I agree it shouldn't be made to be a competition
...I agree it should be fun and relaxed
...I agree more than one version of the same track should be permitted (indeed this is the case on NBAMN II at least - one of the Steinman Fan appreciation albums)
...however, I think decent versions of tracks should definately be allowed rather than preferring people 'making an ass of themselves' (personally I'd rather listen to a decent album than one of wailing cats, I can sing to myself in the car if I want that effect) BUT do agree that enthusiasm and dedication counts for a lot and it shouldn't be treated like a competition.
Why not see how many people wish to contribute before making a decision how many tracks to include?
There are some people on this forum I KNOW can sing and would love to hear their contributions just as much as those who are doing it
purely from a fan point of view. Not all of the contributions on the NBAMN albums are pitch perfect, but all are good to listen to.
And I believe a good mix of known and lesser known tracks is a good idea - whilst NBAMN II has well known tracks such as Total Eclipse of the Heart, Paradise amongst others, it's also the only copy I have managed to lay my hands on, of "What Part Of My Body Hurts The Most" - a song I really adore...so sometimes lesser known songs are good mixed in with the ones you know and sing along to (not that I'll be singing along to Total Eclipse of the Heart though...I like my windows intact
).
Oh, and I'm not so keen on the no leaks rule - why can't we let other friends on the forum listen to our tracks and offer advice or opinions before submitting?
Well that's just my thoughts...I'm only sorry and disappointed in a way that I don't have the singing voice to contribute my own track, which is why I'd love to get involved in some other way if I can.