How low can they go?
October 26, 2010 1:28 AM Subscribe
Who are your favourite pop/rock/whatever singers with deep voices? I'm talking Stephin Merritt deep, I'm talking Calvin Johnson deep, I'm talking... deep voices.
I thought immediately of Crash Test Dummies vocalist Brad Roberts.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:45 AM on October 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 1:45 AM on October 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
Iggy Pop, Leonard Cohen, The White Buffalo, and Nick Cave are my go-to's for that sort of thing. Also, NoMeansNo, Type-O Negative and Joy Division, but those aren't so mainstream.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:50 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by iamkimiam at 1:50 AM on October 26, 2010
Matt Berninger of The National.
posted by so much modern time at 1:58 AM on October 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by so much modern time at 1:58 AM on October 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
The ladies love Mr. Barry White.
posted by three blind mice at 2:00 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by three blind mice at 2:00 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Good suggestions so far... some new to me, some not. Barry White gives me a huge erection when I press my body against the speakers, and I'm also gonna throw Andrew Eldritch from the Sisters of Mercy out there for anyone else who's following this question.
posted by Ted Maul at 2:04 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by Ted Maul at 2:04 AM on October 26, 2010
Chali 2na from Jurassic 5.
His stage name is a reference to Charlie the Tuna, the deep-voiced animated mascot of StarKist Tuna.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 2:18 AM on October 26, 2010
His stage name is a reference to Charlie the Tuna, the deep-voiced animated mascot of StarKist Tuna.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 2:18 AM on October 26, 2010
Zulu singer Mahlathini was the acknowledged exponent of the deep-voiced, basso profundo "groaning" style that came to symbolize South African mbaqanga music in the 1960s. They even appeared on the Letterman Show. The Mahotella Queens are still performing, though.
posted by zaelic at 2:50 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by zaelic at 2:50 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
This may not be relevant, but some of my favorite female singers have relatively low, almost balsy, voices, my favorites being Joan Armatrading, Anita Baker, Alison Moyet of Yazoo and Mary Fahl, formerly of October Project. Going through my fave artists, I realize that most of my favorite male vocalists sing in a higher register than these ladies...
While not a singer, my favorite de-e-e-ep voiced performer is "Word Jazz" creator Ken Nordine... (speaking of Charley the Tuna, there was a Los Angeles DJ who used that name on the air, but his voice was nowhere near as deep as Herschel Bernardi, who did Charlie in the commercials, but I digress).
To get back on topic, I'm SHOCKED nobody has mentioned JOHNNY CASH.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:52 AM on October 26, 2010
While not a singer, my favorite de-e-e-ep voiced performer is "Word Jazz" creator Ken Nordine... (speaking of Charley the Tuna, there was a Los Angeles DJ who used that name on the air, but his voice was nowhere near as deep as Herschel Bernardi, who did Charlie in the commercials, but I digress).
To get back on topic, I'm SHOCKED nobody has mentioned JOHNNY CASH.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:52 AM on October 26, 2010
Nick Cave.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 3:12 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by malibustacey9999 at 3:12 AM on October 26, 2010
Greg Brown
posted by vitabellosi at 3:40 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by vitabellosi at 3:40 AM on October 26, 2010
Brett Sparks of The Handsome Family.
posted by liquidindian at 3:45 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by liquidindian at 3:45 AM on October 26, 2010
Carl McCoy - Fields of the Nephilim
Peter Steele - Type O Negative
posted by Bodd at 3:48 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Peter Steele - Type O Negative
posted by Bodd at 3:48 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Mark Lanegan
It's a good album, too.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:18 AM on October 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
It's a good album, too.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:18 AM on October 26, 2010 [3 favorites]
Howlin' Wolf. Old gritty howlin sound. Smokestack Lightning is in a few movies.
Oh and Johnny Cash, obviously.
posted by jander03 at 5:02 AM on October 26, 2010
Oh and Johnny Cash, obviously.
posted by jander03 at 5:02 AM on October 26, 2010
Daddy G (Grant Marshall) from Massive Attack
posted by mukade at 5:09 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by mukade at 5:09 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Human League
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:14 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:14 AM on October 26, 2010
Kurt Wagner from Lambchop.
Stuart Staples from Tindersticks.
posted by afx237vi at 6:27 AM on October 26, 2010
Stuart Staples from Tindersticks.
posted by afx237vi at 6:27 AM on October 26, 2010
Aw, man... nobody's mentioned the late, great Mark Sandman from Morphine (check out "Buena" or "Honey White"). That dude's voice is like slightly tranq'd-out seductiveness boiled down until it's rich and dark and dangerously concentrated, then drizzled all over the bare abdomen of a beautiful lady.
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:28 AM on October 26, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:28 AM on October 26, 2010 [5 favorites]
Now for something completely different: Karin Dreijer Andersson of The Knife.
posted by Beardman at 6:29 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by Beardman at 6:29 AM on October 26, 2010
Oh, and seconding Mary Fahl. I saw her live in a wee tiny venue once - just her and one backing musician. That lady's pipes damn near blew that room apart.
