Why has Axl always had terrible sound guys?

[Stro]

Seriously, I've never heard of a band, let alone a band as massive as GNR, that has had such frequent sound issues at their shows. Every single show you need to worry about whether or not Axl won't be able to hear himself, or if you'll be able to hear him, or if someone's amp won't work, and on and on. This has been going on since the UYI tour, but has been much more pronounced since the very first Chinese Democracy World Tour. Why the hell hasn't Axl at least hired someone who can get their shit together and not ruin shows for fans that rarely get to see the band anyway? I've never been able to figure out why GNR has so many sound issues when you rarely hear about shows being ruined from any other band at their level.

[gunsguy]

If the sound issues are related to watching concerts on youtube, yes the sound is shit. If you mean actually live, sometimes shit happens, I don't think its a problem all the time like your making it seem.

[star]

Either he (Axl) is really unlucky, or his sound guys are just fine.

Lets just leave it at that, shall me

[smoking guns]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

[gunsguy]

I have been to many many showws over the years, I dont see this as always happening or alot of times.

[Philly Guns]

something tells me it isn't the sound guys, its you know who

[sweetness]

can anybody explain to me what a youtube sound issue is?

[gunsguy]

can anybody explain to me what a youtube sound issue is?

Sure a youtube vid is a bootleg mostly done with either a cell phone or digital camera, the sound reproduction is very bad on 99% of them for any band. Bootlegs have always had shitty sound with the exception of a few here and there. Saying a band has sound issues based on youtube videos is hardly a way to judge a group or a singer. Having said that I have only seen very minor sound problems with Guns personally, I know they have had problems here and there for sure, all bands do. You will obviously hear of more when you follow the band so close, follow any band this close and you will find audio trouble. Sound problems and the reasons behind them vary, for instance Metallica in 2003 Toronto there was a storm and they had numerous power surges throughout their set. Every band I have ever seen live has problems, but it is a live show.

[Sratchy]

I've been at the Montréal's concert last January and everything blown my mind !! I don't remember any sounds issues probably they performed perfectly or too many beers in my blood so I don't remember!! :xmassrudolph:

One of the best moment of my life !! So many artist are doing live concert by doing lips sing !! GNR give the best they can and you can feel it, live in front of you !!

Sratchy :xmasssanta:

[SunnyDRE]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

I'll cut Axl some slack on this - I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue.

[nambis]

my first gnr show was the metallica/gnr tour, and i've seen gnr about a dozen times now. I have to say that on the UYI tour, the band sounded like absolute shit, especially compared to metallica, which is an extremely TIGHT and professional live band. i do think that GNR's sound has vastly improved since those days, mostly because the band members are not drug and alcohol junkies, and take their job seriously.

that said, I think axl has always used "sound issues" as an excuse and scapegoat for his own singing failures at live shows.

[T.W.A.T.]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

I'll cut Axl some slack on this - I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue.

Aww.. You're all heart for finally cutting the guy some slack. That's so generous of you! Really! We should give you some sort of forum-wide recognition for this.

You never stop, do you?

[moreblack]

Chances are none of them stick around long enough to learn the ins and outs of the band's live sound

[SunnyDRE]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

I'll cut Axl some slack on this - I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue.

You never stop, do you?

Again, if you don't like what it is I post, you can put me on ignore, or report me...

But I'm sure you'll do neither.

[T.W.A.T.]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

I'll cut Axl some slack on this - I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue.

You never stop, do you?

Again, if you don't like what it is I post, you can put me on ignore, or report me...

But I'm sure you'll do neither.

You're right, I'm not going to do either of your suggestions. Why? Because as someone pointed out in the other thread: it defeats the purpose of the forum - it's for debating, not everyone agreeing all the time. I'm just hoping you get banned over a natural course of events, and until then I am going to content myself with pointing out your nonsense in whichever threads I happen to read.

What bugs me about you is that you always have some irrelevant criticism, some completely unimportant point that you try to make, and you always find a way of relating it back to yourself. I don't think I have ever seen such holier than thou BS, or self-love posting, anywhere else on the Internet.

Why say: "I'll cut Axl some slack on this..." when you could have just as easily made your point in full by not including that BS and just started your post with: "I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue"? The answer is because you're infatuated with yourself.

