Melissa Etheridge
Pat Benetar
The Lead Singer of Heart (is it Nancy Wilson?)
Janis Joplin
Drain Sth-lead singer
Tina Turner

Tops of this list goes to Debbie Harry for me. She embodies what it means to be a great rock band leader.

Chrissie Hynde is another great one.

Most definitley agree on Debbie, thank you!

joan jett
patti smith
debbie harry
ronnie spector
tina turner
courtney love
darcy (darby? d'arcy? - the lead singer of the distillers)
janis joplin
siouxsie sioux
ann wilson
chrissie hynde


i could list more, but these are women whose voices i think of when i think of 'rock' - there are other pop female vocalists i admire, but these ladies weren't/aren't afraid to let it get a little loud and ugly, and that's rock'n'roll.

EMattP said:

Ann was usually the main vocalist. Nancy sang lead on "These Dreams".

Brody Dalle

sextonseven said:

shit. thank you. her. her voice is amazing, unlike my memory.

Bif Naked

Aimee Echo (The Start)

I should have probably posted these all in one reply.

sextonseven, help me out - the lead singer of x-ray spex...i can't believe i forgot her name, it's right on the tip of my tongue. arrrgh! i need my gingko biloba! poly styrene, is it?

oh, and kathleen hanna - can't forget her.

Anxiety said:

It is. She's a Hare Krishna now, no?

Jessicka Fodera (Jack Off Jill/Scarling)

sextonseven said:

last i heard, yeah.

oh, and i can't forget jarboe from swans/world of skin, either.

Anxiety said:

Hell yes. How could I have left off Joan? She's one of my favorites!

Oops, Shirley Manson. That was a big oversight on my part.

Polly Jean Harvey.

Crap, now that's an even bigger oversight.

Skin- (ex) Skunk Anansie

she can sound fierce(litterally), wounded, seductive, and operatic with ease. She's a really believeable vocalist.
[Edited 5/13/05 14:32pm]

sextonseven said:

Most rockinest chick out there.

Pat Benatar

Not the best, but I like em

Sinead O'connor
Nico
Patti Smith
Bjork
Kate Bush




Oh Yeah, Debbie Harry sounds as bad as she looks now.

lilgish said:

she doesn't sound that bad, and for an old woman, i think she looks good. at least she looks her age and hasn't carved her face up to look like the joker.

found1 said:

she rocks hard.

Anxiety said:

the only thing I can say good about them now is I like the song "Good Boy"

otherwise.....uh

lilgish said:

i don't care for their new album very much, but my problem is more with the songwriting than debbie's voice. i just don't think it's a very catchy album, and that rap song at the beginning about new jersey or whatever is just annoying to me.

lilgish said:

The Curse of Blondie may honestly be my favorite Blondie album.

annie lennox has shown she can be quite a rock singer, too. things like In This Town, Would I Like To You, Sexcrime, Wide Eyed Girl, Belinda, Heartbeat Heartbeat. she's incredibly diverse as a singer.

oh, and missionary man!!!!
[Edited 5/13/05 21:43pm]

Moonbeam said:

Debbie Harry
Patti Smith
P.J. Harvey
Shirley Manson
Chrissie Hynde
Tina Turner
Sinéad O' Connor

Anxiety said:

Here's why:

Comebacks should have no guidelines. Like many of their 70s brethren, Blondie released a comeback album in the 90s, 1999's No Exit. Although that album showed flashes of brilliance, it was inconsistent and did not break new ground for the band. Rumors of a new album flourished from early 2001 on, but as time passed, hope dissipated for the return of one of the most influential and entertaining bands of the 70s. It appeared as if the well had run dry. That is why The Curse of Blondie comes as such a shocking and welcome surprise.

Released late in 2003, The Curse of Blondie sees the band reach familiar creative heights. A thoroughly enjoyable and effortlessly melodic album, Blondie delivers their most eclectic and interesting record yet.

Opening things up is the quirky "Shakedown," complete with a raunchy, comical rap and some bizarre lyrics. But while a bit unnerving lyrically, the music cuts much deeper than similarly off-kilter tracks from No Exit. Next is the lead single, "Good Boys," a dance floor smash that rivals the grooves of any of Blondie's disco hits, with competing guitar and vocal melodies intertwining beautifully and memorably. This is easily among their greatest singles released.

Following the gloriously catchy "Good Boys" comes the equally successful "Undone," a roaring smash with passionate lyrics and a soaring melody. This is what pop-rock should be. The highlight of the album follows, the raucous and emotionally charged "Golden Rod." "Golden Rod" is a classic Blondie song: mysterious and enchanting, powerful and melodic. Perhaps a triumph over former drug addiction, the symbolism is nothing short of guttural. It will make your hair stand on end.

After the emotional high of "Golden Rod," Blondie wisely eases down with the light-hearted, lush "Rules for Living" and "Background Melody." But as soon as the listener starts to grow comfortable, Blondie turns up the weirdness several notches with the Eastern-tinged "Magic." "I am looking for the magic in the places I remember it to be" chants Debbie. Mission accomplished on this song and the entire album.

"End to End" reveals that Blondie can still produce an anthemic rocker, while "Hello Joe" is an intimate, almost clandestine treat. What follows is another highlight of not only the album, but of Blondie's entire career. The aptly named "The Tingler" is nothing short of a masterpiece. As near to the sonic equivalent to a whimsical tornado as possible, "The Tingler" touches countless nerves with its teasing synth flourishes.

Having again a musical zenith with "The Tingler", Blondie returns with the more traditional rocker "The Last One in the World" before unleashing another epic opus, the super-mysterious "Diamond Bridge." Built on a seductive, sly guitar hook, "Diamond Bridge" slowly builds in its paranoia and intensity. Whether it be aging, death or some other subject, the song stands as yet another Blondie classic.

Rather than ease down again, the album takes another turn toward the bizarre, with "Desire Brings Me Back" resulting in what is likely the most unconventional song in the band's repertoire. Tribal beats and a truly psychotic procession of nearly cacophonous horns coupled with Debbie's mystic lyrics make this a jarring treat. The horn line fades and leads into the closing ballad, "Songs of Love." Never has a Blondie ballad been as tender as this confession of love and loyalty. It is a classy, soothing closer to an amazingly diverse album.

Those familiar with Blondie's albums will cheer this return to form: not so much in sound but in ethos. The Curse of Blondie is the first album Debbie has released in 2 decades that truly looks forward. Wonderfully executed, it is perhaps their best album and a welcome addition to Blondie's rich catalog.

Grace Slick