Glastonbury/Amy Winehouse

[nicknack]

She appears to have quite a decent voice.

I just wish she'd do something interesting with it, instead of all that bland soul rubbish.

[Martin109]

I reckon jazz would be her thing.  She could be the next Sarah Vaughan!

[nuttycyclist]

I'd like to hear the people that claim she can't sing to try to do better

Well I can't do any better and I know that, which is why I've never tried to get a recording contract

But I do like to hear good music.  What I saw on the TV with her performance was not good.  I was amazed at just how awful the whole set was (and yes, as the TV was on and I was busy with something else in front of it I did see the whole car crash event and also spotted the punch she threw at the fans).   What amazes me is seeing in the media reports apparently praising her for a good performance!   Hell that rehab song she finished on was appalling.  She didn't seem capable of getting a single word out, and seemed more focussed on trying to run backwards and forwards between the bouncers until a lack of microphone cable brought her to an abrupt halt.

[bobajobrob]

She was probably drunk One poor performance doesn't mean she can't sing.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

I think the disagreement here between DB and the rest only goes to illustrate the disconnect between what the record companies want us to like and what we(the great music buying public) actually want.  It also illustrates the disconnect between those who judge these awards and the same music buying public.

Seriously you are allowed your own views on what is good and what is bad but please please PLEASE do not push in my face that this artist has won this award or that award, it means JACK to me.

Several people have posted upthread that they think she has a good voice.  The concensus seems to be about evens so far.

To win the awards she has, you need to sell records, and therefore need talent in the first place.  I personally do not think Eminem has talent, but he has sold millions of records anyway.  

The only disagreement is whether you or anyone else thinks she has talent, and that is entirely your own personal preference.  

[D0m1n1c Burford]

I'd like to hear the people that claim she can't sing to try to do better

Well I can't do any better and I know that, which is why I've never tried to get a recording contract

But I do like to hear good music.  What I saw on the TV with her performance was not good.  I was amazed at just how awful the whole set was (and yes, as the TV was on and I was busy with something else in front of it I did see the whole car crash event and also spotted the punch she threw at the fans).   What amazes me is seeing in the media reports apparently praising her for a good performance!   Hell that rehab song she finished on was appalling.  She didn't seem capable of getting a single word out, and seemed more focussed on trying to run backwards and forwards between the bouncers until a lack of microphone cable brought her to an abrupt halt.

The performance had a touch of the David Brent about it...so awful and cringe-making you could only watch from behind the sofa 

[tiermat]

Warning, long reply alert.

Several people have posted upthread that they think she has a good voice.  The concensus seems to be about evens so far.

Yes, I personally think she does have a good voice, I missed her performance at Glastonbury, but I don't think anyone who is getting over a chest infection would be able to give their best singin performance.  Maybe some that are slamming her are forgetting this (and I am putting aside the thought in the back of my mind that she MAY not have been 100% clean)

To win the awards she has, you need to sell records, and therefore need talent in the first place.  I personally do not think Eminem has talent, but he has sold millions of records anyway.  

This is probably the most repeated and misunderstood rubbish that has ever been uttered about the music industry.  FACT you do not need to have talent to sell records (if I wanted to be flippant I could list a few artists to illustrate this, but I won't), all you need is an understanding record company and a bloody good plugger.  Also the reverse is true, if you have a great talent you will not necessarily sell a lot of records (again management and plugging come into play).  thankfully this state of play is starting to wane now that sites like YouTube etc are assisting in Viral marketing, but even they are being perverted for the record companies gain (without YouTube et al we would not have had Sandie Thom, KT Tunstall or numerous others out there as they would have been seen as to niche by the A&R men)

The only disagreement is whether you or anyone else thinks she has talent, and that is entirely your own personal preference.  

Not 100% true, and my major beef is the use of "she has won this award and that award so therefore must be good" to try and prove your point.  As I previously mentioned music awards (barring a few smaller awards that are truely judged on merit, not on earning potential, such as the Mercury Music prize) are just there to allow the bigwigs at music companies to slap one another on the back and say "didn't we do well" they mean sweet FA in the grand scheme of things.  I am not saying people should not have their own view, and many do, and many will disagree with me, such is life.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

Warning, long reply alert.

