I was listening to Bucharest 2010 tonight...

[Estranged Reality]

... For the umpteenth time, and for the umpteenth time I'm utterly amazed how, well, amazing Axl sounded. Close your eyes on some songs and he's THIS close to sounding like 1991 era Axl.  In fact, it's one of few NuGuns shows where I think he actually nails Sweet Child. It's fantastic from beginning to end. 

I'm not ragging on him right now (I think he could sound a lot worse than he does! I don't think, I know! Hello bridge benefit concert!) but it did get me thinking... Wow... Can you imagine if he could get back to that point again, vocally? I feel like he's on his way (I just listened to Nightrain from Mexico and he has his moments) but it would make for an absolutely mind blowing tour if he could channel whatever he had going on again. My standards of measure for Axl tend to be Scom, Paradise City, Rocket Queen, YCBM and the outro of Patience -  those tend to be where Mickey slips in at times - and he had none of that in Bucharest. Again, I'm not at all bashing him (and I'm incredibly pleased with everything happening right now) but after listening to the gig again tonight it just made me think, What if? 

I mean, seriously:

 

 

[GNRfan2008]

I think it's possible. He sounds better right now than he did in late 2009 (ie the warm-ups for 2010). Throw in the AC/DC material and his usual pattern of getting better as time goes on with each tour. Either he's going to go all out 1,000% for Angus and ruin his voice for GN'R...or...or...the AC/DC stuff is going to be a great warm-up for the GN'R stadium tour and by the time Detroit rolls around he will be in full 2010 form again. 

[Gordon Comstock]

Probably the best 'nuGNR' show, period. Axl sounded stellar on every song.

 

(LOL at ashba at the beginning)

 

Edited April 21, 2016 by Gordon Comstock

[Nicklord]

I was in Belgrade 2 days after that one. Also saw a lot of videos from the show in Zagreb which was the next day from Belgrade. All 3 shows sounded a little better than other shows in 2010 and that means a lot because that year was amazing for Axl's voice. 

My theory is that Axl wanted to prove himself because he never played in Romania, Serbia and Croatia before and pushed himself just a bit more than usual. 

[pugachev]

ehhh, sounds better I guess, still sounds like hes trying to scream through a coffee straw. 

[ironmt]

17 minutes ago, Estranged Reality said:

... For the umpteenth time, and for the umpteenth time I'm utterly amazed how, well, amazing Axl sounded. Close your eyes on some songs and he's THIS close to sounding like 1991 era Axl.  In fact, it's one of few NuGuns shows where I think he actually nails Sweet Child. It's fantastic from beginning to end. 

I'm not ragging on him right now (I think he could sound a lot worse than he does! I don't think, I know! Hello bridge benefit concert!) but it did get me thinking... Wow... Can you imagine if he could get back to that point again, vocally? I feel like he's on his way (I just listened to Nightrain from Mexico and he has his moments) but it would make for an absolutely mind blowing tour if he could channel whatever he had going on again. My standards of measure for Axl tend to be Scom, Paradise City, Rocket Queen, YCBM and the outro of Patience -  those tend to be where Mickey slips in at times - and he had none of that in Bucharest. Again, I'm not at all bashing him (and I'm incredibly pleased with everything happening right now) but after listening to the gig again tonight it just made me think, What if? 

I mean, seriously:

 

 

Couldn't agree more. This particular show Is without a doubt the best show since 1991-1993 and there are no close seconds. I could not be more happy and thank God every day that the original band Is back together(for the most part) but the truth of the matter Is Axl's voice Is not even remotely close to 2010 and Is not that much better than 2011-2014. But as long as he Is sharing the stage with Slash and Duff I will take It.  If we could just get the second part of Estranged and Rocket queen with full rasp I would be more than satisfied.

[ludurigan]

28 minutes ago, Estranged Reality said:

... For the umpteenth time, and for the umpteenth time I'm utterly amazed how, well, amazing Axl sounded. Close your eyes on some songs and he's THIS close to sounding like 1991 era Axl.  In fact, it's one of few NuGuns shows where I think he actually nails Sweet Child. It's fantastic from beginning to end. 

I'm not ragging on him right now (I think he could sound a lot worse than he does! I don't think, I know! Hello bridge benefit concert!) but it did get me thinking... Wow... Can you imagine if he could get back to that point again, vocally? I feel like he's on his way (I just listened to Nightrain from Mexico and he has his moments) but it would make for an absolutely mind blowing tour if he could channel whatever he had going on again. My standards of measure for Axl tend to be Scom, Paradise City, Rocket Queen, YCBM and the outro of Patience -  those tend to be where Mickey slips in at times - and he had none of that in Bucharest. Again, I'm not at all bashing him (and I'm incredibly pleased with everything happening right now) but after listening to the gig again tonight it just made me think, What if? 

