Libertad debuts well below Contraband

[COMAMOTIVE]

? All I'm saying is don't bring up record sales or high charting singles as a measurement of success and quality when they're going double platinum, then turn around and say sales don't mean anything when the album flops.?

I agree 100% with this statement -

In the end it's all about the music. It seems that a lot of the VR diehards here automatically assume that if you're not enamored with the VR songs ( most recently Libertad) that you are only a Gnr loving - Slash hating basher -

I only speak for myself, but nothing could be farther from the truth. I like most of Contraband, dislike most of Libertad. What can you do??

[RTK]

I don't know if anyone has brought this up yet, but if you remember Contraband came with that anti-theft, unrippable program on it, which prevented the album from leaking before it was released, and it wasn't even available for illegal download for a few months afterwards, when the album sold most of its copies.  It went platinum in the U.S. by August of 04.

And many of you, if not most, are well aware that Libertad didn't have anything of the sort, and was leaked about 2 weeks before its release date.  This is a major reason to why the album is not doing well, coupled with poorer promotion, and the times.  Marylin Manson's new album has not sold well, neither has Ozzy's, even Linkin Park will only make platinum by the end of the year if they're lucky.

So don't try to spin this as people finally seeing the light, and that VR is just a corporate concoction, with bland pop music, and not a "dangerous" band as they're marketed to be.  Last time I checked, corporate concoctions with bland pop music are the ones that sell well.

If anything, this will serve as a humbling experience for the band, but it is not the quality of the music or the "false image" of the band that have resulted in poor sales, and to believe so is very close minded.

[Christos AG]

I don't know if anyone has brought this up yet, but if you remember Contraband came with that anti-theft, unrippable program on it, which prevented the album from leaking before it was released, and it wasn't even available for illegal download for a few months afterwards, when the album sold most of its copies.  It went platinum in the U.S. by August of 04.

And many of you, if not most, are well aware that Libertad didn't have anything of the sort, and was leaked about 2 weeks before its release date.  This is a major reason to why the album is not doing well, coupled with poorer promotion, and the times.  Marylin Manson's new album has not sold well, neither has Ozzy's, even Linkin Park will only make platinum by the end of the year if they're lucky.

So don't try to spin this as people finally seeing the light, and that VR is just a corporate concoction, with bland pop music, and not a "dangerous" band as they're marketed to be.  Last time I checked, corporate concoctions with bland pop music are the ones that sell well.

If anything, this will serve as a humbling experience for the band, but it is not the quality of the music or the "false image" of the band that have resulted in poor sales, and to believe so is very close minded.

Actually you are dead wrong on this one.

Contraband had leaked almost one week before it got released...

[COMAMOTIVE]

So don't try to spin this as people finally seeing the light, and that VR is just a corporate concoction, with bland pop music, and not a "dangerous" band as they're marketed to be.? Last time I checked, corporate concoctions with bland pop music are the ones that sell well.

I don't know about your theory brother. Think of it like this, to survive a band needs it's die-hard supporters. Die-hards will buy this thing , rather than just download it. If anything, people downloaded it early AND THEN DECIDED IT WAS WEAK, and then did NOT go and purchase an actual hard copy.  Like me!

[BurningHills]

people who live in glass houses should not throw stones....VR does nothing for me but at least they actually release music. Maybe uninspired music but at least they gave it a shot.....1 officially released, original studio song in 16 years is not even giving it a shot. I hope that changes soon but the silence is deafening.

David Hasselhoff releases music too.

HOORAY!!!




/jarmo

Don't Hassel the Hoff! 

[don_vercetti]

So don't try to spin this as people finally seeing the light, and that VR is just a corporate concoction, with bland pop music, and not a "dangerous" band as they're marketed to be.  Last time I checked, corporate concoctions with bland pop music are the ones that sell well.

I don't know about your theory brother. Think of it like this, to survive a band needs it's die-hard supporters. Die-hards will buy this thing , rather than just download it. If anything, people downloaded it early AND THEN DECIDED IT WAS WEAK, and then did NOT go and purchase an actual hard copy.  Like me!

yeah, i'd have to say i was in that category.  I got hold of Icky Thump (by the white stripes) before it was released, and decided that was worth my dosh. 

But the sad fact of the matter is, Libertad really fails in it's aim.  Contraband is good because it's so angry, and focussed.  Some of the songs maybe slightly weak, but it has an agression about it that is endearing.  Libertad lacks all that, and apparently it went for a sort of retro vibe. 

But like all modern music that goes for a retro vibe, it sounds like a terribly weak retro vibe.  If it contains elements of the 60's and 70's, it was the way so many songs were long, drawn out, with tired and cliched solos that were (are) utterly unmemorable.  There are some good songs on it, like Just Sixteen, The Last Fight and Get Out The Door.  Gas & A $ Laugh is good, and Psycho Killer.  But the rest of it is just filler, and tripe. 

Not much of a chance of this living up to Exile On Main Street. 

[NicoRourke]

Not much of a chance of this living up to Exile On Main Street.?

I'd forgot about that one

[BurningHills]

Best Buy has Libertad on sale for $9.99

Hmm....I wonder why they would lower the price out of nowhere.. 

[GeraldFord]

Magic 8-Ball says "coming to a cut-out bin near you soon."

[D]

I hope Axl won't fail but he will. Record sales will probably be decent just because of the old GNR name, not because of the members? of the band and they're wonderful shredding, emotionless guitar playing.

