I just listened to the studio version after y'all insisted in the live premiere - and holy crap. You're right. His voice is WAY better in the studio version. The ability to fluidly move between clean and grit, the higher pitches available and the overall additional precision took it up a level. That said - I'm really glad that I was able to see the performers for my first impression. I think I have a good idea of why vocal fatigue was creeping in and I'll definitely talk about that in our next GnR analysis. Side note: I missed the legendary diphthong in the studio version. 😆
If you really want to get up close on Axls voice, check out the studio version of 'Dead Horse'. It's pretty well stripped back, at least in the beginning, and gives a good profile of what Axls all about. Many of his live performances were more about having an opportunity ro run about, and have fun!
When it comes to Guns N' Roses people need to listen to the studio versions of their songs in my opinion. The live performances can range from incredible, on drugs, or terrible lol.
Definitely. It's wild hearing this performance fall apart in real time. Elizabeth is a trooper for gritting her teeth and bearing through it. That's dedication right there. I abandoned ship and went straight for the comments lol.
@@joecal2360 same, it's litteraly unbearable. I can't imagine what was going through her head once he started singing, especially since she was grooving to the guitar and she knows how popular they are. To then hear THAT coming out of his mouth, she must've thought we were all insane lmfao
I don't think I've ever heard a live performance of GnR that I liked. Some bands are good live, and some bands are even better live than in the studio.... GnR is simply not one of either.
Elizabeth, the studio version of "Patience" or "Don´t cry" can show you Axl lower register... "Knocking on Heaven´s doors" live, also can show his versatile change of voices.
@@matthewbarnhart5428 He had great days and garbage days, it seemed he never had anything in-between. I used to have the Use Your Illusion concert VHS, which were all performances from Japan, but he sounded great in those. But that was just after Izzy had left the band. It went down hill after that.
As long as you don't overdose on the song. I remember playing the video game _Burnout Paradise_ which uses the song on the opening screen and after a few games I could not hit the X button fast enough to get past it.
If you want to hear more of Axl's range and technique, I would recommend analysing November Rain. His vocal abilities are showcased in this ballad. A further note, when Slash is playing the solo I always sing along. I love that it is so melodic too! Can't wait to watch your next G n R deep dive.
Neato fact from my mom. She saw them I believe in ‘91 before the Use Your Illusion albums came out. They did November Rain when nobody really knew it and Axl stopped halfway through to yell at the crowd. She said people were just expecting things from appetite so some got rowdy. November rain was the song that made me learn the piano. I played it at her funeral a few years ago.
I think the most fun part of watching your reaction videos is the positively wonderful nerdgasm of musical knowledge meets new experiences. The sheer joy... it is infectious.
Slash's style choices with regard to his hair was due to his crippling stage fright. He was terrified to be in front of people while performing and never fully sought after the limelight. This is why he is one of the greatest guitarists ever. He has continued to expand the experiences he has with others, creating other groups as well as supporting those up and coming artists that would otherwise never been given the chance. Slash is amazing, personal and professional.
Slash's mother was also a famous fashion designer that used to do clothes for many famous musicians, so in addition to the reasons given in the previous comment, I'm sure there must've been a certain element of style on top of everything else that would surely be influenced by being his mother's son.
@@loukabarone yes I was gunna comment that! Interesting little back story tidbit of him. I read his autobiography (or biography, whichever it is, been a while). Really great read.
I would recommend the studio version of Welcome To The Jungle because the way Slash's and Izzy's guitars play off each other is unique. You wear headphones so you'll hear that one of them plays in the left channel and the other in the right, so you can hear the interplay between them clearly. It's a masterpiece.
It would be a better example of Axl's singing, too. His voice is often suffering in live performances. Probably from pushing it, and too much partying.
Slash as always experienced stage fright, so hiding behind the hair in the hat makes him feel more comfortable on stage. Fun true story about Axl. When he was younger he performed in a church choir and his range was so crazy that he would mess with the choir director and sing all different parts at different times 😄 You've got to check out welcome to the jungle because he does this really cool thing with his tongue that took me awhile to learn. When he sings Sha Na Na Na knees, he uses his tip of his tongue on the roof of his mouth, it's pretty cool you got to check it out
@@rocksteadyrein6516 To be fair, Slash is always pretty amazing. I love his version of "Ace Of Spades" live with Lemmy himself, and Dave Grohl on drums.
I'm not sure if anyone has explained what Slash was doing during the end of the song, yet, so here you go... He was holding the end of the guitar neck against the speaker cabinet to the get the vibration to resonate through the guitar creating a combination of feedback and infinite sustain. It's trivially easy to get the basic effect, but his use of bends and choice of notes makes it great and very distinctly Slash.
Slash has actually said that he wears the top hat and big hair and sunglasses on stage because it makes him feel more comfortable. He gets a bit of stage anxiety and feeling like he has a sort of security blanket to hide behind makes him less anxious. Which... is beautiful irony because at the same time it gives him SO much presence on stage and commands so much attention. He just doesn't have to see or feel it because from his point of view he's hiding. It's kind of brilliant.
It's like Roy Orbison's sunglasses. Apparently, he either lost or broke his usual prescription glasses before a show, and given that he couldn't see without them, he wore his prescription sunglasses fir that show. He found he was more comfortable wearing the sunglasses, because he felt he could "hide" behind them, but at the same time, they added an air of mystery and attitude to his ultra shy persona.
So I binged your last 3 years of rock related reactions this past 2 weeks... And I just want to say one thing: I Love your personality, you made me realise that i've lost something along the way and just didnt' experience music like I did before. Watching you enjoy music so much and seeing real joy is teaching me a lot. So Thank you for that, the vibes you have on these videos gets me to smile every time.
Surprised how no one mentioned "Estranged"! Beautiful melody,excellent showcase for Axl's voice,many different guitar solos and an amazing piano solo The Tokyo live version Would be my next pick for sure
Excellent choice. One of my favs. I listened to it last week live @ the Tokyo Dome. I think she needs to hear ALL his songs on the album 1st. Then move to live. Cause live he does sound “gritty” like she said. Us Guns fans love it…but I think it’s bc we heard the album version 1st & often. Then you can appreciate it live. 🤷♂️
@@VesperCCB Right?!! So many ppl just do sweet child & paradise city. They have Great songs on the UYI Albums. I thought it may be a little long for her? But she did “One” by Metallica that’s close in time. But she never reads our posts. Just the ppl who pay her to be a “Patreon” that’s where she gets & looks for things. Not on here. Hopefully there are sone REAL Guns fans on the paying side🤷♂️👍
@@asshenasshen2454 What ignorance? She's a classical vocal instructor. She knows all about how the human voice works. Unless you sing solo with the Met or have trained with Dianna Damrau? I doubt that your knowledge of the workings of music and the voice outstrip hers.
Axl has a wild vocal range. If you listen to him speak he has a surprisingly deep voice. He uses his lower register in the song "It's So Easy", which is one of my faves.
When I was in high school I got a detention for humming 'It's So Easy' in the hallway. 'You get nothing for nothing...' Naturally I did not show up for the detention.
When this album was released, it drove a stake through the heart of hair metal. I saw them in concert in the summer of 1988 when they played a festival in Dallas, TX. They blew all the other acts off the stage. I had heard of them, but I only knew this song. After their set, I realized they were either going to rule the rock world or implode…turns out they did both in about 5 years😆. Love your reviews. Watching you experience these hard rock songs makes me smile and remember how much I loved them when I first heard them! Keep on rocking and listening to new songs. All the best!
I saw them twice too, and both times they were horrible and got outperformed by the bands that opened for them. First one was a new year's concert in Joe Robbie (Miami Gardens) and Soundgarden opened for them. They were tons better. Half the band was wasted and Axl slurred his words so bad you could barely tell what they were singing. Also, for a new year's concert, they finished their set at 11:58pm and never did an encore. The second time was in Orlando with Faith No More and Metallica with Gn'R closing. 30 minutes in the their set I left. That's how epically bad they were. I was heartbroken too because it was on my top 5 bands at the time...
I think it might be worthwile to compare live Axl Rose versus a studio recording. He's a great singer, but his vocal quality tends to vary quite a lot in his live releases. If you're going to look at more Guns N Roses, Welcome to the Jungle and Paradise City is a must.
That, and by this point in his career he'd lost a bit of his vocal range, and is relying on different breathing technique and a bit more force to cover it up. When they just started out, he could just go for notes and wail, now he has to work smarter and use more technique to avoid blowing his voice out. Fortunately, though, he can still go.
