March 9th, 2013 - Perth, Australia

[Guest Gunns]

mygnr forensics 101

[davesfk]

Photos from the gig look great, and the clips I've seen look pretty solid. Getting psyched for Sydney next week. Any chance anyone took a shot of merch for sale? Am buying shirts for a few people who can't make the gig and it's always easier to get them to choose their own!

[Freddie Mercury's Ghost]

It does not look bad. It looks like a 50 year old. We all age in different ways. He looks fine for someone who is 50 and who is a rockstar. Hell, he looks more healthy than a lot of non-rockstar 50 year olds. Sometimes, you get wrinkles as you age. It happens. He's 50.

I don't think it's necessary to incessantly make negative comments about Axl's looks. Just my opinion. We're here to talk about the band and the music, not turn this into cosmopolitan for men gnr edition.

No dude, there's what appears to be a hole in the middle of his neck:

So will you feel guilty for being so determinedly critical of his voice, if that turns out to be some sort of scar? Be honest now.

Of course.

But I already said weeks ago that if he has some medical condition, he should come clean and take care of himself instead of touring.

If he has a Tracheotomy hole...he should not be performing.

[Randy Lahey]

I personally think it's a combination of a bad angle and wrinkles. At least one member here was on the barrier, so I think we'd have heard" Hey, Axl has a big fuckin' hole in his neck" if that were the case...

I think we would have heard a bit more rasp on Mr. Brownstone if Axl had had a tracheostomy.

[axlrosefan1]

In this picture, it seems to be more like a crater

[Sigh]

He sounds amazing to me. I'm sorry, I'm not stuck in 91.

What does not being stuck in 1991 have anything to do with how a singer sounds in 2013? Your post makes no sense.

He sounds terrible. To state otherwise is just silly.

[saber_]

Multiple people said he didn't sound terrible.

I think the word we can agree upon is "inconsistent." I think his clean voice is starting to sound better in places.

[James Bond]

This is probably a terrible comment to make, but if he had a whole in his neck, would his voice not be more raspy?

[yibbida]

Axl Rose a little hit and miss at Guns N' Roses Perth Arena show

Axl Rose at Perth Arena last night. Picture: Tom Davidson

ARE Guns N' Roses days as a live band knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door?

Kicking off their national tour at Perth Arena last night, legendary frontman Axl Rose, the only remaining original member of the hard rock band, delivered a hit and miss vocal performance.

While there is little doubt the band, who formed back in 1985, know how to make an entrance - literally exploding onto the stage in a burst of pyrotechnics and launching straight into Chinese Democracy - the singer struggled to hit all the right notes.

However, the band, which includes DJ Ashba on guitar, Dizzy Reed on keys, Tommy Stinson on bass, Richard Fortus on guitar, Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal on guitar, Chris Pitman on keyboards and Frank Ferrrer on drums, were undeniably tight as they made their way through hits including Welcome To The Jungle, Estranged, Better, Live and Let Die and I Used To Love Her.

Each member proved to be a true showman, playing to the crowds for a set which featured impressive guitar solos from Ashba, Thal and Fortus, as well as a moment in the spotlight for Reed, seated at a piano in the centre of the stage.

The Gunners kicked of their Australian tour in Perth. Picture: Tom Davidson

And while something seemingly indescribable was missing on stage, the enthusiastic audience rocked out to the performance, particularly during songs like Sweet Child O' Mine, with Rose's vocals barely audible over the crowd screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs.

Seated at a piano, dressed in a long black trench coat, Rose sang a cover of Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall before continuing into November Rain, Don't Cry and by far the strongest vocal performance of the night, Knockin' On Heaven's Door, during which Rose was a force to be reckoned with.

After closing with Night Train and disappearing briefly from the stage, Guns N' Roses returned for an encore including Patience, which featured a beautiful acoustic intro, and Paradise City, which unfortunately ended the evening on a low note, with Rose's signature vocals repeatedly faltering.

Earlier in the night, Texan trio ZZ Top took to the stage oozing an effortless cool and delivering an excellent set featuring songs such as Jesus Left Chicago, I Gotsta Get Paid, Gimme All Your Lovin', My Head's In Mississippi, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers and Sharp Dressed Man.

