Who's he? (nach)

Something of a predecessor to the Billie of today. Only not on so many drugs.

Nina Simone is better.

You would say that subbes. Always the deviant.

She was better on the radio, too.

Billie Piper is better

No she's not!

>No she's not!

No, not better than YOU, Ailie!!!

Why would I entertain such a bizarre notion?

Mama Cass.....now that's what I call a singer. I also find it utterly hilarious that the Beatles CD, which contains exactly the same tracks as the two Beatles Collections, is tipped to be one of the most successful CDs ever. You listening Westlife? Pogue Mahone.
Yes, although there was some diabolical stuff around in the mid 20thC, I doubt very much if people will be listening to The Baha Men, Westlife, Atomic Kitten, Bewitched etc. in thirty or forty years time. I know this little rant makes me sound older than my 23 years, but having been brought up to appreciate every kind of music it galls me to see a bunch of snotnosed Irish muppets be deemed "band with most successive number one singles" when they've only had to sell 10,000 copies to get there.

However, to end on a gratifyingly smug note, Martine McCrutchings new album only sold 3000 copies in its first two days, muhaaahaaahaaahhhh!!

...and she bought 2999 of them herself.

Wouldn't be at all surprised. I will always think of her as "Tiffaneeeeeeeeeeeee" no matter what she does. McCrutching, if you (or one of your acquaintances) read this, take note:

YOU ARE NOT A CREDIBLE MUSICAL ARTISTE, YOU SOUND LIKE THE LOCAL BARMAID DOING KARAOKE.

> No, not better than YOU, Ailie!!!

Well, that goes without saying, surely?!

>Nina Simone is better.

There's no better or best in these things, merely personal preferences. I do have to say, though, that I would say that Nina Simone isn't fit to lace Billie Holiday's drinks.

I see Ella Fitzgerald's wheeled up in the car park. She's reeking of booze and spoiling for a fight...

>There's no better or best in these things, merely personal preferences.

If you're about to mention that "music is subjective, innit?", you will be taken outside and kneecapped.

> I do have to say, though, that I would say that Nina Simone isn't fit to lace Billie Holiday's drinks.

Ooooh nonononono.

Syd Barrett is better than both of them.

Billie Holliday is a goddess. I got very upset when my only Billie Holliday CD got stolen. I wander around Islington humming the only fragments of Lover Man that I can remember.

Anyone heard the Communards cover of that? Equally devine, though Billie is the master of course.

Billie is the master or should that be mistress?

Ella is great, Nina too, but I am very enchanted by the overlooked Sarah Vaughan.

>Billie is the master or should that be mistress?

I agree mistress is more appropriate given Billie's gender, but I'd hate to imply that she was a slut.

>Ella is great, Nina too, but I am very enchanted by the overlooked Sarah Vaughan.

And the fabulous k.d. lang!

>Billie is the master or should that be mistress?

Kinder - what's your favourite Billie period? Columbia, Decca or Verve?

I'm always on the look out for cheapo comps to fill the gaps between the proper re-issues, but I can never find one that features "Strange Fruit". Have you had any more luck in this regard?

>I'm always on the look out for cheapo comps to fill the gaps between the proper re-issues, but I can never find one that features "Strange Fruit". Have you had any more luck in this regard?
>

I have Mike J. It's called Master of Jazz - Billie Holliday and it was the above mentioned Billie CD that got stolen from me. Strange Fruit is another song I walk around trying to sing. It's so gorgeous and passionate. OOooooohhhhhhhhhh I LOVE IT!!!!

I too have been introduced to her through compilations which have an across the board range of early and later stuff. So I don't tend to see her through a gaze of periods.

But her voice is just timeless. Sends chills through me.

>It's called Master of Jazz - Billie Holliday

Cheers - I'll keep an eye out for that. Now, if you can tell me where I can find Billy Mackenzie's version of the same song, I'll be most impressed.

>I too have been introduced to her through compilations which have an across the board range of early and later stuff. So I don't tend to see her through a gaze of periods.
>
>But her voice is just timeless. Sends chills through me.

Doesn't she just!

>>It's called Master of Jazz - Billie Holliday
>
>Cheers - I'll keep an eye out for that. Now, if you can tell me where I can find Billy Mackenzie's version of the same song, I'll be most impressed.
>

And if you can tell me which member of The Portsmouth Sinfonia I work with I'll be REALLY impressed.

For those of you who own that Sounds of Springfield CD (or whatever it's called):

"Come on Lisa, I've got a date with Billie Holiday"

>And if you can tell me which member of The Portsmouth Sinfonia I work with I'll be REALLY impressed.

Er, Gavin Bryars?

In response to Kinder - the only reason I dragged periods into the discussion is that there seems to be a certain amount of polarisation of opinion on when Holiday was at her peak. A lot of people only like the 30s/40s stuff and find the later material, when her voice had coarsened and the end was nigh, pretty intolerable; and vicey versee.

