Angus Young "really grateful" for Axl, though he was never going to be permanent

[Bridge]

When AC/DC wrapped up their Rock Or Bust tour [in 2016], the band's future looked bleak.

Singer Brian Johnson had been replaced by Axl Rose for the last 23 shows [due to hearing loss].   The band could have stopped, but Angus Young says cancelling the tour would have involved "a lot of legal things" - not to mention laying off a tour crew of almost 90 people.

Then, out of the blue, Guns N' Roses star Axl Rose called to offer his services.

"We were really grateful because [Axl] gave it his best shot and he helped us get through and finish those dates," says Angus Young.

But Rose was never going to become a permanent member of the band.


AC/DC's new album Power Up is being released tomorrow (Friday the 13th), with classic members Angus Young, Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd, and Cliff Williams, along with nephew Stevie Young.


Read the full article here...

https://news.yahoo.com/ac-dc-were-too-stubborn-002649648.html

[COMAMOTIVE]

Wish I had a chance to see one of those shows.
A buddy of mine went and said it was terrific and what I've seen on youtube was great.

[Sillything]

I saw them up front in Aarhus and Axls voice was like a razorblade coming through a jet engine, like it should be, top form!

[PermissionToLand]

Cliff Williams also had this to say about Axl:

“Nothing but positives for Axl; he was very respectful, he worked hard, there was no bullshit.”

[Wooody]

soundboard for those shows would be sweet, silly not to release them.

[Executioner]

He really raised his game for that tour and knocked it out of the park ,so many cynics dismissed him before he sang a note .
https://youtu.be/wD-bjjCG-gs

[Scabbie]

Dare I say it I think I’d rather see Axl playing with AC/DC than GNR at the moment.

[COMAMOTIVE]

Dare I say it I think I’d rather see Axl playing with AC/DC than GNR at the moment.

Why

[Wooody]

Dare I say it I think I’d rather see Axl playing with AC/DC than GNR at the moment.

Why

Probably because of the quality of his vocals with ACDC... I also think he should train his voice for GNR like he did for ACDC... he shouldn't take GNR songs for granted.

[Bridge]

I also think he should train his voice for GNR like he did for ACDC... he shouldn't take GNR songs for granted.

Yeah it became a rather common criticism that Axl sounded better with AC/DC than he has with GNR, and I honestly have to agree.

[C0ma]

Dare I say it I think I’d rather see Axl playing with AC/DC than GNR at the moment.

Why

Probably because of the quality of his vocals with ACDC... I also think he should train his voice for GNR like he did for ACDC... he shouldn't take GNR songs for granted.

I don't think it's a "train his voice" issue as it relates to AC/DC. I think it is a song issue. The GnR songs that are written similar to ACDC Songs... Jungle, Shadow, ect... he usually knocks out of the park. Oddly the stuff that Axl seems to favor and wants to write is the stuff that he tends to perform the worst... With that said you don't "sing" Jungle... when he tries to go into a higher register without rasp he doesn't seem to have the breath or power to control it so he goes out of tune and gets that Mickey Mouse voice everyone bashes him for.

Unfortunately his ACDC work doesn't translate to This I Love, November Rain, really anything from CD, etc... Can he train that, sure, but it's a different set of skills than covering AC/DC.

[ITARocker]

Axl has only his upper and lower range. He lost his middle range, That's all. Ac/dc songs are basically high pitched song, so same style for every single song and he can deal with that. Gnr songs cover more vocal range, and that's a problem, cause it's exhausting even for a younger singer. Singing in different ranges its not good in any case for any voice, even lyrical singers (used to) stuck with their roles even if they could cover more roles. Axl is unlucky that even if he can sing "clean"in his middle range, his voice there has a terrible, terrible tone.

[Wooody]

Dare I say it I think I’d rather see Axl playing with AC/DC than GNR at the moment.

Why

Probably because of the quality of his vocals with ACDC... I also think he should train his voice for GNR like he did for ACDC... he shouldn't take GNR songs for granted.

I don't think it's a "train his voice" issue as it relates to AC/DC. I think it is a song issue. The GnR songs that are written similar to ACDC Songs... Jungle, Shadow, ect... he usually knocks out of the park. Oddly the stuff that Axl seems to favor and wants to write is the stuff that he tends to perform the worst... With that said you don't "sing" Jungle... when he tries to go into a higher register without rasp he doesn't seem to have the breath or power to control it so he goes out of tune and gets that Mickey Mouse voice everyone bashes him for.

Unfortunately his ACDC work doesn't translate to This I Love, November Rain, really anything from CD, etc... Can he train that, sure, but it's a different set of skills than covering AC/DC.