Guns N Roses opened the show with Chinese Democracy. Picture: Tom Davidson

Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill rocked sunnies, sparkling jackets and their trademark long, silver beards, on stage with drummer Frank Beard, who is oddly the only member without such prominent facial hair.

The bluesy guitar riffs and deep vocals were to-die-for and hits like She's Got Legs, Tube Snake Boogie and La Grange were standouts.

The night had kicked off with a performance by Aussie rockers Rose Tattoo.

The bands next jet to Sydney to perform before appearances in Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Axl Rose, the only remaining original member of Guns N' Roses at Perth Arena last night. Picture: Tom Davidson

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/axl-rose-a-little-hit-and-miss-at-guns-n-roses-perth-arena-show/story-e6frfn09-1226594038110

The chick that did the review was complaining about the vocals at Deep Purple/Journey on Thursday night too.

Plus she looks about 15! https://twitter.com/TwistedKristy

[Powerage5]

I personally think it's a combination of a bad angle and wrinkles. At least one member here was on the barrier, so I think we'd have heard" Hey, Axl has a big fuckin' hole in his neck" if that were the case...

I think we would have heard a bit more rasp on Mr. Brownstone if Axl had had a tracheostomy.

+1

[Tyler Drama]

In this picture, it seems to be more like a crater

:rofl-lol: Never seen this one before!

[James Bond]

Didn't realize Randy already beat me to the comment I made. Now I don't feel bad.

[Randy Lahey]

Didn't realize Randy already beat me to the comment I made. Now I don't feel bad.

I meant it in jest. Next thing you know people on here are going to be starting threads demanding that Axl get botox on his neck.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Randy Lahey

[yibbida]

What's wrong with the stage? Looks like a normal stage to me....

A lot smaller. Usually fill the entire front row

I have never seen the stage go the full width at any Perth Arena gig.

[Tyler Drama]

I gotta say, it's not a very great-looking neck.

[Powerage5]

Didn't realize Randy already beat me to the comment I made. Now I don't feel bad.

Get yer shit together

[Naupis]

He sounds amazing to me. I'm sorry, I'm not stuck in 91.

Maybe you should talk to Axl about how to move on, because lord knows he's still stuck in 91 looking at that setlist.

[jellyzero]

He sounds amazing to me. I'm sorry, I'm not stuck in 91.

Maybe you should talk to Axl about how to move on, because lord knows he's still stuck in 91 looking at that setlist.

Exactly.

[saber_]

How many times does this need to be reiterated? Axl plays the hits because that's what the fans who come to the shows want to hear. He's a professional musician, and professionalism involves giving the concertgoers what they want. And they want the classic Guns songs. Plain and simple. He sprinkles in some ChiDem stuff because the fanbase also includes devotees of Chinese Democracy. Hey I wish he's put more new music in the setlist just as much as the rest of you, but I think it's errant to say he's stuck in the past just because he plays the old stuff.

Edited March 10, 2013 by brainsaber

[Sigh]

Multiple people said he didn't sound terrible.

I think the word we can agree upon is "inconsistent." I think his clean voice is starting to sound better in places.

Multiple people have said that they think he sounds incredible all the time. Multiple people are incapable of objectivity. I'm not sure that the volume of people being honest has anything to do with whether something is true or not.

His vocals sound terrible. They sound less terrible amidst the loud drums, guitars and synthesizers played during the songs.

Let's not act as if we can't go to Youtube and watch Guns N Roses videos from 1986 through 2006 and hear incredible vocals from Rose. We can. We know what Rose is capable of.

What he is doing now is terrible. It's not really a matter of opinion. It is a matter of being honest.

[James Bond]

Just listened to a few of the videos. I was willing to give him a pass because it's the first night of the tour and he likely hasn't sang since the last show in December, but I don't know. Even Jungle wasn't that strong and that's usually the song that he's guaranteed to sound good on. Hopefully we'll see an improvement over the next few shows.

Aside from whatever is going on with his neck, he does look like he dropped some weight which is a good thing. Doesn't look so bloated in the gut and his face itself looks thinner (again, minus his neck).

