Brian Johnson "just couldn't watch" videos of AXL/DC

[lost un the jungle]

On 10/25/2022 at 7:34 PM, Powerage5 said:

It was a very difficult situation for a lot of casual fans to be objective about, for a number of reasons. On one hand, you have AC/DC basically reduced to rubble - for a lot of people Mal's departure alone was too much to stomach. Then you add on Phil going off the deep end and being booted from the band. Then, when things have finally somewhat stabilized, mid-tour you've got Brian suddenly dropping out. Of the classic lineup, that left Angus and Cliff - that's hardly AC/DC in most people's eyes, even with Slade and Stevie being alumni as it was. On the other hand, Axl does still have a reputation and there's a lot of people that vehemently hate him and anything he does based on his actions and attitude a long time ago. Of course these people are totally ignorant of the fact that GN'R has not been doing the late starts or storming off stage for a long time now, but these people seem incapable of being impartial about Axl actually performing really well. Think of it as a Venn diagram - one bulb is people who are purist about AC/DC and the other bubble is the people who absolutely hate Axl, then you've got the crossover in the middle. These people don't care that Axl sounded the best he has since the 90's, these people don't care that AC/DC played the longest sets of their entire career, and these people certainly don't care that the band was reviving songs not played in 35+ years (Or in one instance, ever) because in their eyes it wasn't AC/DC and/or because they were doing it with a lead singer that they hate. 

You nailed it!

[jamillos]

On 10/26/2022 at 12:34 AM, Powerage5 said:

It was a very difficult situation for a lot of casual fans to be objective about, for a number of reasons. On one hand, you have AC/DC basically reduced to rubble - for a lot of people Mal's departure alone was too much to stomach. Then you add on Phil going off the deep end and being booted from the band. Then, when things have finally somewhat stabilized, mid-tour you've got Brian suddenly dropping out. Of the classic lineup, that left Angus and Cliff - that's hardly AC/DC in most people's eyes, even with Slade and Stevie being alumni as it was. On the other hand, Axl does still have a reputation and there's a lot of people that vehemently hate him and anything he does based on his actions and attitude a long time ago. Of course these people are totally ignorant of the fact that GN'R has not been doing the late starts or storming off stage for a long time now, but these people seem incapable of being impartial about Axl actually performing really well. Think of it as a Venn diagram - one bulb is people who are purist about AC/DC and the other bubble is the people who absolutely hate Axl, then you've got the crossover in the middle. These people don't care that Axl sounded the best he has since the 90's, these people don't care that AC/DC played the longest sets of their entire career, and these people certainly don't care that the band was reviving songs not played in 35+ years (Or in one instance, ever) because in their eyes it wasn't AC/DC and/or because they were doing it with a lead singer that they hate. 

To hell with those people. Well put. 

[lost un the jungle]

4 hours ago, thunderram said:

To your point, while I don’t know this to be true, I get the sense that AXL has animosity toward Myles Kennedy performing GN’R tunes not only with Slash on tour but also as part of the RnR HOF thing.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it fits AXL’s personality.

I know it couldn’t happen w/o AXL’s blessing, but hypothetically if Myles stepped in for AXL (due to his vocal issues) to tour with GN’R at the behest of the rest of the band — I’m pretty certain it wouldn’t go over well.

Regarding the hypothetical inclusion of Myles in GNR, the difference with AXL/DC is that Axl has sort of the same status of "god" as Brian, Myles is a great singer but not an icon.

[jamillos]

4 hours ago, thunderram said:

To your point, while I don’t know this to be true, I get the sense that AXL has animosity toward Myles Kennedy performing GN’R tunes not only with Slash on tour but also as part of the RnR HOF thing.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it fits AXL’s personality.

I know it couldn’t happen w/o AXL’s blessing, but hypothetically if Myles stepped in for AXL (due to his vocal issues) to tour with GN’R at the behest of the rest of the band — I’m pretty certain it wouldn’t go over well.

I don't think Axl has ever said a single word publicly about Myles K. 

As for the other thing, there's no GN'R without Axl, not even hypothetically. Some people just aren't replaceable. I know, DP went on without Gillan, Sabbath without Ozzy, there's even some sort of incarnation of Queen etc. But that was a long time ago. Scott died and that was a different situation. And I don't consider whatever Brian May is doing now as Queen. He just should have gone with "Brian May Band" and play some Queen songs with whomever but avoid calling it Queen. Anyway, GN'R without Axl couldn't exist, it's too much of a personal baby to him, the lyrics written about his own life and all that. No way. 

