common for a lot of musicians to spontaneously use. I think it’s from singing on the street from age 12 onward & being poor, so he used what he had, which was mainly his voice when stranded on a corner with only a guitar & he says he started out without even an amp. Something to check out is the first video the Big Push ever taped for their original Swan Song. It’s a renaissance style harmonic piece of beauty recorded in an old cathedral. Ren whips out a melodica from nowhere at some point. 💜
Wow! That was really interesting. I have been dying to hear more of your reactions to ren’s singing. Would love to watch you react to his song Back on 74/walking on the moon retake.👍
**ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED** congratulations! You have discovered new ren friends The Big Push 😊 im so glad you finally got around to this one, its one of my favorite videos from them 🥹 and ren is an absolute BEAST on the bass, there are other big push songs where he plays it too. Im glad you loved it! 😊💜💜
Ren absolutely uses his tongue to shape his singing. He reminds me at times of Anthony Newly, an older British stage and film star, who also visibly used his tongue in his singing. Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, melodica, drums and who knows what else, all self-taught over the years he was sick in bed.
So much beauty in imperfection. Ren talks about how his goal during performances is to be completely "in flow," no longer thinking, just feeling. Highly recommend checking out their song Swan Song for some great harmonizing.
Ren play, Piano, All Guitars, and Drums. He also does all of his own productions and mixing. I was glad to see you appreciate his styling to be free of restraints. Ren said he has taken lessons, but they were more for voice preservation. The Band: 2nd singer is Gorran, Lead Guitar, Romain, Drums, Glenn..
Ren! Plays lead guitar, acoustic guitar, Bass, piano, and melodica---also drums although not as well😆 Makes all the beats and production in his videos as well. Amazing man, thanks for this!
There are alot of busking videos with Big Push - it shot the sheriff and war pigs (the red suspenders versions). Along the same line of mashups - they did these boots made for walking/satisfaction/everbody in a laundrymat. Lots of great original songs also. I think some mentioned Sam Tompkins also.
Superb analysis as always! The video where Ren makes some of the oddest and most unexpected vocal choice (which are amazing as always) is FRED AGAIN MASH UP. I think you'd have a blast analyzing that one (plus he does killer cool things on his acoustic guitar.)
Another really cool example of Ren using bass as a guitar/playing guitar-esque solos on bass, is Paint It Black with The Big Push! Really high energy & very cool performance
TheBig Push was one of the most successful busking bands at the time. They broke up when Ren left for treatment in Canada. I would love to hear you react to I Shot the Sheriff/Zion/Hip Hop. Do the video where Ren is wearing red suspenders.
Wowee wow wow! Your commentary on this video was so impressive that even I could follow along with it! I'm not trying to bash myself or anything, just stating that you were able to explain things in such a way that even someone without any music theory training can understand the points you made. I'm blown away that I "got it" and that it made my watching of it SO much more incredible. Thank you... will most definitely be back!
Fine reaction. I appreciate your knowledge and insight. If you do more of The Big Push be prepared for Romain's voice. Romain is the lead guitarist and he's got quite the French accent.
I love opera, these perfectly trained voices - great - a real pleasure! Over the years I have learned to appreciate many genres and styles of music. But, I have to say - the freedom that shines through Ren's performances is just as enjoyable to hear and see. This artist impresses me on another level! Great reaction to this performance and there is so much more to discover! I really liked that you - as a trained opera singer - were able to enjoy this performance as well. Greetings from Germany 👏👏👏👍🤝🙋♀️
Yayyyy more ren please! I joined your patreon to vote for Ren but he hasn’t come up yet 😊 and he plays guitar, bass, piano, drums and a little bit of cello lol
Was the footage of him on trombone in that one Chapters video an indication he's done some playing around on trombone, or was it just him having fun? I could see it going either way...
This is my favorite of his busking videos. I think you really get a great sense of his singing here, as well as the camaraderie among the guys in the group.
I'm looking forward to watching you react to more of this band!!! The guys are Romain Axisa, playing lead guitar here, Gorran Kendall singing Feeling Good, Glenn Chambers on drums and, of course, Ren Gill on bass and singing. They all sing altho I've never heard Glenn do a lead. Romain put out a brand new song/vid today called The Radios Killed The Blues. It's fantastic!!! Please give it a listen!!!
One of my absolute favourites, so much love between all the guys. I could honestly list 100 tracks to do, but next I think should be a current one Back on 74 as it is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Love your reactions to Ren , you give so much brilliant insights of his supreme talent! The Big Push have many amazing tracks, Praise You is stunning.
It's great to hear a discussion about their singing and playing styles. I simply know that it always puts a smile in my heart to see The Big Push as a group. Gorran Kendall is the other singer here. Romain Axisa is on the guitar solo. If you are interested in delving into Romain a bit his song Time After Time live at St Augustines is 1000% emotive. Even on your own time, it is worth experiencing. And for mind blowing bass guitar check out the band Dirty Loops (plus their singer is also amazing) and the drummer is off the charts. Another one that's worth experiencing even without a reaction analysis.
I think he’d be the first to say he’s a lyricist, poet and producer first, singer second. I love his voice BECAUSE it’s everywhere and passionate and raw and not perfect. That said, when he’s busking it’s much more loose than when he’s recording. He’s truly an enigma though and can sing, play, rap, act, a million different ways.
Great reaction !! Always look forward to you breaking his music down. There is no vocals but his song/video - Mackay shows his amazing piano skills. Was for his friend who died. Highly recommend to see his instrumental abilities
Thanks, Peter, for this R&A. I loved every second of it and will probably be listening to it a few times, to pick up on things I've missed. Ren is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Such beautiful honesty in what he does!
