Went to watch Muse yesterday. What a performance!! At the top of their game!!
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Elton did dedicate the song to George Michael and remembered him last night.
Elton still got it. He may not move as fast but he he sang his heart out and he had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. I was hoping for Kiki Dee was going to come on as one of the special guest, but alas no.
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That’s how you headline Glastonbury! Arctic Monkeys take note.
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its amazing that the press always start reviews of GnR by saying Axl turned up on time. He has been since Slash and Duff rejoined and when he stood in for Brian for ACDC.
Re his voice…In a time when loads of bands are getting (rightly) slated for using backing tapes & miming, Axl is 100% live so if you get the odd poorly sung song so be it. Id rather that than him sing over a track. Rock N Roll isnt meant to be perfect. If people want perfect, put the record on.
My missus paid £100 to see Britney Spears a few years ago and she was litrally just dancing over a backing track and wasnt even trying to mime but lots are cool with that.
WASP are currently touring and they have a big mike stand covering the singers face becuase he is playing live but singing over a backing track.
iM fine with a voice that isnt perfect, a mishit note and forgotton line in a song = its what it should be 100%. Noel Gallagher the other day forgot the solo to Dont look back in anger a solo he has played a million times.
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100% this over Autotune!
I think it does help when singers alter their approach as they age. I’ve seen Robert Plant live a few times over the years and he still performs songs that he originally did with Led Zeppelin in the late 60s. However, he performs the songs to suit his voice now, not as the teenager that joined Zep.
Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with an aged voice used properly. Some of Johnny Cash’s most beloved recordings were made at the end of his life when both his voice and health were very frail.
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the way Axl sings it was always gonna cause issues around this age if still performing. Bands like GnR werent meant to still be going so they went hard and fast in 80s and 90s and have been touring since 2016 (bar Covid times). They could probably do with shortning the set from 3 hours to 90 mins but everyone would moan its not long enough.
Jon Bon Jovi had one of the best voices in 80s/90s and was fine until about 2013 and now can barely hit a note. Constant touring from Slippery When Wet era has caught up with him.
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I’m just relieved the GnR boys are still alive after the amount of abuse they put Mr Brownstone through (refer to the dearly departed Weiland and Stayley as examples).
GnR are kings. End of. Just wish they’d have treated Izzy better.
Thanks for the heads up, I was briefly toying with the idea of going to see them. Saved me the bother.
It’s very difficult for vocalists who used to sing in higher octaves (and who also toured extensively and took copious amounts of, erm, unhealthy substances) to maintain the shape of their voice as they age. Bands like Judas Priest and Metallica downtune their instruments these days because of that, for example.
That said, I had the absolute privilege to see Judas Priest live and they were magnificent and, in spite of age and downtuning, Halford was ace. I wonder how he still manages to talk, let alone sing, after the strain he’s been putting on his voice for fifty years.
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Thanks corrected now, I meant Throwing Muses, Kristin Hersh.
I’ve been sleeping far too much recently.
Not everyone’s voice is as durable as Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson (much like our oft-injured ex-midfielders).
For example, James LaBrie of Dream Theater has noticeably lost his ability to hold high notes and he’s much younger than either of the aforementioned heavy metal icons.
Some singers voices just deteriorate earlier. And LaBrie is a consummate pro, he always took good care of his voice.
Not like Sebastian Bach, who had a godly hard rock/heavy metal voice (check out his work on Slave To The Grind with Skid Row…still gives me goosebumps!). He proceeded to smoke and drink it to ruin.
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If I remember correctly, LaBrie used to have some real difficulties during the 90s, almost had an operation on his vocal cords or something because of a freak injury. It probably left long-term consequences that are only audible now.
By the way, I wonder how Mike Patton and Ville Valo are doing these days in terms of their respective vocals. If there are two singers who took almost no care of their voice, it’s them - Valo is also a chain smoker and used to drink heavily.
Isn’t that to have the bourbon voice like Tom Waits? 
Always felt Meatloaf was amazing the way he could belt out his songs live
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The pinnacle for an all round rock/metal voice for me is still the late great Freddie Mercury. Nobody touches him. Dio was close in some aspects. As is Halford.
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and why not jump on the time machine on this Monday morning…
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Labrie has recovered from his difficulties a fair bit. His voice was never the “strongest” part of DT’s music so it’s not hurt him as badly as what the loss of voice did for Geoff Tate for instance.
Mike Patton’s pretty much been okay. Listened to one recent live performance of his and his voice does seem to have aged okay. It’s obviously not possible for him to replicate his Faith no more era days but you’ll be hardpressed to find one more singer who does do that.
If you include the frontman aspects , for sure. Freddie gets to be listed there as do the likes of Dio , Halford.
If you’re just talking about pure voice. Devin Townsend , Mike Patton , Geoff Tate (If only for the early era Tate - Rage for Order / Operation Mindcrime / Warning EP) all get in the conversation.
Forgot about Devin! He’s a freak of nature! I’d actually also add Sebastian Bach from the Skid Row/Slave to the Grind era. Agree in Patton and Tate.
LOVE Operation Mindcrime (favourite song in it is Eyes of a Stranger)
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Operation Mindcrime is probably the album that got me hooked to prog rock/metal. My fav song there is spreading the disease but overall , the album is ace.
Sad how the band went downhill after empire.
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