Yank accents in British music

[q89747]

Listening to Joy Division today and noticed something: Ian has what sounds to me like an American accent (at least the American 'R' sound) in a few songs. I've also noticed this in that first line of 'Spellbound' by the Banshees-- Siouxsie says 'From the cradle barrs', not 'From the cradle bahs'. Can maybe an NWOer from across the pond answer this? Were they imitating the accents of their favorite American acts from the day?

[rewind]

Yes, they purposely affect American accents to appeal to the American market and, hopefully, sell more records. (At least that's what several British musicians told us when we asked that question on WLIR in the 80's!)

[ghosty]

That's been going since Matt Monroe and Cliff Richard sang with American accents (same goes for a certain fab four)

[Doctor Doctor]

Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.

[b]"And now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her roman nose and her Walkman started to melt"[/b]

[q89747]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.
[/quote]

That's more what I figured. I can't imagine Siouxsie or Ian Curtis affecting an accent just for the sake of marketing.

[Alex Hush]

[quote][i]Originally posted by q89747[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.
[/quote]

That's more what I figured. I can't imagine Siouxsie or Ian Curtis affecting an accent just for the sake of marketing.
[/quote]

There is some evidence that music and language are processed (in part) in separate areas of the brain. Speech therapists have also noted that people with certain speech impediments, like stuttering, do not always display those impediments while singing. Thus your singing voice can be a lot different from your speaking voice.

[Doctor Doctor]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Alex Hush[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by q89747[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.
[/quote]

That's more what I figured. I can't imagine Siouxsie or Ian Curtis affecting an accent just for the sake of marketing.
[/quote]

There is some evidence that music and language are processed (in part) in separate areas of the brain. Speech therapists have also noted that people with certain speech impediments, like stuttering, do not always display those impediments while singing. Thus your singing voice can be a lot different from your speaking voice.
[/quote]

Interesting. And there are plenty of examples of people clearly singing in their native accents. Damon Albarn from Blur has a strong London accent when he sings and no one could mistake Delores from the Cranberries for anything but an Irish lass. And then there's The Proclaimers...unfortunitly. [:D]

[b]"And now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her roman nose and her Walkman started to melt"[/b]

[ghosty]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Alex Hush[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by q89747[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.
[/quote]

That's more what I figured. I can't imagine Siouxsie or Ian Curtis affecting an accent just for the sake of marketing.
[/quote]

There is some evidence that music and language are processed (in part) in separate areas of the brain. Speech therapists have also noted that people with certain speech impediments, like stuttering, do not always display those impediments while singing. Thus your singing voice can be a lot different from your speaking voice.
[/quote]

Interesting. And there are plenty of examples of people clearly singing in their native accents. Damon Albarn from Blur has a strong London accent when he sings and no one could mistake Delores from the Cranberries for anything but an Irish lass. And then there's The Proclaimers...unfortunitly. [:D]

[b]"And now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her roman nose and her Walkman started to melt"[/b]
[/quote]

Wasn't the beef between Oasis and Blur about Albarn affecting a "working class" accent while singing when he in fact has a rather posh speaking voice?

[Doctor Doctor]

[quote][i]Originally posted by ghosty[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Alex Hush[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by q89747[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>Some of its to do with influences. A band is going to subconsciously sound like the music they were most influenced by growing up. Texas are a good example. A Glaswegian band you'd never know were Scottish.
[/quote]

That's more what I figured. I can't imagine Siouxsie or Ian Curtis affecting an accent just for the sake of marketing.
[/quote]

There is some evidence that music and language are processed (in part) in separate areas of the brain. Speech therapists have also noted that people with certain speech impediments, like stuttering, do not always display those impediments while singing. Thus your singing voice can be a lot different from your speaking voice.
[/quote]

Interesting. And there are plenty of examples of people clearly singing in their native accents. Damon Albarn from Blur has a strong London accent when he sings and no one could mistake Delores from the Cranberries for anything but an Irish lass. And then there's The Proclaimers...unfortunitly. [:D]

[b]"And now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her roman nose and her Walkman started to melt"[/b]
[/quote]

Wasn't the beef between Oasis and Blur about Albarn affecting a "working class" accent while singing when he in fact has a rather posh speaking voice?
[/quote]

Haha now that you mention it I remember that. He's from a middle class background. I'm not an expert on London (or there abouts) accents, but his singing in Parklife would seem to suggest a fakeness that Noel Gallagher explicitly pointed out. [:D]



[b]"And now I know how Joan of Arc felt, as the flames rose to her roman nose and her Walkman started to melt"[/b]

[q89747]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by ghosty[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by Doctor Doctor[/i]
Wasn't the beef between Oasis and Blur about Albarn affecting a "working class" accent while singing when he in fact has a rather posh speaking voice?
[/quote]
Haha now that you mention it I remember that. He's from a middle class background. I'm not an expert on London (or there abouts) accents, but his singing in Parklife would seem to suggest a fakeness that Noel Gallagher explicitly pointed out. [:D]
[/quote]
Damon has said repeatedly that he was born within earshot of the Bow Bells. Whether or not he's a middle-class poseur is I guess for the listener to judge.