Wow! You must do more Ren and Big Push. I don’t know how these amazing musicians found each other but it’s truly epic!!! You will love all of the Big Push. Try I Shot the Sheriff, Road to Zion, Hip Hop!! Masterful performance.
Yes, Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, drums, the melodica and I believe a bit of cello( which I’m sure helped him compose the string section for MG3)- add to that how he also plays the strings of our hearts ❤
Both Gorran Kendall (the acoustic) and Romain Axisa (the lead) have their own music out there. Both are good, although self-evidently quite different from one another. Romain Axisa is very interesting to me. His instrumental pieces, I think, are just plain beautiful and his combined vocal and instrumental pieces are also very much to my musical taste. I would value your analysis of his vocals. Time After Time showcases both his vocal and guitar skills. Goodbye Good Days is also good for showing off the purity of his top register (not that I really know what I'm talking about in saying this). As for Ren, that young man is a force of nature.
What a treat! The big push together or individually, a pure wild musical joy. You might also like Chinchilla, who did chalk outlines and 'How to be me' with Ren, and who is a similar musical wild spirit. A classic starter is the live performance of Fingers on Hunger TV.
Ren knows how to play 5-8 instruments he has done two videos with the piano and on his Money Game 3 video he opens with him on the piano and he even wrote the music with the string quartet ...he dabbles and listen different genres there is some think he is only a rap artist they are missing out on his full talent all the members of the Big Push are very talented and worth checking out their solo stuff I know Romain also knows piano too
One of my favorites by The Big Push. Enjoyed your reaction Peter. Please do Swan Song by TBP. It's beautiful. Man's world/Earned it with Sam Tompkins is my favorite busking video by Ren
I always enjoy your analyses. They are really informative. I love The Big Push! They are so much fun. I hope you do more. I'll agree with those who suggested Praise You, Swan Song, What Kind of Woman is This, and These Boots Are Made For Walking. Those are good choices in which you'll hear all three vocalists.
Another great reaction and analysis. "The Big Push" busking sessions, concerts, and live recordings all are amazing and well worth checking out. The members of "The Big Push" are all independent solo artists who struck up a friendship, moved in together, and formed the band. Ren Gill, Gorran Kendall, and Romain Axisa take turns singing lead vocals at times, except for the drummer Glen Chambers. However, each of the band members is currently focusing on a solo career due to Ren's absence. The band, at least for the time being, performed their last official busking session and gave their last concert in September 2022 due to the fact that Ren was leaving for Canada to undergo treatment for his multiple health issues. I believe they did record some songs yet to be released. No telling what the future holds for them, individually or as a group. Their covers of "I Shot The Sheriff/Road To Zion/Hip Hop," "Wade in the Water/Nina Simone/Trouble So Hard," "Watch Out," “War Pigs,” “Roadhouse Blues,” "My Generation," “Paint It Black,” "An Englishman in New York," “Bongo Bong,” and many others are all awesome. On “These boots are made for walking’/Satisfaction/Everybody,” “Praise You” (Fatboy Slim Cover), and “What Kind Of Woman Is This,” all three take a turn singing. Their original songs "Oh My Woman," “Swan Song,” “Sweet Little Lady," "It's Alright," “Dignity,” “Watch Out” and so many others are equally impressive. Gorran Kendall is a singer/songwriter/busker from the UK. He plays the bass, electric and acoustic guitar, the harmonica, and frequently sings lead for "The Big Push." As a solo artist, he is a folk singer, and his music is reminiscent of 60s folk. I love Gorran's music. Romain Axisa is a singer/songwriter/busker originally from Toulouse, France, where he started playing the guitar at age 12. At age 14, he was the singer in a rock band and later became a rapper. He plays guitar, bass, piano, and the ukulele (pineapple ukulele) featured in the song "Bongo Bong." In addition, Romain sings lead on a few "The Big Push" songs. His solo music is unique, and I don't know what genre it would be categorized as. I really enjoy his music as well. I would highly recommend watching/listening to their song "Dignity." Not only is it a beautiful song but the accompanying music video offers the audience an intimate view into their day-to-day on and off-stage interaction. It's almost like being there with them in their home, on the streets, and on stage. It is one of my favorite videos and has been very underappreciated and overlooked by most reactors and fans alike.
When you mentioned Victor Wooten, leading up to that I was thinking "he better say Victor Wooten" 😄 I've seen him a few times in various size groups and venues. So incredibly talented. Respect.
It's fun watching your reactions to them, because it's the opposite end of the scale of opera lol. Ren's "Back on 74/Message in a bottle" (live retake) would be fun to watch, but also anything The Big Push make is always immaculate vibes. When they busk they never perform any song the same, so every performance is unique.
I love that you covered this one. It is the most popular Big Push song by the numbers, and it is pretty raw and improvisional. This makes me wish I were on that street back in the day. Regardless of their note inaccuracies, they convey a total abandoning of any self-consciousness, and turn to blissful emotion. Ren is a very strong bass player, and plays it quite a bit in this band. He switches lead guitar with Romain Axisa on occasions, too, but always gives Romain equal time, on those occasions. Great chemistry in this band.They parted ways on very amicable terms, in part, because of REN’s health issues.
I have to say that I really appreciate your ability to explain what is happening with Ren's vocals without coming over as condescending or being a smarty-pants with an "I know more than you" attitude. You make knowledgeable, understandable comments which, for me, make the reaction extremely enjoyable. i'm subbing for more great reactions.
I loved your reaction. The band members like to play musical chairs with the different guitars. They are a phenomenal group. The 2nd singer, Gorran, also play harmonica. Lead guitarist, Romain, also plays the mandolin, I believe it is called. Ren is great at collaborating with other singers. A few really good ones are listed by other commenters.
