Name a band that would be IMMEASURABLY improved by a different, better singer

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Every time I listen to The Ex I think, "Wow, this is a GREAT band." Then I pretend somebody besides G.W. Sok is singing, and I am certain this new, reconfigured Ex would be the Kick-Assiest Band in the World!

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:12 (twenty years ago)

Dave Matthews Band! For real. No fooling. Sometimes I hear his band play and I say to myself: "Hey! They aren't half bad. Shame about Eeyore."

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:20 (twenty years ago)

Tindersticks.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:21 (twenty years ago)

I always wished that Bardo Pond were just a 4-piece instrumental group.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:26 (twenty years ago)

I can understand that with BP. And I'm a fan.

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:28 (twenty years ago)

The Fall (Yes, indeed)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:30 (twenty years ago)

Geir that is the most demented thing I ever read-ah.

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:33 (twenty years ago)

Geir, the Fall IS Mark E. Smith.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:33 (twenty years ago)

And this is kinda different, but I always wished that some shit-hot garage band with a Phil May-like lead singer would do a guided by voices covers album. Hahaha! Maybe just Cobra Verde with Phil May!

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:36 (twenty years ago)

"The Fall (Yes, indeed)"

I would love to hear Mark E. Smith sing with Yes.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:38 (twenty years ago)

Tales of Topographic Fuckfaces

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:47 (twenty years ago)

In and around the lake-ah.

― Sang Freud (jeff_s), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:48 (twenty years ago)

the smiths.

[ducks]

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Saturday, 7 May 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

Mark E Smith fronting Gong would be better:

"what's that in the sky there-aaa/
teapost that can ply there-uh2 (etc)

My answer to the question = primal scream.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Saturday, 7 May 2005 11:05 (twenty years ago)

I used to wish Paul Weller took his Who fandom further and hired a Roger Daltrey for his own group.

― Taylor, Saturday, 7 May 2005 13:31 (twenty years ago)

High on Fire and other metal bands of that ilk who would be 10 000x better if they got a singer w/a good voice, melodies and lyrics (or else they turned instrumental.)

― Raw Patrick (Raw Patrick), Saturday, 7 May 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

Deerhoof.

― dog latin (dog latin), Saturday, 7 May 2005 13:48 (twenty years ago)

dog latin otm

― mitch dub (ano ano), Saturday, 7 May 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

I can't understand a single word their current singer says.

― Aja (aja), Saturday, 7 May 2005 14:27 (twenty years ago)

silver mt. zion. yes, they need a dramatic vocal style, not dramatic vocal chords

― rizzx (rizzx), Saturday, 7 May 2005 14:30 (twenty years ago)

All emo bands to thread! Now if they'd only abandon the power chords, too...

― Ian Riese-Moraine does not need to compromise his principles! (Eastern Mantra), Saturday, 7 May 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

motley crue

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 7 May 2005 15:11 (twenty years ago)

Dr. Gene, perhaps you should try one of the Ex albums with lots of non-Sok singing, like Mudbird Shivers.

I nominate Pearl Jam.

― Douglas (Douglas), Saturday, 7 May 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

Back when they were still occasionally recording a decent song (around 1989), I thought the Red Hot Chili Peppers should have dropped Anthony Kiedis in a trench somewhere and gone off to make instrumental Agharta-style funk-metal albums.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:06 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, I have Mudbird Shivers. The vocals are def better but still kinda tuneless and to my ears lacking any modulation â€” which is doubly frustrating because I find the lyrics interesting. My favorite Ex songs are almost invariably instrumental or feature Katrin the drummer on vox...

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

I'm not sure that ASMZ need a real vocalist (i.e. someone who can sing). If the vocalist were more pristine, dramatic, and operatic then I think the band would be nearly unlistenable.

Tindersticks? Alba, that's crazy talk.

My addition: Mercury Rev, who have never had a decent singer.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:30 (twenty years ago)

Soft Pink Truth

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

Gladys Knight and the Pips

― Masked Gazza, Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:37 (twenty years ago)

Big time agreement re: Red Hot Chili Peppers! God, the image of Anthony Keidis running, in slow motion, in their video for Under the Bridge, is permanently burned in to my brainstem: the shirt off, the black and white photography; why was he running?; the little floppy love handles he hadn't quite burned off at the gym rhythmically sagging down over the waist of his jeans with every step he took.. *shudder*. But without him, would the rest of the guys have ever gotten it together, or been "ambitious" enough to play all those shows and get in on those gigs that initally made their name? Gah anyway, I can't think of a single song that his actual voice, on the record, improves, or where I think it's the best thing about the song.

The Mars Volta fits on this thread for me. I believe I'm on record as saying they would be approximately 1,000,000 times better with Chris Cornell singing for them, although what band wouldn't be, really? (ans: Audioslave)

The AFGHAN fucking WHIGS.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:42 (twenty years ago)

I always wished that Bardo Pond were just a 4-piece instrumental group.

OTM.

― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

RIde

New Order

Primal Scream - 1000% OTM

― nelson munce, Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:44 (twenty years ago)

The Arcade Fire...dude needs some voice lessons, pronto.