I both enjoyed and was amused by your comments on Axl's voice and GNR. Here's a little firsthand historical perspective that hopefully, you may appreciate. Axl was vocally trained by the late, great voice coach Ron Anderson. Ron also taught Steve Perry, Adam Lambert, Adam Levine, the guys in Kiss and Great White, Janet Jackson, Adele (after her vocal surgery), among dozens of other successful singers in just about every musical gnere. Ron, himself, was one of three of the world's living Heldon tenors in his day. Those were the classical music vocal monsters who could sing Wagner, this world's most-difficult vocal music, I was told. Ron had a HUGE voice. He sounded like 3 Pavorati's singing in unison. I also studied with Ron and we became good friends. As I had had some success writing songs for a number of recording acts, Ron would frequently play me demo tapes of new bands and artists, for my input. I first heard "Sweet Child of Mine," along with "Welcome to The Jungle," "Patience," and one other (much less memorable) tune on the band's original cassette demo tape. At that time, Ron told me he had the option of either getting triple union scale for producing the vocals on what would become GNR's first album, "Appetite for Destruction," or taking points (a sales percentage), for his vocal arrangements and production work. After listening to GNR's demo tape, without any hesitation, I told Ron: "Take points. There's two Hit Signature Songs on this tape and both of them have Hit Signature Guitar licks. And 'Patience' is not a hit single, but it's still a good song." Those two hit songs were: "Sweet Child of Mine" and "...Jungle." Ron initially wasn't sold on Axl's voice. He asked me what I thought of it. I told him Axl had a very distinctive voice. I said: "He wails like a male Janis Joplin, meets Robert Plant, meets the Exorcist....this is a great identifiable rock voice. It's like hearing Rod Stewart or Joe Cocker....when you hear it you think...there's that dude." Ron chuckled at my analysis. I added: "Now in terms of Axl's longevity as a singer, well, you tell me, you're the vocal coach here." Ron thanked me for my input. But, he didn't take my advice. After Geffen Records signed GNR and the album was recorded, GNR went on tour with the Rolling Stones and Living Color. The album initially couldn't get much traction. MTV wouldn't even play GNR. Then, "Appetite for Destruction" blew up like a mega-ton bomb. "Welcome to the Jungle" was featured in the Clint Eastwood hit movie "The Dead Pool." Fueled by the initial success of that single and subsequent singles, "Appetite for Destruction" became, and remains, the best-selling maiden album OF ANY ARTIST in the history of rock, pop or any other kind of music. About 18 months later, Ron inexplicably changed one of my early-evening vocal lessons to a later time on a Thursday autumn night. He had been grooming me for a potential frontman gig with Whitesnake, as David Coverdale was going on hiatus from that band, to do a project with Jimmy Page. When I arrived at Ron's Encino Hills home, he wasn't in his usual rehearsal studio. He was somewhere in the back of his house. I could hear Ron belting out a strange, four-octave, exotic chant in unison, with another extraordinary voice, as Ron played guiding piano notes. Those two voices were singing from a low, basso-baritone register into a high stratospheric soprano range. This vocal virtuosity literally shook the walls for about an hour. After the music stopped, Ron stuck his head through the doorway. He grinned at me and said: "No, Larry, this isn't the Whitesnake meeting I've been preparing you for. There's someone whose career you've had a major influence and impact on - and you probably didn't even know it. He's been wanting to meet you for a long time. Larry Cox meet Axl Rose." Axl emerged from the shadows, looking like a freshly scrubbed, 16-year-old choir boy. Looking me straight in the eyes, he said: "Larry, Ron's told me all about you and you guys' conversations about the band and me, even the 'points thing.'" Axl complimented me on my writing and singing, which I guessed Ron had shared with him, He said: "I just wanted to thank you for believing in me as a singer, and us as a band, when we weren't even shit. Can I shake your hand?" After a warm handshake that turned into two straight guys negotiating a hug, we spent the next 45 minutes talking music. In particular, we talked about alt rock and Nirvana, which had just broken out. Axl asked me my opinion of that genre and I told him, that all I'd heard at that point, was Nirvana. I told him, that to me, their singer seemed both incredibly talented and incredibly disturbed. He laughed. I added, "I think I like this new thing, alt rock, but hey, that's not your lane. You guys are classic rockers like the Stones or Aerosmith. Just stay in your lane. Keep doing what you're doing, and there will always be a place for you in this industry." Ron beemed at us like a proud, happy father. He pointedly said: "Larry, you've just heard Axl's full vocal range. Don't ever let anyone tell you this little SOB can't sing. But for his music, I keep his voice placement in this area (pointing to his nasal cavity and forehead), so that it resonates and cuts like glass live and in the studio. That way, he stays above those power guitars and has proper support and never hurts himself." Axl and I shook hands again. We thanked one another for our meeting and exchanged goodbyes. A final observation: I've worked with a wide variety of minor and major recording artists, often behind the scenes. Few were as kind and gracious as Axl Rose. Having seen or heard most major recording artists of the past 50 years, I was always impressed with Axl's commitment to his performance, whether he was being true to his original recording or improvising, as he did in this video. Our meeting was, and remains, an unforgettable pleasant memory in my many Hollywood Music Daze. (An excerpt from Larry Cox's coming memoirs). (C) 2023. ,
Halfway through your comment I was thinking “this guy knows how to tell a story” I would love to read your memoirs, sounds like you have some great stories to tell.
Fun fact: the guitar riff for Sweet Child O' Mine was never originally planned to be used in a song! Slash was just playing around for fun in the recording studio and playing this little riff over and over again. He didn't realize Axl was listening to it in the next room. Axl Rose loved the riff so much he wrote lyrics for a song, and came back the next day to ask Slash about the riff. Slash was like "huh? What riff?" and Axl explained that they were going to use it for a song. It became one of the best rock songs ever! 🙌🏻🎸⚡❤
You're right and for the longest time, Slash hated to play it but now, he loves it because as soon as he hits the first couple of notes of it, the crowd starts cheering.
want to have a real head trip.... this song was slightly "borrowed....." listen to Australian Crawl "Unpublished Critics. It hurt me to know one of the biggest iconic songs of my youth, wasn't fully GNR.
@@seanknupp1448 Oh wow! At first, I was about to say "they used the same chord progression, just like a million other songs, doesn't mean anything" but then I kept listening... I've been a big Gn'R fan since 1991 and I've never heard about this song! How come they've never been sued over this?!?! Or have they and I've just never heard about it? Thanks for sharing this!
At the end Slash has his guitar up near the speaker rack to get the feedback and play off the micro phonics of the pickups of his Les Paul guitar. Its amazing how he is controlling the seemingly out of controllable tone. This must have been amazing to see live. Wow
Now that you’ve finally opened this door you really need to do November Rain. It is a true masterpiece in every possible way. And I also bet you will see that Axl actually could sing really beautiful back in the 90’s. One of the greatest songs ever written.
If you would like to hear Axl's lower voice work, check out the studio versions of "Mr. Brownstone" and "It's So Easy." Also, check out the studio version of "Welcome to the Jungle" if you want to analyze the mids to high pitches. He delivers great screams that cuts right through the mixes; his vocal range is pretty extensive, which officially covers five octaves and five semitones (Lowest note: F1, highest note: Bb6).
Slash just absolutely pours his heart out in his guitar playing and especially on the solos. Actually the solos he does in this song have always been some of my favorites. He can bring you to tears just standing there wailing on his guitar. He is truly one of a kind
One of the greatest debut albums ever, Appetite for Destruction. GnR didn't just show up to the scene... they kicked down the door and beat up the bouncer. Weird trivia: Sweet Child of Mine was a throwaway song put in just to fill out the album. The main guitar riff is based on a finger limbering exercise Slash would do. Originally, there was a third verse written that the producer cut during song production. While performing in studio, after being told to drop the 3rd verse, Axl just started singing "where do we go, where do we go now?" as a reference to "hey, what are we supposed to be singing here!?!?" lol So, a song written in under an hour just as fluff content, with lyrics that were a joke became a monster hit and a rock anthem forever. Highly recommend checking out Use Your Illusion 1 and 2, particularly Estranged, one of my favorites for great range from Axl and soaring guitar from Slash.
Always great to get a surprised reaction from Elizabeth. Love it! And SUPER glad she went to the studio version. I just saw GNR live last Tuesday and it was fantastic. Axl's voice lacked the scream, but he hit all the high notes, esp happy hit those notes on Rocket Queen. My fav part was that Slash did not mess up the solos. He hit ever note perfectly. I was so happy!! Been waiting 35 years to see GNR.
Yes, more of this! Aerosmith - Dream On, Skid Row - I Remember You, Def Leppard - Rock of Ages, Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer. So many great songs came out during this time.
Listen to the album "Appetite for Destruction" in it's entirety. It was their first album and it's where this song came from. Most people (fans and critics alike) consider it one of the greatest debut albums of all time. Axl does have a very nasaly style but if you want a less sharp vocal performance you can listen to "Patience" "Don't Cry" or "Civil War"
I'm a huge GnR fan... and if this was the first song I heard from them, I'd wonder why everyone loves them. You really need to listen to the studio version of this to fully appreciate his voice. Live version = 2/10, Studio version = 11/10.
I think their best live recording is the Ritz 1988. Axl is on fire, and sounds as good if not better than the studio recordings....but more intense and gritty way.
Estranged. This song is a ride of emotions, musical temperament and to me, the most emotional delivery from Axl. It would be awesome to see you react to it. I know you prefer live versions, but the official video is outstanding, in its own axel, 90’s way.
Estranged live is a pretty great vocal roller coaster. Very underrated in the grand scheme. Also Slash is effectively trying to create a controlled feedback when he put his guitar up to his amp. To create the whaling sound.
It’s cool to play. Those sounds are from starting from a bend and dropping it down while controlling the volume levels. The rhythm pickups with the tone turned all the way down will get you closest to the tone
I always say a good guitar solo should be able to tell a story without words. If you can actually feel what the guitarist is feeling then it was well done. This solo has always hit home with me.
The difference between a good guitarist and a great guitarist is what they play in their solos, for me anyway. A good guitarist will play a solo that shows what he can do. A great guitarist will play a solo that shows what he can do with the song. In this case, Slash built his solo, where a lot of guitarists would have went straight into the last part of the solo, without the transition. It's one part of why this is a classic song that was so successful.
The Professor of Rock channel has a great video on this track. Evidently, the intro guitar was just Slash playing scales and skipping chords as a warm-up, and not intended to be part of a song, but the band heard it and convinced him that it should be the basis of this song, which ended up as one of their all-time hits. So one of the most iconic songs of a generation was born from slash goofing off as a warmup.
I recall reading that Slash really didn't care for the idea, and only agreed to it on the condition that he got to add a more aggressive, non-ballad style solo.
Yep - all true. And in the break 'where do we go - where do we go now. Where do we go' was literally the band stopping during the jam and asking what comes next...
@@adamlee9071Oh yeah, that's how most guitarists find a solid riff, through experimentation. But this one he's literally just skipping every other chord while playing scales, like something that might be in a beginner music student's workbook, lol... Granted I'm sure it's in all those workbooks now. It's just funny how incredibly simplistic it is. I get why it took him so long to warm up to the idea, he's capable of incredible feats with a guitar and is best known for something a child could master in a day. It's like if Louie Armstrong's greatest hit was him fucking around on a Kazoo. But it is a very catchy sound, and it doesn't need to be overly complicated to sound good. Kinda like "Smoke on the Water" in that sense. Sometimes simple is best.
Civil War and Estranged are great options, Axl uses most of his vocal range in those songs, solos are great and also the construction and dynamics of both songs are amazing!
Estranged is epic, guitar cries like a dolphin. November Rain, epic, great piano and orchestral moments, Patience, great acoustic ballad. Civil War, great lyrics and voice. Plz do em all 😊❤
Axl Rose has a range of 5 octaves and 5 semitones and he puts them all on display throughout the GNR catalog. One of the best investments of time you could ever make is to listen to the entire album of Appetite for Destruction from start to finish in a pair of outstanding headphones. It’s a masterpiece of musicianship and production. Easily the best debut album of all time.
I couldn't agree more! Axl has an undeniably amazing vocal range and overall sound and control. I was a GNR fan right off from the very beginning. Compared to a lot of other metal and hard rock music being put out back in those days they were the next level up of the evolution of rock and metal and you could just feel it. I'm so happy that I was at the right age in those right times and could experience and appreciate all of this greatness in music. GNR takes me back to those days.
Axl has a very distinct voice that can only be described as comtrolled chaos. Even when he sings softly, there is still a jagged edge ( like Patience or November Rain). When he brings it (Sweet Child, Paradise City, Civil War) it works really well for rocking. You can hear both work in tandem in Live and Let Die. This band brought to you by Pantene :-). Also, props to you on mentioning Slash's guitar tone...it is perfect for this genre.
I remember when I first heard G'N'R, on the radio, I thought Axl sounded like, what a skeleton would sound like singing, for some reason...this was reinforced by the artwork on the Appetite for Destruction cover...they didn't sound like any other 80's band I had heard to that point, and didn't look or act like them either..a bit Alice Cooper, twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, with some Nirvana thrown in the mix...a dirty, gritty mix between 80's metal and 90's grunge...
Estranged is the best GNR song basically full stop. The vocals are amazing and emotive, the way Slash works in guitar melodies is complementary yet distinct. And then there are dolphin sounds.
For your reference, Axl is actually a natural baritone. His tonal sound is actually kind of an extremely raspy falsetto, head voice. With astonishing support. He sings the baritone part (multi-tracked) in the beginning of the ‘Paradise City’ chorus intro. That’s his natural low voice. He sang baritone in the choir too, before his rock days.
