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

[koldweather]

I've been saying for a while that the 2nd leg of ACDC concerts did his voice in, much the same way as the 2010 concerts (especially the European ones where he got a little pitchy at times) blew his voice out and he never has been able to regain those types of vocals. Not to say what he changed to was bad, but his style has been different ever since.

I'm not sure I'd go as far as to say his vocals are totally shot, but he is in desperate need of a break and recharge. His depth has totally gone, its either high pitched slightly cracky rasp, clean weak high pitched vocals, or a shouty voice to try and shout to the notes in the mid range. None are partiuclarly going to be sounding great after a while.

Afterall even in the 91-93 tour his vocals had WAY less depth to them by 93. It was very good still, but he seemed to avoid the mid range as much as possible (back then he had enough range in the highs and lows to compenstate for it, now he hasn't.) and either stay deep or go right to the raspy almost siren like high stuff.

[AxlRoseCDII]

1 hour ago, Tom-Ass said:

I think that him being "straight" has been over stated.. He may not have become a junkie but he still drank, smoked and did other drugs.. The last think I think when I look at Axl is that he lives a healthy lifestyle... He is a mess

Wouldn't say a mess but as we've seen he does his fair share of partying these years still which he drinks at. Can't be great for him and his voice at his age.

[IncitingChaos]

47 minutes ago, koldweather said:

I've been saying for a while that the 2nd leg of ACDC concerts did his voice in, much the same way as the 2010 concerts (especially the European ones where he got a little pitchy at times) blew his voice out and he never has been able to regain those types of vocals. Not to say what he changed to was bad, but his style has been different ever since.

I'm not sure I'd go as far as to say his vocals are totally shot, but he is in desperate need of a break and recharge. His depth has totally gone, its either high pitched slightly cracky rasp, clean weak high pitched vocals, or a shouty voice to try and shout to the notes in the mid range. None are partiuclarly going to be sounding great after a while.

Afterall even in the 91-93 tour his vocals had WAY less depth to them by 93. It was very good still, but he seemed to avoid the mid range as much as possible (back then he had enough range in the highs and lows to compenstate for it, now he hasn't.) and either stay deep or go right to the raspy almost siren like high stuff.

i loved his 93 voice! 

As far as the second leg of acdc doing him in...I'm skeptical. Simply bc he was on point for the last show in phily. The worst he got was at msg in New York. I could hear some strain on back in black, which was likely caused by that incredible shoot to thrill. However he was really good in buffalo too. 

[Jw224]

I am starting to worry about Axl's vocal health. I've been calling him lazy for a while but his vocals have been god awful for a long while now. I still think he may just need  a rest or maybe he really is just lazy, but this is the first time I've been concerned he may be done. 

[IncitingChaos]

And with all the impressive acdc performances, the best ones weren't his screaming on Brian's material..it was just nice to hear his voice on the Bon stuff. It's not straining anything, it's how he should sound or closer to his natural voice 

 

 

[Endless2404]

17 minutes ago, Jw224 said:

I am starting to worry about Axl's vocal health. I've been calling him lazy for a while but his vocals have been god awful for a long while now. I still think he may just need  a rest or maybe he really is just lazy, but this is the first time I've been concerned he may be done. 

You're right, i'm starting to get worried to.

btw, talking about bad RIR performances, the 1991 RiR wasn't really the best UYI concert vocally.

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by Endless2404

[soon]

Axls singing voice is very low - like ISE.  Theres so many interviews where people talk about encouraging him to sing in his high raspy voice.  Axls signature voice is very hard on the body.  Like a model who doesnt eat enough or a boxer whose steroid use causes shrinking balls, like a hockey enforcer with brain damage due to multiple concussions; Axl was given a chance to receive the glory he sought by paying a steep price.

I think its likely that he saves his voice and likely its for Ac Dc, but the fact that he has to make a choice is sad and, honestly, I feel complicit as someone who became a fan contingent on him using an otherworldly voice that hurts him.  Not that I always knew it was bad for him, of course.

[IncitingChaos]

Or we can all pitch in and buy him a bunch of black mics with blue tape instead of his red one

 

[TheDemocracyRose]

He was great on I Feel Good just a couple a weeks ago and it was like hearing Axl/DC again. It's all about the way he choose to sing GNR songs. Axl and band definitely need a break after this year. No more touring for a while. Concentrate on a new record. Not AC/DC. And visit that vocal coach again. 

[bigpoop]

6 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Not excusing Axl's bad vocals, but this argument always makes me chuckle. So because another rock singer can sing well at 69, Axl should, too? There are "no excuses" to not sing as good as Steven Tyler? Really? You don't allow for individual differences in singing capacity and deterioration? Everybody should be just equally good at singing as they grow old, and there is no excuse for not being as good as the greatest? 

There's a very simple answer to all this: AC/DC - we know Axl can still sing because he sounded great in AC/DC.

[bigpoop]

7 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Not excusing Axl's bad vocals, but this argument always makes me chuckle. So because another rock singer can sing well at 69, Axl should, too? There are "no excuses" to not sing as good as Steven Tyler? Really? You don't allow for individual differences in singing capacity and deterioration? Everybody should be just equally good at singing as they grow old, and there is no excuse for not being as good as the greatest? 

There's a very simple answer to all this: AC/DC - we know Axl can still sing because he sounded great in AC/DC. He could sound good now but he doesn't try, and as a result he sounds like shit. Steven Tyler obviously  does  try and as a result he  sounds great....even though he's 6 months away from 70. So chuckle if you must but the answer is yes. Yes it does (further) highlight Axl's half-ass approach to his singing that a near-septuagenarian kicked his ass so completely on the same gig. Yes it does.

