Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Go through all the artists, legends etc of all time and u will find cover versions that do the song justice and sometimes even surpass the originals.

I have "YET" to hear any cover version of someone doing GNR that remotely does it justice.

The only way they sound halfway decent is if they completely change the song A la Taking on Trees SCOM

but when people try to actually duplicate GNR, it never comes close to the original.

I've heard people cover Zep and sound great and even Aerosmith etc etc

but something about Axl is just impossible to duplicate.

cause its more than just hitting the proper pitch..

anyone have any ideas or agree or disagree?

i liked some of them. like demonwolf covers or the sitar one.

True, and that's not only with GN'R but with every other artist/song too. Or at least in my opinion the only "right way" to do a cover is to do it with your own style and by adding something to the original song. There's no point doing the same song twice, or to try to do. I like this guy: http://www.youtube.com/user/axl77#p/u/0/Jt1yGk0plVU

I saw Heart open for Journey a few years ago and the skinny sister in Heart sang a Zep song during their encore and it was pretty good. I've heard Aaron Lewis from Stained sing patience and he did a pretty good job, but you;re right not many people cover Zep or Guns. Whenever I'm at a bar and there is a live band I always offer the guys a tip to sing a Guns song. Most decline or offer KOHD

VR covered mr brownstone, it's so easy, etc just fine

and I always thought carrie underwood did a good job covering them as well;

not to mention slash/fergie

Robin is not so bad either.   :hihi: 

I hate people like Avril Lavigne screwing with Guns songs.

unless you're learning the song and thats a copy.

I think Guns N' Roses' old material can be covered but "Chinese Democracy" is almost impossible.

AFI did a pretty good cover of My Michelle

This is generally accurate.  Of course, your taste in music and if you have certain favorite artists will affect your opinion on how well someone does a GN'R song justice.  I am a bit partial to the group Slightly Stoopid and their light take on Used to Love Her on their Live and Direct Acoustic Roots cd.  I think they did a good job on this one in their own style with nice harmonies. 

no, i think someone could cover the song chinese democracy with no problem. also there's that one gnr coverband (the one where they dress up like the current incarnation) that did a pretty good job covering street of dreams.

But... she hasn't. :-\

John5's WTTJ is pretty sick...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF11fWMcAiU&feature=related

yeah I think that one's great http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zprnSk6iIY there's no need for the vocals, when you're as familiar with the song as us you can pretty much hear the lyrics through the guitar :P

Operator is a really good cover of "It's so Easy"

yeah but ISE and Brownstone have LOW vocal registers


Carrie Underwood actually makes GNR songs boring....

There is a difference in hitting the note when it comes to GNR songs....... there is some intangible quality with Axl's voice that just makes the song different.. his emotion, anger etc... I don't know what u call it but its different when others try.

never heard anyone really bother covering anything off CD

normally i agree w you D but I'm not feeling it on this one- yes axl has a unique voice, no it's not impossible to cover their songs

There was a brazilian band that covered the new stuff, but I think it ended even before Chinese came out!  :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsT7u9jfgXU

Oh yes, she has! :crying:

Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt-uSWmAnD0

Yeah someone can cover but it just comes nowhere near the original.

For instance, Carrie Underwood and Fergie can hit the notes.. but the songs aren't the same

Sheryl Crow is a Hall of Famer.. her SCOM sucks, Carrie Underwood as I said makes GNR songs boring as shit

True VR kick ass on ISE and Brownstone BUT what happens at the end of ISE when Axl screams the Its so fucking Easy stuff?

Thats kinda the point of some covers though

that never happened as far as i know...

 :rofl:

That's cool!

OH! iv never heard that cover before.Mother of god ! you can nearly hear axl voice.How can he do it? LOL

I really agree with this thread, I hate it when anybody covers GN'R songs, yes especially VR. I think it goes to show how unique Axls voice really is. But the strange thing is Axl and GN'R can cover anything, and I'll think it's better than the original.  :hihi:

Back when I first got into GN'R I used to buy all of these tribute CDs, like the crap where the guy from Cinderella or Warrior Soul are singing. I can't even listen to that stuff anymore, it even makes me cringe. No one can sing like Axl,thats why we love him so much.  :love:


Lee

Exactly, take GNR for instance... They covered Mama Kin.. didn't change a thing and i like it better than Aerosmiths.

