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The Ten Most Annoying Singers


Jahfin

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me too...

anyone who thinks they don't like her voice should give "diamonds & rust" a listen... they just might change their minds...

I have an aversion to Joan Baez that began indirectly in French class back in high school when we were forced to listen to her sister Mimi Farina. Then came my purchase of the Woodstock soundtrack album at a flea market in Denver in 1979. Of course, I'd heard it before but never owned a copy so I never really got to know it until I bought it. Then came an Earl Scruggs album full of guests like Baez, Dylan, McGuinn, Doc Watson, etc. I found I could take Baez in small doses but that was about it. Fast forward to the 90s and the traveling version of the Newport Folk Festival comes to the local shed boasting a lineup that included Baez, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Lucinda Williams, Mark Eitzel (American Music Club), Wilco (touring in support of their with album Billy Bragg of recently unearthed Woody Guthrie songs, Mermaid Avenue), Mark Cohn, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett, etc. Skeptical, I head for the lawn for Baez' set. She catches my attention a cover of an Indigo Girls song. Then, mid-set she does her now infamous impersonation of Dylan which has everyone rolling on the lawn in laughter. From that day on I had a newfound respect for Joan Baez. I still don't own any of her records, nor do I have any plans to but I do respect her as an artist and performer.

As for Yoko, I'm no fan of her vocal style either. Nor do I automatically hate her as so many people do because they assume she broke up the Beatles. While I don't particularly care for her music, I do respect her. John Lennon obviously thought enough of her to marry her and have children with her so that's all I need to know right there. I also don't think she's a money grubber or some sort of evil person but I'm sure that clearly puts me in the minority. If she wanted to cash in on the Beatles back catalog she would have done that a very longn time ago. Just how long have we been waiting now for a remastering of their entire catalog? If she and McCartney wanted to cash in surely it would have happened long before now. Lots of folks cite her as an influence including Diamanda Galas who John Paul Jones has worked with on occasion. Same goes for Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s as well as Bjork. While I respect Yoko as an artist and person I also fully admit to emptying a pizza parlor in Greenville, NC back in the 80s by playing the b-side to "(Just Like) Starting Over" which was Yoko's Kiss, Kiss, Kiss from Double Fantasy. I can respect her and still not be a fan of her music.

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This thread is about annoying singers I thought.

I know when I've mentioned Yoko Ono and Joan Baez I'm talking about their voices. I'm sure they're nice people, but that doesn't affect their voices to me. I can't stand them. Yoko's screetching wail and Joan's warble suck in my opinion.

I couldn't care less about what kind of humanitarian or other artistic contributions they make when it comes to their singing.

They might do well on American Idol though. That's about how much respect I have for that show.

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This thread is about annoying singers I thought.

It is but that doesn't mean one can't also express opinions about how they feel about certain artists whether they care for their singing voices or not. I'm also a huge Rush fan but have no problem seeing where Geddy Lee's voice might grate on someone's last nerve. I've also heard more than one person say the very same thing about Robert Plant.

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True. We can say anything in any topic about anything when it comes down to it.

But when we're talking about singing and you mention that John loved Yoko etc. and that's all you need to know. What the hell, does that validate her singing? Is that what you're saying ? Her admiration from John allows for her singing to be appreciated?

Sure, you can say whatever you want and so can I. John Lennon might have high praises and love for art that reveals itself in a scribbled "yes" on a ceiling, but that's nonsense/nonart to me. His peculiar taste in art doesn't make his music any more or less appealing. Matter of fact it has NOTHING to do with it.

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True. We can say anything in any topic about anything when it comes down to it.

But when we're talking about singing and you mention that John loved Yoko etc. and that's all you need to know. What the hell, does that validate her singing? Is that what you're saying ? Her admiration from John allows for her singing to be appreciated?

Sure, you can say whatever you want and so can I. John Lennon might have high praises and love for art that reveals itself in a scribbled "yes" on a ceiling, but that's nonsense/nonart to me. His peculiar taste in art doesn't make his music any more or less appealing. Matter of fact it has NOTHING to do with it.

I don't care for Yoko's singing, not sure how you weren't able to pick up that from my post. No, it may not have anything to do with the topic at hand but I also felt it necessary that I address the fact that I respect her as a person and as an artist. Same for Joan Baez. If that's off-topic or not keeping with the spirit of the thread, so be it. It's just my opinion afterall.

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Nobody mentioned Justin Hawkins, ex singer of "The Darkness"?

Out of sight out of mind I guess.

The band kicked ass, but the man had a falsetto that was about an octave higher than the BeeGees. Think Tiny Tim in spandex. It was especially funny when he sang a song like "Get Your Hands Off of My Woman" in falsetto.

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Hmmmm...annoying singers, eh? Well, here's my few that stand out:

Geddy Lee

Roger Hodgson

Axl Rose

Yoko Ono

Bob Dylan

Scott Stapp (what a Weiland/Vedder wannabe!)

