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Axl Rose - world's best singer?

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 12:08 pm
by GuitarMikeB
Per the latest Rolling Stone magazine poll, evidently.

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has responded to an unscientific, albeit virally popular, list of "The World's Greatest Singers," which placed him in the top spot.

The list claimed he had a range that spanned nearly seven octaves, with his lowest note allegedly appearing in the 2008 "Chinese Democracy"song "There Was a Time" and his highest in his cover of the Dead Boys' "Ain't It Fun," which appeared on the group's 1994 covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?" He said that he found the recognition flattering and humbling, according to Spin, though he wouldn't top his own list of the greatest singers.

"If I had to say who I thought the best singers were, I'd say first that I don't know there's a definitive answer as in my opinion it's subjective, and second that my focus is primarily rock singers," he told Spin. "That said, I enjoy Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, [Nazareth singer] Dan McCafferty, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Don Henley, [Electric Light Orchestra frontman] Jeff Lynne, Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, [jazz singer] Jimmy Scott, Etta James, Fiona Apple, [ Pretenders frontwoman] Chrissie Hynde, Stevie Wonder, James Brown and a ton of others (predominantly '70s rock singers) and would rather hear any of them anytime rather than me!"

Guns N' Roses are currently in the middle of a 12-date residency at Las Vegas' Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. In April, Rose was honored at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards with a Lifetime Achievement Award and performed with his band. While there, guitarist Richard Fortus told The Associated Press the group was "working on stuff." He said he hoped the band would have new music "in the next year."

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 3:19 pm
by Planetguy
best singer???? hardly.

that guy's braying always sounds like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

like sebastian bach, i always thought he was way overated.

"range" does not a great singer make. nor does having a "good voice".

for me timing, phrasing, delivery, vibrato, how you end a phrase.....they're what makes a great singer.

yeah, range and a pleasant voice to listen to are icing on that cake, but i'll take Louis Armstrong's limited range over 7 octave calisthenics every time.

PostPosted: Thu May 29, 2014 5:35 pm
by GuitarMikeB
I never trust any Rolling Stone "best of" poll. :wink:

PostPosted: Sat May 31, 2014 7:28 pm
by gbheil
Claiming to be the "best" at anything is a fools quest.
Someone else claiming the someone is the best at anything is plain stupidity.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 1:08 pm
by Starfish Scott
haw-haw-haw.. AXL? A good singer? If he gargled with broken glass, you mean..lol

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 6:57 pm
by t-Roy and The Smoking Section
Axl only had the widest range of the rated singers in that survey.

To truly be a great singer you have to pull it off live every night. Axl can't do that to save his life because he sings mostly from the throat.

The guy in Train, Sting, Paul Rogers....they are great singers.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 01, 2014 11:53 pm
by Starfish Scott
Ok, I'll go quietly with Paul Rodgers and Sting, but the guy from TRAIN?

Omg.. i dunno about that one..