Pedrolg

3 hours ago, Jordan Rose said:

Where does Tyler fit in? He seems to just be a total freak of nature. 

Tyler sings within his natural voice range 90% of time, deviating from it here and there for impact. His singing voice is pretty close to his talking voice for the most part - it would be similar to Axl using the voice he uses at ISE or Patience for the majority of time in the majority of songs. Even if he used rasp for a few lines at every song, he would probably still have it at this point in his career.

Axl`s singing voice is way, way higher than his natural voice range, which is the Patience voice. He spends the majority of songs way up there, and did that using insane amounts of drive for years and years. That's a recipe for disaster. More so than the rasp, using the upper limits of the vocal range with power is what really kills rockers voices: ir screwed Brian, Robert Plant, Bon Jovi, Rob Halford guys like Elton John. It would sooner or later happen to Axl.

I'd encourage you to research a Brazilian metal band called Angra (you might know it). They had two vocalists who didn't use much rasp, both would hit ridiculously high notes for years, Andre Matos and Edu Falaschi. Both are in their mid 40's now and their voices are absolutely obliterated. Falaschi actually left the band after a disastrous performance in RIR 2011 (ring any bells?  lol) and released a massive, candid statement about no longer being able to sing that high, and how forcing himself to sing at the top of his range was actually starting to ruin his lower range too. He has a new band and stays well within his natural range now.

Axl lasted pretty long for someone who does what he does, as agressively as he does. Longer than Brian Johnson, who ruined his vice in 83, longer than Plant too. There is a chance he actually takes very good care of his voice.

4 hours ago, maynard said:

Axl always sounded shit on Better but damn he keeps getting worse. I can feel the struggle from here, it's just too demanding for him. The high scream parts, the low "all that I wanted" that leads to the final solo and the weak Mickey helium voice at the end are cringe-worthy and painful to watch. He sounds like an amateur. He should consider retiring some songs. Or just retiring from singing.

Nah, no need to retire. Axl is a capable singer still, imo he is just a bit to proud and hopeful with his ability right now. He needs to drop those songs down a notch and will be able to sing them just fine. 

There is no way around it, there are two things that are devasting for male singers: singing at the top of their range and using drive. Axl's done both throughout his career, and his voice paid for it. Bon Jovi and Brian Johnson both did that and adapted for years, it's a matter of trading "wow" moments for a consistent, decent performance.  

2 hours ago, RONIN said:

Each one is the other's meal ticket. They probably realize that now. 23 years worth of lost income - they left millions on the table. Axl would easily be one of the top 5 wealthiest musicians in the world had he just kept the band active with the original lineup. 

They could just as easily have released a below expectations record and faded away during the period with so many other good bands.

52 minutes ago, IncitingChaos said:

His vocal chords are stronger now, like a muscle the wear and tear allows them to strengthen. But you can do damage by over working muscle. Ideally he’d sing for 2 hours, cool down, do vocal exercises the next few days then be able to do it again. These back to back shows, lack of preparation and singing to the top of his range will do some work to his chords. 

If he ever goes 4 months off and no singing/vocal exercise then returns..you’ll hear a completely breakdown of his voice. It will be as bad as it’s ever been. 

Now with ACDC on the table i doubt he ever lets that happen. He’ll be working closely with a vocal coach and what we will get is a stronger Axl, his vocals will be able to sustain more wear, he should find more control. 

I think he’s fine. The lack of rest is hurting him currently but we know too much rest can do more damage so in some aspects it’s good that he’s still going. We have a front row seat to see that he’s still working. What happens after the tour is much more important. He can get his vocals where they need to be to perform any song in ACDC’s or GNR’s catalogue. The little vocal exercises, the controlled singing, he won’t be screaming to the top of his range each day. He can regenerate to a certain extent and the end result could be a better Axl.

However it’s Axl..he could do nothing and try to return in the summer with nothing. 

I do hope you are right, but Axl has always come back unprepared after a long break. Literally always. Even in 2006 and 2010 he was not in top form in the first concerts and found his footing later when the tour progresses. I really hope he doesn't do that, but I wouldn't put it past Axl to come back next year after seven months of doing absolutely nothing vocally, and sounding like RIR, 2014 NA leg etc. or worse.

