Improvement

[hoosiers]

OK, thanks to you all for making this my new hobby.  And for Axl in making this a reality.  I don't know how in the hell I happened upon checking into Roses about two months back but it's been quite the ride.  Newbie as they come (to the new GNR), I grew up in Indiana 90 minutes from Lafayette.  I vividly recall the cassette tape (AFD) the Pilk said would be big one day in 87 or 88(?).  Pilk, you here?  The reminiscing has been great.

Unbiased opinion here with all the tremendous Slash/Axl's voice/Razz Checkmate threads and such, but I definitely think this entire tour is morphing like a snowball downhill toward good things.  I just downloaded and listened to Budabest after been listening to dankrass' amazing flacs from the NYC for the past few weeks.

I gotta say the improvement seems 100 fold.  And I'm pretty sure it isn't the audio quality.  So that brings up a newb question in thinking that the more you sing and play the more worn out you get.  Is the quality, voice, band now better after some gigs and practice?  And if so, is it safe to assume that new material, i.e. CD will be recorded *after* the shows for quality purposes?

Tough to phrase this the way I like, buy my perception is that they're getting better and that it would make alot of sense to record after the tour due to the quality and gelling of this band.  If not, I'm fairly certain from what I've seen and heard that this is undoubtably a grat F'ing band and lead singer that can pretty much consider the sky as limit into the future.  Thoughts?

[Tomorrows]

I was in LaFayette a few months back (Greyhound stopped on the way from Chicago to Louisville) and I had a weird moment thinking "man, Axl and Izzy grew up here". It was really cool.

I agree that the band is sounding good. I believe these guys are hard working and talented musicians. I dont know what theyre like backstage, but they are quite professional on stage (yeah yeah, I know about Tommy at Rio/Download and Robin at Budapest but at least they arent passing out on stage). I respect that.

I think the old band's lifestyle lead to an amazing context to create songs but it ultimately destroyed the band. But, from the leaks it looks like the new material is going to be really strong without all that stuff.

But please, I hope to God they dont record this stuff after the tour - I want the album already  The leaks would make it seem the band has been as strong in the studio as they are on stage.

And thats my fellating the band on the internet for today.

[SWINGTRADER]

As far as Axl is concerned he is totally improving with every show . His voice is great, ?and I think his voice sounds better on IRS live than it does on the demo. ?I hope those aren't the vocals we will hear on ?the album. ?Axl sings that song better with the rasp .

[Tomorrows]

As far as Axl is concerned he is totally improving with every show . His voice is great,  and I think his voice sounds better on IRS live than it does on the demo.  I hope those aren't the vocals we will hear on  the album.  Axl sings that song better with the rasp .

The topic of the IRS vocals is interesting because those "early demos" that were leaked not long back were supposed to be from like 1999 and they have the same vocal track. Im thinking if theyve kept it for that long it might make CD. Who knows though, maybe the band is recording more music than Axl is vocals so they are just using old vocal tracks temporarily until they get new ones.

Sorry to take things off the topic.

[philspectorshotme]

im too young to have seen the original line-up, and indeed miss out on the hysteria of them (though a lot of it trickled down from my brother who was a fan at the time - as was everyone else in the western world seemingly).
but i have seen this new band twice, and the first (at leeds festival 2002) stands as one of the greatest nights of my life - i mean, i finally got to see axl rose in the flesh. and indeed, dublin last friday was as beautiful as i could hope.

but if im being honest, at the back of my mind and my heart i still have trouble reconciling and accepting this band as guns n roses. fortunately most of the time it doesnt really matter because axl is still head and shoulders above any other artist in my sphere of existance, but i still think that guns n roses in all their terrible beauty died the day izzy left - if not at donnington '88.
we all know the original line-up represent something more than just the jawdropping and unbelievable appetite for destruction (even the title and the band name are evidence of this), and there is a part of me that still says guns n roses should be about more than just the music.

but again, i didnt see or even really know the original band so perhaps its all in my head. and for the most part i accept axl is guns n roses, and that his new songs and new band are just about the best thing out there these days. but in my darker moments i do see (and side) where the doubters are coming from.

and i do agree that things are definitely sunny on the horizon. in many ways i cant wait for this european tour to end to see what the next twist in the tale is - especially cause i think that the record is actually coming.

it seems more than ever that the better, irs and twat leaks were commissioned by axl which makes me think the record wont be recorded after the tour (though re-recorded to enable thal on there?). but hopefully the finished versions werent recorded too long ago, cause has been mentioned axls voice is absolutely killer these days.

