Warning. Controversial topic. Should Axl retire now/soon? 🤔☢️

[BluegrassBlues]

No, Axl should retire only when he is ready to and not because some fans are not happy with his current voice. Personally, I hope Axl/GNR keep going for years. As for Axl's decline, yes, it is there, but I look at it in a badge of honor kind of way. He has given amazing shows, has albums that will always go down in rock history, mended relationships and is no longer the joke of the rock world, there is still a lot to be happy for that outweighs the negativity imo. I would say that for any of the band, they have paid their dues and if they sound or play weaker it is not a big deal to me because they are already living legends that have given so much of themselves.  

[DoMw94]

2 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Write more mellow songs. Stuff like that

I was with you until you said that.

We don't need an Aerosmith 2.0. Don't get me wrong, I love Aerosmith (they're my favourite band), but their decision to go heavy on the ballads and slower songs in their latter years was disappointing. Hard rock bands should play hard rock.

While not exactly a hard rock band, the Rolling Stones still put more 'rocky' stuff out and it's great. They didn't let the fact they're a hundred stop them doing song like Rough Justice, Driving Too Fast, Doom and Gloom, and Bite My Head Off.

The odd mellow song, sure, but they shouldn't let it define them going forward

[ToonGuns]

"Retire" is too vague a response. Retiring from touring is different to retiring overall.

I've personally seen Guns enough times to not feel I would have missed out if he did call it a day. I'd be "okay" with a retire from touring in lieu of the occasional special gig, studio work, and a more focussed / professional effort when it comes to musical releases at a standard and credibility the band deserves. A live series, rarities vinyl box, spaghetti reissue, remixes. CD boxset etc.  

[F*ck Fear]

Maybe he should change the style of music he sings?

I think he has a beautiful solo piano album in him.

He just cannot sing the way he used to.

[lame ass security]

Nah, it's only rock n roll

[Karice]

3 hours ago, lame ass security said:

Nah, it's only rock n roll

It's not a problem, you can stop, it's just rock and roll! 😜

[Karice]

I personally chose that he should just focus on making his voice better despite me starting this thread.* Hides under bed covers again..🛏️*

[jamillos]

7 hours ago, lame ass security said:

Nah, it's only rock n roll

and I like it

3 hours ago, Karice said:

I personally chose that he should just focus on making his voice better despite me starting this thread.* Hides under bed covers again..🛏️*

It's ok to ask questions like this here (as long as there aren't too many new threads, of course). Don't let the local forum police disgust you. 

Edited July 30 by jamillos

[Towelie]

13 hours ago, Karice said:

Retired would mean Axl permanently decides to stop making any more music. Like Aha and Daft Punk who have permanently retired. 💡

I chose he should focus on making his voice better, and someone else agreed with me. 😀🤔🤭💡

Axl permanently decided to stop making more music around 06-07.

Creatively, he's already been retired at least 15 years. 

[Rovim]

3 minutes ago, Towelie said:

Axl permanently decided to stop making more music around 06-07.

Creatively, he's already been retired at least 15 years. 

creating and releasing music are 2 different things. for all we know, Axl still captures a musical idea when he has one and  when DJ was in the band he said Axl was playing him new ideas on piano all the time in hotel rooms and DJ couldn't understand how these great ideas/tunes were not released by Axl.

[Towelie]

1 hour ago, Rovim said:

creating and releasing music are 2 different things. for all we know, Axl still captures a musical idea when he has one and  when DJ was in the band he said Axl was playing him new ideas on piano all the time in hotel rooms and DJ couldn't understand how these great ideas/tunes were not released by Axl.

Dj said a lot of things...

[Rovim]

Just now, Towelie said:

Dj said a lot of things...

even so, we can't say that Axl suddenly just stopped creating all together just because he barely released music. it's very possible that Axl kept creating music and just didn't want to share it for whatever reason. 

[MYWIFEMYLIFE]

Axl should sing everything with everyone. 

[Tom-Ass]

It is up to him. He obviously doesn't want to, so he shouldn't.

That said, I wish they would put Guns N' Roses to rest at this point. The reunion was cool for a minute, but it was never as good as it should or could have been. This lineup never really did it for me and it was 10 years too late.  Aside from the 2016/2017 tours the band has kind of been a joke. Axl as a performer is terrible now and I find it hard to believe that anyone can honestly enjoy listening to his voice. He lacks the stage presence and charisma that once made him so great. And he just looks weird.  The 4 songs they released are terrible... They really don't have anything to offer anymore. The shows are ok for nostalgia purposes but continually get more stale as time goes by.

 

[El Guapo]

11 minutes ago, Tom-Ass said:

It is up to him. He obviously doesn't want to, so he shouldn't.

