Here Today... Gone To Hell!

If you think about it, there's a whole bunch of legendary rock singers that, when you think about it, actually can't sing well, or aren't great singers in the traditional sense.  They've usually got something else behind them, though, that makes them entertaining and compensates.  Examples include Bob Dylan, David Lee Roth, Vince Neil, Dave Mustaine, Ozzy Osbourne (of course there are others, but I can't think of them right now).  My question is, who's your favourite singer who can't sing?

My vote goes to David Lee Roth, Mr. Entertainment himself.  The guy was, with Eddie, the heart and soul of classic Van Halen, and made rock 'n' roll fun again.

daimond can sing r u fuckin nuts! ozzy is the perfect example of this he cant sing but his lyrics and stageshow r so cool people dont give a damn.

you got to be joking about Vince Neil? That guy had a great voice back in the 80's.

the greatest singer who cant sing is red hot chili peppers ANTHONY KIEDIS!

i love the chili peppers they are in my top 5 all time favs. but live he cant sing for shit! studio he sounds awesome on records but god damn in concert its not always very good!

Anthony can sing dude, he don't have a spectacular range in his voice or anything, just an ok range but he sounds awesome. of course it cracks now and then live, that's cos he doesn't have the strongest voice, but it happens to most singers live every now and then. Ive seen/heard loads of live stuff with RHCP where he sounds absolutely perfect! : ok:

Diamond Dave and Vince are all about taste, Vince had a very good voice in the 80s, and I fuckin love Dave's stage act and voice.
Bob Dylan...now there's an awful singer!

Dizzy, the reason I think people don't like Ozzy's voice is because its too nasal and you are right, nu metal bands suck.

my favorite singer who can't sing is Corey taylor

 :hihi:Isn't that the truth!  ;D

Well, all these guys can technically sing, but I'm just trying to say that they aren't like masters of their vocal instruments.  What Dave does can often be described more as "talk-singing", because he just seems to mug his way through a lot of the songs.  Of course, that's what makes him so cool.  And he does sing well for the vocal range that's required in the songs.  Besides, few people can do those falsetto screams like him.  I said that Diamond Dave was my favourite "singer who can't sing", didn't I?

Ozzy...well, I've said this before, but have you ever seen footage of him when he was the singer of Black Sabbath in the 70s?  He just stands there.  He had to be the most boring frontman out there, because he doesn't even do anything.  I could have been a better frontman for Black Sabbath.  Now, though, he's always running around the stage, throwing water on the audience, all this stuff.  It seems like he's become a better frontman over time.

And the thing about all the people in the examples I listed...well, I listed because they are technically SINGERS.  That is, they sing.  If you want to talk about people who REALLY can't sing at all, just listen to Slipknot, or any kind of death metal.  Has anyone ever heard Cannibal Corpse?  They have to have the worst vocalist I've ever heard.  Actually, there's this new band called Alexisonfire, and they look like Weezer or something, but their vocalist just screams like some death-metal growler.  The worst fucking band I've heard in a long time.  Anyway, I left those kinds of screamers off the list because they seriously can NOT sing (I mean, unless you count Corey Taylor on "Bother").  I wanted to make it a little more difficult than that.

Whoa whoa whoa, who the hell said anything about being a frontman?  You began this thread about SINGERS that can't SING well or tradionally.  You stated this....


And then you cited Ozzy Osbourne as an example of someone who fits the above description.  You didn't say anything about being a frontman.  That isn't related to how well someone can sing.


Bah, don't flatter yourself.  I seriously doubt you could've brought that sinister persona to Black Sabbath that Ozzy did, even if he did just stand there.



Damn skippy, I've seen him twice in the last 14 months, and he is a phenomenal stage presence.  I think the thing with Sabbath was that he was young and didn't yet know anything about being as rock star.  Hell, he was only 19 years old when he started with Black Sabbath and they released their first album when he was 21.  So he grew into the rock star persona over time, especially after he started hitting the drugs hard.  The drugs really transformed him into the wildman that he was.  And even after he quit using drugs, he never went back to that "stand there and clap" frontman that he used to be.  He's still exciting and entertaining to watch.

I think you're confused - Ozzy can sing - he can't talk! :hihi:

I saw Black Sabbath with Ozzy and it rocked - it was the voice and not his actions that made it although I don't recall him exactly standing still.  :-\

tom waits

Gotta agree with u there...him attempting to rap is ghastly....

Another example of a singer who can't sing is Eddy Vedder of pearl jam

Guck, can't stand Anthony Kiedis.

My vote:  Damon Albarn.  Excellent musician and front-man, but can't sing for shit. : ok:

Jimi Hendrix, or Tom Waits.