I can cover GNR pretty well i must say.  8)

+1 that's what makes him Axl Fucking Rose
and that's why Velvet Revolver is Velvet Revolver!!!!!

i mean there might be a few guys across the globe that can sing like Axl but just a few!!

Funny story real quick, my cousin just turned 16 last week, and friends and family threw him a surprise party, and we hired a local rock band to
play the party at the end the set the lead singer was like "Happy Birthday , whats you fav. group or song ?" he was like Guns N Roses
The singer face dropped and was like "Oh man" he looked at his band mates and says anybody want to attempt Axl?,  so he just turned to my cousin and said "Happy Birthday Bro"    i thought that was pretty damn funny  :smoking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWDAI_cmU0Y

i like this one by hoobastank

That Hoobastank cover is actually pretty good. I was surprised because, I too, have always felt that NO ONE can cover Guns N' Roses songs.  : ok:

Bumblefoot's cover of SCOM is actually pretty good too...

ftp://ftp.bunglefever.com/pub/Bumblefoot/Most%20Precious%20Blood%20With%20Bumblefoot%20-%20Sweet%20Child%20O%27Mine.mp3


 ;D

Thats very funny, I officially endorse this, that rocks ha, I remember that not too long ago.  :hihi:

But I'm being serious, there are about 5 - 10 tribute CD's for GN'R. And I don't need John Corabi singing Patience, or Kory Clarke mumbling Paradise City (OMG Awful). I appreciate artists paying tribute to GN'R but they must know when they listen to it back it's not even a good attempt.

When I saw GN'R in Vegas in 2006, Hoobastank played a bit of that cover (Civil War), because the crowd was shouting it out.  :hihi:

But I'll say it again, in my opinion, no one on this earth can imitate Axls voice and range, he's amazing.  : ok:


Lee

When I saw VR they did "Used To Love Her". That's a song that maybe you don't remember having the trademark Axl sound, but when Weiland sang it it just sounded so boring and flat, and really made you appreciate Axl's unique voice, even on that song.  I think they picked GnR songs that were less vocally challenging because they had to play some GnR for the fans (they also played some STP, which sounded pretty good). It even seemed like Weiland really wasn't into those songs, but he had no choice. It was cool to see the band play the music, but the vocals were weak.
I saw a GnR tribute band about 7 years ago ("Gett Your Guns"). They were dressed as the band. "Slash" was a fat dude with a bad wig on. "Axl" looked like a tweeked out junkie. But, they weren't bad. In fact, as the night went on, and the drunker I got -- and i was wasted -- they actually sounded pretty good.
I've seen some cover bands in bars cover GnR and it pretty much always makes me cringe, but the songs (usually SCOM or Paradise City) always get the crowds pumped up and singing along, so that's cool to see the people getting into it. Plus, when the crowd sings it tends to cover up the singer trying to actually sound like Axl (it never does).

once again... he sings it in the same octave

he doesn't go MY HANDS R TIEDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD


so yeah, people can take it down but that Civil War has no balls with Hoobastank.

and once again, it makes me want to take a nap

Meh. I don't like any GnR cover. I think they can even copy the instrumental and EVEN Axl's voice, but the emotion, the spirit behind GnR songs is what makes them awesome. And that can't be covered.

I like Bumblefoot's SCOM though because it's funny as hell and I'm a big Bumblefoot kiss-ass  :P

I'm not sure whether I agree with this or not. I haven't heard a cover of a GN'R song that I've ever come close to liking. But at the same time I don't think any band/artist are beyond being covered, and in the hands of the right band I'm sure there could be a cover that does the track justice. (the covers of Sweet Child O' Mine that have been released have all been awful). I liked Velvet Revolver doing GN'R songs, but I don't consider them covers... not for 3/5's of the band, at least.

Also, about the Avril Lavigne thing... I'd never seen that before. But at least it was only live, and not released. I just remember some idiot on the Velvet Revolver forum being infuriated that she had covered a GN'R classic. They then provided a link to the cover of Knockin' On Heaven's Door that she released. :rofl:

 :hihi: classic!

