Interviews + Media reactions to AXL/DC, good and bad

[goneshootin]

2 hours ago, GNRfan2008 said:

Angus has supposedly been alcohol-free his whole life. I could see that being a reason for tension if Bon was going way over the top on the drinking. 

Maybe. Although Malcolm was supposedly a heavy drinker at least until the late 80s. He removed himself from part of the 88 tour and was replaced by current guitarist Stevie young for that tour as well. 

[The Archer]

Another really positive review from Billboard -

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7358020/axl-rose-ac-dc-lisbon-video

Axl Rose Wins Over Lisbon Crowd in First Show Fronting AC/DC
5/7/2016 by Kevin Raub

Smothered under a pillow of darkened skies fueled by distinctly atrocious weather, the Atlantic furiously pounded the seawall all day long (May 7) not 50 meters from the stage at Passeio Marítimo de Algés in Lisbon, Portugal. It wasn't hard to wonder: Were these seas rocking and rolling in preview of the first AC/DC show with Axl Rose on lead vocal loan from Guns N' Roses? Or were these the raging seas of an upset musical universe, its Gods unwilling to accept a Brian Johnson imposter at the helm of one of the world's most unabashedly rock rock bands of all time?

It didn't take long to find out.

By the time AC/DC launched into "Rock or Bust" amid a fury of flames and Angus Young's vintage, well-oiled guitar crunch, the heavens closed up. The weather turned. It was 9:06 p.m.

AC/DC Fans Seek Ticket Refunds Over Axl Rose Replacing Brian Johnson

Rose, kicking back in a toned down version of Dave Grohl's Game of Thrones-inspired, purpose-built rock and roll cathedra (compared to what was used for GN'R's recent shows) took a song or two to settle in before his furious five octave range found its place in these hallowed tunes (that's surely down to such an inconvenient set time, one for which Rose surely must have needed a wake-up call to make).

"Turned into a sunny day," Rose soon mused. "Nice to meet you." Four songs in came "Back in Black" and it was as clear as the sky: Rose fit right in -- and nobody in Lisbon minded even for a moment that what they were witnessing was considered an atrocity to die-hard fans of the band.

It was all in stark contrast to the sentiments being thrown about the internet and beyond when it was announced in April that that Rose would be taking over vocal duties from longtime singer Brian Johnson, who was implored by doctors in early March to stop touring or risk total hearing loss.

Rumors ran rampant: Did Johnson quit? Was he fired? Axl Rose? Seriously, mate? With rock's worst kept secret dominating headlines, AC/DC guitarist Angus Young -- who remains the iconic Australian rock band's last man standing from the original lineup he formed with his brother in Sydney in 1973 – stepped on stage with GN'R to perform "Whole Lotta Rosie" and "Riff Raff" at Coachella in mid-April. With that -- along with a cleverly timed press release -- Axl/DC was born.

And, really, who thought losing their singer to potential deafness would stop them?

AC/DC has soldiered on through the death of original singer Bon Scott in 1980, a serial killing scandal (the Night Stalker incidents in the 1980s), rampant alcoholism and dementia (Malcolm Young), a horrifying fan crush incident that left three dead (Salt Lake City in 1991) and two departures of drummer Phil Rudd (most recently for very serious threatening to kill and drug charges). Those are just the highlights, mind you!

Axl Rose on Replacing AC/DC's Brian Johnson: 'It's an Unfortunate Situation'

A little permanent hearing loss was not going to stop this rock and roll train.

Enter Rose, in the midst of an almost GN'R reunion tour himself, who is stepping in on the 12 remaining European dates -- along with 10 further US make-up dates -- of AC/DC's 2016 Rock or Bust World Tour (now billed Rock or Bust World Tour featuring Axl Rose). Meanwhile, Johnson, who gave his blood, sweat, tears and ears to AC/DC for 36 years, may never be back depending on who you believe. 