To add a little bit to you Ren knowledge base. Ren has said that in early busking days he would finish and his voice would be wiped out for a couple days after. and more recently he had some vocal lessons to alleviate that. I don't know where this session is in that progression. His philosophy on freeing the voice has always been there. Rambling here with no conclusions. Don't anyone give me grief if I have things wrong or timing off.
I was wondering if the energy impairment from having Lyme and ME influences the way Ren sings. I find for myself I need to keep everything I do as free from structure as possible in order to manage my energy. Other people do the opposite and become very structured. The freedom and appreciation of being alive and out in the world is what I love most about Ren's singing. He spent a lot of time homebound so busking must have felt wonderful when he managed to do it.
@@philliphall9817 I don't know about influencing way he sings. I do think he's mentioned that it affects how much he could get out and do the busking. There is one busking vid. with Ren in dark blue coveralls. He almost falls. due to POTS or??
Saw Wooten play here in Key West last year. Turns out his lives 15 min aware from me in Tennessee! Heard someone say they would never hire Rwn as base because he plays like lead and the star quality too Big Push was very popular. 2017-2022 til Ren went to Canada for treatment. Ren just put out 8 Chapters telling the story of his 8 years of nightmare dealing with his illness. The last chapter leads inti the Big Push and these boys Romain Axisa on lead,Gorran Kendall on acoustic ( he usually plays the base) and Glenn Chambers on drums. I urge you to watch the Chapters on Renmakesstuff. No need to react. Just be witness for him. It is so worth it . The Chapters was lead up to his release last week Troubles. Gorran has a very rock song voice. He sounds like Bob Dylan and does the Rolling Stones covers. Thay all sing. My favorite us What Kind Of Woman Is This.
Thanks Peter - your technical perspective plus your ability to appreciate the ad libs and freedom of expression is a great combination. It seems to me, while watching Ren's live performances (with/without TBP), the music just seems to overtake him from head to toe. It's a joy to witness. ☮
Thanks for another great reaction! I love all of these little insights into what musicians are doing that I don't have the vocabulary for. If you're looking for other artists to react to, I'd recommend checking out Aurora. She's a musician from Norway who is very expressive in her live performances. There are lots of places to start with her, but here are a few options: -It Happened Quiet (live at the Current) -Runaway or Murder Song (live at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert) -Little Boy in the Grass (Mahogany Session) -Lucky (live at Nidarosdomen)
In other words, they are singing naturally, as against much plastic sounding mainstream, extruded singing. Ren and the Big Push have been a breath of fresh air to listen to. I am glad you explained their diction. I do sometimes find the words hard to make out on initially hearing them sing a song. I thought it was just me!! You can't go wrong with the Big Push. Glenn Chambers (Irish) on Drums; Gorran Kendall (British) acoustic/singing this time; Romain Axisa (French) on lead guitar who often sings. Big Push initial suggestions; Swan Song (Ren on melodica) , Praise you, An Englishman in New York, It's Alright, These boots are made for Walking/Satisfaction/Everybody, Bongo Bong... Of course their classic - I shot the Sherriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop mash up (Ren in red suspenders) and War Pigs are some of their most watched also. Please, for your next one, do Ren and Sam Tompkins - Earned It/Man's World/Falling, then Ren and Sam (MC Sessions) Blind Eyed. I bet you would also enjoy hearing Ren "sing" in both "Back on 74/Message in a Bottle" and his Fred Again mashup which are both fairly recent.
I really appreciated your input - I learned a lot about what was going on between the band members and it made them all come together as one organic entity. Like everyone else is begging you here - you gotta do more of The Big Push, Ren, Romain Axisa (the 'lead guitarist' here) and Gorran Kendall (the acoustic guitarist here). Lots of neat stuff to sink your teeth into :)
16:38 on any guitar (including bass) directions are always given in a musical context. Your upper strings are thus closer to the ground, and "up the neck" is towards the bridge. Your lower strings are closer to the ceiling and down the neck is towards the nut.
Thanks so much for this thoughtful and enthusiastic response to Ren and The Big Push. It's great to see that you can truly enjoy singing that is primarily used as a vehicle for telling a story and making the story even Better by creating emotional waves. The story is heard and deeply felt, hooray hooray!!! I know you have not seen dozens of Ren's productions yet, but I am happy to say that each one you encounter will be surprisingly different. Ren uses every tool in his body plus a variety of musical instruments and his gifted creative imagination to successfully draw us into the story he wants to manifest for us. I truly love how many different vocalizations (including beat boxing!) that he gives us. Throughout the covid years until Ren left for treatment in Canada at the end of 2023, The Big Push was like a band of singing/song writing/busking brothers who spent very much time together creating music, so I do believe they accomplished some sort of mind meld. Together they manifested their unique take on both their original songs as well as covers of singers they enjoyed. You will have a wonderful, wonderful time finding songs in the catalog of The Big Push, as you are so right about the Talent each member of the band has in abundance. I think you'll enjoy the current catalogs of Gorran Kendall and Romain Axisa, as well as EVERYTHING REN!! Thanks again for your throughtful consideration of this performance. I have subscribed in hopes of seeing your reactions to more of Ren and of The Big Push as well! This video was Great!! 💜
Yeah, "way UP on the neck"! (I got corrected myself, in my early years of playing guitar, when I used to call it "down" (down the fretboard--as I looked at it.) The other guitarist told me, "...no, no, no--it's UP, you're going HIGHER, up, up, up!"
Hey Peter, great to see you doing a Ren reaction; always love to hear your insights into his music. My favorite TBP song is Precious because you really get to hear his beautiful singing voice. Maybe you can add it to your list? 💜💜
Ren's tongue does have a mind of it's own, even when he's not singing. Sometimes it looks like he's chewing gum, but no. I think sticking it out is more an unconscious mannerism than technique.
