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Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
Chris Cornell is undoubtedly one of the greatest singers of all time. Undoubtedly. The thing that somewhat holds him back in terms of media attention is that he wasn't really weird in any sense. As far as pipes go though, he's right there with Plant. Right there.
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
Also, Cornell never really embraced the spotlight. That played a role in his popularity and overall legacy. Soundgarden was HUGE in the summer of 94 when Black Hole Sun became a hit. In fact, the song is really the last hit from the grunge era. Cornell shied away from all the publicity and they quickly did another video and just continued touring as usual.
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
Sid Vicious is considered legendary for the showmanship, attitude, lifestyle, forefronting an image. All of which has little do do with how good of a musician he was.
Don't tell me that Axl's "candid" rolling stone comments about molestation, fights and other things didn't contribute to elevate him to a certain status.
Bieng late all the time, riots, rants, and band dissent contributed as well.
And all of the above, should I say, qualities, have nothing to do with the music itself. You make the call.
Oh, and about Cobain not wanting the fame, true or not, that attitude and shoddy appearance added to his status as well, and ultimately drew in his admirers. Crying about only having 100 bucks or whatever to record and produce "Bleach" turned into a very romantic, and profitable, story later on.
- jimmythegent
- Rep: 30
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
I think Cornell is in a league of one actually, and prior to his death, Jeff Buckley
Axl had the attitude and gravitas mind, but I actually think there have been much better vocalists - although Axl is right up there with great frontmen in his day
He was damn fine singer mind
- dave-gnfnr2k
- Rep: 11
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
Cornel has a great voice, one of the best, but he was a boring frontman. He had the talent but he didnt have IT, that made you want watch him perform.
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
dave-gnfnr2k wrote:Cornel has a great voice, one of the best, but he was a boring frontman. He had the talent but he didnt have IT, that made you want watch him perform.
I said something to this effect recently. Being a good singer and a good frontman are two totally different things.
That is the truth. There are a lot of people good at one but weaker in the other and only a select few that really nail both aspects. Those select few are the true elite.
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
gnr took the world by storm when rock n roll was absolutley dead and axl was a big part of that as the front man. if this didn't happen nirvana and others never would have existed. sa a musician he has functioned as a pianist, lyricist, vocalist, songwriter, and director. by director i am referring to the fact that axl is responsible for the some of the songwriting that other bandmembers wrote by directing them and this is based on other bandmembers' admissions. axl has received a ton of credit simply because he sang for one of the biggest bands in history. now some of us try to pick it all a part and take some of it away. i think he deserves all the credit he has received and then some. there is no single greatest frontman or singer or musician ever. as far as comparing Axl to the all time greats, he stands tall, without a doubt, among them for many more reasons than several others do in that same class.
- November Rain
- Rep: 4
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
gnr took the world by storm when rock n roll was absolutley dead and axl was a big part of that as the front man. if this didn't happen nirvana and others never would have existed. sa a musician he has functioned as a pianist, lyricist, vocalist, songwriter, and director. by director i am referring to the fact that axl is responsible for the some of the songwriting that other bandmembers wrote by directing them and this is based on other bandmembers' admissions. axl has received a ton of credit simply because he sang for one of the biggest bands in history. now some of us try to pick it all a part and take some of it away. i think he deserves all the credit he has received and then some. there is no single greatest frontman or singer or musician ever. as far as comparing Axl to the all time greats, he stands tall, without a doubt, among them for many more reasons than several others do in that same class.
Agree. Love him or hate him Axl has worked hard to get a very well deserved place among the greats.
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
sorry to dig this up but i recently got on an ozzy kick and how on earth can we compare Axl's career to someone like Ozzy, who has 8 studio albums with Sabbath and 9 solo albums of original material 
Ozzy's solo career has seen 27 singles released and he also released 24 singles as part of Sabbath, 51 singles in total.....AFD, Lies, UYI's have a total of 50 tracks 
i dunno, pretty insane IMO 
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Comparing Axl Rose to the greats
While I certainly agree Ozzy is more iconic than Axl they're not too far apart. I mean Sabbath was before MTV and even before much metal was out, so revisionist history will not be able to make him a huge star off of those days. His solo stuff... yeah there's some classics, but it doesn't get huge play in Rock Docs or Metal Docs apart from Crazy Train. Sabbath may have started a movement in music, but Ozzy's solo stuff was simply great, not revolutionary.
I would never call Axl or GN'R revolutionary, but in recent Rock Docs GN'R is presented as a shift away from glam and an important marker in rock history that Ozzy's solo career is not. Personally the differences between GN'R and other heavy glam like Motley Crue, apart from quality, are unclear. But that's how it's presented.
My final defense is that GN'R's quick rise and burnout may have helped him become an icon. Same deal with Kurt Cobain. I'm no Pearl Jam fan, but with all the material they've had, and success, why is Kurt more well known? It's because Nirvana blew up and then crashed in its prime. GN'R's may be the best example in music history of rise and fall that didn't involve a death.
Hopefully I made sense, I don't know.
