Best band with a female lead singer

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Yeah here we go again. I figure this will be a lot more interesting than the best all girl band In fact its really tough picking betwenn the top two. Ill give it my best shot as to how Im feeling at the moment. This list is subject to change. Im sure many of you will want to do just that


#1 Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company

Big Brother and The Holding Company - Summertime

Janis Joplin - Ball and Chain live at Monterey '67

#2 Jefferson Airplane

This song used to really get me worked up . In fact the whole album did. From Volunteers

JEFFERSON AIRPLANE-Dick Cavett (We Can Be Together)


Somebody To Love/White Rabbit Jefferson Airplane

#3 Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac - The Chain (Live from Reunion Arena)


Fleetwood Mac - "Silver Springs" Live


From there it gets to tough.

[Togakure]

Heart would be the one for me in this category. Janis was before my time, really. I never got into Grace Slick. I like Fleetwood Mac, but they don't rank up in the top five for me. I've got this fix on Missing Persons that won't quit, but though they may be my fave in this category, I couldn't say they anywhere near the best. Yeah, Heart is it for me.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Heart was #4 on my list The best hair band ever

Heres something pretty neat. Just the two of them

Ann & Nancy Wilson - The Battle of Evermore


Heart - What About Love
Hard to believe how hot they both were back then. No not in the 1st video

Heart - Alone
Heart - Never

Some of the greatest power ballads ever.

[Strike For The South]

Skynyrd

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I always knew they were gay

Hey guess what I had two tickets to

Lynyrd Skynyrd at North Fork Theater (New York) on 19 Jun 2007 ...8pm. A whole 15 minutes from home. Eat your heart out I sold them.



Pssst iIneeded the money. Well not that bad But its not that I wouldnt have loved to have gone. But bussiness is bussiness of you know what I mean. Plus I dont like paying for concerts. Guess Im spoiled.

[Strike For The South]

Meh New Skynyrd isnt really that good. I was a bit dissapointed when I saw them at the rodeo but the rodeo more than made up for them

[naut]

I agree with your list, except Fleetwood Mac, although that's only because I have a personal vendetta against them due to my parent's overplaying their music in the car when I was young.

[Decker]

The Pretenders

[Ronin]

Nightwish

[doc_bean]

PJ Harvey

Janis Joplin is a very good choice too.

[Fragony]

Lamb

[InsaneApache]

I can't beieve that no one has mentioned Debbie Harry (Blondie). On looks alone she wins, hands down.

Then there's Alison Moyet (Yazoo), she has one of the move powerful and emotive voices I've ever heard.

[Pannonian]

I loved Catatonia at their height. I used to be awestruck by how Cerys Matthews went through a bottle of wine, a bottle of something else, and 2-3 cans of beer over the course of a 30 minute gig, in the gaps between songs. Then there was another gig, Astoria IIRC, where her choice of refreshment was a bottle or two of vodka. Fantastic.

[English assassin]

I loved Catatonia at their height. I used to be awestruck by how Cerys Matthews went through a bottle of wine, a bottle of something else, and 2-3 cans of beer over the course of a 30 minute gig, in the gaps between songs. Then there was another gig, Astoria IIRC, where her choice of refreshment was a bottle or two of vodka. Fantastic.

Not to rain on her parade, but water can look a lot like vodka from down in the audience.

I never much liked Catatonia, and when they did that song about how rubbish London was and how much they liked '[going] off back to Wales, my conclusion was, well, why don't you just [go] off back to Wales then? There's 7 million of us in London, its not like we are going to miss a few whinging Welshmen.

Plus that Road rage song made even Oasis's lyrics seem good.

Right now I'd say Evanescence are quite good, although it won't last.

[InsaneApache]

If we're talking babes they don't come much babier than these...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBxVtqrAEA

[Pannonian]

Not to rain on her parade, but water can look a lot like vodka from down in the audience.

Smirnoff water? I didn't even notice it was vodka until I saw pictures of the gig afterwards, with the label clearly visible.

[Pannonian]

If we're talking babes they don't come much babier than these...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYBxVtqrAEA

Who was the braindead interviewer who asked them, "So, how did you first meet?"

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Nightwish

Aye, and she has quite the voice as well.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

I cant believe no one has named #5 on my list yet. A local Long Island Girl who made it big

Pat Benatar

Pat Benatar...'Heartbreaker'..'LIVE'

Pat Benatar-You Better Run

Pat Benatar "Promises in the Dark"

Whole song not great video or sound

This one is just the first third of the song but with perfect sound and video

Pat Benatar - Promises In The Dark Video.