"Rock 'N' Roll Damnation," not played live since 2003, was the first curveball in the set and Rose took the opportunity to tell a story told to him by Young about how the record label was annoyed back in the day that the band weren't playing the tune live – and let them know by flying a plane overhead at a show with a little aerial advertising in tow: "Play 'Rock 'N' Roll Damnation,'" the banner read. 

Of course, hearing Rose tell stories about AC/DC songs feels very instinctively and very powerfully wrong, but being out of his element seemed good for the famously egotistic singer. His between song banter came off as sweet (dare we say humble even). During "Given the Dog a Bone", there was a brief collective chant of "Axl! Axl!" from the crowd, to which Rose responded afterward, "I know what you meant. You meant, 'Angus!' Angus!" After "Have a Drink on Me," Rose quipped, "I could use a drink. You are a very intimidating bunch." He introduced "Shot Down in Flames" as, "A song they wrote about my life story" (you said it, Axl, not us).

Guns N' Roses Shares Dates For 2016 North American Stadium Tour

But as the classics were rattled off --  "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," "Thunderstruck," "High Voltage," "Hells Bells," "You Shook Me All Night Long" -- all that mattered was that the rock was not compromised to untrained ears. It didn't always work -- Rose was a bit lost in the mix in "High Voltage," he didn't sound fantastic on "Given the Dog a Bone" (despite those chants!) --  but when it mattered most, he nailed it. During "You Shook Me All Night Long," Rose was even comfortable enough to manage a bit of improve, replacing the notorious "American thighs" line with "Portuguese thighs."

As Rose hobbled off stage for Young's trademark guitar solo during the main set ending "Let There Be Rock" and back on again for the encore, it appeared as if he might pull off a song or two unhinged to his throne. No such luck, but Rose couldn't sit still at any rate. The band followed "Highway to Hell" with "Riff Raff" (its first live appearance by AC/DC in 20 years) and Rose could barely contain himself, perfecting a wheelchair weeble wobble as he unloaded on the fierce showstopper, a drum kit-matching gothic lightning bolt visible on the bottom of his convulsing cast. 

Coachella 2016: Guns N' Roses Brings Out AC/DC's Angus Young to Preview Axl Rose's New Gig

It was apparent Rose was ready to celebrate. It's one thing to be one of the most iconic rock singers in musical history while singing your own beloved band's songs, another thing entirely to try and pull it off while singing those of another iconic rock band. It would be daft to go as far as to say lighting has struck twice for Rose, but there was a raging rock and roll storm nonetheless, and Rose could have damn near kissed himself for pulling it off. 

By the time "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)" brought this much-ballyhooed experiment to a close, Rose come to realize what the Lisboêtas in attendance at this inaugural performance already knew: Axl/DC kinda rocks. AC/DC fundamentalists may never accept Rose as their trusted leader, even for a few shows. "It sounds strange," they'll say. "It sounds like Guns N' Roses covering AC/DC," they'll say. In the end, it's a whole lot better than a refund.

Here’s the set list from the show:

"Rock or Bust"
"Shoot to Thrill"
"Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be"
"Back in Black"
"Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder"
"Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap"
"Rock 'N' Roll Damnation"
"Thunderstruck"
"High Voltage"
"Rock 'N' Roll Train"
”Hells Bells"
"Given the Dog a Bone"
"Sin City"
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
"Shot Down in Flames"
"Have a Drink on Me"
"T.N.T."
"Whole Lotta Rosie"
"Let There Be Rock"
"Highway to Hell"
"Riff Raff"
"For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)"

Additional reporting by Ashley Iasimone

 

Edited May 8, 2016 by The Archer

[double talkin jive mfkr]

i dont think theres anything wrong with being a confident a swift businessman as is angus, it worked with brian when bon died and now its working with axl

[GNRfan2008]

Seems Angus made a very good decision flying in all these reporters from major music publications. I'm kind of surprised they fumbled the PR early on with this thing. As soon as Brian told them what was going on with the doctors, they probably needed to have a video interview or something with Angus/Brian/Cliff and just give everyone the straight truth of what was happening. Way too many rumors were flying around. 