I have read that Acl puts that rasp effect on his voice intentionally. Early on he wanted to stand out and sound different. He is styling himself after the singer from Nazareth from the 70's.
@@bryangirod9173 Yes, he adds it intentionally. He’s able to get natural raspy harmonics on his high voice. His natural smooth voice is, as I mentioned, that baritone in the mix at the beginning of ‘Paradise City’, yes that’s Axl doing the low stuff. And as well, that’s more of his natural smooth tone in ‘Patience’. Side note: Axl was actually a friend, back in the day, at the beginning of his career. He has literally demonstrated those different tones standing three feet in front of me. So I’ve heard it natural, with no studio polish. Dude had an amazing voice. I was a singer too so I was paying attention. 😎
They are playing it at a higher bpm here (~140) than the studio version (~126). It sounds better slower. Slower gives Axl more time to form the phrasing, especially on the chorus.
Live versions often get played faster I think because of energy, but also to maybe give the singer ways to easily get through songs with less effort in some ways. The tempo struggled a bit at the very beginning, I feel like the song took off on them a bit. I find frustration with Metallica life because I feel Lars constantly pushes tempo in a similar way.
Estranged, Civil War, Don’t Cry, Don't Damn Me.. all studio versions. The emotion in all of these songs just tugs at the heart. Axl does a crazy long slow-mo dipthong at the end of Don't Cry. Slash has an amazing solo in Estranged. These songs showcase Axl's deeper register. Don’t Damn Me is just a lot of fun. Duff's bass is fantastic in pretty much every song he's ever played.
The WHOLE first album is amazing! Ran to my local record shop to pick it up and the guy behind the counter laughed and said they were a flash in the pan and would go nowhere fast. Fast forward 4 years later and saw him at a show rocking out with the rest of us! Humble pie anyone? GNR FOR LIFE!!! Great review my dear and love you takes on Rock and Roll! More please!
Imagine if you will my GMC van crammed with 10 people inside going to the show and all of us singing very off key,getting looks from passing cars but having the time of our lives getting there to see them in all their glory! Miss those days but the MEMORY is mine forever and beyond! Thank you Elizabeth for all that you do!🥰
This might be the first time I’ve really appreciated Axl Rose. I love the smooth transition throughout from “I am not persuaded yet that I like his voice” at 3:43 to just completely nerding out about every bit of nuance. Fantastic.
Finally! I've been asking for Guns N' Roses for SO long! Thank you, Axl Rose's voice has so many unique qualities to it that even if you hate him or his sound, he's a really interesting case study
One of the best guitar solos in a song of all time. Easily in my top 5. I’ve always felt this as a 4 act play with Slash’s solos in this song the way they just build and build and then the finale. It’s freaking epic. Act 3 of the play sends chills down my spine and my hairs stand up every time. So glad you reacted to this one!
I was at a live concert some years ago. We, metalheads, are prone to make fun of GNR. But, well, Axl had such a voice I was...I think I never heard such a powerfull voice before. I can't really explain. It was a really great voice
So insane that people recomend so many songs but not paradice city. That was the song that made hooked and looked in to their music. The live performance in RITZ in the beginning of their career is the most energetic performance i have ever seen. Its amazing.
Exactly. There are many good gnr performances, but there are also many mediocre performances. This isn't one of the good ones. Not even close. Agree on the ritz performances from the late '80s which, really, should have been suggested. Paradise city or welcome to the jungle or any of the others really. But this one? wtf
And there are other live versions/songs where his voice would blow you away. Civil War is one that comes to mind of a live version where his voice is amazing.
LOVED your analysis! Sure, the technical stuff is WAAAY over my head, but you make it fun! Thank you. ...this truly is my favorite live version, and whoever cued it up to NOT include Sail Away Sweet Sister JUST before Sweet Child did you a major injustice. A lot of angel and devil , fire and ice if you will, in that short piece Axl uses as an intro into Sweet Child O' Mine.
I would absolutely love to hear your insight and analysis of 'Coma', which I would consider as the greatest song GNF'R has done. The studio version is the one to do, because it is perfect in every way. The song pretty much encapsulates everything you could ask out of a single music track. It is one of the longest songs that has NO chorus and nothing repeats. It is a complete story, where once you join the journey, you get sucked into something magical. It is both a musical, and lyrical masterpiece. There is a reason so few people react to it, partially because the length of the song, (it is 10 mins,) but also because it is such a complex, uniquely structured and intricately woven masterpiece that I believe few people even know how to begin to approach it. You are extremely good at breaking down a lot of the intricacies and I think it would probably elevate not only your understanding, but your appreciation for just how good the entire group was at its prime, (during the 'Use Your Illusion' days.) It is the complete package. Talk about breath control...there are a few that show how insane Axls was, but this gives a great part at the end that is easier to analyze, (unlike something like 'Garden Of Eden'.) You also get a lot of his twangy extensions that make his voice extremely unique. Anyways, I highly doubt you will end up doing it, because there are so many other more 'mainstream' songs out there that other people will probably request instead. To me, 'Coma' speaks volumes, (probably because of things I went through personally as a young child, very different from the reasons the song exists, but I felt similar things to what is relayed in the song.) Regardless, if you don't end up doing a reaction, I would recommend listening to it yourself, and would love to hear what you thought of the song. It is unique, to say the least. (Their most emotionally powerful song too, at least in my eyes.)
November Rain is one of my alltime best rock ballads. Just such a beautiful arrangement! However, when I hear GNR I always first think of Paradise City. That song was the hymn to so many great moments in my youth.
As a huge Axl fan, I think you chose a song that doesn't show off he's true genius. Try - 🌹 Free fallin' - Tom Petty feat Axl Rose (live) 🌹 You're Crazy 🌹 Dead Horse 🌹 Patience 🌹 You could be mine (Live Era CD) 🌹 November Rain 🌹 Knockin on heavens door (live) Axl's octave range is legendary and really deserves a deep dive into his talents.
Glad to see GnR being featured for the first time in the channel! Also, i wanted to mention that Scorpions released some new live performances from 1980 which are worth reacting to to listen to Klaus' raw vocals before the vocal cord surgery. 'He's a woman, she's a man' is a perfect example!
This performance was definitely after the peak of guns-n-roses had passed, but the songs they created were unquestionably a handful for the ages. Axl's voice rode a very sharp edge that unfortunately ground down over the years. His studio work was absolutely, uniquely flawless. Songs like Don't Cry, November Rain & Civil War could melt anyone, when Axl let his voice come down out of the rafters, it was actually very pleasant. But the studio wanted more and more grit.
I'm not a singer or an audio engineer, but love audio and I appreciate how you can deconstruct what you are hearing from Axle and SEE it in your head and then explain. And what adds credence to your video having never seen you before is that you describe the irregularities and uniqueness of a live performance and instantly want to experiment with it, have questions like : how would you produce this? what would it sound like in a booth? Great freedom yourself, freedom of thought and transposition of his voice as a variable. Let's see how it acts here? see how it acts there? Does it work in a vacuum? Really nice. Thank you.
More GnR. Some of Axel's best live performances come from the Concert for Life: Wembley Tribute to Freddie Mercury Guns and Roses played -Paradise City, Knockin' on Heaven's Door and covered Alice Coopers Only Women Bleed. And three 3 minutes into Elton Johns cover of Bohemian Rhapsody Axel comes in and they duet the finish. Its surreal.
This song was top 1 on billboard the day I was born, September 10, 1988. I literally consider this to be my song. I can't remember not knowing this song. I know every single note of it by heart since I was a child. It's so amazing that a person has never ever listen to it and to Axl voice. It's so familiar to me, natural, recognizing. Crazy.
This is Axl Rose at his peak! They started as Glam Rock, then shifted towards Hard Rock. He was the driving force in Guns N' Roses and nobody could touch him in those days. He's one of my favorite front man's ever. He can be moody, but his vocals are unmatched in those golden days. Also, Guns N' Roses were the first band to have a song from the '80s and '90s to have a billion views on RUclips, timeless music.
He definitely gained a reputation for being an a**hole. I freakin' loved GnR back in the day! I grew up on bands like GnR, Poison, Motley Crue, Warrant and Slaughter. Man, I miss those days!
Best vocalist from that era is Miljenko Matijević of Steelheart IMO. Unfortunately when touring for their second album in 1992 while performing in Denver on Halloween night a 1,000 lbs lighting truss fell and hit him in the back of his head forcing him face first into the stage breaking his nose, cheekbone, and jaw. It also injured his neck and back and put a gash in the back of his head and gave him a traumatic brain injury. It took him years to recover. If you’ve never heard him listen to “I’ll Never Let You Go” and “She’s Gone”. Another favorite of mine is “Can’t Stop Me Lovin’ You”.
I grew up in a different part of the world where this music was unheard of so I never paid attention even after moving to the US. Like you, I've heard GnR on the radio but never listened until earlier this year. The guitar solo blew me away so I went out to buy a Les Paul and started learning. 9 months into the guitar world and I'm realizing how much Gibson owes Slash.
I read an article that analyzed the vocal range of famous singers across decades, and the article claimed Axl Rose, in his prime, had the widest range of any vocalist, male or female.
If you want to here his low end lesson to Mr.Brownstone. He sings in his lower register and it is amazing! Also if you want a great live performance look up them singing Knocking On Heavens Door. Its great.
I like Axyl’s voice. It’s different from anyone else’s voice and he makes it work. Also the fact this rock guy could write amazing, personal songs is great. Check him out at the Freddie Mercury benefit concert just after Mercury’s death singing with Elton John. That’s a wild combo. They were one of our last great hair bands in the 1990’s.
I considered them to be a "bridge" band between hair metal and grunge...they definitely looked, acted, and sounded different than any other late 1980's hair metal band, looked more like pirates than glam...still had the basic 80's metal sound, but there were certainly elements of Nirvana in there...
First Axl has never sounded as good live as in the studio. But he’s also in a huge stadium and I don’t know anyone that sounds as good as their studio version in a huge arena. Two, this was part of the Use Your Illusion tour that went on for 2 years? Three, a Guns show goes for 2 1/2 hours. Axl’s energy is full tilt for that 2 1/2 hours. He runs the whole stage, does wardrobe changes and is even know to have to take oxygen hits off stage during Slashes solo’s. Four, typically Sweet Child is at the end of the second set, before the encore. So consider all these factors when analyzing his vocal sound. Listen to the studio version and you will get the full experience of Axl’s voice, and the rest of the band. This live version does not do them justice.
his voice is one that can't go a full concert without cracking, it's just too intense. when they recorded appetite, he did his vocals one line at a time. that's why they sound as good as they do. when he has to only do one song, like at the 88 mtv awards, yeah he sounds fuckin unreal. like, hair standing on the back of your neck unreal.
He does sound as good live as studio, but only in the one-off performances where his voice is fresh. Like "Salt of the Earth" with the Rolling Stones, "Free Fallin" with Tom Petty, "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Elton John.
Slash's solos sound so melodic merely because of how he use accentuates certain notes in the pentatonic scale. His change in phasing also adds to that, making like you wanna sing even on his solos.