[DTJ80]

Brian ‘just couldn’t watch’…..I wish more of us COULD watch! It’s a bloody nightmare there is next to no official footage of those gigs. Not even an IEM/soundboard leak….a couple of good audience ones is about it.

AC/DC aren’t shy about releasing live material - I really did think we would get something…even a few songs.

[Blackstar]

Interview with Brian (doesn't address Axl/DC, but interesting overall):

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/acdc-brian-johnson-book-lives-of-brian-interview-1234614329/

[Georgina Arriaga]

3 hours ago, jamillos said:

I don't think Axl has ever said a single word publicly about Myles K. 

As for the other thing, there's no GN'R without Axl, not even hypothetically. Some people just aren't replaceable. I know, DP went on without Gillan, Sabbath without Ozzy, there's even some sort of incarnation of Queen etc. But that was a long time ago. Scott died and that was a different situation. And I don't consider whatever Brian May is doing now as Queen. He just should have gone with "Brian May Band" and play some Queen songs with whomever but avoid calling it Queen. Anyway, GN'R without Axl couldn't exist, it's too much of a personal baby to him, the lyrics written about his own life and all that. No way. 

GNR without Axl Is Velvet Revolver

About Myles, I remember an interview where Myles said that he has not meet Axl...I found It weird because Myles has been in a bunch of GNR concerts since the reunion.

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Georgina Arriaga

[jamillos]

Just now, Georgina Arriaga said:

GNR without Axl Is Velvet Revolver

Nah, VR is VR. GN'R without Axl cannot exist. 

[Sosso]

14 minutes ago, jamillos said:

Nah, VR is VR. GN'R without Axl cannot exist. 

GN'R without Axl is like AC/DC without Angus. They are the "ultimate" members of both bands if you know what mean. 

 

[James Bond]

On 10/25/2022 at 10:54 PM, Powerage5 said:

Have you heard any recordings of Brian in 2016? It was practically unlistenable. Poor guy literally couldn’t even sing in key due to his hearing. Axl was objectively a better singer in 2016, there is no room for debate. It’s a shame because Brian sounded incredible in 2015 - it was probably his best year vocally since 1995. 

He elaborates more in his book (I read it in one sitting yesterday - fantastic read and full of Brian's humour). He says that it got to the point where he couldn't even differentiate voices or guitar tones and would constantly keep an eye on Cliff to assist with his timing and try to find the key. It's honestly heartbreaking. He really felt like he was letting everybody down.

Meanwhile, Brian at the start of the tour was ripping through the set as amazing as a 68 year old Brian could. He sounded terrific and very refreshed. I'm happy I caught two of those shows. I remember the first Coachella weekend being a little shaky but the second one I was astounded. He was better than the Black Ice tour. I listened to the bootleg non-stop. He was smart about note and melody changes and it was fantastic.

[AxlRoseCDII]

10 hours ago, thunderram said:

To your point, while I don’t know this to be true, I get the sense that AXL has animosity toward Myles Kennedy performing GN’R tunes not only with Slash on tour but also as part of the RnR HOF thing.

Perhaps I’m wrong, but it fits AXL’s personality.

I know it couldn’t happen w/o AXL’s blessing, but hypothetically if Myles stepped in for AXL (due to his vocal issues) to tour with GN’R at the behest of the rest of the band — I’m pretty certain it wouldn’t go over well.

Even though Myles by technicality would sound a lot better on the setlist, it would be a complete joke. There's no such thing as GNR without Axl. I'd rather have him wheezing and barely getting through it each night than ever have anyone else up there.

[GoBucky]

1 hour ago, James Bond said:

He elaborates more in his book (I read it in one sitting yesterday - fantastic read and full of Brian's humour). He says that it got to the point where he couldn't even differentiate voices or guitar tones and would constantly keep an eye on Cliff to assist with his timing and try to find the key. It's honestly heartbreaking. He really felt like he was letting everybody down.

Meanwhile, Brian at the start of the tour was ripping through the set as amazing as a 68 year old Brian could. He sounded terrific and very refreshed. I'm happy I caught two of those shows. I remember the first Coachella weekend being a little shaky but the second one I was astounded. He was better than the Black Ice tour. I listened to the bootleg non-stop. He was smart about note and melody changes and it was fantastic.

Agreed...I thought Brian sounded pretty good at Wrigley, and it was a very good show . Then we went to the United Center show five months later. AC/DC has always been known as an extremely loud band. We had 10th row right next to Angus' mini stage and it was so loud that we could barely decipher anything other than what Angus was playing. It was much louder than any of the other 8 shows I saw before that one. I'm guessing they may have turned up even louder, or lowered Brian's sound because of his issues? I watched YouTube videos the next day from people upstairs and Brian was absolutely awful. They pulled the plug four shows later, but certainly should've done it much earlier. We drove to Detroit later that year for Axl/DC and it was easily the best show I saw since the Razor's Edge tour, and probably even better because I'm a huge Bon fan and the extra Bon songs that were added. 

