Bands whose singers rule - despite popular opinion

[Bloodhammer]

I'm sure most of us like trained professional singers that are pleasant on the ears to compliment our favorite music, but does anyone else here actually like some of the vocal misfits like Geddy Lee or Chris Cornell? (I actually never heard anyone complain about Cornell's voice until I read it here!)

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Too bad deathmetal, blackmetal, and grindcore are all lumped into one big pile labeled "cookie monster vocals" with no care to differentiate between various bands, vocalists, or their vocal styles. I could list several that rule, but i doubt anyone here would care which ones those are.

(except) Attila Csihar [Tormentor, Mayhem] - blackmetal vocalist, but he can be seen/heard with Sunn0))) at their shows. The guy sounds like an ancient mummy and kind of looks like one too

Martin Walkyier [Sabbat, Skyclad] - I-ah love-ah how-ah he-ah over enunciates-ah

Bob Dylan - singing a hundred syllables per measure through your nose takes talent

Geddy Lee [Rush] - I thinks his voice fits perfectly. No joke

Eugene S. Robinson [Oxbow] - I dare you to heckle him at an Oxbow show

Mark Arm [Green River, Mudhoney] - Okay, Mark does suck, but he sucks so bad he rules!

Chris Cornell [Soundgarden, Audioslave] - Seriously, I wasn't aware that he was considered a bad singer. I always thought he rocked hard on Ultramega-OK and Badmotorfinger

David Lee Roth [Van Halen, solo] - do I really need to explain this?

Can't think of any more at the moment, but there definitely are....

[DeathFromBelow]

Me and Bloodhammer will probably be the only ones getting this, but hey, here goes.

Autopsy.

I'm sure the emo-kids listening to Job For A Cowboy would disagree. But who cares.

[Floyd Eye]

I love Geddy Lee and Chris Cornell. I also think Gene Simmons was an awesome vocalist in his day.

[Curmei]

Martin Walkyier is not a name I come across too often - I lived on History of a Time to Come when I was a wee young'un.

I was a fan of the singer from Candlemass back then as well. Overly dramatic, but what wasn't back then.

Others I would add:
- Ian Curtis from Joy Division
- Phil Ochs
- Michael Gira from Swans
- David Yow from Scratch Acid/Jesus Lizard
- The singer from The Accused
- Kurt from DRI

[DeathFromBelow]

Originally Posted by Curmei

Others I would add:
- Ian Curtis from Joy Division

- Kurt from DRI

Yes and yes.

[mellowinman]

GEDDY LEE is the BEST singer in the history of heavy prog rock. Albums Rush through Exit Stage Left have the greatest vocals in hard rock history.

Anyone who doesn't see this is NOT a real rocker!!!!!

NEIL YOUNG has the most emotional and plaintive voice in music. I could listen to that guy all day!!!!

It had to be said.

[Aussie Player]

Wow. True democracy, the right to an opinion.
I can't stand a single note from him. Would never play if he represented singing or bass playing.

[catcauphonic]

How about Perry Farrell of 'Janes Addiction'? I could think of lots of Punk Rockers too if we're gonna go there

[RFord04]

Originally Posted by DeathFromBelow

Me and Bloodhammer will probably be the only ones getting this, but hey, here goes.

Autopsy.

I'm sure the emo-kids listening to Job For A Cowboy would disagree. But who cares.

Dood, your so kvlt....

Bur seriously.... JFAC... emo? Thats just plain ignorant. Have you ever even listened to them, or do too many people actually like them to even consider it? I dont even like that band.... but I would at least listen to a band before I passed judgement, and its clear you haven't heard them before if you are equating them with emo, or you just don't know what emo is.

Sorry to derail... here's an obvious choice: Les Claypool.

[Josh Pelican]

He said "emo-kids listening to Job For A Cowboy". He didn't say they were an "emo" band.