[double talkin jive mfkr]

2 minutes ago, GNRfan2008 said:

Seems Angus made a very good decision flying in all these reporters from major music publications. I'm kind of surprised they fumbled the PR early on with this thing. As soon as Brian told them what was going on with the doctors, they probably needed to have a video interview or something with Angus/Brian/Cliff and just give everyone the straight truth of what was happening. Way too many rumors were flying around. 

not really, they probably sure what would happen, it's axl were talking about better to let shit play out itself, i bet they had a pull the plug clause up until rehearsals etc

[GNRfan2008]

Just now, double talkin jive mfkr said:

not really, they probably sure what would happen, it's axl were talking about better to let shit play out itself, i bet they had a pull the plug clause up until rehearsals etc

No I mean before they hired Axl or even rehearsed with him the first time. There was all kinds of negative stuff swirling that they fired Brian. Would have been a smoother situation if they just set the record straight from the beginning. 

[double talkin jive mfkr]

11 minutes ago, GNRfan2008 said:

No I mean before they hired Axl or even rehearsed with him the first time. There was all kinds of negative stuff swirling that they fired Brian. Would have been a smoother situation if they just set the record straight from the beginning. 

thats cause they did basically fire him and now it comes out PR friendly

[The Archer]

Rolling Stone is very positive too -

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-triumphs-at-ac-dc-debut-in-lisbon-20160507

Axl Rose Triumphs at AC/DC Debut in Lisbon

Seated singer honors band's classic sound as 'Rock or Bust' tour resumes

BY MARK SUTHERLAND May 7, 2016

Despite his injury, Axl Rose meshed perfectly with AC/DC during his first show with the group in Lisbon on Saturday. 

AC/DC must be starting to think someone up there doesn't like them. A catalogue of misfortune has beset this most enduring of hard-rock bands during the past two years. First, founding guitarist Malcolm Young stepped down from the band due to dementia. Then drummer Phil Rudd left in a haze of criminal charges. Most recently, singer Brian Johnson had to quit touring or face total hearing loss, while the band faced a backlash from fans unhappy at the manner of his departure and/or his superstar replacement: Axl Rose, singer of the newly reunited Guns N' Roses, and a man who recently faced some adversity of his own in the form of a fractured foot.

Rose just doesn't seem very AC/DC somehow. Like Johnson, the singer keeps a hat jammed to his head at all times, but there the similarities were expected to end.

Yet Rose actually seemed happy to play a different role here. From his opening greeting of "Nice to meet you!" – just five minutes later than billed – he was a deferential and pleasant presence between songs and an energized, brooding one during them. He remained seated throughout the main set, his leg still encased in a brace, but even his perch was more low-key than during the recent Guns N' Roses shows: It resembled a humble office chair that had been jazzed up at the last minute with a few lumps of metal and some devil horns.

But while Rose's body might be ailing, his voice remained in great shape. From the opening salvo of "Rock or Bust," "Shoot to Thrill" and "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be," it was clear that, musically at least, the GN'R man is a great fit for AC/DC.

True, he missed a couple of cues and on more recent material seemed unsure of whether to stick to his own trademark wail or give it more Johnson-esque rasp. But in the company of guitarists Angus and Stevie Young, bassist Cliff Williams and drummer Chris Slade – sounding as tight as any lineup on the planet – Rose still seemed to be reaping the rewards of what he has joked were his first-ever proper rehearsals.

Rose seemed particularly at home on Bon Scott-era classics such as "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "High Voltage" and happy to defer to Angus Young's all-action, duckwalking showmanship. Once Rose is mobile again – and that can't be far off, as he walked on and off the stage between encores – that dynamic may change, but for now, Young handled the heavy lifting, leaving Rose free to enjoy himself.

