THE voices you dream about...

[Saudade]

Who are the singers, living or dead, that you wished you got a chance to do a record with in the studio?

Let's keep the list to ONLY those who are your all time fav top 5 vocalists (you enjoy most listening to), not those you think are great singers. For example I think Bjork is a out-of-this-world brilliant vocalist BUT I don't enjoy listening to her sing much. Same can be said of the late great Roy Orbison.

Mine:

1. Morten Harket (ex A-ha) : IMO no other singer on earth has my full marks for tone, technique and emotive interpretation. Just listen to "Stay on these roads" and you will get what I mean. Ok most of the time I don't understand his "english" diction but who cares, I feel the heavens open when I hear him sing

2. Glenn Frey: Deceptively understated and laid back. But the emotions in the tone....ooooooooh...aged, vintage, rich....a silent heartbreak played out in slo-motion.

3. Keisuke Kuwata (of Japanese band Southern All Stars): Rare killer tone. His voice is the smoothest beer, Grolsch perhaps (or Kirin) ? Cooling to the throat but warms the guts afterwards. Not just that, he somehow always sounds like his voice is in the right gear, like you know how a car feels when its changed up to the right gear at the right speed....he just makes you go INTO the music and FEEL IT.

4. Laura Pausini: Impecabble technique aside, she literally smothers the listener. Every word, breath and lip noise is simmering with raw emotion, and each time she sounds like its the last song she is going to sing in her life and she gives her all. This is the kind of singer who really bares her heart to you and you just have to close your eyes and she's here in front of you, both of you have nothing to hide from each other anymore....SUBLIME (her english language album is a very pale shade of what she did in her italian/spanish efforts)

5. (the late) Julie London: There's something about her voice that makes you enjoy listening to her as much as (she lets you know) she enjoyed singing it. You can "hear" the smile in the voice. A great singer doesn't need songs that show off technique. She can give a covered-to-death Cole Porter tune a whole new sheen of elegance and style. And I luuuurve her lower registers to death. She's the type of singer that hours and days after you turn of the player, the song and her voice will still be playing in your head, and you will be humming along.

Sorry for this self-indulgent post

[tunesmith]

Jeff Buckley.

[superburtm]

Robin Zander, John Lennon oh and Jim Morrison

[SK1]

Peter Gabriel
Janis Joplin
Geoff Tate
Al Green
James Brown
Robert Plant
MJ
Mike Patton
Freddie Mercury

I could go on .......

[Rufuss Sewell]

My Favorites in no particular order...

Jeff Buckley
Bjork
Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle)
Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Steve Wilson (Porcupine Tree)
David Gilmour
Maynard James Keenan (Tool, APerfectCircle)
Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters)
Simon LeBon (Duran Duran)
Art Garfunkel
Sebastian Bach (Skid Row)
Alison Krauss
Lou Graham (Foreigner)
Steve Perry (Journey)
Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think)

[Curve Dominant]

1) Naeemah
2) Greg DeCandia (G.Starr)
3) Paul Jones (21 Against)
4) Ashley Phillips
5) Anam Owili-Eger

[AlexLakis]

Greg Graffin (Whom I hopefully WILL get to record at some point.)

Roger Waters (So I can convince him that he still has a good voice, so he'll release another solo album.)

King Diamond (Cuz I wanna know if he actually shows up to the studio in full make-up.)

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by Saudade

Who are the singers, living or dead, that you wished you got a chance to do a record with in the studio?

Let's keep the list to ONLY those who are your all time fav top 5 vocalists (you enjoy most listening to), not those you think are great singers. For example I think Bjork is a out-of-this-world brilliant vocalist BUT I don't enjoy listening to her sing much. Same can be said of the late great Roy Orbison.

That's funny, because when I read the title, one of the first names that popped into my head was Roy Orbison. Along with John Lennon, Aretha, Bob Marley, Marvin Gay, Janis Joplin, Billie Holiday, this could be a long list. There are few things as great as doing a session where the performer just makes the hair on your arms stand up.