[pilferk]

There's quite a big difference between studio singing and live singing.? Not necessarily in the mechanics of it, but in the sustainability of it and the strenuousness of it.

In a studio, you have optimal conditions, the ability to "flub" a take, unlimited access to fluids, clean air, pro tools, etc, etc.? You can also stop and start as your voice wants to allow you to without consequence.? Excercising your vocal cords is not likely to improve your sound significantly, in this case, as long as you're a regular vocalist.

Live is a completely different story.? The conditions are usually sub-optimal, or downright crappy, you can't make a mistake, etc, etc.? You can't just stop.? You need to have the ability to sing in a sustainable voice for long periods of time.? All that CAN be helped by excersizing your vocal chords and actually PERFORMING a slew of gigs.? Helps you get used to the live environment, again, too.? That's why many bands do "warm up gigs" like GnR did in NYC.? It gets the singer's voice out of a studio environment and used to a live environment again, as well as letting the band work out the kinks on the musical side when, again, in a live environment.

So, given all that, I don't think they'll need to rerecord [parts of the album after the tour.? I think that you will see stronger and stronger shows out of GnR as the tour progresses.? Same thing happened in '02.? The difference is, I think, they STARTED much further along in '06...

[Axl4Prez2004]

Good points, especially Pilferk.

I think it's the general consensus that in '02, there was a steady rise in quality from start to abrupt finish.  How exciting is it that they've started out so damn good?    

[ROSE22]

i agree with you guys all the way. from 91 to 92 axl became stronger and was vocally in the groove so by 93 he was totally in command of his " live " singing and could do whatever he wanted. again in '02..............most people seem to feel that msg was their finest show and that was their last show. this time will be no different.

[GnR-NOW]

I cant believe GNR are already 14 shows into the tour, considering in NA 2002 they only did 15.  Is this tour going more smoothly then the first 14 shows in 02, and how does this tour compare to the tours in the 87-93 era

[pilferk]

I cant believe GNR are already 14 shows into the tour, considering in NA 2002 they only did 15.? Is this tour going more smoothly then the first 14 shows in 02, and how does this tour compare to the tours in the 87-93 era

The tour certainly SEEMS to be going more smoothly...technical issues and late starts aside (those have plagued GnR since the begining).

On comparing this tour to any tour during the 87 to 93 era?  It's a tough comparison to make.  Remember, during their headline tours at that time, they had new material to promote.  This time...not so much.  They went from an opening act to a HUGE sold out headliner in the course of a relatively short period of time back in the 80's, too.  They never really had to do the "medium sized" headliner thing, which is what they're really doing now.

[Buddha_Master]

I cant believe GNR are already 14 shows into the tour, considering in NA 2002 they only did 15.? Is this tour going more smoothly then the first 14 shows in 02, and how does this tour compare to the tours in the 87-93 era

Honestly, it doesn't compare to the pre-Get in the Ring/UYI GNR Live. I easily choose this live GNR to the one that had stupid whores playing trumpets and the disrespectful to reggae reggae crap they were doing. Major improvement to that GNR during those years. But, the Appetite/Lies era GNR was just out of this world. They were so crazy and so fucking crazy cool. That maniacal Axl...man that awesome.

[dub05]

Personally speaking i think axl is taking things much more seriously these days .......it's like it's the last chance saloon.

In certain aspects of the gig in the rds compared to slane in 92  i think he actually sang alot better.It reminded me of early gnr in the ritz (vocally).

Musically .....i only wanted to hear some more new songs & not the one's we all know irs/ maddy...etc.It was hard to rate appetite songs performed by other musicians therefore i can't slate them as here's the music play it!

I thought maddy was unreal & would stand against anything they have done in the last 20 years.

I think by the time they america they will be on fire & i will be taking a little trip myself.

[philspectorshotme]

madagascar was the song of the night in dublin. and thats an opinion shared by people who hadnt seen them before.

[GnR-NOW]

Even from 2002, I wasnt that impressed with Madagascar and CD, but when I heard them live at Hammerstein.  I was like what the fuck is this, I mean they were awesome, so huge improvement there