Good studio singers that sound like shit live

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Name the examples, and give your supporting arguments. If you see somebody named and disagree, give your refutation.

I am looking for a list of singers who sound fab in the studio as singers, and absolutely suck live -- by suck, I mean either on a technical level (ie, off-key, flat), or in terms of their overall presence.

The topic does get weary to me because of the number of people who say "back in the day", because studio voice doctoring even happened for groups like Gary Lewis and the Playboys...but, still...

Hansi Kursch - I know their first live album had overdubs, and the second one (supposedly) didn't, but I've heard many undoctored bootlegs, and he just can't do that throaty yelling live. Half of the time he misses his notes badly, or lowers everything down an octave. It's just painful to listen to.

Rob Halford - Not a challop, I'm going to qualify this one. At TIMES, Rob sounds great live. At times, he does not. There are many bootlegs where he is off-pitch as hell and sounds like ass. I'm nominating him for that reason only - I have heard bootlegs where he's good too so I'm not sure what to chalk it up to.

Keep it going....

Usain Bolt Cola (Cattle Grind), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:11 (fifteen years ago)

Valerie from Lali Puna sounds good and strong on studio but always ends up sounding too thin and insecure live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KCv28sPAo

Moka, Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:20 (fifteen years ago)

singers who absolutely sock i mean suck live

teresa banks (r1o natsume), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:21 (fifteen years ago)

sb teresa banks

Usain Bolt Cola (Cattle Grind), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:22 (fifteen years ago)

billy corgan

Just Another Lyre (Curt1s Stephens), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:27 (fifteen years ago)

I hate corgan in the studio too

Usain Bolt Cola (Cattle Grind), Wednesday, 24 March 2010 23:28 (fifteen years ago)

Is a studio singer good if the singing sounds nice through Autotune?

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 25 March 2010 03:27 (fifteen years ago)

Seal

sam500, Thursday, 25 March 2010 04:17 (fifteen years ago)

really? how's Seal bad live, I haven't heard him live before...

Usain Bolt Cola (Cattle Grind), Thursday, 25 March 2010 05:37 (fifteen years ago)

I saw him on the TV once and his voice was a shadow of its studio self. Croaky and tuneless. But that was a longtime ago and on the television so best not take my word for it.

sam500, Thursday, 25 March 2010 06:13 (fifteen years ago)

Win Butler

zeus, Thursday, 25 March 2010 09:54 (fifteen years ago)

all rappers

it is just like an unknown puzzle till the end of the world (dyao), Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:25 (fifteen years ago)

I recall seeing some TV footage years ago of Tanita Tikaram doing some outside concert, possibly Cambridge Folk Festival and she basically brayed like a donkey, it was pretty shocking actually.

You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:29 (fifteen years ago)

chris cornell is the king of this. although these days he doesn't sound that hot in the studio either.

m the g, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:37 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah, TT notably bad on live TV back in.

I guess Ian Brown goes without saying?

Mark G, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:41 (fifteen years ago)

Thread said good singers

The Oort Locker (Tom D.), Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:42 (fifteen years ago)

Annie

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:50 (fifteen years ago)

Chris Robinson

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:50 (fifteen years ago)

Ian Astbury

nate woolls, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:54 (fifteen years ago)

ian astbury... saw the cult at reading a few years back and he had to take a breath pretty much between every word. presumably he was ill, but it was painful to watch/hear.

m the g, Thursday, 25 March 2010 10:59 (fifteen years ago)

I don't think age or illness can be blamed, he was pretty awful on the Electric tour.

nate woolls, Thursday, 25 March 2010 11:10 (fifteen years ago)

Is he a good studio singer though?

The Oort Locker (Tom D.), Thursday, 25 March 2010 11:12 (fifteen years ago)

he's... effective, at least.

m the g, Thursday, 25 March 2010 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

This reminds me, I was listening to some Talking Heads boot a few weeks ago with Nona Hendryx on backing vocals and it was really bad.

You Weaked It! (MaresNest), Thursday, 25 March 2010 11:20 (fifteen years ago)

I'm going to get some flak for this fo' sho' - but dang - Robin Zander of Cheap Trick sounds pretty bad live. Last two times I've seen 'em in the last ten years, he suspiciously was going backstage between every song (steroid injections? - that's what I thought) - he just couldn't hit those notes and now they don't even tour with Bun E. on drums - I think they should hang it up and not rip off their fans.

BlackIronPrison, Thursday, 25 March 2010 14:17 (fifteen years ago)

Madonna.

filling the medicare donut hole with the semen of liberal (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 March 2010 14:20 (fifteen years ago)

Girls Aloud

Tracer Hand, Thursday, 25 March 2010 14:44 (fifteen years ago)

nic offer

borntohula, Friday, 26 March 2010 02:48 (fifteen years ago)


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