[James Bond]

3 minutes ago, GoBucky said:

Agreed...I thought Brian sounded pretty good at Wrigley, and it was a very good show . Then we went to the United Center show five months later. AC/DC has always been known as an extremely loud band. We had 10th row right next to Angus' mini stage and it was so loud that we could barely decipher anything other than what Angus was playing. It was much louder than any of the other 8 shows I saw before that one. I'm guessing they may have turned up even louder, or lowered Brian's sound because of his issues? I watched YouTube videos the next day from people upstairs and Brian was absolutely awful. They pulled the plug four shows later, but certainly should've done it much earlier. We drove to Detroit later that year for Axl/DC and it was easily the best show I saw since the Razor's Edge tour, and probably even better because I'm a huge Bon fan and the extra Bon songs that were added. 

Brian does admit in his book that he went probably a few shows too many. Him and Angus both caught the flu in Edmonton, and so he thought that was all it was and his ears hadn't popped because of the fluid build-up. He soldiered on through the last shows on that leg before thinking maybe he'd better get his ears checked out. He saw the first specialist ahead of the Australian leg but by then much of the damage had been done. Again, with the shows on the line he tried to manage the best he could.

It was such a mixed emotion for me, even thinking back on it, because I couldn't help but be excited for how great Axl sounded and how amazing the Buffalo 2016 gig with Axl was that I managed to see live. Probably Axl's best live gig maybe ever. The longer sets were cool and there was a different energy for the whole thing.

All the while it just never sat right for how it ended with Brian. For AC/DC, and all the changes on that tour, there was truly a feeling of "it wasn't supposed to end this way." Even if they never tour again I'm glad we had Power Up to kind of restore things as it were.

Then you had people quite unfairly comparing 68 year old deaf Brian's vocals to Axl taking over at 15 years younger and, well, not deaf. Not to start an "Axl vs. Brian" debate but I think if we were to level them out and compare Axl at 60 to what Brian sounded like at 60 we'd have a much clearer comparison, and even a very obvious winner.

I guess the new in-ear monitor tech that he's using has actually restored more of his hearing than he had even previously. He's quite excited about it.

[Ratam]

7 hours ago, DTJ80 said:

Brian ‘just couldn’t watch’…..I wish more of us COULD watch! It’s a bloody nightmare there is next to no official footage of those gigs. Not even an IEM/soundboard leak….a couple of good audience ones is about it.

AC/DC aren’t shy about releasing live material - I really did think we would get something…even a few songs.

It is because Angus isn't wish Brian to feel uncomfortable. It have logic.

[We love Axl Rose]

@James Bond Is there a chance that they will hold another tour or is it definitely the end for AC/DC? 

[Powerage5]

1 hour ago, James Bond said:

Brian does admit in his book that he went probably a few shows too many. Him and Angus both caught the flu in Edmonton, and so he thought that was all it was and his ears hadn't popped because of the fluid build-up. He soldiered on through the last shows on that leg before thinking maybe he'd better get his ears checked out. He saw the first specialist ahead of the Australian leg but by then much of the damage had been done. Again, with the shows on the line he tried to manage the best he could.

It was such a mixed emotion for me, even thinking back on it, because I couldn't help but be excited for how great Axl sounded and how amazing the Buffalo 2016 gig with Axl was that I managed to see live. Probably Axl's best live gig maybe ever. The longer sets were cool and there was a different energy for the whole thing.

All the while it just never sat right for how it ended with Brian. For AC/DC, and all the changes on that tour, there was truly a feeling of "it wasn't supposed to end this way." Even if they never tour again I'm glad we had Power Up to kind of restore things as it were.

Then you had people quite unfairly comparing 68 year old deaf Brian's vocals to Axl taking over at 15 years younger and, well, not deaf. Not to start an "Axl vs. Brian" debate but I think if we were to level them out and compare Axl at 60 to what Brian sounded like at 60 we'd have a much clearer comparison, and even a very obvious winner.

I guess the new in-ear monitor tech that he's using has actually restored more of his hearing than he had even previously. He's quite excited about it.

