The "Axl's Voice" Thread - Please Keep All Discussion Here

[ll_tj1]

6 hours ago, Amir said:

I can't imagine TIL or Better going from the setlist, as they seem to be the closest thing ChiDem ever had to "hits". I actually thought Better sounded pretty good at the European gigs I went to this year, think it was the highlight of the shows for me. Haven't dug the voice he's been using on it since Apollo, though :/

CITR would be a great addition to the permanant set list. I love Better. I think it should have been the first single released. It's unmistakable for anyone to not know who the song is sung by. It's vintage Axl Rose. Can't mistake that signature sound. While Chinese Democracy was chosen as the first single I'll never understand.

The average rock station radio listeners didn't even realize it was Axl with NUGNR, because it's not "the voice", the masses acknowledge as sounding like Axl Rose. Only us GNR obsessed fans recognized it. Good song, but shouldn't have been the lead single for Axls first new song in 20 some years. I think if people would have been hit with Better as the lead single, it woukd have worked out better. As well as produce some buzz over the release of SOD. Wich is also unmistakable Axl Rose.

Back on point, I don't see them eliminating TIL. It's another one of Axl's real babys. Sorry shouldn't be played IMO, just on principle that CITR is a great song, and he almost always sounds good singing it.

[Dean]

For me, Sorry was one of the highlights of the shows I was at. Following the band and shows on here on a daily basis, I think it's safe to say most of us here attending will know for the most part what the setlist will more or less be, and with Sorry not being a regular since 2012, it was great to hear it again, especially with Slash and Duff back in the fold. Is there better songs on Chinese Democracy that they could play? Yes, but for the shape of Axl's voice after a near 3 hour show, it's probably an easy enough song to coast through before the last few songs.

I was buzzing at Slane when they pulled out There Was A Time, only to be quickly scunnered after hearing the first few lines! Can't blame him though, it must be a bastard for him to sing.

[Pedrolg]

17 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

As far as This I Love.... that song has fallen really far, in that it basically used to be Axl's solo spot as he cut through the music like a fucking razor, even 2011-2016 he still pulled off some great ones, but man, this was exactly as painful in person as it is on youtube:

I still don't think he's done though. It's frustrating to hear this, but I think when he tours with Angus again he'll sound how he's "supposed to". It does sound like he's being lazy/conservative a lot now, he's made his millions and I think he's just having fun at the shows while knowing he has to save his voice for Angus' next record...

His voice is clearly failing him dude. Look at around 24 or 25s, it simply fails. It feels as if he is losing the ability do deliver power at higher ranges. Also, from that video it looks as if he knows it, he seems honestly a bit sad with himself while performing, with a "let's get this shit done asap" feel to it. I truly think that Axl's capabilities are decreasing steadily.

[WhazUp]

13 minutes ago, Pedrolg said:

His voice is clearly failing him dude. Look at around 24 or 25s, it simply fails. It feels as if he is losing the ability do deliver power at higher ranges. Also, from that video it looks as if he knows it, he seems honestly a bit sad with himself while performing, with a "let's get this shit done asap" feel to it. I truly think that Axl's capabilities are decreasing steadily.

I don't know, I think as shows by the number of times that we have said "Axl's voice is done for good" and then he proved us wrong, I think that just sometimes people have off days.  He is a very physical performer with a very demanding vocal style, sometimes people have off days or off moods or off periods of time because the vocal chords are a very fragile thing.

I think Axl has still got "it".  The issue remains to be seen if it is just lack of effort or if the long touring has worn him down a bit physically and mentally, I don't know.  But I still think that he still has his capabilities

[onurbayrak03]

1 hour ago, WhazUp said:

I don't know, I think as shows by the number of times that we have said "Axl's voice is done for good" and then he proved us wrong, I think that just sometimes people have off days.  He is a very physical performer with a very demanding vocal style, sometimes people have off days or off moods or off periods of time because the vocal chords are a very fragile thing.

I think Axl has still got "it".  The issue remains to be seen if it is just lack of effort or if the long touring has worn him down a bit physically and mentally, I don't know.  But I still think that he still has his capabilities

He still has the voice. "Feel Good" covers are the proofs. He just doesnt bother using that raspy voice thats all. 

[IncitingChaos]

20 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

As far as This I Love.... that song has fallen really far, in that it basically used to be Axl's solo spot as he cut through the music like a fucking razor, even 2011-2016 he still pulled off some great ones, but man, this was exactly as painful in person as it is on youtube:

I still don't think he's done though. It's frustrating to hear this, but I think when he tours with Angus again he'll sound how he's "supposed to". It does sound like he's being lazy/conservative a lot now, he's made his millions and I think he's just having fun at the shows while knowing he has to save his voice for Angus' next record...

