Good bands whose lead singers ruin it for everyone

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You know, maybe their music and lyrics are pretty good, but they have a lead singer whose vox are intolerable for you.

― ham on rye (ham on rye), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Y3ah Y3ah Y3ahs.... not just the vocals. All of the fucking lame ass posturing and the fact that she has a personal designer. And her terrible hair, that is "oh so cute." F*cking die!

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Their voice gets in the way

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:10 (twenty-two years ago)

All of the fucking lame ass posturing and the fact that she has a personal designer. And her terrible hair, that is "oh so cute." F*cking die!

It's just part of the show. Like Alice Cooper, but on a smaller and less macabre scale.

― Andrew Frye (paul cox), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:18 (twenty-two years ago)

and not good.

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 02:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Luna

― King Kobra (King Kobra), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 03:01 (twenty-two years ago)

My choices:

Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips. Maybe they're groundbreaking and interesting, but I can't get past the vox, except in the case of "In A Priest Driven Ambulance"

― ham on rye (ham on rye), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Hum: great guitar sound, but Matt Talbot couldn't sing his way out of a wet paper bag.

Also, anything Sam Prekop does.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 03:40 (twenty-two years ago)

We've done everything before.

Billy Corgan
Robert Smith

― Leee (Leee), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 04:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe Galaxie 500. though i may just have to listen to them more.

― derrick (derrick), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 04:40 (twenty-two years ago)

the wedding present own this thread.

― angelo (angelo), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 05:11 (twenty-two years ago)

i heavily doubt that the wedding present or g500 would have been nearly as interesting or likeable to me had their singers been more "normal".

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 05:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Almost every single band I've ever loved.

― kate (kate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 07:43 (twenty-two years ago)

interpol.

― kyle, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 08:11 (twenty-two years ago)

i remember the time Lo Fi All Stars played my uni (just before Skint signed them) and many people thought Wrekked Dave was terrible. he probably was but i dug the Liam G/Mark E 'tude...and where the hell has he gone?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Campag Velo...oh wait, you said good band ;)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 08:18 (twenty-two years ago)

xiu xiu

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 08:21 (twenty-two years ago)

overkill

― Johnny Badlees (crispssssss), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:00 (twenty-two years ago)

THE SMITHS!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Hardcore bands

― Jon Williams (ex machina), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

James Yorkston and The Cowboys: if only he really did sound like Nick Drake (as a lot of people claim).

― Kim Tortoise, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I immediately thought of the Y-cubed when I saw this thread.
Also, maybe Radiohead. I'm not at all a fan, and haven't purposefully listened to them since Pablo Honey, but I was assigned to review whatever it's called last week and have found myself 100% ambivalent. So in lieu of actual opinion, I'm gonna say that TY ruins it for me.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Archers of Loaf. Cursive.

If the guitars are a-growlin’ and a-chuggin’, I don’t want a voice so low it drowns in the mix – I want something high, to ride above it. Oddly enough, both Eric Bachmann and Tim Kasher have side projects that get around this problem. In Crooked Fingers, Bachmann sings over folksy acoustic instrumentation; in The Good Life, Kasher sings over new-wave synths. I don't love either of those bands, but I can tolerate 'em a whole lot more.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:35 (twenty-two years ago)

TS: Thom Yorke vs. Jeff Tweedy

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Yr krazy, dood, Bachmann's voice was the only thing that made Archers of Loaf remotely interesting.

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I should've added that my impression was formed after hearing All the Nation's Airports once, and I haven't heard the band since.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Jeff Tweedy over Thom Yorke easy. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Thom Yorke sounds like he's falling down a well on the entirety of Hail To The Thief. I just don't GET singers who hooooooooooolllllllllld eeeeeeevvveeeeeeerrrryyyy ssyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyylllllllllablleeee. I'm told this is because they're finding the beauty in sound or whatever. But if that's the case I'd recommend they just scat then.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Matt DC- The Smiths?!?!?!?! Are you mental? Apart from Moz and Marr, they were a bunch of session musicians who got lucky.

― russ t, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:47 (twenty-two years ago)

The Tindersticks!!!!