Same thing with Sinatra - the fresh faced crooner with Tommy Dorsey, the Riddle-arranged 'lonely loser' of the 50s, or the film star years. I like Billie and Frank best when the vocal elasticity has first started to go and the tone is richer and darker - the early/mid-50s in both cases.

I was talking rubbish about "Strange Fruit", btw. Practically *every* collection I saw in MVC at lunchtime featured it; wasn't always the case, tho'...

>A lot of people only like the 30s/40s stuff and find the later material, when her voice had coarsened and the end was nigh, pretty intolerable; and vicey versee.

I don't think it could ever be intolerable. Was her later stuff more heroin evident?

btw do you like newcomer songstress Fiona Apple? I thoroughly reccomend her latest album 'When the Pawn...' it is breathtaking.

>>And if you can tell me which member of The Portsmouth Sinfonia I work with I'll be REALLY impressed.
>
>Er, Gavin Bryars?

Nope. And it's not Michael Nyman either.

>In response to Kinder - the only reason I dragged periods into the discussion is that there seems to be a certain amount of polarisation of opinion on when Holiday was at her peak. A lot of people only like the 30s/40s stuff and find the later material, when her voice had coarsened and the end was nigh, pretty intolerable; and vicey versee.
>
>Same thing with Sinatra - the fresh faced crooner with Tommy Dorsey, the Riddle-arranged 'lonely loser' of the 50s, or the film star years. I like Billie and Frank best when the vocal elasticity has first started to go and the tone is richer and darker - the early/mid-50s in both cases.

I agree with you re both Frank and Billie. I LOVE New York New York to death BTW.

Any thoughts on Johnny Mercer? I'm a big fan. The film Midnight In The Garden Of Good and Evil wasn't great, but it's soundtrack was 100% Johnny Mercer and 100% brilliant. They got loads of fab people to sing various songs. k.d. lang did a brilliant Skylark and the film's star Kevin Spacey did the best That Old Black Magic I've ever heard.

>I was talking rubbish about "Strange Fruit", btw. Practically *every* collection I saw in MVC at lunchtime featured it; wasn't always the case, tho'...

And so it should!

Incidentally my Frank Sinatra best of New York, New York CD and my Midnight In The Garden... soundtrack were also stolen with the Billie CD. As was my Ben Folds Five CD. I'm still gutted about it. The day my music left me...SIGH.

Anyone else get emotional about music?

Yes.

Incidentally, Fiona Apple is quite obviously insane. She makes no sense. Ever.

She's quite lovely though!

But in-fucking-sane.

>I don't think it could ever be intolerable. Was her later stuff more heroin evident?

Oh yes - mind you, heart disease was setting in too. It's either magnificently bleak, or the sound of a once great artist, old before her time, croaking through a few standards. Me, I object to the syrupy strings on "Lady In Satin". It's still unmistakeably *her*, of course, but it's a little like those devotees who were still swooning over Sinatra's performances in the 80s - "he's still got 'it'". Well, yes, but the *voice* has gone...

>btw do you like newcomer songstress Fiona Apple? I thoroughly reccomend her latest album 'When the Pawn...' it is breathtaking.

I have a very strong aversion to neurotic, confessional singer/songwriter types but enough people whose opinion I value seem to dig th'Apple for me to be intrigued. She toured with Laika not so long ago, so maybe there's something I'd like in there...

>I have a very strong aversion to neurotic, confessional singer/songwriter types but enough people whose opinion I value seem to dig th'Apple for me to be intrigued.

I had no idea you had such a high opinion of Suii.

Talking of great singers cracking up and letting their voices hang ragged, is anyone else a fan of Harry Nilsson's "Pussy Cats"?
It's the record he did with Lennon during the Lost Weekend, pumped to the gills with booze and pills. The sleevenotes have pictures of a throat surgeon gazing down Harry's gullet with a look of bewildered terror.
HN used to have a four octave range (and used it properly, take note Whitney) but by this stage in his deterioration, he can barely hit a note. It's bleeding marvellous.
Get it for "Old Forgotten Soldier" where he sounds like Will Oldham's dead dad.
Ooh. I've gone all shivery.

(I also second the earlier nomination for Sarah Vaughan. Top jazz bird.)

how many times, butler? viva nilsson and pussy cats rocks, but he didn't have a four octave range. that would make him able to sing as low as leonard cohen and lee marvin and about six semitones higher than minnie riperton does in 'loving you.'

j xxx

In the bath, though. Yes.

Mike J - If you're after that Billie Holliday CD with Lover Man on it there's a copy at Tower Records, Piccadilly Circus. I got the 2nd to last one yesterday.

> but he didn't have a four octave range.

The sleevenotes for "Pandemonium..." claim three-and-a-half for the Nilsson throat.

> that would make him able to sing as low as leonard cohen and lee marvin

...and Stephin Merritt?

> and about six semitones higher than minnie riperton does in 'loving you.'

So, is a 4-octave range even possible? Do Diamanda Galas and Yma Sumac get close?

>I had no idea you had such a high opinion of Suii.

Boh!