Pop/Rock Singer of the Day thread (I wanna hear you scream)

[bl5150]

I find much of her stuff like nails on a chalk board. 

[bundy]

I find much of her stuff like nails on a chalk board. 

So I'm not the only one.

[King Postwhore]

I agree,when I first heard her by she toned it down a little as time went on. Her album So Called Chaos is a top 50 album for me. 

None of her other albums match up to it.

[KevShmev]

Well, I had hoped for more feedback for the non-rock singers, but given the limited amount of postings for the last two singers, I might have to (mostly) stick to throwing red meat to my target audience.

[King Postwhore]

Don't change that Kev. Tell them to buck up.  Plus it's the weekend. People are on less over the weekend.

[KevShmev]

Heh, true. I tend to post a little more on the weekend, especially this weekend with it being one of the five weekends this year I am on call for work, so a little more activity would have been nice.  Oh well, my own fault.

[TAC]

You

You

You oughta know.

[Podaar]

I would comment, sorry Kev, but I'm just not familiar with her work nor am I fan of Wonder's. I just thought it was better not to say anything.

[TAC]

Yet you still posted? 

[KevShmev]

Paul Rodgers



I've always like Rodgers' voice a lot, but it never dawned on me that some would consider him one of rock's greatest singers until I saw that opinion tossed around quite a bit over the years, which, quite frankly, surprised me, and still surprises me. I mean, I think he is a really good singer, and has a good natural voice, but that is where I leave it with him.  I will say, however, that Ready for Love is one of my favorite classic rock songs of the 70s, and his voice is a big reason why.  Tremendous songs, and tremendous vocals in that one. 

[King Postwhore]

I would say a very consistent singer.  I like his deep, smokey voice.  It's works for all the bands he played with sans Queen.

[TAC]

Bad Company sure had some classic songs.

Ok, I don't mean to do this, but when I was a kid and I was getting into UFO, I could never understand why they weren't more popular, especially Phil Mogg, and I would always point to Rodgers/Bad Co as being overrated.


I appreciate and all. Seems Rodgers has done remarkably little since Bad Co., no? I mean The Firm seemed like a big waste of time.

[KevShmev]

I never knew much by the Firm, but their hit, Radioactive, alway got on my nerves.

[King Postwhore]

I liked their 2 albums.

[KevShmev]

I liked their 2 albums.

[King Postwhore]

I don't care what you think!  You want our responses!!

Radioactive was different for its time from the frettless bass leading the song to the weird riff from Page but I dug it.

[LudwigVan]

As a big Jimmy Page fan, The Firm was a disappointing to me too.

As for Bad Company, yes they had a handful of stellar tunes that almost makes one greatest hits album, but they could've been so much more.  They underachieved.

[KevShmev]

I don't care what you think!  You want our responses!!

Touche. 

As for Bad Company, yes they had a handful of stellar tunes that almost makes one greatest hits album, but they could've been so much more.  They underachieved.

Most of their classic rock mainstays are good, and they have close to a dozen, but I remember buying their first five albums on CD way back when and none of the deep cuts grabbed me at all.  And really, of those dozen or so mainstays, there are only a few I ever listen to anymore.  I hope I never hear Feel Like Makin' Love ever again.

[TAC]

I had Desolation Angels on 8 track.

[bundy]

Another fine choice I've read similar articles (I remember one in one of the very early Classic Rock issues) rating Rodgers as one of THE great rock singers. I really like his voice, but like you Kev, I probably wouldn't rank him quite that high.
Can't believe no one has mentioned Free yet. A criminally underrated band, the one Rodgers really made his name in, and to my mind, the best work he did.

[Stadler]

Alanis Morissette



I was not a fan of her at all when she hit it big in the 90s.  I thought her singing style was too "yelpy" or shouty, if that makes sense.  I came around a little bit when she did the background vocals on a couple of Dave Matthews Band songs in the late 90s, and I eventually came around to liking a few of her songs, most notably, Thank You, Hand in My Pocket and You Learn.  I am still not a big fan, but I can appreciate her style a little more now, and she definitely made her mark.

You HAVE to hear the "acoustic" Jagged Little Pill.  No Dave Navarro, true, but excellent nonetheless, with a sort of "reigning in" of the vocal quirks and the "rage".    Really puts the album in a nice perspective, and makes it less of an oddity (if you're not in that headspace).   

Probably my favorite record by her. 

[Stadler]

Another fine choice I've read similar articles (I remember one in one of the very early Classic Rock issues) rating Rodgers as one of THE great rock singers. I really like his voice, but like you Kev, I probably wouldn't rank him quite that high.
Can't believe no one has mentioned Free yet. A criminally underrated band, the one Rodgers really made his name in, and to my mind, the best work he did.

