Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose recently explained that a painful jaw condition and recent dental work have affected his singing. He addressed the issue during the band’s show at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on August 12, as reported by Billboard.
“So now this side of my mouth is still f*cking numb, which makes it interesting, but this one [points to the left side of his face] had work done two days ago,” Rose said. “So it’s interesting. It’s challenging.”
He then described the difficulty of explaining the physical demands of his singing style to doctors and dentists.
“You’re singing and you hear sounds, and you’re like … none of the doctors, none of the dentists — there’s really no way to describe what you do, and with TMJ they tell ya, ‘Try not to chew!'” Rose continued. “OK, I won’t eat. Second, you really can’t describe — you stretch your face in so many ways trying to sing like I do!”
Rose also shared the strange noises he hears while performing.
“So you hear all these sounds while you’re singing, and you hear sounds that, like, make you go, ‘I really probably shouldn’t be doing what I’m doing, because that sound sounds like my jaw’s gonna fall off or go to the side or get stuck that way,'” he added. “Which, that would be pretty funny!”
Rose’s comments offer a closer look at how the condition has affected him during performances. He said one side of his mouth was still numb after undergoing dental work two days earlier.
Temporomandibular joint disorders can involve more than discomfort. Symptoms may include jaw pain, facial pain, pain while chewing, and difficulty opening or closing the mouth.
The condition can also produce sounds similar to those Rose described from the stage. Clicking, popping, and grinding sounds are among the possible signs of temporomandibular disorders, along with jaw stiffness and locking.
Rose has faced vocal-related health concerns in the past as well. In 2022, guitarist Richard Fortus said Rose was “really struggling” during an unspecified health issue, while the singer worked with a vocal coach.
Despite the difficulty, Rose continued performing with Guns N’ Roses while dealing with the condition.
