Axl vs. Freddie Mercury

[Ratam]

9 minutes ago, MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle said:

A casual Queen fan here, but thanks for introducing me to some kickass Queen songs I'd never heard before.  Stone Cold Crazy - wow!  

But yeah, these songs not as hard edged as Guns.  Instrumentally?  OK, maybe there's a similarity there...esp Stone Cold Crazy.  But Freddie, whilst being a fucking amazing singer - better technically than Axl -  does not sound like he might rip your throat out if you looked the wrong way at him - Axl does.  Some people might prefer their singers to not sound like they are borderline psychotic and those people would pick Freddie.  Me?  I like a whiff of danger in my singers so I prefer Axl - if I was forced to choose.  I think this is also what separates the two bands, stylistically. For me, anyway.  Saying all that, I don't like to pick one over the other - I love them both for different reasons depending on what mood I'm in.  Both are legends.

This, is a discussion sterile

[lenni19]

I think axl and freddie are two legends ? wich are just amazing ?

[Iron MikeyJ]

12 hours ago, DieselDaisy said:

I cannot believe people here are questioning Queen's hard rock credentials! Try 'Stone Cold Crazy' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' for starters.

Queen could rock, no doubt. Overall though, if we are gauging by "heavy" Queen would be top 20, maybe??? Guns on the other hand can give Metallica and Sabbath a run for the money, and they are more Metal, not hard rock like Guns. 

I honestly believe Double talking Jive from THIS current tour is heavier than ANYTHING Metallica is doing at the moment. It just has SO much attitude and feeling in Slash's guitar, and Axl delivers some sleaze tastic lyrics that Izzy wrote. 

Besides that, UYI 1 is full of songs like Don't Damn Me, Perfect Crime and Coma that are just as "heavy" as anyone. They are just coming from a hard rock band, not a metal band. Which that's the thing, Guns and Zeppelin IMO are competing for the title of "heaviest hard rock band ever". Guns has some punk and metal influences on it that Queen just plain lacks.

I feel Plant and Page said it best when they said (I'm paraphrasing here) "heavy is an attitude, not a sound." Which that's the EXACT reason why Guns is SO much heavier than Queen and others. They play with so much attitude. There hasn't been a band since Guns that plays with as much attitude as they do. 

[MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle]

6 minutes ago, Iron MikeyJ said:

I honestly believe Double talking Jive from THIS current tour is heavier than ANYTHING Metallica is doing at the moment. It just has SO much attitude and feeling in Slash's guitar, and Axl delivers some sleaze tastic lyrics that Izzy wrote. 

Besides that, UYI 1 is full of songs like Don't Damn Me, Perfect Crime and Coma that are just as "heavy" as anyone. They are just coming from a hard rock band, not a metal band. Which that's the thing, Guns and Zeppelin IMO are competing for the title of "heaviest hard rock band ever". Guns has some punk and metal influences on it that Queen just plain lacks.

Out of likes but sleazetastic is my new favourite word. ^^

[ludurigan]

On 8/4/2017 at 4:02 AM, The Holographic Universe said:

I've noticed over the years that there a huge contingent of posters here who claim Freddie Mercury is the greatest lead singer of all time. I don't think so, he doesn't beat Axl Prime at all. Furthermore, I believe most of the people who say that don't truly believe it....so? Between only these two frontmen who do you think Reigns supreme?

 

edit- i tried to make this a poll but it didn't work.

this song alone destroys freddie mercury and all the other singers that ever walked this planet

the twin guitars (and the drama and everything else on this song) destroy all the rock bands that came before or after -- and this was before GNR even existed!

seriously, freddie mercury and queen have no idea what it is to rock like this

 

[Iron MikeyJ]

@ludurigan,

Don't need to post old videos to prove how much ass Guns kicks. Here are new ones.

 

[ludurigan]

1 minute ago, Iron MikeyJ said:

@ludurigan,

Don't need to post old videos to prove how much ass Guns kicks. Here are new ones.

 

oh man sorry those videos you suggested dont work on my computer. my PC has been infected by a virus for like 2 months now. i have no idea why (or how) but this virus doesnt allow my computer to play any youtube videos of any band playing GNR covers!

but you are correct, i should have picked some more recent videos. here is DTJ from GNR last tour, it rocks!