Edited July 25, 2010 by T.W.A.T.

[justmike66]

its simple , he doesnt do sound checks .

[Nick83]

First off, it's really hard to get the sound right. Every venue has different characteristics, and there's no real way to prepare for it. Even if you do a sound check and everything sounds great, once you add all those bodies into the venue, everything changes once again. The music is going to sound different from every place in the venue. if you sit far away, you might get heavy distortion. If you sit close, you might get a clear sound, or the opposite etc. You just never know.

Then there's the issue of Axl. How many performers do it like him? Meaning, running around all over the stage the whole show. I'd imagine it would be really hard for him to be hearing the band in a good way. Monitors are difficult to place, and how the sound is projected is unreliable when someone is running around like that.

So he uses the ear piece now, which isn't natural. He's hearing a mix of the band in one ear, and then he's hearing the band naturally in the other ear. Depending on how they are playing, how their sound has been set up, and where Axl is moving, it can really sound unreliable and like shit to him. Then remember, he has to try and hear himself sing through all of that. That's a whole other issue. Have you ever sung at a concert as an audience member? You can sing as loud as you want, and you will barely hear yourself. I've lost my voice a lot of times by yelling or singing too loud, and I didn't even know it, because I couldn't hear myself.

I also think people "think" there are more sound issues with GNR because Axl himself has bitched about it so many times, and most other bands don't do that. So he's made everyone aware of something that they wouldn't have usually been aware of.

The bottom line is that sound is difficult at concerts, and it gets even more complicated because of the many members Axl has in the band, and the nature of Axl's performing itself. Overall, I think they sound great most times.

[justmike66]

First off, it's really hard to get the sound right. Every venue has different characteristics, and there's no real way to prepare for it. Even if you do a sound check and everything sounds great, once you add all those bodies into the venue, everything changes once again. The music is going to sound different from every place in the venue. if you sit far away, you might get heavy distortion. If you sit close, you might get a clear sound, or the opposite etc. You just never know.

Then there's the issue of Axl. How many performers do it like him? Meaning, running around all over the stage the whole show. I'd imagine it would be really hard for him to be hearing the band in a good way. Monitors are difficult to place, and how the sound is projected is unreliable when someone is running around like that.

So he uses the ear piece now, which isn't natural. He's hearing a mix of the band in one ear, and then he's hearing the band naturally in the other ear. Depending on how they are playing, how their sound has been set up, and where Axl is moving, it can really sound unreliable and like shit to him. Then remember, he has to try and hear himself sing through all of that. That's a whole other issue. Have you ever sung at a concert as an audience member? You can sing as loud as you want, and you will barely hear yourself. I've lost my voice a lot of times by yelling or singing too loud, and I didn't even know it, because I couldn't hear myself.

I also think people "think" there are more sound issues with GNR because Axl himself has bitched about it so many times, and most other bands don't do that. So he's made everyone aware of something that they wouldn't have usually been aware of.

The bottom line is that sound is difficult at concerts, and it gets even more complicated because of the many members Axl has in the band, and the nature of Axl's performing itself. Overall, I think they sound great most times.

your points are all valid , yet it doesnt change the fact doing a soundcheck would help greatly , not just anyone but the actual vocalist ... mic technique projection etc ..... and all good soundmen/woman understand the sound is going to change once the house is full and respond accordingly

[Nintari]

I just think Axl's a perfectionist and gets wound up really easy on stage when the littlest of shit goes wrong. Every concert I've ever been to there's been feed back and/or other sound issues but not alot of people demand what Axl demands and so, it just comes off as him having bad sound guys.

[SunnyDRE]

I am with Stro, they have (had) a lot of sound issues, youtube or not.

I'll cut Axl some slack on this - I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue.

You never stop, do you?

Again, if you don't like what it is I post, you can put me on ignore, or report me...

But I'm sure you'll do neither.

You're right, I'm not going to do either of your suggestions. Why?

I don't need you to tell me, I already know.

You're obessed with me. Can't stand a person with strong and consistent opinions..can you? I'm guessing those type of people intimidate you in your personal life also.