And enjoy himself he did, self-deprecatingly introducing "Shot Down in Flames" as "a song they wrote about my life story"; leading the chants of "Angus! Angus!"; changing the lyrics of "You Shook Me All Night Long" to "Knocking me out with those Portuguese thighs"; and gawping at the band's enduring, if unimaginative props (a huge bell for "Hells Bells," an even bigger inflatable woman for "Whole Lotta Rosie").

After a spectacular closing version of "Let There Be Rock," featuring Angus writhing around on a hydraulic platform as confetti bombs were blown around by the ever-stronger gusts from the waterfront, Rose returned to say goodbye to resounding cheers from the faithful.

And if the main set hadn't already won over the crowd, the final volley of "Highway to Hell," the rarely heard "Riff Raff" (a GN'R live staple, performed with Angus himself at Coachella, though Saturday was the first time AC/DC had played it live since '96) and a cannon-and-pyro strewn "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)" certainly did.

PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/Getty

So, in the end, this monster mash-up of classic rock megabrands avoided becoming the Batman v Superman of hard rock (i.e., loud, flashy but ultimately empty); instead, the Lisbon performance hinted at the new union's potential to be one of the touring hits of the summer – assuming Rose stays under control and AC/DC avoid any further mishaps.

Of course, it's hard to see the collaboration lasting longer than the summer, and AC/DC without Johnson will always remain unthinkable to some. But while frontmen change, AC/DC's core values remain resolutely, unassailably the same. And as Saturday's show proved, there was nothing a seated Axl Rose – or a little inclement weather – could do to change that.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/axl-rose-triumphs-at-ac-dc-debut-in-lisbon-20160507#ixzz482GImeON 
 

Edited May 8, 2016 by The Archer

[bigpoop]

4 hours ago, The Archer said:

Great to see a strong, positive review from a mainstream publication. The Guardian just gave AXL/DC 5 stars!!!

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/08/acdc-review-axl-rose-lisbon-first-gig?CMP=twt_a-music_b-gdnmusic

AC/DC review – Axl Rose brings menace as rock legends pull off a triumph

5/5stars

The Guns N’ Roses singer might have been confined to a ‘throne’, but he delivered a masterly first appearance fronting AC/DC

AC/DC couldn’t really have handled the departure of their singer Brian Johnson much worse – a curt statement on their website announcing he could no longer tour owing to hearing loss, and their intention to continue with a stand-in – short of announcing a compulsory redundancy programme for all Florida-resident geordies with a penchant for caps. Their fanbase, normally unquestioningly loyal, reacted with unexpected irritation: refunds for upcoming shows were demanded (and given), and many – me included – questioned whether they should continue at all.

When they announced that Johnson’s short-term replacement would be Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose – a man for whom reliability is not a byword – eyebrows were further raised. Given AC/DC’s legendary efficiency, and Rose’s equally legendary tardiness in taking the stage, it seemed like it could be a case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. And then Rose broke a metatarsal, meaning he would be chairbound on stage. AC/DC, a band who care what people think of them rather less than anyone except, perhaps, Donald Trump, evidently decided in the wake of all these disasters that they needed to win people back. And so, for this first show with Rose, writers – the Guardian included – have been flown in to Portugal as the band attempt to prove they are still a worthwhile concern, even with guitarist Angus Young and bassist Cliff Williams the only remaining core members.

Rose’s arrival makes this show the first AC/DC gig in years – certainly since Johnson replaced the late Bon Scott in – at which no one knows exactly what to expect. Its triumph is that it does do exactly what one would expect, but rather better than one had dared hope for. Rose being confined to his throne on casters – he looks for all the world like a hard rock Davros – is a rare downside to his performance.

The triumph lies in the renditions of the songs AC/DC wrote and recorded when Bon Scott was still alive. Whereas the Johnson era material tended towards boozy bonhomie, Scott was often a malevolently misanthropic writer and singer, concealing a slightly terrifying rage behind apparent good humour. Rose, who is familiar with both malevolence and misanthropy, delivers those songs perfectly, giving them fresh menace. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap loses its cartoonish aspect, and becomes the barroom chatter of a psychopath; he introduces Shot Down in Flames as “the story of my life” and convinces you it’s true. His voice, too, is brilliant: no matter how high, every note is hit, and sustained. And he keeps it up for two hours.

