Do you think Axl realizes or acknowledges that 2010 was his best year vocally?

[WhazUp]

Best year as in best sounding vocals since the 90's. I was just listening to a 2012 bootleg and a 2010 bootleg side by side and there is a substantial difference between the two. The 2010 show IMO was miles ahead vocally and I can't help but wonder if Axl now or even during the 2011/2012 tour was aware that what he was doing in 2010 was incredible

2010 wasn't that long ago and there is just such a difference vocally between that and the 2011/2012 shows that I can't imagine Axl isn't aware of the quality drop.

I mean listen to how awesome this is:

Edited January 11, 2014 by WhazUp

[bumblecool]

i hope so.

[Bobbo]

I think he realizes it. I just don't think he cares.

[Gordon Comstock]

He's been on autopilot since '12 I think.

[Broskirose]

I genuinely get the impression that he doesn't think that the rasp is better.

[magisme]

I genuinely get the impression that he doesn't think that the rasp is better.

I don't get that impression at all. I don't think that it's a coincidence that his give a shit left at the same time as the rasp. He's just going through the motions out there.

[Chewbacca]

Well, if he's doing it on purpose then there's nothing we can do. "This is not Burger King"

[niceguy]

I always like to think Axl turned up the heat to impress Duff in that video.

[John Bonham]

Al doesn't know what year it is.

[Broskirose]

I genuinely get the impression that he doesn't think that the rasp is better.

I don't get that impression at all. I don't think that it's a coincidence that his give a shit left at the same time as the rasp. He's just going through the motions out there.

6:45

If he related the lack of rasp to not giving a shit, I don't think he'd talk about not using it live in front of thousands of people. That's why I get the impression that he doesn't really grasp that people prefer he sings with rasp. And it's not like this is his first time period without using rasp.

Edited January 11, 2014 by Broskirose

[bran]

i have always thought it was a choice to use it or not.

[wasted]

I reckon he would, if he thought that.

[magisme]

I genuinely get the impression that he doesn't think that the rasp is better.

I don't get that impression at all. I don't think that it's a coincidence that his give a shit left at the same time as the rasp. He's just going through the motions out there.

6:45

If he related the lack of rasp to not giving a shit, I don't think he'd talk about not using it live in front of thousands of people. That's why I get the impression that he doesn't really grasp that people prefer he sings with rasp. And it's not like this is his first time period without using rasp.

I don't think he necessarily consciously associates lack of rasp with lack of give a shit. I just think they go hand in hand, currently at least. Admittedly rasp (this word gets dumber every time I use it) wasn't there in 2002, yet give a shit was there, so it's not like one to one correlation. But I tend to think 2002 shit voice was about not really singing much for near a decade and his voice not being ready. Since 2011, I feel like he's just given up. He shows up, does some twisty dances, walks around a bit, sings his songs in a relatively leisurely fashion, cashes his checks and goes home with the Brazilians.

[MrSoftie]

I'd love to get him in a room and ask him these things. 2010 he seemed to attack everything with power and aggression, the odd time that he does that these days (Lubbock's Estranged for example) it IS there.. maybe he's just tired. It doesn't help that his clean vocals seem to have gained a squeaky (?) quality these days..

[ZoSoRose]

2010 was amazing, no doubt. But honestly, I attended what is widely considered on here to be the best NuGNR tour leg (Canada 2010) and although that show was incredible on every level, the 2012 show I caught was my favorite. A lot goes into a great gig aside from how good the singer is. 2010 may be the best for bootlegs but 2011-2013 get too much undeserved crap on here.

Just my 2 cents, folks

EDIT- Fuck, you guys really got me thinking... he did have a lot more fire in 2010 and I think that helped his stage presence and voice a lot. I have no idea what happened in the 10 months between the 2010 UAE show and Rio, and I don't think we ever will know... I still stand by my opinion that he can still sound amazing though, but the consistency and fire has certainly changed

Edited January 11, 2014 by ZoSoRose

[IncitingChaos]

I don't think he knows when there will be rasp anymore. I'd like to think he can control it, but I believe him when he says he doesn't know. I don't think his technique has changed much, but I don't think he controls the rasp anymore.