I mean, seriously:

 

 

    

wow i had no idea this had ever happened

i thought axl had never recovered but these recordings prove that he did -- even if for just one night!

it hurts my ears to listen to these really shitty versions of the songs -- i cant stand these professional players that axl chose to play with

I never bothered to really listen to axl solo-era band

but...

axl sounds really REALLY unbelievable here

can anyone please tell how did this happen?

my best bet is that he was really happy or drunk (or both) and he gave it 200% on this particular night

fuck its unbelievable

[Strange Broue]

I wwas there, probably the best gig i've ever saw in my life 

 

I don't think we will ever hear this 2010 voice again, the best you can hope for is the second vegas gig voice where he even nailed PC too. (my god, that scream around the 4 min mark... just goosebumps) 

That being said yesterdays Mexico SCOM was the best performance of that song since 2010

 

I'm curious if he can sustain his current voice when he get out off that fucking throne

Edited April 21, 2016 by Strange Broue

[slash23579]

15 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

Probably the best 'nuGNR' show, period. Axl sounded stellar on every song.

 

(LOL at ashba at the beginning)

 

Holy fuck Rocket Queen is phenomenal 

[DieselDaisy]

I'm not an expert on his vocals but in my humble opinion Rose sounds better than he has ever done in these recent shows since 1993! Can we not just obliterate the 2001-2014 era, forget it never happened?

[highvoltage]

IMO, nobody can sing like that and sustain it long-term.

You have to appreciate what adding rasp to falsetto does to his throat - it puts incredible strain on everything.

Axl's already blown himself out once before causing the drastic change in vocal style (and the introduction of "Mickey") between TSI and the Live Era re-recordings in the mid-late 90's. He's literally only got his falsetto left and if he loses that, he's roasted permanently.

I think the trade-off he's got going now has as much to do with sustaining his voice long term as it does with his present vocal ability. There's no doubt he was in better shape in 2010, but I feel like there's more than that in play. He was more or less on the "decline" after this show (in September)... a month later in London he didn't sound anywhere near this good. He picked up again for the start of the Australian leg in December 2010, but the later shows and even Abu Dhabi (IIRC) weren't as good. 

I've always been of the view that he must have sought some medical advice between Abu Dhabi and RIR (Oct 11) and he was told to dial it back or risk permanent damage. I just don't buy that he "lost" his voice in a 10 month period where it was resting. It doesn't make sense.  

[highvoltage]

Just to add to my point - listen to that YCBM. He sounds raspy, sure - but also kind of like a cheese grater with no tone through the verses. It's gritty, but it sounds really fucking painful to pull off. 

[comboguns]

I think Axl should try to sing in a different way the songs known to have a large amount of mickey voice, lol

such sweet child o mine, he could try to use the voice he use in patience or it so easy, but keep the screams and some high notes here and there on the song.

the same he could do on paradise city, in the begining he sings so  mickey mouse, he could say "sing it" and let the crownd sing somes parts of the beggining , and turn the mic to the crowd and act badass.

he could try to sing this way on you could be mine, too

could be cool if they let duff sing so fine, and add more quiet and calm songs like you aint the first, etc etc

i think this will solve the problem of the mickey voice.

they dont need to change the tunning or the tempo of the songs, that will make songs worse.

axl could be more experimental and less stubborn, he insists to sing with that mickey voice.

 

[Estranged Reality]

16 minutes ago, highvoltage said:

IMO, nobody can sing like that and sustain it long-term.

You have to appreciate what adding rasp to falsetto does to his throat - it puts incredible strain on everything.

Axl's already blown himself out once before causing the drastic change in vocal style (and the introduction of "Mickey") between TSI and the Live Era re-recordings in the mid-late 90's. He's literally only got his falsetto left and if he loses that, he's roasted permanently.

I think the trade-off he's got going now has as much to do with sustaining his voice long term as it does with his present vocal ability. There's no doubt he was in better shape in 2010, but I feel like there's more than that in play. He was more or less on the "decline" after this show (in September)... a month later in London he didn't sound anywhere near this good. He picked up again for the start of the Australian leg in December 2010, but the later shows and even Abu Dhabi (IIRC) weren't as good. 

I've always been of the view that he must have sought some medical advice between Abu Dhabi and RIR (Oct 11) and he was told to dial it back or risk permanent damage. I just don't buy that he "lost" his voice in a 10 month period where it was resting. It doesn't make sense.  

Great fucking post. Makes sense. 