When talking up and down on a guitar you're really referring to the pitch of the note so up is towards the body of the instrument and down is towards the headstock. Also the higher strings or with notes that are up the scale are actually towards the bottom of the fret board. So on guitar up is down an down is up.
Ren can play pretty much all. He said drums he's not great at but piano he's almost classical with no training. The Big Push all play, sing and write music. Romain Axisa, lead guitar is fire. Goran Kendle, acoustic guitar, is awesome. Like a John Denver style singer. Guy Chambers on drums works so well. Swan song for harmony and Bongo Bong, you should check out. Then, I shot the sheriff/Road to zion/ hip hop mash up is so good.
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Really enjoyed hearing Ren perform with his band for the first time! There's no shortage of interesting elements to analyze between the vocals, the instrumentation, the arrangement, all of it. Hope y'all enjoy! What else from Ren do I still need to check out?
Ren - Back of 74 / Message in a Bottle Retake is amazing
I second back on 74!
Or earned it/man’s world/fallin w Sam!
You also should look into Swan Song from the big push, I think youd really love that one, its a bit more traditional style vocal 😊
@@LeeannGyes - this is a good one! 👍🤝🙋♀️
One of his best duet guitar performances in my opinion is I shot the sheriff - road to Zion - hip hop.
I totally agree! I hope that is the next Big Push song that Peter reacts to!!! (***GUY! There are a couple of videos of different performances. It's Very important to see The Big Push busking performance where Ren is wearing RED Suspenders, not a jacket of any kind!) 💜
Peter, Please, Please, PLEASE! listen to the Big Push "Swan Song" I really think you will appreciate it and enjoy it!
That's such a beautiful song.
YES, and I'd love it if Peter could do some commentary on the structure/composition of the vocal harmonies in Swan Song. They've always struck me as unusual-ish for choral music & madrigal ensembles I've been involved with. I think Big Push fans would be interested to hear about that, if there's anything to be said.
I have my theories but I don't remember enough of what I learned in the one year of music composition class I took.
@@rebeccaburnell9319 I love Choral Music and enjoy being a part of Choirs. That's probably why I love this song so much!
I started singing in choir during my first year of College and loved it so much I stayed in choir all 4 years! After I graduated I was on the road a lot and wasn't able to be part of a choir and I really missed it! Just Last year I settled down in one place so I started looking around and found a local Choir that is very similar to the one I was in during college. I was very excited when they invited me to join!!!
I have lost a lot during the 6 years I was out of choir, but I'm picking things back up. I suffered a TBI in 2022 so I think that is playing a big role in the struggles I've had getting back into it. But I'm loving being back!
Love it 🔥
I concur. 👍
Ren's mother is a vocal coach and his father plays lute and lyre in a group which plays 12th and 13th cent court music.
@peterbarber you definitely have to ck out REN and Sam Tomkins busking with “It’s a Man’s World”… that really shows both of their vocal abilities
"Earned it /Mans World /Falling" is the full title.
YES THIS
Great reaction, Peter. My absolute favorite of theirs is "I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop." If you do it, do the one where Ren is wearing the red suspenders... it's awesome.
Ren took singing lessons with an opera singer during the pandemic. I have seen Ren play guitar, bass, piano, melodica, drums and trombone.
I’ve seen all those except trombone, can you tell me what track that is? Thanks.
@@supertuscans9512 it was a photo Ren shared on the missing chapters, don't know if there's video.
He plays cello as well
@@garygreen1782 Weeell, for a foto I can play the trombone too ;) I can't do any of the other stuff he does though, so yeah, he probably can play the trombone.
In fairly certain I have heard Ren talk of playing the trombone. I wish I could remember where but I believe it would have either been in his "chapters" or one of his TH-cam interviews.
Back on 74 is a great reaction video because of the range of vocals in it! One of the versatile vocalist/instrumentalists I’ve come across in my 55 years!
I remember when I started watching reactions by professional artists a few years ago, there's was often a bit of snobbery surrounding the imperfect pitch and emotion-driven freestyle dynamics of storytellers like the Ren/The Big Push (although not actually TBP, of course!) and talented mainstream artists like Billie Eilish and Lana Del Ray. I rarely see that attitude anymore and it's thanks to people like yourself and Chris Liepe and Elizabeth Zharoff who add a wonderful technical layer to these reactions, but who also understand that it is not the only lens for appreciating art. Great stuff, thanks!
The Big Push band busked in Brighton. and if you see some of their other vids you will see that he has a fan base in the crowd, plus of course passers by who stop to watch and listen. All good stuff. Keep Reacting!
Trouble So Hard is such an important song to Ren that he got the rights to sample Vera Hall's original for the track he just dropped last week (called Troubles).
Back on 74
I didn't see anyone mention the other members of the band.
Ren Gill: bass and vocals
Gorran Kendall: guitar strap tech, acoustic guitar, and vocals
Romain Axisa: Electric guitar
Glenn Chambers: Drums
Ren, Gorran, and Romain all trade vocals and all three guitars as needed.
Gorran and Romain also have solo music careers and have their own TH-cam channels with their own music.
Back on 74 is an awsome track where he utilizes great back up singers and you get more of his singing voice. I hope you also check out the guitarist Romain Axisa -good bye good days. He is french and his accent bleeds into his singing voice and sounds amazing.
Yes! This is a great suggestion
Also Englishman in New York and Bongo Bong
So great. A cool Big Push t listen to is Bongo Bong
Yes!! One of my favorites
Ren sings from his soul, a love for music, and a playful ADHD brain. Definitely one of the most interesting vocalists to listen to cause you never know what he’ll do next. And while it might not be technically on point, it just works.