Vince Neil is a great singer.

Ozzy, I think he's a great singer and a stage character.

Anthony Kiedis, I've seen him performing live on television, and he isn't a phenomenon. He's  voice is very weak if you know what I mean, but he has good voice on albums though.

My vote goes to the Bob Dylan

just remembered one, Les Claypool! I like Primus and love his bassplaying, I actually like his voice too, but I have to admit...it doesn't exacly sound good!

I think this award should be given to no other than Fred Durst.

All the live Ozzy footage I've seen is shocking, especially the old sabbath stuff, he misses every other note.

And whoever said he was crap in Sabbath cos he just stood there....have you ever listened to Sabbath? It's not exactly the kinda music you jump about to.  It's evil. Evil is not running around and doing star jumps like Dave Lee Roth.

I have to admit Sheryl Crow is the most famous one I can think of that can't hit the right note.  Well Damon Albarn too, but Blur suck... :P

Shame on You, Fred Durst has a beautiful voice!  :hihi:

Duff

Yoko Ono

Me

Ozzy ruled for Sabbath...its demonic...

When he went uptempo with his solo stuff thats when his voice didnt "fit" in my opinion although its good.

Hes a god though...i cant argue with that.


Eddie Vedder, man i hate that guys voice.

Corey Taylor.

Anyone from Grindcore bands, although i listen to it for the hard hard sewage type noise!

U dont have to be a good singer to be in a rock band its a fact!


E-Hogg

holy shit i cant believe no one has mentioned this biggest rock star ever with the worst voice ever

KURT D. COBAIN

seriously have u heard muddy banks of the wishaw or whatever its called! yikes!

i guess u could say phil anselmo. back in pantera he was pretty popular but he pretty much screamed

Why havent anyone post Billie Corgan or Dave Mustaine??
I defenitely like Smashing pumkings and Megadeth also kicks fucking ass!!, but Mustaine's voice is not quite a choir, anyway their music is awesome I guees we all get used to his voice.
Also corgan what the hell is he whining for?, everything he sings sounds like he's being strangulated or something anyway good band, good songs, good melodies, but the singing part  :-\,
At the End Queen rocks
UP the Irons!!! : ok:

Did you hit your head or something?

Well there seems to be some difference in opinion about Ozzy's ability, but at least we all know his daughter can't sing a lick.

well I do think that Kurt had a strong craggy voice! I think he sounds cool! even in MTV unplugged he was great, very unique personal voice.

like I said cool and craggy voice..fits just perfect to Nirvana music.

I've gotta say I don't like Kurt or Nirvana, but I think his voice works well in the unplugged album.

Phil could sing though, I mean it's not like he was talentless, he just chose to scream.  Go listen to Power Metal (yes hair metal style) if you don't believe me.


And somebody please kill Kelly Osbourne  :nervous: :confused: :-X

How dare people say Vince Neil and Ozzy can't sing, they are both awesome vocalists!!!! Now Fred Durst...there's a man that should stick to being an Interscope board member.

....lickin'? :hihi:

No I did not that fucker just cant sing thats my opion though and I respect your opion  so please respect mine

He can so sing!

And anyone who thinks Ozzy can't sing  ::)...well..i'm just not going to there...Ozzy is a fuckin awesome singer!

aaaaaaaannnnnnddddddd I don't know how many of you will agree with me but I think Duff is an awesome singer.

i totaly agree with you on this one

Ozzy is truly an amazing singer.  I mean, I could go on and explain why etc, but I've done that so many times: just take my word for it. : ok:

I agree on the chillie peppers guy
I saw him at a awards show (the same one metallica where on perfoming fade to blk)
and he murdered the song

i think its fair to say Ozzy has great trouble in  reproducing on stage what he managed in the studio.
You feel sorry for the guy

As much of i like Hanoi Rocks you don't get much more out of tune than Mike Monroe, great performer and i love his voice but many would say he's just a bad singer speaking of bad singers i always thought and still think Kurt Cobain is/was pretty damn bad

Bob Dylan bugs the hell out of me, I hate that guy's "singing". Luckily you never hear his stuff anywhere.

As for Tom Waits, those who say he can't sing should check out his first two albums Closing Time ('73) and The Heart of Saturday Night ('74). His voice changed dramatically later on.


Well, Mike was still a sort of role model for Axl when it came to singing.. and many would also say he's a great singer. I don't know, I've actually never heard of anyone saying he sucks.

Yeah i really do hate this guy he should just sing to song righting something he is good at rather than trying to do a bit of everything.  Least he is good at something though rather than jack of all trades master of none Phil Collins.

