2021.09.16 - Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL, USA

Hard School soundcheck uploaded by Slash:

wow, this is so NOT like Axl to do this. Is it me or he seems to be communicating way more in the past week(s)?

Someone over at mygnrforum wrote something like, "a professional show by a professional singer", referring to Axl soldiering through the disease. "Professional" is not exactly something Axl has been called a lot - and he hasn't been. But he has changed over the years and I have been noticing it for a while and glad other fans are acknowledging it. It wouldn't be the first time he played while sick, either, the Neil Young Benefit shows come time mind. And doing benefit shows is also professional, btw, and shows a compassion. Speaking of which, it still annoys me that so many fans just think of Axl's bad performance on one of those nights when they think about those shows, and not how great it was that they were doing it, interacting with those kids and giving them a good time, and doing it despite being sick. There's got to be a hierarchy of what you put emphasis on, with doing a benefit show for kids coming way, way, way up higher than not performing at our best because you are sick.

Soulmonster wrote:It wouldn't be the first time he played while sick, either, the Neil Young Benefit shows come time mind. And doing benefit shows is also professional, btw, and shows a compassion. Speaking of which, it still annoys me that so many fans just think of Axl's bad performance on one of those nights when they think about those shows, and not how great it was that they were doing it, interacting with those kids and giving them a good time, and doing it despite being sick. There's got to be a hierarchy of what you put emphasis on, with doing a benefit show for kids coming way, way, way up higher than not performing at our best because you are sick.

good point, agree 100%

what annoys me in axl voice-wise is to see him choosing to use his clean-mickey-beegees-falseto (whatever you wanna call it) voice instead of his good Axl voice (or GNR voice). That truly, truly annoys me. That voice s annoying as fuck. I couldn't care less if he sounded bad doing his "good" voice.

ludurigan wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:It wouldn't be the first time he played while sick, either, the Neil Young Benefit shows come time mind. And doing benefit shows is also professional, btw, and shows a compassion. Speaking of which, it still annoys me that so many fans just think of Axl's bad performance on one of those nights when they think about those shows, and not how great it was that they were doing it, interacting with those kids and giving them a good time, and doing it despite being sick. There's got to be a hierarchy of what you put emphasis on, with doing a benefit show for kids coming way, way, way up higher than not performing at our best because you are sick.

good point, agree 100%

what annoys me in axl voice-wise is to see him choosing to use his clean-mickey-beegees-falseto (whatever you wanna call it) voice instead of his good Axl voice (or GNR voice). That truly, truly annoys me. That voice s annoying as fuck. I couldn't care less if he sounded bad doing his "good" voice.

Many people think he has to sing that way to preserve the voice. That adding a lot of "rasp" or distortion hurts him. So he uses it sparingly. That could be true. It could also very well be that he prefers the thinner voice without all the rasp. Who knows with Axl.

Personally I prefer his early voice from the 80s. He didn't add much rasp then, but was really good at belting out tones and making them sound "full" despite not adding the distortion. The chainsaw voice from the 90s, that so many love, just feels grating to me and the nuances got lost in the distortion. I also don't like the thin voice he uses so often these days, the "mickey" voice. But it does work here and there; it depends on the song - or maybe more to what extent I am expecting rasp on particular songs. The main issue I have wit his singing these days is probably more when he wobbles between singing styles, like trying to do something but can't make it so he tries to make it work somehow. Like at the beginning of the tour there were many such rough spots. Now he seems to have warmed up and I don't hear that much.

Despite that, all in all I am quite amazed that he can still pull off the things he do vocally on a regular basis. We fans tend to focus on the bad things, the moments where he doesn't live up to our expectations, and forget that what he does is still pretty impressive for a 59 year old. Most GN'R songs cover a wide range and demands sustained screams and various techniques.

Soulmonster wrote:Many people think he has to sing that way to preserve the voice. That adding a lot of "rasp" or distortion hurts him. So he uses it sparingly. That could be true. It could also very well be that he prefers the thinner voice without all the rasp. Who knows with Axl.

Yeah, that could be true. I think he only uses his Axl/GNR voice (or whatever is left of it) in special occasions, which to me seems to be 1) when he is playing with AC/DC; 2) when he is playing with a special guest or guesting in someone's show; or 3) when he is drunk and/or high and feeling loose onstage (those seem also to be the occasions where he talks onstage).

Soulmonster wrote:Personally I prefer his early voice from the 80s. He didn't add much rasp then, but was really good at belting out tones and making them sound "full" despite not adding the distortion.

agree!

Soulmonster wrote:The chainsaw voice from the 90s, that so many love, just feels grating to me and the nuances got lost in the distortion.

I agree for 1992 and 1993. Specially about the nuances. To me Axl changed completely in 1991 and something got lost. It seemed like he wasn't onstage anymore, that he just playing a part -- of being Axl. Up until 1991, it seemed like he was actually feeling the songs and enjoying himself onstage. I didn't see much more of that after 1991. His voice followed suit, meaning his voice reflected that 9and his body language, everything). In 1991 it was that chainsaw voice but it was an out of control chainsaw, wild and crazy, alll over the place. In 1992 and 1993 it was chainsaw but like you said there were no nuances, it was monotonous.

Soulmonster wrote: Despite that, all in all I am quite amazed that he can still pull off the things he do vocally on a regular basis. We fans tend to focus on the bad things, the moments where he doesn't live up to our expectations, and forget that what he does is still pretty impressive for a 59 year old. Most GN'R songs cover a wide range and demands sustained screams and various techniques.

good point