The official "IRS" discussion.

[Malcolm]

Im really starting to like this song now that I've heard it live...I always thaught it was one of the weaker new songs but man its really starting to grow on me....These are some of the best lyrics Axl has sang lately:

As when you first told me you were gone
So long ago, but I still held on
To all the luck getting outta the debt
That's the truth and here's the worst yet
Wouldn't even matter the things that I say
You made your mind up ad hoc anyway
There's no use now in not dragging it on
Should've seen it coming all along


I love the part in bold when he sings it...Awsome tune

[polluxlm]

When I first heard I.R.S I only thought it was a decent track, nothing special. But since then it has only grown and grown and grown. Now it is sailing up to be one of my favorite tracks. Definitely a big gun.

My god, Chinese Democracy is going to be out of this world Even Appetite does not rest easy at this point. I think Axl may succeed in is goal. Who would have thought, eh?

[Demon Wolf]

^^I totally agree with you. IRS is a fantastic song, and it really comes through live. The Rock Am Ring version is so powerful. 

[WARose]

contra:
the problem with irs is that the song is way too repetitive, as some of you have metioned... especially because the song is pretty long as well and the hookline seems to get on ones nerves pretty soon (does it?).
pro:
what i think is cool about the live versions is that the poor guitar effects (from the demo) are gone and a funky wah-wah phrase has been added; all in all it sounds more organic now and has more of a dynamic character (just listen to the vocals at rock am ring); especially the guitar parts during the verses are pretty powerfull; i like that a lot; the new finck solo is also a huge plus;

conclusio:
irs is ok, but doesn't seem t o be a big gun (hopefully); nevertheless - with a cool production - it but may fit in perfectly in the "flow" of the chinese democracy album.

the hookline doesn`t get on my nerves--> no contra---> AWESOME song!!

i was at rock am ring and i was blown away. IRS and madagascar were the best songs of the entire festival

[gmGnR]

My favorite songs so far

[Demon Wolf]

I can't believe they didn't show Out Ta Get Me and Madagascar from Rock Am Ring. I'd kill to see those songs. 

[Gagarin]

Well anyway, it feels the same...

 as when you first told me you were gone.
It was so long ago but I still held on
to all the emotions, love and mistakes
 - that's the truth, and here's the worst yet:
It wouldn't even matter the things that I'd say
you made your mind up an' been gone anyway.
And there's no use now in dragging it on,
I should've seen it coming all along.
FBI:? Watches you.
IRS:? Knows where your money came from... it audits you, makes an inventory.
Private-Eye:? Again, watches you.
Federal case...etc.

I mean, it's a spurned lover or friend, trying to expose injustice and wrong doing that he knows is under the surface.? ? If you've been to a concert, the chorus probably isn't repetitive.? He sings his butt off and it's amazing.

PS:  I don't know how Dave made anything out of the original IRS leak in 2004.   

[freedom78]

Well anyway, it feels the same...

 as when you first told me you were gone.
It was so long ago but I still held on
to all the emotions, love and mistakes
 - that's the truth, and here's the worst yet:
It wouldn't even matter the things that I'd say
you made your mind up an' been gone anyway.
And there's no use now in dragging it on,
I should've seen it coming all along.
FBI:  Watches you.
IRS:  Knows where your money came from... it audits you, makes an inventory.
Private-Eye:  Again, watches you.
Federal case...etc.

You forgot one...

President: Does Nothing 

[Gagarin]

You forgot one...

President: Does Nothing?

I was more commenting on "IRS", some above posters seemed to have no idea what they do.

[freedom78]

Does anyone else get the feeling that this will be the most "Metal" GNR album?  I hear the guitar/bass work on IRS, especially at the 3:15 mark, and in other songs, and it has a very metal feel to it (and, by metal, I DON'T mean bluesy, aggressive hard rock, that is often confused with metal).  I'm not arguing the whole album's metal...but some of the leaks have that feel.  IRS, Chinese Democracy, parts of Better.  Just a thought. 