That said, I wish they would put Guns N' Roses to rest at this point. The reunion was cool for a minute, but it was never as good as it should or could have been. This lineup never really did it for me and it was 10 years too late.  Aside from the 2016/2017 tours the band has kind of been a joke. Axl as a performer is terrible now and I find it hard to believe that anyone can honestly enjoy listening to his voice. He lacks the stage presence and charisma that once made him so great. And he just looks weird.  The 4 songs they released are terrible... They really don't have anything to offer anymore. The shows are ok for nostalgia purposes but continually get more stale as time goes by.

 

I have to agree with all of this.

[Cosmo]

If there won’t be a full AFD or UYI reunion, they should have retired after the first reunion tour. At this point, another nostalgia Axl/Slash/Duff/Frank/Dizzy/Richard/Melissa tour is completely pointless. Especially if Axl doesn’t get his voice back. They’re slowly walking towards Motley Crue-level embarassement. I hope they don’t sink to that point. 

[Appetitefordiscussion]

I think he should retire his classic approach to singing. I’d bet he has ATLEAST 15+ more years singing live with his midrange 

[Tom-Ass]

21 minutes ago, Cosmo said:

At this point, another nostalgia Axl/Slash/Duff/Frank/Dizzy/Richard/Melissa tour is completely pointless. Especially if Axl doesn’t get his voice back. 

That is the thing. In 2016 Axl's voice was still "good enough" to make this lineup work. That ship has sailed.

[Rovim]

13 minutes ago, Tom-Ass said:

That is the thing. In 2016 Axl's voice was still "good enough" to make this lineup work. That ship has sailed.

it worked just fine for me last year. it depends what you expect from Axl. if he doesn't sing on key, if it's weak, if it sounds bad I can recognize it, but it doesn't ruin the experience for me and I'll bet it doesn't ruin it for many other Gn'R fans cause people are still paying for the tickets.

[ZoSoRose]

1 hour ago, Tom-Ass said:

That is the thing. In 2016 Axl's voice was still "good enough" to make this lineup work. That ship has sailed.

I thought the Fenway show, last year was surprisingly high- quality in- person. Not saying he instantly sounded great (better than I thought he would, though), but as an entire concert package I found it to be a superb show. 

The issue is the consistency. I saw them 3 months after that and it wasn't as good. 

[gunsnchalupas]

If he enjoys doing it, and people enjoy paying to have a selfie at GNR shows, he shouldn't retire. Anybody who thinks their product has anything to do with the quality of his voice doesn't get it. When it comes to these oldies bands it's a status symbol for the young, and nostalgia for the old. They don't actually care about the live product. The young are paying for a status update, and the old are paying to get drunk and have flashbacks to their old pickup truck, or the time they won their first fist fight against their uncle. Those sorts of things. 

Live 2024 GNR is not for me, but who am I to disparage those of you in your 80s who are into it. I'm more interested in bands in their prime. 

What I think will happen is that if/when the interest in the "regrouping" dries up with promoters and the live concert bubble pops, he will sell his publishing rights and "retire". Maybe they will do a live show here or there for a Saudi Arabian kingdom or something like that. He will do the occasional appearance like at the CMT awards dressed in rhinestone assless chaps to do a duet of Sweet Child Of Mine with Garth Brookes or something. 

Edited July 30 by gunsnchalupas

[F*ck Fear]

5 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

It is up to him. He obviously doesn't want to, so he shouldn't.

That said, I wish they would put Guns N' Roses to rest at this point. The reunion was cool for a minute, but it was never as good as it should or could have been. This lineup never really did it for me and it was 10 years too late.  Aside from the 2016/2017 tours the band has kind of been a joke. Axl as a performer is terrible now and I find it hard to believe that anyone can honestly enjoy listening to his voice. He lacks the stage presence and charisma that once made him so great. And he just looks weird.  The 4 songs they released are terrible... They really don't have anything to offer anymore. The shows are ok for nostalgia purposes but continually get more stale as time goes by.

 

I tend to agree with most of this one. I do enjoy 'Hard Skool', 'Perhaps' & 'Monsters', though.

[DeNfr]

he should do surgery and continue GNR until he dies 

[Tom2112]

He should retire when he wants to. It's up to you and everyone else whether they want to follow and support him. 

[Tom2112]

7 hours ago, Cosmo said:

If there won’t be a full AFD or UYI reunion, they should have retired after the first reunion tour. At this point, another nostalgia Axl/Slash/Duff/Frank/Dizzy/Richard/Melissa tour is completely pointless. Especially if Axl doesn’t get his voice back. They’re slowly walking towards Motley Crue-level embarassement. I hope they don’t sink to that point. 

What exactly does a AFD/UYI reunion do to face the actual issue? Axl would still sound less than what people expect.

Only logical thing that can be done is hire a vocal specialist and do the work. And besides that, alter keys to make it less challenging for him. Been said numerous times since his vocals started to decline, and nothing's likely to change.