Why did Axl decide to re-record vocals for Live Era?

[Blackstar]

2 hours ago, Spaghetti4twenty said:

I’ve heard that and it does sounds like Robin. Doesn’t really sound like Duff or Izzy to me but who knows 

maybe they pulled that off of the 1999 re-recorded appetite 😂

also I always thought Mr Brownstone was done really well by the 2002 band. I liked Robins playing and back up vocals. Whenever I hear Robin doing a slash solo it sounds like a Chinese Democracy version of the song compared to when Dj plays it, it sounds like a GNR tribute band.

https://youtu.be/FzaX9ABdYdY

If you listen to 14 Years from Wembley 1991 that is on the UYI II Deluxe edition, Izzy's vocals sounded like that at that show, "raspier" and rougher than usual.

[UncleJosh]

Yeah Izzy sounds ROUGH on the live tracks from Wembley. I have no problem believe those are his vocals on LE Mr. Brownstone especially after hearing the official mix and how raspy he was.  Doesnt even sound like himself.

[metallex78]

11 hours ago, Dean said:

The songs sound amazing with his '99 voice.

His 99 voice on Live Era sound like he’s constipated while singing, to my ears. 

Just terrible 

Edited November 10, 2022 by metallex78

[UncleJosh]

It just wasn't any very good dub job in my opinion.  Voice had changed so much that it was clear to any fan that it wasnt live and it wasn't well matched level wise either.  You can clearly hear the difference during songs that feature both live and dubbed vocals upon any critical listening even if you aren't familiar with bootlegs or his live voice back then.

Ozzy has the same issue on his live albums. The verses are clear and upfront like a studio recording but then when he does his adlibs like "come on" it sounds like it was recorded from the audience at times.  At least I can hear it. I still enjoy them but I know going in they aren't actual representations of the live performance.

 

 

[James Bond]

I just posted this in the UYI discussion thread as well but now that we've got the unaltered takes of some of the Live Era tracks we can do further comparison.

From about the end of Slash's main solo onwards Nightrain, it's clear that a different performance was spliced on the Live Era version. On the unaltered Vegas version in the box set, Slash's phrasing is different and his guitar goes a little out of tune. Not complaining mind you - I love the rawness - but it does go to show that there was further tinkering beyond Axl's new vocals.

[EvH]

2 hours ago, James Bond said:

I just posted this in the UYI discussion thread as well but now that we've got the unaltered takes of some of the Live Era tracks we can do further comparison.

From about the end of Slash's main solo onwards Nightrain, it's clear that a different performance was spliced on the Live Era version. On the unaltered Vegas version in the box set, Slash's phrasing is different and his guitar goes a little out of tune. Not complaining mind you - I love the rawness - but it does go to show that there was further tinkering beyond Axl's new vocals.

...and that Slash's quote that the album is "as honest as it gets"...was not that honest.

[Blackstar]

The GN'R history chapters about the making of Live Era, if anyone is interested:

1998-1999 PLANNING A LIVE ALBUM

'LIVE ERA '87-'93' IS RELEASED

Also this article from a couple of years ago:

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/guns-n-roses-under-appreciated-the-spaghetti-incident-and-live-era-87-93-re-examined

[Ericstacey]

On 11/10/2022 at 10:40 AM, t-p-d-a said:

Same with Motley Crues: Live: Entertainment or Death (1999) and Carnival of Sins Live (2006)

The worst is Carnival of Sins, in some parts it's like two Vince Neils are singing at the same time

I agree with "industry practice" at the time. Just to improve the quality, bring the best and re-recording parts more crazy or bigger. Like the high note on Nightrain, he never did this live.


 

I remember Sammy Hagar said he re did the vocals on the VH live album by literally playing the video from whatever concert it was and just singing along with it to re record the vocals.

[UncleJosh]

Rob Halford did the same thing for one of Judas Priest's live albums.

[lost un the jungle]

The first thing that called my attention was when the tokio '92 dvd came out, I listened to estranged and even with the same intro Axl's voice sounded different than live era. Also nightrain was too clean compared to 87-93 voice.

[mystery]

On 11/10/2022 at 1:52 PM, TheSlashrose said:

I confess that when I bought Live Era at the time I didn't imagine it had been re-recorded.

Understandable because live shows from the band would've been 6 years ago in 1999 and unless you went to a bunch of them, had one of the released VHS tapes, recorded a TV performance, or had bootlegs there wasn't much of a frame of reference. There was no YouTube that had easy access to multiple shows from the era and no concept of Axl's 99 voice to compare with the finished Chinese Democracy songs.

[Nintari]

When I buy a live album, it's because I want to listen to the band... live. If I wanted a studio take, I would buy the studio record. The fact that this opinion is the minority baffles the fuck out of me and to no end. I mean it too. I literally can not fathom how that is not the mainstream way of thinking. Live album=live. Studio album=studio. That's the way it should have always been. But no... fucking Kiss and their fucking sound-check nonsense... sigh.

Edited November 22, 2022 by Nintari

[mystery]

16 hours ago, Nintari said:

When I buy a live album, it's because I want to listen to the band... live. If I wanted a studio take, I would buy the studio record. The fact that this opinion is the minority baffles the fuck out of me and to no end. I mean it too. I literally can not fathom how that is not the mainstream way of thinking. Live album=live. Studio album=studio. That's the way it should have always been. But no... fucking Kiss and their fucking sound-check nonsense... sigh.

It's why YouTube and all the pro-shot and bootleg shows being in one place is an absolute godsend.