As for Mike Monroe ive read some reviews before knocking his out-of-tune vocals like i said i think the guy is great and even though i like his voice i don't think he is that good a 'singer'.  I realise he was a role model for Axl but maybe it wasn't just his vocals that inspired him, plus like you said many would say he is a great singer Axl must be one of them

My favorite singer who can't sing is me!;D

fred durst
somehow i never liked bruce dickinson either, tho he can sing
j.lo ?

The singer from Cathedral - the band rocks but he can't sing to save his life - just as well the lyrics and guitars come to his rescue :hihi:

I have to go with Morrisey. I mentioned this in other thread...his voice is so annoying. I can't stand it.

Yeah but just because you can't stand his voice it does not mean he can't sing, from what ive heard of him even though his music is not great his singing ain't half bad.  I mean i never could stand Freddie Mercury just never liked his voice but i recognise the fact that he could sing and very fuckin' well.

Nah, you just don't know what you're talking about. Check out the '88 album Power Metal, Anselmo gives Rob Halford a run for his money.

This is based on individual perception. Let me put you an exmaple, I could say that David Wyndorf's singing sucks. It's very well known the fact that you love Monster Magnet, but I particulary don't like them nor the singer's voice. Same thing with Freddy Mecury, I do agree he was a great singer, but I met a lot of people who actually disliked his voice, hence, not a good singer to them...

Understand what I'm trying to say?

I understand what you're saying but i feel that there is a difference between singers who can't sing and those you just dislike but i agree there is a basis of individual perception but like i said i don't like Freddy's voice but i would never say he can't sing.  Look at the lead singer of The Distillers like them or not i don't know hoe anyone could say she can sing but yeah it's down to opinion so whatever floats your boat

I can't stand Keidis - can't sing...can't rap..... The only think this guy can do well is tap a vein

hey i saw them in hyde park this year and anthony was fucking great!!  :rant:

*evils you

i personnally love eddie's voice- but that is just my opinion

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.. if one more person insults eddie....  :rant:

Bob Dylan
Trent Reznor
Marilyn Manson

Love all of them but these guys needs more ...........Voice , dont know how to explain it anyway.

there you go, Ant is fuckin awesome at what he does! no one better and no one on the side!
did you people read the reviews of Californication and By The Way? they all stated that Ant was using computers and pro tools and shit to modify his voice where it couldn't reach which are all damn WRONG! cos the parts they are talking about is done by the ever incredible Mr. John Frusciante!
shows the interest of those fucking crapholes who call themselves reviewers.

there are bound to be some spelling errors in there since Im drunk!

yeah chili peppers are so good!! love them!!
won't somebody testify? kick a hole right in the sky... TESTIFY TESTIFY kick a hole right in the sky

Luckily you don't hear his stuff?  And to think, people complain about how the radio and tv is full of crap music with no integrity or musical talent...


A bit of everything. Like playing the guitar and a harmonica and singing?  I'd hardly call that everything.  He writes songs, and plays them.  What hell is wrong with that?  So he hasn't got the best voice, but show me someone who can convey as much emotion on a record with three instruments in one take.

That's exactly what I said!!  They're just not listening...

I love Pink Floyd but Roger Waters has a pretty brutal voice at times.

I think that's because he's tone deaf

everyrap artist around,
who gotta use back up singers on chorus's >:(

Hey !!!!
In my opinion, the worst singer is... Britney Spears, she always? makes playback on her shows :hihi:, she just moves her tits and ass and the most people like that. just a poor bitch, but thats what sells.... Heil Janis :beer:

 Have a nice day : ok:

That would make sense because I know he can't even tune his bass.

some people say axl cant sing and that his voice is horrible and it pisses me off. He is a great singer, he just has an incredible range and has different voices(i.e. mr. brownstone and its so easy compared to sweet child of mine). Can everyone agree that axl is a fantastic singer?  I remember reading an interview with axl and axl specifically said that he wanted his voice to sound rough for November Rain. My friend is in a band  and likes GnR but says axl has a terrible voice and it pisses me off.

Ozzy Osbourne. He sounds like an old witch. :hihi:

Billie Corgan hate his voice but has a excellent songs, so ironic isn't it?  ::)

yeah axl's voice is great  ;)

Lemmy from Motorhead!!!!