Yap mentioned TIL during my El Paso review..it was awful. It's bad live, it's bad on video, it's bad any way you hear it. 

2016 I heard him sing it in Arlington and he was very good on it..so it sucks how bad it's gotten

[Gordon Comstock]

4 hours ago, Pedrolg said:

His voice is clearly failing him dude. Look at around 24 or 25s, it simply fails. It feels as if he is losing the ability do deliver power at higher ranges. Also, from that video it looks as if he knows it, he seems honestly a bit sad with himself while performing, with a "let's get this shit done asap" feel to it. I truly think that Axl's capabilities are decreasing steadily.

 

He was very obviously pissed off at himself during/after that song, but I still don't think he's losing his abilities - he sang the majority of songs at the Vancouver show with his "grandpa Axl" voice, there was just no power behind it most of the time. But at the same show he busted out the classic Axl voice for 'I Feel Good', which he'd obviously rehearsed and was having fun with, which brings me back to the conclusion I reached quite a while ago: he simply does not give a fuck about his own songs. He's sang them thousands of times and just doesn't "feel it" most of the time anymore, so he coasts through the shows, collects his paycheck, and he'll fucking bring it when he's back on tour with Angus.

 

edit: not that I disagree with the fact that his capabilities are gradually slipping, I think everyone including Axl knows that, I think it's part 'not giving a shit' and part 'vocal conservation'.

Edited September 20, 2017 by Gordon Comstock

[IncitingChaos]

Yea it's a means to an end for Axl. Classic gnr gets him a paycheck, he's not motivated by his own work but there is a passion he finds for performing new covers and working with Angus. The same hunger he had when he wrote all those classics. 

In retrospect the thing that Axl probably should have done is say "I'm not going to sing the classics, I'm going to sing my songs." When he went to tour CD he should have only played CD songs. I think it would have been better in the long run. He'd have to settle for playing very small venues and it would have been cool if  when he reunited with Slash and we were able to say "wow Axl's first performance of Jungle in nearly a decade!" That would have been cool and maybe he'd be interested in singing SCOM instead of praying for the song to end. 

[Pedrolg]

51 minutes ago, IncitingChaos said:

Yea it's a means to an end for Axl. Classic gnr gets him a paycheck, he's not motivated by his own work but there is a passion he finds for performing new covers and working with Angus. The same hunger he had when he wrote all those classics. 

In retrospect the thing that Axl probably should have done is say "I'm not going to sing the classics, I'm going to sing my songs." When he went to tour CD he should have only played CD songs. I think it would have been better in the long run. He'd have to settle for playing very small venues and it would have been cool if  when he reunited with Slash and we were able to say "wow Axl's first performance of Jungle in nearly a decade!" That would have been cool and maybe he'd be interested in singing SCOM instead of praying for the song to end. 

He'd be broke and forgotten by 2011. He should have stayed away for tobacco, he should have paced himself a bit more in 2010, and he should have taken the time to relearn GNR classics before this tour, and perform at the absolute limit of his ability.

[IncitingChaos]

5 minutes ago, Pedrolg said:

He'd be broke and forgotten by 2011. He should have stayed away for tobacco, he should have paced himself a bit more in 2010, and he should have taken the time to relearn GNR classics before this tour, and perform at the absolute limit of his ability.

Which in turn would have made Axl get more music out, or reunite faster. Either way I hopelessly hope he's got something special for Rio 

[Gnrcane]

When was the last documented time that Axl sung a song with many high notes with rasp?  Either GNR song or cover or AC/DC.  The answer might help determine if he CAN'T do it anymore or just WON'T do it anymore on GNR songs.  If the most recent example is not a GNR song, then when was the last time he did it on a GNR song? 

[GNRfanMILO]

3 hours ago, Gnrcane said:

When was the last documented time that Axl sung a song with many high notes with rasp?  Either GNR song or cover or AC/DC.  The answer might help determine if he CAN'T do it anymore or just WON'T do it anymore on GNR songs.  If the most recent example is not a GNR song, then when was the last time he did it on a GNR song? 

I Feel Good (all of the performances) and Highway to Hell  with Billy Joel. This last one sounding even better than the average with ACDC last year.

He’s not done. He just doesnt care about GNR songs. He will have to relearn them from scrath if we want him to sound a bit more raspy.

 

Oh, and to the ones tha will come here and say “Axl can only rasp a few songs, he cant rasp full shows day after day”. Well, let me tell you that with ACDC he did TWO LEGS sounding 100% raspy every single night.

There are no excuses. He is not done, HE DOESNT CARE.