― The Father of Honky-Crunk (Matt Chesnut), Saturday, 7 May 2005 16:47 (twenty years ago)

RHCP could've dropped Kiedis and picked up Salvatore Principato of Liquid Liquid. Now THAT would've been interesting especially since they vocally sound pretty similar (although Principato's deliveries are Yma Sumac-inspired).

― Ian Riese-Moraine does not need to compromise his principles! (Eastern Mantra), Saturday, 7 May 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

I just saw the Mars Volta on Thursday night. Their vocalist is perfect for their material, esp. when they stretch it out live and he starts in with the effects pedals. The only better choice (and this only applies to a few songs) might be Gibby Haynes.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Saturday, 7 May 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

Joanna Newsom.

― PB, Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

Pentangle, Yardbirds, Gangstarr

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:10 (twenty years ago)

This thread is owned by Rush

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:19 (twenty years ago)

You are the Ambassador of Wrongness, Geir.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:32 (twenty years ago)

No, I am not. Only Rush should not only have had a better singer, they should also have had a better guitar player. They would have been way better if their singer had sounded like, for instance, Keith Emerson and their guitar player had played a bit like, for instance, Steve Howe.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:37 (twenty years ago)

Hmm.. Greg Lake, not Keith Emerson

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:37 (twenty years ago)

I could understand thinking Rush would work with a different voice but Greg Lake?!

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:39 (twenty years ago)

I hate the Stereophonics musically as well as vocally but they'd improve ever so slightly without Kelly Jones singing.

― Nick H (Nick H), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

You are the Ambassador of Wrongness, Geir.

Shockah.

...my Mom thinks that the lead singer of Rush is actually a woman. Refuses to accept otherwise.

― giboyeux (skowly), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

I don't really feel this way about any band. Voices are usually pretty key parts of a band's sonic identity. If I don't like it, I don't listen to it (or I overlook it) but x band without their singer isn't even x band anymore, most of the time.

― Sundar (sundar), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

Newsom seconded. and genius answer, PB

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

I hate the Stereophonics musically as well as vocally but they'd improve ever so slightly without Kelly Jones singing.

Not just slightly, they'd improve a lot

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 7 May 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

Blonde Redhead

― j. niimi (litotesia), Saturday, 7 May 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

when i first heard "hex" by bark psychosis i fell totally in love until i heard the singer's voice. then i was like, oh it's so forcefully breathy and takes me out of the music. now i have grown to like it more, but still prefer the instrumental portions of the album.

also i think bloc party's lead singer is rather boring, except on like eating glass/banquet/that one slow song near the end of the album. unless he's at the top of his register, i think to myself that i could sing that shit better and with more passion. truth.

― rockaction (rockaction), Saturday, 7 May 2005 19:41 (twenty years ago)

The Doors
The Rolling Stones

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Saturday, 7 May 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

the notwist.

― mrjosh (mrjosh), Saturday, 7 May 2005 20:01 (twenty years ago)

Crash, unfortunately.

― dlp9001, Saturday, 7 May 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

paul rodgers fronting queen

― ZionTrain (ZionTrain), Saturday, 7 May 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

how would THAT work? imagine him grunting through "Bohemian Rhapsody"

alternately, freddie mercury fronting bad company:

"cause baby I'm a bad [winks]MAN!"

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 7 May 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

nah i was saying the current paul rodgers+queen lineup would benefit by a different singer.

― ZionTrain (ZionTrain), Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

oops I had no idea that was the current lineup. Bizarre. I love Rodgers' voice but ugh what an inappropriate choice for Queen.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:15 (twenty years ago)

I wish that guy that sings on "A Line Allows Progress, A Circle Does Not" would sing Conor Oberst's songs for him. His lyrics sound so much better when they're not constantly screeched/screamed.

― pinkerton, Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:20 (twenty years ago)

http://www.saddle-creek.com/sounds/BrightEyes_ALine.mp3

― pinkerton, Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:23 (twenty years ago)

Blonde Redhead

agreed. Anyone else hear the version of "Messenger" with David Sylvian on vocals? still nothing great, but what a huge improvement.

― glarbage, Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:24 (twenty years ago)

Arcade Fire OTM

― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 7 May 2005 21:32 (twenty years ago)

second bright eyes and blonde redhead

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Saturday, 7 May 2005 23:24 (twenty years ago)

Coldplay

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Saturday, 7 May 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

Mercury Rev, bring David Baker back. Kiss and make up.

― donut debonair (donut), Saturday, 7 May 2005 23:41 (twenty years ago)

new order, nonsense ... menomena opened for Go4 and suffered HORRIBLY from emo-itis of the vocal chords, all breathy simpering n shit. so ill nominate them

― jake b. (cerybut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 00:55 (twenty years ago)

I always wished that Bardo Pond were just a 4-piece instrumental group.

OTM.

I have trouble understanding the logic behind BP becoming *immeasurably* improved if they had a better singer, since a typical BP album is 90% instrumental anyhow.

Also, they have side projects for that sort of thing -- search Hash Jar Tempo or Prairie Dog Flesh.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 8 May 2005 04:24 (twenty years ago)

gang gang dance
U2

― naturemorte, Sunday, 8 May 2005 04:55 (twenty years ago)

G n' F'n R!