[Nytunz]

Does anyone else get the feeling that this will be the most "Metal" GNR album?? I hear the guitar/bass work on IRS, especially at the 3:15 mark, and in other songs, and it has a very metal feel to it (and, by metal, I DON'T mean bluesy, aggressive hard rock, that is often confused with metal).? I'm not arguing the whole album's metal...but some of the leaks have that feel.? IRS, Chinese Democracy, parts of Better.? Just a thought.?

like Axl said in .. Hmm some years ago.. it will be a melting pot. Im sure there will be alot of Metal type of songs.. The song mentioned by Bach was almost Doom Metal, so why not! I think the middle part of Better sounds metal too.. And Oh My God is pretty metal

[dave-gnfnr2k]

Well anyway, it feels the same...

 as when you first told me you were gone.
It was so long ago but I still held on
to all the emotions, love and mistakes
 - that's the truth, and here's the worst yet:
It wouldn't even matter the things that I'd say
you made your mind up an' been gone anyway.
And there's no use now in dragging it on,
I should've seen it coming all along.
FBI:? Watches you.
IRS:? Knows where your money came from... it audits you, makes an inventory.
Private-Eye:? Again, watches you.
Federal case...etc.

I mean, it's a spurned lover or friend, trying to expose injustice and wrong doing that he knows is under the surface.? ? If you've been to a concert, the chorus probably isn't repetitive.? He sings his butt off and it's amazing.

PS:? I don't know how Dave made anything out of the original IRS leak in 2004.? ?

it was a pain in the ass ill tell you that much lol

[Gagarin]

Does anyone else get the feeling that this will be the most "Metal" GNR album?? I hear the guitar/bass work on IRS, especially at the 3:15 mark, and in other songs, and it has a very metal feel to it (and, by metal, I DON'T mean bluesy, aggressive hard rock, that is often confused with metal).? I'm not arguing the whole album's metal...but some of the leaks have that feel.? IRS, Chinese Democracy, parts of Better.? Just a thought.?

Indeed!  Thanks for making a stand that aggressive hard rock / bluesy hard rock isn't metal, btw =).

I do hear that "metalness" in IRS, and Chinese Democracy.  A lot to do with the rythm section.  Kind of menacing.  Especially the doom metal comment... seems that between that and The Blues, this will be a diverse sounding record.  (Maybe!).  I know IRS is a pretty diverse song... depending on what the final version is.

[GNRreunioneventually]

just goes to show that Axl can do it all

ohhhahahahhhahaahhh CHINESE DEMOCRACY 

[CheapJon]

listening to the leak for the first time in i don't know how long, fuck it's great, the studio version is gonna be so kick ass, i hope franks on the drums in the studio

[ShotgunBlues1978]

IRS is an incredible live song

The thing I really like about IRS is that it has this subtle complexity to it, where it sounds simple but if you listen really closely, there's a bunch of different layers.  I think the polished final cut is going to kick some serious ass.  I also like that they've added the Robin solo from the 1999 demo back into the song.  The solos are all cool, they all compliment each other, with Robin's heavier solo, then the soft solo, then the shred solo at the end.  Also Axl's vocal melodies are awesome.  Overall it's just a really well written song, and it ages well

[ShotgunBlues1978]

The lyrics are pretty poor, but its a pretty good song. I wish they would put a proper bad-ass effect on the guitars to make it sound even more hard-metal.

"What shall I do, if I, gave my heart to you"

What relevance does that have to the IRS exactly?

It relates to the "gonna make it a federal case" part.  "Make it a federal case" is a saying, not literal, meaning making a huge fucking deal over something.  The chorus is not about the IRS or FBI, it's an exagerration about how he can't trust this broad so he's going to go to excessive lengths to expose her as a fraud.  Hence, getting the IRS and FBI to investigate her

[GNR Narc]

I love how they're playing IRS live with the additional solo by Robin. There was a great version of IRS up on youtube from The Gibson Amphitheater but it looks like it's been removed. Anyway, I hope it sounds like how GnR is playing it now on the album. Of all the new songs GnR has played I would say that IRS sounds the best live.

[Gargh!]

A little help, please:  what's a broad?

[KaptainKuntra]

a woman.