[noplayinfool]

I don't think anybody could do the Butthole Surfer's thing better than Gibby Haynes, so he rules in that context.
The Pixies singer Black Francis would be irreplaceable in that band as well. He is not the worst singer in the world, by far, but then again he ain't no Pavoratti.

[NYCbassist]

Bruce Springstein. I guess most people like him as do I but I've heard people bash him quite a bit. No other singer that I can think of puts more heart into it than Bruce. and...ac dc singer Brian Johnson. Brian Rules! AC/DC Rules. Oh, and I would totally play Bass for the Cookie Monster.

[Toptube]

Win from Arcade Fire. He has sort of a dissonant quality to his voice and he doesn't have a particularly large range. But, the band creates fairly dynamic vocal ideas. He used to have trouble making it through shows without blowing his voice, but I think he took some vocal training or maybe just meditated. Because, he sounds better than ever since they came back for The Suburbs tour. He nails way more stuff than he used to and seems to be strong enough now to hold it together for a whole show. I was actually pretty surprised.

[colcifer]

Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia. The early stuff could be rough but they were never as bad as people say they were. Some performances were truly great, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9SKxL9CnW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl-qNKQWK34

[Hamlet7768]

James LaBrie of Dream Theater has really matured vocally. His singing on Images and Words was very stereotypical metal-tenor, complete with that high F# on Learning to Live. Then he wrecked his voice (actually some time after Awake, I think), but came back well on Metropolis Pt. 2. However, his enunciation does get some deserved flak: his enunciation in Metropolis 2000 at parts was awful.

Nowadays, though, he's finally figured out his range and settled into it. No more straining himself, just a damn strong voice. The only voice I can think of that would fit Dream Theater nearly as well would be John Arch from early Fates Warning (who did audition for the band before James joined).

[Lonesomedave]

Originally Posted by NYCbassist

Bruce Springstein. I guess most people like him as do I but I've heard people bash him quite a bit. No other singer that I can think of puts more heart into it than Bruce. and...ac dc singer Brian Johnson. Brian Rules! AC/DC Rules. Oh, and I would totally play Bass for the Cookie Monster.

uh....no....not true, AC/DC is alright, but SPRINGSTEIN...never!

i dislike him on so many levels it's truly not funny.

let's just say that he sucks s**t straight out the a**, and leave it at that.

if i never hear another springstein record or mp3 or whatever i will consider myself truly blessed. from his music, to his lyrics, to his singing, to his pol...well let's just leave it at that

i think he sucks on the level of Journey, and that, for me, is saying a lot. as a matter of fact, i think he sucks MORE than journey.

[Luke19Boarder]

I'm going to go with Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse. Their earlier stuff especially ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQC4XbYvHUo

Absolutely love his voice ... but can see why a lot of people find it not quite enjoyable.

[catcauphonic]

Originally Posted by NYCbassist

and...ac dc singer Brian Johnson. Brian Rules! AC/DC Rules. Oh, and I would totally play Bass for the Cookie Monster.

I gotta go with Bon Scott on this one, but both Bon & Brian do have unusual voices that some people might not be able to get past. Too bad there isn't a headbanging emoticon to insert here!

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by colcifer

Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia. The early stuff could be rough but they were never as bad as people say they were. Some performances were truly great, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9SKxL9CnW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl-qNKQWK34

Jerry Garcia had an excellent voice, and he was truly a top notch songwriter and guitarist. A real talent, that guy. All the vocals in the Dead were spot on.

[IronLung1986]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

uh....no....not true, AC/DC is alright, but SPRINGSTEIN...never!

i dislike him on so many levels it's truly not funny.

let's just say that he sucks s**t straight out the a**, and leave it at that.

if i never hear another springstein record or mp3 or whatever i will consider myself truly blessed. from his music, to his lyrics, to his singing, to his pol...well let's just leave it at that

i think he sucks on the level of Journey, and that, for me, is saying a lot. as a matter of fact, i think he sucks MORE than journey.

Jeez dude tell us how you really feel.