― kingfish, Sunday, 8 May 2005 05:16 (twenty years ago)

Deerhoof? Blonde Redhead? What's with the Japanese female singer hate?

I think those singers suit the band extremely well. And I find the Sylvian version of "Messengers" a bit unbearable. And this is coming from a fairly big Sylvian (huge Japan) fan. I liked his voice better before he started doing that little wavering thing with his voice...it's out of control.

I'll agree with Mars Volta.

― Patrick South (Patrick South), Sunday, 8 May 2005 05:39 (twenty years ago)

M-1 Alternative

― echoinggrove (echoinggrove), Sunday, 8 May 2005 06:03 (twenty years ago)

Yes, I second U2...And what about Oasis? My dad keeps insisting that their new single is a great composition, but I can't get past Gallaghers voice...

― Eva van Rein (Gaia1981), Sunday, 8 May 2005 10:40 (twenty years ago)

Liam Gallagher's voice is great when he doesn't have to yell like crazy to get through noisy fuzz guitars, i.e. it is great for some of their more mellow songs.

As for another singer who deserves a mention here, the guy from Coldplay. Maybe I would have liked them, hadn't it been for that extremely annoying operatic voice.

Also, AC/DC and Iron Maiden (in fact most heavy metal acts other than Roth-era Van Halen) to thread!

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 8 May 2005 12:44 (twenty years ago)

Not just slightly, they'd improve a lot

I was thinking they'd go from very very very very very crap to just very very very very crap, which in relative terms isn't that much better.

― Nick H (Nick H), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

There are some crazy answers on this thread. (There are also some entertaining ones.)

I am suffering through that Bright Eyes track now. Yeah, the other guy is an improvement but ARGH still.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

I have trouble understanding the logic behind BP becoming *immeasurably* improved if they had a better singer, since a typical BP album is 90% instrumental anyhow.

That's the essence of my problem with BP's vocals; that they seem like such an afterthought.

― rasheed wallace (rasheed wallace), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles. Seriously. Any other argument aside, not a great singer amongst 'em. George prob'ly best.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

i agree about Arcade Fire.

― $V£N! (blueski), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:33 (twenty years ago)

New Order is an interesting one...

― $V£N! (blueski), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles. Seriously. Any other argument aside, not a great singer amongst 'em. George prob'ly best.

worst post in teh history of teh interweb

― Masked Gazza, Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

If you say so.

Freddy Garrity fronting The Beatles would have been awesome tho.

― TV's Mr Noodle Vague (noodle vague), Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

well yes.

― Masked Gazza, Sunday, 8 May 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

No mention of Smashing Punkins yet?

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Sunday, 8 May 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

My favourite part of this thread is that Geir likes David Lee Roth.

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 15:45 (twenty years ago)

yessssss Smashing Pumpkins, absolutely..

― Eva van Rein (Gaia1981), Sunday, 8 May 2005 15:48 (twenty years ago)

There is a parallel Geirian universe in which Diamond Dave fronts The Fall. It's not too crowded.

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Sunday, 8 May 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

Yikes - how did I forget DOVES.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 8 May 2005 16:13 (twenty years ago)

New Order is an interesting one...

Sure. If Barney Sumner (key songwriter, after all) had just stayed behind the drums and recruited some other singer, probably would have been way better.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:25 (twenty years ago)

Drums?

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 8 May 2005 17:30 (twenty years ago)

I thought he was originally the drummer in Joy Division, wasn't he?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 8 May 2005 18:03 (twenty years ago)

(the guitarist)

― Sundar (sundar), Sunday, 8 May 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

Actually, Paddy McAloon was slated to be Ian Curtis's replacement, being a bit wishy-washy about Prefab Sprout's future, but one night at a pub, drummer Bernard got into a fighting match and slugged a good one in Paddy's eye, hence Paddy was out of the picture, and Bernard threw a kick drum at guitarist Stephen Morris and said "You have three days. here are books on rhythms and tabs. You will read them and learn", and ever since then, Bernard forced his way to become frontman for New Order. It was cruel, but it changed history.

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

Rubbish. That is the story of what happened to Genesis after Peter Gabriel killed himself.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 8 May 2005 18:24 (twenty years ago)

The truth is somewhere in between, Alba. Obviously I wasn't there that supposed fateful night at the pub in 1980... (and neither were you right after Gabriel's suicide, for that matter) The truth is somewhere in between. And Nick Kershaw is probably a factor.

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 8 May 2005 18:30 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles. Seriously. Any other argument aside, not a great singer amongst 'em. George prob'ly best.

i completely agree with this.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Sunday, 8 May 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles were all excellent singers for their style. A singer is supposed to have a voice that carries the original melody, preserving the intentions behind the melody when it was originally composed. John, Paul and George all avoided exaggerated improvisation or exaggerated emotion, and thus, they were great singers.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 9 May 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

the doors seconded.

beatles NOT seconded.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 9 May 2005 01:53 (twenty years ago)

mia after more than 1 or 2 songs
!!!