 

[lame ass security]

Why is Leonard Cohen never brought up in these comparisons? Now that guy could work a crowd.

[SevenMichaels]

On 8/5/2017 at 5:53 PM, DieselDaisy said:

Really? I'd say Stone Cold Crazy, Tie Your Mother Down, More of that Jazz, Fight from the Inside, Sheer Heart Attack and Princes of the Universe are loosely the equivalent in terms of 'rockiness' as Guns N' Roses's default style. Queen were flippin' heavy. As I said earlier, Fight from the Inside is one of Slash's favourite riffs while Stone Cold Crazy and More of that Jazz are almost proto-thrash.

Traitor. All British blokes like listening to Queen and wearing women's dresses for a night on the town. It is what separates us from the uncouth Americans.

Tear It Up also! A terribly underrated Queen song imo.

[penelope]

I would say none... I have never liked Mr Mercury style nor his songs, they make me dizzy (he is too overrated in my humble opinion).  And while I love Axl as an artist, I don´t consider him the best.

[SWINGTRADER]

Did Freddie's voice ever sound like shit as consistently as Axl's?

 

Had Axl never came back after 1993, this could have been a debate. But since Axl has given us 15 years of an absolutely shitty voice, Freddie Mercury wins this one easily.

 

As a frontman, Axl was untouchable when he was in his prime. Too bad it was short lived.

 

 

[Gnrcane]

15 hours ago, SWINGTRADER said:

Did Freddie's voice ever sound like shit as consistently as Axl's?

 

Had Axl never came back after 1993, this could have been a debate. But since Axl has given us 15 years of an absolutely shitty voice, Freddie Mercury wins this one easily.

 

As a frontman, Axl was untouchable when he was in his prime. Too bad it was short lived.

 

 

To be fair, we don't know what Freddie would have sounded like if Queen had continued touring (if he didn't have AIDS).  The last queen show was a month before his 40th birthday.  Axl's reappearance was a month before his 39th birthday so the 15 year period you refer to doesn't have a comparative time frame for Freddie.

Freddie did continue to sound good on recordings basically up until he was on his deathbed.  I'm sure that Axl could re-record AFD and sound very close to the original if he took time off first and then worked on a song every few days and recorded them one line at a time (as I've read he supposedly did on the original).

Freddie also did that "opera" concert I think in 1989 but that was a one off show and he wasn't singing his normal Queen style.

Therefore, I think the debate should be Axl vs. Freddie both in their primes. 

 

[Bruno P.]

On 05/08/2017 at 4:06 AM, DieselDaisy said:

I cannot believe people here are questioning Queen's hard rock credentials! Try 'Stone Cold Crazy' and 'Tie Your Mother Down' for starters.

Exactly! Queen is incredible and so is Freddie. We all love Axl but Freddie is widely regarded as the best rock singer ever.

[ksks12]

On 8/4/2017 at 9:02 AM, The Holographic Universe said:

I've noticed over the years that there a huge contingent of posters here who claim Freddie Mercury is the greatest lead singer of all time. I don't think so, he doesn't beat Axl Prime at all. Furthermore, I believe most of the people who say that don't truly believe it....so? Between only these two frontmen who do you think Reigns supreme?

 

edit- i tried to make this a poll but it didn't work.

Lol, are you serious?

[ll_tj1]

I'm going to go at this a little different. I'm going to compare my personal top 5 singers "In There Prime" so this won't include current Axl, Freddie when he was starting to get sick. Or Shannon Hoon performing on drugs.

Purely when they were on the top of there game.

1. Axl 

2. Chris Cornell (Say Hello To Heaven is amazing as is all his solo Live stuff)

3. Shannon Hoon (unfortunately we only got one full record from him and not a lot of great live recordings by him but he was truly given the gift of singing. I believe there's a quote where Axl told Sebastian Bach about how good he was)

4. Steven Tyler

5.  Robert Plant

 

[Pishy]

On ‎8‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 9:23 AM, Tom-Ass said:

Don't know it by name and not a fan of pop.. I'll never say never though.

