Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Just wanted to mention that the second anniversary of Chinese Democracy is coming up, and are we going to mark it in any way :)

Release of CD II!

Just kidding of course -- but I mean I remember walking into Best Buy that morning and seeing all the GNR stuff and being so excited, but then not being able to find a copy cause it wasn't on the shelf yet...

LOL i pre-ordered and got it 2 days early when i got in from work it had been put on the settee so it was the first thing i saw when i walked in  ;D

Highlights of my life include the first time I banged my wife, the birth of my kids, getting my marijuana medical card, finding my dog, and the release of Chinese Fucking Democracy (and not necessarily in that order...J/K (or something)).

I plan on listening to it quite a bit on November 23, just as an anniversary type thing.

Your awesome!  ;D

I was thinking that myself this morning. I still remember buying an actual copy of the album, whilst listening to it on my iPod and the woman at the checkout asked if I was in a hurry! - I think the GNR shirt may have give it away!

I planned on sacrificing a goat on the date it was released but I don't have a goat, so I guess I will just be getting on with my normal life......

     well like most of u....i waited and waited and waited for this album....for years.  i had already downloaded and heard many songs live in 02 and 06.  i have been GNR's biggest fan since 1988.  But to be honest...i haven't listened to it in a year and a half.  IT WAS JUST OK...NOTHING SPECIAL AND HAS NO REPLAY VALUE.  if he has nothing better in store then my favorite band IS OFFICIALLY DEAD. 

I just really hope he puts something out before he's past his 50's or before he loses a great guitar player once again...

too bad we've seen more breakups then makeups

I believe you mean that you hope THEY as in the band because GnR isn't all about Chirs Pitman ya know!

 ;D Your posts r pure gold..

2 years later i realized that CD it's already a classic. To me is like Queen II, quality, complexity and leaves you wanting more.. i really hope that CD II some day rock my ears.

Classic albums don't die, they get better with time..

Well... that's your opinion..

The same thing happened to me with Velvet Revolver, Loaded and all Slash bands/solo work, the same type of generic formula, that's no replay value right there..

CD is an honest attempt to make something new and fresh, and for me it worked very well..

Well, then you were never a true fan to begin with

i agree with cbeier78 , with the only exeption, that i never actually bought the album. I only listened to the tracks online, on the website....

To say some-one is not a real fan because he or she does not blindly loves everything a band makes seems a bit rude to me though?

But then again, people with 100's of lp's of that band are most likely never to listen them offcourse....

For something which I listen to almost every single day since it came out, I wouldnt label the album as having "no-replay value".

Also, if anyone even consider his/her "favorite band dead", then its time to logout. Seriously, youre not a fan anymore and there's nothing GNR can do about it.

if you not listen to the new stuff, and don't buy the new things, but want to enjoy the old stuff, am i still allowed to be a fan? Ok, not today's work, but well, still?

Ow never mind, i did not want to (re)start a long gone discussion at all, just saying some-one is not a true fan, seems somewhat rude to me, that was all.

I hope you all have a great day on the anniversary to come, really. :peace:

If you think a band still active is dead, no - you're not a fan anymore. You may love their previous work, but you're just a fan of part of the whole thing. Im sorry, but when I like only part of a band discography I dont call myself a fan - and I dont think thats a big deal, really.

Would be a nice discussion though, to determine the definition of what a fan really is?

I mean, i have many items, been to live shows, collected stuff, paper clippings, all the things a fan would do, but, maybe, nowerdays, i might rather call myself a collector?
And you're right, it is now big deal, sorry for that, but still, considering the fact that i really like the Guns N' Roses of the old days, and have collected so much things, not to be called "a true fan to begin with" seems just, well, a little of an offense, though i am not sure of the reason of that feeling......

What the hell are you doing in this thread then?

Obviously it doesn't concern you because you didn't even bother buying the album.



Pointless trolling.



It's still the most listened album in my iTunes library.

My most played track changes all the time. Currently it's Shackler's Revenge. Probably because of the tour...  :D



/jarmo

Sorry.......

Was just reading, and felt the need to defend myself, that was all, it is in no way my intention to, erm, troll? (some explanation required?)

But, point taken, will remove myself.....

Hey Jarmo, i dont understand why my post was deleted, i guess because of the "leaking season" part, but i was just kidding man.

Sure it would be great to have some leaks, but hey... i bought the album, as a matter of fact i bought two versions of the album.

the original one and the shm-cd version, so i dont think my comment is offensive at all... but i apologize if that was kind of offensive to you

Classical album. I listen to it almost everyday and is no way near "done" with it, nor lyrically nor musically, just awsome record!