― cousin cole, Monday, 9 May 2005 02:09 (twenty years ago)

Geir OTM about The Beatles.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Monday, 9 May 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

Stereolab

― D. Bachyrycz, Monday, 9 May 2005 02:15 (twenty years ago)

stereolab??? uhhhh... if you don't like the vocals, i can't see why you even remotely like the instrumentals... they're pretty tied together IMO.

and really, what a thread full of shit answers. blonde redhead are fantastic vocalists, isobel of bardo pond is easily one of my top five ever. whoever said her vox are an afterthought... god what a clueless douche.. there's this album, it's called "dilate," maybe you've heard of it. or you can always go listen to sondre lerche or jeff buckley or whoever isn't annoying your thinly spread tastes.

GAH, end rant.

― fauxhemian (fauxhemian), Monday, 9 May 2005 02:29 (twenty years ago)

One passing mention of Blonde Redhead, yeah, I could deal with. But the eyes, they don't deceive, oh no. I couldn't imagine anyone but Kazu and Amedeo on vocals, and The Secret Society of Butterflies EP, featuring the aforementioned Sylvian vocals, confirms my fears.

Man, I could think of ten or so bands off the top that would be improved if they didn't have vocals, but if I'm sticking with the trend, and making the tough call, then I say ... Trail of Dead. The only thing the emo meshes with is the hairstyles.

― angelo flores (flores), Monday, 9 May 2005 04:50 (twenty years ago)

Mission of Burma

― a banana (alanbanana), Monday, 9 May 2005 04:58 (twenty years ago)

There is no rock vocalist better than John Lennon. The other three haven't necessarily aged so well (esp Macca).

Rolling Stones, post Some Girls (Mick's singing was consistently great up to Exile and pretty good for a few years beyond, but then it started to gain embarrassment)

― plebian plebs (plebian), Monday, 9 May 2005 09:04 (twenty years ago)

Blimey, 100 posts and nobody mentioned the Rapture. I don't think so myself, but does that mean nobody else does too? Whee cool.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 9 May 2005 09:09 (twenty years ago)

Oh and WHO said "Mark E Smith" I mean, Who?

Ah right.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 9 May 2005 09:10 (twenty years ago)

Mission of Burma
I don't know, I can't imagine anyone else doing those songs. Their vocal roughness is appropriate, methinks.

― That's not cocaine! It's Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 9 May 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

The other three haven't necessarily aged so well (esp Macca).

John Lennon never got as far as ageing much. As for Macca, I agree he doesn't sing too well these days, but he was a brilliant singer in the 60s.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 9 May 2005 09:38 (twenty years ago)

Led Zeppelin

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 9 May 2005 14:25 (twenty years ago)

NO! KEEP the singer, find a new lyricist. Plant could have benefited from a Van Dyke Parks-Cyrano de Bergerac type.

(But I guess he did have Tolkien?, so...)

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Monday, 9 May 2005 15:53 (twenty years ago)

The WHo
Guns & Roses
Depeche Mode

― diedre mousedropping and a quarter (Dave225), Monday, 9 May 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

wow. thread should be retitled: i'll take "piss on the greats" for $100.
m.

― msp (mspa), Monday, 9 May 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

the doors seconded

Sorry, but like the Fall, the Doors simply could not exist without him. And Morrison had a rich baritone, right?

― p.j. (Henry), Monday, 9 May 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

Tindersticks.
-- Alba (albab...), May 7th, 2005.

Seconded, thirded, fourthed, fifthed and sixthed.

― The pauses in zep melodies, Monday, 9 May 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

I would've said the doobs, but then The Beard stepped in!

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Monday, 9 May 2005 16:33 (twenty years ago)

I think most bands with sound better without a vocalist altogether (too many to name, but the postal service seem to be a popular one for kids these days), but I guess Im a bit of a fascist when it comes to lyrics & vocals - they generally assault my ears.

― vanessa novaeris (novaeris), Monday, 9 May 2005 16:35 (twenty years ago)

nine inch nails (although lyrics shoudld be changed too).
I enjoy most instrumental nin tracks, but can't stand the singing on most of their songs.

― peter in montreal (spaces are allowed), Monday, 9 May 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

The Beatles. Seriously. Any other argument aside, not a great singer amongst 'em.

I believe you people are crazy.

― PB, Monday, 9 May 2005 18:38 (twenty years ago)

I love nine inch nails, simply 'cause they were part of, well, you know, that phase; but, surely the lyrics are an afterthought?

But, I'll give him the pass for the great one liners; there in there somewhere, right?

Plus, Down in It is the pinnacle of white-boy-industrial-rap, with the best fake nine inch nail snuff film music video of all, hands down!

― angelo flores (flores), Monday, 9 May 2005 19:35 (twenty years ago)

I kind of want to say the Pogues, but I don't think I mean it (partly because the Shane-less stuff is horrible, but that wasn't a "different, better" singer, just a different one).

I love the Pogues the way they were, but maybe a singer with the ability to enunciate more of the lyrics would have made a difference to songs with such an obvious lyrical-ness about them?

Then again, I've heard Ronan Keating sing "Fairytale of New York" so maybe not.

My husband's answer = Belle and Sebastian.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 9 May 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

I feel bad saying this, because I do love them so, but The Delgados' more sonically ambitious records (The Great Eastern, Hate) really could have used more dynamic vocals to complement the technicolor sound, though it would have been admittedly wierd if they'd hired another vocalist.