He seems more relaxed on the Scott songs, perhaps because of the manner of his replacing Johnson. Johnson’s songs are delivered just fine, but there’s a slight sense he’s being a little too reverent. He’s spoken of wanting to do justice to Johnson’s work, and maybe he’s concerned with not imprinting his own personality over the songs. That’s true, too, of his rapport with the crowd. Johnson was unfailingly good humoured – not much of an anecdote teller, but ready to rouse the rabble. Rose confines himself to a few softly spoken words between songs and a few all-but-inaudible thank yous afterwards. For this show, with this much at stake, you expect him to be the cheerleader for AC/DC, but he refuses to take the role.

Nevertheless, he compensates for the sometimes erratic sound – a fierce wind blowing off the Tagus following a day of horrendous rain bashes the music hither and thither – and perhaps even inadvertently outshines Young, who sound a tiny bit approximate in the fiddly intro to Thunderstruck. For AC/DC Kremlinologists, though, the telling moment comes in the encore, when the set – which has been identical to the pre-Rose gigs until then – suddenly incorporates a song that’s been out of live circulation for a long while, the thrillingly brutal Riff Raff. “I never shot nobody / Don’t even carry a gun,” Rose snarls, with complete conviction. “I ain’t done nothing wrong / Just having fun.”

Carry on like this, and those wondering whether AC/DC are still worth going to see this summer should have no worries: they, too, will be having fun.

 

Michael Hann is a huge fan of the band. He even posts on the acdcfans board.

[hudsonsaul]

Some great reviews. Clips i've heard from the show have been great.

I'm tempted to make a trip to Europe for one of these, and think I'd be more keen for that than real the Not in hits Life Time tour at the moment. So good

[Bumblefeet]

Yup positive reviews across the board and from what I've seen on social media (YT, FB, Twitter ...) now the positive comments dominate. Great move on both Axl's & AC/DC's part.

[bigpoop]

 

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-05-08/ac-dc-axl-rose-lisbon-first-live-review

[W. Adam S]

5 star review by The Guardian! 

Thry talk about Axl breathing new life into the band.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/08/acdc-review-axl-rose-lisbon-first-gig

[xBrownstonex]

Positive press from Germany

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/acdc-konzert-axl-rose-gelungene-premiere-als-acdc-saenger-1.2984111

http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/axl-rose-rockt-ac-dc-fans-im-sitzen-a-1091281.html

Edited May 8, 2016 by xBrownstonex

[BOSSY78]

11 hours ago, Crazyman said:

 

 

- Billboard

Thank you

[God of Thunder]

I don`t remember having read such great reviews about Axl in the past 10 years. In the German speaking mainstream media this on page 1 on all their internet publications and the reviews are really really good. Of course they make some shots about his weight and him sitting down, but every single review I read stated that Axl / DC is a great fit.

I assume all the usual complainers that have been whining before that this will be a disaster for Axl and Guns will at least shut up now

 

International news reactions in the Rolling Stone, Guardian and Billboard are pretty great too:

https://www.rollingstone.de/presseschau-acdc-mit-axl-rose-in-lissabon-ein-triumph-axldc-1023479/

 

Germany:

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/acdc-konzert-in-lissabon-axl-rose-die-kroete-im-rollstuhl-1.2984447  

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/acdc-konzert-axl-rose-gelungene-premiere-als-acdc-saenger-1.2984111-6

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/pop/ac-dc-welttour-axl-rose-ueberzeugt-als-neuer-saenger-14221421.html

https://www.rollingstone.de/acdc-mit-axl-rose-in-lissabon-die-fotos-und-die-besten-videos-1023525/

http://www.welt.de/newsticker/dpa_nt/infoline_nt/boulevard_nt/article155148342/Axl-Rose-erobert-skeptische-AC-DC-Fans-im-Sitzen.html

http://www.bild.de/unterhaltung/musik/acdc/axl-rose-gibt-erstes-konzert-fuer-dieaustralische-hardrockband-45712248.bild.html