I hope he knows what he is doing and is driven to perform at a high level at this point. At his age, it is much easier to maintain strong muscles you already have than it is to achieve them if you let them lose their strength.

35 minutes ago, Use Your Delusion II said:

I'm not a big "Axl's voice" guy, but I'd break NITL down like this:

• 2016 Vegas - Well rested and prepared, but still with limitations
• Summer 2016 NA - Peaking, a lot more good than bad
• Euro-Leg - Wearing down, self-preservation (little rasp)
• 2017 NA - Worn down, laboring, but going for it (more rasp)

I do think his voice is shot right now, but he's fighting through it and trying to put on a good show.  You can tell he's really digging deep to conjure up some rasp in a lot of these songs.  For everyone who says the man "isn't trying", it seems obvious that the effort is there but his voice is failing him.

After a mega-tour like this, I'm not surprised.  I'm sure he'd typically go away for a few years afterward and try to recover.  Unfortunately, the man is 55 years old.  First of all, can he even recover with rest?  And second, is it realistic to expect that he (or the whole band for that matter) could put on a real Guns show while pushing 60?  It's already borderline.  I've been hoping for a new album like most everyone else, but it feels like the end of the road - a triumphant return and then riding it out as far as Axl can physically push his voice.  Whatever happens, it's been a hell of a ride! 

 

 

 

That's not far off. I agree that he is putting a lot of effort in recent performances.

I'm a massive AC/DC fan and was glad Axl/DC happened, but it's probably a shame for most GNR fans that Axl's finest vocal work this decade happened there, and not in the reunion (even though NITL had some fine moments). I'm afraid that Axl really blew through that voice, but I might be wrong, we'll see. Logic dictates that returns diminish from this point, so probably 2016 will soon be seen as the new 2010.

Anybody who thinks Axl can end this leg with GNR and go on to play with Angus hasn't been listening to him sing for the past 6 months. He is in no shape to perform AC/DC songs at this point and what he should (and probably will) do is rest and nurse the shit out of his voice.

19 hours ago, Jordan Rose said:

Some of you are getting a bit stressed over that Chicago Twat. Yes, it did sound like he was going to go for the high note for the first time this tour but his voice cracked and wobbled and he stayed low. Big deal. He goes for crazy screams and high notes on other songs like Jungle and Heaven's Door every night no problem. The difference? He's played those songs at every. single. fucking. show for 16 years and regardless of what shape his voice is in or whether he's singing clean or not he knows how to get around them. If he'd sang Twat at every show since 2001 he'd be nailing it too. 

He could always reach the note. He reached it in 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014. His voice has been cracking everytime it goes high - the Better bridge, which used to be consistently awesome, is a crackfest at every single show in 2017. There have been cracks on parts of songs where Axl has never faltered even in his worst years.

His higher register sounds fucked, tbh, and since that's what he used on those insane AC/DC performances, it's quite possible that they are what did him in. With more dates being added next year, I believe Axl will tour and tour until the voice is gone for good.

I doubt he will ever perform with AC/DC again too, unless his voice somehow recovers. At this point in time I'd bet on him being physically unable to sing something like Back in Black or Hells Bells.

He is trying for that note, his voice cracks horribly and he takes a step back. Sadly, the voice he goes for here is the one he used to belt out Thunderstruck, Hells Bells and Back in Black. I wonder if he obliterated that voice singing for AC/DC like he did.

Axl finally went for the high note in TWAT in Chicago. The voice wasn't there. The voice he uses here is the voice he used for AC/DC Brian songs. Unless it comes back with some rest, Axl/DC is done without it.

28 minutes ago, Tom-Ass said:

I never saw it, was it worse than the Golden Gods show? I didn't think that was possible..

Lol, you have no idea. 

But Axl was in much, much, much worse vocal shape in that show than he is now. He was sick tbh.

Paraspdise City

On 10/28/2017 at 9:52 AM, GNRfanMILO said:

The NA leg was different. He even rasped Paradise City a few times.

I fully appreciate the sheer effort Axl is putting into those performances, and he does sound better than all of 2017 and actually better than some moments in 2016.

There are however some clear signs that his voice is absolutely ravaged from the massive tour. His lower register falters ocasionally, and that high rasp he uses for the Better bridge, parts of prostitute, and used for AC/DC Brian songs sounds absolutely obliterated right now. Hopefully it comes back after he rests a bit.