That's exactly why I've come to love his singing. He does what his heart tells him to. Such an honest artist!
I just thought maybe he does that, because humanty is such a big topic for him, that he doesn't mind showing his imperfections, and even rather highlights those by singing like he does, allowing voice cracks that transport feeling as well as "human imperfection"
Loved this! If you haven't checked out Ren's retake of Back on 74/Message in a Bottle, please do. Also, The Big Push's Swan Song is amazing to show off their singing abilities and harmonies. Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, drums among other instruments 💜💜
Ren has said he can figure out pretty much any instrument given time. He regularly plays guitar, bass, drums & piano with other things here & there. He also uses his voice for any noise he might need at any time, which isn’t really common for a lot of musicians to spontaneously use. I think it’s from singing on the street from age 12 onward & being poor, so he used what he had, which was mainly his voice when stranded on a corner with only a guitar & he says he started out without even an amp.
Something to check out is the first video the Big Push ever taped for their original Swan Song. It’s a renaissance style harmonic piece of beauty recorded in an old cathedral. Ren whips out a melodica from nowhere at some point. 💜
He's self taught on guitar, bass, drums and piano. He also beatboxes
Wow! That was really interesting. I have been dying to hear more of your reactions to ren’s singing. Would love to watch you react to his song Back on 74/walking on the moon retake.👍
**ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED** congratulations! You have discovered new ren friends The Big Push 😊 im so glad you finally got around to this one, its one of my favorite videos from them 🥹 and ren is an absolute BEAST on the bass, there are other big push songs where he plays it too. Im glad you loved it! 😊💜💜
Always love this.
@@jasonremy1627 💜💜
Ren absolutely uses his tongue to shape his singing. He reminds me at times of Anthony Newly, an older British stage and film star, who also visibly used his tongue in his singing. Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, melodica, drums and who knows what else, all self-taught over the years he was sick in bed.
And the years prior to becoming sick to be fair
That broken voice is how you would sing the old time working in the fields and singing about your sorrows. Gospel come jazz.
YES! The voice of freedom...let it come out as it is in that moment ❤
So much beauty in imperfection. Ren talks about how his goal during performances is to be completely "in flow," no longer thinking, just feeling.
Highly recommend checking out their song Swan Song for some great harmonizing.
totally agree, i think of Rens music as perfectly imperfect. it's part of what makes him unique.
Ren play, Piano, All Guitars, and Drums. He also does all of his own productions and mixing. I was glad to see you appreciate his styling to be free of restraints. Ren said he has taken lessons, but they were more for voice preservation. The Band: 2nd singer is Gorran, Lead Guitar, Romain, Drums, Glenn..
Ren! Plays lead guitar, acoustic guitar, Bass, piano, and melodica---also drums although not as well😆 Makes all the beats and production in his videos as well. Amazing man, thanks for this!
C'est un génie talentueux brilliant unique surdoué phenomenal artiste complet polyvalent love REN je quitte plus.. 🙏💖😱👍👏🎸
Ren also plays the piano. My favourite busking Big Push is I shot the sheriff, road to zion hi hop. The one with him wearing Red braces is the best.
There are alot of busking videos with Big Push - it shot the sheriff and war pigs (the red suspenders versions). Along the same line of mashups - they did these boots made for walking/satisfaction/everbody in a laundrymat. Lots of great original songs also. I think some mentioned Sam Tompkins also.
I love that I shot the sheriff mashed up busking session with road to Zion and hip hop. One of my favorite busking videos
I'd love to see you do the Back on 74 / Message in a bottle Retake.
Superb analysis as always! The video where Ren makes some of the oddest and most unexpected vocal choice (which are amazing as always) is FRED AGAIN MASH UP. I think you'd have a blast analyzing that one (plus he does killer cool things on his acoustic guitar.)
Another really cool example of Ren using bass as a guitar/playing guitar-esque solos on bass, is Paint It Black with The Big Push! Really high energy & very cool performance
TheBig Push was one of the most successful busking bands at the time. They broke up when Ren left for treatment in Canada. I would love to hear you react to I Shot the Sheriff/Zion/Hip Hop. Do the video where Ren is wearing red suspenders.
My favorite of their busking vids.
Oh, and I Shot the Sheriff / Road to Zion /Hip Hop utter class!
Wowee wow wow! Your commentary on this video was so impressive that even I could follow along with it! I'm not trying to bash myself or anything, just stating that you were able to explain things in such a way that even someone without any music theory training can understand the points you made. I'm blown away that I "got it" and that it made my watching of it SO much more incredible. Thank you... will most definitely be back!
Sure you will enjoy covers of Englishman in New York, Bongo Bong and Praise You, all Big Push and harmonies galore!
Fine reaction. I appreciate your knowledge and insight. If you do more of The Big Push be prepared for Romain's voice. Romain is the lead guitarist and he's got quite the French accent.
Oh my! I’m so glad you’re doing this. Love the Big Push.
Swan Song, Praise you, English man in New York for more singing from The Big Push. Thanks I appreciate all the education in your reactions.
I love opera, these perfectly trained voices - great - a real pleasure!
Over the years I have learned to appreciate many genres and styles of music.
But, I have to say - the freedom that shines through Ren's performances is just as enjoyable to hear and see.
This artist impresses me on another level!
Great reaction to this performance and there is so much more to discover!
I really liked that you - as a trained opera singer - were able to enjoy this performance as well.
Greetings from Germany 👏👏👏👍🤝🙋♀️
Yayyyy more ren please! I joined your patreon to vote for Ren but he hasn’t come up yet 😊 and he plays guitar, bass, piano, drums and a little bit of cello lol
Was the footage of him on trombone in that one Chapters video an indication he's done some playing around on trombone, or was it just him having fun? I could see it going either way...