She has so many great songs and a great band.

[InsaneApache]

Who was the braindead interviewer who asked them, "So, how did you first meet?"

IIRC Donna Ayre (sp)

She made Mrs. Merton look professional.

[Kralizec]

I second Blondie.

No Doubt has some good songs, that would be my #2.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Heres another Im surprised hasnt been mentioned

No Doubt - Don't Speak
no doubt - just a girl

Heres a hint about another. This girl used to be a doll and had probably the greatest back up group of all time. Can you name her?

[Csargo]

The Distillers

Young Crazed Peeling

City of Angels

Beat Your Heart Out

I'm sure most of you won't like this but oh well.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Well heres #6 on my list that no one has yet mentioned. Maybe the best pure rocker among females ever


Lets start with my favorite song by them

Joan Jett And The Blackhearts - I Hate Myself For Loving You

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - "Do You Wanna Touch " (Live)

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts -"I Love Rock and Roll" Video

[Togakure]

For me, Pat Benatar would rank up in the top 10. My problem is that I was playing clubs in an era where Pat was all over the airwaves and break time DJ tapes. I heard her over and over and over again, and it just wore me out.

The Pretenders music will always bring back fond memories. In '84 we opened our night with Middle of the Road. We also did Brass in Pocket (my fave), Back on the Chain Gang, Show me and 2000 Miles. Our guitar player really excelled copping the Pretenders.

Meshell NdegeOcello is a fabulous bass player, vocalist and songwriter. I'm not drawn by much rap, and only some hip-hop, but Meshell's pseudo jazzy hip-hoppy tunes--from Plantation Lullabies in particular-- seriously pump.

I like the Cardigans a lot! Fresh, youthful, breezy and quirky--I just love their style. Their version of Iron Man never fails to crack me up.

Yes, forgot about Alison Moyet and Yazoo. I've followed Vince Clarke for a very long time now. He's a master programmer of arpeggiators and sequencers, and blends sounds and rhythms in a technopop way that appeals to me. I thought Alison's voice complimented his work, and vice versa. I respected Vince for resisting the lure of MIDI-based sequencers and arpeggiators in favor of the older, less convenient, but more accurate analog devices.

Kate Bush is a powerhouse vocalist, songwriter, and keyboardist. Funny that I hardly ever see her mentioned in these kinds of threads. Back in her early days I listened to her a lot, and liked most of it.

[Reverend Joe]

Well, Gawain, you nailed my first and second picks, consecutively (Janis with Big Brother, and the Airplane) plus one of my favorite unknown Airplane songs ("We Can Be Together"... god, I love that song... "UP AGAINST THE WALL, MOTHER****** -- TEAR DOWN THE WALL!")

Other than that, I really don't know... MAYBE Aretha Franklin, mainly because she is an undeniable classic, though I'm not a big fan of hers. Would "The Mamas and the Papas" count?

OOH, OOH, I KNOW -- Big Mama Thornton! Never heard a lot of her, but what I heard is good.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

OOH, OOH, I KNOW -- Big Mama Thornton! Never heard a lot of her, but what I heard is good.

Talk about a ground breaker,I love her.

Big Mama Thornton - HOUND DOG!! Orig. 1953 Peacock 78RPM

Youtube used to have lots of her wailing on guitar but for some reason their all gone.

plus one of my favorite unknown Airplane songs ("We Can Be Together"... god, I love that song...

My favorite airplane song. You play the reprise(volunteers) right after it and really get goin

[Yawning Angel]

Hows about Texas with the lovely Sharleen Spiteri as lead singer, I like the White on Blonde album.

[Mikeus Caesar]

Justine Frischmann of Elastica. First time i saw a video of one of their songs i was left entranced by her. Then again, i've always had a soft spot for woman who sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIt7eWa0oG4

The bass guitarist Annie Holland is nice as well. Not a touch on Justine though.

[English assassin]

Smirnoff water? I didn't even notice it was vodka until I saw pictures of the gig afterwards, with the label clearly visible.

Still not to rain on her parade but it is possible to fill up an empty vodka bottle with water. If Axl Rose can fill up a Jack Daniels bottle with Liptons...

I thought I was the only person in the world who remembered Pat Benatar. I used to love her stuff. (In the heat of the Night was the first album I ever bought, and I got every one when it came out after that up to Seven the Hard Way) . But I don't think it really stands the test of time. Great for a nostalgia kick though.