It's not an exclusive GNR thing, really. You are noticing it now because of GNR's busy schedule and it being back on the spotlight, but all the classic rock bands have been offering similar experiences. AC/DC, Stones, Metallica, Bon Jovi all are extremely professional, scripted and well oiled performances, and if you follow them through a whole tour every show is very much like the previous, and very much like the next one. The changes in setlist that GNR brings with all the covers and alternates are actually a bit above average for those bands.

The truth is that GNR is now another multimillion, professional band. Even Axl, as volatile as he was up to 2012, has been turn into another old dude who is nice to fans, asks how they are doing and goes up there and does his jobs. Those guys are going up there and doing their jobs in a professional, structured and predictable fashion. It works for 99% of fans who attend shows and it keeps things flowing.

There is the new album debate, but this iteration of GNR is still quite new. I think there will be some new music, but when it happens reception will be in the "those guys guys are old, but still can rock pretty decently" fashion like Metallica's hardwired or AC/DC's every album for the past 2 decades. Then the band gets back on the road, singing SCOM, Jungle and 3-4 songs from the new stuff up until whenever Axl's voice holds up - that also might not last that long. His voice is shot, AC/DC performances and great shows here and there won't change that.

This scenario is the absolute best that can be expected from GNR and Rock'n'Roll in general in 2017: old guys performing consistently but in a professional, trained and predictable way, possibly releasing some decent rockers with a singer fighting hard to deliver serviceable performances of all the screaming and belting he did in the past. The crazyness and intensity of years past is lost to the ages, as sad as it may be.

Just now, maynard said:

You guys hear what you want to hear I guess. Axl sounds shit as always. Tempo is the same. They won't make adjustments in the last month of touring.

Sounding good is relative, man. I mean if you listen to proper Axl from the 90's, from 06-10, he sure sounds like shit. Relative to Axl's shot voice from most of 2011-2014 and all of 2017 up to the NA Arena Leg, there are significant, noticeable improvent. 

Axl will never sound like he did, sadly.

Listening to the Washington stream now and we might aswell delete most of what we said during most of this year, lol

Axl sounds very, very good. I'd say he's sounded better than the 2016 average since Newark. It seems only the USA deserves full blown Axl. 
@IncitingChaos

Axl is sounding very, very solid. 

Axl told a story right after SCOM it seems, and even made fun of his former antics, if I unterstood correctly. He says something about a driver flipping them off and that he must have taken his Axl pill for the day.

1 minute ago, Blackjacker said:

Wife and I were on the rail in front of Duff - when Yesterdays ended and that intro to TWAT started, we both looked at each other and she yelled to me "If they dropped Coma for this shit I'm going to fucking kill somebody!"

My own feelings on TWAT (I do not care for it at all) aside... it really didn't come off well last night in person at all.

TWAT is a tame song. Ballads are great when they become anthems and people sing along and all that. A ballad that is not very well known tends to drag on a live a setting.

The only time TWAT seems to elicit a response from crowds is when Axl hits the ridiculous "Oh I'd do anything for YOOOU". He is not going for that anymore either.

I don't want to get my hopes up, but could it be possible that a 3rd "rasp era" is coming up? While Axl's voice is a bit tired and sometimes cracks on the higher notes, the past 3 shows are among the raspiest ever since 2010 - nearly every song is decent to great. Maybe his voice is making another comeback, even if diminshed, like it did in 2006-2010 after 2002 being close to 2011-2014? 

I wonder if the "I don't know when (if) we will see you again" + Axl dusting off the rasp means something 

So, let's have a positive discussion here for a change.

Are you guys noticing the old mid range trademark Axl voice slipping into his two most recent performances? It`s there on November Rain, throughout Madagascar, and even on songs like Paradise City. Axl's upper range, the AC/DC shriek seems to be a bit tired from the touring, but his lower registers are getting better and better with each show. All I saw from MSG ranged from pretty decent to awesome.

Kudos Axl, great to see you still got it after all.

Axl decided to dust off the old rasp in songs such as maddy, PC and even NR! I have to say that from what I heard this would figure among the strongest shows of the 2016 NA leg and probably his best performances post 2011 in general. That's fucking great, hopefully it keeps up!

A much improved performance from Axl here! Good to gear!

From what I heard from yesterday, Axl has tremendously improved.