I won't say "the best" (that's Mercury) but Paul is in my top three favorite singers for sure.  "Wild Fire Woman" off of Straight Shooter.  UNBELIEVABLE.   I'm a fan of The Firm, so "Together" is great, and their live version of "Live In Peace" is classic too (it's off the "Radioactive" 12-inch single). 

There's also an appearance he made on "Later... with Jools Holland", where he did a little interview and sang a song with Jools accompanying on piano.   Really good stuff.  His voice is still strong, and still has that warmth, without sounding shredded like, say, Elton John. 

[Podaar]

I've always enjoyed Rodgers tunes which probably has a lot to do with All Right Now being such a big hit when I was a kid. His Bad Company output hit its high water mark, for me, with Burnin' Sky (both the song and the album) which is a personal favorite. I'm not really familiar with much after that...I know I bought the first Firm record but I don't remember anything about it.

[Stadler]

I've always enjoyed Rodgers tunes which probably has a lot to do with All Right Now being such a big hit when I was a kid. His Bad Company output hit its high water mark, for me, with Burnin' Sky (both the song and the album) which is a personal favorite. I'm not really familiar with much after that...I know I bought the first Firm record but I don't remember anything about it.

Simple Man.  When he climbs to his higher register for the "Freedom is the only thing...." part... man, gives me chills.   The thing I loved about his voice was that his range wasn't in "pieces", like, say, Halford's.  No knock on Halford, but he has like three or four voice, the growl, the regular (Evening Star), and the scream/falsetto (Screaming for Vengeance).  Paul's voice seems like it just never ends.  There is no limit. 

[KevShmev]

James Hetfield



It seems hard to believe that a band that plays in the style Metallica does could be so popular, but I honestly think Hetfield's voice is the biggest reason.  He sings with attitude and swagger, while still managing to have a lot of warmth that can drawn you in, even on their most metal songs.   Many didn't like it when he started to sing in softer and more melodic tones in the 90s, but it proved that he was a more diverse singer than one would have thought from what was originally a thrash metal act.  Mad props to James Hetfield, THE catalyst for making Metallica a household name. 

[TAC]

James is awesome. I don't even know how to respond. It's like where would I begin.

[jingle.boy]

I don't even know how to respond.

And yet you did.

It's like where would I begin.

Allow me to help.

James is awesome.

[TAC]

Trapped in a Jamesavarium.

[bundy]

Another top choice Kev.

Along with the attitude and swagger that you mentioned, Hetfield is proof that a singer can spit venom, angst and fury without needing to sound like the cookie monster, or that they're about to vomit.

SEEK AND DESTROY!!!!

[Kotowboy]

His voice sounds great on the new album. There are moments where I can picture 1988 James singing.

Most notably in " creates another He-ellll " in Halo On Fire.

I just picture :

[Stadler]

Not in my top ten favorite singers, but that's okay, because he is certainly in my top THREE coolest, bad-ass mofos in rock and roll (and probably the coolest still delivering the goods on a nightly basis). 

He is what Kerry King wishes he was (if he wasn't such a cartoon).   

I think even Chuck Norris would think twice about messing around with Het.   

Man among men.   

He's probably the one guy I want to see a solo album from; him, an acoustic guitar, no thrash, but more like...an album full of songs like his cover of the classic Waylon Jennings song "Don't You Think This Outlaw Things Done Got Out of Hand".   He's the quintessential outlaw, without actually being one.   

Can I stop now? 

[King Postwhore]

I never was a real fan of his voice but I always loved his presence.  Big and imposing, lurking over his prey, the audience.

[Kotowboy]

I know most Metallica fans hate 90s James when he toned down the yelling and posturing and began to sing...

...But I prefer it massively to screaming, crotch-grabbing chest-beating James.

[mikeyd23]

James is one of the greats, no question. His voice and charisma helped set Metallica apart from so many other metal bands.

Not in my top ten favorite singers, but that's okay, because he is certainly in my top THREE coolest, bad-ass mofos in rock and roll (and probably the coolest still delivering the goods on a nightly basis). 

He is what Kerry King wishes he was (if he wasn't such a cartoon).   

I think even Chuck Norris would think twice about messing around with Het.   

Man among men.   

He's probably the one guy I want to see a solo album from; him, an acoustic guitar, no thrash, but more like...an album full of songs like his cover of the classic Waylon Jennings song "Don't You Think This Outlaw Things Done Got Out of Hand".   He's the quintessential outlaw, without actually being one.   

Can I stop now? 

  Great post. Seriously though - I've had conversations with buddies about the coolest rock stars or whatever (this was mostly back in college after several beers) and I always point people to the Metallica Moscow 91 gig. That to me, is one of the most captivating performances by a rock/metal performer (James specifically) ever. Period.

[Podaar]

Mucho respect for Papa Het!

I don't think I would have thought to put him on this list if I were Kev, but I can't really argue with it.