Axl Rose: After all, what's wrong with your voice?

[rudolf1978]

He has a problem/disease/damage in his throat 100% for sure

Jungle 2012 min1:08 he points out his throat and give a sign that something its wrong like saying "again its happening"

The disaster min 0:58 PAIN IN HIS Throat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ccfjD4ZyQ

And btw,i think we all have tried at least once to sing a song like Axl in the 90s,my experience without being a singer its i cant sing a song with rasp ( my rasp not like axl) but after that my throat hurts.

I think he has blown up his voice and he will never sing like 2010 becuase in that case he will have a bigger problem and he choose a few moments of rasp.

[robin2002]

Good god, I haven't really sat and listened to Axl's voice from 2010 or 2006 in ages. Fucking amazing. Any suggestions for shows To check out from either year?

Bucharest 2010

Los Angeles 2006

http://youtu.be/_H1ZFCFyMI4

http://youtu.be/k4wjCcwA9g8

Los Angeles 2006 is as good as it gets! Even sweet child was perfect

Probably the best live version of Better that I've heard, he was on fire at that gig... and Robin, I miss Robin

[megaguns1982]

The lesson is : Don't Smoke Tobacco Kids.

[Trin9498]

This is what Axl's capable of when the stars align and his voice is at its peak.

Agreed. Killer version -

[Nosaj Thing]

Strep throat for last 4 years, gentlemen. That's what happened. Poor little Axl.

[stella]

You know, a lot of singers have issues with their voices when they get to be Axl's age - or even before that. FFS even people who sing "legit" with trained voices, like Julie Andrews, have ended up with throat problems. The same way dancers who do everything right end up with injuries from use and might have arthritis in their 40s. The vocal cords are being used way more, and way more intensively, than they're meant to be used, and they do wear out and get injured. And even when singers are lucky enough not to have injuries, their voices may change. Axl's had voice teachers, and IIRC people remember him warming up with exercises even in the 80s. He wasn't just going out there and screaming for two hours. without any preparation.

As to surgery, I do remember reading an article back during the Appetite years that said that Axl had polyps on his throat that were going to be surgically removed - but he didn't want to do it during a tour. The article mentioned his throat hurt so much that he wasn't talking when he wasn't onstage, and had to carry around a notepad instead. I'm trying to see if it's online somewhere.

Edited November 21, 2014 by stella

[dalsh327]

The rasp had to do with his weed smoking back in the day, he needed everything for those 3 hour shows. Maybe if he did a show a month and sang for 90 minutes he'd be able to get back to how he sang. But when you watch the Revolver award show, that's a pretty short set and didn't have any shows lined up that week.

[Dr. Who]

Sing the way Axl does does not promote a long lived voice. See Robert Plant at Live Aid with Zep in '85. Not much different in sound from Axl now, and Robert was only in his late 30s.

[Nosaj Thing]

Sing the way Axl does does not promote a long lived voice. See Robert Plant at Live Aid with Zep in '85. Not much different in sound from Axl now, and Robert was only in his late 30s.

Thanks for your input, Miser.

[darknightfan]

WHAT?!? AXL SOUNDS LIKE SHIT?

News to me!

[dando]

Sing the way Axl does does not promote a long lived voice. See Robert Plant at Live Aid with Zep in '85. Not much different in sound from Axl now, and Robert was only in his late 30s.

I saw Robert plant last Monday night, my old man saw led zep back in the day and said if anything plants voice has been looked after and got better

[Rustycage]

This isn't a great mystery. He's in his 50's now, the rasp is going to be hit or miss now just like it has for the last 13 years.

If he sung with a clean voice when he was younger he would be fine now. He isn't the only singer that's done this to himself at all.

All these theories and reasons why is overthinking this shit. The man got older plain and simple.

People say that 'well he sounded great in 2010 though!'. Well when you're getting on up there in age, 4 years can make a huge difference.

So, what about 2002?

[Amir]

This isn't a great mystery. He's in his 50's now, the rasp is going to be hit or miss now just like it has for the last 13 years.

If he sung with a clean voice when he was younger he would be fine now. He isn't the only singer that's done this to himself at all.

All these theories and reasons why is overthinking this shit. The man got older plain and simple.