It's wort a goat or two...or maybe som Jack Daniels, which was what I was drinking first time I listended to it. Was I smoking cigarr? Too drunk to remember...

Great album, and for those of us who were around since the Illusions, we can all appreciate it just a little bit more cant we?  It is a different kind of record, especially for Guns.  I wish it was more accepted here in the States, but some people were out to hate it from the start, it never really had much of a chance to be a commercial success.  Nevermind how the ball was dropped about 80 different ways upon its release.  But thats the nature of the business, I'm just glad we have the record and we can all enjoy it.  It goes back to my philosophy on music, whats good is not always popular and what is popular is not always good.  It couldn't be more true in this case.  Truly great record that I will always listen to, until im 100, if I go that long.

True... theres not a single album of GNR's discography that i dont love. Theres not a single song on GNR's discography that i dont love too ;D

I just realised this is the first time in my whole life that I listen to an album (more tracks, less tracks, depending the day) on a daily basis for 2 consecutive years.

Something similar happened to me with The Beatles' White Album and Sabbath's Paranoid. But trust me this time it was on a REAL daily basis.

Bet GNR album ever, the best of the decaded IMHO and one of the best in rock history. Never thought one of this things before of a GNR album, and I am a long time fan...

Sorry if I don't see the humor in stealing from the band and fucking things up for them. For selfish reasons.

It also has very little to do with what the topic is about...




/jarmo

Hi Jarmo,

I know that you'd never divulge information that was not your to give out, but ...
Do you have any idea as to what is next for Guns N' Roses? Do you think that they will tour in the United States next year? Do you think that the shows this December are the final shows of the tour? Do you think they will release another album next year?

Thanks, I know you don't give out secrets, but anything you can say would be much appreciated.
I have been checking the net every day for the last 2 years for word of a U.S. tour and I am about to give up hope.

Happy 2nd Anniversary Chinese Democracy! And Happy 14th Anniversary Here Today ... Gone to Hell!!

I still have my Chinese Democracy Vinyl sealed, it's like the holy grail in my house.  ;D

I still listen to CD, just as much when it was released. My favourite track is still This I Love with Better being a close 2nd. When I think back to the release now, it brings back so many memories.

I booked a whole 2 weeks off work, just for the event of the release. I stayed up the whole night before, and then headed up to town while it was still pitch black dark.  :hihi:

And when I came home with the CD, I sat down as if I'd just discovered a rare diamond in the mountains on my travels.  :)

A really nice time for everyone on the boards too, everyone was excited and who can forget everyone taking pics of themselves with it.

I don't like The Spaghetti Incident myself, but I appreciate your devotion.  : ok:

Its not about the stealing, its about wanting that bad to listening to good music, deep down inside you agree with me  :P

For me is has :) And more than any earlier album now. I've been GNR fan since 1990 ;)

No, I definitely don't agree with you.

I want to hear new GN'R music, BUT not at that price.

There's a difference. So stop trying to justify what you say by making up excuses.



/jarmo

Amazing Album, The Best Of Decade... I Believe Chinese Democracy Sold:

7 Millions Of Copies Aprox, Good Sales

 :beer:

Chinese Democracy SOLD OUT : ok:

My Favorite GN'R Album

it's like an all star line up with all the talented muscians that contributed to it well worth the wait.

My Top 7 Most Played songs on itunes

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Better
3. Shackler's Revenge
4. There Was A Time
5. This I Love
6. Prostitute
7. I.R.S

and on November 23 i will walk around with proud with my Chinese Democracy shirt listening to none other but they greatest album in the world Chinese Democracy

Think about what journey this CD has been on, and the amount of effort and time put into it. Then think about all of the amazing musicians who are featured on it, it's just epic.

No other CD has been on the journey that CD has, it's truely unique and captures a moment in time. Never again will an album be so anticipated, as Chinese Democracy was.

Then if you try to think about the actual music, you will pass out. Because through all those factors, you will realise the pure awesomeness of CD.  : ok:

I don't have an itunes, but CD and Bumblefoot's Abnormal are the album I listened the most. I love it, and even though I was expecting a huge album, it blew me away in a brutal way. I love the old stuff, yes, but Catcher in the Rye, for me, is the best GnR song ever, This I Love the most beautiful GnR song ever, Shackler's Revenge the most intense song, Riad has the best riffs, etc. I simply love it in every possible way. Thank you, Axl. Thank you Bumblefoot, Buckethead, Robin, Paul Huge, Brain, Tommy, Chris, Dizzy, etc. :peace:

That's what I'm getting at.