Same goes for Doves (OTM). And sometimes Luna, though Dean's voice was always perfect for Galaxie 500.

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Monday, 9 May 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

Killing Joke *runs away, quickly*

― Si Carter (Si Carter), Monday, 9 May 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

Tomahawk.

― jotai, Monday, 9 May 2005 20:31 (twenty years ago)

The Arcade Fire
Agreed. And I know just the guy

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 9 May 2005 21:35 (twenty years ago)

Rollin Stones, AC/DC, Mission of Burma, Beatles, Stereolab, Mercury Rev, Ride. All WRONG (though Ride would have been immensely bimproved with better lyrics.)

My pitch is My Bloody Valentine *ducks*, or rather if they'd let Bilinda Butcher sing all the songs, rather than Kevin "Foghorn" Shields.

― Ben Dot (1977), Monday, 9 May 2005 21:46 (twenty years ago)

What does it matter who sings for MBV. Nobody is able to hear the vocals under the wall of guitar noise anyway.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 9 May 2005 21:54 (twenty years ago)

Arcade Fire OTM

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Monday, 9 May 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

What does it matter who sings for MBV. Nobody is able to hear the vocals under the wall of guitar noise anyway

Bollocks.

― Ben Dot (1977), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 00:27 (twenty years ago)

Well maybe I haven't heard enough Stereolab (although I have heard a good amount), but I always found Laetitia's vocals rather dull and expressionless on the whole in a way that did not match up with the music (with the exception of the drony early stuff, perhaps). Although, I wouldn't go so far as to say Stereolab would be *immeasurablly* improved with a different vocalist, but they would be improved nonetheless (however measurably).

― D. Bachyrycz, Tuesday, 10 May 2005 01:27 (twenty years ago)

Kevin "Foghorn" Shields

Are you confusing Kevin Shields with Andrew Eldrich?

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 02:41 (twenty years ago)

I'm gonna go out on a limb and put Blake Babies on this list.

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 03:15 (twenty years ago)

The Faces *flame shield is currently on*

― Cunga (Cunga), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 03:17 (twenty years ago)

SACRED COW IS BLOCKING YOUR PATH. YOU MUST WAIT, EFFENDI.

― The Sensational Sulk (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 10 May 2005 14:53 (twenty years ago)

ten months pass...

Revived with more answers

Smash Mouth
The Jam
Belle and Sebastian

― Cunga (Cunga), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:40 (twenty years ago)

MODEST MOUSE

― Dan (Lock Thread) Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:44 (twenty years ago)

Clap your etc. would be a run of the mill indie band without the shit vocalist. From awful to run of the mill is a decent improvement.

― jimnaseum (jimnaseum), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:46 (twenty years ago)

King Crimson, tho' I'd be hard-pressed to say who should have been the singer in any given incarnation.

― Sparkle Motion's Rising Force, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 20:50 (twenty years ago)

3rd vote for Smashing Pumpkins.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 21:12 (twenty years ago)

Smashing Pumpkins OTFM.

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 21:47 (twenty years ago)

I really liked Rainer Maria's music until I heard the singer. I'd totally buy instrumental versions of their albums. I dislike the Arcade Fire's vocals too.

I can't honestly name many bands that would improve without their vocalists because bad vocalists drive me away faster than anything from investigating a band more fully. Those two stick in the mind, though.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 21:55 (twenty years ago)

dismemberment plan, obv

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 21:56 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Geddy Lee is awful- he's like the straw that broke the camel's back.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:18 (twenty years ago)

Or, once again, I agree with Geir.

― James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:18 (twenty years ago)

Ry3 Coalition

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:20 (twenty years ago)

King Crimson, tho' I'd be hard-pressed to say who should have been the singer in any given incarnation.

I'm inclined to imagine that John Wetton would improve especially those early KC albums.

― erklie (erklie), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:26 (twenty years ago)

New Order. No argument.

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:28 (twenty years ago)

New Order. No argument.

It is a marvel that they released any of those live albums... he is such a howler in concert...

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:32 (twenty years ago)

Barney's delightfully poor voice is part of NO's greatness. The irony is delicious: these creators of some of the best rock-disco numbers of all time have a lead singer who sounds as anonymous as a roadie suddenly ordered to sing.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:39 (twenty years ago)

Well, I'm not 100% against him. I think his voice is perfectly likable on the records. I just don't see the value in underscoring his incompetence on plastic... and LOTS of plastic, at that.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:42 (twenty years ago)

god, Modest Mouse is so so so OTM

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 22:45 (twenty years ago)

I can't understand the mentions of Bardo Pond OR Arcade Fire

― xavier mcshane (xave), Thursday, 16 March 2006 01:49 (twenty years ago)

the Cure

― antonio, Thursday, 16 March 2006 01:53 (twenty years ago)

Wild Man Fischer, ha.

― Dave NSFW (dave225.3), Thursday, 16 March 2006 01:57 (twenty years ago)

joanna newsom
devendra banhart
conor oberst

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 16 March 2006 01:58 (twenty years ago)

haha Guided by Voices

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Thursday, 16 March 2006 02:11 (twenty years ago)

haha i forgot about them!!

also: the rapture, !!!, and basically every other new york hipster post-punk/punk-funk band

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 16 March 2006 02:25 (twenty years ago)

N.E.R.D. anyone?