 

My only thing is, sometimes it sounds like he's trying to give it his all but can't quite get there -  which makes me doubt the idea he's holding back/preserving his voice. I think it's possible he just built his voice back up during that tour -  and blew it out again? Had to have surgery or something?  I dunno. Axl just doesn't strike me as someone who would purposely hold back, he'd be too tempted to go all out at times, and it certainly seems like there's been many times (eg the last rock in rio) where he's been frustrated with himself for being physically unable to get there. 

[IncitingChaos]

2010 was the result of great vocal training that began in 04-05 to prepare for the 2006 tour. That was the first improvement of Axl's vocals, 2007 shows his voice started getting darker and deeper, 2009 is what  happens when you're rusty and 2010 is Axl  just using excellent vocal training and what happened after that is what happens when you have a vocal surgery to repair an issue when you over use your vocal chords. Axl was breathing rasp in 2010, his talking voice was lower, he could half heartedly sing a note and it would be raspy...it wasn't forced it was just there and he used it to the max

[Jakey Styley]

God damn he sounds good. That's got to be the best performance of YCBM that I've ever heard.

[Ak1nney]

Axl had some standout nights between 2006-2011 for sure. Not sure if he has the stamina in 2016 to compare, but live at the shows as long as he brings 75% of this energy and singing, everyone will go home happy and hardly notice the weak points.

[GN'R Forever]

2010 Axl had great rasp and practically zero mickey but for my money, he's a lot better at staying on key and sustaining notes this tour. I was amazed when I saw him the second night in Vegas. 

[spliff]

still prefer Rock am 06. 2010 just seemed forced to me.. The pauses between every word in ycbm.. It's like he was singing each syllable

[Crazyman]

55 minutes ago, highvoltage said:

He was more or less on the "decline" after this show (in September)... a month later in London he didn't sound anywhere near this good.

Agreed with your post except this part. Can't say I followed GnR as much as I did during the '06 tour during that time but I remember London (at least the show when Duff played a few songs) sounded like "old Axl" as well. Lots of the same type of rasp/vocal strain that you described at that show too. 

[highvoltage]

2 hours ago, Estranged Reality said:

Great fucking post. Makes sense. 

My only thing is, sometimes it sounds like he's trying to give it his all but can't quite get there -  which makes me doubt the idea he's holding back/preserving his voice. I think it's possible he just built his voice back up during that tour -  and blew it out again? Had to have surgery or something?  I dunno. Axl just doesn't strike me as someone who would purposely hold back, he'd be too tempted to go all out at times, and it certainly seems like there's been many times (eg the last rock in rio) where he's been frustrated with himself for being physically unable to get there. 

It's entirely possible he did some damage again during that tour - likely, even. I don't know about surgery afterwards.

I think that he's recovered again but he can only really push it on the big screams (where he sounds even better now than he did in 2010 - JMO). Forcing the rasp out on the stuff in the mid range just doesn't work for him anymore. It's probably a combination of hurting too much and deliberately working on improving his clean voice instead.

I will say that I think his clean voice now is as good as it's ever been and he has good control over it. There are even some songs where it works better than the rasp in my opinion. Take the Don't Cry outro:

Bucharest (end of September 2010) - super raspy, but lacks the tonal quality I like to hear:

Adelaide (beginning of December 2010) - still brings in the rasp at the end, but the rest is much cleaner (and sounds much nicer) to my ears. Notice that it's clean, but sounds full and is well-controlled with vibrato. You could your eyes and think it was 1986 in some parts. This is something I think we could see him return to:

Fast forward to LA in December 2011 - this is clean, but it's not good at all. It ticks all the bad boxes. Thin, micky-like, does the "squeak" on the "heaven abOOOve you baby" and almost no rasp on the outro. They didn't perform the song at RIR, but I imagine it would have been similar.

Moscow (May 2012) - Same story as above:

 

Vegas 2014 - One of the widely-regarded best shows in 2014. Although Axl looks like a beach ball, it's probably the closest to that Adelaide 2010 performance that I love so much:

And here we are now. We've only had one performance of Don't Cry so far. It's better than the 11-12 performances, but it's still not as good as 2014 in Vegas. 

Sorry for the video spam, I just wanted to illustrate that there are moments where "clean" Axl can be awesome. Even better than raspy Axl on certain songs. Hopefully he can regain more control and thickness to that clean falsetto as the tour goes on. 

[Original]

Axl now > the Nu era.  End of story.

[Crazyman]

8 minutes ago, Original said:

Axl now > the Nu era.  End of story.

See I don't understand this type of post. Axl clearly sounded way better in 2010 than he does now. If you said GnR now > Nu GnR that would make sense, but just because Slash isn't playing guitar in those videos doesn't change the fact that Axl still sounds closer to 1993-era Guns than any other point in NuGnR history. 