If someone compiled a list of all the musicians, all the engineers, all the equipment. It would be the most talented and skilled people in the business, it can't get much better than the personel on CD.


I don't think Axl could have assembled a better band or personel line-up, if he could of handpicked people from all over the world. I also remember Brain saying he recorded his drums in an old temple on the roof of a studio. That's what I love, the epicness and larger than life feel that surrounds Chinese Democracy.

It's just a shame that the record company, dropped the ball regarding promoting the release.

One of the things that stands out for me is that virtually every track on the album has its passionate fans.

Another is that like most great albums, I had my initial favorites ("Better," "There Was a Time,"), then new faves emerged ("Prostitute," "If the World") and still others were slow burners that took a year or so to really sink in ("Scraped," "Catcher in the Rye.")

Two years later, it still hasn't gotten old.

I still think Better and Riad are two of the greatest examples of the cutting-edge rock and new approach to the old-school rock riffs I was kinda expecting from the band back in the '90s. And those two are my favorites too. :)

It's a good time to reflect back on the era before the album, what it was like the day it came out, and experiencing the aftermath.

I wrote a piece about it right around the time it came out.  Reading it again today, it still speaks exactly how I feel about the whole thing.

For anyone interested, you can find the piece HERE (http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=52891375&blogId=451241825).

It truly was a melting pot and did have something for everyone, just like Axl said that it would. I still find myself listening to TWAT and IRS pretty frequently.

Who can forget the listening parties set up all over the US.

I was listening to an old talking metal podcast where they were at the listening party, and they had an interview with Ron.

Good times indeed.

What a great pre-Christmas present that was from Axl at the end of 2008.
My wife truly made it a Christmas present by buying me an extra CD that she framed for me and is still hanging on my wall above my computer monitor. 
On the wall to my right is the actual album framed as well.

Wonderful memories...me and my bro-in-law first at the Best Buy door...cranking that fucker up on the ride home...by the time The Blues started I had tears in my eyes.  I like to call them happy tears.   :love:

This I Love still hits me in a place no other song can touch.  I sure hope the band knows how much their work is appreciated.
 :peace: 

ill never forget the listening parties. one of the best experiences iv ever been a part of.

It's so true about liking certain songs more than others at first. But then your faves change and you see CD in a different way.

When I first heard shacklers it just didn't stick with me, but now I love it and I'm so glad I got to hear it live a few weeks back.

What I've been doing lately is adjusting my equaliser settings so as to pick up specific instruments on the different tracks.  Its quite novel and doesn't quite sound right but, I'm really loving the various bits that would otherwise be missed/merged from my "normal" settings.

The various parts that make up Prostitute, TWAT, Madagascar, This I Love and Better are individually stunning, as a whole I'm appreciating these tracks more and more.  I'm not anti the the other tracks, its just I haven't listened to them in this mode too often. Yet.

I'm such a wanna be musician and have 95:5 right/left bias but, I'm so unteachable that the only instrument I am capable of playing is the tamborine or triangle  :hihi:

Would so love to play the guitar or drums and living in a detached house have the main tools to facilitate this (no p1$$1ng off the neighbours), but without spending copious amounts of time doing something that I don't have a talent for isn't something I can do.  So I have taken the option to lean towards finding out the individual contributions

Im just so unteachable as well, but i would love to be a musician, or to have the talent to be one haha :hihi:

I also do what you do with the equalizer on the chinese democracy tracks, and its great to hear the little bits in the background

Wow. I had to do a double take just to confirm that I am in fact posting on a GNR fan forum.  ::)

How anyone could come to such a conclusion after listening to the album is beyond me. I've been listening to the album consistently since it's release, and while my most listened to tracks do change (currently IRS and TWAT), I can't even begin to grasp someone making comments like yours and truly meaning it. By chance, did you tell yourself that you were going to feel this way even before giving the album a fair listen? I don't mean to throw stones, but listening to your description of how you feel about the album and seeing your avatar does make me wonder this.

If Axl has something that is even half as good as Chinese D in store for us, I will be a very, very happy and appreciative fan.

        i think a large part of it for me is i ruint it for myself.  i listened to the leaks steady for 2 years and also heard a large portion of it live a couple times.  and now that i've read through the comments i find myself to be a lying, bumbling idiot.  IT IS GREAT....there are some great songs on it...i honestly think the leaks destroyed it for me.  it had no wow or surprise element to it.  I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN.  and i hope there is no possibility for that to ever happen to another album again.

Yes I agree.

Although This I Love is my favourite, Better is a close 2nd. I remember thinking how perfectly it sounded when I first heard it. Almost like it was robotic, how the lyrics went perfectly with the guitar power chords.