 

Switzerland:

http://www.20min.ch/entertainment/musik/story/Axl-Rose-heizt-erstmals-mit-AC-DC-ein-21909324

http://www.blick.ch/people-tv/ersatz-fuer-kranken-saenger-johnson-hier-heizt-axl-rose-mit-ac-dc-ein-im-sitzen-id5007517.html

http://www.srf.ch/sendungen/glanz-und-gloria/axl-rose-rockt-ac-dc-fans-im-sitzen

 

[The Archer]

8 hours ago, bigpoop said:

 

http://teamrock.com/feature/2016-05-08/ac-dc-axl-rose-lisbon-first-live-review

 Thanks, that's awesome. This Classic Rock review is so good (even though Classic Rock generally tend to be positive of both AC/DC and Guns N' Roses). I think it deserves to be printed out in full -

 

AC/DC with Axl Rose: The First Review

Features / 14 hours ago / by Fraser Lewry

Tonight in Lisbon, Axl Rose played his first show with AC/DC, and Classic Rock were there to make sense of it all. Was the choice of rock's most controversial frontman a schoolboy error?

Axl Rose is sitting. It's not the Grohl throne borrowed for Coachella, more a La-Z-Boy Recliner with an elevated platform for his injured foot and a side table for drinks. Were it not for the lightning bolt adorning the underside of his medical boot you might think he was about to binge on House Of Cards rather than spend two hours fronting the world's greatest rock'n'roll band, and it doesn't look right. But that's not all. He's on time.

Then again, AC/DC are a band who've never pissed about. Back in 1980, after Bon Scott was pronounced dead on arrival at a South London hospital, the Young brothers briefly considered calling it quits before hiring his replacement, and just seven weeks later Brian Johnson was in the Bahamas recording Back In Black and working on his tan. The AC/DC machine did what the AC/DC machine does: it rolled on.

You wonder what modern social media would have made of a transition that, from this distance, seems to have been made with almost indecent haste. Accusations of greed and lack of respect would certainly have flown.

The very public apoplexy that's greeted the arrival of Brian Johnson's stand-in does offer some clues, although the situations are clearly different. Johnson is very much with us — although his departure has been handled undoubtedly badly — and the new guy isn't a loveable geezer in a flat cap only familiar to those who saw Geordie play Electric Lady on Top Of The Pops in 1973, but Axl Rose. Axl fucking Rose.

It's the guy with the bandana, shrieked the Twittersphere. The guy in the kilt. The guy with the corn-rows. The guy who turns up late and throws tantrums. The guy with the whiney voice. The guy who ruined Guns N' Roses. That guy.

Then came the video. Angus, Axl and Cliff. Reluctantly, uncomfortably facing the camera, clearly operating in damage limitation mode, inviting fans to Lisbon. It's excruciating viewing, but it's the moment it all becomes real. One of the biggest bands this world has ever known are about to hit the stage fronted by the singer from one of the biggest bands this world has ever known. In an industry that thrives on hyperbole it's genuinely historic, and no-one has any idea what to expect. It might be wretched. It might be electrifying. And 50,000 fans in Portugal are the first to find out.

"It's turned into a beautiful sunny day suddenly," says Axl Rose, the singer in AC/DC. "Nice to meet you!"

As introductions go it's hardly Welcome To The Jungle, but he does have a point. For most of the day the wind has howled and the rain fallen sideways, and the back half of the Passeio Marítimo de Algés venue — a grass and concrete lot on the banks of the Tagus River, just west of Lisbon — has been turned into slurry. But the sun pokes through as a well-received set from Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown warms up the crowd, and by the time AC/DC hit the stage the audience has stopped huddling together for warmth like penguins at the Pole and are very apparently Ready To Rock.

And Axl? To use the parlance of TV talent shows, he nails the songs. From the opening Rock Or Bust it's obvious he can "do" Beano. He follows it up with a searing Shoot To Thrill, before a swaggering, confident romp through Hell Ain't A Bad Place To Be shows he can "do" Bon too. By the end of High Voltage his good foot is pumping up and down like a jackhammer as he flips the mic from one hand to another, and as Hells Bells climaxes he's screaming so hard your fear his throat might explode through the top of his leather-hatted head. He even ad-libs, dropping "Portuguese thighs" into You Shook Me All Night Long. It's an astonishing, tour-de-force performance, and he looks like he's genuinely having fun.

AC/DC are sounding just like AC/DC. As they should. Cliff and Chris and Stevie provide the engine, Angus spins and pirouettes and duckwalks and does that curious shuffle and gurns like a man with a mouth full of rancid treacle, and everything comes together as it should. The only odd thing is how chatty Axl is. He introduces Back In Black with "You ready to turn it up? Here we go now!" and ends it with an insouciant "Woohoo! That was a fun one!" Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap is "a little ditty about how to take care of business." Let There Be Rock? "We're gonna get a little bit biblical on you."

Axl's also clearly spent recent weeks pummelling Angus for trivia with fanboy enthusiasm. He tells us that AC/DC are the world's biggest exporter of devils horns. He reveals that early in their career, the band's American record company hired a plane to fly past one of their outdoor shows trailing a banner reading, "PlayRock 'N' Roll Damnation," because it was doing well at radio but wasn't in their set. It's at these moments that it feels most like a tribute show, with an excited fan thrust into the spotlight, but the stories are told with such obvious delight you can't help but be charmed. And if the evening couldn't get any more bewildering, a chant of "Axl! Axl!" rises from the crowd, but he corrects the unruly mob with a modest, "you mean Angus." We even get surprises, withRiff Raff the unexpected meat in the traditional Highway To Hell/For Those About To Rock encore sandwich.

So what the hell is going on? Is this a new, humble Axl, about to unexpectedly breath life into an ageing band while working angles on his own redemption? On this showing, it really feels like it could work.

And he did it from a chair.

[The Archer]

 

 

[The Archer]

Strong 4/5 star review from the Telegraph-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/axl-rose-hits-the-right-note-for-acdc-in-lisbon-review/

Axl Rose hits the right note for AC/DC in Lisbon, review

Catherine Gee 

It was not something anyone expected to happen. Axl Rose joining AC/DC was the sort of idea dreamt up at 3am in the morning. But that is exactly what happened, in front of a stadium-sized crowd in Lisbon, Portugal, when AC/DC resumed the tour that had been thrown into uncertainty two months ago.

AC/DC have had to endure some terrible setbacks recently. Rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young’s dementia meant he was forced to retire in 2014 - and was replaced by his nephew Stevie Young. Drummer Paul Rudd departed after becoming embroiled in a variety of legal troubles that saw him placed under house arrest; he was duly replaced by Chris Slade, who drummed for the band for a time in the early Nineties. Then, most devastatingly, in March singer Brian Johnson also stepped down amid reports that he was on the verge of completely losing his hearing.

Last year, AC/DC were the biggest selling live act in the world and when Johnson departed they were still midway through their 87-date Rock or Bust tour. Yet fortune shone down from a strange place: Rose offered to step into the breach and rehearsals began. Then he broke his foot.

Fortunately a broken bone is not enough to hold a rock star back. Rose completed a string of US dates with Guns N Roses and sat on the throne that Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl used when he broke his leg last year. Last night, it was on a stripped-down version of this throne that 54-year-old Rose, clad in black leather and dripping with diamonds, stormed through his first public outing as a touring member of AC/DC.

