# Awful voices in rock (that you love)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awful-voices-in-rock-that-you-love/294246>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 12, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awful-voices-in-rock-that-you-love/294246 "2005-03-12T21:51:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awful-voices-in-rock-that-you-love/294246/41 "2005-03-14T03:45:45Z")

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According to AMG:

> [@](#):
>
> Born Don Vliet, Captain Beefheart was one of modern music’s true innovators. The owner of a remarkable **four-and-one-half octave vocal range**

OK, I love most of his stuff, but I challenge anyone to find me where he actually uses even _2 of those 4 1/2 octaves_.

Not here…on: [Safe As Milk](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=2fey0j7649iu94g7jwjrsfc&r=20.asx)  
Definitely not anywhere on Trout Mask Replica, including: [Sweet Sweet Bulbs](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=stfejgrfb6rhd58lnkp4e4v&r=20.asx)  
Nor here…on: [Lick My Decals Off Baby](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=ppkml9qvr0moupdcyuu5zcu&r=20.asx)  
I don’t hear much range here on: [Nowadays A Woman’s Gotta Hit A Man](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=2fopzj764jv0h9a7jwjrsf6&r=20.asx)  
This song uses a range of maybe 7 notes (even with the Yoooou!) in: [Upon The My-O-My](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=pns4qs4aopnhb96udik67af&r=20.asx)  
He pulls out an entire 1 1/2 octaves on: [Bat Chain Puller](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=n17fnr9z2l1teltplb7epwz&r=20.asx)  
I feel like a glass shrimp on in panties on: [Ashtray Heart](http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp.dll?link=x65lq856217639vs3uyc5o6&r=20.asx)Maybe the old adage _if you don’t use it you lose it_ is true - and AMG’s bio should read: _The **former** owner of a remarkable four-and-one-half octave vocal range that disapperaed like dust blowing forward and dust blowing back_.

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**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/awful-voices-in-rock-that-you-love/294246/42 "2005-03-14T12:40:07Z")

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> [@lezlers](#):
>
> I second the vote for Axl Rose. I’m a die-hard GnR fan and I tell ya, he may have a horrible voice but _no one_ else can sing those songs. They just wouldn’t be the same.
> 
> I’ll never forget when I heard Sheryl Crow cover _Sweet Child O Mine_. I almost had a heart attack. Blasphemy.

Luna also covered sweet child O mine. It also stank the place out. The singer has a gorgeous voice, but it just wasnt right for a rock anthem like this.

Quoting **Revtim**

> [@](#):
>
> I second Kurt Cobain. Some of my favorite music, but the man wasn’t very skilled vocally IMO.

I saw a TV program recently about the making of Nevermind that had Butch Vig talking about the recording process. He was sat at the sound desk and played back alot of Kurt’s vocals in isolation - His pitch and tone was near perfect, surprising for such a rough, balls-to-the-wall singing style.

You’d think that a live performance would really bollox up these bad singers, but not necessarily. I saw Pavement supporting Sonic Youth a while back (to give two text book examples) and they were amazing. Kim Gordon sounded better live than on record if memory serves.

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