So with my hardrive dying and having to d/l a load of stuff I've been sorting through all the demos and whatnot that are out there. I found this thread and it's been a real help so far. Ages ago I bought a bunch of boots off ebay and I ripped all those yesterday, sorting through the stuff to keep and the stuff to ditch. So basically, this post is for people that are new to the game and are wondering which of the various bootlegs to d/l in order to get all the demos. Now most of you will probably know all this, so forgive me if I'm repeating stuff that's been posted before - this is just stuff I've found which I think'll help other fans.
I own copies of the following: the Sessions 2cd boot, No Refrain, Unwanted Illusions (Trashed Illusions), Practice for Destruction and two different versions of November Rain.
*Practice For Destruction isn't needed unless you can't get your hands on a copy of the 'Live From The Jungle EP' or find a d/l of it. The last 3 live tracks on this boot (It's So Easy, Knockin' On Heaven's Door and Whole Lotta Rosie) can be found on the aforementioned EP. Everything else on the boot can be found elsewhere.
*Unwanted Illusions/Trashed Illusions (same boot, different covers) isn't really needed as the material is available on other boots. In my opinion, the only tracks worth having on this cd are 'Axl's Blues', which is basically the band jamming while Axl tells a story about a barfight, and the performance of Yesterdays in a bar, entitled 'Scrap Bar Daze'.
*Welcome To The Sessions isn't needed unless you want to source the songs from a vinyl rip.
After listening to 'No Refrain', 'November Rain' and the 2cd 'Sessions', it's my opinion that you really only need the 2cd 'Sessions' boot, as all the material on both 'No Refrain' and 'November Rain' can be found on the 'Sessions' discs. The material on 'No Refrain' is noticeably louder than on the 'Sessions' disc, but I still prefer the 'Sessions' boot for the overall sound. Out of the two versions of the 'November Rain' boot (one with a grey cover, the other a picture of Slash and Izzy) one is worse than the other in terms of quality. I can't remember which one, but it's not really needed anyway if you get the 'Sessions' boot.
On to 'The Hell Revisited'. A lot of the material is available elsewhere, so these are the only songs which I took from this boot:
The 4 Hollywood Rose tracks at the beginning, 'Out Ta Get Me', 'Anything Goes (alt. lyrics)' (which I believe is Hollywood Rose as well), both 'Rocket Queen's, 'Move To The City (acoustic)' and both 'Instrumental Demo's.
The acoustic MTTC sounds better on this boot than it does on the 'Rumbo Tapes'. Also, the track 'Rocket Queen (6:13)' is the same one found on the 'Sessions' except for an extra bit of guitar at the beginning. The acoustic 'November Rain' on 'The Hell Revisited' has an extra couple of seconds where you can hear someone say 'Go/Let's Go' if you're desperate to hear everything. The track 'Crash Diet' is available in two versions. Basically, one has an extra guitar intro which the other doesn't. To me, they sound the same, so just stick with the long version which is available on the 'Rumbo Tapes' and you've got both.
So.... here's what you need (in my opinion) - The songs from 'The Hell Revisited' mentioned above, these songs from the 2cd 'Sessions' boot:
CD1
1. Jumpin' Jack Flash available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
2. You're Crazy available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
3. Reckless Life available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
4. Heartbreak Hotel available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
5. Shadow Of Your Love available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
6. Welcome To The Jungle available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
7. Move To The City available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
8. Mama Kin available in better quality on the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd
9. Mama Kin
10. Heartbreak Hotel
11. Ain't Goin' Down
12. Jumpin' Jack Flash
13. Jumpin' Jack Flash
14. West Coast Junkie cancelled out by the acoustic MTTC on 'The Hell Revisited'
15. November Rain
CD 2
1. Rocket Queen if you're using the one from 'The Hell Revisited'
2. Night Train
3. My Michelle
4. You're Crazy
5. Paradise City
6. Move To The City
7. November Rain
8. Shadow Of Your Love a better version can be found on the Live And Let Die single
9. Reckless Life
10. Think About You
11. Welcome To The Jungle
12. Don't Cry
13. Nice Boys
14. Back Off Bitch
15. Anything Goes
These songs from the 'Rumbo Tapes':
1. The Garden
2. Don't Cry a better sounding version can be found on the Don't Cry single/promo
3. Yesterdays
4. Sentimental Movie
5. Bad Obsession
6. Crash Diet
7. Anything Goes again, I think this one is from Hollywood Rose
8. Bring It Back Home
9. Back Off Bitch
10. Ain't Goin' Down [instrumental] 11. Move To The City [acoustic] 12. Too Much Too Soon
13. Just Another Sunday
14. Welcome To The Jungle
the 'Cornshucker' cd from Niven and the 'Jumpin' Ax Flash' cd which is also from Alan Niven. Also worth having is the 'Under My Heal' cd which is again, sourced from Alan Niven. I haven't compared the version of 'Mr Brownstone' on this cd with the one on Appetite but for curiosity's sake it's worth having. Also worth having is 'Salt Of The Earth' which Axl and Izzy played with the Rolling Stones, and 'Under My Wheels', which is the studio version that also appeared on the soundtrack to 'The Decline Of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years'. You can find the song on itunes now, albeit with Gene Simmon's voice present before the song starts, so if you're not a fan of Gene, I suggest you stick with the version on the 'Under My Heal' cd.
Other songs that are needed from the Metal Petals compilation:
- Nightrain [Alt. Intro]
- Sweet Child O' Mine
- Mr. Brownstone
I haven't got the version of 'Nice Boys' which appears on the 'American '80s Hair Metal' compilation (listed as 'Re-Recorded' and attributed to Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, Izzy Stradlin, Slash & Steven Adler
) but it sounds interesting enough to buy.
Whew! I haven't got around to sorting through the UYI stuff yet but once I have, I'll post what I found. Also, I hope to get some sort of identification sorted for each version of the demos, like the one which starts with Axl saying 'Ready' and stuff like that.
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