Listen Queen then, you are missing out. You need to start with the first album. Listen to "Great King Rat", "My Fairy King", "Liar" and "son and Daughter", those are musts but the entire album is unreal, hit "doing all Right" as well. Move on to Queen II "White Queen", "Loser in the End" "Fairy Feller's Master Stroke" which moves into "Nevermore", and be sure to listen to "Seven Seas of Rhye". My god, you will finally be born, don't delay! Sheer Heart Attack is good to make this a trilogy of study "Brighton Rock", "Killer Queen" " Flick of the Wrist", "Lily of the Valley", "In the Lap pf the Gods". They had a lot of heavy rock songs. There is so much more but see how you like these. I think you should just play the albums all the way through but I am pulling out songs hoping you will play a few. Queen , Queen II and Sheer Heart Attack. You will be hooked and lucky you, there are 12 more studio albums to follow. Also, check out Freddie with Montserrat Caballe "How Can I Go On"

 

And Freddie, not even a contest and I do love Axl. Freddie wrote all the music and lyrics for many songs. Queen is the only band in which all members each wrote songs in their entirety. They had complete creative control. Brian May is a guitar master, very deliberate and intelligent playing, a lot of style and power. Roger is a drummer from the heavens and the song you like, "Another one Bites the Dust", is written by the bass player, John Deacon, he brought in the funk. These guys were unreal, so talented, fire. And very loyal to one another as a band, real stand-up guys.

[Pishy]

On ‎8‎/‎5‎/‎2017 at 0:53 PM, DieselDaisy said:

Really? I'd say Stone Cold Crazy, Tie Your Mother Down, More of that Jazz, Fight from the Inside, Sheer Heart Attack and Princes of the Universe are loosely the equivalent in terms of 'rockiness' as Guns N' Roses's default style. Queen were flippin' heavy. As I said earlier, Fight from the Inside is one of Slash's favourite riffs while Stone Cold Crazy and More of that Jazz are almost proto-thrash.

Traitor. All British blokes like listening to Queen and wearing women's dresses for a night on the town. It is what separates us from the uncouth Americans.

These are all amazing heavy rock songs, add in Death on Two Legs, Great King Rat, Get Down , make Love, Son and Daughter, Tenement Funster, Flick of the Wrist, the list is endless. Innuendo is amazing. GnR covered SAil Away Sweet Sister. And many of the non hard rock ones are killer. Just masterpieces.

Many saying they don't like it is because they don't know anything about Queen, they've never listened. You can see the influence Queen had on GnR so no clue what the naysayers are going on about other than they just don't know the music and are forming hot air opinions.

Never talk shit about Freddie, he is the master of all masters.

 

[Tom2112]

Freddie hands down beats Axl on almost every front. And it's not a competition and people will have their differences of opinion, but when it comes down to it Freddie is without doubt in mine and many others minds the greatest frontman of all time, beating Axl, Jagger, Tyler, Hetfield, or any number of other performers. Incredible showman, incredible voice from start to finish (no embarrassing dips like Axl), his back catalogue with Queen is also top quality, almost every album is great from top to bottom. 

GnR are my favourite band, Axl on form is the voice that I most like, but Freddie is the granddaddy, master of the universe and it's pointless to argue with it. He was the granddaddy before he died and he's only become more so with each passing year, because more and more people realise what an incredible musician he was.

[Tom2112]

On 8/11/2017 at 2:25 AM, SWINGTRADER said:

Did Freddie's voice ever sound like shit as consistently as Axl's?

 

Had Axl never came back after 1993, this could have been a debate. But since Axl has given us 15 years of an absolutely shitty voice, Freddie Mercury wins this one easily.

 

As a frontman, Axl was untouchable when he was in his prime. Too bad it was short lived.

 

 

This! As Jason newsted said, GnR had their teeth for about 3 years and then they got bloated and ineffective, Axl went down with the ship in many ways. Obviously not taking away from the 2006-2010 return to form... but the other years have been so, so up and down! 

 

[Gnrcane]

41 minutes ago, Pishy said:

Also, check out Freddie with Montserrat Caballe "How Can I Go On"

 

 

I'm pretty sure the audio on that video is pre-recorded.  There are no mics anywhere near them and it just doesn't sound live.

