Voted Schneider but I listen to Lou weekly in some form or another. They are all fantastic.

If I had a kid they would write-in Florence Shaw probably.

Very big fan of the talk-sing. Going to go with MES even though i may be a bigger fan of others. He did so much with it and it was so much a part of what he did and his general aesthetic. Nothing really comes close and it's kind of undeniable. I wouldn't even consider myself a massive fan of the Fall.

MES simply becuse he's the first one that comes to mind when someone use the term and I *love* the Fall...
Lou Reed was great but not really more of a tlk-singer than Dylan IMO
Schneider is awesome too but for some reason, I don't really hear him as a "talk-singer" as much as a dorky old school white-boy rapper with a particularly stilted flow...
Michael Gerard (Killdozer) would be my write-in; he fits the bill IMO

Those first couple of B-52s records are unfuckwithable, but I wouldn't say they had a perfect strike rate. Mesopotamia and Bouncing Off The Satellites are two that never really clicked for me, Whammy! is ok, and I can't speak for their more recent albums.

I can’t remember who said it on the old forum but if you take any song at all, literally any song in existence, and imagine it performed and recorded exactly the same, but imagine the lead singer replaced by Fred Schneider singing instead, the song will be better. The only other person in existence who this might work for is Michael Gerald, and he’s not in this poll.
Fred Schneider, 0 WF

I voted Smith.

Though not on par with the options here, I would like to give a nod to Stan Ridgway.

Jimbo wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 3:18 pm I can’t remember who said it on the old forum but if you take any song at all, literally any song in existence, and imagine it performed and recorded exactly the same, but imagine the lead singer replaced by Fred Schneider singing instead, the song will be better. The only other person in existence who this might work for is Michael Gerald, and he’s not in this poll.
Fred Schneider, 0 WF

Love Fred Schneider in his role as a musical foil, but strongly disagree, and don’t think even the B-52s would have worked with him alone. I couldnt make it through his solo record.

Andy Gill. 'Paralysed'. Done.

zorg wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 1:21 am

Jimbo wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 3:18 pm I can’t remember who said it on the old forum but if you take any song at all, literally any song in existence, and imagine it performed and recorded exactly the same, but imagine the lead singer replaced by Fred Schneider singing instead, the song will be better. The only other person in existence who this might work for is Michael Gerald, and he’s not in this poll.
Fred Schneider, 0 WF

Love Fred Schneider in his role as a musical foil, but strongly disagree, and don’t think even the B-52s would have worked with him alone. I couldnt make it through his solo record.

To your point, "52 Girls" is probably better as sung by Cindy and Kate.

zorg wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2023 1:21 am

Jimbo wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 3:18 pm I can’t remember who said it on the old forum but if you take any song at all, literally any song in existence, and imagine it performed and recorded exactly the same, but imagine the lead singer replaced by Fred Schneider singing instead, the song will be better. The only other person in existence who this might work for is Michael Gerald, and he’s not in this poll.
Fred Schneider, 0 WF

Love Fred Schneider in his role as a musical foil, but strongly disagree, and don’t think even the B-52s would have worked with him alone. I couldnt make it through his solo record.

I thought his solo record was fantastic.