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Bands whose singers rule - despite popular opinion

#62
catcauphonic said:
How about Perry Farrell of 'Janes Addiction'?
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Some people can't stand his voice, and I can understand that, there was a time I found his voice grating.
After giving them a few listens, though, Janes Addiction became my favorite band.


I saw a lot of hate for Eddie Vedder in that other thread, I like his voice/style myself.

Silver Blues said:
My top pick would have to be from a band that I really love that gets ZERO love around these parts, The Black Keys. Dan Auerbach is a great singer IMO, the guy can sound different on every song.
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I like the Black Keys too, but I think Dan sounds pretty much the same on every recording I heard.

HaMMerHeD said:
When people complain to me about "cookie monster" vocals, I remind them of the inexplicable continuing popularity of AC/DC, and they suddenly don't have much to talk about.
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I dont like "cookie monster" vocals or AC/DC.

inthevelvet said:
Never heard of people saying Chris Cornell sucks.
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Take a look at this thread:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f30/bands-singers-ruin-942662/
 
#63
I've had entire conversations with friends about the styles of different metal vocalists of all persuasions (death, black, thrash etc. just to name a few) and I'm just happy that the OP here actually acknowledges there are some legitimate differences between the styles. Of course, I don't expect everyone to love their vocals, but I love my metal!

And now to share a short story that happened years ago. My friend and I were listening to some metal with "cookie monster" vocals. His mom walked into the room and said that anyone could do that, it takes no talent. He responded, "Can you?" She quickly left the room without another word. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not difficult/legitimate/acceptable/whatever. Music is art, and everyone's entitled to their own opinion.

I also second Atila Csihar of Mayhem. His vocals on "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" are some of the creepiest utterings I've ever heard. They sound inhuman.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of any others. Maybe Peter Dolving, formerly of The Haunted? Can't say I necessarily agree with his messages all the time, but he's certainly a dividing figure, and I like his vocals.

Oh, and of course King Diamond. I've heard some people hate his vocals, and it did take some time for me to adjust, but now I love his style.
 
#64
HaMMerHeD said:
No the same, but not all that different. Brian Johnson and (for example) George Fischer Not the same pitch, but it's the same level of coarseness and intelligibility. Death metal vocals are deep and raspy, and AC/DC is high-pitched and raspy. Neither is particularly intelligible on first listen for your average person.

Point is, they aren't all that different, and yet your average person thinks Brian Johnson is OK, while George Fischer is not.

Personally, I think George's vocal style is a great complement to the musical style of Cannibal Corpse. I am not a fan of pre-Geroge CC.
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I disagree, mostly because i have quite a hard time understanding any of the lyrics sung by "cookie monsters", but i (and im willing to bet most people) can understand brian johnson just fine.
 
#65
Thrill-House said:
I disagree, mostly because i have quite a hard time understanding any of the lyrics sung by "cookie monsters", but i (and im willing to bet most people) can understand brian johnson just fine.
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Let's throw out popular opinion here. It's popular opinion that John Fogerty is hard to understand most of the time, but I'd rather talk about how his voice sounds cool, than point that out and just leave the statement hanging like a fishhook. "Most people think ______" don't count as a legitimate debate points in my "weird singers" thread.

Also, you need to understand that deathmetal and blackmetal vocals are a part of the music like another instrument and not necessarily intended to be picked out and sung along with. Bands like Deathspell Omega and 1349 actually sort-of bury the vocals so that they come across as distant and become ambience rather than standing out front. Anyway, pointing out that you can't understand deathmetal growls is like pointing out that ska bands tend to have horn sections.

MatticusMania said:
I dont like "cookie monster" vocals or AC/DC.
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Then talk about what you DO like. ;)




+2 on King Diamond and Jello Biafra. I don't know how I missed those two.
 
#66
HaMMerHeD said:
No the same, but not all that different. Brian Johnson and (for example) George Fischer Not the same pitch, but it's the same level of coarseness and intelligibility. Death metal vocals are deep and raspy, and AC/DC is high-pitched and raspy. Neither is particularly intelligible on first listen for your average person.

Point is, they aren't all that different, and yet your average person thinks Brian Johnson is OK, while George Fischer is not.