 

Edited September 25, 2017 by bigpoop
double post

[AxlRoseCDII]

But when he was trying, like on the post solo on Better his voice was all over the place cracking. He usually gives that 100%! I don't see how that's a conscious choice...that's my argument why his voice is done. A song like Yesterday's or UTLH is never strong from him, but he was all over the place on lines he usually nails.

[IncitingChaos]

10 minutes ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

But when he was trying, like on the post solo on Better his voice was all over the place cracking. He usually gives that 100%! I don't see how that's a conscious choice...that's my argument why his voice is done. A song like Yesterday's or UTLH is never strong from him, but he was all over the place on lines he usually nails.

at the last show in San Antonio you can hear the cracking at 3:32. It sounds better on a recording like this. The proshot just exposed it. 

[IncitingChaos]

4:48 at Rio. I think both San Antonio and this one were similar.we just aren't use to having a good recording on his voice

[Jw224]

Wow that's awful

[James Bond]

That's hard to listen to. How anybody can pretend that that is okay and it's just because we aren't there and he isn't 29 anymore and all that is beyond me. He needs a long break after this tour.

[Tucknroll]

7 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

I think that him being "straight" has been over stated.. He may not have become a junkie but he still drank, smoked and did other drugs.. The last think I think when I look at Axl is that he lives a healthy lifestyle... He is a mess

I'm mocking him from when he first said not in this lifetime.  He said a healthy lifestyle helped him keep rocking. He was definitely the most fit and handsome and most sober one through it all until the 2000s. Everyone else is still going strong but he's getting kinda pitiful 

[Tom-Ass]

Just now, Tucknroll said:

I'm mocking him from when he first said not in this lifetime.  He said a healthy lifestyle helped him keep rocking. He was definitely the most fit and handsome and most sober one through it all until the 2000s. Everyone else is still going strong but he's getting kinda pitiful 

I thought he had lost it a long ass time ago time but seemed to pull it together enough to make this reunion work for awhile there.  Not so much anymore... I feel like the reunion is beginning to run it's course.  Especially with the half ass lineup... Sad to say... 

[Underhardy]

It's obvious that there are 3 main reasons for his voice at Rio...

1. Lack of preparation and rehearsing

2. He had a cold ( was rumored before show started and having cold always results in his voice being strained and just bad. )

3. He's losing control of his deteriorating voice due to AC/DC and all these NITL shows. 

[AxlRoseCDII]

1 hour ago, Underhardy said:

It's obvious that there are 3 main reasons for his voice at Rio...

1. Lack of preparation and rehearsing

2. He had a cold ( was rumored before show started and having cold always results in his voice being strained and just bad. )

3. He's losing control of his deteriorating voice due to AC/DC and all these NITL shows. 

Come on man, every pro shot that's the excuse for Axl is that he just has a cold. Bridge School is the only exception where he definitely had strep.

[FuriousStyles]

3 hours ago, James Bond said:

That's hard to listen to. How anybody can pretend that that is okay and it's just because we aren't there and he isn't 29 anymore and all that is beyond me. He needs a long break after this tour.

The Toronto shows should be interesting....

 

[SoulMonster]

6 hours ago, bigpoop said:

There's a very simple answer to all this: AC/DC - we know Axl can still sing because he sounded great in AC/DC.

I was commenting on someone who argued that there is no excuse for Axl to not sing perfectly when another old rock star can do it. What you are getting at, I presume, is that Axl should be able to sing as good with GN'R as he did with AC/DC - which is a slightly different point.

I dunno. With his current voice I don't think Axl would sing as good with AC/DC as he did last year. There are obvious wear and tear to his voice now. And why did he sing so well when he started singing for AC/DC?`I think it is a mix of explanations: he was very eager and prepared extra well, he had a break before so his vocal chords were completely restituted, and AC/DC songs fits him better than GN'R songs.

[SoulMonster]

Further to the Steven tyler vs Axl Rose argument. Let's say they both had to run a 400 meter hurdle run in five years time. Five years later one of them did significantly better than the other one. Does that mean that the other one didn't prepare as well? Or that it demonstrates he has been lazy? No, not necessarily, it mostly indicates that there are individual differences in how our capacities are compromised as we age. Just because Axl and Steven could both sing really well when they were 25 doesn't mean they shouyld then be able to both sing really well at 70, even if they both took care of their voices.

[Ak1nney]

6 minutes ago, SoulMonster said:

Further to the Steven tyler vs Axl Rose argument. Let's say they both had to run a 400 meter hurdle run in five years time. Five years later one of them did significantly better than the other one. Does that mean that the other one didn't prepare as well? Or that it demonstrates he has been lazy? No, not necessarily, it mostly indicates that there are individual differences in how our capacities are compromised as we age. Just because Axl and Steven could both sing really well when they were 25 doesn't mean they shouyld then be able to both sing really well at 70, even if they both took care of their voices.

And honestly, Axl taking care of his voice would mean not singing with rasp at his current age.

[ironmt]

We have been down this road so many times before when It comes to Axl's voice. If he was to play a one off show next week with AC/DC he would sound just as good as he did with them last year. When 42,000 people are going to show up to watch you regardless of how you sound, what motivation does he have to Improve? As we all know It does sound a little better when you are there as opposed to watching on youtube. I am In no way defending him, because he sounds terrible right now, along with Slash. It Is a sacrilege to alter the solos In Estranged IMO. Play the fuckin song the way you always have.