Though I will give you credit with the strong name to post content.

[downzy]

1 hour ago, highvoltage said:

 

Sorry for the video spam, I just wanted to illustrate that there are moments where "clean" Axl can be awesome. Even better than raspy Axl on certain songs. Hopefully he can regain more control and thickness to that clean falsetto as the tour goes on. 

One point for spamming the board with so many videos

As to your point, I think it's relative and likely dependent on when one became a fan.  For me, as someone who fell in love with GNR back in the early 90s as a teenager, the rasp is essential to the GNR sound.  That's not to say I dislike Axl's clean performances since 2002, but if you're asking me to choose between Bucharest from 2010 and any other clip you've posted, it's not even a contest.  The man sounds like he's got a hot rod for a throat, as though he's gargling glass; a sound no other human has come close to emulating.  Even if it's not technical perfect or lacking in stamina, it's still in my mind preferable to his singing voice without it.  

I do think he largely controls its output, with one large caveat.  For whatever reason, Axl's head voice came back in a fury in 2010.  The Axl "sound" is largely a result of what he was able to do with his head voice.  But for whatever reason, perhaps overuse or abuse (or perhaps long periods of dormancy or lack of preparation), he seem to have lost it after the 2010 tour.  It shows up occasionally, particularly in Jungle, but for the most part he relies heavily on his chest voice and falsetto.  But why i think it's largely under his control was demonstrated with the latest AC/DC songs he performed at Coachella.  There are many other GNR songs that very similar in range where he sounds far different (YCBM, RQ).  There are some songs that I think are right in the sweet spot where he can't sing in his chest voice and his head voice simply won't sustain him.  November Rain is a good example where it borders the grey zone where he transitions from chest to falsetto.  Back in the 90s this song would be sung largely in his chest voice.  

I've often wondered if the rasp is a result of building up vocal polyps that eventually have to be removed, which takes him back to square one.  He's definitely a much better singer technically from 2006 to now than he ever was back in the 80s and early 90s, as demonstrated by better breath and vibrato control.  But I wonder if there are medical reasons as to why the rasp and tone are dramatically different.  

I say all of this still a massive fan and always impressed that after decades the man can still perform like no one else.  But man alive, it would be great to hear from Axl as to why his voice changes from tour to tour.  

 

[highvoltage]

11 minutes ago, downzy said:

One point for spamming the board with so many videos

As to your point, I think it's relative and likely dependent on when one became a fan.  For me, as someone who fell in love with GNR back in the early 90s as a teenager, the rasp is essential to the GNR sound.  That's not to say I dislike Axl's clean performances since 2002, but if you're asking me to choose between Bucharest from 2010 and any other clip you've posted, it's not even a contest.  The man sounds like he's got a hot rod for a throat, as though he's gargling glass; a sound no other human has come close to emulating.  Even if it's not technical perfect or lacking in stamina, it's still in my mind preferable to his singing voice without it.  

I do think he largely controls its output, with one large caveat.  For whatever reason, Axl's head voice came back in a fury in 2010.  The Axl "sound" is largely a result of what he was able to do with his head voice.  But for whatever reason, perhaps overuse or abuse (or perhaps long periods of dormancy or lack of preparation), he seem to have lost it after the 2010 tour.  It shows up occasionally, particularly in Jungle, but for the most part he relies heavily on his chest voice and falsetto.  But why i think it's largely under his control was demonstrated with the latest AC/DC songs he performed at Coachella.  There are many other GNR songs that very similar in range where he sounds far different (YCBM, RQ).  There are some songs that I think are right in the sweet spot where he can't sing in his chest voice and his head voice simply won't sustain him.  November Rain is a good example where it borders the grey zone where he transitions from chest to falsetto.  Back in the 90s this song would be sung largely in his chest voice.  

I've often wondered if the rasp is a result of building up vocal polyps that eventually have to be removed, which takes him back to square one.  He's definitely a much better singer technically from 2006 to now than he ever was back in the 80s and early 90s, as demonstrated by better breath and vibrato control.  But I wonder if there are medical reasons as to why the rasp and tone are dramatically different.  

I say all of this still a massive fan and always impressed that after decades the man can still perform like no one else.  But man alive, it would be great to hear from Axl as to why his voice changes from tour to tour.  

 

I don't know about that. I'm not in love with 2002 Axl, far from it. When I talk about "clean", I'm also referring to his voice pre-88.

In my view, the Adelaide performance is as close to OG Axl as you can get. For me, it's leagues ahead of the Bucharest DC. This is the Axl I'm talking about: