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Are Axl's current vocals enough?


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I was listening to some videos from Vegas 2014 and I admit Axl sounded good on a lot of songs or atleast decent, but there were performances that stuck out to me and made me think...the guy still has a chance to be a great singer in his 50's.

He's a legend we all know that, but to say his vocals since 2011 have been good would be ridiculous. He's struggled with breathing, with control, tone, rasp, you name it the guy hasn't looked or sounded like the great vocalist we came to love.

Marseilles and Seeker are two songs he shows control, tone, a lower registered voice, and good breathing. He sounds like a professional singer on these songs. The GNR catalog of music might just be out of his range now at 53 years of age, there are a lot of words in those songs that require him to be a lot better of a singer than he is at the moment.

The other argument might be that he sounds too boring on these clips. Therefore a new album dedicated to music with these vocals might not appeal to some. I would say that if you listen to songs where you hear rasp on GNR music since 2011 Axl sounds good to us, but I still think there is weakness in it that won't fly to the mainstream audiences on a new record.

Sorry I hope this doesn't sound like a bash on Axl. But age is something he's having to cope with right now and yea maybe his technique wasn't perfect and cost him some good vocal years, but think of this as a suggestion for a new path for Axl.

Anyways my point is at 53 Axl has a good chance at still being a big name in the music industry. The voice he exhibits in the two songs above is excellent, it's easy for him, and if he can craft a good song that fits this vocal style then why not have a great return. He's got the name recognition, the connections, and rock is a wide open genre that nothing has really come from in a while. In my opinion Axl's next return should take into account his strengths currently, and not what he use to be able to do.

I look forward to a calmer, more in control and polished vocal performance from Axl next time he performs.

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If he sounds amything like he did for the majority of 2011-2014, he will absolutely be the weakest link in whatever happens next.

I know you have been to more shows than me, the shows I went to, he sounded great in them, I know his voice has been shitty in many shows, but I watched those shitty shows on youtube, so like live also does it really sounds that bad, like is it obvious?

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If he sounds amything like he did for the majority of 2011-2014, he will absolutely be the weakest link in whatever happens next.

I know you have been to more shows than me, the shows I went to, he sounded great in them, I know his voice has been shitty in many shows, but I watched those shitty shows on youtube, so like live also does it really sounds that bad, like is it obvious?

I think I saw them around 6 times between 2011 & 2012. I recorded most of the shows I went to and usually found that Axl didn't sound anywhere near as good as I thought he did when I was there.

I didn't record the worst show or the best show though which I'm kinda bummed about because I'd like to compare them.

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I have been thinking about this too. If we get Guns Lite meaning just Axl Slash and Duff and we get the Axl of the last 5 years then then it won't be that great. I think if it was the Appetite line up then it would be a lot easier to look past Axl's short comings. Who knows though, Axl could come out in the best shape he has been in in years and singing great.

I think one thing that could really help is if he sand in his lower register more often and save his voice for when he needs it. Use his Brownstone/Pretty Tied Up voice a lot more. I would rather hear him sing in that tone on the verses of Nightrain and Rocket Queen than forcing it and sounding bad.

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I was watching some videos from 6/6/14 the other day and I'd be happy if he sounded like that again next time I see him.

Marseilles sounded really good that night. He used his clean voice on most of Prostitute like the night before, but he doesn't sound as shaky. On Yesterdays his voice went clean by the end but it was like the 2002 voice where at least there was power behind it. He nailed the screams on TWAT... he did prove that he still has it at the last couple shows IMO. It sucks that it took a whole tour leg for his voice to get to that point, though.

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The thing is he might not be capable of nailing the old guns songs any more. Even when there is rasp his breathing, and tone are messed up. But he is capable of singing like he did on Seeker and Marseilles. He does it quite well. He no longer can hit those verses that seemingly come right on top of each other...most singers can't.

I'm saying he needs to change his style a bit. Stay in rock but write some music that suits what you can do and make the most of it. I think CD was a harder album to sing than all the previous guns stuff, so he needs to get back to a basic sound and show he's capable.

Maybe it bores him though and he doesn't like feeling like he has to regress to be relevant. Maybe he doesn't want to be relevant. Idk I just know he does certain things well vocally and now at 53 does many things not so well.

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If he sounds amything like he did for the majority of 2011-2014, he will absolutely be the weakest link in whatever happens next.

This 100%.

If he plans on touring again he needs to have himself in shape. He's no 20, 30 or even 40 anymore... thinking you can just wing it? no, just no. Look at any other rockstar (not vince neil) they all start rehearsing 1-2 months before the start of a tour, running, singing their set. By the time the first show happens they are usually pretty much up to scratch, improving to full standard by the end of the first week.

Axl was good at the end of Vegas, he was still struggling for air though; I'm not gonna say he is was perfect like some people, and I wouldn't call 2010 perfect either. 2006 for me was as close to a good balance that Axl has ever achieved, to me at least.

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The point of this whole thing is Axl doesn't have to prepare. He can get away with singing songs the same way he sings Marseilles and Seeker, but and this is important, Axl has to quit singing a majority of GNR songs.

So Axl will need to come up with an album that suits his current abilities based on his lack of effort. The easiest voice for him to pull off and sound good is what he did on Marseilles and seeker.

Now Axl making an album when he puts forth no effort is really the tough one to cross. He would have to do something here, but maybe not. Maybe cd2 can be adjusted for his new style...idk maybe. I think it's his best voice right now and the only one he has a shot at making a legitimate comeback on.

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Die-hard forum goers will accept anything from Axl. Over the years they've lowered their standards to accommodate his poor performances. But the general public, who will be interested in a reunion, will not be so blind. Many people will not have paid attention to Axl since the 90s, so the drop-off will be huge for them.

Not that he should be expected to sing as he did when he was 25. But he can do a lot more to improve things as they stand. I do think he still has a good voice, the main problem is as Chuzeville points out – he squandered 20 years so doesn't have the catalogue to help change his style of singing. It's one of the many reasons why I think he should've gone solo instead of martyr himself to such a futile cause. He's stuck singing WTTJ as the show opener into his 50s.

He'll not only need to seriously improve his voice, but also his stage presence. His vocals never really held out over a gig/tour, it's part of the charm really, so there's some leeway there. But most people do expect to see a man with a much stronger stage presence than he's had in a long while. The washed-up tacky vegas relic from the past, that he's become, has got to go. He can not deliver that in a reunion. For his own sake. So he does need to get into shape and get rid of the bedazzled clothing.

I have been thinking about this too. If we get Guns Lite meaning just Axl Slash and Duff and we get the Axl of the last 5 years then then it won't be that great. I think if it was the Appetite line up then it would be a lot easier to look past Axl's short comings. Who knows though, Axl could come out in the best shape he has been in in years and singing great.



Agreed. If it were the classic line-up, there would be more good-will given to the band.

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His voice seems fine to me. In a 3 hour show you have ups and downs but there's always awesome to witness. If they start playing Atlas shrugged I'll be there even if he's singing like yoda.

It's great that Atlas has a nice gestation time to properly be tinkered with. It was ready in 1999. Isn't that incredible? 1999. almost 17 years ago. Not enough space on the cd though, so there is no one to blame really.

Atlas Shrugged is a 17 years old unreleased song. Impressive, even for Axl. I think it's not just disk space. Robin had to convince Axl to put This I Love on Chinese. I like to think Robin did it cause perhaps he knew what that song meant to Axl and that he should let go of it and share it with the rest of the world. (Axl says it was emotionally the most heaviest song he ever wrote)

It actually does well in shows and youtube, and it's a show staple now. Axl likes to sing it live it seems.

But then I think Robin could have been also proud as a guitar player, cause his solo for This I Love is great imo. But This I Love was old as fuck as well. Got released thanks to Robin. I think it shows how difficult it is for Axl as an artist to let go of his music.

And maybe there are songs he knows right away he wants to share and others that he doesn't know if he'll want to release them.

He wasn't sure if Catcher was gonna make it on Chinese. He said in the Trunk interview in 2006 that it was more to do with recording quality cause it's old. But This I Love is older.

He did go back and tinkered with it and we got the Bumble version of Catcher. I also believe the reception of the leak disappointed him.

Edited by Rovim
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