Do you think Axl will ever sound as good as 2016?

[We love Axl Rose]

Nothing is happening on the forum right now, so let's vote for something again. 

This has become a traditional thread before every tour (There's always someone making a thread about Axl's voice before every tour), so let's not skip that this year either. 

 

[GNRfanMILO]

This is of course only my opinion, but I really think Axl blew his voice with AC/DC.

The efortless, good sounding rasp is not coming back unless he gets some kind of vocal chords surgery.

His mid-range rasp is gone, that's why Nightrain sounds so forced nowadays. Compare it to Coachella 2016 SBD and it's night and day.
And his high-range rasp has been hit or miss because his voice cracks so much. It started to happen during Axl/DC NA shows and it's been downhill since then. He just can't hit some of those notes anymore.

With that said, I think Axl did improve last year compared to the atrocities that were 2018-2019 and 2020. But I think 2021 Axl is as best as he will get.

 

Edited May 17, 2022 by GNRfanMILO

[lenni19]

Just now, GNRfanMILO said:

This is of course only my opinion, but I really think Axl blew his voice with AC/DC.

The efortless, good sounding rasp is not coming back unless he gets some kind of vocal chords surgery.

His mid-range rasp is gone, that's why Nightrain sounds so forced nowadays. Compare it to Coachella 2016 SBD and it's night and day.
And his high-range rasp has been hit or miss because his voice cracks so much. It started to happen during Axl/DC NA shows and it's been downhill since then.

With that said, I think Axl did improve last year compared to the atrocities that were 2018-2019 and 2020. But I think 2021 Axl is as best as he will get.

 

If he wants he will 

[GNRfanMILO]

Just now, lenni19 said:

If he wants he will 

So you're saying that Axl, all this years, has been sounding worse than 2016 on purpose?

[Original]

Father time is a bitch.  Enjoy Axl while we can how he is.  A world with Axl is better than no Axl.  

[Ratam]

I voted yes, cause i be optimist soul.

[alfierose]

Are we moving the goalposts?  I'm sure this question used to be posed as 2006 then 2009. 

 

[alfierose]

I voted yes because he will probably always have moments where he exceeds expectations. Probably not consistently though.

Poll needs something in-between the two.

[Nintari]

1 hour ago, alfierose said:

Are we moving the goalposts?  I'm sure this question used to be posed as 2006 then 2009. 

 

And before that, it was 1992, and before that... 1988. lol

[darkside259]

i think axl is doing just fine, the other artists r falling apart, james from metallica fall apart the other day crying he s "to old for this shit" bon jovi is doing playback, brian jhonson is deaf, axl is in a good lvl of rock legend for his age and his voice comes and goes but slash has no excuse he s doing pretty plain for somone of his calibre 

[Screamin' Demon]

People are people; we age, we never strike an era as good as our young times. My dad was alcoholic and so was his; they were both told that they would barely make it beyond 60 and it was true. He got cancer and died. It's my turn to break the chain and so I did 

[Tom2112]

I voted no, because I hear a voice in decline and have yet to see any work to steer the ship from the rocks... although he has got himself back in decent shape.

No, but with proper help and determination it could be a yes.

[Tom2112]

2 hours ago, darkside259 said:

i think axl is doing just fine, the other artists r falling apart, james from metallica fall apart the other day crying he s "to old for this shit" bon jovi is doing playback, brian jhonson is deaf, axl is in a good lvl of rock legend for his age and his voice comes and goes but slash has no excuse he s doing pretty plain for somone of his calibre 

You call Hetfield talking about mental health falling apart? this is moronic and immature on so many levels. I'll break it down for you though, Axl didn't even pass the first hurdle, he was a mental health advocate on stage from the early 90s and he fell apart spectacularly all the way through the 90s 00s and has only just got his shit together... right at the same time his voice is going because he's too proud to do the work or change a few keys.

More importantly Hetfield can confidently sing every song in the Metallica set and he sounds like James Hetfield, Axl can not do the same with GNR. 

[Axls_Moustache_Rules]

Hearing him with underwood was all the proof I needed to know to not bother with tickets. Its completely shot.

[Tom2112]

4 hours ago, alfierose said:

Are we moving the goalposts?  I'm sure this question used to be posed as 2006 then 2009. 

 

Exactly, if we're moving goal posts I'd rather settle on 2012 when he was far more consistent and yet... people listen to 2012 and say 2016 was the better year, I wonder is it just because the person with the right hat was beside him. 

[Mendez]

I only voted yes bc if Axl were ever to wander into a studio with the intention of recording vocals, hed probably be able to pull it out take by take and cherry pick the best parts.

 

Live? No.

[Gordon Comstock]

5 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Exactly, if we're moving goal posts I'd rather settle on 2012 when he was far more consistent and yet... people listen to 2012 and say 2016 was the better year, I wonder is it just because the person with the right hat was beside him. 

