Right now I guess my favourite singer is Jesse Lacey of Brand New, simply because I love the songs he writes, I love his voice, and he was sweet enough to stand outside the Anson Rooms in the freezing cold, for 45 minutes talking to me and my friends.
I guess that should be reason enough...

Ooooooohhhhhhh! A difficult one for me. I change my favourite bands almost as much as my knickers I'm totally with Keeny on the Aerosmith thing. They are my favourite long term band who I can go for months without listening to but will always love them.

Also, The Wildhearts are another long term band. I've liked them for about 10 years now. I used to go and see them when there were only a handful of people at their gigs and so built up a fairly close relationship with them. They've gone through various line-ups, splits etc but still manage to churn out great songs. When they tour they can sell out Brixton Acadamy, The Astoria etc despite not being "popular". The music says it all.

At the minute I can't get enough of Zwan (Billy Corgan, ex Smashing Pumpkins new band - download something from ZaZaa - "Lyric", "Of A Broken Heart", "Declaration Of Faith" and "Settle Down" are my favourites). I'm going to see them play in Orlando next Tuesday 'cos we couldn't get tickets to see them in London (That's a bit of a lie actually. We had the holiday booked for months and they just so happened to be playing when were there, lol)

Also I fliter between The Lemonheads, Eminem, Motley Crue , Hole and NOFX.

It has to be the 'boss', Mr Springsteen to you and I.

Why? Firstly, with the E Street band he is by far the best live performer I have ever seen. The passion, exuberance and love of their music elevates them and is the reason people come back to see them play again and again.

Then it comes down to the quality of the songwriting across 14 albums (plus 6 cd's of live material and 4 cds of previously unreleased material) and 30 years.

His songs have always been about the ordinary man in America and have grown and aged as he has, from early tracks about teenage escape fantasies, through disillusionment, divorce and redemption. Where love songs now dominate popular music, he has made a career out of story songs painting a picture of life as it is in all its bitter sweet glory. Thunder Road was one of Nick Hornby's selections for 31, his recent book describing the soundtrack to his life.

It would take too long to describe fully but I guess to sum it up, Uncut magazine last month ran a 40 page article where a large and distinguished panel chose their 40 favourite Springsteen songs of all time. How many other artists can pose the question 'Which are their 40 best songs?'

Seconded for all the reasons cited. Favourites generally come and go but Springsteen has remained a consistent fave of mine. And I'm seeing him again in London before too long!

I have too many...

Though I think i'll have to with all of Reel Big Fish. Their music makes me smile, laugh dance, if I feel low I jsut put on their album and I feel better by the time the last beats of the last track have rung.
Plus I love ska, and I think that this year could be RBF's year, as they were playing at a pub near me before, now they play at the Astoria.
They rock, their lyrics are not complex and only speak to a certain type of complex person, I think anyone can understand it and enjoy it.
Plus they're lovely people!

(Edited by coolkat 05/04/2003 15:51)

favourite singers are Tori Amos, who sings beautifully; Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle) whose voice is just magical; and Chino Moreno (Deftones), very powerfull.

favourite band of all time is the Smashing Pumpkins, they made the most beautifull songs i have ever heard, saying what life is really about. they have only recently overtaken Nine Inch Nails who i like because Trent sings so powerfully about so many things that i feel. Zwan are pretty good too.

then there's Rancid, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Incubus, and i should stop now before there are too many..

So many to choose from. I've thought about many singers who've moved me - Jim Adkins, Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder, Lou Reed, David Bowie, Chrissie Hynde, Elvis Costello, Neil Tennent, Morrisey, Debbie Harry, Andy Bell, Jimi Goodwin, Thom Yorke, Martin Fry and Lloyd Cole all came rushing to mind.

But, if i had to name one singer who always hits me right there and can send me to places no one else can, then it would have to be Dave Gahan.

So, no surprise there, then.

I tend to listen to instrumental music as I usually find lyrics limiting and that they often detract from the message I interpret from a song. Strange idea to some I know, but hey...