My assumption is that someone has fucked up the AC/DC concert contracts and, if some approximation of AC/DC doesn’t play the remaining 10 or so dates that they have booked, that they’re on the hook for a few million.
So they’ve done the classic AC/DC thing of making the best of a bad lot. They found someone who may well be a trainwreck but is a huge name that people will likely go and see even if it is just for curiosity value and thus minimise their losses. If it doesn’t work, bank on AC/DC saying, before the dates, “this is it - we’re done, no more gigs after this one” and people will go along to say goodbye. The suspicion was that Rock Or Bust was likely to be the last album anyway, as the rumour was that they took Malcolm’s old riffs that hadn’t been used yet and built an album on that. Plus they’re all quite old, Phil’s a headcase and Malcolm is done. How much further could they go?
I actually and perversely kind of admire them for it. It’s like they don’t know how to do anything other than keep going.
His personality and declining abilities aside, Axl is a terrible choice…
While Bon Scott and Brian Johnson’s voices aren’t the same, they’re in the same general ballpark, that I don’t think, even in his prime, Axl could have walked in.
GnR at Coachella, with Angus joining them for Whole Lotta Rosie:
Damn, Axl sounds so much better than Brian Johnson*. I can do without his Axl-chirps during an AC/DC song (his read of Rosie’s measurements - eesh.), but he hits all the notes with no trouble.
But Angus playing with Slash n’ Duff? So fun.
As has been said so many times, talent is not the issue here. I doubt I would be interested in a full set of Axl chirps over AC/DC songs, but parts of it would be hugely fun. I will watch the rickety roller coaster from a distance.
*ETA: man, the AC/DC & Youngs, Inc., really threw Johnson over the side pretty damn quick, didn’t they? I have heard Johnson is still trying to figure out what happened.
You know so much more than I do and I’ve been meaning to send you a PM telling you I thoroughly enjoy and learn from your posts :), but man, I just can’t agree that Axl sounds ok here. He hits the notes but he’s a little flat in the beginning and he’s screechy without having the edge I expect from an AC/DC vocalist.
Could be worse, I guess. I do admire Angus’ energy.
What’s been reported is that Brian Johnson got checked out and was warned that if he toured he could lose his hearing.
NOW - what has happened has been an efficient Young, Inc. management of the business of AC/DC. For whatever reason, Brian Johnson wasn’t cutting it - perhaps vocally, out of shape, whatever - no clue. He probably got checked up and reported an issue and the Youngs jumped on it to shove him off.
If you Google it, you get statements from BJ that he in no way meant that he wasn’t ready for the tour. But the Youngs simply said how sorry they were things aren’t good healthwise for their mate Brian and, by the way: Axl! Axl! Axl!
To be clear: I love AC/DC - the Bon Scott years and Malcolm’s guitar playing is some of my all-time favoriate music. But I have gotten the impression that they run the band like a business and in a pretty cold way. The way they slotted in BJ after Bon Scott with very little fanfare. I applaud their efficiency, but sometimes…
Ok, I’ll dissent. I think it would not be a bad show all things considered. Axl is not quite as much of a dinosaur as what’s left of AC/DC–maybe he’s the alotheria of rock–but he seems to be born of the same nasty, rambunctious spirit. He’s got his own style, which is a little different from Johnson’s, but the chemistry is not ridiculous. For me Axl will always be Appetite for Destruction, on its own merits as well as it’s bracing shock value when it was released. And his signature screech recalls all that raw psychomania whenever I hear him. He’s a not-nice boy who’s been invited to have a playdate with an historically not-nice outfit. It won’t be AC/DC or GnR, but I don’t think it will be a disaster either. It’ll be different and definition-resistant, which is what rock-n-roll is supposed to be.
Look, the people will go to the shows just on the chance that this one will be the night of the epic meltdown and that it might happen onstage with the mic on. Brilliant marketing.
And if they pull it off succesfully, well, excellent for all of them, not the least Axl. When he’s up to it and on his game he’s a fine frontman.
Bo and Jim on Lone Star 92.5 had a conversation over the phone this morning with Darren Caperna, the singer for Back In Black this morning.
I’ve seen Back In Black, and they are fantastic! I can’t believe the Youngs passed on Darren to go with Axl Rose. They are going to regret their decision when Rose turns their tour into a trainwreck. Maybe Darren will step in if AC/DC wants to continue afterwards.
Darren was telling the story of how he and Mike Mroz (BIB’s lead guitar) got invited down to Atlanta to audition, and how he ended up singing over twenty songs as part of the audition set. He had to keep quiet until AC/DC announced their decision after ousting Johnson, though, and explained that he had been biting his tongue when all his friends were texting him and sending messages to him on Facebook suggesting that Darren apply to replace Johnson as singer.
Well, here it is. Audio quality isn’t necessarily the greatest, but it seems like Axl (who I completely did not recognize) did a reasonable job. It fits with the music. (Oh, here’s another one I found.) It’s no Bon Scott, but, to me, I think I prefer it to Brian Johnson.
It wasn’t a disaster. If people want to see them, more power to 'em, but I wouldn’t. I find Axl’s voice lacking but I don’t know why. There isn’t enough to it, maybe? Not enough lower range?