RONIN Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Needless to say, he sounded the best ever in '86-88. But he seemed to have far more control over his voice from UYI onwards. I think Axl sounds fantastic on TSI and Sympathy for the Devil. This might not be the most popular opinion, but I love his singing on Aint it Fun and Sympathy for the Devil. He lost his rasp on Live Era, but his voice seems very much intact during 93 and 94. That said, there's this unfortunate live performance from early 1994 w/ Springsteen which makes his voice sound like it's been wrecked from the years of touring UYI: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendez Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I always thought that that live performance would sound better if there were different (appropriate) mics. Even Springsteens belt/shout sounds very thin. Axl's even more so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live Like a Suicide Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) I'm not sure if it 'peaked'. He certainly couldn't hit the level of rasp prior to, or after, the UYI era. But he sounded better during the LLAS and AFD eras, and he has improved his technical control during and since CD. Edited June 12, 2016 by Live Like a Suicide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Dude Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 5 hours ago, RONIN said: Needless to say, he sounded the best ever in '86-88. But he seemed to have far more control over his voice from UYI onwards. I think Axl sounds fantastic on TSI and Sympathy for the Devil. This might not be the most popular opinion, but I love his singing on Aint it Fun and Sympathy for the Devil. He lost his rasp on Live Era, but his voice seems very much intact during 93 and 94. That said, there's this unfortunate live performance from early 1994 w/ Springsteen which makes his voice sound like it's been wrecked from the years of touring UYI: I agree. I don't think his voice has ever sounded any better on wax than on Sympathy and Spaghetti though I do think his current run with DC is right up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickzark Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 i believe if he was singing all that years his voice maybe would be better in future.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Yep 1993 was his peak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Broue Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) nah, in fact, even on the Skin and Bones tour his voice gets thinner and thinner... I'd say that the end of 93 and 94 when his voice started to turn in to an early version of Mickey That being said, he even got some rasp back in 98-99 but slowly started to turn into full Mickey (like Axl recently said: he wanted to sing on a new voice to prevent more damage to his voice) After that , what've heard on 2011 onwards till the reunion gigs, he just lost the overall power to his voice. That's the main factor, imho. In 2001-02 he was full mickey but got some great power while at it. let's hope that with his current vocal coach, he could accomplish a great voice in the GNR gigs too! Edited June 12, 2016 by Strange Broue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 It is really rock n roll held to metal standards? I really like Axl's vocals on UYI. Judging by Live Era Axl's are always patchy. Depends how much tequila and models he banged? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Cnut Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) Dunno, no sod heard from him for the years after so it's difficult to tell. I dont consider the Springleton performance and indication of a shot voice though, he's just singing in a particular way for the song. Edited June 12, 2016 by Len B'stard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I have always preferred the unhinhed high wail he had during his early days. Pre-Appetite. But I fully understand it is not to everyone's liking. He was probably a much better singer in 1993. And he is probably a technically better singer now in 2016, only too bad his voice has deteriorated and is not as versatile and strong in all registers as back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babooshka Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Axl's stint with ac/dc has given me a new found respect for the CD vocals. I do not like that ac/dc style of singing, where he's screaming throughout a song, and if that's what people mean when they complain about a lack of rasp, then count me out. The problem of late, is that he needs to find a nicer tone to go with the cleaner vocals. Singing clean in of itself, isn't the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liers Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 1993 was the perfect combo or rasp and power. 2006 was best for rasp. 2002 was best for power. 2014 is the most consistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Wheel Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 (edited) Axl's voice 1986-1989 was pure, nearly perfect. That '87 Ritz show, man. Edited June 12, 2016 by 3rd Wheel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IncitingChaos Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Whatever he did to make his voice "clearer" did damage to his raspy falsetto and created Mickey. As far as 93-94 goes his voice was well trained and the vocal muscles were as strong and controlled as they will ever be. Now what he did after 94 was what did the most damage. He stopped exercising his vocal chords and they deteriorated so when he came back to singing a couple years later his voice was shot. He tried to recreate it using a ton of rasp to cover up the weaker vocals coming out and around 98 we got that new version of Sweet Child that was definitely not the voice of well maintained vocal chords, I think after that didn't get a good reception he tried to create a "clearer" voice in line with a Robert Plant but again the vocal chords were not strong enough to create an appealing voice. He was left without his most important tool and I think it scared him, the CD era guys talk about Axl never singing with them, the first time they heard him was on tapes sent down to the recording studio. So I think Axl knew something was wrong, and he's tried to cover it in a variety of ways. He got it going with some great vocal work in 06 though, so I believe that to be the case of strengthening up the vocal muscles again using excercises and consistent singing. all just theory of course. I'd love to hear Axl go into more detail with some honesty...I think he's afraid to admit he ever lost his voice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanity_lost Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 10 hours ago, RONIN said: Needless to say, he sounded the best ever in '86-88. But he seemed to have far more control over his voice from UYI onwards. I think Axl sounds fantastic on TSI and Sympathy for the Devil. This might not be the most popular opinion, but I love his