Don't Buy 33 1/3 Trash on UYI

[GeorgeSteele]

Here are some songs I consider "undisputed classics:"? Anarchy in the UK, Johnny B. Goode, In My Life, Rock Around the Clock, Satisfaction, My Generation, I Feel Good, What's Goin' On, Blue Suede Shoes, Thriller, American Girl, Paranoid, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Sweet Home Alabama, Keep On Rockin' In The Free World, etc...

I thought you liked synth?

SCOM, WTTJ and Paradise City are "undisputed classics."

...and Patience.

[superloconoriega]

Also avoid the Nirvana - In Utero 33 1/3 edition. It sucks big time.

[Skunk]

On UYI1: Dust N' Bones, Don't Cry, Perfect Crime, Bad Obsession, Back Off Bitch, Double Talkin' Jive, November Rain, Don't Damn Me, Dead Horse, Coma
On UYI2: Civil War, 14 Years, Get In The Ring, Breakdown, Pretty Tied Up, Locomotive, Estranged, You Could Be Mine

Out of 30 songs, theyre's 18 that are undisputed classics,

Guess we just disagree about what makes an "undisputed classic."?

Here are some songs I consider "undisputed classics:"? Anarchy in the UK, Johnny B. Goode, In My Life, Rock Around the Clock, Satisfaction, My Generation, I Feel Good, What's Goin' On, Blue Suede Shoes, Thriller, American Girl, Paranoid, Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, Sweet Home Alabama, Keep On Rockin' In The Free World, etc...

Aside from GNR Fanboys, I doubt there are too many people in the world who consider "Get In The Ring" an undisputed classic.? Same for... well... all of those songs.? I honestly don't think any of those songs would be voted as "undisputed classics."? I'll bet most people in the world aren't even aware that GNR did a song called "Bad Obsession," much less would think it's a classic on par with the greatest songs ever written.

A great band with a huge body of work would be lucky to write five undisputed classics in their career.? I don't think GNR had more undisputed classics on UYI than the Beatles had in their entire career.? But I can see how it would seem that way to a die hard GNR lover.?

SCOM, WTTJ and Paradise City are "undisputed classics."

Ok, so then forget "undisputed classics" as such... but the songs he listed above were certainly worthy of release, and i can't see how you could say the UYI albums were "bad albums."? They stand up with a lot of heralded albums from some revered bands (Aerosmith, Zepelin, Stones... the bands they were then compared to frequently. Hard rock albums with hard rock songs). What makes them bad albums? Is it a comparative thing? You don't have to be a fanboy to be informed about the band we're discussing (it's not a popularity contest), because the way you're talking would be like me saying "well I like Back in Black, but the other AC/DC albums were bad." Or something like "well The Who had their first few albums, but then that was it. Tommy was so bloated and indulgent."
I mean no offense because i always liked your posts, but how and why do you have over 300 posts on this messageboard if you're not a "GNR fanboy"?

Undisputed classics: SCOM, WTTJ, PC, NR, Patience.
Possible Classics: Estranged, Don't Cry, You Could Be Mine, One in a Million.
Almost the entire rest of the GNR catalogue is quality rock music that solidifies their place as one of the great rock bands. (Easily top 5 American, all-time).

And off topic, but for perspective, exactly how many classics do you think the beatles have then?

[MotherGooseLuvR]

I'm a fan boy in that I'm a huge fan.? But I can remain somewhat objective about Axl and GNR.?

Like I said, there's a lot to like about UYI.? Some really great songs.? While you look at the albums and see greatness because of, say, nine songs, I look at it with the "glass half full" mentality.? If only half of the songs are that good, then only half of the album's good.? That's a 50%.? Not a good average.? Not enough to consider UYI a classic.? I don't skip half the songs on a classic album.

You're right about November Rain being a classic.? I forgot about that one

I'm honestly not such a Beatles scholar.? My opinion would be pretty lousy.

[Skunk]

Haha... fair enough.
I guess it doesn't matter much trying to agree with what words or labels to assign an album. I can agree that the UYIs may not be consistent albums like Appetite was (and i think that's to be expected, as these albums are rare), and so i could see not calling it a "classic." Like i said it's something about word-choice though, because i also wouldn't say they're bad albums.

Anyway, i think i'll thoughtfully listen to them straight through today. I haven't listened to any GNR like that in a long time because i listen to most of my music on mp3 now. Maybe i'll go through the discography chronologically.

[neon2002]

That was a great book review! 

I hope that you posted this warning on Amazon so that no one else is fooled into buying this book.

I think that Axl would have a pig on his farm 

[neon2002]

Personally I prefer UYI 1&2 to AFD. Much more mature albums. Albums that grow on you.

[GunsNCrowes]

Terrific thread here, and pretty rare these days!  That last bit of the original post is hilarious...it's too bad b/c this place was *electric* around those Hammerstein shows.  Hopefully this year brings that back with new music.

As for the UYI-era, I hope one day we get tell-all biographies of that time, as it's a fascinating story, two records released with (from what some have said in the past) songs from every members' "direction" at the time, so the band would stay together...and the eventual breakup. 

So that story of them pissing on the crowd and the father/daughter thing--that's a joke right?  Can't imagine how the AC/DC hat/murder story would've caused such an uproar but not that, if true.  Yikes.

Thanks for the review--great stuff all around.  Def post that on the amazon reviews.