 

2012 had a sharp decline, but late 2011-early 2012 was way better than 2016.

Confidence plays a big part, too. In 2012 he was mostly on autopilot, and in 2016 he was back on top of the rock world for a moment, playing stadiums with 2 bands. I think that influences a lot of peoples perception/memory.

 

On topic: no. AC/DC fucked his voice. He can't sing with a powerful raspy voice without it sounding very forced.

That said, if he went into a studio tomorrow and recorded Wichita Lineman it would probably sound very good. If he tried to re-record Hardschool it would probably sound very bad. There's still parts of his voice that are good, but it seems like he won't accept his limitations.

[Tom2112]

5 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

2012 had a sharp decline, but late 2011-early 2012 was way better than 2016.

Confidence plays a big part, too. In 2012 he was mostly on autopilot, and in 2016 he was back on top of the rock world for a moment, playing stadiums with 2 bands. I think that influences a lot of peoples perception/memory.

 

On topic: no. AC/DC fucked his voice. He can't sing with a powerful raspy voice without it sounding very forced.

That said, if he went into a studio tomorrow and recorded Wichita Lineman it would probably sound very good. If he tried to re-record Hardschool it would probably sound very bad. There's still parts of his voice that are good, but it seems like he won't accept his limitations.

He could rehab his voice. It's not a case that he can't sing it's that he needs to learn how to adapt or re-strengthen his current voice... that would take work and It's debatable if he's ever going to do that. End of the day he sounds better than Bon Jovi, he sounds better than Vince Neil he isn't a complete embarrassment, but I still wouldn't be sending people links to 99% of the performances he's done in the last 5yrs or more.

[Dean]

46 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Exactly, if we're moving goal posts I'd rather settle on 2012 when he was far more consistent and yet... people listen to 2012 and say 2016 was the better year, I wonder is it just because the person with the right hat was beside him. 

The UCAP Tour Axl was on form, with the show in Philadelphia being once of his greatest ever vocal performances IMO, however, I'd still say for the most part 2016 was vastly superior to Axl's vocal chops in 2012 and that is from a man that would have sooner had a new album than Slash and Duff re-joining. 

In regards to getting back to earlier form though, for the most part, anything is possible, however, it sounded as if Axl had lost a bit of his higher range on the last run, the bridge of Better springing to mind, it sounded as if he just couldn't get up there - that could also be down to not performing for a few years and obviously age - they're not getting any younger. 

One thing is for certain, he's still got the ability to produce moments of brilliance and while it's frustrating that they release fuck all music in the grand scheme of things, I'm grateful for them being active in the form of touring and hope it's something we can continue to enjoy for many, many years to come...along with new music.

[AxlRoseCDII]

Every year the bar gets lower and lower. His voice is shot. At that age it’s likely not coming back. 
 

I do think Axl tries his best and try to appreciate that, the setlist changes/new songs, and his performance over criticizing his vocals anymore. I think he still cares, but it’s the end of the road for his voice.

[Sweersa]

44 minutes ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

Every year the bar gets lower and lower. His voice is shot. At that age it’s likely not coming back. 
 

I do think Axl tries his best and try to appreciate that, the setlist changes/new songs, and his performance over criticizing his vocals anymore. I think he still cares, but it’s the end of the road for his voice.

I agree, but, we very well may get a 2002 to 2006 range of transition.

[Alexmee239]

There are lots of songs that he could sing in a deeper voice and sound killer, such as November Rain (just listen to Live Era, he can still sing just like that) or Live and Let Die. Hell, I think even SCOM would sound killer, but he's stubborn on using mickey, even if it sounds awful. As someone said, he cannot accept his limitations and adapt. 

[We love Axl Rose]

7 hours ago, alfierose said:

Are we moving the goalposts?  I'm sure this question used to be posed as 2006 then 2009. 

 

Let's be realistic now. 

[mystery]

3 hours ago, Tom2112 said:

You call Hetfield talking about mental health falling apart? this is moronic and immature on so many levels. I'll break it down for you though, Axl didn't even pass the first hurdle, he was a mental health advocate on stage from the early 90s and he fell apart spectacularly all the way through the 90s 00s and has only just got his shit together... right at the same time his voice is going because he's too proud to do the work or change a few keys.

More importantly Hetfield can confidently sing every song in the Metallica set and he sounds like James Hetfield, Axl can not do the same with GNR. 

I agree with you on everything but that last point. James sounds fine but he hasn't sounded like classic James since around 1992. After that he noticeably eased up on the barking vocals and started singing the lyrics more and it's been that way since.

Also a whole different ballgame for James as a singer and metal guitarist. That genre of music catches up with you as you get older. 

[Ak1nney]

It's a complete shame that haven't release a 2016 on blu ray.