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The singers

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48 replies · 10,670 views

This is an archived legacy thread. Replies are closed, but the discussion is preserved.

Which member of N.O & all it`s relevant satellites had the best singing voice?

Closed
  • Ian Curtis 28 (44%)
  • Bernard Sumner 14 (22%)
  • Gillian Gilbert 9 (14%)
  • Peter Hook 2 (3%)
  • David Potts 0 (0%)
  • Melanie Williams (Other Two) 0 (0%)
  • Denise Johnson (Electronic) 2 (3%)
  • Neil Tennant 8 (13%)

63 votes · voting closed

I think Gillian has a lovely voice. But no- when she joined N.O, it would have wrecked the macho legacy of Joy Division if she had taken over lead vocals.

Seriously though, I remember the band saying that if they had brought anyone else in after Ian on vox, it would be like 'Joy Division Mark 2'. I severly doubt it- Ians singing sounded like hed been stuck on the khazi all day, I would have sacked him in about 76/77!

Besides, Gillian has a bigger pair of titties than Ian did. And isn`t that what counts? :wink:

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Ian Curtis without a doubt, the emotion that man was able to express will stay with me forever.

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Ian.......hands down, bar none.

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Ian is certainly my favorite.

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Have to go with the consensus....Tony Wilson :p

nah, it's Ian all the way (Barney a close second)

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Strangely no vote for Barney?

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I'm wondering about Stephen...man gets no respect for his brilliance on the Western Works Demos :lol:

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not really neil tennant his voice sound like toiletpaper... use it one time and than throw it away... like the pet shop sound...

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Had to vote for Ian really...

Strangly perhaps, my second place vote would have gone to Pottsy

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Mr. Dicken.

..........

i know what i´m gonna say may cause some sort of explosive replies against me but anyway.... one of the things why i don´t like much joy division is for ian´s voice. i barely can stand his tone of voice. besides he´s out of tune in 90% of the songs. he just never touched my soul with his voice.

i realize bernard is NOT a great singer, especially live. but i like the way he sings, his expression, his rhythm. so i voted him.

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Ian's the one :thumb:

Wonderful performance live for such a young epileptic man.

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barney for me... he's got a delevery & style all his own.

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IAN just above BARNEY.

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I'm going for Barney on this one.

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Ian

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Technically, I voted for Neil Tennant (Disappointed and Patience of a Saint were good, vocal-wise) but, for a constant singer, one who didn't sing on a few songs, I'd pick Barney, especially circa 93.

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Barney especially afet he used to consume a bottle of Pernod on stage

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Originally posted by Digital Mike Barney especially afet he used to consume a bottle of Pernod on stage

Would he be able to sing after that?

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Denise Johnston has the best singing voice,Ian wasnt a good singer,it was fitting to the music as is Barneys.

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always thought Peter Hook had a beter voice than Bernard

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Originally posted by This blue-eyed boy that wants to be > Originally posted by Digital Mike> Barney especially afet he used to consume a bottle of Pernod on stage

Would he be able to sing after that? with all the cocaine and E, yes, most likely.

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Of the listed, Barney, but both Barney and Hooky say Stephen has a better voice, go figure...

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Barney. Ian just too weird but good for the JD material.

Hooky never sings loud enough.

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what about Stephen?

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I love Ian's lyrics but his voice isn't as good as Barney's.

Barney's vocals are great in the sense that he has his own style that is not in tune (not unlike Ian) and it's matured over the years. Conversely, his lyrics are poorer than Ian's.

But.... Gillian, IMO, has the best singing voice of that lot. Very angelic and full of talent.

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Ian's voice is perfect for their sound - and he never had a chance to fully develop it. Think of how far Bernard has come since he picked up the mike and imagine how far Ian would have went.

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Gillian has a really nice voice. Tasty Fish! Mmm!

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Aren't you forgetting Kevin Hewick, singer during the very first New Order demos(recorded 'Haystack' with them, which Martin Hannett described as sounding like Fairport Convention) after Ian's death and rumored replacement for Curtis via Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton?

The band hated him though, as Hewick was overly professional, played better guitar than Barney, and at one point pointed out that Barney was playing a Buzzcocks riff on one of his new songs, ending in a ticked off 1980 Barney throwing his Masquerader to the floor of the studio and stomping out :bow2: .

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For me, this is a tossup between Bernard and Gilian. Bernards post-Movement voice is very good, especially on Tehnique. However, I was pleasantly surpried with Gilian's voice for The Other Two. I think that in general, the female voice is more pleasing than the male voice, though. Thus, I voted for Gilian.

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Sheds on a Plane wrote: I'm wondering about Stephen...man gets no respect for his brilliance on the Western Works Demos :lol:

Or for his take on that 'Ceremony' demo? That too. :laugh:

Otherwise, it's Mr. Curtis. Miss the man. Pure unholy genius.

*currently listening to LWTUA [video edit] by JD*

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It depends from song to song,cant really see Curtis doing Jetstream can you?

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Curtis.:bow: You ought to be shot for even asking the question!:machinegun::blaster::violent::violent2::rip: :nuts:Muthaf**ka!

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MIMX wrote: Curtis.:bow: You ought to be shot for even asking the question!:machinegun::blaster::violent::violent2::rip: :nuts:Muthaf**ka!

Eep! Duck and fookin cover!!!

*hides in Steve's :tank: instead.*

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He can stick a :bag: on his head, but I'll still hunt him down! Asking silly questions about Curtis, only guy's voice that even came close to his was Sinatra's...

& Neil Tennant, don't make me :rofl: !

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*has Ian's ghost tag along in the hiding party inside Steve's :tank:, sort of to keep her and Steve company*

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ian curtis . so powerfull and well mixed /produced by hannet

live he could realy sound raw.

is my timing so flawed.

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Ian is more consistent than Barney live and his voice fits perfectly with the Joy Division sound. He wouldn't be good with New Order songs though and Barney is the perfect suit for the latter. I voted for Ian for his consistency.

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Some Distant Memory wrote: I love Ian's lyrics but his voice isn't as good as Barney's.

Barney's vocals are great in the sense that he has his own style that is not in tune (not unlike Ian) and it's matured over the years. Conversely, his lyrics are poorer than Ian's.

But.... Gillian, IMO, has the best singing voice of that lot. Very angelic and full of talent.

I pretty much agree with everything you've said. I never understood why they didn't give Gillian more singing chores.

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C P S

:nod:

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King John Honest John wrote: C P S

:nod:

:confused2:

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chatting pure shit

:shades:

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Have to say that Gillian's voice would be my fave - closely followed by D Potts - I loved the way they mixed his voice with Hooky's on MFP

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Mr Neil Tennant :nod:

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you what you what you what you what you what

:scratch:

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As much as I love Bernard's drunken singing, Ian's deep melodic voice wins me over every time.

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Definely Ian. Without a doubt. A cut above the rest.

Two of my all-time favorite vocalist:

  1. Ian Astbury (The Cult)
  2. Ian Curtis (Joy Division)

Ian McCulloch or Mr. Echo, did not made the cut.

Indeed!

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Ian Curtis without any doubt. :) The way he could show emotions while singing. Ian's voice is one of the most amazing voices I heard in my life. It's one of the reasons why I miss that much:\ohwell:

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