Cool, laid back, somewhat funky music. But my God, what is that singer going for? His voice vibrato, doesn't-open-his-mouth-all-the-way schtick makes him sound like a retarded lounge singer recovering from a 4 day coke binge.

― David Allen, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Led Zeppelin

― Felcher (Felcher), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

ditto on the tindersticks. then again, i have a very low tolerance for folks whose singing style was influenced by leonard cohen (and no tolerance at all for mr. cohen himself).

― Tad (llamasfur), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

ham on rye OTM re. Mercury Rev.
Ted Leo/Pharmacists.
Rainer Maria.

― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 17 June 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

sonic youth- i love them but the lyrics to so many songs make me cringe a bit.

and henry rollins ruined black flag.

fugazi-ian mackaye is annoying.

and i agree with all hardcore bands. they would be a thousand times better if they did not talk at all. naive people are best when are quiet and the melodrama is horrible.

nirvana-kurt cobain shouldn't sing either.

backstreet boys-a.j is just dead weight.

― winterwooskie, Tuesday, 17 June 2003 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

!!!
(London) Suede
Rush
Joy Division

― Evan (Evan), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 00:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Tindersticks, yet again.
The Smoking Popes

― Francis Watlington, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

2 more for good time's sake:

At The Drive-In
Nico

― Francis Watlington, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

James Yorkston has a gorgeous voice!!!

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

and Nico is a solo act

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Last band I thought this about was Skyhooks. I found one of their LPs (forgot the title, but I guess the AMG sez it's their best) and was all "oh neat, obscure '70s glam stuff, I bet this stomps" -- and it did to an extent, but oh dear lord the foppishness!

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I know Nico is a solo act. It's just that I would like her music were it not for her voice. Comprende, pardna?

― Francis Watlington, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:38 (twenty-two years ago)

I was thinking of the Velvet Underground w/Nico. That's what brought it to mind. Although, she doesn't really 'ruin' it per se.

― Francis Watlington, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 01:43 (twenty-two years ago)

The Doors

― J. Weiss (jweiss), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 05:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I disagree with everyone in this thread.

That is all.

― Girolamo Savonarola, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 08:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I hate to say it but The Rapture may do this for me.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 08:11 (twenty-two years ago)

We'll get you liking the Cure yet. And the rest will follow. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 08:31 (twenty-two years ago)

galaxie 500

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 09:10 (twenty-two years ago)

The worst of all time is Phil Collins era Genesis. What was once a decent band suddenly became revolting, all of the credit for which is due to Collins!

― emilymv, Wednesday, 18 June 2003 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I think New Order is the only band where I think the music is great but find the voice unlistenable. Possibly the Police.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Anthrax. (Belladonna era).

Eric Bachman from Archers of Loaf rules!

Eazy E wasn't really the "lead singer" as such, but I always hate when his parts come up on NWA records.

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 16:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Life Without Buildings.

that weird hiccup little-girl voice sounds like the fookin' teletubbies...

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

that's the stupidest thing i've read in weeks

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 18 June 2003 23:22 (twenty-two years ago)

thank you--i try.

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Monday, 23 June 2003 13:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Would it be sacriledge to mention Bruce Dickonson-era Iron Maiden at this point?
Sure, he's fun for a song or two, but a whole album of his mock-operatic caterwauling would give a deaf person a headache.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 23 June 2003 15:49 (twenty-two years ago)

no worse than (whomever) occasionally replacing ian gillan in deep purple.

― Chris Clark (Chris Clark), Monday, 23 June 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Are we only talking voice quality or can antics count? (ie, JANE'S ADDICTION TO THREAD)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 23 June 2003 17:43 (twenty-two years ago)

!!!

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 23 June 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I second Dan Perry's nomination of Perry Farell. I would also liked to nominate him as that bands Token Idiot.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 23 June 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

To be fair, Perry only becomes unbearable when not actually singing as the frontman for Jane's Addiction. I've never come across anyone with more punchable stage patter/interview soundbites, though (and this INCLUDES Zack De La Rocha and Bono).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 23 June 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, Toby Keith has been quite annoying...even when he's NOT hamming it up with Alf.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 23 June 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

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