Fave vocalists who aren't much cop at singing

[Barking Spiders 1,267]

Let's face it , all of us have fave bands with vocalists or solo performers who can't actually, properly sing but somehow use their limitations to their advantage. So, on with the noms and the whys and wherefores...👉👉

 

 

[rubis 338]

Dylan,  Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave spring to my mind 

Love their stuff anyway

[davepb24 389]

Really wish New Order had recruited a new singer and left Barney to his guitar...

[paul_5 1,144]

4 minutes ago, davepb24 said:

Really wish New Order had recruited a new singer and left Barney to his guitar...

Then got a proper guitarist.

[Maude 5,064]

Although a can totally appreciate a technically proficient singer, all my favourite bands have singers that would be kicked off The X Factor as soon as possible. It's the imperfections that give the voice character I feel. I'd much rather hear a technically poor vocalist who sang with passion from the heart than a perfect one just going through the motions. Obviously there are very good vocalists that also sing with feeling. 

Case in point Joy Division/New Order. 

Neither Ian Curtis nor Bernard Sumner were good singers, hell the whole band were terrible musicians, the one with the most talent, Steven Morris wasn't proficient, just had relentless stamina on the hi-hat, yet they're probably my favourite band. Give them a 'good' vocalist and I probably wouldn't like them. 

 

[Maude 5,064]

6 minutes ago, davepb24 said:

Really wish New Order had recruited a new singer and left Barney to his guitar...

 

1 minute ago, paul_5 said:

Then got a proper guitarist.

Well there's a coincidence 😁

[Dan Dare 1,662]

[Islander 55]

Ian Dury.  

[Maude 5,064]

Terry Hall's dour, deadpan delivery is the perfect foil to The Specials' upbeat ska. 

Robert Smith (Terry Hall's long lost twin) is just perfect in The Cure, complete with breathy yelps and squeals. 

[pete.young 908]

Ry Cooder.

[Mykesbass 959]

Patti Smith

[Mykesbass 959]

1 minute ago, pete.young said:

Ry Cooder.

Always thought he had a lovely voice 

[Nail Soup 949]

Got loads. Dylan, John Lydon, Poly Styrene to name but three.

But the best of all is Mark E Smith of the Fall.

Prefer singers with character. Being able to sing is a side issue.

[TomasFlats 38]

Neil Young.

[mikegatward 96]

Ian Brown - struggles to stay in tune

[meterman 352]

Serge Gainsbourg.

[miles'tone 491]

[Bolo 788]

Uhhh I like death metal. Sooooo yeah...

[Lozz196 4,697]

Vince Neil of Motley Crue. On recordings he was fine but live he seemed to only manage one word of about every three or four of the lyrics.

[BreadBin 2,757]

David Lee Roth live.

[AndyTravis 6,510]

Kiedis.

[Graham56 80]

Lucinda Williams

Alex Harvey

Nick Cave

[Barking Spiders 1,267]

3 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

David Lee Roth live.

Yep, DLR couldn't sing as well as Hagar yet VH largely turned to shyte when he was kicked out. As with guitar and bass, for me an interesting/unique/recognisable approach to vocalising is way more preferable to those that are note perfect but who sound identical to loads of others.

Fr'instance I like Karl Hyde's semi-spoken delivery on Underworld tunage and John Lydon's on Leftfield's Open Up is perfect for the song. Then there's Kevin Coyne of The Flaming Lips as on the truly great Do You Realize?. Funny how all of the winners of X Factor have disappeared into oblivion after one or two hits.

[Ricky 4000 7,547]

Eddie Tenpole. 👍

[EdLib-3 76]

Joe Strummer. Not a great singer but what a great voice!!