Axl has one of the most powerful voices. You must react to his live version of Knocking on Heavens Door. It will display all his voice capabilities. Love your channel by the way. Thank you 😊
I love how expressive she is with her facial expressions and body language. Particularly during her first listen to Slash's guitar solo, where she didn't say a word, I was like "Yes, that is EXACTLY how I felt the first time I heard this as well!"
You missed her expression when she first heard what sounds less like a human voice and more like a sick cat meowing 😂 Guy sounds wasted and his voice weak and out of tune, this is a bad example of his voice
@@Dr.Claw_M.A.D. nope, it just highlights that they were drunk and stoned and looking at her involuntary reaction when she first heard Axl meowing is a bit amusing
Definitely. Being at home watching the video recording of a live performance of a song as your first time being exposed to it tends to be the worst of both worlds. You don't get the chest thumping energy of being there in person, in the open air with the crowd, which compensates for the often comparatively sloppy or technically deficient performance. Plus, most people don't hear a given song for the first time live, but rather through repeated exposure to the studio recording, so you get to experience the magic that occurs from the collaboration between the band and the recording engineers and producer, which endears you to the song and then motivates you to experience it live, where you'll forgive the band their many performance sins because by that point the song is fully imprinted on your mind and in your heart. Appetite for Destruction was recorded and mixed by Mike Clink, Michael Barbiero, and Steve Thompson, who are absolute LEGENDS, and consummate production artists and craftsmen in their own right, whose contribution to the overall sound is MASSIVE. The studio mix is definitely where it's at.
So glad you finally checked out some Guns. I found it interesting when you speculated at the end that they might be transitioning to a new song given (the way the tracks are divided) you accidentally missed the a cappella intro mini-medley he did leading into Sweet Child (Sail Away Sweet Sister and Bad Time by Queen and Grand Funk respectively). You always got a lot of cool extras and twists when GNR played live. They were always tweaking things and really flying by the seats of their pants in a lot of ways. Of course he always sounds more polished on the albums, but Guns is (was) a band, that if you REALLY wanted to experience what they were about, it was live, “warts and all”, hitting you in the face with raw, unadulterated fury. I think you could really get lost checking out live Guns from ‘85 until now. His voice has gone through some serious changes over the years. Still has the incredible range but that grit is largely gone, very sadly. Would love to see you check out different live performances of Rocket Queen, Welcome to the Jungle… It’s So Easy shows off his lower end (some unsavoury lyrics though). Nightrain was another beauty, and one of Slash’s favourites. They recently put out a bluray of a 1991 show at the Ritz in NYC and it’s killer.
I know you’re not sold on Axl’s voice, which is totally understandable if this is your introduction to it. Many of us (me included), consider Guns N’ Roses to be a big part of the soundtrack of their early years. The little innocent 14 year old version of me had his whole world flipped upside down when I first listened to the opening guitar riff of Welcome to the Jungle on a brand new cassette. And then that vocal howl that followed was something that has never been matched since. I highly recommend the studio version of Welcome to the Jungle for your consideration and analysis. Also, just discovered your channel about a week ago and I haven’t been able to stop watching your catalog of videos. Love what you are doing here so much!
I've just started watching your stuff and this is so fun. I'm a professional guitarist and seeing this concert live on TV, where Slash and Gilby played an instrumental of The Stones's Wild Horses, was literally the moment I ran downstairs and told my parents I need a guitar. I haven't seen it in forever but obviously it has tremendous emotional value for me. Thanks for doing this even if Axl was always better in studio. There was a study once that put him second to Mike Patton as the mainstream singer who had the greatest vocal range. He really had some pipes even if his voice wasn't for everyone.
I don't think you should delve too deep into their catalog without listening to Welcome to the Jungle first. The song is ubiquitous for reason, and really put them on the map, it was a revelation to have a raw aggressive eruption of a song like WttJ come out in the era of hair metal.
Just before the opening guitar riff Axl does an acapella medley of Queen's Sail away Sweet Sister, and Grand Funk Railway's Bad Time, which is impressive and worth checking out along with this performance.
“The most grounded madman”.🤦♀️😂 Elizabeth I LOVED your description of Axl! You’ve captured his spirit beautifully. Most grounded madman. That he is.🙋♀️🫶
Absolutely, absolutely have to do their official music video standards! These are the songs that put them on top. Paradise City, really great video and Welcome to the Jungle, the first song they put out that got EVERYONE’S attention! You will find out that Axl can actually sing. He has a several octave range that I think will impress you, plus these songs just Rock! Sweet Child is very mild in comparison. GnR can really BLAST! That’s why they are so iconic. They pull out the whoop ass, much like PANTERA did. Both bands came out and just took over. No one saw it coming in both cases. The Real Deal.
I never liked their songs specifically due to his nasally, raspy, overly brash sound. He was obviously influenced by Janis Joplin, but her voice had warmth to it as well.
I just listened to the studio version after y'all insisted in the live premiere - and holy crap. You're right. His voice is WAY better in the studio version. The ability to fluidly move between clean and grit, the higher pitches available and the overall additional precision took it up a level. That said - I'm really glad that I was able to see the performers for my first impression. I think I have a good idea of why vocal fatigue was creeping in and I'll definitely talk about that in our next GnR analysis.
Side note: I missed the legendary diphthong in the studio version. 😆
Ya but you got the iconic ending!
My go to karaoke song is welcome to the jungle!
If you really want to get up close on Axls voice, check out the studio version of 'Dead Horse'.
It's pretty well stripped back, at least in the beginning, and gives a good profile of what Axls all about.
Many of his live performances were more about having an opportunity ro run about, and have fun!
This was a poor live performance, try Civil War for an emotional and wonderful song!
Wish you would have done a longer video (or a second one) with that reaction
When it comes to Guns N' Roses people need to listen to the studio versions of their songs in my opinion. The live performances can range from incredible, on drugs, or terrible lol.
Definitely. It's wild hearing this performance fall apart in real time. Elizabeth is a trooper for gritting her teeth and bearing through it. That's dedication right there. I abandoned ship and went straight for the comments lol.
@@joecal2360 same, it's litteraly unbearable. I can't imagine what was going through her head once he started singing, especially since she was grooving to the guitar and she knows how popular they are. To then hear THAT coming out of his mouth, she must've thought we were all insane lmfao
Well this is one of the most incredible ones idk why people are crying about it. Studio is of course better.
They are clean boys now in fact Axl is in the gym a lot getting fit
I don't think I've ever heard a live performance of GnR that I liked. Some bands are good live, and some bands are even better live than in the studio.... GnR is simply not one of either.
Elizabeth, the studio version of "Patience" or "Don´t cry" can show you Axl lower register... "Knocking on Heaven´s doors" live, also can show his versatile change of voices.
So does Mr. Brownstone. I think that is his BEST song for transitioning between his higher and lower registers.
dont cry also gives you shannon hoon
Live at the Ritz!! Not gonna lie, this version of this song is not good.
Even estranged showcases his versatility. He was known to have a broader range than Mariah Carey.
Fun little fact is the lead singer of Blind Melon also sang on Don't Cry
Love her comments on slash. November Rain is also a great song to show axl’s voice and one of slash’s most iconic solos
👍 I agree this song was a good warm up.
Slash isn't the best gitarplayer, but he is one off the only how can carry a band! I love him, let her hear the godfather theme solo that is iconic!
paris 1992 (or 1991), use you're ...tour, with thiss concert my love of music started and Gn'R are still in the top!
Toward the end of paradise city, slash is mind blowing
Triple solos
Not seen her spend so much time talking about a guitarist before. Shows why Slash is such a legendary guitarist. So melodic and soulful.
Gn'R would be nothing without Slash.
I always get the feeling slash and his guitar are somewhere else in their own world.
GnR has always had two lead singers; Axl's voice and Slash's guitar. The duo is amazing. It's so easy to get lost in either's talent and range.
Slash is just magical. I've loved him since I was 7. I'm 43 now lol. He is a huge reason why I will take mediocre vocals for a great guitar.
You should hear her swoon over SRV - Texas Flood
"Paradise City" official video is a great example of their live stage energy with studio vocals!!
Yes! This a great suggestion! Cuz Axl live “for real” sounds like a coked out grandma 👵
Axl live is either great or trash lol
@@matthewbarnhart5428 He had great days and garbage days, it seemed he never had anything in-between. I used to have the Use Your Illusion concert VHS, which were all performances from Japan, but he sounded great in those. But that was just after Izzy had left the band. It went down hill after that.
As long as you don't overdose on the song. I remember playing the video game _Burnout Paradise_ which uses the song on the opening screen and after a few games I could not hit the X button fast enough to get past it.
It's a much better song..
If you want to hear more of Axl's range and technique, I would recommend analysing November Rain. His vocal abilities are showcased in this ballad. A further note, when Slash is playing the solo I always sing along. I love that it is so melodic too! Can't wait to watch your next G n R deep dive.
100%
Neato fact from my mom. She saw them I believe in ‘91 before the Use Your Illusion albums came out. They did November Rain when nobody really knew it and Axl stopped halfway through to yell at the crowd. She said people were just expecting things from appetite so some got rowdy. November rain was the song that made me learn the piano. I played it at her funeral a few years ago.
Absolutely live version of November Rain
Absolutely this! Find the live version of November Rain featuring Elton John
up
I think the most fun part of watching your reaction videos is the positively wonderful nerdgasm of musical knowledge meets new experiences. The sheer joy... it is infectious.
Slash's style choices with regard to his hair was due to his crippling stage fright. He was terrified to be in front of people while performing and never fully sought after the limelight. This is why he is one of the greatest guitarists ever. He has continued to expand the experiences he has with others, creating other groups as well as supporting those up and coming artists that would otherwise never been given the chance. Slash is amazing, personal and professional.
Every interview I’ve ever heard with him has been awesome. He’s so super down to earth.
As for the top hat, he saw it in a shop once, before the fame, thought it was cool and just took it
Same with Axl. He has had issues with stage fright from the beginning. That issue is what drove alot of his famous behavioral issues and outbursts.
Slash's mother was also a famous fashion designer that used to do clothes for many famous musicians, so in addition to the reasons given in the previous comment, I'm sure there must've been a certain element of style on top of everything else that would surely be influenced by being his mother's son.
@@loukabarone yes I was gunna comment that! Interesting little back story tidbit of him. I read his autobiography (or biography, whichever it is, been a while). Really great read.
I would recommend the studio version of Welcome To The Jungle because the way Slash's and Izzy's guitars play off each other is unique. You wear headphones so you'll hear that one of them plays in the left channel and the other in the right, so you can hear the interplay between them clearly. It's a masterpiece.
It would be a better example of Axl's singing, too. His voice is often suffering in live performances. Probably from pushing it, and too much partying.
Yes please do a reaction to this one, The Official Music Video please.
Hair Metal 🤘
Slash as always experienced stage fright, so hiding behind the hair in the hat makes him feel more comfortable on stage.
Fun true story about Axl. When he was younger he performed in a church choir and his range was so crazy that he would mess with the choir director and sing all different parts at different times 😄
You've got to check out welcome to the jungle because he does this really cool thing with his tongue that took me awhile to learn. When he sings Sha Na Na Na knees, he uses his tip of his tongue on the roof of his mouth, it's pretty cool you got to check it out
He (Axl) was also a keen runner in his teens. Thats prolly why he cud run all over the stage without losing breath.
