Axl's 2016 voice

[koldweather]

Exactly Wagszilla.

To be honest I was worried that he was going to come out sounding like SA shows from 2014, they were BAD vocally. But he has come out sounding at least as good as the best Vegas show, so he at least hasn't gone backwards. Its a good base to start from.

For those wanting 2010 vocals, take a look at Taiwan 2009 and Seoul, both had great moments but there was some really poor periods in both shows, so still too early to really judge the longer term ramifications of his vocals.

For now, its a positive start and if it stays this way, I'll take it. I know some won't...but tough....

[The Macaroni Incident?]

Axl's vocals in 2016 have already blown away anything from 2001-02 and 2011-2014.

No question.

 

[action]

he uses "menacing voices" i've never heard him use before, or not to that extent. i guess that's the  AC/DC factor playing here. more of that please! a welcoming new take on the old GNR songs.

this is so far gone from RIR 2011. fuck the yellow raincoat.

[koldweather]

Lets compare the WTTJ from the 3rd show of the SA leg 2014 tour and the show last night:

How some people can't tell there has been an improvement from then is beyond me....

[Its a Bad Obsession]

Just heard patience from Vegas last night and he sounds really great on it!!! "i sit here on this chair coz i'd rather be alone" 

[SoundOfAGun]

Personally, I don't think he sounds good on several songs. He still has a very good voice, but the clean falsetto does not sound right at all. Songs can be reworked to accommodate what Axl can do rather than what he could. I hope he gets better as the tour goes on, but if he doesn't then a rework would sound better than the odd falsetto.

[Italian girl]

Sincerely, I don't mind

[ChristianGNR]

Pretty impresive for a first show. 

Still a lot of clean voice, but with a great tone, sustain and vibrato. Nothing like 2011-2014.

[EvH]

3 hours ago, rudolf1978 said:

He cant sing,in 2010 the reunion would been a triumph.But today............sounds bad.Coma is a disaster.

Complaints complaints complaints^TM

[Jakey Styley]

Far better than the embarrassment we had from 2011-2014 but not close to 2010. I guess I'm satisfied but hope he can push himself just a little more.

[AxlRoseCDII]

Does anyone else think that last nights Paradise City performance was better than what we heard from the Troubadour? 

 

Anyways, Axl's voice is definitely at least good right now. Nowhere near the beast that it was in 2006, but some songs which previously sounded bad/Mickey are sounding better: Nightrain for instance, Better, Live and Let Die...still struggles with YCBM but can you really blame him at his age? Bottom line it looks like he's at least trying now, so even if some songs are weak at least it's due to age and not laziness like 2011.

[Kaneda]

You guys are crazy.  Was at the show last night.  He sounded AMAZING.  Every think someone's voice doesn't sound epic when you're recording the audio using shitty cell phones?  Also, remember, Axl couldn't go backstage and get his oxygen like he normally does due to be stuck in the chair.  He did go backstage some, but couldn't do it mid song, like during estranged. 

[Flayer]

Good clean vocals for the most part last night. Not much rasp, but very little Mickey. Not out of breath, squeaky, or embarrassing.

Go back and re-watch Bridge School before you complain. This ain't 2010 by any means but it's about the best we've had since 2010.

[Huttz]

He sounds great.  They're back and playing, I'm happy with that. 

[Amir]

Sounds like early 2012 and late 2014, i.e. the best we've had since 2010, and in some places better than 2010. The "ÜberRasp" of 2009-10 wasn't great for songs like Better and Catcher, even listening to an MP3 rip of a YouTube video of Better from last night's show, he sounds really good.

I'm happy with it  Will be interesting to see how his vocals will compare once he's (literally) up and running again: on the one hand the running about will tire him out, on the other hand he can get more oxygen breaks.

[Ak1nney]

Axl's voice translates so much better live in person. I know that sounds like a whatever sort of comment, but trust me. It just mixes in better with the loud music. Even the cleaner tone can sound really good when it cuts through the guitars. Recordings aren't as forgiving as the vocals stand out more than they should. I think his voice will get even better as the tour goes. I understand the complaints as it isn't quite at the few peaks we've seen it throughout the last 10 years, but in no way should you miss a show on this tour. You would regret it.

[JimMorrison4]

Sounded good to me

[MrSoftie]

Ignoring the high stuff and rasp - did anyone else notice how good the low stuff was? Like he was really singing. Beautiful tone and vibrato. It's amazing what Axl can do when he really gives a damn. 

[comaknight]

For a 2nd public performance/first official show of the tour, with a broken foot and lack of oxygen breaks that he used in every single nuGuns show/tour up until this and the Troubadour, he sounded great.  He should've been standing still for the last 12 years.

Edited April 10, 2016 by comaknight

[Changes]

Slightly off topic, but didn't Axl run around im his cast in 1991? This might be cool for a couple of shows but I would hate for him to sit down for both coachella shows. 

[Pedrolg]

I thought it was very solid, with a few less than stellar moments but also a few absolutely impressive ones. I think he will sound fantastic as the tour progresses.

[pugachev]

I'm all alone in being more upset that Slash ditched his godlike UYI tone for whatever he's using now. I can deal with Axl's Mickey voice if this tone made a come back.

 

https://youtu.be/ii9dbih9lkI?t=140

Edited April 10, 2016 by pugachev

[War2k14]

I still contend he blew his voice out in 2010 much like he did in 1991 and had to revert to a cleaner voice in 1993.

 

Axl is really into it and his clean voice is a lot stronger.  He is pitchy on parts like coma where he's not used to doing a clean voice. 

Then when he reverts to his signature rasp, not the high rasp his voice tends to give out like coma. 

 

But on signature rasp parts like the bit after the solo in ycbm Or the better breakdown he gives it all out rasp, and he gives it a touch of rasp in songs like jungle.

i honestly feel he is giving his all while trying not to blow out his throat.  Low rasp parts in nightrain and paradise sound good.  

 

I feel as the tour progresses we will have a chance to see whether his voice can take the abuse at his age and he increases the frequency of the rasp or whether it can't and he goes cleaner. 

All in all much of the clean stuff is sounding pretty good considering there's not that additional third guitar and his vocals are pretty high in the mix.

i honestly feel for this tour Axl is giving it all he can vocally and unfortunately the damage is done.  But I don't blame him for trying to adapt to his ago or do what he needs to do to put on a great show.

if this reunion happened in 2006 or 2010 it would be a different story.  I personally hope for more of that 2006 clean rasp than the 2010 brutal rasp.  He might be able to do that for longer.

i just hope he doesn't waste his voice with acdc.  It might have been a good move to space out the tour more for recovery purposes.

Edited April 10, 2016 by War2k14

[chevelle]

Some of the clips of him using the rasp from the Troubadour sound SUPER unhealthy. Especially that "HAH!" he drops in Jungle...you can pretty much hear how hard his vocal cords are slamming together and that is not good for the voice at all. 

[rudolf1978]

5 hours ago, chevelle said:

Some of the clips of him using the rasp from the Troubadour sound SUPER unhealthy. Especially that "HAH!" he drops in Jungle...you can pretty much hear how hard his vocal cords are slamming together and that is not good for the voice at all. 

Yes,weak rasp,in 2010 he fucked up his voice,no doubt about it.