SINGING THE PRAISES OF SINGERS WHO CAN'T SING

SINGING THE PRAISES OF SINGERS WHO CAN'T SING

HOBOKEN, N.J. (Wireless Flash) -- A music historian is singing the praises of singers who can't sing. Musicologist Irwin Chusid -- author of the upcoming book, "Songs In The Key Of Z" (A Capella Books) -- is a fan of "outsider music:" pop tunes so awful they'd make Dr. Demento cover his ears. A good example is the Swedish Elvis impersonator who doesn't look, sound or move anything like the King. There's also a former Miss St. Louis who writes accordion nursery rhymes about her visits to other planets. Chusid admits most outsider music is laughably bad, but he admires how the musicians refuse to let their lack of rhythm or talent prevent them from expressing themselves. The outsider music phenomena may go mainstream thanks to Tom Cruise, who's just bought film rights to the story of the Shaggs, a New Hampshire band whose 1969 "Philosophy Of The World" recording is considered to the worst album ever.