Axl Rose Fronts AC/DC, First Impressions

Happy Mother's Day!

Axl Rose played his first gig with Guns n' Roses last night. The show went down in Lisbon, Portugal. You know, I understand both sides of the angst with this one. For AC/DC fans, it's upsetting that the band basically has another new lead singer and it just doesn't seem right. For Guns n' Roses fans, they are worried Axl will blow out his voice before the band's big stadium tour this summer. Still, I think Axl fronting AC/DC for a few shows is pretty cool. I mean, I'd love to see it, just to say I did, you know? My favorite AC/DC track is "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)." I must admit, Axl sounds pretty awesome. What do you think?

Comments

[Him]

I've already said all I care to say about this pairing; suffice to say, it isn't likely to garner middle-of-the-road opinions.

But I will add/follow-up on a comment I made in another post: fans of AC/DC _and_ GnR best be worried about Axl blowing out his voice. Take a look at him singing "Shoot to Thrill" online. That is a recipe for ripping your vocal cords apart. For a vocalist who already divides fans on whether or not he sounds good (this week, last month, a year ago, etc., etc.) this is something to watch.

And I second Allyson: Happy Mother's Day to all the ladies with babies out there!

[Kixchix]

Axl sounds good.

Let me tell you. I've never heard somebody sing AC/DC other than Bon or Brian. Brian for arguments sake IS the voice of AC/DC! Axl does well, but these songs can be difficult and as a result I have to now put Brian way up there on the list of top 20 (maybe top 10) vocalists of all time in hard rock.

The fact that Brian is an affable and regular bloke make him a very special person in rock n roll.

I SALUTE YOU BRIAN!!!!

[Metalboy!]

Axl absolutely KILLED IT in Lisbon! I watched it point blank LIVE on Periscope, a terrific new app a tech forward BBGer turned me onto. I strongly recommend everyone get it before the next show so you too can witness The Majesty that is the NEW AC/DC.

Rose nailed it all, save for "Back In Black", which came off as a tad rushed perhaps because the band played it too fast. From start to finish, he executed what The Guardian called nothing short of "Masterly".

I also came to the realization that Axl Rose is a superior singer to Brian Johnson unfortunately for people who get stuck in the grooves of an original's recording. Axl breathes new life into songs that for 30+ years or less, have been trapped in Johnson's throat with his garbled choked up yelp.

Johnson always sounded like he was struggling to get it out. Now we get to hear Axl delivering every song on the set list from 1980 through "Rock or Bust" the way they were always meant to be heard and that is with a full throated scream. And this is coming from someone who saw AC/DC 11 times, 3 with Bon Scott and 8 with Brian Johnson.

As far as the Bon Scott material goes, Axl sang that even better than the Brian Johnson material, which again, I reiterate Rose sings better than Johnson ever did. Kixchix claiming that Brian Johnson is the voice of AC/DC is laughable, especially now, when it's clear as the stark light of the morning dawn, Rose runs circles around him as a vocalist and Scott was the original singer.

Those first several albums are so much better than "Back In Black", even if it is the largest selling album of all time, and everything after it. And you can tell Rose agrees with every impassioned wail, let alone his comments to the press.

I even believe bringing in Axl Rose has put a little extra zip in Angus Young's step with the added benefit of Angus now having the ability to return to his original tuning since Rose sings in the proper key, something Johnson wasn't able to do.

And Angus is now on fire like I haven't seen him in years. When you hear "Let There Be Rock" and "Highway to Hell" from this performance, you will be as stunned as I was how incredible it all sounds, not just Axl. It's like Angus has been unleashed, set free of the chains of Brian Johnson's voice with Axl as the key.

Once you watch AXL/DC you will realize this juggernaut is meant to be. One can only hope they'll record, as Young and Rose with make a vicious song writing team. What's great is Axl said recently in a BBC Radio interview with the band that he's open to it. It seems obvious to me, this would be way above anything Guns n' Roses could do, as Gn'R sounds mamby pamby compared to what I heard last night.

Below is the link to a YouTube of the AXL/DC Full Concert, live and point blank, last night in Lisbon, May 8th. Enjoy!...

https://youtu.be/wS79xUdAgiE

[Bob]

Metalboy!, my good sir, thanks for the link to the concert. You've known me for years, so you know I can't resist being a nit-picker...the original singer for AC/DC was actually Dave Evans. He recorded the original version of "Can I sit Next to You Girl", as well as the B Side, "rocking In The Parlour." Other than that tiny little point, I agree with you when it comes to brian Johnson. He set a vocal standard in the studio that he couldn't match live -- even in the 80s. Axl does sound better doing the Johnson songs live, although how long his 54-year-old voice will hold up remains to be seen. He does the Scott stuff better than Johnson, but not better than scott did. Scott had an undefinable tough guy swagger in his voice, matched with a sly sense of humor in his delivery that no one else can completely duplicate.

[GNR]

Wait... was that a Can I Sit Next To You Girl reference ?!?! Love, love, love that song.

The original:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaGJ_4rEzE

And then the "harder" version with Bon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJvOnCeEXZI

[Metalboy!]

Yeah, I forgot, Bob... I actually bought and still have the Albert Studios compilation LP (Australian Import) with the Dave Evans sung "Rockin' In The Parlour". And you're right, again... Bon Scott is untouchable. Yet, Axl's sheer b*lls out delivery does make the tunes rock even harder, albeit with slightly less finesse.

C'mon, man... Where the h*ll are all the Haters and Brian Johnson Lovers?!

[Rita]

Mamby pamby??? Lol. Love it Metalboy!

Axl does sound pretty darn good singing AC/DC, I will give him that. But, I don't think everyone will be as welcoming to him. You can't forget 36 years of history, just like that. Heck, we all still want Bas back and he only fronted Skid Row for a fraction of that time.

I predict Axl will screw up and this iteration of AC/DC will not last. Maybe I'm wrong. To me, Axl belongs in GNR and Brian belongs in AC/DC. That's just me though.

[NC Rocker]

I only saw the shoot to thrill video and I wasn't impressed. More worrisome to me is that I have GNR tickets in July. I agree with Him that singing AC/DC can't be good for his voice. I hope he has something left for his own band.

[Metalboy!]

Well, kids, he killed it again in Seville, Spain. Only time will tell but I actually believe the same thing another BBGer is promising -- This Is The Year of AXL!!! Get Ready to ROCK!!!

[Dj]

I'm a little late on this, but I have to say, Axl nailed it!!!! Props to him for belting out some old school ACDC tunes. Still don't think this should be permanent though.

[Metalboy!]

I would rather have AXL with AC/DC and new material than the same with Gn'R for one simple reason... AC/DC outROCKS Guns n' Roses!