How can you call the guitar work emotionless??

Better solo rocks,
Madagascar is good, The blues is ok

The rest isn't so good in my opinion.

[w.axl.rose]

Best Buy has Libertad on sale for $9.99

Hmm....I wonder why they would lower the price out of nowhere.. 

its been 9.99$ since it released

[BurningHills]

Best Buy has Libertad on sale for $9.99

Hmm....I wonder why they would lower the price out of nowhere.. 

its been 9.99$ since it released

Are you sure? I could have sworn the DVD version went up to around $16 and the standard was $13 or so.

[Jizzo]

the standard was 13.99 since the 2nd week at best buy. at 10 bucks ill buy another copy to put in my truck

[BurningHills]

the standard was 13.99 since the 2nd week at best buy. at 10 bucks ill buy another copy to put in my truck

At least I know that I wasn't imagining things!

[Billo]

     Well ive said this befor.. I like Libertad Better than cont... Its a very good album....Its got a wide range of different music songs....and i really enjoy it...
     I would rather listen to the new VR than most other albums that are in the charts....the music in the charts is mostly shit....i think VR is one of the best rock bands at the moment...and i dont really care about sales....as long as they are happy with the CD they have made im happy with it too...And it has got a lot of good reviews..
     The album will keep selling because they will keep touring and they are awesome live..
 Some people will never be happy in this never ending debate that is Axl and his new band VS his old band..Its funny im a HUGE fan of both..I fully support both and wish them both well..They have all moved on so have I.

[GeraldFord]

I really wish that a good video liket his along witha? great song could allow them to be more popular and open some eyes to good rock music without fancy shit.. Shame their age and the stupidity of kids won't allow that, but at least I I I I IIII can enjoy it each day..

Currently Libertad has sold about 10% as many copies as Contraband.? So what do you think happened to the other 90% in the last 3 years??

This isn't a diss or anything, but why are you so interested in VR's shortcomings? You almost seem to revel in the fact that VR's new CD has flopped.

For one it's pretty funny that Scott was talking about how he said it was more likely for Nick Lachey to make the R&R Hall of Fame than it was for Chinese Democracy to go platinum then watching Libertad flop the way it did.? Ironic anyway

For two, Libertad was a huge disappointment musically from my standpoint, and maybe its failure will serve as a wakeup call for Slash and Duff.? It's not like they're hurting for money so this album flopping isn't going to keep them from paying their bills or anything.? I think that they tried way too hard to play a role, to cater to record execs and radio stations with Libertad and in the end it backfired.? I remember back when they were talking about doing songs with Pharell and what not, I thought they left GnR because they just wanted to make meat and potatoes ass kicking rock and not Axl's vision of epic, industrial influenced prog-rock.? But here we are and they're talking about making concept albums and working with rap producers, then they end up making pop rock albums with alternative producers who produced a bunch of albums for bands they didn't even like.? So maybe they'll remember what they initially set out to do with VR and get back to doing what they do best

(1) For the first point, I agree that Weiland was running his mouth off, but I will play devil's advocate here. I can imagine that he's been hounded by the press and fans, time and time again, with Axl comments. So reacted he made a snide remark...so what.

(2) Libertad is as far removed from Axl's new GN'R as you can get--it's a meat and potatoes, retro 70s hard rock album. So I think what Slash, Duff and Matt are doing now is consistent with what they wanted to do all along.

If VR really were catering to what they thought would sell, they would have made something in the vein of My Chemical at the Disco.

[COMAMOTIVE]

(2) Libertad is as far removed from Axl's new GN'R as you can get--it's a meat and potatoes, retro 70s hard rock album. So I think what Slash, Duff and Matt are doing now is consistent with what they wanted to do all along.

Yeah ? ?Because we know how much those two "loved" playing Patience or November Rain in concert and those incredible retro rockers " Fall to Pieces " and
" Last Fight " are such a deviation

[RageNirvanaNIN]

^ wow way to go have you not heard the rest of the album...

[don_vercetti]

(2) Libertad is as far removed from Axl's new GN'R as you can get--it's a meat and potatoes, retro 70s hard rock album. So I think what Slash, Duff and Matt are doing now is consistent with what they wanted to do all along.

What bands hard rock bands from the 70's can you cite that it shows influence from?  And please say how, as well.  I can't see any Zeppelin, Aerosmith, or AC/DC in there, the three great hard rock bands from the 70's, all known to be loved by Slash and Duff. 

[RageNirvanaNIN]

(2) Libertad is as far removed from Axl's new GN'R as you can get--it's a meat and potatoes, retro 70s hard rock album. So I think what Slash, Duff and Matt are doing now is consistent with what they wanted to do all along.

What bands hard rock bands from the 70's can you cite that it shows influence from?  And please say how, as well.  I can't see any Zeppelin, Aerosmith, or AC/DC in there, the three great hard rock bands from the 70's, all known to be loved by Slash and Duff. 

There is ALWAYS Joe Perry and Jimmy Page in Slash's playing so thats one off the bat. Let It Roll , riffage is very hard rock. Just Sixteen , AEROSMITH that verse riff is very Perry like. Fact is everything Slash touches is influenced by that stuff no matter one. It might be a bit hidden , but its there. Libertad is by no means a earth shattering record, but its a damn good one especially for the time. Its good music by a good band!