Also why Slash chain smoked in live concerts.
@@ikeknights Also, he was usually loaded.
Toward the end of, "Paradise City" Slash is amazing.
@@rocksteadyrein6516 To be fair, Slash is always pretty amazing. I love his version of "Ace Of Spades" live with Lemmy himself, and Dave Grohl on drums.
I'm not sure if anyone has explained what Slash was doing during the end of the song, yet, so here you go... He was holding the end of the guitar neck against the speaker cabinet to the get the vibration to resonate through the guitar creating a combination of feedback and infinite sustain. It's trivially easy to get the basic effect, but his use of bends and choice of notes makes it great and very distinctly Slash.
Yes..................
FINALLY!!! “Estranged” & “Rocket Queen” live in Tokyo ‘92 and… Knocking on Heaven’s Door in Wembley are great performances to check too
Fr it took to long for a review
I also suggested "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Patience" from this show a couple of videos ago.
That Estranged was peak Guns N Roses
@@MrChologno no doubt
Dang the only song i recieved credit for resetting the mics rocket queen lol
Slash has actually said that he wears the top hat and big hair and sunglasses on stage because it makes him feel more comfortable. He gets a bit of stage anxiety and feeling like he has a sort of security blanket to hide behind makes him less anxious. Which... is beautiful irony because at the same time it gives him SO much presence on stage and commands so much attention. He just doesn't have to see or feel it because from his point of view he's hiding. It's kind of brilliant.
They all went shopping at an op ship before their first big gig,that's where it came from,and that's where axl leathers came from,duffs too
It’s the same reason that I won’t leave the house unless I’m wearing swim fins, a propeller beanie and lederhosen.
@@Congruesome😂
It's like Roy Orbison's sunglasses. Apparently, he either lost or broke his usual prescription glasses before a show, and given that he couldn't see without them, he wore his prescription sunglasses fir that show. He found he was more comfortable wearing the sunglasses, because he felt he could "hide" behind them, but at the same time, they added an air of mystery and attitude to his ultra shy persona.
@@Congruesome
Why the 😂? Was drink yesterday, but anyway I write what I think!
So I binged your last 3 years of rock related reactions this past 2 weeks... And I just want to say one thing:
I Love your personality, you made me realise that i've lost something along the way and just didnt' experience music like I did before. Watching you enjoy music so much and seeing real joy is teaching me a lot.
So Thank you for that, the vibes you have on these videos gets me to smile every time.
I completely agree! She also helps me to feel that “first time” feeling all over again with songs from my youth!
I also binged every video as soon as I stumbled on this great channel
Surprised how no one mentioned "Estranged"! Beautiful melody,excellent showcase for Axl's voice,many different guitar solos and an amazing piano solo
The Tokyo live version Would be my next pick for sure
Excellent choice. One of my favs. I listened to it last week live @ the Tokyo Dome. I think she needs to hear ALL his songs on the album 1st. Then move to live. Cause live he does sound “gritty” like she said. Us Guns fans love it…but I think it’s bc we heard the album version 1st & often. Then you can appreciate it live. 🤷♂️
I agree. Estranged is my all time favourite. It has it all.
@@VesperCCB Right?!! So many ppl just do sweet child & paradise city. They have Great songs on the UYI Albums.
I thought it may be a little long for her? But she did “One” by Metallica that’s close in time. But she never reads our posts. Just the ppl who pay her to be a “Patreon” that’s where she gets & looks for things. Not on here. Hopefully there are sone REAL Guns fans on the paying side🤷♂️👍
Slash said in an interview Estranged was the hardest song he ever played. One of my favorites!
@@americandad8903 mine too. GREAT SONG!!!
I love that Elizabeth is honest about her opinion and doesn't just tell us what we want to hear.
True. I appreciate an honest opinion. I wouldn't want to presume she wasn't genuine just to please her viewers.
@@asshenasshen2454 What ignorance? She's a classical vocal instructor. She knows all about how the human voice works. Unless you sing solo with the Met or have trained with Dianna Damrau? I doubt that your knowledge of the workings of music and the voice outstrip hers.
I love that she says what most of us think, but to coward to say. The guy can't sing. Studio albums aren't a reflection of his abilities.
Yeah she's like how do I say I hate these vocals without saying I hate these vocals.
Axl has a wild vocal range. If you listen to him speak he has a surprisingly deep voice. He uses his lower register in the song "It's So Easy", which is one of my faves.
Had.
A top contender, for sure
@@rosstituteuk a legend for sure.
5 octaves and 5 semitones. E1 to Bb5.
When I was in high school I got a detention for humming 'It's So Easy' in the hallway. 'You get nothing for nothing...' Naturally I did not show up for the detention.
When this album was released, it drove a stake through the heart of hair metal.
I saw them in concert in the summer of 1988 when they played a festival in Dallas, TX. They blew all the other acts off the stage. I had heard of them, but I only knew this song. After their set, I realized they were either going to rule the rock world or implode…turns out they did both in about 5 years😆.
Love your reviews. Watching you experience these hard rock songs makes me smile and remember how much I loved them when I first heard them!
Keep on rocking and listening to new songs.
All the best!
I think Metallica killed hair metal but absolutely no doubt GNR dropped like a bomb
I saw them twice too, and both times they were horrible and got outperformed by the bands that opened for them. First one was a new year's concert in Joe Robbie (Miami Gardens) and Soundgarden opened for them. They were tons better. Half the band was wasted and Axl slurred his words so bad you could barely tell what they were singing. Also, for a new year's concert, they finished their set at 11:58pm and never did an encore.
The second time was in Orlando with Faith No More and Metallica with Gn'R closing. 30 minutes in the their set I left. That's how epically bad they were. I was heartbroken too because it was on my top 5 bands at the time...
Welcome to a lifetime of having this solo randomly popping up in your head at least once a month.
Yes.............yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes............ Hmmmm......yes yes yes yes yes....totally.......yes............lol.
I think it might be worthwile to compare live Axl Rose versus a studio recording. He's a great singer, but his vocal quality tends to vary quite a lot in his live releases.
If you're going to look at more Guns N Roses, Welcome to the Jungle and Paradise City is a must.
Agree! Studio Axl is a different beast from Live Axl. Either version of Don't Cry is another good studio callout.
Civil War or Patience
Patience would be my choice.
Civil war
Patience has been my favorite song from them for over 30 years.
Coma
Either studio version are amazing
You really should listen to the studio version of this. His voice actually has a beautiful sensitivity to it, along with the raw power.
That, and by this point in his career he'd lost a bit of his vocal range, and is relying on different breathing technique and a bit more force to cover it up. When they just started out, he could just go for notes and wail, now he has to work smarter and use more technique to avoid blowing his voice out. Fortunately, though, he can still go.
I both enjoyed and was amused by your comments on Axl's voice and GNR. Here's a little firsthand historical perspective that hopefully, you may appreciate. Axl was vocally trained by the late, great voice coach Ron Anderson. Ron also taught Steve Perry, Adam Lambert, Adam Levine, the guys in Kiss and Great White, Janet Jackson, Adele (after her vocal surgery), among dozens of other successful singers in just about every musical gnere. Ron, himself, was one of three of the world's living Heldon tenors in his day. Those were the classical music vocal monsters who could sing Wagner, this world's most-difficult vocal music, I was told. Ron had a HUGE voice. He sounded like 3 Pavorati's singing in unison. I also studied with Ron and we became good friends. As I had had some success writing songs for a number of recording acts, Ron would frequently play me demo tapes of new bands and artists, for my input. I first heard "Sweet Child of Mine," along with "Welcome to The Jungle," "Patience," and one other (much less memorable) tune on the band's original cassette demo tape. At that time, Ron told me he had the option of either getting triple union scale for producing the vocals on what would become GNR's first album, "Appetite for Destruction," or taking points (a sales percentage), for his vocal arrangements and production work.
After listening to GNR's demo tape, without any hesitation, I told Ron: "Take points. There's two Hit Signature Songs on this tape and both of them have Hit Signature Guitar licks. And 'Patience' is not a hit single, but it's still a good song." Those two hit songs were: "Sweet Child of Mine" and "...Jungle." Ron initially wasn't sold on Axl's voice. He asked me what I thought of it. I told him Axl had a very distinctive voice. I said: "He wails like a male Janis Joplin, meets Robert Plant, meets the Exorcist....this is a great identifiable rock voice. It's like hearing Rod Stewart or Joe Cocker....when you hear it you think...there's that dude." Ron chuckled at my analysis. I added: "Now in terms of Axl's longevity as a singer, well, you tell me, you're the vocal coach here." Ron thanked me for my input. But, he didn't take my advice. After Geffen Records signed GNR and the album was recorded, GNR went on tour with the Rolling Stones and Living Color. The album initially couldn't get much traction. MTV wouldn't even play GNR. Then, "Appetite for Destruction" blew up like a mega-ton bomb. "Welcome to the Jungle" was featured in the Clint Eastwood hit movie "The Dead Pool." Fueled by the initial success of that single and subsequent singles, "Appetite for Destruction" became, and remains, the best-selling maiden album OF ANY ARTIST in the history of rock, pop or any other kind of music. About 18 months later, Ron inexplicably changed one of my early-evening vocal lessons to a later time on a Thursday autumn night. He had been grooming me for a potential frontman gig with Whitesnake, as David Coverdale was going on hiatus from that band, to do a project with Jimmy Page.
When I arrived at Ron's Encino Hills home, he wasn't in his usual rehearsal studio. He was somewhere in the back of his house. I could hear Ron belting out a strange, four-octave, exotic chant in unison, with another extraordinary voice, as Ron played guiding piano notes. Those two voices were singing from a low, basso-baritone register into a high stratospheric soprano range. This vocal virtuosity literally shook the walls for about an hour. After the music stopped, Ron stuck his head through the doorway. He grinned at me and said: "No, Larry, this isn't the Whitesnake meeting I've been preparing you for. There's someone whose career you've had a major influence and impact on - and you probably didn't even know it. He's been wanting to meet you for a long time. Larry Cox meet Axl Rose." Axl emerged from the shadows, looking like a freshly scrubbed, 16-year-old choir boy. Looking me straight in the eyes, he said: "Larry, Ron's told me all about you and you guys' conversations about the band and me, even the 'points thing.'" Axl complimented me on my writing and singing, which I guessed Ron had shared with him, He said: "I just wanted to thank you for believing in me as a singer, and us as a band, when we weren't even shit. Can I shake your hand?"
After a warm handshake that turned into two straight guys negotiating a hug, we spent the next 45 minutes talking music. In particular, we talked about alt rock and Nirvana, which had just broken out. Axl asked me my opinion of that genre and I told him, that all I'd heard at that point, was Nirvana. I told him, that to me, their singer seemed both incredibly talented and incredibly disturbed. He laughed. I added, "I think I like this new thing, alt rock, but hey, that's not your lane. You guys are classic rockers like the Stones or Aerosmith. Just stay in your lane. Keep doing what you're doing, and there will always be a place for you in this industry." Ron beemed at us like a proud, happy father. He pointedly said: "Larry, you've just heard Axl's full vocal range. Don't ever let anyone tell you this little SOB can't sing. But for his music, I keep his voice placement in this area (pointing to his nasal cavity and forehead), so that it resonates and cuts like glass live and in the studio. That way, he stays above those power guitars and has proper support and never hurts himself." Axl and I shook hands again. We thanked one another for our meeting and exchanged goodbyes.