Anyone who says Axl can't sing are off their rockers! When someone greatly respected like Gloria Bennett says Axl had one of the most beautiful voices she's ever heard you know it has to be true.

i have a lot of friends that only like rap n rnb and think all rock singers can't sing.

people like steven tyler, robert plant and axl rose are all just screamers to them. they say they're not singing they're shouting.  ::) in november rain and knockin on heavens door they make fun of his sort of nasal voice or whateva (heeey heeeeeey heeeeeeeeey o yeah in khod and in Nr certain parts).

i cant convince them otherwise. to me it's singers like axl rose and steven tyler bon scott etc that are the greatest singers, you don't hear voices like that anymore, they're out there somewhere though.

the thing with rnb voices, i don't know they're not particularly unique if you get what i mean. ok you can tell the difference between usher and justin timberlake, but i dunno they just don't do it for me. they're nothing special. arethra franklin, now thats a kickass rnb voice.

i hope not to sound offensive, but most african-american people have a natural talent for singing, like they're born being able to sing in tune etc. its like its nothing special to me. although i love living colour(probably because the guy sings in a rock voice).  a rock n roll voice is unique and special and don't come around very often, something about it i just love.

the male singer from young heart attack is doin a pretty good job on the rock n roll voice though.

I vote for Dave Mustaine . Well, must admit that some songs of Megadeth sound very cool, but anyways

Isn't stereotyping fun? Not all black people can sing.  The ones that can sing all sound the same!

I second that - the guy is awful! Why he can't stick to guitar which is his talent anyway and let someone else do the vocals....and lyrics, cos Mustaine's lyrics are somehwere between laughable and horrifying.

Billy Corgan has the most bizarre voice - its really poor - yet works so well with the songs that it sounds good..... ???

 Just thinking... can Slash sing?

ya i dled some footage of him singin with steven tyler....i lost it though when my comp broke though......

i knew this would happen. thats right not all black people can sing. i said most. And i didnt say they sound the same(rnb singers), i said i just don't think they're special because there are so many people that can sing like that (whether black white purple or fuckin rainbow coloured). sorry if i've offended people on this board but i stand by what i said.

true rock n roll voices come once every blue moon, and there hasnt been a blue moon in a while. :no:

Fuckin Eminem  :no:  I hate his voice.......

And...... Steven Tyler................nahh, j/ik  :hihi:  have you seen his Unplugged version of "Dream On"?? That man rocks!
 :smoking:

And I think that Courtney Love takes the place along with Fred Durst

All of Aerosmith rocks

Hey! I agrre 1000% with you. Axl WAS, Is and WILL Be the greatest rock artist the World has ever seen!!!!!!!! :yes:
 the world needs Axl,? it?s getting time that some people get a LOT of KICK ASS :rofl:
 Stay Tuned

Kurt Cobain couldn't sing, he just droned-on like a dog. He is so overated. Nirvana were pure garbage, it's unbelievable. I don't understand why people like him when he slagged off some decent bands.

he slagged off people but that was just his attitude towards life. he was who he was, he never pretended or decided to not say something because it might hurt their feelings, he just said it. he was just him, honest. i like nirvana's music n as for kurt.... well i respect his honestness.

I agree.  I'm not a huge Nirvana fan, but their music is extremelly relevant.  There's no denying they wrote great songs and were an important band.  Perfectly captured the spirit of the 90's.

oh...and Kurt's singing...there was a little thing called "grunge" going on at the time

I'm gonna have to go with

The guy from Rusted Root- good music but his voice drives me nuts
Dave Mathews- What a gay voice
Bruce Dickenson- seems ordinary
Bob Dylan- love his music, but can't sing in a conventional sense
Pete Townshend- again i like his solo stuff but he doesn't have a great voice
Wiliam Hung- hahahhaa :rofl:

The Dave Matthews Band is extraordinarily popular, but I don't know why.  Their songs aren't very catchy, and they don't have great melodies.  It's just Dave mumbling along in a tuneless manner, and then they all start jamming for five minutes.  Boring.  The only good song they have is, "Where Are You Going?"  The rest is lame.


Nah, Bruce has way too much vocal power to be ordinary.  He can wail like almost no other metal singer, but it's not so over-the-top that it distracts from the music, unlike, say, the guy who replaced Rob Halford in Judas Priest and is currently fronting Iced Earth (I think his name is Ripper Owens).

i personally prefer singers with a flawed voice, also some singers are bad maybe cause they dont use as much studio magic as other artists.

every wonder in concert why some singers sound so awesome on cd but suck so horribly live?

id rather hear an artists' real voice than have it touched up in studio and smoothed out where he or she cant live up to it live.

Ozzy, Bruce are the greatest vocalists. Some of you dont know any shit. What have you been doing gnr board? Go listen Korn,Limp Bizkit etc. 

Fred Durst is the worst I have ever heard. From the old ones anyone remember: Glenn Hughes. He sucked at Rainbow.

How about Scott Weiland?

Great on Conraband, but  can`t hit the notes on stage though.