Greatest Female Rock Singer Janis Joplin or Grace Slick

SH members who in your opinion is the greatest Female Rock Singer-Janis Joplin or Grace Slick.Personally i liked Grace's voice better than Janis.I do wish though i could have heard more of Joplin-a unique voice in rock n roll.And maybe you think someone is better than these two-let's hear your opinions

SP KID

 

I prefer Janis a million-to-one. It's all about passion! Janis had it!

 

I would take Maggie Bell or Christina Amphlett over either of those two.

 

Joplin and Slick are both great rockers, no doubt.
Whose better? Better at what? I think of Janis as the consummate female rock performer just belting it out and making you feel it. Grace is more subtle, but has some message to convey to your inner soul, like feed your head. Did Janis write very much at all? IMO, they both are equally great, just different.

 

Pat Benatar.

 

Although from different eras, considering pure raw voice talent
there are many others. Here's just a few:
Ann Wilson
Susan Tedeschi
Pat Benetar

 

What about Aretha Frankiln?

 

it's Janis by a mile but Grace certainly makes a respectable 2nd
Janis had some incredibly unique timbers where Grace is narrower in range, but Grace's voice is much clearer.
Janis was the ultimate as far as projecting a voice filled with passion.

 

Neither.

Anne and Nancy Wilson and Carole King.

 

Neither.

Janis Joplin - How did it come to be that Janis is considered a good singer? This I will never understand. I will agree that she sang with passion, but my cat howls with passion when I step on his tail. I don't record the howling and burn it to cd for future listening enjoyment. My theory is that white people wanted a wild and crazy "soul" singer that they could identify with and call their own - hence the popularity of Janis Joplin, lack of talent notwithstanding.

Grace Slick - Her voice is OK, so what? Get in line. She quit rock and roll because she's not really a musician. Does she even sing or play at home? I don't think so - she reads books. Which is all well and good, but what does that tell you?

Since we are talking 60's rock type stuff here, let me put forth a couple rock women from the era who can actually sing.

Bonnie Raitt - Woman's got soul. (yeah, yeah) Now here is someone who can actually sing with feeling. Taste, restraint, class. There's no need to sound like a screetch owl. And you notice she is still around making music. The reason? She's a musician!

Joni Mitchell - What more can be said that hasn't already been said? Look it up, please!

Also better than Janis and Grace - Emmylou Harris, Carole King, Cass Elliott, ummm Diane Renay , every female singer at Motown and Stax, etc., etc. Oh, all of the above imhho.

 

What about "Ball and Chain" and "Turtle Blues" from Cheap Thrills? Still give me goose bumps each time. I love the bottle smashing in the latter and being swept up as the song continues. Pity they changed the cover and left out the old light show gatefold, but replaced it with a much spunkier(????) picture of Janis (and BBATHC) The outer cover is wonderful

 

Dude - you got me! I don't know about the Cheap Thrills version of Ball and Chain, (although I'm sure I've heard it), but I did see Janis do this live on TV a couple times and I believe it is from the Monterey Pop Festival and it is really good. You probably know the video I'm talking about. She's like ripping her heart out up there. But still - Janis is overrated!

 

Tina Turner!

 

Mike,
GET CHEAP THRILLS

 

.... and while we're on this topic, how about Margot Timmins from Cowboy Junkies. Great voice, wonderful band.
I love the double CD "200 More Miles"

 

I'd pick Janis. I like Grace's work with the Airplane but I get the feeling any number of female singers could have done the job. On the other hand no one else could be Janis, she was one in a million. It's too bad drugs and fast living took so many great artists in the sixties who knows what Janis, Jimi or Jim could have done.

 

I will never buy Janis Joplin or Christina Aguilera. I'm not ignorant of her music, I've just heard enough. So little time, so much music. I must prioritize.

 

Steve w: I also thought of Aretha, but SOME people have a braser vision of rock than others......

Janis cuts the **** out of Ball and Chain on Cheap Thrills - if you never heard it, ya missed about a pound of goosebumps in rock n' roll history (whatever that means).

Gotta also give a nod to Heart and Benatar - they both came around when women and rock were NOT exactlt a synonym. From the same era - how about Chrissy Hynde. Maybe not the vocalist that the others were, but she was the real deal - every word she ever sang you BELIEVED; no bull. A damn fine songwriter and a great rocker.

 

It should say who is the "greater," becasue neither of them is the "greatest."

We all know that no one could "Rock the House" like Etta James !

 

I usually like it in the morning much better, yeah

How much do you want to bet?

-Craig

p.s. you spelled her first and last names wrong

 

And Ronnie Spector, IMO.

 

I have to admit, I've never understood what the attraction with Janis Joplin could possibly be. If I'd been a little older during the sixties maybe I would have a different take on her. Everything about her seems dirty and noisey to me.
Was her appeal that she was this little homely girl, screaming and writhing around on stage and it was different than anything anyone had heard or seen before? Something different than Doris Day or Brenda Lee or Connie Francis?
If you weren't there at the time, I wouldn't see any reason for investigating her at this time.
I'm not trying to be vicious, I am just am at a loss as to the reason for her widespread appeal. Granted, my knowledge of her music is limited, but that has been by design.

 

Me neither, and I was there. I guess it's just a matter of taste.

According to the Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums Cheap Thrills was among these other albums to peak at Number 1 on the album Charts in 1968 (listed chronologically):

Magical Mystery Tour
The Graduate
Bookends
Wheels of Fire
Waiting For The Sun
Time Peace/The Rasacals Greatest Hits
Electric Ladyland
The Beatles (White Album)

Among others, the one thing that distinguishes Cheap Thrills from these others is that it is the only album to feature a female vocalist, but in consideration of most, if not all, of these, that's not much of a distinction.