She also done Jungle live once or twice. ha

i don't hate it when people cover gnr. that means the tunes are loved.
a good tune is a good tune.

i think its natural that you tend to like a version by your fav singer the best.
bob dylan fans would prefer bob dylan kohd, avril fans avril one and we gnr version.

kay nobody can sing like axl, but in my opinion do a cover is about playing your favourite song and add your own style
not playing it exactly like the original, that would be a copy not a cover
singing it like axl wouldn't fit into this acoustic cover, they've done it their own way
 this one is played in a chilled, silent mood and i think they nailed it down nearly perfect

It's funny how people believe that KOHD is a GN'R song...

Has AL done Jungle live??? *embarrassing*  :-[
What about Pink? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQDo2B3y9tI

I like the Hoobastank cover, actually

D, you are trippin' don't come and tell me this isn't an awesome cover http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DeYSMn4Qrk

I like Sweet Child O' Mine from the Last House on the Left trailer.

AC

Its also easyer for Axl to do that in a studeo where he has unlimited time basicly to record his exact voice.

As for playing live I think the songs need the exact same elements such as instruaments and excetera other wise live and on record it sounds like a half way version.

Ha, I love these guys.

But I have to say the ' Buckethead ' does the solo really good in my opinion. But my fav part of this, is the ending, what the hell is he saying.  :hihi:

but even so, I love these guys passion.  ;)


Lee

 :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Is that John Lennon on drums?
Everyone knows how bad I hate "Tribute" bands.. this just takes the cake.


That Hoobastank cover of Civil War is embarrassing. That would be like Fall out Boy doing Estranged

Yeah, I agree with helenluna. No one can imitate Axl's voice, but I do like the cover by Hoobastank. I am a fan of Pink also, but "Hey, Pink! Do ya' know who sings that song? Yeah? Well, let's leave it that way!!"  :peace:

This is an interesting topic to contemplate - so thanks, D for posing this question.

I agree that there is no cover of Guns N' Roses that I like or enjoy. Of course, in this equation, the result directly correlates to the variable of personal taste. I am obviously and proudly biased as a fan of everything Guns N' Roses is and does.

I would listen to Axl and Guns N' Roses recite the text on the back of a cereal box and be most content.

Empirically, Axl is a genius, a brilliant singer and composer and one of history's biggest icons. In fact, I think how fortunate we are to be alive during the time of Guns N' Roses and Axl's time much in the same way audiences and fans of Mozart, Elvis, the Beatles or Zeppelin were.

After Axl and Guns N' Roses has performed a song, any singer and band has enormous shoes to step into. Especially if they are trying to imitate Axl and Guns - which is virtually unimaginable - rather than singing the song in their own style.

A large part of this is obviously due to Axl's extraordinary vocal range, phrasing, his preternatural talent, his unparalleled mindfulness and stage presence. He is one of the greatest frontmen of all time. While performing, it's quite difficult not to be drawn in by his natural magnetism.


Another part is that Guns N' Roses is iconic and visionary, so it isn't often that those who perform homage or imitate Guns will receive favorable comparisons.

It's like looking at a copy of a Van Gogh, de Kooning, Dali, Hopper, or da Vinci painting - it looks the same: same colors, same shadows, same lighting.  When you touch the canvas, the paint might even feel similar - but there's still something missing. These artists may be sincere in their efforts to mimic their idols but their copies typically are not interesting, memorable or enjoyable to me.

Yet, Andy Warhol's serigraph prints of da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" and Dali's self-portrait as da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" are interesting to me. I believe it is because Warhol and Dali each had his own genius and we saw the "Mona Lisa" through each artist's eyes.

I think that it's interesting that I too have not heard any cover of a Guns N' Roses song that I like or enjoy yet Axl and Guns N' Roses can cover any song and I find that I'm hearing the song for the first time.

Much like Warhol and Dali, it's because I'm hearing it through Axl's and Guns N' Roses's - they way they hear it and see it, their visionary genius. This artistic genius does not happen often - we're lucky if we get it once in a lifetime. That's what makes Axl and Guns N' Roses so amazing.


dreamer girl

Yeah, what she said!  ^ Nicely worded, dreamer girl!   : ok:

yup, that was a great post dreamer girl :)

Too early in the morning over here to get into that  heavy reading hehe!

