By Steve Newton
By now the rock world is fully abuzz with the official announcement from AC/DC that Axl Rose from Guns N’ Roses will be the new singer for the rest of its Rock or Bust World Tour.
They could’ve done better, if you ask me.
I don’t think Axl Rose’s voice is close enough to Brian Johnson’s. It’s way too screechy. It’s great for Guns N’ Roses’ songs, but I don’t want to hear his high-pitched caterwauling on AC/DC gems like “Shoot to Thrill”. I want to hear someone with gritty, rough-hewn, masculine pipes.
I want to hear Jimmy freakin’ Barnes, who used to be in Cold Chisel!
He’s still got it!
Jimmy Who?
That’s what Americans would say
Sounds like Angus wants to keep going so it may be a new singer for the next album.
Disagree! Its a little disconcerting how people make their own expectations so important for somebody else’s business. I do get how people can feel a little or a lot of proprietary connection to a band like ACDC. and I do understand how people can hold negative feelings towards Axel. I am not a huge fan of either group but I respect both. What I heard so far from Axel iN ACDC was good and doesn’t call for criticism.
Totally agree. He hasn’t done badly at all. And i’m sure Angus isn’t losing sleep over the fact that Steve Newton thinks otherwise. After all, who’s the professional musician here.
Jimmy Barnes can’t sing a note to save his life , he is an appalling singer !!!
I always thought i was the only one who thought that.
Agreed! Haha! Cold Chisel….plus Jimmy’s an Aussie…good call.
I’ve seen a guy in a local band from Marietta ga out sing Brian while doing a sound check in a club in NYC Brian sat in without the big equipment and effects he sucked yeah I said it
I would LOVE to see AC/DC go full circle! Get Dave Evans to lead them on the rest of the tour and then finish with dignity. The final concert, you could get every member ever to play with the band, to each make at least one appearance. I have nothing against Axl Rose. I love the Gunners music but I don’t see him as the answer. But who am I to second guess Angus? Let There be Rock!
Lead singer from Nazareth hands down
Time to give Angus a shake. It’s not ACDC anymore. Stop bamboozling your fans. Just close the book and start the Angus chapter. But his handlers would never dare say that to him.
Cold Chisel is still active. Jimmy would have been my choice, too.
Look, Angus was in desperate mode and Axl was the only guy who volunteered. Not sure if Jimmy even applied. Then thank God even — nightmare first singer — Dave Evans didn’t approach them, knowing the joke that he’s been throughout the Years relating to them, bragging he was the first singer after he told them off, calling Angus’s outfit ridiculous. As for Axl’s performance, it’s a bit like a banshee sort of like this guy up there ^^^ in the video, and to be quite frank, neither Ol’ Jonno nor Bon would do that, that’s not a soul / blues singer, and what the band could use is another one, not Axl or Jimmy, and there are many to chose from (call it crazy but) Rod Stewart for instance, picture his voice (as he was during the early seventies) singing Shook me All Night Long, or even something like If You Want Blood even. His likewise genuine blues/soul ability is his accreditation but he would not be one to step up to the plate, he is too mature for that, but there is one example. Bands do not approach, that is not proper etiquette in the business, they discretely put out the request through the proper channels in the community and whomever responds doesn’t even know who they are auditioning for until face to face in the audition facility. Ac/DC’s ad was for a well seasoned professional able to stand the rigours of touring as they always have in the past, and Angus waited but nobody else answered the call. So as much as it would have been nice to find a real soul/blues artist (can’t think of any off the top of my head) that just hasn’t been the case. Contracts happen, there are legalities, severance pay once You’ve taken somebody on-board and well, putting out the call again would involve ignoring Axl, and it’s not proper conduct in the industry, You burn Your bridges that way and it’s considered rude. So we’re stuck with Axl unfortunately, fellow fans. 🙁