[Sounds Great]

Stevie Wonder
Kenny Loggins
Jon Anderson
David Gilmour
Paul Rogers
Bonnie Raitt
Gary Wright
Don Henley
Sting
Daryl Hall

[allencollins]

RVZ - Skynyrd
Chris cornell - Sound Garden
Robert Plant - Zeppelin
Chris Squire - Yes
Morrison -Doors
Tom Araya - Slayer
Ian Ashbury - Cult
Brad Delp - Boston
Ozzy
Jon Fagan - Steel Assassin
Layne Staley - AIC
Jon Arch - Fates Warning
Steven Tyler - Asmith
Doug pinnick - King's X
Steve Wonder
Max Cavalera - Sepultura/SoulFly
Derek Shulman - Gentle Giant
Lemmy - Hawkwind/Motorhead
Steve Walsh - Kansas
Tom Warrior - Hellhamer/Celtic Frost
Milli Vanilli - I bet they can reall ysing
Eddie Veddar - I would love to produce this guy and make him sound good for once
My Mom - i could never even get her to sing backups for me


Maybe we can do a 'worst' list next time. Wadda Ya'all think???

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Greg Graffin (Whom I hopefully WILL get to record at some point.)

Roger Waters (So I can convince him that he still has a good voice, so he'll release another solo album.)

King Diamond (Cuz I wanna know if he actually shows up to the studio in full make-up.)

Gotta love the king. Boy does he 'live it'

'Stay away white magician, young lovers
And mourning wives
You’re not welcome on our land
So I speak for the dead!'

[Matthew Murray]

Weird, nobody said Thom Yorke yet. I guess I will.

"Thom Yorke".

[Synth80s]

Originally Posted by Saudade

1. Morten Harket (ex A-ha) : IMO no other singer on earth has my full marks for tone, technique and emotive interpretation. Just listen to "Stay on these roads" and you will get what I mean. Ok most of the time I don't understand his "english" diction but who cares, I feel the heavens open when I hear him sing

I agree, he's very overlooked. I'm guessing/hoping you have Harket's 1995 English language solo album, "Wild Seed?". If not, find it! It definitely has the best vocal perfromances you'll find from Harket. He also has at least one Norwegian language solo album, but I haven't heard it/them.

And in case you didn't know A-ha has released 3 good albums in the last 6 years.
The most recent album, 2005's "Analogue" was largely produced by Flood -- good stuff.

-Synth80s

[Synth80s]

My top 12 (right now) in no particular order:

Mark Knopfler
Ian McCulloch
Peter Gabriel
Freddy Mercury
Thom Yorke
Morten Harket
Michael Hutchence
Bryan Ferry
Joe Jackson
Colin Hay
Kirsty MacColl
Rob Dickinson

-Synth80s

[petsematary]

Paul Rodgers
Joni Mitchell
Neil Young
Tom Waits

[strauss]

Donnie Hathaway

[Carlos Boll]

Scott Walker

[Saudade]

Originally Posted by Synth80s

I agree, he's very overlooked. I'm guessing/hoping you have Harket's 1995 English language solo album, "Wild Seed?". If not, find it! It definitely has the best vocal perfromances you'll find from Harket. He also has at least one Norwegian language solo album, but I haven't heard it/them.

And in case you didn't know A-ha has released 3 good albums in the last 6 years.
The most recent album, 2005's "Analogue" was largely produced by Flood -- good stuff.

-Synth80s

Great to find a fellow fan here! No I don't have that album or Aha's recent works. But I grew up listening to them in the 80s and the songs still haunt me with vivid imagery conjured by their lush synth-based soundscapes. Their music takes me to another world. Their arrangements from those days still sound fresh and cutting edge even today! And Mr Harket....I'd die without regrets if I can have his voice for a day

And thanks for the replies, but gentlemen, could you kindly keep it to your top five? I mean as the list gets long it loses focus. I really want to know whose voice is MOST close to your heart. Like I just read "Freddie Mercury", yeah, surely one of my favs, but not the top five.

And if I may emphasise, don't include those artists just because their songs/music you enjoy. Try keeping it to the VOICE only. I mean in my list, some of those singers' songs may suck or are at best ordinary, but their voice more than makes up for it.

On the other hand, Sting, Peter Gabriel and Billy Joel would be in my top 5 all-time list of favourite musicians/artists/songwriters, but none of them are my truly favourite singers. Get the picture?