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something, so he DID DO something different... I agree ACDC songs are more simple, but whereas at first he nailed the ACDC songs, as the tour progressed and there was less pressure for him to sing perfectly I think the quality of his vocals diminished a bit... So basically its both, he did train and acdc songs are more simple.

[Bridge]

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something,

Yeah, he also admitted that the Brian Johnson era songs were "something else" to sing.  I think this was the same interview.

[PermissionToLand]

I don't think Angus would actually admit if he considered doing an album with Axl because he got so much blowback from the fans for even letting him sub in. I'm on an AC/DC forum and the hate for Axl is ridiculous. I suppose it goes without saying that fans of DC tend to be resistant to change...

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something,

Yeah, he also admitted that the Brian Johnson era songs were "something else" to sing.  I think this was the same interview.

No kidding, he sang Hell Bells like the studio recording, which even Brian himself could never do, even in 1980 at the top of his game.

So basically its both, he did train and acdc songs are more simple.

More simple how? The range of notes they require covers about the same ground as Guns, except the very low end.

soundboard for those shows would be sweet, silly not to release them.

A few proshot clips were uploaded to the band's Facebook page around then, let me see...

They're all just snippets, but:

Thunderstruck: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154495616307930

If You Want Blood: https://www.facebook.com/acdc/videos/10154496815372930

Highway to Hell: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154481446902930

You Shook Me All Night Long: https://www.facebook.com/acdc/videos/10154468091402930

Back in Black: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154435043867930

Givin the Dog a Bone: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154176217287930

This has a little of RNR Damnation in the background: https://www.facebook.com/acdc/videos/10154514766277930

[(t)]

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something, so he DID DO something different... I agree ACDC songs are more simple, but whereas at first he nailed the ACDC songs, as the tour progressed and there was less pressure for him to sing perfectly I think the quality of his vocals diminished a bit... So basically its both, he did train and acdc songs are more simple.

Towards the end of the tour Axl's voice had begun to crack a bit. I don't think it was him getting complacent or anything like that, just that the tour and basically pushing his voice to its limit every night had begun to take it's toll.

[Wooody]

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something,

Yeah, he also admitted that the Brian Johnson era songs were "something else" to sing.  I think this was the same interview.

No kidding, he sang Hell Bells like the studio recording, which even Brian himself could never do, even in 1980 at the top of his game.

So basically its both, he did train and acdc songs are more simple.

More simple how? The range of notes they require covers about the same ground as Guns, except the very low end.

[/quote]


I'm no expert, I do play and sing, and the way I see it, while challenging range-wise ( high pitch raspy vocals is something few people can do), the structure of the guitar and its composition is more circular, constant and clear, and has a steady rhythm that adheres to an all too criticized "formula" (for better or for worse)... So it is easier to keep up with the rhythm (you can even see Axl physically keeping the beat when singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhN6v8fScBA) , a good example is thunderstruck,(also rock or bust) with a steady rhythm like that, with short sentences as well, it's also easier to breath, something that Axl's been having trouble with in GNR songs.

[Wooody]

He did say he trained for ACDC, like with a real vocal trainer for the first time in 20 years or something, so he DID DO something different... I agree ACDC songs are more simple, but whereas at first he nailed the ACDC songs, as the tour progressed and there was less pressure for him to sing perfectly I think the quality of his vocals diminished a bit... So basically its both, he did train and acdc songs are more simple.

Towards the end of the tour Axl's voice had begun to crack a bit. I don't think it was him getting complacent or anything like that, just that the tour and basically pushing his voice to its limit every night had begun to take it's toll.

well maybe he should have kept up with the training in between concerts instead of going to party    j/k.

[C0ma]

Another aspect to his AC/DC vocals that I have always wondered about is stage sound... For GnR there is almost no audio on the actual stage, they are using in-ears band wide and have iso cabs under the stage. With AC/DC there is a literal wall of sound behind Axl, the band didn't go with in-ears. While Axl will have some sound filtered out, is there the possibility that there is something to actually singing with (and over) the live sound that contributes to his power vs. what you get at a GnR show?

[PermissionToLand]

I'm no expert, I do play and sing, and the way I see it, while challenging range-wise ( high pitch raspy vocals is something few people can do), the structure of the guitar and its composition is more circular, constant and clear, and has a steady rhythm that adheres to an all too criticized "formula" (for better or for worse)... So it is easier to keep up with the rhythm (you can even see Axl physically keeping the beat when singing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhN6v8fScBA) , a good example is thunderstruck,(also rock or bust) with a steady rhythm like that, with short sentences as well, it's also easier to breath, something that Axl's been having trouble with in GNR songs.

But guitar rhythms don't affect how your voice works. The vocal melodies have both drawn out and staccato parts in both bands. It's a fair point that AC/DC lyrics tend to be less wordy though. He certainly did himself no favors writing CD material like TWAT.