People say that 'well he sounded great in 2010 though!'. Well when you're getting on up there in age, 4 years can make a huge difference.

So, what about 2002?

I think 2002 was partly him not having sung in years, partly him trying a new voice like he told a fan, and partly him trying to preserve his voice.

People forget that when he came out full rasp in on the first night in Hammerstein '06, he blew out his vocal chords. He said at the 2nd show he was worried he wasn't going to able to sing at all but Sebastian found him a vocal coach who got him in fighting shape again. I have a mate who did an interview with Bach at Hellfest '12, and he said that he introduced Axl to Don Lawrence (vocal coach for Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga among others), but at a certain point (he didn't specify when) that Axl stopped seeing the coach because it made him sick (not sure, my friend is French and asked me to translate the notes he had taken in French to English, so English to French to English, something might have got lost in translation)?

By the end of the '10 tour his vocals had weakened slightly, but that still doesn't really account for the HUGE drop by Rio '11, and then the resurgence for a couple of UCAP shows in Feb '12. At Rio '11 and Rio '14, he looked like he literally rolled out of bed with almost zero preparation. He cracked a joke about not using his exercise machines enough in the '11 Trunk interview, and DJ was quick to step in with a sycophantic "that's not true!".

I don't think we'll see '06/'10-calibre vocals again, but I think if he was pushed (and toured less frequently) he could hit those UCAP '12 levels again, which I'd be happy with at this stage. At the '13 and '14 shows I went to, I'm not sure there was even 2 minutes of rasp between the two of them, songs like YCBM and Nightrain really suffered.

[Rustycage]

This isn't a great mystery. He's in his 50's now, the rasp is going to be hit or miss now just like it has for the last 13 years.

If he sung with a clean voice when he was younger he would be fine now. He isn't the only singer that's done this to himself at all.

All these theories and reasons why is overthinking this shit. The man got older plain and simple.

People say that 'well he sounded great in 2010 though!'. Well when you're getting on up there in age, 4 years can make a huge difference.

So, what about 2002?

I think 2002 was partly him not having sung in years, partly him trying a new voice like he told a fan, and partly him trying to preserve his voice.

He was supposedly singing in the studio on all of those epic CD, CDII and CDIII masterpieces. Touched up Live era in what I'm sure wasn't just one take. I doubt OMG was a one take deal(even though it sounds like it). And in 2001 he sounded better than in '02 so.....

If he hadn't "sung in years" why did he sound better in 2001 than he did in '02?

It's not so much age and damage as it is just complete laziness, IMO.

[Amir]

This isn't a great mystery. He's in his 50's now, the rasp is going to be hit or miss now just like it has for the last 13 years.

If he sung with a clean voice when he was younger he would be fine now. He isn't the only singer that's done this to himself at all.

All these theories and reasons why is overthinking this shit. The man got older plain and simple.

People say that 'well he sounded great in 2010 though!'. Well when you're getting on up there in age, 4 years can make a huge difference.

So, what about 2002?

I think 2002 was partly him not having sung in years, partly him trying a new voice like he told a fan, and partly him trying to preserve his voice.

He was supposedly singing in the studio on all of those epic CD, CDII and CDIII masterpieces. Touched up Live era in what I'm sure wasn't just one take. I doubt OMG was a one take deal(even though it sounds like it). And in 2001 he sounded better than in '02 so.....

If he hadn't "sung in years" why did he sound better in 2001 than he did in '02?

It's not so much age and damage as it is just complete laziness, IMO.

'01 and '02 basically sound the same to me. We only have 2 boots of '01 shows as far as I know (01/01/01 Vegas and Rio '01), and I don't think Axl sounds particularly great on them, though not terrible. MSG '02 he sounds a little better to me.

Yes, he did lay some vocals for Live Era and OMG, but there's a difference between singing in a studio and running around on stage and singing for 3 hours (that's why I said it wasn't exclusively one factor).

[Rustycage]

This isn't a great mystery. He's in his 50's now, the rasp is going to be hit or miss now just like it has for the last 13 years.

If he sung with a clean voice when he was younger he would be fine now. He isn't the only singer that's done this to himself at all.

