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)

Skipping 116 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

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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