[Naupis]

How many times does this need to be reiterated? Axl plays the hits because that's what the fans who come to the shows want to hear. He's a professional musician, and professionalism involves giving the concertgoers what they want. And they want the classic Guns songs. Plain and simple. He sprinkles in some ChiDem stuff because the fanbase also includes devotees of Chinese Democracy. Hey I wish he's put more new music in the setlist just as much as the rest of you, but I think it's errant to say he's stuck in the past just because he plays the old stuff.

So what you're trying to say is he is really no better than Adler's Appetite used to be before he released new music and started standing on his own instead of being a GNR tribute band.

Some of us are not ready to see Axl become nothing more than a washed up 80's nostalgia act that just churns out the hits every night instead of being an active relevant musician.

Your expectations of him are incredibly low.

If people like you had their way we would have only heard a few songs from the Illusions live during those tours because GNR should have only been focusing on the past success of Appetite and Lies, because that is what they were best known for in 1991.

How will people ever learn to like the new music if Axl doesn't respect it enough to make it a meaningful part of the setlist every night?

[Ali]

Multiple people said he didn't sound terrible.

I think the word we can agree upon is "inconsistent." I think his clean voice is starting to sound better in places.

Multiple people have said that they think he sounds incredible all the time. Multiple people are incapable of objectivity. I'm not sure that the volume of people being honest has anything to do with whether something is true or not.

His vocals sound terrible. They sound less terrible amidst the loud drums, guitars and synthesizers played during the songs.

Let's not act as if we can't go to Youtube and watch Guns N Roses videos from 1986 through 2006 and hear incredible vocals from Rose. We can. We know what Rose is capable of.

What he is doing now is terrible. It's not really a matter of opinion. It is a matter of being honest.

No offense, but you don't seem to know what the difference is between an irrefutable fact and an opinion. What you just stated is an opinion. One you may feel very strongly about. But, the more resolute you are in your opinions does by make them approach fact.

Ali

[saber_]

Multiple people said he didn't sound terrible.

I think the word we can agree upon is "inconsistent." I think his clean voice is starting to sound better in places.

Multiple people have said that they think he sounds incredible all the time. Multiple people are incapable of objectivity. I'm not sure that the volume of people being honest has anything to do with whether something is true or not.

His vocals sound terrible. They sound less terrible amidst the loud drums, guitars and synthesizers played during the songs.

Let's not act as if we can't go to Youtube and watch Guns N Roses videos from 1986 through 2006 and hear incredible vocals from Rose. We can. We know what Rose is capable of.

What he is doing now is terrible. It's not really a matter of opinion. It is a matter of being honest.

I'm sorry, I just don't agree that his "vocals sound terrible." I truly, honestly believe that some of you are just being dramatic.

Oh and...

Do you see the irony in the fact that you're an extremist just like the people saying he sounded fantastic are extremists? You said he sounded terrible. You're no better than the people you're criticizing.

Edited March 10, 2013 by brainsaber

[Sigh]

Multiple people said he didn't sound terrible.

I think the word we can agree upon is "inconsistent." I think his clean voice is starting to sound better in places.

Multiple people have said that they think he sounds incredible all the time. Multiple people are incapable of objectivity. I'm not sure that the volume of people being honest has anything to do with whether something is true or not.

His vocals sound terrible. They sound less terrible amidst the loud drums, guitars and synthesizers played during the songs.

Let's not act as if we can't go to Youtube and watch Guns N Roses videos from 1986 through 2006 and hear incredible vocals from Rose. We can. We know what Rose is capable of.

What he is doing now is terrible. It's not really a matter of opinion. It is a matter of being honest.

No offense, but you don't seem to know what the difference is between an irrefutable fact and an opinion. What you just stated is an opinion. One you may feel very strongly about. But, the more resolute you are in your opinions does by make them approach fact.

Ali

It is a fact that The Godfather is a better film than Plan 9 From Outer Space. But there will always be people who will argue that such is just an opinion. Trying to reduce facts to mere opinions is one of the things which apologists use to justify their opinions in the face of the facts.