Back on 74/Message in a Bottle is a really great one for his singing. Thanks for your expertise!
This is my favorite of his busking videos. I think you really get a great sense of his singing here, as well as the camaraderie among the guys in the group.
I'm looking forward to watching you react to more of this band!!!
The guys are Romain Axisa, playing lead guitar here, Gorran Kendall singing Feeling Good, Glenn Chambers on drums and, of course, Ren Gill on bass and singing.
They all sing altho I've never heard Glenn do a lead.
Romain put out a brand new song/vid today called The Radios Killed The Blues. It's fantastic!!! Please give it a listen!!!
Ya gotta do their What Kinda Woman is This!!! Its unreal how versatile they are!!!
More Ren please :)
Second that ❤❤
One of my absolute favourites, so much love between all the guys. I could honestly list 100 tracks to do, but next I think should be a current one Back on 74 as it is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Love your reactions to Ren , you give so much brilliant insights of his supreme talent! The Big Push have many amazing tracks, Praise You is stunning.
Phil's wife Susan here. Loved your reaction to this great music, learnt why I appreciate it so much. Check out Ren's new song "Troubles"
Play Rens/Troubles ❤
@@rosecouch1242 Hope #Troubles goes well in the charts. We find out soon if its in The Top 40 in the UK
he's a rare diamond, such a talent, after Corvyx he is probably one of the most amazing artists I've ever listened to.
It's great to hear a discussion about their singing and playing styles. I simply know that it always puts a smile in my heart to see The Big Push as a group.
Gorran Kendall is the other singer here. Romain Axisa is on the guitar solo.
If you are interested in delving into Romain a bit his song Time After Time live at St Augustines is 1000% emotive. Even on your own time, it is worth experiencing.
And for mind blowing bass guitar check out the band Dirty Loops (plus their singer is also amazing) and the drummer is off the charts. Another one that's worth experiencing even without a reaction analysis.
I think he’d be the first to say he’s a lyricist, poet and producer first, singer second. I love his voice BECAUSE it’s everywhere and passionate and raw and not perfect. That said, when he’s busking it’s much more loose than when he’s recording. He’s truly an enigma though and can sing, play, rap, act, a million different ways.
He's a beast on piano, too.
This is definitely what you might say is an ‘informed’ reaction.👏👏👏
You want to hear Ren sing high notes? Check out Back on 74/Message in a Bottle retake. Great backup singers on that one, too.
I love how much I learn from your analyses. I've heard this performance so many times but you helped me see and hear much of it for the first time. ❤
This is super-interesting. Thanks.
Back on 74/message in a bottle!!! Great singing by Ren
Great reaction !! Always look forward to you breaking his music down. There is no vocals but his song/video - Mackay shows his amazing piano skills. Was for his friend who died. Highly recommend to see his instrumental abilities
Thanks, Peter, for this R&A. I loved every second of it and will probably be listening to it a few times, to pick up on things I've missed. Ren is fast becoming a favorite of mine. Such beautiful honesty in what he does!
Loved your reaction and musical breakdown, as usual Peter. Ren sure loves his Nina Simone and it shows. Thank you!
Wow! You must do more Ren and Big Push. I don’t know how these amazing musicians found each other but it’s truly epic!!! You will love all of the Big Push. Try I Shot the Sheriff, Road to Zion, Hip Hop!! Masterful performance.
Yes, Ren plays guitar, bass, piano, drums, the melodica and I believe a bit of cello( which I’m sure helped him compose the string section for MG3)- add to that how he also plays the strings of our hearts ❤
Both Gorran Kendall (the acoustic) and Romain Axisa (the lead) have their own music out there. Both are good, although self-evidently quite different from one another. Romain Axisa is very interesting to me. His instrumental pieces, I think, are just plain beautiful and his combined vocal and instrumental pieces are also very much to my musical taste. I would value your analysis of his vocals. Time After Time showcases both his vocal and guitar skills. Goodbye Good Days is also good for showing off the purity of his top register (not that I really know what I'm talking about in saying this). As for Ren, that young man is a force of nature.
What a treat! The big push together or individually, a pure wild musical joy. You might also like Chinchilla, who did chalk outlines and 'How to be me' with Ren, and who is a similar musical wild spirit. A classic starter is the live performance of Fingers on Hunger TV.
Try the mash up of Nancy Sinatra 'These Boots Are Made For Walking' and Rolling Stones 'Satisfaction' in the laundromat. Brilliant.
I'm pretty sure you will enjoy "What kind of woman is this"!
Ren, Romain and Gorran are all singing and really well. A fun mashup of three songs.
Yes, this one is really fun. All three guys sing, and it's a Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters mashup.
Ren knows how to play 5-8 instruments he has done two videos with the piano and on his Money Game 3 video he opens with him on the piano and he even wrote the music with the string quartet ...he dabbles and listen different genres there is some think he is only a rap artist they are missing out on his full talent all the members of the Big Push are very talented and worth checking out their solo stuff I know Romain also knows piano too
Great R&A, as always. Definitely a lot to unpack in this one!
One of my favorites by The Big Push. Enjoyed your reaction Peter. Please do Swan Song by TBP. It's beautiful. Man's world/Earned it with Sam Tompkins is my favorite busking video by Ren
Absolutely think u would love swan song by the big push amazing singing
I always enjoy your analyses. They are really informative. I love The Big Push! They are so much fun. I hope you do more. I'll agree with those who suggested Praise You, Swan Song, What Kind of Woman is This, and These Boots Are Made For Walking. Those are good choices in which you'll hear all three vocalists.