And Riad is a fine example of industrial rock, it's fast paced tempo goes brilliantly with the howls of Axl. I never realised how catchy this song was until I listened to the HOB bootleg from 2001.

Level Of Musicians

 :drool: :drool: :drool:

Sorry still blows me away. I regrettably heard the leaks too, I'm no "downloading motherf*cker" though the same can't be said of some of my Guns loving friends, but Sorry was completely unheard of (by me). It was awesome then and it's awesome now.

To those who don't like it, "I'm sorry for you, not sorry for me..."

 ;) 

I still have my Vinyl sealed, but that will change soon. Chinese Democracy is too damn good to be sealed for the rest of it's days, I'm gonna open it up and look at all the artwork.  ;D

I'm getting fond memories from the release, as this was the time of the year it all happened. I do believe it is the best album ever, so much magic. When I first got the album I used to go to my room, turn all the lights off, and just listen to the album in it's entirety.

CD represents so much more than just quality music, but also hope, freedom, maturity. It also solidifies all of the fans patience and religious devotion during all these years. It's kind of like being able to physically hold a myth, and an iconic cultured piece of art. And you still can't believe you are holding this diamond, which you wondered and longed for, on a daily basis for a substantial part of your life.

This is the promised land, and we have finally reached the pot of gold at the end of the storm.

Lets rejoice Gunners.  ;D

Well, after getting my holy grail (aka chinese democracy), Im just waiting for the other one: Gran Turismo 5 for PS3. :hihi:

Bring it on Duke Nukken Forever! :headbanger:

About CD: I even took a picture with my buddy at the store the day we bought it. I ordered 2 copies (the other one to my wife). But I think I didnt play it more than 5 times - I always listen to the mp3 version. But I do love to take a look at the artwork and linear notes. ;D

Two years later N' it still sounds fresh!!

I just want to wish Chinese Democracy a Happy Birthday, it has been 2 years to the day. I will never forget Nov 23rd 2008, what a magical time.

Thank you Axl and Guns N' Roses for creating the best album ever.  ;)

 :beer:

I remember like yesterday going to get the CD. Also got the vinyl (even though I don't own a record player). The guy I went with said his roommate had a sweet turntable setup, so we listened to the first half in the car and the second half on the record player. I still listen to the cd all the time. What is amazing to me is that even after 2 years of constant listening, I STILL hear new stuff on the songs. I was listening to it at the gym on my mp3 just the other day and I just stopped working out for a few minutes and held my earphones tight to my ears and listened to layers of music I didn't even realize were there before. Incredible. I think that is part of why the album was underappreciated. There is SO much going on musically that to the casual listener they just miss so much of that, or just don't care, they just maybe want it to be simpler, even though that is a big part of what makes this music so incredible. To celebrate the anniversary, I plan on putting on the headphones and just listening to the CD alone and enjoying all of the layers and subtleties.   
:beer:

well here it is 2 years on, i think it still feels new to me, i agree with the previous post about hearing different sounds on there i remember trying to hear Sebastian`s whistle in sorry (finally heard it in the kitchen cooking dinner lol) i still love Prostitute and the piano at the end still makes me sad i cried the first time i heard it, This i love i listen to more since hearing it live. I do think the album is still a mystery i don`t know if other people are the same but i do find myself wondering when the songs were written and when they were recorded what the stories are behind them maybe that's why it`s still as interesting now as it was before it came out. We know Axl wasn`t happy with the lack of promotion and the packaging but you know 2 years on we have an album he should be proud of and a world tour that kicks ass so Happy Anniversary  CHINESE DEMOCRACY  :beer:

Happy Birthday CHINESE DEMOCRACY.I?ll never forget the 23 November 2008...  :peace:

Thanks Axl & Guns?N?Roses for the tour and I hope that they will come to Europe in 2011 again...

Here's my Chinese Democracy story:

I never actually heard the HOB 01 shows and didn't have access to the Rock In Rio III shows. I was a lot less tech savvy in those days, so I didn't know how to get them. The first I ever heard of anything from CD was when they did a little of Madagascar during the VMA 02 Medley. That performance was enough to get me interested in buying tickets for their show here in Detroit a few months after that.

In addition to all the old material, they played Chinese Democracy, The Blues, Madagascar & Riad that night. I was absolutely blown away by the new music and started to find as many bootlegs of the tour as I could to keep listening to the songs. I kept them all and listened constantly through the 02-06 "Dark Ages" then got super excited when I got tickets to the first Hammerstein show in 06. I was SO excited to be standing there when they played songs like Better, IRS & TWaT for the first time live!! And again, I kept getting as many bootlegs of the shows after that to keep listening to the new songs too. 