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:30 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by julthumbscrew at 6:30 AM on October 26, 2010
Nico?
posted by smirkyfodder at 6:51 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by smirkyfodder at 6:51 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Dammit, the OP said stephin merritt, sorry, too early here.
posted by TheBones at 7:14 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by TheBones at 7:14 AM on October 26, 2010
Peter Murphy--formerly of Bauhaus, but I love his solo album Deep (well, there's an obvious title for you) the most.
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:42 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:42 AM on October 26, 2010
Criag Lorentson of Lowlife has one of the deepest, darkest voices. Rather, had. He's sadly now deceased.
Permanent Sleep
Eternity Road
posted by vers at 8:21 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Permanent Sleep
Eternity Road
posted by vers at 8:21 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
David Berman of the Silver Jews. I'd put him up there with Calvin Johnson, Matt Berninger, and and Stephin Merritt. Here is a sample from my favorite song, Sleeping Is the Only Love.
posted by *s at 8:21 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by *s at 8:21 AM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
He doesn't always sing this low, but here's Arnaldo Antunes' "Saiba." (There's a closeup shot of a dirty diaper around 1:40, so you may want to let this clip run in the background.)
posted by hydrophonic at 8:40 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by hydrophonic at 8:40 AM on October 26, 2010
Seconding Mark Lanegan so hard. His solo stuff is good, but of course he was the lead singer of Screaming Trees.
posted by peep at 8:50 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by peep at 8:50 AM on October 26, 2010
If we're talking bass singers, can't do much better than JD Sumner (part of Elvis' backup group The Stamps). An example (the really low stuff starts at about 2:49).
posted by schleppo at 11:27 AM on October 26, 2010
posted by schleppo at 11:27 AM on October 26, 2010
Yat-Kha (example)
Swans (example)
...and they both do covers of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Swans) (Yat-Kha)
posted by not_on_display at 12:06 PM on October 26, 2010
Swans (example)
...and they both do covers of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Swans) (Yat-Kha)
posted by not_on_display at 12:06 PM on October 26, 2010
Two Dollar Guitar/La Lengua Asesina ("Wide Load", "Down to Sleep", and the title song "La Lengua Asesina" are all good examples).
posted by ifjuly at 1:02 PM on October 26, 2010
posted by ifjuly at 1:02 PM on October 26, 2010
Michael Gira of Swans (already mentioned by not_on_display) and Angels of Light.
posted by klausness at 2:10 PM on October 26, 2010
posted by klausness at 2:10 PM on October 26, 2010
Another vote for Peter Murphy, both with Bauhaus and solo. Also the marvelous Neil Hannon, of Divine Comedy fame (two good examples here and here). And David Bowie doesn't tend to use his lower register a lot, but when he does it is a thing of ROWR!
posted by scody at 3:03 PM on October 26, 2010
posted by scody at 3:03 PM on October 26, 2010
the editors!!
posted by freddymetz at 5:16 PM on October 26, 2010
posted by freddymetz at 5:16 PM on October 26, 2010
Well, many of my top choices (Smog, Stuart Staples of Tindersticks) have been mentioned, but here are a few more:
Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap (e.g., Cherubs, The Shy Retirer)
Howe Gelb of Giant Sand (e.g., Stranded Pearl)
Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo (e.g., No Depression)
As David Berman put it, "All my favorite singers couldn't sing."
posted by cirripede at 6:30 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap (e.g., Cherubs, The Shy Retirer)
Howe Gelb of Giant Sand (e.g., Stranded Pearl)
Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo (e.g., No Depression)
As David Berman put it, "All my favorite singers couldn't sing."
posted by cirripede at 6:30 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Old school but I love Hoyt Axton's voice.
Mark Lanegan did some great stuff with the Queens of the Stone Age and the Soulsavers as well as the above mentioned.
Dan Auerback from The Black Keys
And Gomez. And the other (not main) singer in Devil Makes Three also has a great deep voice.
posted by fshgrl at 8:41 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
Mark Lanegan did some great stuff with the Queens of the Stone Age and the Soulsavers as well as the above mentioned.
Dan Auerback from The Black Keys
And Gomez. And the other (not main) singer in Devil Makes Three also has a great deep voice.
posted by fshgrl at 8:41 PM on October 26, 2010 [1 favorite]
No-one should miss the song Blackwater (with vocals by David Sylvian).
Also, Mark Eitzel from American Music Club.
posted by WalkingAround at 9:53 AM on October 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also, Mark Eitzel from American Music Club.
posted by WalkingAround at 9:53 AM on October 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:56 AM on October 30, 2010
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:56 AM on October 30, 2010
Mr. Lordi (of the Finnish band Lordi ):
Blood Red Sandman
Hardrock Hallelujah
Would You Love a Monsterman
posted by Lexica at 5:36 PM on October 30, 2010
Blood Red Sandman
Hardrock Hallelujah
Would You Love a Monsterman
posted by Lexica at 5:36 PM on October 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by springload at 1:32 AM on October 26, 2010