― A Licky Boom Boom Down (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 16 March 2006 04:38 (twenty years ago)

I feel like everyone is avoiding Michael Stipe. Cuz damn, post-Automatic, his voice is shitting everything up, with a few exceptions.

The person who said they don't like Stereolab's vocals: what's the problem? I mean, I don't think I've ever seen a better, 'cooler' (in stage presence) performance than on the last tour they did before the accident. It was totally perfect. Same for Blonde Redhead.

― trees (treesessplode), Thursday, 16 March 2006 04:42 (twenty years ago)

I'd say Rage Against The Machine but I actually like Chris Cornell and hate Audioslave.

― Alex in Baltimore (Alex in Baltimore), Thursday, 16 March 2006 04:43 (twenty years ago)

Placebo?

I mean, I can't stand that band, but they would upgrade to obnoxious if it weren't or that awful singer.

― Cameron Octigan (Cameron Octigan), Thursday, 16 March 2006 04:46 (twenty years ago)

Placebo?
I mean, I can't stand that band, but they would upgrade to obnoxious if it weren't or that awful singer.

LOL. I hope Ned doesn't read this thread...

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Thursday, 16 March 2006 05:03 (twenty years ago)

I second CYHSY - he is terrible. Love the songs, but I never warmed up to his voice. His live act was even more painful than expected too ... Definitely a show to avoid.

― geekears (geekears), Thursday, 16 March 2006 05:15 (twenty years ago)

The Hold Steady (altho his awfulness is the only distinctive feature of these clowns, so maybe they wouldn't "improve")

― leo ruggos, Thursday, 16 March 2006 05:20 (twenty years ago)

i third/fourth the mention of modest mouse.

some more nominees:

sufjan stevens
coco rosie
junior boys (sorry)
cat power
seu jorge
coldplay
antony and the johnsons (sorry again, but it had to be done)
the walkmen
broken social scene
sigur ros
death cab for cutie
sunburned hand of the man
pluramon
gorillaz/blur

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 16 March 2006 06:21 (twenty years ago)

inxs should have kept terence trent darby or jon stevens.

― hichael mutchence, Thursday, 16 March 2006 06:45 (twenty years ago)

I am INCREDIBLY surprised Simon Le Bon is not factoring in anywhere. I mean, sure, he can have a strong voice -- when he feels like it. This guy has had such a bad track history wrt taking care of his voice that Colin Thurston almost walked out in the middle of producing the band's debut album, because Thurston was so frustrated with SLB walking in with his voice all shot from partying and smoking. I have often wished Duran could have managed to keep Stephen Duffy in. I think they might have had it easier wrt critical acceptance and more people would be talking about them outside a fan-based environment had that happened.

― See Me, Repeat Me (Dee the Lurker), Thursday, 16 March 2006 07:03 (twenty years ago)

I doubt Hurricane #1 would be given as much hate if Andy Bell was singing.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 16 March 2006 07:30 (twenty years ago)

Stereophonics is probably the answer I like best on this thread so far; so many of the others are hard to distinguish from just "I think that singer's voice is annoying" - eg, Pumpkins, everybody loves to hate on Billy's vox but they are such a PART of the sound that unless you suggest a different singer it's very hard to imagine what the general texture would be like without him. There's no Pumpkins sound without Billy Corgan's whining, for better or worse - so what sound do you see for them exactly? Do you want Bob Dylan wheezing about vampires and rats? Or something more generically arena-rock? I'm sure they would sound okay with like KISS doing all the singing but who would care?

I'm going to nominate Palomar, because they're a perfect case of a band I love, who have great songs and a KICK ASS instrumental attack, and whose lead singer just doesn't quite have the pipes to match the band's energy on the uptempo numbers. Almost all of their hooks revolve around supplementing her voice with the rest of the band: the babbling of "The Single," the lush, sweet harmony on "Albacore," the shout-along of "Slingshot" and "Washington," etc. Mind you, this is not even so much a matter of a "better" singer - she's just not right for this band. She'd do fabulous in a more minimal/intimate bedroom-pop thing - you know, Postal Service or whatever. Not sure who I'd get to replace her in Palomar, though...

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 16 March 2006 07:56 (twenty years ago)

the double
clap your hands say yeah
love is all
wilderness

― kn,.mnz,MNZXC, Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:02 (twenty years ago)

Neutral Milk Hotel
Pavement
Yo La Tengo (Ira)
Flaming Lips
The Decemberists
Sonic Youth
Pet Shop Boys

― darin (darin), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:04 (twenty years ago)

Modest Mouse
Geraldine Fibbers
No Wait Wait
TVOR maybe

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:09 (twenty years ago)

Sorry, but Geraldine Fibbers is nothing w/o Carla Bozulich.

Out of curiosity, is this thread degenerating into "bands I don't like, but can't quite put my finger on why", or is it just me? I mean, not to be a dick, darin, but how exactly could the Pet Shop Boys be IMMEASURABLY improved (thread writers capitalization, not mine) by a different singer?