Some of you spend so much time reading too much into my posts and trying to rip me, that you never actually add anything to the discusion.

I'm just hoping you get banned over a natural course of events

Never going to happen. But don't worry man, lately I've been getting bored with this place.

What bugs me about you is that you always have some irrelevant criticism, some completely unimportant point that you try to make, and you always find a way of relating it back to yourself.

Geez..

Ok...well umm thanks for telling me, but I really don't give a shit what bugs you about my posts.... I'm not going change my posting style to suit your needs.

I like thinking for myself.

Why say: "I'll cut Axl some slack on this..." when you could have just as easily made your point in full by not including that BS and just started your post with: "I think generally most bands, have sound issues.....; I've been to very few concerts where it wasn't an issue"? The answer is because you're infatuated with yourself.

Yeah I could have said that, but does it matter? You are reading to much into my posts, man. There isn't a rhyme of reason to anything that I posts....no hidden agenda or sense self importance.

Maybe you and a couple others, should try reading what I actually post, and not what you want it to say or think I meant.

you're infatuated with yourself.

Guilty as charged.

Edited July 25, 2010 by SunnyDRE

[M&S]

Who here has had experience with an in ear monitor? If you can't hear yourself it is definitely a problem,as is having a less than perfect FOH mix, Don't judge sound from utube,that is beyond ridiculous as most are recorded with cell phones.

[Stro]

I said nothing about Youtube and I don't know why it has been brought up at all. I'm clearly talking about the issues that have ruined shows, ruined songs, when Axl stops a show to bitch about a sound guy fucking him, when Axl says at the start of various songs through out a set that he can't hear him or the band, or he has awful feedback, the random feedback the crowd can hear, occasional terrible instrument mixes, shows where only half the audience can hear what the hell is going on. Anyone who follows the band should know these have been fairly common happenings over the course of the band's history. It has nothing to do with Youtube. It has more to do with why GNR, including the original group, has been so much less professional than other bands of their size.

[SLCPUNK]

Seriously, I've never heard of a band, let alone a band as massive as GNR, that has had such frequent sound issues at their shows. Every single show you need to worry about whether or not Axl won't be able to hear himself, or if you'll be able to hear him, or if someone's amp won't work, and on and on. This has been going on since the UYI tour, but has been much more pronounced since the very first Chinese Democracy World Tour. Why the hell hasn't Axl at least hired someone who can get their shit together and not ruin shows for fans that rarely get to see the band anyway? I've never been able to figure out why GNR has so many sound issues when you rarely hear about shows being ruined from any other band at their level.

That's a great point that's rarely brought up on the boards. I've seen this new band over a half dozen times and the sound problems are something I remember quite a bit. I remember at one show we couldn't even hear him at one point.

[T.W.A.T.]

I don't need you to tell me, I already know.

You're obessed with me. Can't stand a person with strong and consistent opinions..can you? I'm guessing those type of people intimidate you in your personal life also.

Some of you spend so much time reading too much into my posts and trying to rip me, that you never actually add anything to the discusion.

I'm obsessed with you? See, again, you're proving my point by relating this back to yourself. No one is obsessed with you, we just don't like you. However, continue to think that, please. It's hilarious. Is your avatar and signature pictures of yourself too? Wouldn't surprise me. Here's a news flash: despite what your parents may have thought and told you while you were growing up, the world does not revolve around you.

Your posts are bullshit. Everyone knows it. You spout out 90% crap and 10% real contribution. People ignore the 10% because your garbage easily overshadows the valid points you rarely make.

Never going to happen. But don't worry man, lately I've been getting bored with this place.

Glad to hear you're getting bored of this place. I'm sure I can speak for many on the forum when I say "we" are getting bored of you.

Geez..

Ok...well umm thanks for telling me, but I really don't give a shit what bugs you about my posts.... I'm not going change my posting style to suit your needs.

I like thinking for myself.

Of course you won't change your posting style. You wouldn't know how even if you really wanted to. You've become accustomed throughout your life with relating everything back to yourself; can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Correction: You like thinking about yourself, not for yourself.

[gnrjanus]

Well for a sound engineer. gnr is one of a hellish nightmare!

8 players on stage and you need them all to get through right.

and with the sound of gnr that's even harder I guess