Well, to be fair, the Ramones were from Queens, NY, which has a non-rhotic accent that will sometimes sound vaguely like Cockney.
Green Day certainly has picked up the style of a number of British bands (The Kinks and The Buzzcocks in particular), but the singing has always sounded American.
Spinal Tap is, of course, a parody of an excessive British heavy metal group.
The actors in "This Is Spinal Tap" used American or British accents according to the style of the song, as I recall. I think they had British accents in "Listen (To What the Flower People Say)" and "Stonehenge," but they were definitely American in "Sex Farm Woman."
If I can't remember for sure, it must mean it's time I watched the movie again.
Ben, every rock critic mentions Joey Ramone and Billie Joe Armstrong's faux-British accents. And I was only joking when I mentioned Spinal Tap.
Excerpt from "Rolling Stone" magazine: "In less than three minutes, this song (Blitzkrieg Bop) threw down the blueprint for punk rock. It's all here on the opening track of the Ramones' debut: the buzz-saw chords... and the hairball-in-the-throat vocals, sung by Joey in a faux-British accent."
Re Smashmouth's "Fush Yu Mang": "You can't help but to make Green Day comparisons to such songs as the infectiously thrashing 'Flo,' 'Heave-Ho' and 'Nervous in the Alley,' a druggie-centered song that even has the Billie Joe Armstrong faux-British accent."
Re Uzi Machete: "At its best, Uzi Machete is a cheap Green Day knock-off without the faux British accent; at worst, a mild migraine."
Another guy who puts on a fake British accent is Al Jourgensen from Ministry. I've always thought they were a British band until I found out they came from Chicago!
I guess the case could be made for "Blitzkrieg Bop" sounding British since Joey Ramone pronounces bop as /bQp/, rather than /bAp/.
No argument about Ministry--that guy seriously sings like a Londoner. As does, just to add to the list, Julian Casablancas from the Strokes, the lead singer from The Rapture, and Amanda Palmer from the Dresden Dolls.
Ever listened to Missy Higins? She sings with a very strong Aussie accent. In fact, some Aussies find her singing to over the top and irritating.
Yeah I love the way Missy Higgins sings. There should be more like her and it looks like other Australian singers are following her style of using their natural accent in songs.
Anyone listen to Kylie Minogue's music? She's like singing in American pronunciation with an Aussie accent. Dunno if it has to do with her way of moaning lyrics. No offend to her hardcore fans.
Danni Minogue's accent is American.
Therefore, she might even spell her last name: MINOG :)
I'm stuck on the,
<<<..Kylie Minogue's music? She's like singing in American pronunciation with an Aussie accent.>>>
I mean, if she pronounces all her words in an American way, then how would someone know she is an Aussie unless they already knew in the first place?
The Stones sound British at times as well as American southerners. Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand sound British without a doubt --based on just a couple of songs though. I not sure what Avril Lavigne actually does sound like but I agree that she doesn't sound American. I would probably have never guessed that a lot of Brit singers or bands were NOT American had I not known where they were from. I think when they sing in accents that are not their own that it's mainly immitational <---only a word in my head
I think Adam was right on all of the bands he mentioned with the exception of Radiohead.
The singer of KoRn has a strong Californian accent, since that's where he's from, but he sings everything non-rhoticly. Is that a punk thing or do some Californians speak non-rhotic English?
"Ever listened to Missy Higins? She sings with a very strong Aussie accent. In fact, some Aussies find her singing to over the top and irritating."
Just as they find that of her contemporaries.
Green Day area punk band, so they are bound to sound British, because all the original punk rock bands were British and it started in Britain.
One of the many things that makes me proud to be British is our great music. The best in the world.
the ''best'' in the world