I'm just trying to find some gems I have not heard yet

[mxeryus]

David Sylvian
Alison Moyet
Danni Klein
Matt Johnson
Annie Lennox
Dulce Pontes

[jmiller]

It's not a singular person, but:
The Tahitian Choir. This has to be one of the most insane things i've ever heard. Go here http://www.greatbigisland.com/detail_tahitian_choir.htm
and preview "Himene Tatou". "Tarema" is my favorite.

Nick Cave would be awesome.

Stevie IS awesome.

Sebastian Bach would be fun to have in the studio. I could convince him to star in my as-yet-unproduced Excersize DVDs, "Buns of Metal".

[respirator]

Aron Neville (not my kind of music, but that voice...)
Blixa Bargeld
Ron Sexsmith
Loretta Lynn
Paolo Conte

To name a few that wasn't mentioned yet.

Edit: Antony from Antony and the Johnsons!

[The True Buck]

I also love Morten's voice! On the latest few A-ha albums he sings like an angel!

...and...

Johnny Cash
Tom Waits
Thom Yorke
Nick Cave (he can bring Kylie too)
Blixa Bargeld
Ian Gillan
Blackie Lawless
Marilyn Manson
David Gilmour
Roger Waters
John Fogerty
David Gahan
Bruce Springsteen
Bono
Eminem

...and OFCOURSE King Diamond!

[AlexLakis]

Originally Posted by allencollins

Gotta love the king. Boy does he 'live it'

'Stay away white magician, young lovers
And mourning wives
You’re not welcome on our land
So I speak for the dead!'

Hmm, King Diamond, Max, Lemmy, AND Tom Warrior? You musta LOVED that Probot album! It was in my top 3 of that year. I still play the Sh*t out of it.

[Syki]

Originally Posted by Sounds Great

Stevie Wonder
Kenny Loggins
Jon Anderson
David Gilmour
Paul Rogers
Bonnie Raitt
Gary Wright
Don Henley
Sting

If you add Al Jarreau, and Johnny Hartman, (Kenny Loggins with Mike McDonald ala Heart to Heart, This is It) Brown Stone, This would be my list!!!

[Joe Cole]

Hey, I will throw my hat in the ring too.... and try not to repeat too much...


Paul McCartney- think about it...."Don't Let Me Down..."
Doug Pinnock- King's X
Layne Staley- AIC
Prince
Gino Vanelli - find "Brother to Brother"....
Etta James
Wilson Pickett
Bjork
Ronnie James Dio
Glenn Hughes
Bono

many more.

[The True Buck]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Hmm, King Diamond, Max, Lemmy, AND Tom Warrior? You musta LOVED that Probot album! It was in my top 3 of that year. I still play the Sh*t out of it.

Are you frosties aware of that Tony Tiger, eh... I mean Tom Warrior is back for another Celtic Frost album that will be released on Century Media any day now?!?!?

*snap, crackle, pop*

[superburtm]

Good call on Layne!!

Originally Posted by Joe Cole

Hey, I will throw my hat in the ring too.... and try not to repeat too much...


Paul McCartney- think about it...."Don't Let Me Down..."
Doug Pinnock- King's X
Layne Staley- AIC
Prince
Gino Vanelli - find "Brother to Brother"....
Etta James
Wilson Pickett
Bjork
Ronnie James Dio
Glenn Hughes
Bono

many more.

[Marlowe]

John Lennon
Sandy Denny
Paul McCartney
Freddie Mercury
Chris Squire/Jon Anderson
Bon Scott

[Art]

Morten Harket
Neil Finn
George Michael
David Gilmour
Kenny Loggins
Freddie Mercury
Kate Bush
Sarah Mclachlan




YES!!!! Morten is Awesome. Wild Seed is one of my favorite albums of all time (and an amazing sounding album). He also has 2 non-english solo albums which are really cool. A-ha seems to be doing great as well, they have been consistently writing good music in my opinion.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by Syki

If you add Al Jarreau, and Johnny Hartman, (Kenny Loggins with Mike McDonald ala Heart to Heart, This is It) Brown Stone, This would be my list!!!

Oh, and I forgot Daryl Hall.