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Do you consider the following artists to be good singers?


Towelie

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I'm always intrigued by singers who have a fairly limited range but their voice is perfect for the music they make.

Anthony Kiedis - Technically a terrible singer on those early albums, but has improved massively from Californication onwards.

Josh Homme - Lots of falsetto, but pleasing on the ear and he blends his voice well from chest voice to head.

Neil Young - Songwriting second to none, but vocally? The tone of his voice is instantly recognisable and perfect for the songs he writes. Although in some of his later stuff it doesn't even sound like he's trying....

Mick Jagger - It's more his conviction that sells his songs rather than his technique.

Noel Gallagher - The first to admit his shortcomings as a vocalist, but it's all about the songs with Noel isn't it?

Edited by Towelie
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I've always though Kiedis was pretty awful no matter what era you're talking about. Even after he started singing decently on Californication, he just always sounds so bored to me, like he's singing the lyrics off of a sheet after seeing them for the first time.

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The only singer I like on your list is Mick Jagger. He might not have the best voice, but his voice is so perfect for the Rolling Stones. The guy sounds as good as he did back in the 1960's.

the RS were in Dallas last night. I'm sure they kicked ass. Never saw them in concert, but I've had friends who have seen them and said they were just amazing live! I mean Jagger is 70 years old yet he still moves like a teen. I don't know how he does it, but I wish I had it.

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I know little to nothing about being a "good" vocalist. Much like I'm near tone-deaf and have little to no sense of rhythm. Not to mention I'm barely capable of recognising a beat. Music is pure magic to me. I either like it or I don't. Same with vocals.

I'm a huge Stones fan, I love Oasis and Neil Young, I like the Chili's and I have no strong feelings regarding Homme either way.

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Good singers, becuase they developed their own style and they are recognisable. Although i rarely tolerate Neil Young's mickey mouse voice

Kiedis is just odd, but i instantly like his singning, even though i FEEL that his notes are almost false :lol:

Josh Homme is a great singer, imho and he is capable of singing really good, if he puts the effort to his performance

Jagger is Hagger. a fucking legend. His voice is also weird but he drop down so much to the table that you can't even say that he is a bad singer....

Noel Gallagher has the perfect voice for alternative rock.

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I don't care about a singers technical ability at all. It all boils down to whether I enjoy the sound of their voice and if they make me feel what they're singing. So based on that:

Anthony Kiedis - NO
Josh Homme - NO
Neil Young - YES
Mick Jagger - YES
Noel Gallagher - YES
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I don't care about a singers technical ability at all. It all boils down to whether I enjoy the sound of their voice and if they make me feel what they're singing. So based on that:

Anthony Kiedis - NO

Josh Homme - NO

Neil Young - YES

Mick Jagger - YES

Noel Gallagher - YES

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Listen, all this 'voice' bollocks dont apply to rock n roll and it's not supposed to, it's about being unique, it's not opera and it shouldn't be held to those same standards. You can have a person who doesn't sing very well but an effort and a struggle takes place and the sincerity of their expression will elevate a piece of music beyond just a 'good' voice that can hit all the notes and do it effortlessly to sometimes manage.

I hate this awful X Factor pimped idea that there is this one standard to what a good voice is that we should all work and aspire and adjust ourselves towards, bollocks, a voice is as good as it's ability to communicate what the song they are singing is trying to say, this idea of you having to be some kind of trilling Christina Aguilera is just a load of cack.

Some of the best voices are coarse, croaky, husky, screechy, it all depends on the song and what the person in question is trying to communicate, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Johnny Rotten, Jimi Hendrix, all these guys have kinda weird voices, Bob Dylans another one, James Brown too, the adorementioned Neil Young...but THATS the point.

All the great lead singers of the world are where they are today not because they have textbook singing abilities but of their ability to use what they've got to speak to people...and thats ALL you have to do.

If anything, textbook note-hittey singers are kinda boring, their shit has no character and personality to it, being able to hit notes and sing in different registers is the ability to sing and its something you can learn or else get better at...but having a good voice, a unique voice, one that appeals to people, thats to do with who you are and what you are and how good your ability to communicate to people is, and i find that much more impressive and noteworthy than just 'oh, they sing well, don't they?'. It's almost boring and shows like American Idol and X Factor have actually helped to prove how much of a bullshit thing it is really, because you get all these people who work checkouts in Sainsburys or bricklayers or just like, the most dull people in the world...and they can sing great...but I wouldn't have one of em onstage in place of my favorite singers who can't sing sing sing in that sense but has a cool and interesting voice.

It's creating some damaging prescedents too, by encouraging that shit, to a point, cuz it's kinda creating like...rules by which you're establishing A particular standard for everyone, instead of just allowing the different and unique to be different and unique. It makes my teeth itch discussing whether Eddie Cochran could like, sing in 5 different registers and trill his way through vocal exercises, fuck that shit, that ain't his job, his job was to have cool hair, dress slick, look cool and do his thing, he wouldn't be Eddie Cochran if he was anything else.

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I can get into a long list of singers who aren't "technically" great but it goes back to Dylan plugging in and then people like Leonard Cohen, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Neil Young and Jim Morrison and Iggy Pop going "fuck yeah, I can do this". It was always about the music that moved you, not so much the singer's vocal ability, because they were all emulating soul singers to a degree.

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Anthony Sings to my soul. His voice cannot even be imitated. It's truly unique. I believe it takes a lot of courage for a guy with his voice to even attempt to sing. He has developed his skill to be considered amongst the greats. Simple as that.

What Keidis? Pull the other one, his voice is an imitation, they call him Iggy Pop.

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