A final observation: I've worked with a wide variety of minor and major recording artists, often behind the scenes. Few were as kind and gracious as Axl Rose. Having seen or heard most major recording artists of the past 50 years, I was always impressed with Axl's commitment to his performance, whether he was being true to his original recording or improvising, as he did in this video.
Our meeting was, and remains, an unforgettable pleasant memory in my many Hollywood Music Daze. (An excerpt from Larry Cox's coming memoirs). (C) 2023.
,
Halfway through your comment I was thinking “this guy knows how to tell a story”
I would love to read your memoirs, sounds like you have some great stories to tell.
Fun fact: the guitar riff for Sweet Child O' Mine was never originally planned to be used in a song! Slash was just playing around for fun in the recording studio and playing this little riff over and over again. He didn't realize Axl was listening to it in the next room. Axl Rose loved the riff so much he wrote lyrics for a song, and came back the next day to ask Slash about the riff. Slash was like "huh? What riff?" and Axl explained that they were going to use it for a song. It became one of the best rock songs ever! 🙌🏻🎸⚡❤
You're right and for the longest time, Slash hated to play it but now, he loves it because as soon as he hits the first couple of notes of it, the crowd starts cheering.
want to have a real head trip.... this song was slightly "borrowed....." listen to Australian Crawl "Unpublished Critics. It hurt me to know one of the biggest iconic songs of my youth, wasn't fully GNR.
@@seanknupp1448 Oh wow! At first, I was about to say "they used the same chord progression, just like a million other songs, doesn't mean anything" but then I kept listening... I've been a big Gn'R fan since 1991 and I've never heard about this song! How come they've never been sued over this?!?! Or have they and I've just never heard about it?
Thanks for sharing this!
Slash himself has shot this story down multiple times
It was a riff he had been playing for a very long time but he just never had anywhere to use it
@@LN-Lifer I was waiting for your comment to show up
Don’t cry and estranged live at Tokyo 92’ are some of the best live performances ever 🤩
Loved this vid thanks
At the end Slash has his guitar up near the speaker rack to get the feedback and play off the micro phonics of the pickups of his Les Paul guitar. Its amazing how he is controlling the seemingly out of controllable tone. This must have been amazing to see live. Wow
Thanks! I'd LOVE to hear your opinion on the music video (studio) version! Before Axl's vocals had 4 years touring on it.
Now that you’ve finally opened this door you really need to do November Rain. It is a true masterpiece in every possible way. And I also bet you will see that Axl actually could sing really beautiful back in the 90’s. One of the greatest songs ever written.
Maybe work up to November Rain.
agreed. November Rain is my fav GNR song.
Definitely November rain
Couldn't agree more. November Rain is a GREAT song, and I'm not that big a fan of GnR. But man, I can listen to November Rain anytime.
Ah yes, great song and video
If you would like to hear Axl's lower voice work, check out the studio versions of "Mr. Brownstone" and "It's So Easy." Also, check out the studio version of "Welcome to the Jungle" if you want to analyze the mids to high pitches. He delivers great screams that cuts right through the mixes; his vocal range is pretty extensive, which officially covers five octaves and five semitones (Lowest note: F1, highest note: Bb6).
14 years probably doesn't do any of that!!!
But after hearing it over and over I have a weird connection to it!!
Slash just absolutely pours his heart out in his guitar playing and especially on the solos. Actually the solos he does in this song have always been some of my favorites. He can bring you to tears just standing there wailing on his guitar. He is truly one of a kind
I'm surprised no one has asked for estranged . Aside from seeing his range on vocals, it's a piece of art as a song and a video .
One of the greatest debut albums ever, Appetite for Destruction. GnR didn't just show up to the scene... they kicked down the door and beat up the bouncer.
Weird trivia: Sweet Child of Mine was a throwaway song put in just to fill out the album. The main guitar riff is based on a finger limbering exercise Slash would do.
Originally, there was a third verse written that the producer cut during song production. While performing in studio, after being told to drop the 3rd verse, Axl just
started singing "where do we go, where do we go now?" as a reference to "hey, what are we supposed to be singing here!?!?" lol
So, a song written in under an hour just as fluff content, with lyrics that were a joke became a monster hit and a rock anthem forever.
Highly recommend checking out Use Your Illusion 1 and 2, particularly Estranged, one of my favorites for great range from Axl and soaring guitar from Slash.
I’d heard the backstory of “Where do we go now” but had forgotten about it. Thanks!
Always great to get a surprised reaction from Elizabeth. Love it! And SUPER glad she went to the studio version. I just saw GNR live last Tuesday and it was fantastic. Axl's voice lacked the scream, but he hit all the high notes, esp happy hit those notes on Rocket Queen. My fav part was that Slash did not mess up the solos. He hit ever note perfectly. I was so happy!! Been waiting 35 years to see GNR.
I saw them a couple of weeks ago as well. Great concert, they had to of played close to 3 hours.
Yes, more of this! Aerosmith - Dream On, Skid Row - I Remember You, Def Leppard - Rock of Ages, Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer. So many great songs came out during this time.
Definitely Skid Row - I Remember You! Sabastian Bach really belted it out on that song!
I prefer raise your hands to living on a prayer. But it’s a good tune too.
@@NovaVesperia I agree that Sebastian Bach needs to be listened to. I wonder what Elizabeth would say about Stevie Nicks.
Skid Row was my go to band when I was 16!
I think Wasted Time is a better showcase of Sebastian Bach.
Listen to the album "Appetite for Destruction" in it's entirety. It was their first album and it's where this song came from. Most people (fans and critics alike) consider it one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
Axl does have a very nasaly style but if you want a less sharp vocal performance you can listen to "Patience" "Don't Cry" or "Civil War"
one of the greatest albums, period. forget the preface
It wasn't their first album mate. That would be Live ?!*@ Like A Suicide. Released by Uzi Suicide. It was later re-released with 4 new songs as Lies.
@@madMARTYNmarsh1981 I think that was more like an EP not a full length album. But it did come out before Appetite. I forgot about it
100% agree that Appetite For Destruction is one of, if not the best debut hard rock album of all time!
Fact
I'm a huge GnR fan... and if this was the first song I heard from them, I'd wonder why everyone loves them. You really need to listen to the studio version of this to fully appreciate his voice. Live version = 2/10, Studio version = 11/10.
He's just a horrible singer finetuned the hell out of it in the studio. It's not about being nervous with this man, he's a narcissist like no other.
@@Korky91 yes narcissist is well know bad singers.... [/sarcasm]
@@Korky91 Great band. Their songs wouldn't have worked with another voice.
@Korky91 99% of people that are highly successful in business have that trait. It's why they succeed.
I think their best live recording is the Ritz 1988. Axl is on fire, and sounds as good if not better than the studio recordings....but more intense and gritty way.
Estranged.
This song is a ride of emotions, musical temperament and to me, the most emotional delivery from Axl. It would be awesome to see you react to it. I know you prefer live versions, but the official video is outstanding, in its own axel, 90’s way.
This!
Estranged is their best song, among many greats.
Estranged is an absolute masterpiece, so emotional.
even had a pair of shoes made for him
Estranged and Coma, in that order.
Agreed, although swimming with dolphins was a bit much 😅
Estranged live is a pretty great vocal roller coaster. Very underrated in the grand scheme. Also Slash is effectively trying to create a controlled feedback when he put his guitar up to his amp. To create the whaling sound.
It’s cool to play. Those sounds are from starting from a bend and dropping it down while controlling the volume levels. The rhythm pickups with the tone turned all the way down will get you closest to the tone
@@nathanlandry1016 Him holding it up to amp? He's not controlling volume, look at how he's holding the guitar. He's producing feedback while bending.
Estranged is the ultimate song
Vocal range
Guitar
Lyrics
My all time favorite song period
Yes! Estranged is the perfect song for her to react to!
Yes!!!!
I always say a good guitar solo should be able to tell a story without words. If you can actually feel what the guitarist is feeling then it was well done. This solo has always hit home with me.
Buckethead is a master of that
The difference between a good guitarist and a great guitarist is what they play in their solos, for me anyway. A good guitarist will play a solo that shows what he can do. A great guitarist will play a solo that shows what he can do with the song. In this case, Slash built his solo, where a lot of guitarists would have went straight into the last part of the solo, without the transition. It's one part of why this is a classic song that was so successful.
The Professor of Rock channel has a great video on this track. Evidently, the intro guitar was just Slash playing scales and skipping chords as a warm-up, and not intended to be part of a song, but the band heard it and convinced him that it should be the basis of this song, which ended up as one of their all-time hits. So one of the most iconic songs of a generation was born from slash goofing off as a warmup.
I recall reading that Slash really didn't care for the idea, and only agreed to it on the condition that he got to add a more aggressive, non-ballad style solo.
Yep - all true. And in the break 'where do we go - where do we go now. Where do we go' was literally the band stopping during the jam and asking what comes next...
That's how he finds most his riffs
He also never liked the song haha
@@adamlee9071Oh yeah, that's how most guitarists find a solid riff, through experimentation. But this one he's literally just skipping every other chord while playing scales, like something that might be in a beginner music student's workbook, lol...
Granted I'm sure it's in all those workbooks now. It's just funny how incredibly simplistic it is.
I get why it took him so long to warm up to the idea, he's capable of incredible feats with a guitar and is best known for something a child could master in a day. It's like if Louie Armstrong's greatest hit was him fucking around on a Kazoo. But it is a very catchy sound, and it doesn't need to be overly complicated to sound good. Kinda like "Smoke on the Water" in that sense. Sometimes simple is best.
Civil War and Estranged are great options, Axl uses most of his vocal range in those songs, solos are great and also the construction and dynamics of both songs are amazing!
Both of these songs are amazing. Estranged is one of the best GNR songs ever in my opinion
I was just about to write EXACTLY what you already have written here.. LOL .. Civil War and Estranged are 2 Awesome songs/productions !!
estranged is his best imo. plz do that one.
Estranged is my favorite GNR song. No question. Full stop.
Yes Estranged please! ❤
Estranged is epic, guitar cries like a dolphin. November Rain, epic, great piano and orchestral moments, Patience, great acoustic ballad. Civil War, great lyrics and voice. Plz do em all 😊❤
These guys make it look easy. Your reactions are just fantastic, please keep it up.
Axl Rose has a range of 5 octaves and 5 semitones and he puts them all on display throughout the GNR catalog. One of the best investments of time you could ever make is to listen to the entire album of Appetite for Destruction from start to finish in a pair of outstanding headphones. It’s a masterpiece of musicianship and production. Easily the best debut album of all time.
