Fans blast ‘cesspool Twitter’ after cruel attacks on Axl Rose’s voice

The rock icon, who will turn 61 next month, was visibly emotional during his speech earlier today at Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial at Graceland and then again during an acoustic performance of November Rain at the piano that displayed his keyboard skills. Not all comments online, however, were as kind about his vocals. One even said: “If I didn’t know any better, I would think this was a memorial service for Axl Rose based on his deceased voice.” SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE FULL CLIP OF AXL ROSE SPEAKING AND SINGING AT LISA MARIE’S MEMORIAL

Axl joined stars like Alanis Morisette giving musical tributes to the daughter of Elvis Presley, while others including Sarah Ferguson and Lisa Marie’s mother Priscilla Presley, read out emotional statements or poems.

Axl said: “I am still in shock. I feel like I’m supposed to be texting her telling her wonderful everyone is. I never in a million years imagined singing here under these circumstances. This is truly devastating and I’m sure excruciating for everyone here…

“I’m honoured to be here. I don’t know that I deserve to be here… I do know Lisa loved her family very much and was fiercely protective of her father and his legacy and both her love for him and his for her. She was extremely proud of her father and his many accomplishments and his place in music and America and world history.”

Axl added: “She was also very proud of the Elvis movie and the way it portrayed her father and the care that was put into the film by those involved.”

The rock star spoke of the passing of Lisa Marie’s only son Benjamin Keough in 2020: “With Ben’s passing, Lisa’s life and the rest of her family’s took a turn down a hard road that she was honouring to the best of her abilities, seeking out help and choosing to help others who were experiencing such loss and pain.”

He concluded that he was proud to join everyone there: “To celebrate the life of a friend, a loved one, a good and beautiful soul, a cherished and deeply missed family member… She will continue to be loved and missed by all those whose lives she touched.”

Axl then moved behind the piano to deliver a moving, if not vocally perfect, rendition of his band’s iconic hit. 

WATCH AXL ROSE SPEAK AND SING IN FULL BELOW (FROM 1.01:47)

Others said: “You delivered a beautiful speech and a beautiful performance. I’m sure Lisa Marie Presley is smiling down on you and appreciates your part in her memorial.”

“Even tho Axl Rose‘s voice was strained and grief-stricken, the piano melody he played was beautiful.”

“Axl’s Emotional Tribute To His Late Friend Lisa Marie Presley Brought Me To Tears. It’s Absolutely Heartbreaking To See Him This Sad. He’s Such A Beautiful Soul…”

“My heart is breaking for him. He did the best that he could. He truly did love her as a friend. That’s very obvious.”

Another summed up the sense that now was not the time for critical comments: “Are there people literally judging Axl Rose’s voice when he’s singing at his dear friend’s funeral? Twitter can be a cesspool sometimes.”

It was only after Lisa Marie’s death that Axl had spoken out about their friendship, which had intensified and developed over the past few years following the death of her son.

Last week he said: “What comes after life, who knows? But I’d like to think they’re together, her and Ben with her father and Ben’s grandfather in some way, and Lisa, and the most important men in her life are happy together.”