If CD is as bad as Contraband, I'll kill myself

[Captain Obvious]

Yes, Booker. I am a huge Slash fan as a guitarist but at the same time, GnR would never ever ever ever be what they are without Axl. If Slash was replaced by another good guitarist, I am pretty sure we would still have GnR or at least a close version of it.  As a guitarist, he is great, but alot of great guitarists can be replaced without a drastic band makeover.

Besides, if I really like Slash, do I also have to like Snakepit, which in my mind were a joke...and look, snakepit was pretty much GnR with a different singer.

[Dizzy]

Yes, Booker. I am a huge Slash fan as a guitarist but at the same time, GnR would never ever ever ever be what they are without Axl. If Slash was replaced by another good guitarist, I am pretty sure we would still have GnR or at least a close version of it.

Oh yes, the classic, chart topping rock titans Hollywood Rose would be ruling the scene.  

As a guitarist, he is great, but alot of great guitarists can be replaced without a drastic band makeover.

Are you kidding?  You think any other guitarist but Slash could've made "Sweet Child o Mine" what it was?  "Estranged"?  Surely you're joking.  There would be no GNR without Slash.  GNR was the five of them.  No less than the five of them could've made it work.  Axl was 1/5 just like the other four.  He just thinks he's more.

[Dizzy]

then I heard Madagascar and The Blues and realized that I think Axl was in the right all along.

Two ballads convince you Axl was right?    Never mind the mediocre rockers we've heard ("Chinese Democracy" and "Rhiad"), and the godawful "Silkworms" and "Oh My God".  The ballads are good, but the other four made me glad the original members refused to be a part of that kind of shit.

uninspired and forgettable

And which of the six Axl songs are inspired and memorable?  Certainly neither of the ballads.  Granted, they both sound really good (minus the stupid quotes in "Madagascar"), but they both cover the exact same territory of earlier Axl penned ballads.  Nothing original.  And the rockers are average and familiar, and the two industrial songs are pure rubbish.  VR may be straightforward, but if you want to compare inspiration, they've got one up on Axl in the "inspired" category.

I don't blame Axl at all for not wanting to be part of stuff like the above mentioned material.

No, instead he's part of familiar ballads, average rockers, and industrial crap.  Yes, Axl, you've been in the right all along.  

[DRUNK]

The bottomline is that every one of Axl's new songs is stunningly brilliant.  Simply amazing.

[outlawaxl]

I like the lyrics Scott has wrote... I HATED lyrics that Slash and Duff wrote on thier Solo albums...

Slash only wrote some lyrics on the first Snakepit album.  He wrote none on the second.

this may be true, i dont have the albums in front of me to check , but all i know is that "Be The Ball" was written by Slash alone..

and i can remember waiting everyday for the release date for the 2 Snakepit albums and being there that day at openining time to buy them and how fucking dissapointent I was when i got home....

and let down I was when I got Duffs solo album...

Shit I even bought "The Coneheads" Soundtrack to hear Slash play with Micheal Monroe...

sooo i was skeptical of this VR album... I had been let down 3 or 4 times in a row!!!

but come on this album is a good album!!! i love the guitar slide on the intro to Slither....

Loving the Alien, Fall To Pieces, HeadSpace..I dig those right away ...

CD, Rhiayd, Maddy.... Those had to grow on me...

The first 3 songs from VR did not... I liked them right away.....


if you heard the songs and didnt know its old GnR members i think most people would like this CD.....If your like Rock n Roll you will like this CD...

I like Josh Todd better but thats just me....
I like Brides of Destruction better than VR but thats just me...
I like VR coz it rocks.... Its fucking Rock n Roll and thats what i like...

[Dizzy]

The bottomline is that every one of Axl's new songs is stunningly brilliant.  Simply amazing.

Indeed!  I bet "Silkworms" wins a fucking grammy.  

[DRUNK]

The bottomline is that every one of Axl's new songs is stunningly brilliant.  Simply amazing.

Indeed!  I bet "Silkworms" wins a fucking grammy.  

Silkworms is a classic song.  It's got a sour punk type attitude, along with some great well places synthetic melodies.  It kicks ass.  Maybe you should open your mind up a bit, and give it another listen.  It's not what you'd expect from Axl or GNR, that's why you have a problem with it.

[D]

 u cant compared a shitty bootleg of silk worms to a studio track

but yes the boot silk worms was as good as the boot slither

saying this the studio slither sounds 10 times better than the boot did

id be interested to see how awesome studio versions of those axl songs sound

cause a live version isnt any indication of how great it will sound in the studio

slash is awesome on contraband, but yet slash was awesome on the snakepit cds

but how long can u listen to guitar? u know, i mean i dont see any instrumental guitar albums topping the charts so that tells u that vocals,lyrics and melodies are a great part

and quite frankly since slash left GNR he hasnt had anyone to compliment his awesome guitar playing vocally or lyrically or melodically, im giving this album a great chance i mean im struggling hard to like it, and right now its on par with aerosmiths honkin on bobo

i listened to aerosmith bout twice and i think its in the trunk of my car somewhere, and if this album doesnt improve soon its gonna be joining it or its gonna be used as a coaster for my beverages at my computer desk

that being said and ive said it a million times

from new gnr to VR what the old members do kicks ass what the new people have contributed has been average at best, which is why Guns N fuckin Roses is the greatest god damn band in the history of music

5 guys, u take one away the structure falls

that being said, GNR Chinese Democracy will be better simply cause the vocals,lyrics and melodies will be greater

i think new GNR can come closer to slash,duff and izzy than scott can come to axl

now the new gnr can never replace the old band but they can come closer than scott has to replacing axl

as long as the riffs are solid the solos are decent couple that with axl's amazing vocals,lyrics and melodies, u got a huge winner

greatest music in the world doesnt matter if u got shit lyrics and vocals over top of it, scotts vocals are ok but his lyrics  geezzzz read the booklet alone without listening and if u are like me u are shakin your head going "what the fuck"

is it ironic that all the bitching about axl going in such a different direction but yet the best song by far on contraband in my opinion is "loving the alien" which is fuckin awesome! this is the only song besides slither that i actually look forward to listening to over and over, and loving the alien is very different than everything else on the cd and shows what potential this band has if they'd just keep evolving in this vein

disclaimer:  im basing this on first listen, so u know next week i could be raving how this is the greatest cd ever, so keep this in mind while reading the above post. slash's guitar work is so fuckin amazing i miss him so bad with axl!

[Captain Obvious]

Yes, Booker. I am a huge Slash fan as a guitarist but at the same time, GnR would never ever ever ever be what they are without Axl. If Slash was replaced by another good guitarist, I am pretty sure we would still have GnR or at least a close version of it.

Oh yes, the classic, chart topping rock titans Hollywood Rose would be ruling the scene.  

Yeah, its called artists evolving.

As a guitarist, he is great, but alot of great guitarists can be replaced without a drastic band makeover.

Are you kidding?  You think any other guitarist but Slash could've made "Sweet Child o Mine" what it was?  "Estranged"?  Surely you're joking.  There would be no GNR without Slash.  GNR was the five of them.  No less than the five of them could've made it work.  Axl was 1/5 just like the other four.  He just thinks he's more.

How about Estranged...did Steven make that work? How about November Rain? The genius that is Adler must be surely responsible for that masterpiece.

To even claim that someone like Matt or Duff or Steven is just as much responsible for these gems as Axl...is a slap in the face. There are thousands of rock n roll bands out there...guess who's the most important? Yes, the singer.
Take, a crap band like Nickelback, replace the singer with Axl...you get a brilliant band. Take a crap band like nickelback and replace the whole damn band with any previous GnR members other than Axl and you still have good ol' nickelback - except with some funky sounds.

And the whole 1/5 theory is rediculous. Lets take Snakepit...we had Gilby, we had Slash, we had Matt, 3 of the people that played Estranged (I think Izzy wrote instead of Gilby though). Lets see here, so by logic, Snakepit shouldn't be that bad...right?  But, unfortunately, that's what's missing...logic.

[Dizzy]

Silkworms is a classic song.

A classic?    Yeah, I'm sure it'll be regarded as one of the all-time greats if a studio version ever gets released.  I'm sure it'll find its way onto radio stations and retrospective rock music compilations the world over.  And the sheer brilliance of its lyrics will bemuse and bewilder songwriters for generations to come.  

Maybe you should open your mind up a bit, and give it another listen.

Oh god, shut the hell up with that "open your mind" SHIT.  I don't give a fuck how many times I listen to it, it's going to be crap every time.

Hey, maybe you should "open your mind" and give Contraband another listen.

Yeah, didn't think so.  