All these theories and reasons why is overthinking this shit. The man got older plain and simple.

People say that 'well he sounded great in 2010 though!'. Well when you're getting on up there in age, 4 years can make a huge difference.

So, what about 2002?

I think 2002 was partly him not having sung in years, partly him trying a new voice like he told a fan, and partly him trying to preserve his voice.

He was supposedly singing in the studio on all of those epic CD, CDII and CDIII masterpieces. Touched up Live era in what I'm sure wasn't just one take. I doubt OMG was a one take deal(even though it sounds like it). And in 2001 he sounded better than in '02 so.....

If he hadn't "sung in years" why did he sound better in 2001 than he did in '02?

It's not so much age and damage as it is just complete laziness, IMO.

'01 and '02 basically sound the same to me. We only have 2 boots of '01 shows as far as I know (01/01/01 Vegas and Rio '01), and I don't think Axl sounds particularly great on them, though not terrible. MSG '02 he sounds a little better to me.

Yes, he did lay some vocals for Live Era and OMG, but there's a difference between singing in a studio and running around on stage and singing for 3 hours (that's why I said it wasn't exclusively one factor).

Singing in studio can be pretty intense. Those are the times where you need everything perfect. Don't underestimate the studio.

Don't forget that he forgets lyrics to the most popular and constant songs in the set. WTTJ. Patience. November Rain.

He probably doesn't warm up or rehearse and that's where the damage comes from. If you don't use it, you lose it and have to put forth a lot of effort to get it back(2006&2010).

Now, he's just lazy and doesn't give a damn. He goes falsetto and mails it in.

[combos]

I agree that his "youtube-voice" sucks for the most part lately, but this thread becomes a bit weird when crowds, duff and other band members say how awesome his voice is.

Crowds are drunk, Duff is one of his closest friends and band members are his employees.

[Amir]

Singing in studio can be pretty intense. Those are the times where you need everything perfect. Don't underestimate the studio.

Don't forget that he forgets lyrics to the most popular and constant songs in the set. WTTJ. Patience. November Rain.

He probably doesn't warm up or rehearse and that's where the damage comes from. If you don't use it, you lose it and have to put forth a lot of effort to get it back(2006&2010).

Now, he's just lazy and doesn't give a damn. He goes falsetto and mails it in.

You have time to catch your breath in the studio, though.

Not disagreeing with forgetting lyrics at shows like Rio '11, etc. He really did come across as woefully unprepared for that show, as I stated earlier.

For '13-'14, I'd agree with the lazy remark (Rio '14 was embarrassing), but for a few UCAP shows and even some of the later '11 shows he really did seem to be pushing himself, but even still struggling to reach the heights of '10, which makes me think it's not just laziness alone.

[Rustycage]

Singing in studio can be pretty intense. Those are the times where you need everything perfect. Don't underestimate the studio.

Don't forget that he forgets lyrics to the most popular and constant songs in the set. WTTJ. Patience. November Rain.

He probably doesn't warm up or rehearse and that's where the damage comes from. If you don't use it, you lose it and have to put forth a lot of effort to get it back(2006&2010).

Now, he's just lazy and doesn't give a damn. He goes falsetto and mails it in.

You have time to catch your breath in the studio, though.

Not disagreeing with forgetting lyrics at shows like Rio '11, etc. He really did come across as woefully unprepared for that show, as I stated earlier.

For '13-'14, I'd agree with the lazy remark (Rio '14 was embarrassing), but for a few UCAP shows and even some of the later '11 shows he really did seem to be pushing himself, but even still struggling to reach the heights of '10, which makes me think it's not just laziness alone.

With 20 solo spots, he has time to catch his breath on stage, as well. He's out of breath in the first line of Jungle.

You can't push it to reach highs unless you've rehearsed, maintained your voice and are properly warmed up. It's not something you can just turn on and off every few years. The only excuse for losing it is with bad technique and laziness. Rasp done properly doesn't hurt.

With whatever damage he may have, it's his own fault. He's lazy.

[trqster]

Truth is there's nothing wrong with Axl's voice as was proven during the last Vegas residency show. It's just Axl that for some reason doesn't want to push the envelop more often.

Any doubts...?

