A "Unique" Voice...


A bunch of the artists I enjoy most have what may be considered as a very unconventional vocal quality. Now everyone is "unique' as are their fingerprints, to be shure, but the artists I'm thinking about are real standouts in that they are unmistakeably...well....odd perhaps. An aquired taste as their voice could easily grate on many. Maybe I should give some examples and that would be a better way to get what I mean accross:

Tom Waits comes first to mind. The little girl voice of Joanna Newsom. Those two I enjoy very much. One I just can't stand to listen to myself, Diamanda Gallas - Hey If I wanted to hear screaming like that I can just 'forget' to do the dishes a few nights in a row! Oh, yeah, Sean reminded me recently of the most bizarre, Klaus Nomi, whose mezzo soprano voice sounded more like a woman than a man. Actually Klaus was difficult to categorize himself. But actually, his voice was quite lovely as far as conventions go. So he wouldn't really qualify.

I guess what I'm saying is that these are not conventionally 'pretty' voices, yet they are engaging to many nonetheless, and certainly gifted artists, as far as those I've mentioned goes.

I'll leave it at that...any others come to mind?
jax2
Hey, I'd run screaming from the room too;-) They'll probably be talking about Jimmy Dale to their analyst when they're older! If I had kids that were subjected to some of the stuff I listen to I think they'd run off and never return. Pehaps they'd end up on top of a tower with a high-powered rifle and a case of ammo. Hey, maybe I did have kids...or was that just a dream? Maybe Slappy is my long lost son who heard Throbbing Gristle once to often back in the early 80's!? Chris...Come back to daddy pumpkin! Daddy's sorry for what he done! He didn't know better! Oh, and bring that fine set of wheels home with you boy, you're family now! Hey, this could be a great scam...If I were just a bit younger I could hit up Albert Porter or Tom Lyons as my long-lost pappy! I'm comin' home to daddy...make sure the system is warmed-up for me!

Marco
Mercury Rev. This is one my listening companions cannot tolerate. In fact I looked for it in my collection & it has gone a missing, very suspicious. "Deserter's Songs" is great nonetheless.
how about Steve Harley @Cockney Rebel,every girlfriend ive ever had hates his voice,i think hes great!Screamin Jay Hawkins,i think thats his name,,,boy can he scream ugly!!
here's some that come to mind, and haven't been mentioned:
Hope Sandoval - from Mazzy Star
Beth Gibbons - from Portishead
Gene Clark - from the Birds (late)
Mark Knopfler
Davey Cousins - from the Strawbs