singing on Aint it Fun and Sympathy for the Devil. He lost his rasp on Live Era, but his voice seems very much intact during 93 and 94. That said, there's this unfortunate live performance from early 1994 w/ Springsteen which makes his voice sound like it's been wrecked from the years of touring UYI: In the above video his voice sounds very restrained to me. Possibly a stylistic choice or might not have been. You also have to take into consideration that, according to the lore, neither Bruce Springsteen nor Axl were planning on performing here. They were a last minute stand in when Rod Stewart couldn't make it. They had no rehearsal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEPTEM Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 For me the "skin n' bones" axl is by far the very best voice. I never get tired of hearing those shows. And in fact thats the voice of tsi and sftd. Axl voice on those is ridiculously magic, wonderfull, powerfull, and with that "tender/soft" axl touch when needed. For me not only axl, the entire band was on their peak. For example Slash, back then, was playing sweet child long solo while walking and looking at the audience. Duff started to do some nice well thoght stuff on bass, and sorum... Ohh sorum. Sorum on skin and bones leg, tsi and sftd ?? g-sus, FREAKINSLY MEGA-WONDERFULL. Back to original subject.. Axl 93-94. Will never be heard again. ( wich makes me think what the hell happened between 95 and 1999 with his voice? I still dont get it. But if i have to bet, i'll say he waned to change his sound and 1-he had some surgery for that. Or. 2- he tried so hard to clean his voice that he broke/crack something there) But if axl keeps singing like he have been on 2016, we may have THE SECOND BEST AXL OF ALL TIME ROCK ON!!! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estranged_85 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 23 minutes ago, SEPTEM said: For me the "skin n' bones" axl is by far the very best voice. I never get tired of hearing those shows. And in fact thats the voice of tsi and sftd. Axl voice on those is ridiculously magic, wonderfull, powerfull, and with that "tender/soft" axl touch when needed. For me not only axl, the entire band was on their peak. For example Slash, back then, was playing sweet child long solo while walking and looking at the audience. Duff started to do some nice well thoght stuff on bass, and sorum... Ohh sorum. Sorum on skin and bones leg, tsi and sftd ?? g-sus, FREAKINSLY MEGA-WONDERFULL. Back to original subject.. Axl 93-94. Will never be heard again. ( wich makes me think what the hell happened between 95 and 1999 with his voice? I still dont get it. But if i have to bet, i'll say he waned to change his sound and 1-he had some surgery for that. Or. 2- he tried so hard to clean his voice that he broke/crack something there) But if axl keeps singing like he have been on 2016, we may have THE SECOND BEST AXL OF ALL TIME ROCK ON!!! Exactly this! But the second best Vocal era was 2006 IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergotochurch Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 question about the live era album: the songs span several years on that album... and I'm wondering if the vocals are actually Axl's live vocals or were they all re-recorded in a studio around the time of the release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedrolg Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 1 hour ago, nevergotochurch said: question about the live era album: the songs span several years on that album... and I'm wondering if the vocals are actually Axl's live vocals or were they all re-recorded in a studio around the time of the release. They are re-recorded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonic Reducer Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 3 hours ago, SEPTEM said: For me the "skin n' bones" axl is by far the very best voice. I never get tired of hearing those shows. And in fact thats the voice of tsi and sftd. Axl voice on those is ridiculously magic, wonderfull, powerfull, and with that "tender/soft" axl touch when needed. For me not only axl, the entire band was on their peak. For example Slash, back then, was playing sweet child long solo while walking and looking at the audience. Duff started to do some nice well thoght stuff on bass, and sorum... Ohh sorum. Sorum on skin and bones leg, tsi and sftd ?? g-sus, FREAKINSLY MEGA-WONDERFULL. Back to original subject.. Axl 93-94. Will never be heard again. ( wich makes me think what the hell happened between 95 and 1999 with his voice? I still dont get it. But if i have to bet, i'll say he waned to change his sound and 1-he had some surgery for that. Or. 2- he tried so hard to clean his voice that he broke/crack something there) But if axl keeps singing like he have been on 2016, we may have THE SECOND BEST AXL OF ALL TIME ROCK ON!!! Sorum really shines on TSI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergotochurch Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 1 hour ago, Pedrolg said: They are re-recorded. thank you, I thought it sounded that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Comstock Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 I honestly prefer his 2010 voice to '93. His voice had thinned a lot by the end of the UYI tour, still great of course but I've always liked '91 the best, 2010 was the closest to his 91/92 voice IMO, back to the deeper rasp. '88-91 was probably his peak but 2010 and 2006 were great, and I can't wait to hear him in August because he's sounding great this year too, these videos are from today: 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 He gave his all (110%) when he cared (pre break up). He kicked ass in Vegas (undortuantely he's 54) but he'll never sound like he did back when they were a band. So sad (the wasted years '94-April 2016). Depressing if ya think what coulda been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazejeff Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 He will be excellent this summer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNRfanx6 Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 On 6/12/2016 at 1:50 AM, RONIN said: Needless to say, he sounded the best ever in '86-88. But he seemed to have far more control over his voice from UYI onwards. I think Axl sounds fantastic on TSI and Sympathy for the Devil. This might not be the most popular opinion, but I love his singing on Aint it Fun and Sympathy for the Devil. He lost his rasp on Live Era, but his voice seems very much intact during 93 and 94. That said, there's this unfortunate live performance from early 1994 w/ Springsteen which makes his voice sound like it's been wrecked from the years of touring UYI: That performance doesnt count. It was a random performance. He didnt even warm up. They thought of the song to play while sitting at the table watching the rest of the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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