Edited November 21, 2014 by trqster

[dando]

Yeah he sounds great on yesterdays , just got the lyrics wrong

[Todo Poderoso Timão]

This paper has as aim to demystify something that afflicts many fans of Guns N 'Roses. After all, what would have happened to the vocalist Axl Rose?

While Axl has a good tone (2nd baritone), it can be stated that most of the time he sang out of his vocal range, often accompanied by the use of a very dangerous vocal technique for those who do not have total control of it, the drive. Perhaps the biggest mistake of his career was to have used excessive drive without first studying the technique.

Many singing teachers refuse to teach drive, because the probability of the student doing incorrectly is very large. The truth is, of course, singing, tends to use the drive through the canyon, when in fact it should be carried through the soft palate - sing with the drive through the canyon is suicide - but it is very difficult to do it properly, it is difficult to perform the technique by means of the soft palate, so much that most of the singers who used to drive impaired voice long term.

You can name a few rock singers who have total mastery of this technique, singers like Ronnie James Dio , for example, dominated masterfully.

At first, the drive train is through exercise audiologist called fry, which besides correcting the posture of the vocal fold, allows the practitioner gradually bring the drive to get the soft palate, taking it out of the throat and preventing damage future ace vocal cords. Besides the fry, there are other important for those who want to learn to sing drive sustainably exercises. Just look for a competent singing teacher and he will demystify the technique to the student.

The fact is that, to use the drive without prior study of technique, Axl severely damaged his vocal cords.Even in 1993 shows, we could already see Axl with a much weaker than in previous years voice.

The drive resulted in nodules (calluses) on the vocal cords of Axl. Possibly, this was the main reason for getting so many years without Axl sing live, between 1994 and 2001.

Between 1997 and 1999, he recorded most of the vocals on the live album Live Era in the studio and it was a noticeable change in his voice, but was still recognizable and the drive was still there, over dosed, it is true, but it was there.

In 2000 he played Dead Flowers with Gilby Clarke and his voice was still recognizable, he was still enjoying the drive.

Anyway, after this presentation with Gilby, Axl decided to undergo a surgery for the removal of these nodules. This type of surgery have as a repair, and calluses of the vocal cords leave the cleaner voice, and the rasp (strident, hoarseness) voice is dissipated briefly.

Exactly for this reason that in 2001, just one year after singing with Gilby and after the infamous surgical procedure, Axl showed up at the House of Blues and Rock in Rio, as well as throughout 2002 tour, singing with a cleaner voice, having been forbidden by doctors to use drive, otherwise you could incur irreparable damage to your voice.

As no longer had the power the drive gave him, Axl is forced to enhance other features such as their head voice, which has never been as consistent as your chest voice, moreover, also enhanced the use of belting .

Technically, Axl had improved, but the drive was and is very much needed for several songs from Guns since Axl dwelt fans of Guns N 'Roses to hear him sing with him.

About that time followed closely resembles that Axl was bombarded by criticism by the new way of singing, and perhaps this was the main reason for the cancellation of the 2002 tour.

Tired from criticism of his voice on tour 2001/2002, in 2004, he did another surgery, this time to give greater depth to his voice, after this procedure, its got a little more treble and deep bass, giving the false impression that his voice would have recovered the stridency of previous years.

Contrary medical advice, Axl went back to using drive in 2006, but his voice did not externava more natural stridency as in the past. Many times, he sounded hoarse, stressed, superficial and without the scope of yore.

Many people define as Axl sang well or not because he has used drive or not, but singing is not only used drive. Several factors have to be analyzed, extent, projection, depth, vibrato, head voice, chest voice, belting, etc..

Returning to use drive, was noticed clearly that he suffered at the shows, you could see his veins pop out of the canyon and it was feared for his health, but adore the sound that your voice was producing, returning to remember, vaguely true, the past.But it was not healthy, Axl never sang in a sustainable manner.

In 2010, many sets he sang well because he started to abuse the drive, using it on every song, but I repeat, singing is not only drive. Even with the drive, Axl found himself out of tune even more out of tune than in 2002, when he did not use the drive, but it remained tuned in good part, as can be seen in songs such as The Blues and Madagascar .