The only disagreement is whether you or anyone else thinks she has talent, and that is entirely your own personal preference.  

Not 100% true, and my major beef is the use of "she has won this award and that award so therefore must be good" to try and prove your point.  As I previously mentioned music awards (barring a few smaller awards that are truely judged on merit, not on earning potential, such as the Mercury Music prize) are just there to allow the bigwigs at music companies to slap one another on the back and say "didn't we do well" they mean sweet FA in the grand scheme of things.  I am not saying people should not have their own view, and many do, and many will disagree with me, such is life.

Her debut album Frank was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2003.

[Flying_Monkey]

Well, no-one is denying she has some talent, I just think that we get very excited about anyone who can sing without an auto-tuner these days. My favourite female vocalists are Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell and I think someone sometime has accused all of them of not being able to sing... 

[pcolbeck]

I thought her performance of "Love is a loosing game" backed by a single acoustic guitar at an awards ceremony last year proved once and for all that she is a major talent. it was as good as anything by any female singer ever. Unfortunately when she seems to be loosing the plot a lot these days. But on form she is fantastic. People keep bringing up Janis Joplin as a similar troubled performer but I would say Amys current trajectory more closely follows that of Billie Holiday.

[Hot Flatus]

She has/had an amazing voice and vocal skill, IMo 

(...but I'm not a fan of her music)

[D0m1n1c Burford]

Well, no-one is denying she has some talent, I just think that we get very excited about anyone who can sing without an auto-tuner these days. My favourite female vocalists are Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell and I think someone sometime has accused all of them of not being able to sing... 

Not quite what you said earlier though:
<<
Am I the only one who think Amy Winehouse should be called Amy Whinehouse? God, she has an awful voice, and especially if you compare it to the people who were the giants of this genre - Aretha Franklin for example. She is however, quite a good songwriter...
>>

[Jakob]

There was a documentary about her a month or so ago, which the missus watched. I saw a bit, where she was just singing backed by a bit of guitar and there's absolutely no doubt about her talent. Unfortunately, she's busy throwing that away now and I doubt we'll see another album or even another live performance.
 Blake Cecil Fielder was probably the worst thing that could ever happen to her....

[tiermat]

Blake Cecil Fielder was probably the worst thing that could ever happen to her....

I think she was already heading down the route when she met him, their union only expedited the situation.

[LEE]

Well, no-one is denying she has some talent, I just think that we get very excited about anyone who can sing without an auto-tuner these days. My favourite female vocalists are Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell and I think someone sometime has accused all of them of not being able to sing... 

Not quite what you said earlier though:
<<
Am I the only one who think Amy Winehouse should be called Amy Whinehouse? God, she has an awful voice, and especially if you compare it to the people who were the giants of this genre - Aretha Franklin for example. She is however, quite a good songwriter...
>>

I think she HAD one of the best voices in British rock/pop.

Her performance at Glastonbury had me thinking about the talent that George Best once had (and wasted).

[Flying_Monkey]

Well, no-one is denying she has some talent, I just think that we get very excited about anyone who can sing without an auto-tuner these days. My favourite female vocalists are Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell and I think someone sometime has accused all of them of not being able to sing... 

Not quite what you said earlier though:
<<
Am I the only one who think Amy Winehouse should be called Amy Whinehouse? God, she has an awful voice, and especially if you compare it to the people who were the giants of this genre - Aretha Franklin for example. She is however, quite a good songwriter...
>>

So? I was exaggerating. Because I can. 

[D0m1n1c Burford]

Well, no-one is denying she has some talent, I just think that we get very excited about anyone who can sing without an auto-tuner these days. My favourite female vocalists are Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell and I think someone sometime has accused all of them of not being able to sing... 

Not quite what you said earlier though:
<<
Am I the only one who think Amy Winehouse should be called Amy Whinehouse? God, she has an awful voice, and especially if you compare it to the people who were the giants of this genre - Aretha Franklin for example. She is however, quite a good songwriter...
>>

So? I was exaggerating. Because I can.