Fake British Accent, = bad, or pretty not bad? Options

[Sid Hartha]

That seems to be the damning remark against an artist here lately.

I've never had any strong reaction to it, I just figure that singers tend to emulate their musical heroes. Even The Beatles and The Stones' emulated American vocal mannerisms (or their approximation of it) in their early work, 'cause it sounded cool.

Robert Pollard is probably the worst offender these days - he even pokes fun at it on one of his recent songs:
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^I'm not even sure you can call this an "English accent", as someone pointed out in the Blood Visions thread yesterday - it's more like an American imitation of a British imitation of an American accent.

Should artists' credibility be rated by how "authentic" their accent is, like Montana's beloved Drive By Truckers (a band that is about as 'rural' as Larry The Cable Guy) - or is it a non-issue?

[arkin]

I always think of Billie Joe Armstrong as one of the worst offenders.

[yancy]

I just want to hear whatever sounds good.

[metropolitician]

hey what about when fuckers who are british sing in fake american accents????


like rod stewart. ever heard that guy speak?

[Mitchell]

Ah, the question of authenticity in popular music. A topic that could go on and on and end up circling the drain of British Class War for hundreds of posts. Is Damon really a Cockney? Is Lilly Allen too rich at shop at Tesco? Does it matter that Joe Strummer was born John Mellor in Turkey? How could Brett Anderson be a bi-sexual when he hadn't you know? Did The Beatles sell out when they suited up? Mick Jagger is from Dartford, why does he sing like that?

[Hips]

hey what about when fuckers who are british sing in fake american accents????

fuckin A right...brits biting our accents all the time and nobody says a thing.

[UselessRocker]

The worst thing an artist can be is "fake" or "forced". However, singing allows for strange enunciations. I don't think Billie Joe Armstrong is thinking "I wanna try to sound British" when he sings, that's just how the guy sings. Not unlike Pollard or numerous other examples, he sings the way he does partly because of his influences. I don't think he's a "fake" for doing so. Colin Meloy pronounces things like a weirdo. That's not a Midwestern accent - I don't know anyone who says "here" as "heeairuhr".

Saying the DBTs are like Larry the Cable Guy is ridiculous. Dan Whitney's a total hack and is adopting a completely false persona. It's not like the DBTs are a bunch of guys from Williamsburg trying to be a southern rock band.

[Sid Hartha]

Saying the DBTs are like Larry the Cable Guy is ridiculous.

Just trying to get Montana off his lazy ass.

[biggie mcsmalls]

I just want to hear whatever sounds good.

Yup.

[arkin]

I never said Billie Joe Armstrong wasn't authentic, or whatever, not that it makes all that much difference. I just think earlier in the band's career, he was affecting more of a 'punk' voice, which came off a bit British sounding.

As for the authenticity argument, I dunno. Not everyone has to be authentic, rock 'n' roll is about mystique and persona as much as anything.

[Mr. Sinistro]

I've been accused a few times of sounding like I'm trying to sing with an accent, including one friend who shouted at me during the middle of a SubT show to "Try and sound more British Mike G! I dare you!" LOL

All I can say is, my main singing influences have always been Robert Smith, Morrissey, Rob Dickinson, a bit of Richard Ashcroft, and only one American, Jeremy Enigk. Smith, Morrissey and Dickinson go back to the late 80s for me, well before I was singing but right about when I was absorbing the hell out of new music and a few years before I started playing guitar. But it was never an intentional thing, i think it just goes with the way something can influence you over a number of years and it just becomes what you know.

[UselessRocker]

I never said Billie Joe Armstrong wasn't authentic, or whatever, not that it makes all that much difference. I just think earlier in the band's career, he was affecting more of a 'punk' voice, which came off a bit British sounding.

As for the authenticity argument, I dunno. Not everyone has to be authentic, rock 'n' roll is about mystique and persona as much as anything.

This is why I was trying to keep things limited to the whole "accent" thing. We've already gone down the slippery slope of "authenticity" in other threads.

Re: BJA - I don't think BJA's singing voice has changed that much, really. The style of later-era Green Day just allows for less of that "British punk sneer"-type vocal.

[Duff.]

I just want to hear whatever sounds good.

[mouthbreather]

That seems to be the damning remark against an artist here lately.

I've never had any strong reaction to it, I just figure that singers tend to emulate their musical heroes. Even The Beatles and The Stones' emulated American vocal mannerisms (or their approximation of it) in their early work, 'cause it sounded cool.

Robert Pollard is probably the worst offender these days - he even pokes fun at it on one of his recent songs:

^I'm not even sure you can call this an "English accent", as someone pointed out in the Blood Visions thread yesterday - it's more like an American imitation of a British imitation of an American accent.

Should artists' credibility be rated by how "authentic" their accent is, like Montana's beloved Drive By Truckers (a band that is about as 'rural' as Larry The Cable Guy) - or is it a non-issue?

Robert Pollard can pull it off just because he's such a charming character.
I would rather most of the others didn't try.

[yancy]

Logic time:

Billie Joe Armstrong uses a snotty faux-Brit accent on Dookie.
Dookie is a perfect record.
Therefore, fake British accents are perfectly acceptable.

[DrJimmy]

Therefore, fake British accents are perfectly acceptable.

"cool!"

[Agrimorfee]

Al Jourgenson probably would have a few words to say on this subject, if he posted here.

[6ome 9irl]

Sometimes fake accents in songs are just theatrics which is fine.

[mouthbreather]

Logic time:

Billie Joe Armstrong uses a snotty faux-Brit accent on Dookie.
Dookie is a perfect record.
Therefore, fake British accents are perfectly acceptable.

Pretty true.
It really depends on the credibility of the artist.

[twicks]

Speaking of singing with weird accents...

Anybody notice the strange way Jeff Tweedy sings some of his vowels sometimes?

Listen to the way he pronounces "sahtisfied " on the song "Sky Blue Sky," for instance.