Generally I feel that for any cover to be successful it is not enough just to copy the original, but one has to add something new and personal. This is where so many fail. This Axl77/Gareth guy has done his thing fairly successfully and I enjoy the covers, esp. Paradise City http://www.youtube.com/user/axl77#p/c/D8FEACDCCE3955C4/5/crN-XPQH1E0. Tempo, singing style etc. is nothing like the originals but it's all done well and like it means something. I'm not saying that the covers are necessarily better than the originals, just different, yet enjoyable. Btw, I did not think Pink was all that bad,  but Hoobastank was enough to put you to sleep in just about 2 secs.

Y'all lay off Avril. She can sing what she wants alright? Alright...


Anyway, I haven't actually heard that many bands cover GNR. I like this cover of YCBM by the band Damone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUkt1AONIBs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUkt1AONIBs). Sounds not bad with a female singer.

I've also heard some electronic/industrial band called Schizoid cover My World, which I actually like. (I've just discovered, it was posted on HTGTH ages ago. If you go to http://www.dtrashrecords.com/ (http://www.dtrashrecords.com/), click on 'Discography', scroll down to 2003, click on 'Schizoid - Covered In Metal', you can listen to it there. You may wish you hadn't bothered, you may be glad you did... :P)

From what I remember, Hole's cover of PC was fairly bad, but I think they were taking the piss a bit on that one...

D, FYI, sometimes Axl has trouble hitting the notes live

Ture but what singer is completely perfect  :)

I'm as big a GNR fan as the next guy but for anyone to say that GNR can NOT be covered is just a moronic statement.  Just because we've only heard their songs covered by hacks, doesn't mean it can't or won't be done well by someone.  Off-hand I would think that Prince could not only cover Axl's range and flair, but he could also kick ass on any and all the guitar parts.

He could but still its Prince who really likes him anymore  :hihi:

The tribute album "Bring you to your knees" was great IMO - they took GN'R to a to a much darker place and most of the bands did a great job.

Cool acoustic cover of Better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw5gSgZFqfI

Better does have that sound that is good on acoustic! I knew it before and I know it now.

Would be interesing to hear an acoustic version performed by Guns. I liked this

It kind of reminds me of Patence when its played like that.

love the excuses being made to counter arguments :hihi:

Someone should just get it over with and start the thread: "No one can go anything better than Guns N Roses"

Im not saying that as a GNR fanboy, Look at my karma, Lord knows I've had my share of criticisms

but its just an observation i made and it gets confirmed everytime I hear a band cover GNR

Okay, I'm not a fan of anyone covering GnR, but... I would fucking LOVE it if Prince covered a GnR song! Vocals and guitar! I think on some drunken night I mentioned somewhere here that I would like to hear a collaboration of Prince with Axl. They are both musical geniuses, and both immensely talented. How cool would it be if Prince wandered onto stage and did the solo for "TIL"?  Hey, nothing against DJ's solo, but as a longtime Prince fan, I would love to see that happen.  And honestly, I think DJ would dig it too.

I think it's one of those things, that GN'R in their element on their own songs are untouchable. The guitars are great, the vocals are great, and usually the bass and drums are top notch too.
So as far as a band covering the song true to the original version, there is little to no room for improvement.

The only way covering GN'R might be done justice is if the song as taken in a completely direction musically/stylistically.

Hi all!
Here's me "trying" to sing some gn'r stuff with my tributeband..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70ptx3hwk6E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWPyhyukRWk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsGt3f5lz7E

Cheers from Italy  :beer:
leo

Well I give you a thumbs up for sure : ok:.  Pretty damn good job, and it looks like you are having a good time doing it,  good for you :yes:

Mogwai did a pretty good job on 'Don't Cry'.

For the rest there is not one cover I really like. Not impressed.
Fergie singing Paradise was embarrassing.

Maybe Dj would enjoy that too much!!!  Doesn't Prince have a "recluse" type of reputation?  After the Trailer Park Boys made a few guest appearances at the GNR shows in Canada, Dj seems to have now become a pimple on Bubbles' butt.  So if you're really a longtime Prince fan, would you wanna 'wish' Dj on him like that?  :hihi:


I don't think I would actually like to see Prince do a guest appearance with GNR.  I think he would be better suited to maybe do a cover of a GNR song with that band that Scott Weiland used to be in.  :-X

Thanks a lot msaxl43!!

I think Prince would be better suited to play with Duff , as Prince was one of his major inspirations, they would probably collaborate well together and could be interesting.  Just my thoughts of course.