As for not caring as much anymore I'd have to associate that with taking anti-depressants or some drug that has calmed him down and made him relax. Of course this is all speculation on my part.

Edited January 11, 2014 by IncitingChaos

[Chainsforalice]

I just think he's happy and finally content with his life, he's came out on top and basically done it all. I think he's just going through the motions for us fans by playing live, and hopefully will be able to release some new music soon. He's Axl Rose like he gives a fuck what us fans think, he should but he doesn't. "Commercial Rock Music" is fucked these days, if there was some competiton then yeah an album may be released even quicker but these days bands such as "Muse" & "Imagine Dragons" are classified as Rock.

[Cosmo]

I think he's aware it sounds better but the raspy voice hurts and requires a lot more effort and stamina than his clean (I'd say even falsetto sounding) voice, which he feels more confortable using on tour.

[Gordon Comstock]

I don't think he knows when there is rasp and there isn't. I'd like to think he can control it, but I believe him when he says he doesn't know. I doubt he goes back and listens to what he sounded like. I don't think his technique has changed much, but I don't think he controls the rasp anymore.

I'm pretty sure he meant "Uh, I don't know. [because I don't want to] jackass...."

[Jordan Rose]

Of course he knows the difference, despite the nonchalant way he brushes off the comment about his 'excellent raspy voice' in that video. For chrissakes he's wearing an angry Mickey Mouse t-shirt. He knows exactly what we all think because there have been more threads about his voice on here in the last decade than anything else.

We'll never know for 100% certain but an educated guess says that in 2006 he was on fire in terms of performance, movements, fitness, looking bad-ass and obviously vocals simply because he was actually enthusiastic about the imminent release/album being out there and he really had something to prove.

In 2002 a fan reported that they'd asked Axl why he sounded different and he said he was just trying a different style of singing.

As for 2011 til now it's likely a combination of not being as passionate about it as he was in 2006-2010 and also consciously conserving his vocal chords. He could carry on hitting the high notes with clean falsetto into his 60s but if he sang like 2010 continuously it would seriously shorten his career. But as evidenced by Philly 2012 he can still turn it on to a degree at a moment's notice.

I personally think we'll hear him like 2010 again one day IF things go well with a new album release and promotion.

The thing that absolutely sucks, though, is that he doesn't seem to understand how much it's hurt him that for almost all the pro-shot broadcast shows he's sounded pretty awful. If he can turn it on for a show like Philly then why not Rio '11?

[dalsh327]

You can hear the differences. He also used to smoke.

[Hollywood Gunner]

Im actually hoping the reason hes not using the rasp is to save his voice for the new stuff this year... maybe in 2010 he didnt give a shit about saving it, but last year n the year before maybe he knew hed need it in 2014... fingers crossed

Yeah... i know lol

Edited January 11, 2014 by Hollywood Gunner

[IncitingChaos]

I'm just saying there is a fine line between rasp and clean voice for Axl right now. He seems to have lost his middle voice that he could use on Don't cry and Patience. Now it sounds a bit nasaly.

I keep referencing that Estranged video in Lubbock where he is singing clean and all of a sudden the last minute of the song goes into a full rasp. I think lately sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't for him. Inconsistent rasp has been the problem lately. Even the Paradise City from Lubbock where he sings the intro in rasp then the middle you get a clean voice. I think if he had more control right now the whole thing would be rasp but once again there is a fine line between the two for him right now.

Axl has worn Mickey Mouse shirts since the 90's btw

2013 lubbock paradise city, I think this video shows the rasp is there but it's flirting with clean voice throughout parts of the song. To me the two are really close for him right now and I don't think he's that far away from full rasp again.

Edited January 11, 2014 by IncitingChaos

[Lim666]

when was the last time Axl was running on stage left/right within songs? 2006 he did it, but afterwards, did he do that 2010-2013 aswell? not a fan from that era, so i havent watched many videos.

[Liquor & Whores]

I think he doesn't give a shit

it's like this NY appartment he forgot about