― John Justen (johnjusten), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:17 (twenty years ago)

Well John, to be honest, the Pet Shop Boys lead singer always annoyed me. I currently have no scientific evidence to prove his suckitude, but I'm working on it.

― darin (darin), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:24 (twenty years ago)

So, you love the Pet Shop Boys as a BAND, but could never get past that terrrible choice they made for lead singer?

You're one of those Ronnie James Dio "Mob Rules"-era Pet Shop Boys fans, I suppose.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:29 (twenty years ago)

I mean, fuck a Neil Tennant. Chris Lowe's voice was THA BOMB!

― John Justen (johnjusten), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:36 (twenty years ago)

Hey, I never claimed to make any sense!

I can't stand the monochromatic style of the lead singer, I guess is what it boils down to for me.

― darin (darin), Thursday, 16 March 2006 08:41 (twenty years ago)

Placebo?
I mean, I can't stand that band, but they would upgrade to obnoxious if it weren't or that awful singer.

-- Cameron Octigan (jcoctiga...), March 16th, 2006 4:46 AM. (later)

I think Molko's is the epitome of the 'bad' voice that makes the band. I could say the same thing about Simon Le Bon actually, wrt Dee's post. The character of a voice tends to reside in it's shortcomings. Le Bon's breathless not-quite-sure-I-can-do-this vocals are sexy and memorable, Molko's mid-Atlantic whine is, love it or hate it, unique. I hated it at first, now it sends thrills up my spine. Lord Alfred OTM about Barney as well.

Madonna can't sing either, but you're not gonna nominate her music w/ a different frontgirl. When she sings, you know who it is right off the bat, and that's key.

― Zora (Zora), Thursday, 16 March 2006 11:34 (twenty years ago)

Good ol' Geir said "The Fall", imagine!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 16 March 2006 14:08 (twenty years ago)

I kinda thought this about Das Oath yesterday. The music is fantastic but the vocals started to bug me after a while, the same screaming in every song. I guess the same applies to most extreme hardcore/grindcore bands for me, I love the music but I just tolerate the screaming and grunting most of the time.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:10 (twenty years ago)

scritti politi

― Real Goths Don't Wear Black (Enrique), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:11 (twenty years ago)

the beastie boys

― jackl (jackl), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:25 (twenty years ago)

I'm conflicted on whether Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments or Pere Ubu should be on the list...

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:40 (twenty years ago)

I think Pere Ubu would, in many cases, just be really dumb bar-rock without David Thomas's vision. Not always, mind you, but a whole lot of the time.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Thursday, 16 March 2006 16:48 (twenty years ago)

Sugarcubes would have been much better without Einar

Bjork would be much better without er, Bjork...(does anybody else want her to shut up already?)

― hank s (hank s), Thursday, 16 March 2006 19:21 (twenty years ago)

LCD Soundsystem

― Diego Valladolid (dvalladt), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:07 (twenty years ago)

i don't get the mentions of pere ubu! his vocals on those early records are amazing! so sad and desperate and lost and crazy. i saw pere ubu play in berlin last year and they were still pretty great.

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:40 (twenty years ago)

New Order, solely for the reason of never having to listen to those fuckin' lyrics again. Jaysus!

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:47 (twenty years ago)

The Stone Roses.

― Venga (Venga), Thursday, 16 March 2006 20:54 (twenty years ago)

"at the end of the road, there's a soldier waiting for me"

― hank s (hank s), Thursday, 16 March 2006 21:32 (twenty years ago)

Dr. Casino so OffTM re: Pumpkins. Corgan's voice is their sound? wtf? Maybe part of their image, but you can totally describe SP distinctively w/o mentioning dude's voice. Everyone's right. It sucks. (I think that's my new mantra)

Also, has anyone mentioned Fugazi yet? 'Cause I love 'em, but let's be honest, neither Ian nor Guy is "the good singer". I don't want to take out the yelling, just make the actual singing better. However, The Argument featured some of their best vox yet.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Thursday, 16 March 2006 21:44 (twenty years ago)

Seconding/Thirding The Hold Steady and The Rapture

Q And Not U.

― Jessie the Monster (scarymonsterrr), Thursday, 16 March 2006 21:54 (twenty years ago)

i totally would have bought every fugazi album if ian was the only singer. i bought the first two and that was way more than i needed, cuz i can't stand the other dude's voice.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 16 March 2006 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Any "jamband."

― shookout (shookout), Thursday, 16 March 2006 23:06 (twenty years ago)

"The Beatles were all excellent singers for their style. A singer is supposed to have a voice that carries the original melody, preserving the intentions behind the melody when it was originally composed. John, Paul and George all avoided exaggerated improvisation or exaggerated emotion, and thus, they were great singers."

So Ringo sucks then? Thought so.

― chris moran (chris moran), Thursday, 16 March 2006 23:07 (twenty years ago)

don't know who originally said the Hold Steady (fuck a reading this whole thread), but you (anyone that agrees) are so unbelievably wrong it makes my head hurt.

"the Hold Steady are good, but I wish they could get rid of Craig Finn"= not actually liking the Hold Steady, or liking them for none of the right reasons

― gbx (skowly), Thursday, 16 March 2006 23:09 (twenty years ago)

Definitely New Order for me.