When the album was finally coming out, I pre-ordered it on Best Buy's website and planned a pre-party at my house for release day. I also went to the listening party thrown by our local radio station the week before release. I was one of the people who Best Buy shipped their order to early so my vinyl and CD actually showed up at my house on the day of the listening party.

The listening party itself was a riot and we had quite a time. Then my own release party at my house (which kicked off at 8am!) was awesome. Since it's release, I've probably listened to the album at least a literally 500 times and it's just not getting old. There's even a few songs (CitR & Sorry for sure) that I wasn't crazy about at first but have since grown on me quite a bit.

I'm working a ridiculous amount of hours today (I'm in retail in the US) so I won't have much free time. But what little free time I have will be spent listening to Chinese Democracy!

Happy 2 Year Anniversary!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY CHINESE DEMOCRACY!!!  :beer:

Tks for these 2 years of great music!!! It looks like it was yesterday!!! OMG the time is running sooooo fast! :o
And of course... Tks GNR, Tks Lebeis family, Tks HTGTH and Tks Jarmo

(http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/musik/music-smiley-017.gif) HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!  (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/musik/music-smiley-017.gif)

         (http://gypsysoul.lunarpages.com/cd2.jpg)

Two great years, may I say. I can only feel sorry for the haters who keep missing such a trully epic effort with such a great history behind it.

Well i love it, its just fit seemlessly into my music collection, i usually listen to it on the running machine, so I go through till the end of TWAT and then shuffle on up to Madagascar which really gets me going. When I'm listening to it in the car then I don't skip any of it. The first five are the top five on my itunes.

At first I wasn't sure that the music was as memorable as say WTTJ or NR but now I think that some of the playing is timeless, I'd put Better, Shacklers, the end of TWAT and the solo on TIL up there with any 'old guns' stuff. The vocals are awsome throughout the whole record, his lyrics have always inspired me. The end of prostitute is so so beautiful, what a stunning way to end the record.

Fingers crossed for a new record for the current line up.

Happy Birthday CD

What a dildo.

i play it regularly.  Its a pretty good albumn. 

Great album Happy Birthday Chinese Democracy  ;D

I'm just starting to play the album from start to finish through my 5.1.

Happy F'N Birthday  : ok:

gunsnroses
To the !MILLIONS! who've supported GNR's Chinese Democracy: THANK YOU! 谢谢 Obrigado ありがとうGracias شكرا Спасибо धन्यवाद #ChineseDemocracy2years
55 minutes ago

after a long time nor listening to any cd songs i've just heard a few again, (Better, Twat, Catcher,Sorry,prostitute) and after that long time without it I appreciate it even more then before.
It's just such an amazing record and I think it might take some time but I think more people will love it when they just don't listen to it for a long time and suddenly do it again!
it blows your mind away!

The thing that sticks out most to me about this record is how REAL it is.  You know?  People can nitpick and say this and that about it, whether it be about the promotion( or lack thereof), or any other type of negativity that surrounded it's release.  Believe me, after following every move this band has made regarding this record since the mid 90's I know all about the negativity. :hihi:  But I think this record is a great gift for the "diehards."   It is 100% real and just screams "Guns N Roses."  It just represents everything that I have loved about this band for the last 20 years.  It is Axl, not giving a fuck about what anyone else wants, says, does etc.. It is him doing his thing.  Actually it is THEM doing THEIR thing, because this is every much a "band" as anyone I have ever heard or seen.  I know people are already talking about a new record, but i am in no rush.  Don't get me wrong, I would buy a new GNR album every day if one came out, but 2 years after hearing this record i am still hearing new things every time I put it on...a truly great album lasts forever.  This is one of them.

some technical issue:

"Appetite For Destruction" (MFSL) (1987) frequencies:
(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3007/gnrafdfrequencies.jpg) (http://img707.imageshack.us/i/gnrafdfrequencies.jpg/)

Chinese Democracy (2008) frequencies :
(http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1627/gnrcdfrequencies.jpg) (http://img84.imageshack.us/i/gnrcdfrequencies.jpg/)

Telsa "Alive in Europe" (2010) frequencies (picked it as bad example and the "Patience Rip-Off"  ;)):
(http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4013/teslaaliveineuropefrequ.jpg) (http://img220.imageshack.us/i/teslaaliveineuropefrequ.jpg/)


link about CD and loudness war:
http://www.gatewaymastering.com/gateway_LoudnessWars.asp

general short but very informative clip about the so called "loudness war" in music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