It's not what you'd expect from Axl or GNR

You're right, I expect quality material from such a talented songwriter as Axl.  Granted, he didn't write it, but he performed it under the GNR name.

that's why you have a problem with it.

Wrong.  I have a problem with it because it's crap by any standards (even rappers would be ashamed of such a song), and inexcusable by GNR standards.

[Imfuckincrazy]

Silkworms is a classic song.  It's got a sour punk type attitude, along with some great well places synthetic melodies.  It kicks ass.

That's your opinion. Many people here can agree that Silkworms is a piece of shit (and if Ivan's rumor is true, Axl doesn't seem to like it too much either). If you really believe it's a great song, good for you.  

Maybe you should open your mind up a bit, and give it another listen.

Yeah, Dizzy, maybe you should do some coke - it'll help you open your mind and enjoy the song...

How many more listens will it take, DRUNK, in order to enjoy the song?
 

It's not what you'd expect from Axl or GNR, that's why you have a problem with it.

I'm glad you think you know what people base their opinions on.

[Dizzy]

Yeah, its called artists evolving.

Only in your mind.  Hollywood Rose would've simmered and died without the other original GNR members, and Axl Rose would be back stealing from malls in Indiana.

There are thousands of rock n roll bands out there...guess who's the most important? Yes, the singer.
Take, a crap band like Nickelback, replace the singer with Axl...you get a brilliant band. Take a crap band like nickelback and replace the whole damn band with any previous GnR members other than Axl and you still have good ol' nickelback - except with some funky sounds.

God, what bullshit.  You are have an apt username, no doubt.     The singer more important than any other band member?  You are so far beyond explanations that it's no longer amusing.  Apparently you forget (or probably just didn't know) that original members WRITE songs.  Slash WROTE the parts for "Sweet Child o Mine" and "Estranged".  Sure, another guitarist could learn to play them.  But they couldn't have written them.  Those songs wouldn't be nearly what they were without Slash, and you're only kidding yourself if you believe they would be.

And yes, the original band IS as responsible for "Estranged" as Axl, because if Axl had brought that song to the new band, it would be nothing more than a bunch of clicks, whistles, and electronic farts, with some mindless Buckethead shredding thrown in for good (bad) measure.

And the whole 1/5 theory is rediculous.

Like hell.  It took 5 members to make Guns N Roses work, and it doesn't work as well with one or more missing.  Get it through your head: Axl Rose is NOT Guns N Roses.  End of story.

[DRUNK]

Jesus Christ, Dizzy is a fucking moron.  

[Dizzy]

Jesus Christ, Dizzy is a fucking moron.

WHOA!  I am dumbfounded by the eloquence and intelligence found in this reply!  WOW!  Did mommy help you with that?  She didn't?  Get out of here, you managed to formulate such a humbling, intellectually superior reply such as that on your own?  Damn, somebody give the drunk a prize!  

Well I am completely defeated here!  There's no possible way I could conjure up an intelligent reply to refute that remarkable display of genius!

Well done!  

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Yeah, its called artists evolving.

Only in your mind.  Hollywood Rose would've simmered and died without the other original GNR members, and Axl Rose would be back stealing from malls in Indiana.

There are thousands of rock n roll bands out there...guess who's the most important? Yes, the singer.
Take, a crap band like Nickelback, replace the singer with Axl...you get a brilliant band. Take a crap band like nickelback and replace the whole damn band with any previous GnR members other than Axl and you still have good ol' nickelback - except with some funky sounds.

God, what bullshit.  You are have an apt username, no doubt.     The singer more important than any other band member?  You are so far beyond explanations that it's no longer amusing.  Apparently you forget (or probably just didn't know) that original members WRITE songs.  Slash WROTE the parts for "Sweet Child o Mine" and "Estranged".  Sure, another guitarist could learn to play them.  But they couldn't have written them.  Those songs wouldn't be nearly what they were without Slash, and you're only kidding yourself if you believe they would be.

And yes, the original band IS as responsible for "Estranged" as Axl, because if Axl had brought that song to the new band, it would be nothing more than a bunch of clicks, whistles, and electronic farts, with some mindless Buckethead shredding thrown in for good (bad) measure.

And the whole 1/5 theory is rediculous.

Like hell.  It took 5 members to make Guns N Roses work, and it doesn't work as well with one or more missing.  Get it through your head: Axl Rose is NOT Guns N Roses.  End of story.