But truth be told, although not healthy for him, was spectacular for the fans, the voice that echoed Axl in 2010, because maybe it was the year in which his voice was closer to the heydays. This does not mean that she was very good as define. Importantly, even in the heyday of Axl's voice has never been characterized by technology, but by the power the drive gave him, was the feeling that Axl conquered fans.

Yes, it is true that many songs from Guns are, say, different and strange without drive.But this is because Axl fans accustomed to it, he did not think long term.

He worked hard in 2010 to keep the entire tour using the drive, but as stated earlier, did not sing in a sustainable way, and it was noticeable that used the drive through the canyon and not the soft palate, which proves that perhaps he has not found a teacher who had the courage to teach him the drive properly after their surgeries, for which he was subjected.

There is also evidence that, in addition to vocal cord nodules, throughout his career, Axl has also had reflux laryngopharyngeal reflux, same problem which affected numerous vocalists such as Edu Falaschi, for example.

It is possible that with every effort made between 2006 and 2010, Axl has acquired new nodules on his vocal cords, and that because of this, it has drastically reduced the use of the drive since 2011, having its apex in 2014, where his voice is clean most of the time during shows.

But unlike 2002, today Axl no longer have the breath that had at that time, so we can not support and sustain the notes, as in 2002 could, therefore, today, your voice sounds worse than in 2002, it sounds wound and without support.

As a result, the tendency is that the set list for the coming years bring only songs that are his original fabric, ie, songs that give him sing only with chest voice, songs like You Is not The First, Mr Bronwstone , Bad Obsession, Knockin 'On Heavens Door, Do not Cry, Doule Talkin Jive, Down On The Farm, It's So Easy, So Fine, etc..

In the studio, you can follow him struggling through the drive to present a result to remember its heyday in the next albums, but even the Chinese Democracy, it is noticeable that it drastically reduced the use of the drive. In proportion as his voice sounds more technical, it does not sound as powerful as ever before.

Axl himself acknowledged in an interview on That Metal Show, which exaggerated the recording some songs in the studio, as You Could Be Mine, for example. He said he thought: ¨ And now? How will I sing it live without damaging my voice? ¨. He did not think the long term, but in a general context worth it because his voice under the effect of the drive, even without the necessary technique to use it, the guy has spectacular songs.

But here the question begs: What Axl could do to re-submit satisfactory results in stages?

Well, first, he could slim down, giving it more breathing space for live performances.Losing weight would mean more endurance, ie, he could improve his live performance, which would help for him to keep a good support at times when needed to achieve higher grades.

Secondly, he could study in depth the technical drive to an expert teacher, and use it correctly and sustainably. Need to find a balance between all the vocal techniques, a balance between head voice, chest voice and drive, not to compromise its future. No need to sing with or without drive all the time he needs to find a balance.

Thirdly, he could undergo the surgical procedure called Voicelift, which is responsible for the rejuvenation of the vocal cords procedure. Singers like Steven Tyler and David Coverdale have already undergone this procedure a few years ago.

So if you're rock vocalist or intended to be, and is intended to drive under the influence of singing, deeply study the technique, take good care of your voice, avoid the cliche of drinking and smoking, be disciplined and keep up to date about human anatomy, especially in regard to the muscles of the vocal cords.

http://whiplash.net/materias/biografias/200844-gunsnroses.html

I posted this in a thread, I just thought id repost this for anyone who missed it.

I highly doubt Axl lost his voice because of excessive or inappropriate use.

Remeber that he lost it after/during an absolutey no-tour gap (1995-2000) behind ending touring in 1994 with absolutely "in shape" voice.

[Nick83]

Axl's voice use is totally related to his mental state as well. When he is feeling competitive or angry or emotional in some way, the voice is expressed differently. His voice is really a window into his soul.

We're hearing a happier and more content Axl lately.

[Strange Broue]

Truth is there's nothing wrong with Axl's voice as was proven during the last Vegas residency show. It's just Axl that for some reason doesn't want to push the envelop more often.

Any doubts...?

now imagine if we got these shows on dvd/blu ray instead of the shitty 2012 voice

[Sisyphus]

Are there any confirmed information that Axl had surgery? Has Canter ever talked about it?