Ian Hunter v. Phil Lynott v. Burton Cummings

[pcqgod]

Evaluate and rate on any criteria you choose, but I'm mainly asking which one has the voice you like the best.

[clive gash]

I had to look up Burton Cummings.



Looks lost without Spit the Dog

[Quaco]

The best that Hunter wrote and delivered are the best things ever, but Lynott wrote more good songs overall and had a more fun persona.

[sloopjohnc]

Burton Cummings is a better singer than Hunter and Lynott combined. Hunter and Lynott were great songwriters whose songs and singing were very unique and rode on the strengths of their songs and personas.

I always thought Cummings was the blandest of the three, but. . .

I think the Guess Who's songs, and Cummings, were underestimated. I have a couple anthologies and am always impressed when I go back to them.

[sloopjohnc]

The best that Hunter wrote and delivered are the best things ever, but Lynott wrote more good songs overall and had a more fun persona.

And Hunter is still putting out good stuff. His Rant band is very good and there are still excellent things to find in his newer stuff.

[pcqgod]

Now with added poll for your convenience.

[Mike Boom]

Best album ever to get drunk with/to ...

[sloopjohnc]

I voted Phil very much as Quaco elucidated.

His one solo album, Solo in Soho, is not bad either.

[Tom Waits For No One]

I voted Phil very much as Quaco elucidated.

His one solo album, Solo in Soho, is not bad either.

as well as his second solo album

[sloopjohnc]

I voted Phil very much as Quaco elucidated.

His one solo album, Solo in Soho, is not bad either.

as well as his second solo album

I didn't know he had one. I knew he played in a band with Steve Jones and Paul Cook, but I've never seen this.

But then I tune out John Banks when he goes on too long about Lynott. When I can understand him.

[Davey the Fat Boy]

Hunter in almost every respect.

[naughty boy]

Lynott was aggressive and not very bright. And his music was all turds.

It's obviously Hunter, for about 8 really really great fun rock songs.

[harvey k-tel]

Oooh baby...

[pcqgod]

Burton Cummings is a better singer than Hunter and Lynott combined. Hunter and Lynott were great songwriters whose songs and singing were very unique and rode on the strengths of their songs and personas.

I always thought Cummings was the blandest of the three, but. . .

I think the Guess Who's songs, and Cummings, were underestimated. I have a couple anthologies and am always impressed when I go back to them.

I agree with all of that.

[toomanyhatz]

Best singer? Cummings.
Best songwriter? Lynott.
Most enduring artistically? Hunter.

So, a tossup, basically. I have the most Hunter of any of the three, but something always feels a bit lacking (on the average stuff only, the great stuff is truly great but to me there's not much of it).

[Charlie O.]

Hunter - I adore the best MTH records and like most of the rest. Unlike seemingly everyone else, I haven't cared for most of his solo work. At all. Seems like a great guy.

Lynott - I was never a fan, or even wanted to be.

Cummings - I adore the best GW records and like most of the rest a lot. Just like seemingly everyone else, I haven't cared for any of his solo work. At all. And while he was once the the best singer of these three, he's appallingly bad now; I think I'd rather hear Phil Lynott's skeleton rattle its bones than Burton Cummings sing (or maybe even talk) nowadays. He can be a real prick sometimes, too.

And I'm voting for Burt anyway, just on the basis of most of what he did between 1966 and 1975. As Sloop suggests, The Guess Who, for all their hit singles, were and are underestimated as hell.

[sloopjohnc]

And while he was once the the best singer of these three, he's appallingly bad now

I pulled up a YouTube clip of him doing These Eyes in 2011 and he sounded great. i pulled up some singing clips in 2018 and he is terrible

What the heck happened?

[Quaco]

Lynott was aggressive and not very bright.

Not true, not true at all. But I will admit he seems that way because of the denim, rock style, and so on. Some day, you may find yourself surprised!

[Quaco]

Hunter - I adore the best MTH records and like most of the rest. Unlike seemingly everyone else, I haven't cared for most of his solo work. At all. Seems like a great guy.

I'm still getting around to it all, but as far as I can tell, the first solo album is the only one that is very good.

[Sneelock]

that's about right but that's good enough for me.
I think he's like Lou Reed - he doesn't really sing so much as slather his songs with his personality.
when he's got the songs - this is pretty great.