[GonzoThesaurus]

Axl's voice is one in a fucking million. The dude made a fortune out of it and there's a reason for that - no one sounds like him. Axl on his worst day sounds better than his imitators, just search X GNR song cover on youtube. They all sound like Dr. Rockso from Dethklok. GNR and Axl were different because there was some heart behind it. Axl n GNR were never posers or wannabes, they had some fucking skill and guts, thus they succeeded.

 

Actually scratch that, I think Dr. Rockso sounds better than these lost soul cover band dudes. At least the creator of Dethklok had some intent behind it, he wanted to parody/tribute hair metal.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2017 by GonzoThesaurus

[GonzoThesaurus]

I just reckon he's a different dude now. The beauty of AFD and UYI was that it was a bunch of young angry dudes just letting it all out. I think people need a reason to fight to bring out the fire, and with Axl it just isn't there with GNR. Look at how great his vocals were with ACDC, it was because he had something to prove. With GNR it seems like his heart just isn't in it.

[IncitingChaos]

11 hours ago, Gnrcane said:

When was the last documented time that Axl sung a song with many high notes with rasp?  Either GNR song or cover or AC/DC.  The answer might help determine if he CAN'T do it anymore or just WON'T do it anymore on GNR songs.  If the most recent example is not a GNR song, then when was the last time he did it on a GNR song? 

if you simply mean hitting high notes then everything from Back in Black that he sang  with AC/DC is considered extreamly high and very difficult to sing and yet Axl did it. 

But I think you mean like high like Sweet Child with a high pitched voice that has grit on it. 

Either way I'd offer up a AC/DC example to prove he can do it. 

 

 

[HWolllert]

He can do it. Why he doesn't do it, it remains a mystery, but one doesn't know all, one's got to know ...

 

One thing i know 4 sure, in 09 he wasn't cappable of doing, what he does now ... and i wasn't either ...

 

 

Edited September 21, 2017 by HWolllert

[Tucknroll]

I'm telling y'all, standard tuning vs half step down tuning is the key

[IncitingChaos]

1 hour ago, Tucknroll said:

I'm telling y'all, standard tuning vs half step down tuning is the key

Well lets tune those gnr songs up!

[Pedrolg]

2 hours ago, IncitingChaos said:

if you simply mean hitting high notes then everything from Back in Black that he sang  with AC/DC is considered extreamly high and very difficult to sing and yet Axl did it. 

But I think you mean like high like Sweet Child with a high pitched voice that has grit on it. 

Either way I'd offer up a AC/DC example to prove he can do it. 

 

 

I used to think he could do it whenever he wants to, but he can't. The key to him being able to rasp is the song having few words and staying around the same range throughout. Complex lyrics and big shifts in range and he loses it. His mid range rasp is also shot, it might be serviceable on ocasion (Rock'n'Roll Thunder), but it is shot. 

Those examples are cool, but Axl mickeyed many a "You shook me" during his AC/DC tenure. He also mickeyed other songs ocasionally and some of them nearly everynight. Overall it was awesome though and very telling of what he had left when things played into his strenghts, but his old GNR voice it was not - that one is lost.

There was a rumor right in the beggining that Axl went on this tour because he felt that soon he would no longer have the voice to tour, and I honestly think there might be some truth to it. Slowly songs he used to be strong in become weaker. He doesn't perform songs like madagascar, IRS anymore, probably because he knows he can't sound decent on them (SCOM and YCBM can never be taken out from the set so he keeps them). He seems sad in this Vancouver TIL clip, like he knows his voice is failing. 

[AFGnR]

Axl's biggest challenge is the unhealthy and unnatural way of singing at times and extremely powerful performances he got known for.

Edited September 24, 2017 by AFGnR

[Gibbo]

I actually think this will be the end. I don't think Axl could pull of another tour in a few years time sad to say.

[AxlRoseCDII]

Unfortunately I think Axl's voice is finally done. I streamed that whole concert last night and it was dreadful to watch vocally. Many, many voice cracks on the high notes and lots of moments where his low voice got forced into the high notes. Even Axl wasn't this weak vocally in 2011-2014- while he did Mickey through the songs, voice cracks weren't common. I think it's time he throws in the towel or gets a vocal coach.

[janrichmond]

RIP Axl's voice. Gone but never forgotten.

 

[alfierose]

I dunno, he has such weirdly inconsistent vocal issues he could just as easily come back again on fire. Then once again we'll all be stood around going 'so what the hell was RIR about?' 

[F*ck Fear]

He can still bring it.

AC/DC, Billy Joel jams and 'I Feel Good' all prove that.

This is my biggest problem with this tour. And look at those ticket prices.