What bands with vocalists do you think would be successful as instrumental acts?

Question

Happy Wednesday! And to those who will be celebrating it tomorrow, Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Can you think of any musical acts that would be just as much of a success if they didn't have any vocals involved?

Thanks, Dave!

That's OK, 80'S MAN. Hope you have a good one!

Dani - I'm going to be staring at the clock for the next 30 hours or so...

rocket queen - thank you! :)

Thanks, lovnrckets! Can't wait for the turkey...

LOL - hope it's a good one for you, Mike. :)

Thank you, Darth!

Beatle fanatic - Happy Bird Day...woo-hoo!

Thanks, Bowzer...hope you have a great one. :)

fourstarchef2003 - thank you for the invitation!

**aNONymous** - thanks!

Prof - I'm already starting to salivate. Tomorrow is a "hall pass" day for me - there aren't many of those and that means I can have as much stuffing as I want!

Hope you & the family have a great day!

huevo & conie - it was a great day, and I hope both of you had a nice holiday too. :)

Answer 1

The answer to this would ultimately end up being the least likely one you'd expect. If I told you twenty years ago that The Beastie Boys would turn into an instrumental act, you'd probably have me committed. Yet it happened.

Bring on the turkey, Happy Thanksgiving Sookie!

Answer 2

Happy Food Day!!!!!

The two that come to mind (in both cases they are bands with singers I appreciate, but I think they have good foundations for an instrumental act) would be Stereolab and the Mars Volta. In both cases they probably wouldn't be as good (especially in the Mars Volta, Cedric really adds a lot) but with some adjustments it could still be pretty awesome.

****************
Thanks Sookie, right back at you. I hope it's a great holiday. I'm totally with you on the hall pass too. I've been trying to watch myself for the last couple years (found out a couple years ago that I don't have an 18 year old's metabolism anymore, bummer) but all bets are off tomorrow, and subsequently Saturday as my family is pushing it back a couple days this year. YEAH STUFFING!!!

Answer 3

Hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!

I think Sonic Youth could have absolutely no vocals and still be as innovative a force as they already are. The whole band is comprised of such talented musicians, especially Steve Shelley. I've listened to a little of his solo material and it blew me away. If they were to release nothing but instrumental material from here on out I'd still be thrilled. Just nothing similar to NYC Ghosts and Flowers please, that album was terrible.

Lovnrckets is absolutely right as well, the instrumental tracks the B-Boys have layed down over the years are some of the best songs they have put out. Quite the swanky material.

Answer 4

Jimi Hendrix's voice has kind of grown on me through the years.

Pink Floyd, as mentioned, is fairly plausible, too, given the number of instrumentals or semi-instrumentals they've done.

He's not a band, but Ry Cooder's musical talent is such that he could just shut up and let his slide guitar playing take centre stage...and eventually that's precisely what he did, becoming quite a prolific soundtrack composer - "Paris, Texas" being the best known, probably.

Ditto with Brian Eno...

Anyhoo! Happy Thanksgiving - mmmmmm, Christmas next (Homer Simpson-style drooling : )

Answer 5

Happy Day Before Stuffing Oneself With Fatty Foods And Fighting With Ones Family While Drinking Way Too Much And Having That Fifth Helping Of Turkey And Dressing



Dave beat me to it, but Rush is the prime example that I can think of.






NP: "Bone" - Kick

Answer 6

Jethro Tull
Pink Floyd
Dire Straits
Fleetwood Mac
Jimi Hendrix

Answer 7

I think Metallica would be fine without James at vocals. When you think about their music, or at least when I do, I never immediately think about him singing. I always remember memorable riffs from Master of Puppets, One, or Enter Sandman.
I'm a big fan of Irish music, so I see potential there. I'll have to say Flogging Molly and The Tossers would do just fine without vocals (though I rue the day it happens, I like their vocals a ton). Plus, they each have fantastic instrumental songs already.

Answer 8

Sigur Ros has a vocalist but i do consider them instrumental because the singing is more like an instrument.

I was thinking maybe Radiohead, but no, Thom's voice cannot go.


Fourstarchef - FNM? Yes maybe the first record could go with vocals, but you cant drop Patton!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 9

Happy Thanksgiving Sookie!

And because with a few exceptions most of their songs have a like 4:1 music to lyrics ratio, I definitley have to say Pink Floyd.

Edit: I agree with Silver. Jimi Hendrix's singing definitley wasn't his strong suit, and it takes away from the spotlight his guitar playing deserves. Hell, his career might've even been /better/ if he was purely instrumental.

Answer 10

These might seem out-there, but in my opinion,
Faith No More
White Zombie(Boy would that sound Interesting)
Alice Cooper(Although I would miss that gruff voice)
The Chef will be quite busy making many turkeys, so if you can find my Hotel, you are all welcome to have Thanksgiving with my staff and I
Oh, and Football Tomorrow Too.