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Thursday, 16 March 2006 23:52 (twenty years ago)

er, gbx, this was covered
"The Hold Steady (altho his awfulness is the only distinctive feature of these clowns, so maybe they wouldn't "improve")"

xpost

― i, krispy, Thursday, 16 March 2006 23:59 (twenty years ago)

like i said, i didn't feel like reading the whole thread

― gbx (skowly), Friday, 17 March 2006 00:00 (twenty years ago)

I think Britt Daniel should sing for Fugazi. Maybe.

― regular roundups (Dave M), Friday, 17 March 2006 00:02 (twenty years ago)

I was going to mention Placebo, but they'd still be unlistenable shite.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Friday, 17 March 2006 00:49 (twenty years ago)

"Dr. Casino so OffTM re: Pumpkins. Corgan's voice is their sound? wtf? Maybe part of their image, but you can totally describe SP distinctively w/o mentioning dude's voice."

OK, but I still have no clue what it is people imagine this band sounding like without him. Pick a singer that you think would sound great in front of that band and I'd have some clue where you're going with the idea that Corgan is the wrong man for the job. Is the idea that there should be someone with a more traditionally good hard-rock voice singing in their throat and chest? Like, I dunno, Scott Stapp? I can't help but feel like the band would be basically boring at that point - too much mid-range, the whole sound just becomes sludgey. I guess that's what I mean trying to say that Corgan's voice is integral to the sound - his high-end single-track nasal keening cuts through the mid-range roar of the guitar orchestra; that even more than the guitar orchestra itself is what makes the "Pumpkins sound" to me.

So, I could sorta understand replacing him with, I dunno, Corin Tucker. Actually, that would probably sound amazing, I wish Sleater-Kinney would do some Pumpkins covers. I'm voting for "Muzzle."

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 17 March 2006 00:56 (twenty years ago)

I'll second Led Zeppelin. robert Plant was without a doubt the weakest link in that band.

― John Hunter, Friday, 17 March 2006 02:44 (twenty years ago)

Fair enough. Here are my picks:

Kurt Cobain, if he could have mellowed out a bit
Perry Farrell, for some reason not as annoying to me

xpost

― regular roundups (Dave M), Friday, 17 March 2006 02:58 (twenty years ago)

Hmmm, I can sort of hear Perry Farrell, I'll give you that. I would never pick him over Billy, but if history would have played out that way I think the Pumpkins still would have worked and had hits. They also might have been laid up by drugs et cetera and thus avoided the Machina period, which has a certain appeal..

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 17 March 2006 08:33 (twenty years ago)

The Rapture, oh wait they first need some good songs. :-)

― BeeOK (boo radley), Friday, 17 March 2006 08:48 (twenty years ago)

Bob Marley & The Wailers
Talk Talk
Lambchop

― Dadaismus the Blind (of Alexandria) (Dada), Friday, 17 March 2006 11:33 (twenty years ago)

I'm surprised nobody has said Sonic Youth when Kim Gordon sings in that horrible growly style. I hate that.

and totally OTM with the Stone Roses - can't stand him on the albums but love everything else about them, but live *jeezus* you wonder how he has the nerve to stand there...

― T B (T B), Friday, 17 March 2006 13:04 (twenty years ago)

Primal Scream
Delakota, Charlatans (and countless others with sub-Ian Brown singers)
Smashing Pumpkins
Blur?

― Wootoo, Friday, 17 March 2006 13:24 (twenty years ago)

The Who!...post-Quadrophenia, when Daltrey "learned" how to sing...

― hank s (hank s), Friday, 17 March 2006 15:13 (twenty years ago)

Has no-one said The Clash yet? Then I will.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 17 March 2006 18:20 (twenty years ago)

Has no-one said Cocteau Twins yet? Then I will.

― samc, Friday, 17 March 2006 18:33 (twenty years ago)

http://www.judithhadenphotography.com/photos/india_4.jpg

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Friday, 17 March 2006 18:58 (twenty years ago)

Ragga Twins, even.

― samc, Friday, 17 March 2006 19:00 (twenty years ago)

you'd rather they sound like violet indiana or something? (xxpost)

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 17 March 2006 19:16 (twenty years ago)

It was a JOKE you moron.

― samc, Friday, 17 March 2006 19:23 (twenty years ago)

has no one really mentioned death cab/postal service guy?

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 17 March 2006 19:41 (twenty years ago)

I’d like to hear a live Crazy Horse recording with Joni Mitchell as the lead singer and with Neil just playing like a spaz on electric guitar. I don’t know if it would be better, but it would sound cool with that beautiful voice in the middle of all of that clanging about.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Saturday, 18 March 2006 07:30 (twenty years ago)

x-post

Gotta disagree with you, Hurting- Rye's vocals fit the band perfectly.

I'm surprised how many of these choices I agree with, though.

― cdwill (cdwill), Saturday, 18 March 2006 07:48 (twenty years ago)

I wish pete doherty would make a hasty exit...his junkie ramblings are hideous

― davemariess, Sunday, 19 March 2006 13:43 (twenty years ago)

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