Personally, I think George's vocal style is a great complement to the musical style of Cannibal Corpse. I am not a fan of pre-Geroge CC.
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Aren't most Cookie Monster vocals done via effects?

I can't listen to AC/DC all the time, nor Nazareth, and I'm glad not all classic rock bands sound like that. I much prefer a bigger variety. Here are my all time favorite singers:

Ian Gilliam
Freddie Mercury
Robert Plant
Ann Wilson
Geddy Lee
Neil Young
Ian Anderson
Steven Tyler
John Lennon
Paul McCartney
George Harrison
Ringo Starr
Mick Jagger
Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix
Roger Daltry
Janis Joplin
Jerry Garcia
Peter Cetera
Terry Kath
Robert Lamm

There are many more, but those are all singers who have one thing in common: When I hear them, it makes me happy.

They are a pretty diverse group, otherwise.
 
#67
Bloodhammer said:
Let's throw out popular opinion here. It's popular opinion that John Fogerty is hard to understand most of the time, but I'd rather talk about how his voice sounds cool, than point that out and just leave the statement hanging like a fishhook. "Most people think ______" don't count as a legitimate debate points in my "weird singers" thread.

Also, you need to understand that deathmetal and blackmetal vocals are a part of the music like another instrument and not necessarily intended to be picked out and sung along with. Bands like Deathspell Omega and 1349 actually sort-of bury the vocals so that they come across as distant and become ambience rather than standing out front. Anyway, pointing out that you can't understand deathmetal growls is like pointing out that ska bands tend to have horn sections.
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Whoa man no need to get defensive. Was just responding to his comment. I mean, thiread is all about personal opinions right? The "Most people think ______" is as much of a valid arguement here as your own personal opinions.
 
#68
It's just that there's plenty of negative opinions in the other threads about things that irk us - mostly having to do with singers. I started this thread hoping we wouldn't try to alienate each other. I agree that Brian Johnson doesn't have the same technique as Lord Worm, but pointing that out and implying one is better than the other due to accessibility is the complete opposite of what I started this thread for.

So, no, popular opinion is not a valid argument in this thread. You know - it's the old "Eat turds because trillions of flies can't be wrong" logic. ;)

If I read too much into your comments, My apologies.
 
#70
Hey BH...back me up on this one...Glen Benton. Really powerful, guttural growls that compliment Asheims lyrics perfectly.

Also, Jens Kidmann from Meshuggah. My current favourite band. To those that don't get it, he can sound like a generic growler, but he's right there amongst those complex polyrhythms with the rest of the band.

Mike Patton. Not many vocalists polarise opinion like this guy. From the pretty boy sheen of 'The Real Thing' to the hellish snarls of Fantomas, which side of the fence are you on?

The guy from Daughters. Don't know his name, but like David Yow, you can't see anyone else doing it in that band.

Tom G Warrior. Derided and ridiculed for some time now, but the perfect aching, melancholy for the bleak sounds of CF.

+1 on Perry Farrell and Jello.

Ps. I thought this thread was about singers that most people say suck, but we think otherwise. Who in their right mind would put Layne Staley on that list?

Staley/Cantrell = best rock harmony vocal duo for decades.
 
#74
Even though I dig a lot of it - I'm trying not to stray too far into punk rock territory because that (A) opens up too many to list + (B) the names can get pretty obscure, therefore not even on the "public opinion" radar. That said, I think Guy Picciotto & Ian MacKaye from FUGAZI (and previous bands like Minor Threat) cross into the rock genre as well, even if they're not that well known by Joe Schmoe on the street.

+1 to Geddy Lee, Neil Young, & Bobby Dylan as others have mentioned before.

BTW- Freddie Mercury has an operatic voice, and I think the public opinion of him is pretty favorable all across the board. And what's weird about Roger Waters' pipes?
 
#76
I feel the same way about Geddy. I think his voice works perfectly for their earlier material. His high-pitched shrill voice makes him sound like a banshee screaming over their aggressive style. I couldn't ask a for a better voice over their music. I'm not as much of a fan of his current voice however. I do understand that his pitch has lowered with age, and he's also trying to sing more classically as well, which just isn't the same to me.
 

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