Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Just downloaded Better as performed at Hammersmith/UK (one of their better perfomances of the song, so they say).

Robin's guitar solo just over half way though makes the song what it is. I find the drumming is alittle on the plain side and while the lyrics are good i have mixed views towards Axl's singing. The section halfway though where Axl belts out/screams some words makes me cringe/feel uncomfortable. Better works better as a studio track, opposed to being sung live  :peace:

I also had the same views towards Don't Cry (Slash's guitar work was great, Axl singing Don't Cry live always sounded wrong)  :peace:

In my opinion it rocks live! God! best moment of the year to rock out to this song live this summer! Go see a show is my suggestion, downloading mp3 livebootlegs doesn't do any song justice what so ever

I think Gn'R have a 3rd gig lined up at Wembly/UK. It could be their finnal UK gig in quite sometime, so may have to be there. From past history, Gn'R normally known to put on a great finnal show.
 :beer:

Dude!! How in the hell can this be wrong? :rant:

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=F48C28F4745D2B68

Don't Cry - Ritz'87 - this will be interesting to hear (just downloading now), i didn't know they performed Don't Cry back in '87. My opinion is based on  the UYI tour Tokyo show...

Heh, you cheated. That's some slow '87 version  :hihi:

i'm talking about the full on UYI version of Don't Cry performed live. In a way you just proved my point. When Axl sings some songs (Better or the UYI version of Don't Cry) they don't work well (from a vocal perspective) as the studio versions.

where as other songs (November Rain or The Blues) sound just great performed live  :beer:

I love the view of axl tommy robin or the whole band bouncing on the song. :love:

The demo version sounds way better than the live version. The latter sounds a bit blurred.

It's a hard song to do live.  There is so much going on musically and the vocals are verses are difficult to sing with the way the lyrics are constructed.  It's just one of those songs that will always sound better in the studio

The good thing about the live version is the chorus(at least the Download Festival performance). It has more bounce to it

Well I completly disagree. I think it sounds great live. Listen to a few more of the bootlegs. I heard one of the nights from finland and it was fantastic.

Well Axls voice was in a bad way for most songs on much of the Illusion Tour so thats why dont cry didnt sound so good.

But with regards to Better, its not that bad but I think he could do with more support from the other guys when singing the chorus.
But comparing him singing live to a studio recording is a bit harsh. He sounds fucking great when your there and the arena is pounding out the music, that experience blows any studio recording out of the water.

Live music sounds great when you are there watching it unfold - but it never sounds quite the same when you hear the recording.

I don't particuarly like Better, but I tell you, I do like the live version : ok: Its a great pace for jumping and bopping!

I think better is a great song, and I don't know how someone can say that the studio version is better than the live version, I don't think any of us have heard the definitive studio version, so it's just guessing. I've heard the song live in holland in july and it was fucking great, the mp3's i've heard from this tour are not a benchmark or something!!!. they aren't mixed and sometimes they give a wrong impression of the band. So don't judge to fast  :peace:

olorin is right about comparing the studio with the live performance, but i think that the song rocks live. it really makes you wanna jump and sing along but the demo is just that: a demo. hope the final mix will have that rockin' feeling

 :hihi:
On my first listen to the audio from Hammerstein live the fact axl was singing it through amazed me.  There is little gap between the most verses and the chorus. it's like changing from tenor to alto in one breath.

The studio demo has grown on me alot. I like the looping hardcore sound of the drum machine, i like the way the song sounds like sections of sound cut n'pasted together to form a single track. The demo sounds more industrial than rockin, and i like that. Who knows, maybe when CD is released and we get to hear the fully polished/finished studio version, i just may prefer the old leak  ;D

The demo studio version seemed like it could become new GN'R's trademark song and a big hit. Live, it sounds more like Rhiyadh than a radio-rock hit. No offense to Rhiyadh, but Better seems to have much more potential as a studio track, and live it's just not that amazing.

I prefer IRS. The live version is so powerfull, amazing.

If so,  that might be true of Riyadh, don't you think? We haven't heard any studio recording of the song.

It sucks live. Axl's natural singing voice just doesn't suit the song.

it suits it perfectly, in my opinion. love that damn song, "Better"....

which would be the best bootleg of Better?

I heard various but I'd like the opinion of some of you to compare..

I agree with the person who said the best part in the live version is the chorus.. it sounds much more groovy, and actually watching videos of their performance of this song, I love when Axl, Tommy and the rest of the guys start jumping and bouncing hehe that's hilarious

Yes, and the fact that they still consider it an "option" when they play live I think it'll be on the album, and I'm really excited for it.

As you said, everyone's opinion will differ, but my personal favorites at the moment are live at the Hammersmith, followed by live @ Download, and last but not least we can't forget about Budapest :)

I think the song is absolutely blistering live, and anyone judging it off of bootlegs or FLACs is missing out hardcore.

Better was the song I was most pumped to hear at the May 12th show, and when everyone was discussing what song would be played first, I honestly expected Better to open the show in place of Jungle.

But when Robin started playing the opening chords right after Brownstone I was so fuckin' excited, it was ridiculous :hihi:

The studio version in my opinion is much better. Thew only songs Ive heard live from The 2006 version guns that Ax cant handle is better and IRS, actuially the most recent performance of IRS changed my mind. Axl was phenomenal. But better definately sounds weak in some spots (live) Its a very hard song to sing.

If axl could completely nail that thing that would be the best live song, because the band plays it perfectly, Robin's solo is completely beautiful.

better and IRS were perfect at rock am ring. wait for the proshot dvd : ok:       ...........august 11th.....

Hey all,

I just got back from the birmingham gig and SHIT if Axl didnt knock Better out of the park!!!  I've heard various boots of it from the tour and heard it in dublin, but tonight the whole band aced the motherfucker!

hope for a top notch boot, I am!!!

BomBom

I have yet to hear a good live version of Better actually. I think the problem lies with the chorus, which should be a cresending highlight of the song but ends up slowing it down. By relegating the chorus to a backing vocal, you lose the intensity of the lyric, simply b/c no one can really hear it well. In addition, the sound of the chorus vocal is different (and far superior) in the demo version; I really think they should either have a female backup singer or simply play the studio tracked chorus when it comes up.

Other than the chorus, the solo is solid, although I would prefer a less halting "oooh ooooh" vocal and less vocal  shrill as axl begins the song.

IRS kicks ass live. I actually love it more now.

Madagascar has definately improved as well. The Richard/Pittman/Dizzy bridge is absolutely delicious.

Blues has improved as well; i love the new tenderness to the song. I always felt the 02 version existed too tenously between a rocker and a ballad. Now the distinction is clear.

TWAT is a garbled mess at this point. Axl has trouble keeping up with the lyrics and Ron's fingering is a bit too muddled to hear clearly. I think Bucket would have owned this outro.

I've seen GNR three times on this tour. I love the song Better but I think its a bit hit and miss live. Last night I don't think they did it justice...particularly at the beginning. The heavy bit also needs to be turned up...its a massive riff and I couldn't 'feel' it enough. It was better at download.

The thing about Better live is that the band cannot play it. Not the solos especially as Finck handles those pretty well, its the overall structure of the song. They go wrong from the first aggressive burst and from then on its blur-city.

That is one of the songs they need to practice. The can play The Blues amazingly well and consistently too, but Better they seem to struggle with.