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Fave vocalists who aren't much cop at singing


Barking Spiders

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Being a metal lover, this is my kind of territory but, if it's actual singing efforts we're talking about...

Mark Arm from Mudhoney

Henry Rollins

Sabbath era Ozzy

Chuck Mosely from Faith No More

Paul Linehan from The Frank and Walters

 

It's interesting to see people mention the kind of X-factor screensavers who can hit notes but have nothing to say, those who just want to be famous and take the quick route to get there, compared to those who are prepared to live in a van and sleep on floors for years in order to play and just get their music out there. Authenticity and integrity go a long way to covering a lot of technical vocal sins.

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David Yow (Jesus Lizard) hasn't/has got the best voice (delete as applicable). 

 

All three of the Beastie Boys. Whilst some would accuse many singers/rappers of just shouting, the Beastie Boys are slightly off keys shouters, and all the more brilliant for it. 

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5 hours ago, Maude said:

David Yow (Jesus Lizard) hasn't/has got the best voice (delete as applicable). 

 

All three of the Beastie Boys. Whilst some would accuse many singers/rappers of just shouting, the Beastie Boys are slightly off keys shouters, and all the more brilliant for it. 

Ironically the Beastie Boys were all really proficient instrumentalists.

First I saw them live back at Glastonbury in the 90s I was absolutely jaw dropped when they got to the part of the show when they transformed themselves into a double bass/guitar/drums jazzy trio.

By the time I saw them again in the 2000s they'd gotten even better and a fair chunk of the show saw them performing various (mostly) instrumental album tracks from their back catalogue as a full band with additional musicians.

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3 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

Seems to me a characterful but not technically great vocalist can get away with it in a rock band but not so in the Soul genre. Hard to imagine someone like Joe Strummer or Shane McGowan putting out an album like What's Going On?

I was just wondering how many of these 'not so good' singers are pitching their performance to suit the music but are secretly a lot more polished on the sly.

Maybe Lemmy actually had an amazing soul voice that he never recorded?

Maybe Barney from Napalm Death has a clandestine lovely smooth jazz voice that we've never heard?

Edited by Cato
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11 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

Fr'instance I like Karl Hyde's semi-spoken delivery on Underworld tunage…

Karl Hyde is actually a pretty good singer as is Rick Smith (who doesn't do vocals at all in Underworld Mk2). Just have a listen to the harmonies on the two Freur albums, or Underworld's pre-house output.

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28 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

Karl Hyde is actually a pretty good singer as is Rick Smith (who doesn't do vocals at all in Underworld Mk2). Just have a listen to the harmonies on the two Freur albums, or Underworld's pre-house output.

I'll have a listen,  out of curiosity. I'm a huge fan of Mk2. Tried Mk1 stuff awhile back  but was disappointed having got so used to Dubno and Second Toughest.

 

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5 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

Almost all the punk vocalist had a 'distinctive' style, but it wouldn't have worked if any of the punk bands had a proper singer, if you've ever heard Pretty Vacant  sung 'properly' as I have on a cruise ship, you'll know what I'm talking about

I can only imagine the horror. 

Unless it was in a tongue in cheek way, a la Richard Cheese. 

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3 minutes ago, Maude said:

I can only imagine the horror. 

Unless it was in a tongue in cheek way, a la Richard Cheese. 

no it wasn't, it was one of the on board entertainment singers, they were doing a show of 70's music, fortunately they only did one punk song 😄

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1 hour ago, Barking Spiders said:

I'll have a listen,  out of curiosity. I'm a huge fan of Mk2. Tried Mk1 stuff awhile back  but was disappointed having got so used to Dubno and Second Toughest.

Freur-Underworld tend to be forwardly rather than backwardly compatible, if you liked Freur, then you'll probably like Underworld Mk1 and Underworld Mk2, but not the reverse.

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1 hour ago, Hobbayne said:

Stevie Nicks.

Sounds like a Nanny Goat that stepped on a nail.  ¬¬

Apt description plus for me her songs on Rumours are the weaker tracks

IMO there are loads of bands  and entire genres which would've sounded wrong and even weak with 'proper' singists.  One of my fave bands is Talking Heads and David Byrne's semi-strangulated vocals suit the fidgety rhythms and off-kilter lyrics.

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