As far as singing voice, Freddie wins hands down.  Axl can't and could never pull off opera. 

As far as "frontman," I'd say Axl in his prime wins.  With Axl anything could happen at a show (and many times it did).  This added an air of excitement on top of the performance.  When performing, Axl in his prime rocked out like a maniac.  Freddie (from videos I've seen) more kind of pranced around the stage.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Gnrcane

[Pishy]

7 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

 Freddie is the granddaddy, master of the universe and it's pointless to argue with it. He was the granddaddy before he died and he's only become more so with each passing year, because more and more people realise what an incredible musician he was.

Granddaddy 

 

For all those saying "but would Freddie still sound good had he lived?" The man was sick with AIDS when he got on stage and held equal footing with a tour de force in the opera world, Caballe. If you watch that video above, he starts crying during the performance and she takes his hand.

 Freddie had gone to hear Pavarotti and Caballe was in the performance, he heard her and knew she was the one, they met and worked together.  And it was the first time anyone in the opera world worked with anyone from the rock world. Caballe was so blown away by Freddie, she asked he prepare an entire album after they recorded Barcelona. Opera singers have said they have tried to perform Barcelona and cant do it live, it is too complicated. All the tributes are pre recorded, except Caballe who has done tributes with the rest of Queen and sang live with a pre recording of Freddie after he passed.

And listen to his albums, beautiful until the very end, he could hardly stand and was in agony and recorded complex songs. He was consistently amazing.

I'm not taking anything away from Axl, we all love GnR. But we are talking about Freddie Mercury here. No one can touch the Granddaddy. 

 

[Tomek1985]

Axl

[Tadsy]

Not really sure that you can compare them fairly. The music, the styles, them as people, they were completely different in every aspect. 

Both of them were fantastic in their prime however and it comes down to what you prefer. 

In a funny way they will be linked forever though, I honestly think Axl's rendition of KOHD at the Freddie tribute concert was Axl at his absolute rockstar best. I love watching that clip, the whole band was at the top of the tree and Axl as a front man, show man, rock star, he had it man! I would literally give my left nut to have been Axl at that moment! That Wembley crowd, he had them in the palm of his hand. 

I would honestly prefer not to choose who was better because it doesn't prove anything. I will say this, in my life time, there are certain performers who are a level above. Axl quite rightly belongs in that group along with the other obvious names. 

[pbj_jam]

Though Mercury was the bigger talent, Axl in his prime will never be matched by anyone, he was the total package.

When Axl wasn't a total trainwreck that is, and to me 06,10,ACDC, show he still has and never really lost it.

Edited August 22, 2017 by pbj_jam

[Maynard James Keenan]

10 hours ago, ll_tj1 said:

I'm going to go at this a little different. I'm going to compare my personal top 5 singers "In There Prime" so this won't include current Axl, Freddie when he was starting to get sick. Or Shannon Hoon performing on drugs.

Purely when they were on the top of there game.

1. Axl 

2. Chris Cornell (Say Hello To Heaven is amazing as is all his solo Live stuff)

3. Shannon Hoon (unfortunately we only got one full record from him and not a lot of great live recordings by him but he was truly given the gift of singing. I believe there's a quote where Axl told Sebastian Bach about how good he was)

4. Steven Tyler

5.  Robert Plant

 

Good list.  This is my personal list:

T-1. Chris Cornell (Best voice in modern rock history. I hope others on here had a chance to see his solo performance, there was nothing else like it)

T-1. Robert Plant (Best voice in classic rock history.  A legendary sound that influenced so much of what came next)

3. Axl Rose (Nothing more needs to be said here)

4. Maynard James Keenan (Incredibly powerful voice along with the ability to be haunting when toned down. With more stage presence/frontman appeal Maynard would be higher on many lists imo)

5. Layne Staley (I'm sure this will not be a popular choice but nobody sets the mood/tone of a song with their voice like Layne, it is like another instrument.  River of Deceit, WOW!)

 

Honorable Mention: Paul Rogers, Scott Weiland, Jim Morrison, Ozzy Osborne, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler, David Gilmour, Bon Scott, Trent Reznor