This is a new experience for Rose. For decades he's been doing things on his own terms - and alienating bandmembers in the process. He was notorious for skipping rehearsals and soundchecks and for turning up late to perform, sometimes leaving fans waiting for hours. But this time he's been a constant presence at rehearsals - the only day he took off, he says, was when he had surgery on his foot - and has openly admitted that some AC/DC songs are the hardest he's ever had to sing. But you wouldn’t know it from his performance. Praise the rock gods, Rose nailed those vocals.

A mere six minutes late, the quintet took to the stage against the animated backdrop of a booming animated film of two astronauts confronted by a fiery AC/DC logo, then, through the smoke of pyrotechnic explosions, swept into the 2014 album title track Rock or Bust.

Guitarist Angus Young remains that consummate showman who, at the age of 61, wears a schoolboy outfit, careers all over the stage, writhes on the floor and rocks that duck walk that’s become his signature move. During Sin City, he pulled off his tie and used it to grind out his guitar riffs, all the while mugging for the crowd.

Rose, meanwhile, was humility itself. He praised the work of AC/DC, shared the odd anecdote and made dry jokes. “Now we gonna do a song they wrote about my life story,” he deadpanned as the band kicked into the 1979 hit Shot Down In Flames - about being repeatedly turned down by beautiful women. Vocally, there was a lack of power on the low ahh-haaas on Thunderstruck - but this was minor. For two hours he hit every note and sent it to the heavens. As the first person other than Johnson to sing lead for AC/DC since the death of original frontman Bon Scott in 1980, he did a bang-up job.

The roar of the crowd: fans were not deterred by the absence of vocalist Brian JohnsonCREDIT: AP/ARMANDO FRANCA

There were even extra treats for long-time fans, in the form of Rock N Roll Damnation and Riff Raff, the latter of which hasn’t been played live since the Nineties.

In an interview this week Rose said that he feels “a moron” just sitting there. In truth, performing from a throne looks less cool without a guitar. When not singing, all he could do was bounce a little and gently headbang. 

For those fans who have been disgruntled about both the departure of Johnson and the appointment of Rose - and so little warmth and reassurance from Young - this show was always going to be a test. Refunds have been offered, and 7,000 have been taken up - meaning the decision to fly press over for the date was probably one designed to stem the flow. But for those who still hold a ticket for the London or Manchester dates in June, call this your reassurance. It will be great.

[MillionsOfSpiders]

The comments on kerrangs Facebook page are so overwhelmingly positive...there isn't even an angry face emoticon yet.

 

Edited May 8, 2016 by Chilliconcarne

[GNRfan2008]

55 minutes ago, The Archer said:

Strong 4/5 star review from the Telegraph-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/artists/axl-rose-hits-the-right-note-for-acdc-in-lisbon-review/

Axl Rose hits the right note for AC/DC in Lisbon, review

Catherine Gee 

Drummer Paul Rudd departed after becoming embroiled in a variety of legal troubles that saw him placed under house arrest...

 

 

Drummer Paul Rudd? Ant-Man in da house!!! 

[The Archer]

2 minutes ago, GNRfan2008 said:

 

Drummer Paul Rudd? Ant-Man in da house!!! 

. Seriously O/T, buy I just saw Captain America Civil War last night and ANT MAN was one of the absolute highlights of the movie.

[GNRfan2008]

5 minutes ago, The Archer said:

. Seriously O/T, buy I just saw Captain America Civil War last night and ANT MAN was one of the absolute highlights of the movie.

Yeah I heard the same. I'm going to see it tomorrow evening. The reviews for Ant-Man's part of the Civil War movie made me curious so I checked out Ant-Man on the Starz movie channel last weekend. It was very good. I'm pretty excited for the new movie. 

Edited May 8, 2016 by GNRfan2008

[BOSSY78]

For the first time ever Axl is getting tns of positive reviews. Long overdue. So glad he showed them all

[slitherz]

Best comment ever on youtube

" Axl Rose in a wheelchair it's every concert promoters dream, when it's time for the show to start they just wheel the f*cker straight on that stage.... "