Tiny Tim

Neil Sedaka

Barry Manilow

Alanis Morrisette (though I 'fess up to liking a couple of tunes.. :blush:)

Any of those American Idol bimbos and pretty boys that actually managed to make a record

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As for Yoko, I'm no fan....... of her vocal style either. Nor do I automatically hate her as so many people do because they assume she broke up the Beatles. While I don't particularly care for her music, I do respect her. John Lennon obviously thought enough of her to marry her and have children with her so that's all I need to know right there. I also don't think she's a money grubber or some sort of evil person but I'm sure that clearly puts me in the minority. If she wanted to cash in on the Beatles back catalog she would have done that a very longn time ago. Just how long have we been waiting now for a remastering of their entire catalog? If she and McCartney wanted to cash in surely it would have happened long before now. Lots of folks cite her as an influence including Diamanda Galas who John Paul Jones has worked with on occasion. Same goes for Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson of the B-52s as well as Bjork. While I respect Yoko as an artist and person I also fully admit to emptying a pizza parlor in Greenville, NC back in the 80s by playing the b-side to "(Just Like) Starting Over" which was Yoko's Kiss, Kiss, Kiss from Double Fantasy. I can respect her and still not be a fan of her music.

I pretty much agree with you 100% on your Yoko assesment. I actually enjoy a couple of her tracks on the Sometime in New York City LP.

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I say this as a big Dylan fan but I'm guessing you haven't heard any of his newer albums and/or haven't seen him in concert in recent years. His voice has detoriated to the point where it's not uncommon to see fans flocking out after only a few songs. Just ask anyone that was in attendance at his Austin City Limits set last year.

well it's just my personal perspective, to each our own i guess... the only recent album i've really heard is modern times.

i enjoy his vocals in modern times.

despite the fact he has brilliant classics which i enjoy, specifically and particularly 'like a rolling stone' ' hurricane' 'forever young' ' mr tambourine man ' ' subtarranean homesick blues' etc.

the conclusion of my post is basically, don't get me wrong but i do love a large scale of classic dylan song's but i think some vocally are just plain terrible and mediocre.

my favorite of his newest material is definitely 'things have changed'.

there are several other pretty decent songs but i'm just posting the one's i'm somewhat moderately more familiar with.

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I think Yoko's voice is completely annoying, I don't hate her or anything but I just can't stand his voice.

I like Bob Dylan's voice when he was young, he was never a good singer but I just love how his voice sound on some of his songs.

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Dylan is a much better singer now then he was 40 years ago. There's no doubt about it. Sometimes in the early to mid 60s he wasn't really even singing. But those were also the best written works of art ever. Don't Think Twice, Like a Rolling Stone, Blowing in the Wind, Mr. Tangerine Man, All Along the Watchtower are all fucking amazing songs.

Then you year something like Lay Lady Lay and you think, that's Bob Dylan?

He's a better singer now? Have you heard him live recently??? I saw him last month, his voice is completely destroyed.

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i enjoy his vocals in modern times.

As do I but to me, his voice sounds much more "froggy" (for lack of a better word) these days than it ever has. And not to say that they use AutoTune on his voice or anything but a lot can be done in the studio to polish up his vocals. It's mainly live I'm talking about but to my ears I can hear a very discernable change to his voice on his newer records.

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As do I but to me, his voice sounds much more "froggy" (for lack of a better word) these days than it ever has. And not to say that they use AutoTune on his voice or anything but a lot can be done in the studio to polish up his vocals. It's mainly live I'm talking about but to my ears I can hear a very discernable change to his voice on his newer records.

I also like his voice in Modern Times, although it sounds "froggy", the problem to me is when he sings live.

Another completely annoying singer is Thom Yorke, I can't stand him!!! His voice makes me want to kill him to end his suffering! At least on all Radiohead albums since Kid A, on the first 3 albums his singing was a bit more normal I'd say, not so exagerated so it fit in the songs, but now it's awfull, I'm not a fan of their latest stuff but that bitching voice makes it even worse.

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... I've also heard more than one person say the very same thing about Robert Plant.

Yeah, like 98% of the people I know in real life over the past 40 years have said they can't stand Plant/Zeppelin. **BIG grimace :mad: ** That's why all you folks on this forum are so near & dear to my heart. :wub:

Nobody mentioned Justin Hawkins, ex singer of "The Darkness"?

Out of sight out of mind I guess.

The band kicked ass, but the man had a falsetto that was about an octave higher than the BeeGees. Think Tiny Tim in spandex. It was especially funny when he sang a song like "Get Your Hands Off of My Woman" in falsetto.

Didn't know the lead singer's name until now, but I like The Darkness and am nuts for falsetto (that could be my new sig line ;) ) so don't find it annoying at all. But I can see how others would.

despite the fact he has brilliant classics which i enjoy, specifically and particularly 'like a rolling stone' ' hurricane' 'forever young' ' mr tambourine man ' ' subtarranean homesick blues' etc.

Hey, those are my favorites too! Plus Jokerman.

He's a better singer now? Have you heard him live recently??? I saw him last month, his voice is completely destroyed.

Did you read his book Chronicles Volume 1? He was rambling on & on for couple of pages, rather incoherently (in other words, he writes the same as he speaks, haaa) about how a new singing technique had totally revolutionized the way he performed in concert, how it was so much better for his voice & he could sing ten times longers than before, etc, etc. And then he didn't describe what the technique was!!! It cracked me up! I thought "oh Bob, you're such a tease, stringing me along then dropping me flat". He did the same thing AGAIN when talking about some new guitar technique he had learned.

LOVE your signature graphic, BTW.

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