That Buffalo gig was so, so good. Performance-wise that's the best I saw Axl/DC, and I'd argue the best I've seen from AC/DC or from Axl individually as well. It boggles me that a considerable number of people, even on here, argue that the US leg for Axl/DC paled in comparison to the European leg. Yes, Axl was a bit more inconsistent night-to-night, but when he was on he had a ferocity I don't think he did in Europe. I've listened to nearly every Axl/DC gig that there's a bootleg of, most multiple times, and I still think Buffalo is the best he sounded on some of the toughest songs like Shoot To Thrill, Hells Bells, and Thunderstruck. 

All that said, Philly is probably still my favorite just for the experience and the significance of that show. Had such a fun night with @downzy, @highvoltage, and @Estranged Reality. But then you add on the fact that it was the last Axl/DC gig, I still believe it may end up being the last ever AC/DC gig, and the little bonus of them playing Problem Child for the only time with Axl. Man, what a night that was - definitely one for the history books. 

[Powerage5]

5 minutes ago, We love Axl Rose said:

@James Bond Is there a chance that they will hold another tour or is it definitely the end for AC/DC? 

Nothing is certain. But the fact that there has been no movement from them whatsoever since Power Up was released makes you wonder. AC/DC is a very private band behind the scenes, but they could have easily toured this year and there was never even any indication or rumor that they would. 

[Sonic Reducer]

4 hours ago, Sosso said:

GN'R without Axl is like AC/DC without Angus. They are the "ultimate" members of both bands if you know what mean. 

 

it looks this way but consider an alternate reality where Axl was kicked out of the band and replaced by a good singer that people liked. Now imagine that Izzy never left and we got new material in the style of idk Dust n Bones, 14 years etc. I bet we would be having all sorts of discussions about post-Axl GnR. To me this hypothetical band would be as much of GnR band as whatever Axl did with Bucket and the others. My point is that it may be easy to assume that there can be no GnR without Rose since we have known no other configuration of GnR. But it's not that far-fetched of an idea.

[Sosso]

3 minutes ago, Sonic Reducer said:

it looks this way but consider an alternate reality where Axl was kicked out of the band and replaced by a good singer that people liked. Now imagine that Izzy never left and we got new material in the style of idk Dust n Bones, 14 years etc. I bet we would be having all sorts of discussions about post-Axl GnR. To me this hypothetical band would be as much of GnR band as whatever Axl did with Bucket and the others. My point is that it may be easy to assume that there can be no GnR without Rose since we have known no other configuration of GnR. But it's not that far-fetched of an idea.

Yeah, we could also figure out a scenario where Angus left AC/DC in the 70s or 80s but thats not the reality,

[Sonic Reducer]

I think the legitimacy of a band depends more on things like prolificity and longevity than "ultimate members". If AC/DC without Angus made a lot of records and some where good I think people would be talking about post-Angus AC/DC for sure. Deep Purple without Gillan is still Deep Purple for most people. Deep Purple without Blackmore is still Deep Purple. Axl's band is still GnR for some even if it had none of the traditional sound because they released the record as GnR and toured as GnR. It managed to occupy a place as GnR in people's minds this way.

Edited October 27, 2022 by Sonic Reducer

[DTJ80]

1 hour ago, Ratam said:

It is because Angus isn't wish Brian to feel uncomfortable. It have logic.

Yeah - I do understand that and even respect it. We still could have had a couple of videos though for prosperity for folk who were at those gigs.

Unofficially…even an IEM/soundboard would have been good but typically nothing has leaked.

[James Bond]

1 hour ago, We love Axl Rose said:

@James Bond Is there a chance that they will hold another tour or is it definitely the end for AC/DC? 

 

1 hour ago, Powerage5 said:

Nothing is certain. But the fact that there has been no movement from them whatsoever since Power Up was released makes you wonder. AC/DC is a very private band behind the scenes, but they could have easily toured this year and there was never even any indication or rumor that they would. 

Brian does seem eager to in that interview posted earlier in the thread. I honestly thought he sounded pretty good at the Taylor Hawkins tribute. Definitely better than his previous appearance with the Foos. Good move for them to drop it to D Standard, which sounded pretty badass to my ears. I think Brian could do it for a handful of gigs. 

While I don't think we've seen the last of Angus, I just don't expect we'll see a full big tour.

[Sosso]

3 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

Nothing is certain. But the fact that there has been no movement from them whatsoever since Power Up was released makes you wonder. AC/DC is a very private band behind the scenes, but they could have easily toured this year and there was never even any indication or rumor that they would. 

They should skip a Power Up tour and put their focus on the next album. Angus has more than enough material for one or two albums. 

[lost un the jungle]

Angus will never leave ACDC, he OWNS the band. We all GNR fans know what it means.

[wasteofammo]

Axl/Dc was the best performances Axl has ever done since 2006.