What you describe as Ren pulling out of a note is him feeling the song I believe.
Another great reaction and analysis. "The Big Push" busking sessions, concerts, and live recordings all are amazing and well worth checking out. The members of "The Big Push" are all independent solo artists who struck up a friendship, moved in together, and formed the band. Ren Gill, Gorran Kendall, and Romain Axisa take turns singing lead vocals at times, except for the drummer Glen Chambers. However, each of the band members is currently focusing on a solo career due to Ren's absence.
The band, at least for the time being, performed their last official busking session and gave their last concert in September 2022 due to the fact that Ren was leaving for Canada to undergo treatment for his multiple health issues. I believe they did record some songs yet to be released. No telling what the future holds for them, individually or as a group.
Their covers of "I Shot The Sheriff/Road To Zion/Hip Hop," "Wade in the Water/Nina Simone/Trouble So Hard," "Watch Out," “War Pigs,” “Roadhouse Blues,” "My Generation," “Paint It Black,” "An Englishman in New York," “Bongo Bong,” and many others are all awesome. On “These boots are made for walking’/Satisfaction/Everybody,” “Praise You” (Fatboy Slim Cover), and “What Kind Of Woman Is This,” all three take a turn singing. Their original songs "Oh My Woman," “Swan Song,” “Sweet Little Lady," "It's Alright," “Dignity,” “Watch Out” and so many others are equally impressive.
Gorran Kendall is a singer/songwriter/busker from the UK. He plays the bass, electric and acoustic guitar, the harmonica, and frequently sings lead for "The Big Push." As a solo artist, he is a folk singer, and his music is reminiscent of 60s folk. I love Gorran's music.
Romain Axisa is a singer/songwriter/busker originally from Toulouse, France, where he started playing the guitar at age 12. At age 14, he was the singer in a rock band and later became a rapper. He plays guitar, bass, piano, and the ukulele (pineapple ukulele) featured in the song "Bongo Bong." In addition, Romain sings lead on a few "The Big Push" songs. His solo music is unique, and I don't know what genre it would be categorized as. I really enjoy his music as well.
I would highly recommend watching/listening to their song "Dignity." Not only is it a beautiful song but the accompanying music video offers the audience an intimate view into their day-to-day on and off-stage interaction. It's almost like being there with them in their home, on the streets, and on stage. It is one of my favorite videos and has been very underappreciated and overlooked by most reactors and fans alike.
YES to Everything you said! Thank you
When you mentioned Victor Wooten, leading up to that I was thinking "he better say Victor Wooten" 😄 I've seen him a few times in various size groups and venues. So incredibly talented. Respect.
It's fun watching your reactions to them, because it's the opposite end of the scale of opera lol. Ren's "Back on 74/Message in a bottle" (live retake) would be fun to watch, but also anything The Big Push make is always immaculate vibes. When they busk they never perform any song the same, so every performance is unique.
I love that you covered this one. It is the most popular Big Push song by the numbers, and it is pretty raw and improvisional. This makes me wish I were on that street back in the day. Regardless of their note inaccuracies, they convey a total abandoning of any self-consciousness, and turn to blissful emotion. Ren is a very strong bass player, and plays it quite a bit in this band. He switches lead guitar with Romain Axisa on occasions, too, but always gives Romain equal time, on those occasions. Great chemistry in this band.They parted ways on very amicable terms, in part, because of REN’s health issues.
I have to say that I really appreciate your ability to explain what is happening with Ren's vocals without coming over as condescending or being a smarty-pants with an "I know more than you" attitude. You make knowledgeable, understandable comments which, for me, make the reaction extremely enjoyable. i'm subbing for more great reactions.
I loved your reaction. The band members like to play musical chairs with the different guitars. They are a phenomenal group. The 2nd singer, Gorran, also play harmonica. Lead guitarist, Romain, also plays the mandolin, I believe it is called. Ren is great at collaborating with other singers. A few really good ones are listed by other commenters.
To add a little bit to you Ren knowledge base. Ren has said that in early busking days he would finish and his voice would be wiped out for a couple days after. and more recently he had some vocal lessons to alleviate that. I don't know where this session is in that progression. His philosophy on freeing the voice has always been there. Rambling here with no conclusions. Don't anyone give me grief if I have things wrong or timing off.
I was wondering if the energy impairment from having Lyme and ME influences the way Ren sings. I find for myself I need to keep everything I do as free from structure as possible in order to manage my energy. Other people do the opposite and become very structured. The freedom and appreciation of being alive and out in the world is what I love most about Ren's singing. He spent a lot of time homebound so busking must have felt wonderful when he managed to do it.
@@philliphall9817 I don't know about influencing way he sings. I do think he's mentioned that it affects how much he could get out and do the busking. There is one busking vid. with Ren in dark blue coveralls. He almost falls. due to POTS or??
Saw Wooten play here in Key West last year. Turns out his lives 15 min aware from me in Tennessee!
Heard someone say they would never hire Rwn as base because he plays like lead and the star quality too
Big Push was very popular. 2017-2022 til Ren went to Canada for treatment.
Ren just put out 8 Chapters telling the story of his 8 years of nightmare dealing with his illness. The last chapter leads inti the Big Push and these boys Romain Axisa on lead,Gorran Kendall on acoustic ( he usually plays the base) and Glenn Chambers on drums.
I urge you to watch the Chapters on Renmakesstuff. No need to react. Just be witness for him. It is so worth it . The Chapters was lead up to his release last week Troubles.
Gorran has a very rock song voice. He sounds like Bob Dylan and does the Rolling Stones covers. Thay all sing. My favorite us What Kind Of Woman Is This.