I couldn't agree more! Axl has an undeniably amazing vocal range and overall sound and control. I was a GNR fan right off from the very beginning. Compared to a lot of other metal and hard rock music being put out back in those days they were the next level up of the evolution of rock and metal and you could just feel it. I'm so happy that I was at the right age in those right times and could experience and appreciate all of this greatness in music. GNR takes me back to those days.
He does in the studio, but not live unfortunately...
@@necrosiskoc9617he did lol, axl had a perfect voice until 2012 so I don't understand your comment
He had...
That's behind master of puppets.
Axl has a very distinct voice that can only be described as comtrolled chaos. Even when he sings softly, there is still a jagged edge ( like Patience or November Rain). When he brings it (Sweet Child, Paradise City, Civil War) it works really well for rocking. You can hear both work in tandem in Live and Let Die. This band brought to you by Pantene :-).
Also, props to you on mentioning Slash's guitar tone...it is perfect for this genre.
I remember when I first heard G'N'R, on the radio, I thought Axl sounded like, what a skeleton would sound like singing, for some reason...this was reinforced by the artwork on the Appetite for Destruction cover...they didn't sound like any other 80's band I had heard to that point, and didn't look or act like them either..a bit Alice Cooper, twisted Sister, Quiet Riot, with some Nirvana thrown in the mix...a dirty, gritty mix between 80's metal and 90's grunge...
Yes............
Estranged is the best GNR song basically full stop. The vocals are amazing and emotive, the way Slash works in guitar melodies is complementary yet distinct. And then there are dolphin sounds.
Agreed.
And an awesome videoclip
it is extraordinary, yes. But I can't decide between Estranged/Coma/Rocket Queen. All different, all amazing.
I almost agree- i'd say "Coma"
The video analysis and reaction would be about an hour long though! 😅
The entire performance live at Tokyo in 1992 is the best of the best!!! Always gives me energy and chills!
Guns N’ Roses were such a huge part of my early Highschool years. Remember watching a full concert on tv with my mum. She loved it.
Every boy wanted to be them, every girl wanted to date them. Their reach was massive.
I never heard of that TV concert 😳
For your reference, Axl is actually a natural baritone. His tonal sound is actually kind of an extremely raspy falsetto, head voice. With astonishing support.
He sings the baritone part (multi-tracked) in the beginning of the ‘Paradise City’ chorus intro. That’s his natural low voice. He sang baritone in the choir too, before his rock days.
he's actually a bass-baritone even
I have read that Acl puts that rasp effect on his voice intentionally. Early on he wanted to stand out and sound different. He is styling himself after the singer from Nazareth from the 70's.
@@bryangirod9173 if you're a good singer it SHOULD be intentional. Involuntary rasp is a sign of really bad habits or wrong technique
@@bryangirod9173 Yes, he adds it intentionally. He’s able to get natural raspy harmonics on his high voice. His natural smooth voice is, as I mentioned, that baritone in the mix at the beginning of ‘Paradise City’, yes that’s Axl doing the low stuff. And as well, that’s more of his natural smooth tone in ‘Patience’.
Side note: Axl was actually a friend, back in the day, at the beginning of his career. He has literally demonstrated those different tones standing three feet in front of me. So I’ve heard it natural, with no studio polish. Dude had an amazing voice. I was a singer too so I was paying attention. 😎
@@SSS765 I'm not looking for confirmation. I put this in here for Elizabeth and others who don't know.
Glad you listened to the studio version, too, Axl's so good, and he's got an insane range! November Rain is a must!
Had an insane range, November Rain is so mediocre, you're confusing nostalgia with quality.
One time hearing that guitar lick, and you just don't ever forget it. And then there's the solo...
They are playing it at a higher bpm here (~140) than the studio version (~126). It sounds better slower. Slower gives Axl more time to form the phrasing, especially on the chorus.
Just so frustrating why they would do that! Like they're on an upload algorithm race on RUclips shorts.
Live versions often get played faster I think because of energy, but also to maybe give the singer ways to easily get through songs with less effort in some ways. The tempo struggled a bit at the very beginning, I feel like the song took off on them a bit. I find frustration with Metallica life because I feel Lars constantly pushes tempo in a similar way.
@@LouisvilleHawkslash always hated SCOM and always played it fast, he sets tempo at start. In 80s he played it even faster.
And the bass sounds awful, out of tune.
Estranged, Civil War, Don’t Cry, Don't Damn Me.. all studio versions. The emotion in all of these songs just tugs at the heart. Axl does a crazy long slow-mo dipthong at the end of Don't Cry. Slash has an amazing solo in Estranged. These songs showcase Axl's deeper register. Don’t Damn Me is just a lot of fun. Duff's bass is fantastic in pretty much every song he's ever played.
The WHOLE first album is amazing! Ran to my local record shop to pick it up and the guy behind the counter laughed and said they were a flash in the pan and would go nowhere fast. Fast forward 4 years later and saw him at a show rocking out with the rest of us! Humble pie anyone? GNR FOR LIFE!!! Great review my dear and love you takes on Rock and Roll! More please!
Imagine if you will my GMC van crammed with 10 people inside going to the show and all of us singing very off key,getting looks from passing cars but having the time of our lives getting there to see them in all their glory! Miss those days but the MEMORY is mine forever and beyond! Thank you Elizabeth for all that you do!🥰
And he probably still worked at the same local record store. Haters suck.
Watching her melt a little bit on the inside during Slash's solo was a beautiful thing.
This might be the first time I’ve really appreciated Axl Rose. I love the smooth transition throughout from “I am not persuaded yet that I like his voice” at 3:43 to just completely nerding out about every bit of nuance. Fantastic.
Finally! I've been asking for Guns N' Roses for SO long! Thank you, Axl Rose's voice has so many unique qualities to it that even if you hate him or his sound, he's a really interesting case study
One of the best guitar solos in a song of all time. Easily in my top 5. I’ve always felt this as a 4 act play with Slash’s solos in this song the way they just build and build and then the finale. It’s freaking epic. Act 3 of the play sends chills down my spine and my hairs stand up every time. So glad you reacted to this one!
I was at a live concert some years ago. We, metalheads, are prone to make fun of GNR. But, well, Axl had such a voice I was...I think I never heard such a powerfull voice before. I can't really explain. It was a really great voice
So insane that people recomend so many songs but not paradice city. That was the song that made hooked and looked in to their music.
The live performance in RITZ in the beginning of their career is the most energetic performance i have ever seen. Its amazing.
Exactly. There are many good gnr performances, but there are also many mediocre performances. This isn't one of the good ones. Not even close. Agree on the ritz performances from the late '80s which, really, should have been suggested. Paradise city or welcome to the jungle or any of the others really. But this one? wtf
Paradise City is my favourite. What a gem!! But there are sooooo many worth checking out....GnR weren't popular and successful for no reason!
And there are other live versions/songs where his voice would blow you away. Civil War is one that comes to mind of a live version where his voice is amazing.
"Welcome to the Jungle" is GnR at their best.
Listen to the studio version. It will melt your brain.
bleh, over it already come on dude, of all their bad ass songs lol
LOVED your analysis! Sure, the technical stuff is WAAAY over my head, but you make it fun! Thank you.
...this truly is my favorite live version, and whoever cued it up to NOT include Sail Away Sweet Sister JUST before Sweet Child did you a major injustice. A lot of angel and devil , fire and ice if you will, in that short piece Axl uses as an intro into Sweet Child O' Mine.
Someone in a book once described Axel Rose as sounding "like a hamster in a steam press." That always made me laugh.
Most live performances, yep.
Ive heard something similar about Geddy Lee xD
Always though he sounded much like you’d expect a cat to sound like having its tail continuously pulled out 🤦😅
November Rain would be interesting
Yes, but with 6 octave range or something ridicilous like that!
I would absolutely love to hear your insight and analysis of 'Coma', which I would consider as the greatest song GNF'R has done. The studio version is the one to do, because it is perfect in every way. The song pretty much encapsulates everything you could ask out of a single music track. It is one of the longest songs that has NO chorus and nothing repeats. It is a complete story, where once you join the journey, you get sucked into something magical. It is both a musical, and lyrical masterpiece. There is a reason so few people react to it, partially because the length of the song, (it is 10 mins,) but also because it is such a complex, uniquely structured and intricately woven masterpiece that I believe few people even know how to begin to approach it. You are extremely good at breaking down a lot of the intricacies and I think it would probably elevate not only your understanding, but your appreciation for just how good the entire group was at its prime, (during the 'Use Your Illusion' days.) It is the complete package. Talk about breath control...there are a few that show how insane Axls was, but this gives a great part at the end that is easier to analyze, (unlike something like 'Garden Of Eden'.) You also get a lot of his twangy extensions that make his voice extremely unique.
Anyways, I highly doubt you will end up doing it, because there are so many other more 'mainstream' songs out there that other people will probably request instead. To me, 'Coma' speaks volumes, (probably because of things I went through personally as a young child, very different from the reasons the song exists, but I felt similar things to what is relayed in the song.) Regardless, if you don't end up doing a reaction, I would recommend listening to it yourself, and would love to hear what you thought of the song. It is unique, to say the least. (Their most emotionally powerful song too, at least in my eyes.)
Coma yess, definitely the studio version. I absolutely love the song and the lyrics. One of my favorites, period.
There are some live versions online that are really good also though. I'd love for her to do Coma.
November Rain is one of my alltime best rock ballads. Just such a beautiful arrangement! However, when I hear GNR I always first think of Paradise City. That song was the hymn to so many great moments in my youth.
It's been my absolute fave song since I first heard it when I was 11. Slash's solos are so 🔥
I haven't decided whether I like Axl's voice yet either, I've only been listening to it for about 20 years.
As a huge Axl fan, I think you chose a song that doesn't show off he's true genius. Try -
🌹 Free fallin' - Tom Petty feat Axl Rose (live)
🌹 You're Crazy
🌹 Dead Horse
🌹 Patience
🌹 You could be mine (Live Era CD)
🌹 November Rain
🌹 Knockin on heavens door (live)
Axl's octave range is legendary and really deserves a deep dive into his talents.
You could be mine tokyo is a bad option his voces was ill on it.
@@enriqueguevara5689 on the Live Era cd it is awesome. I play it over the original all the time.
You're crazy from late show '88!!!!
November Rain would make a great 2nd listen.
@@rafaeltavares584 THIS!!!!
Glad to see GnR being featured for the first time in the channel! Also, i wanted to mention that Scorpions released some new live performances from 1980 which are worth reacting to to listen to Klaus' raw vocals before the vocal cord surgery. 'He's a woman, she's a man' is a perfect example!
This performance was definitely after the peak of guns-n-roses had passed, but the songs they created were unquestionably a handful for the ages. Axl's voice rode a very sharp edge that unfortunately ground down over the years. His studio work was absolutely, uniquely flawless. Songs like Don't Cry, November Rain & Civil War could melt anyone, when Axl let his voice come down out of the rafters, it was actually very pleasant. But the studio wanted more and more grit.
In the studio even Kate Perry sings well. Axl’s Voice always sucked.
