How did Thom develop his slurred-word singing style?

[milton_friedman 0]

To me the most distinctive thing about Thom's vocal style, maybe even more than his high pitched nasally whininess, is the slurring of his words. "Where'd you park the car" in Morning Bell becomes WHEEJAPAHK EH CAHH. It gives his vocals a hauntingly alien (like in Idioteque) or beautifully fragile (No Surprises) feel. It's like he has his own accent when he sings. Where'd he get the idea to sing like this?

Also I rarely hear people reference Thom's slurriness. People describe his singing as high pitched and whiney, but no one can slur a word like Thom can, so I don't know why that's not used as a descriptor for his vocals more considering he slurs his way through almost every song.

[cartwheels 4]

He slurs his words in Anyone Can Play Guitar. Maybe it's a sardonic effect.

[cartwheels 4]

Not saying because he's being sardonic in ACPG that this vocal effect is always sardonic. But it's kinda Johnny Rotten isn't it?

[littlewhitelies_ 0]

well PH was more punkISH than any of their other albums, espec songs like ripcord and how do you

 

anyway i think he wants words to sound ambiguous and like entirely different mixed-up words, he also slurs in contextual ways like I remember him slurring 'choke' on exit music; sounded throaty like he was choking..live version I think

 

oh and he most def uses fx gear/sw to slur his voice but it can sound quite natural at times

[sleepy jack 23]

you know that thom drinks, right?

                                                                                                                                                                he likes the glug glug.

[RememberWhenIWasElijahHaha 11]

open up them olives lads!

[Fast Tracker 12]

Sainsbury's Taste the Difference

[rose ocean 16]

you know that thom drinks, right?

he likes the glug glug.

[NewTwistedWords 0]

That picture of Thom, Jonny, and Nigel is all I need