His guitar strap broke mid song, so they switched it during the song, you should check it TBP Praise You
Thanks Peter - your technical perspective plus your ability to appreciate the ad libs and freedom of expression is a great combination. It seems to me, while watching Ren's live performances (with/without TBP), the music just seems to overtake him from head to toe. It's a joy to witness. ☮
Love REN!! 💖 Thank you for analyzing. I love how raw he is.
Thanks for another great reaction! I love all of these little insights into what musicians are doing that I don't have the vocabulary for.
If you're looking for other artists to react to, I'd recommend checking out Aurora. She's a musician from Norway who is very expressive in her live performances. There are lots of places to start with her, but here are a few options:
-It Happened Quiet (live at the Current)
-Runaway or Murder Song (live at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert)
-Little Boy in the Grass (Mahogany Session)
-Lucky (live at Nidarosdomen)
In other words, they are singing naturally, as against much plastic sounding mainstream, extruded singing. Ren and the Big Push have been a breath of fresh air to listen to. I am glad you explained their diction. I do sometimes find the words hard to make out on initially hearing them sing a song. I thought it was just me!!
You can't go wrong with the Big Push. Glenn Chambers (Irish) on Drums; Gorran Kendall (British) acoustic/singing this time; Romain Axisa (French) on lead guitar who often sings.
Big Push initial suggestions; Swan Song (Ren on melodica) , Praise you, An Englishman in New York, It's Alright, These boots are made for Walking/Satisfaction/Everybody, Bongo Bong... Of course their classic - I shot the Sherriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop mash up (Ren in red suspenders) and War Pigs are some of their most watched also.
Please, for your next one, do Ren and Sam Tompkins - Earned It/Man's World/Falling, then Ren and Sam (MC Sessions) Blind Eyed.
I bet you would also enjoy hearing Ren "sing" in both "Back on 74/Message in a Bottle" and his Fred Again mashup which are both fairly recent.
Thank you Peter ... for supporting Ren...I read your comment (re: KujoBeats)....great respect for that🫶👍🤝🙋♀️
Absolutely loved that analysis man - thanks for sharing your talents and experience!
I really appreciated your input - I learned a lot about what was going on between the band members and it made them all come together as one organic entity. Like everyone else is begging you here - you gotta do more of The Big Push, Ren, Romain Axisa (the 'lead guitarist' here) and Gorran Kendall (the acoustic guitarist here). Lots of neat stuff to sink your teeth into :)
Ren played drums with this band at first, he does also obviously play guitar, bass, and then piano and even some cello
16:38 on any guitar (including bass) directions are always given in a musical context. Your upper strings are thus closer to the ground, and "up the neck" is towards the bridge. Your lower strings are closer to the ceiling and down the neck is towards the nut.
Thanks for this reaction. Really enjoyed this.
Super great reaction! Excited for you to get introduced to more Ren. He is a once in a lifetime artist. ❤
Thanks so much for this thoughtful and enthusiastic response to Ren and The Big Push. It's great to see that you can truly enjoy singing that is primarily used as a vehicle for telling a story and making the story even Better by creating emotional waves. The story is heard and deeply felt, hooray hooray!!!
I know you have not seen dozens of Ren's productions yet, but I am happy to say that each one you encounter will be surprisingly different. Ren uses every tool in his body plus a variety of musical instruments and his gifted creative imagination to successfully draw us into the story he wants to manifest for us. I truly love how many different vocalizations (including beat boxing!) that he gives us.
Throughout the covid years until Ren left for treatment in Canada at the end of 2023, The Big Push was like a band of singing/song writing/busking brothers who spent very much time together creating music, so I do believe they accomplished some sort of mind meld. Together they manifested their unique take on both their original songs as well as covers of singers they enjoyed. You will have a wonderful, wonderful time finding songs in the catalog of The Big Push, as you are so right about the Talent each member of the band has in abundance. I think you'll enjoy the current catalogs of Gorran Kendall and Romain Axisa, as well as EVERYTHING REN!! Thanks again for your throughtful consideration of this performance. I have subscribed in hopes of seeing your reactions to more of Ren and of The Big Push as well! This video was Great!! 💜
Thanks for this long and thoughtful comment!
Yeah, "way UP on the neck"! (I got corrected myself, in my early years of playing guitar, when I used to call it "down" (down the fretboard--as I looked at it.) The other guitarist told me, "...no, no, no--it's UP, you're going HIGHER, up, up, up!"
Ooh this is going to be fun. I hope to make it. 👍💕🦇
Hey Peter, great to see you doing a Ren reaction; always love to hear your insights into his music. My favorite TBP song is Precious because you really get to hear his beautiful singing voice. Maybe you can add it to your list? 💜💜
Love hearing you talk about Ren and his band. Your voice is amazing and I’m jealous. 😂
The Big Push was super popular in Brighton, England! They have a video of their last concert "live at The Brighton Dome, Sept 9 2022
Ren's tongue does have a mind of it's own, even when he's not singing. Sometimes it looks like he's chewing gum, but no. I think sticking it out is more an unconscious mannerism than technique.
When talking up and down on a guitar you're really referring to the pitch of the note so up is towards the body of the instrument and down is towards the headstock. Also the higher strings or with notes that are up the scale are actually towards the bottom of the fret board. So on guitar up is down an down is up.
Ren can play pretty much all. He said drums he's not great at but piano he's almost classical with no training.
The Big Push all play, sing and write music.
Romain Axisa, lead guitar is fire.
Goran Kendle, acoustic guitar, is awesome. Like a John Denver style singer.
Guy Chambers on drums works so well.
Swan song for harmony and Bongo Bong, you should check out.
Then, I shot the sheriff/Road to zion/ hip hop mash up is so good.