If it's a serious world class sounding out and out rock singer I'd say by any standards our very own Bob Oister deserves an honourble mention here.

And no mistake!

Robert Plant

Moshkiae


Annie Haslam, is a much more classic singer by definition and range, but she did her work really well and produced a lot of very nice things for a band called "Renaissance". Much of the work done by this band was written by various poets and writers, and not just themselves or rock musicians, which gave the music and its interpretation a rather different flavor all around.

.

I am glad you included Annie Haslam. I was palying some of the Renaissance albums fro the first ime in ages recently. What a voice!

The Kiosk Project

Jind

Moshkiae

Kate Bush is a different talent, but she doesn't write because it is "another song" and her attitude towards music is very different than anyone else's ... and she is strictly about her own work, and her own expression.

Kate Bush - I have a true a soft spot in my heart for her.  It would be wonderful if more "artists" worried less about others work, others expression, and more on their own and the ways in which they get results; what makes them happy.  We all like what we like and dislike what we don't.  I'd tend to think if more "artists" thought this way, creativity would flourish and not become wash, rinse, repeat.  


Very nice that you mentioned Kate - I recently purchased Graeme Thomson's book "Kate Bush: Under The Ivy"; it's next in line once I finish the two book I'm currently reading.  It's recieved some very good reviews and contains some interesting information on many of the aspects of her life that have made Kate what she is.

Totally +1 on Kate Bush Jind. Thanks too for the heads up on the biog, I didn't know it existed. Her last two original albums, Aerial and 50 Words for Snow, are totally sublime. One being an album for Summer and the other inspired by Winter. (No prizes for guessing which is which!) Most artist couldn't get away with such a thin precept for an album, but she pulls it off magnificently. My guess is, like most of her work, these albums will gather respect and love over decades, rather than instant and fleeting chart action, although they both sold well on release too. 


For a long period, Kate Bush was actually ridiculed and considered a target for easy humour, as is often the case with the strange kid who people don't understand. The last decade or so though has seen a re-appraisal of her work and rightfully acclaimed as the true artist and musical genius that she truly is.

Just a follow-up, all this Kate Bush talk has prompted me to start reading the book I mentioned.  I'm already about 100 pages in.  Can't recommend it enough.  It really is amazing realizing she has made a living with music (much of it during the stadium rock days of 80's and 90's) without touring (she did one tour back in 1979 but felt it to incompatible with her artistic vision, that of total control of the final product so she never did it again.  She considers herself a writer and not a musician, but even that she reluctantly labels herself as.  



Well worth the read.  The introduction and first chapter can be read as a sample at Amazon.


http://www.amazon.com/Kate-Bush-Under-Graeme-Thompson/dp/1847729304


Sort of a humorous link if I  might add.

Kate Bush - I have a true a soft spot in my heart for her. It would be wonderful if more "artists" worried less about others work, others expression, and more on their own and the ways in which they get results; what makes them happy. We all like what we like and dislike what we don't. I'd tend to think if more "artists" thought this way, creativity would flourish and not become wash, rinse, repeat.

 
You probably noticed by now that the majority of things I like are not exactly common, and tend to be quite different.
 
It's the same thing/issue I have when they say that progressive music was dead in the 90's and they never once put on Djam Karet's first 5 albums which make KC look like a high school band. It's about the feel, the touch, the sound, the "moment" and little else. It has moments that you might go ... ohh my ... that's a bit floyd'ian ... but it isn't ... because they can extend it better than Dave ever did!
 
(And I like one of Gail's comments about the music ... they use all the notes all the way to Z and sometimes they don't know which note is on!)
 
But it's hard getting people to listen to different things ... reminds me of the cover of the MEDDLE album from Pink Floyd, and it was on the day I bought the Import version (1974), that had a much clearer picture than the muddled American album that hid the whole thing even more. It was a fold out of an ear ... and I knew immediately what I needed to do ...listen and enjoy it. Appreciate it.
 
Too much pre-fab music out there has taken a lot of this beauty out of music in my book. 

Wow
David Bowie didn't make the cut!

To me he is one of the legends and he embodies so many different styles

space_cowboy


Wow
David Bowie didn't make the cut!

To me he is one of the legends and he embodies so many different styles

You do know how many people even heard him do Kurt Weill, right?
 
That ought to tell you what most rock folks usually think of when the word "styles" get mentioned!
 
I think of him as a very versatile artist, because he is also a fairly good actor that has done some very nice things. "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" (music by Riuychi Sakamoto btw), The Man Who Fell To Earth (he co-wrote the music with Eno and most of it became one of the albums), The Hunger with Sarandon and Deneuve, and I thought he was better than the ladies were.

I haven't seen Joe Cocker turn up yet.

Now there's someone that always turned up for work.

Jonbouy


I haven't seen Joe Cocker turn up yet.

Now there's someone that always turned up for work.

I will second that.

Roger McGuinn.
Speaking of whom, anyone got a 12-string Rickenbacker and want to play some lead on a Byrd tribute song I'm thinking of maybe, possibly doing in the next decade?

I don't believe in bests, but I do have my favorites - and that would be Paul Rodgers (http://www.paulrodgers.com/) and Jimmy Barnes (http://www.jimmybarnes.com/)

space_cowboy


Wow
David Bowie didn't make the cut!

To me he is one of the legends and he embodies so many different styles

I mentioned him while wondering "how to define a rock singer", and how to deal with Mick Jagger.
It's interesting...Jagger - the most succesfull living rock singer (??) and not one nomination!
Later on in the thread, the cathegory has been spread wide open, so no problems with any names.
 
All possible is included, so the title could be changed to "best singing artist in contemporary music" :o) :o)
because we're past the point of evaluating best rock singing, if we accept Bob Dylan and Van Morrison to the list, and the ever admirable Kate Bush has been more like a jazz-singer for quite a while, even though she certainly rocks! Tom Jones turned into a rock signer in retirement age, and did it brilliantly.
 

54 posts and we still have not found The Best Rock Singer?

I fear at this rate we never will.

Steve Marriott

I switched to Chrome for the forums and ended up really liking it enough to make it my browser of choice.