I dare anybody to tell me that this is not the best GNR cover of all time!

The only cover ever to do Axl justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wu0aEwhjj4

Oh wow!!  I'm gonna have to go back to bed and get up again, gonna pretend this did not happen to my ears this morning :P. 

msaxl43 i think it alright tho ???

this scom is also smooth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLk84pB5gKU

or this should heal ya ears!

the 0:25, 0:31 and 0:36 marks surely are impressive. :yes:

Now I am not here to bash anyones talents, or shall I say lack of when it comes to GNR covers, but I tend to be partial to the real deal, due to the fact It is guaranteed to make my ears happy every time.  Axl is way to unique for anybody to try and duplicate his talents.  I understand it is all done in fun, and people enjoy GNR's music, I am not taking that away from anyone, I guess I am just one who does not enjoy covers.  Hope I haven't sounded rude, as that is not my intention.  Let me also clarify, it is not so much the music being covered as it is the singing that usually ruins it for me.  I will admit though I enjoyed the band that played at the HardRock in Lisbon in 06, I can't remember band name, but you guys were pretty damn good :beer:

I have a friend who is big into Punk music. Back in the mid 90's (96-97) he played this AFI cover of My Michelle for me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkyoBkphFW0

Aaargh, oh my god!
I feel like my ears just got raped. Thanks!

 :hihi:

Uh, I thought my karaoke  version of Paradise was the worst ever.....until I heard this.

This is good stuff man! : ok:
By far one of the better tribute GNR bands I have heard.

yeah, since the only musicians talented enough to play music that complex happen to be in the band.  or were in the band, but were let go in favor of more talented musicians.

WOW! You are very kind, thank you for your words JDog!  :beer:

No problem man I wish there were more tribute bands like yours.

Hell just last week I heard this band try and play SCOM no one knew what the fuck they were playing untill the singing started and boy was I pissed off.
I hate those bands if your gonna try playing GN'R you better not half ass it or else its just gonna suck :P

yes good music gets covered and copied by those who love it.
 
that's why mozart is played in any town in the world now. im not a huge fan but i mention this because morzart was brought up earlier.
i doubt many of us got to know his pieces if we were in his days.

I honestly can't think of any GN'R covers that I like... other than like that one tribute album that was done in all acoustic guitars. That was pretty cool, but I wouldn't really consider those "covers."

I don't remember having heard this before, I think it's cool and different and decided to dig out this old topic...hope you guys enjoy this  ;D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr7EBuz-2xI&feature=related

Covering Chinese Democracy related art work ?

(http://www.megagadgets.nl/images/happymen.jpg)

 :nervous:  :-[  :hihi:

Street Of Dreams is not the only song on Chinese.

I bought the guitar book and most of the songs are freakin' impossible. We wont see any band doing a proper cover for a long time!

I don't think a guitar player actually can cover Shackler's Revenge or Riad N' The Bedouins properly yet. I've never seen anyone even trying to touch those solos. We haven't much fretless guitar players around... and they hardly can cover Ronald's fretless playing.

There's a cover band called Guns 2 Roses, and I like their covers a lot
here's Shackler's Revenge by this band (it's incomplete, but you can make yourself an idea)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44DpRf1Nk_M

Yes, but that band forgot to cover Axl.


This guy only screams and dresses as Axl. If we talk about the voice...well...

Axl's voice is impossible to cover. One of those rare voices where only the original sounds right.  :)

Actually, I don't think this guy is that off with the voice.  Most people when they try to sing like someone else usually end up sounding like a caricature as opposed to actually singing.  The problem is when the person can't really sing and then tries to imitate.  This guy can sing, though his mid-range tone is a little off compared to Axl's.  It also sounds like he's singing more from the throat then from his gut which is likely why his voice loses some power.

At the end of the day, I bet if most people heard this without knowing it was a cover band they'd assume it was Axl.  For what people are looking for when they go to see a cover, that's generally good enough.  Axl's voice is extremely difficult to replicate if you can't sing to begin with so I'd give this guy credit for coming pretty close.

Cheers,

Andrew 

I guess I'm in the minority, but I like the Carrie Underwood covers.  I've always liked it when artists try something you might not expect and she seems to truly be a fan.

OH COME ON MAN!!!!!! Are you serious?