I'm not a singer or an audio engineer, but love audio and I appreciate how you can deconstruct what you are hearing from Axle and SEE it in your head and then explain. And what adds credence to your video having never seen you before is that you describe the irregularities and uniqueness of a live performance and instantly want to experiment with it, have questions like : how would you produce this? what would it sound like in a booth? Great freedom yourself, freedom of thought and transposition of his voice as a variable. Let's see how it acts here? see how it acts there? Does it work in a vacuum? Really nice. Thank you.
More GnR. Some of Axel's best live performances come from the Concert for Life: Wembley Tribute to Freddie Mercury Guns and Roses played -Paradise City, Knockin' on Heaven's Door and covered Alice Coopers Only Women Bleed. And three 3 minutes into Elton Johns cover of Bohemian Rhapsody Axel comes in and they duet the finish. Its surreal.
This song was top 1 on billboard the day I was born, September 10, 1988. I literally consider this to be my song. I can't remember not knowing this song. I know every single note of it by heart since I was a child. It's so amazing that a person has never ever listen to it and to Axl voice. It's so familiar to me, natural, recognizing. Crazy.
I started college the last week of August 1988 and can remember this song blasting out of every dorm room! Those were great times.
I feeling it came out summer 87. May have taken a while to get the number one slot though
The album came out in 87, but it wasn't released as a single until 1988 @@christianwilliamson9752
This is Axl Rose at his peak! They started as Glam Rock, then shifted towards Hard Rock. He was the driving force in Guns N' Roses and nobody could touch him in those days. He's one of my favorite front man's ever. He can be moody, but his vocals are unmatched in those golden days.
Also, Guns N' Roses were the first band to have a song from the '80s and '90s to have a billion views on RUclips, timeless music.
He definitely gained a reputation for being an a**hole. I freakin' loved GnR back in the day! I grew up on bands like GnR, Poison, Motley Crue, Warrant and Slaughter. Man, I miss those days!
Never liked his voice except for Patience. Everyone has their own opinion though.
Best vocalist from that era is Miljenko Matijević of Steelheart IMO. Unfortunately when touring for their second album in 1992 while performing in Denver on Halloween night a 1,000 lbs lighting truss fell and hit him in the back of his head forcing him face first into the stage breaking his nose, cheekbone, and jaw. It also injured his neck and back and put a gash in the back of his head and gave him a traumatic brain injury. It took him years to recover. If you’ve never heard him listen to “I’ll Never Let You Go” and “She’s Gone”. Another favorite of mine is “Can’t Stop Me Lovin’ You”.
@@stevenewcomer8837I love I'll never let you go
It's cool they are all back together, touring again and making music.
I grew up in a different part of the world where this music was unheard of so I never paid attention even after moving to the US. Like you, I've heard GnR on the radio but never listened until earlier this year. The guitar solo blew me away so I went out to buy a Les Paul and started learning. 9 months into the guitar world and I'm realizing how much Gibson owes Slash.
I read an article that analyzed the vocal range of famous singers across decades, and the article claimed Axl Rose, in his prime, had the widest range of any vocalist, male or female.
If you want to here his low end lesson to Mr.Brownstone. He sings in his lower register and it is amazing! Also if you want a great live performance look up them singing Knocking On Heavens Door. Its great.
You really need to listen to the studio version to really appreciate Axl's voice.
I like Axyl’s voice. It’s different from anyone else’s voice and he makes it work. Also the fact this rock guy could write amazing, personal songs is great. Check him out at the Freddie Mercury benefit concert just after Mercury’s death singing with Elton John. That’s a wild combo. They were one of our last great hair bands in the 1990’s.
They were from the eighties
I considered them to be a "bridge" band between hair metal and grunge...they definitely looked, acted, and sounded different than any other late 1980's hair metal band, looked more like pirates than glam...still had the basic 80's metal sound, but there were certainly elements of Nirvana in there...
First Axl has never sounded as good live as in the studio. But he’s also in a huge stadium and I don’t know anyone that sounds as good as their studio version in a huge arena. Two, this was part of the Use Your Illusion tour that went on for 2 years? Three, a Guns show goes for 2 1/2 hours. Axl’s energy is full tilt for that 2 1/2 hours. He runs the whole stage, does wardrobe changes and is even know to have to take oxygen hits off stage during Slashes solo’s. Four, typically Sweet Child is at the end of the second set, before the encore. So consider all these factors when analyzing his vocal sound. Listen to the studio version and you will get the full experience of Axl’s voice, and the rest of the band. This live version does not do them justice.
his voice is one that can't go a full concert without cracking, it's just too intense.
when they recorded appetite, he did his vocals one line at a time.
that's why they sound as good as they do.
when he has to only do one song, like at the 88 mtv awards, yeah he sounds fuckin unreal.
like, hair standing on the back of your neck unreal.
Rod Stewart
David Draimon.
He does sound as good live as studio, but only in the one-off performances where his voice is fresh. Like "Salt of the Earth" with the Rolling Stones, "Free Fallin" with Tom Petty, "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Elton John.
Mick Jagger, Roger Daltrey and Bruce Springsteen were/are absolutely ace in huge arenas.
Slash's solos sound so melodic merely because of how he use accentuates certain notes in the pentatonic scale. His change in phasing also adds to that, making like you wanna sing even on his solos.
Misolydian and Minor harmonic too, and he is great on mixing Major and Minor scale 👌🏻
Axl has one of the most powerful voices. You must react to his live version of Knocking on Heavens Door. It will display all his voice capabilities. Love your channel by the way. Thank you 😊
I use this song as my example of covers better than their originals
Yes, specifically the version from 1991 Rock in Rio.
Best rock band ever, nothing compares.
One of the greatest guitar solos of all times. Very emotional and it tells a story.
I love how expressive she is with her facial expressions and body language. Particularly during her first listen to Slash's guitar solo, where she didn't say a word, I was like "Yes, that is EXACTLY how I felt the first time I heard this as well!"
You missed her expression when she first heard what sounds less like a human voice and more like a sick cat meowing 😂
Guy sounds wasted and his voice weak and out of tune, this is a bad example of his voice
They were drunk and stoned during every show. Which just highlights the talent. Not to mention jet travel.
@@Dr.Claw_M.A.D. nope, it just highlights that they were drunk and stoned and looking at her involuntary reaction when she first heard Axl meowing is a bit amusing
The studio mix is where it’s at
Definitely. Being at home watching the video recording of a live performance of a song as your first time being exposed to it tends to be the worst of both worlds. You don't get the chest thumping energy of being there in person, in the open air with the crowd, which compensates for the often comparatively sloppy or technically deficient performance. Plus, most people don't hear a given song for the first time live, but rather through repeated exposure to the studio recording, so you get to experience the magic that occurs from the collaboration between the band and the recording engineers and producer, which endears you to the song and then motivates you to experience it live, where you'll forgive the band their many performance sins because by that point the song is fully imprinted on your mind and in your heart. Appetite for Destruction was recorded and mixed by Mike Clink, Michael Barbiero, and Steve Thompson, who are absolute LEGENDS, and consummate production artists and craftsmen in their own right, whose contribution to the overall sound is MASSIVE. The studio mix is definitely where it's at.
You nerding out on Axl’s voice is why we love you. You rock.
So glad you finally checked out some Guns. I found it interesting when you speculated at the end that they might be transitioning to a new song given (the way the tracks are divided) you accidentally missed the a cappella intro mini-medley he did leading into Sweet Child (Sail Away Sweet Sister and Bad Time by Queen and Grand Funk respectively). You always got a lot of cool extras and twists when GNR played live. They were always tweaking things and really flying by the seats of their pants in a lot of ways.
Of course he always sounds more polished on the albums, but Guns is (was) a band, that if you REALLY wanted to experience what they were about, it was live, “warts and all”, hitting you in the face with raw, unadulterated fury. I think you could really get lost checking out live Guns from ‘85 until now. His voice has gone through some serious changes over the years. Still has the incredible range but that grit is largely gone, very sadly.
Would love to see you check out different live performances of Rocket Queen, Welcome to the Jungle… It’s So Easy shows off his lower end (some unsavoury lyrics though). Nightrain was another beauty, and one of Slash’s favourites. They recently put out a bluray of a 1991 show at the Ritz in NYC and it’s killer.
Saw them in concert last year. Best concert I've ever seen. Axl sang for almost two hours while Slash soloed for another two hours. Brilliant!
I know you’re not sold on Axl’s voice, which is totally understandable if this is your introduction to it. Many of us (me included), consider Guns N’ Roses to be a big part of the soundtrack of their early years. The little innocent 14 year old version of me had his whole world flipped upside down when I first listened to the opening guitar riff of Welcome to the Jungle on a brand new cassette. And then that vocal howl that followed was something that has never been matched since. I highly recommend the studio version of Welcome to the Jungle for your consideration and analysis.
Also, just discovered your channel about a week ago and I haven’t been able to stop watching your catalog of videos. Love what you are doing here so much!
I've just started watching your stuff and this is so fun. I'm a professional guitarist and seeing this concert live on TV, where Slash and Gilby played an instrumental of The Stones's Wild Horses, was literally the moment I ran downstairs and told my parents I need a guitar. I haven't seen it in forever but obviously it has tremendous emotional value for me. Thanks for doing this even if Axl was always better in studio. There was a study once that put him second to Mike Patton as the mainstream singer who had the greatest vocal range. He really had some pipes even if his voice wasn't for everyone.
I don't think you should delve too deep into their catalog without listening to Welcome to the Jungle first. The song is ubiquitous for reason, and really put them on the map, it was a revelation to have a raw aggressive eruption of a song like WttJ come out in the era of hair metal.
Just before the opening guitar riff Axl does an acapella medley of Queen's Sail away Sweet Sister, and Grand Funk Railway's Bad Time, which is impressive and worth checking out along with this performance.
He's a natural baritone and has a 6 octave range, you should definitely listen to more, almost every song has a differenr voice
“The most grounded madman”.🤦♀️😂
Elizabeth I LOVED your description of Axl! You’ve captured his spirit beautifully. Most grounded madman. That he is.🙋♀️🫶
"Paradise City" is a must, "Night Train" for crazy vocals and "November Rain" for Slash being extra awesome
Absolutely, absolutely have to do their official music video standards! These are the songs that put them on top. Paradise City, really great video and Welcome to the Jungle, the first song they put out that got EVERYONE’S attention! You will find out that Axl can actually sing. He has a several octave range that I think will impress you, plus these songs just Rock! Sweet Child is very mild in comparison. GnR can really BLAST! That’s why they are so iconic. They pull out the whoop ass, much like PANTERA did. Both bands came out and just took over. No one saw it coming in both cases. The Real Deal.
Calling axls voice abrasive is an understatement lol but certainly unique and unforgettable
I never liked their songs specifically due to his nasally, raspy, overly brash sound. He was obviously influenced by Janis Joplin, but her voice had warmth to it as well.
I had a hard time watching this video because then I have to listen to Axl Rose sing. Very much an understatement. His voice is so grating to me.
I could tolerate "Abrasive Axl" in small doses but by 1992 he was singing with that rasp the entire concert and it was annoying
Axl is just the best frontman ever! The look , the energy, his voice it's unique and amazing! My favourite singer in hard rock music.