I have to agree with the singer thing.
The singer IS the most important person in the band.
Case and point Van Halen.
They have had three singers: Roth, Haggar and Gary Sharone.
And with each new singer the band got worse.
Sharone was just bad for VH, Haggar was good but not nearly as good as roth.

So that band had the same backing band and three singers and the singer made a huge difference.

You can say the songs estranged and scom would not be the same without slash that is fine, and look at nov rain and just the piano versions, its still amazing.
And another guitarist would have written great solos for those songs.
God people talk like shit is the best guitarist ever and that without slash gnr would not have any great solos.
Well the madagascar solo is great and so is the blues solo.
Robin wrote the blues solo and BH the maddy one.
And  you can't say what kind of solos they would have had since the blues has no electronic farts as  you called them in it, and BH can write great non shredding solos, didnt you hear electric tears?

Other guitarists can also write good solos, you slash fans know that right?
And about SCOM, if slash had his way, that intro never would have been used since axl had to twist slashs arm to keep playing it.

Bascially VR is gnr without axl, and its nowhere near as good as AFD or the UYIs.
We are still waiting on Axl but madagascar is one of the best gnr songs ever and that is a so called B side.

[younggunner]

they've got one up on Axl in the "inspired" category.

The only thing that is inspiring from Contraband is Weilands "Thank You Notes" to his wife,  in the back of the booklet...

Im done with the boards for a lil {Even though Dizzy is tempting me to respond,but whatever}.... peace to all

[Mr Cowbell ?]

and let down I was when I got Duffs solo album...

I thought I was one of the only ones out there with "Believe in Me" Personally its not horrible but its not great. Duff has good backround vocals

[Mikkamakka]

I have to agree with the singer thing.
The singer IS the most important person in the band.
So that band had the same backing band and three singers and the singer made a huge difference.

You can say the songs estranged and scom would not be the same without slash that is fine, and look at nov rain and just the piano versions, its still amazing.
And another guitarist would have written great solos for those songs.
God people talk like shit is the best guitarist ever and that without slash gnr would not have any great solos.
Well the madagascar solo is great and so is the blues solo.
Robin wrote the blues solo and BH the maddy one.

Other guitarists can also write good solos, you slash fans know that right?
And about SCOM, if slash had his way, that intro never would have been used since axl had to twist slashs arm to keep playing it.

Bascially VR is gnr without axl, and its nowhere near as good as AFD or the UYIs.
We are still waiting on Axl but madagascar is one of the best gnr songs ever and that is a so called B side.

The singer could be the most important part of a band, but it's not necessary. If you take Plant out of Led Zep or replace with someone, I agree it won't be Led Zep. But if you take Page out, it's not Led Zep. They finished the whol LZ thing with Bonham dead and they were right. Same for GN'R - if the wrote an album after Izzy's left, it wouldn't be GN'R, 'cause he was a big factor. And with only Axl, it's not GN'R - do you think John Lennon's past Beatles recordings were Beatles? Or Robert Plant made the Led Zep records of the 80s and 90s? Well, I know, that Axl is so special that he is the only one who was a band himself, and he could team even with MC Hammer, the result would be GN'R. I understand that people with a less musical understand always identify the singer with a band, baecause they don't have any idea about the music.

Are you kidding that the Madaascar solo can be compared with any Slash solo? I fell asleep when BH starts that boring solo. I respect the guy, he's really fast and a skliied player, but lacks the musical fantasy. That's it. The solo for Blues is much better, but CD solo simply sucks, and Robin Finck is not consiedred to be a good guitarist. He didn't write a song before he joined GN'R - when CD will be released we'll know if he has any talent. I think he doesn't.

VR is not GN'R without Axl, 'cause Izzy's not there.
GN'R is not only Axl - the new 'GN'R' songs are really far from AFD or UYI.
You can believe that Madgascar is only a B-side. It's fiction, we'll see the truth. Someday.

[D]

i must agree there

i havent heard a good solo from new gnr yet

xcept for the nightrain bucket head solo

but the original songs are lackin that dept

but maybe axl is gettin away from that type of stuff? u think?

[Walk]

I agree with DRUNK here! Contraband is overproduced, modern, filler rock. Where are the memorable riffs and solos? Why does Weiland sound like a computer? Where's the raw rock sound?

Axl is doing the right thing. I would rather hear no Chinese Democracy than an awful record. Contraband is so bad, I wish it didn't come out.

By the way, don't mention how badly Slash and co have abused drugs, because you know Axl has done 10x more than all of them.