Richard Fortus on guitar hero - James Bond Theme.

[4tus phenomenon]

What about beeing important in the band?    

You have more responsability when you play in a 2 guitar players band, you are more important because you play more parts. You have more exposure. People know you better and you have more input on the music, that's it.
Look, Chinese Democracy is a great record, but there's not a really a "Star" on Guitar on this record, because on one song there is this player, on the next song there's another player, the next one another player etc... You just can't identify one or two influencial guitarists all along the record. None of them play enough for that.

Don't you think the band needs a Star on Guitar like Slash in the old band? Don't you feel like it's missing? not necessarily musically, but in term of influence and personality. Something like "this guy is on the record from begining to the end and I can feel his presence all over the record with Axl".


 

PS : this is for jarmo

[jarmo]

It's a band.

Not a Richard Fortus solo project.


Regarding your two guitar player propaganda, if Axl thinks the band needs three guitar players, they do. I'm pretty sure he has a better idea of what the band should sound like than you. 

By the way, they also have two drummers.





/jarmo

[ppbebe]

Don't belittle rhythm section or any section in music.

GNR is not a 2 guitar band for almost a decade.

[4tus phenomenon]

It's not an Axl Rose solo project either, even if he is awesome 

Do you think the band agree with 3 Guitar Players? I remember an interview you did with Tommy in 2004 after a VGH show when he said after the BH's departure that the band didn't need a 3rd player and was fine with 2 players... did you already forget that? 

Don't you think the 3 players idea is a way to avoide any of them to be too important and a way for Axl to keep control over the band?
That's the way I see it. That's just my opinion of course, I don't pretend to hold the truth. Axl tried to do that with Slash with Paul Tobias, by bringing a new "collaborator" in order to reduce Slash influence in the band. It's very political. That's the impression I've always had. But maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. What do you think?

You didn't answer to my question : what about beeing important in the band and having a key role? Do you really think you can when your have a minimal input on guitar, and in the band?

 

[AdZ]

Do you think the band agree with 3 Guitar Players? I remember an interview you did with Tommy in 2004 after a VGH show when he said after the BH's departure that the band didn't need a 3rd player and was fine with 2 players... did you already forget that? 

Hey, so by the way.

2004 was half a decade ago.

[4tus phenomenon]

Yes, but it still remains true to me.

You know, it's a question I would have loved to ask to Axl, but I was busy when he was online answering fans questions. I wasn't available to ask him this question.

I think it would be very interesting to have his opinion on this. Talking about influence, responsability of each member in the band and yes, talking about leadership.

Maybe next time 

[ppbebe]

Mr 4tus himself wouldn't agree with you nes. he's said he thinks each guitarist has an important role different to the others.

[ppbebe]

You know, it's a question I would have loved to ask to Axl, but I was busy when he was online answering fans questions. I wasn't available to ask him this question.

I think it would be very interesting to have his opinion on this. Talking about influence, responsability of each member in the band and yes, talking about leadership.

Maybe next time 

for now this should do.

axl:
I understand it's for whatever reason a bit of a challenge for most people to feel comfortable in their minds with any band having more than two guitarists, but technically, as far as our recording goes, we're a bit more alike with the older recordings than one might think. On the older records, though, it's very distinct that there are generally two guitar parts -- each part is actually performed and recorded twice, giving a fuller sound, so in effect you have four guitars. Leads and fills are another pass, and often songs were originally written and demos were done with other guitarists as well.

On 'Chinese,' instead of having the same player double his part, we chose to add another voice and either each player's own take on the part or their take of another's, then there's leads and fills which vary from one person or a few on a track. Also on this record, though, you may have one player playing more than one part in a section; they generally tend to be two distinct parts and not overdubs or harmonizing with their own leads or fills. No way is better than another; it's just whatever works for what you're trying to do, what you personally want or for whatever reason you feel you either need, choose or like.

For this record, I wanted a blend of different-style sounds and approaches; some at least a bit unique to the individual players and their takes on these songs. I feel the different personalities and techniques give the material its own sense of originality. Live, I prefer the more solid approach of the three guitars now, especially as the performances with the rhythm are more energetic, consistent and reliable. It was fun having Izzy on board a bit adding yet another voice to the mix and seemed to work better for the songs this way, as opposed to having him by himself.

[Continental Drift]

What about beeing important in the band?    

You have more responsability when you play in a 2 guitar players band, you are more important because you play more parts. You have more exposure. People know you better and you have more input on the music, that's it.
Look, Chinese Democracy is a great record, but there's not a really a "Star" on Guitar on this record, because on one song there is this player, on the next song there's another player, the next one another player etc... You just can't identify one or two influencial guitarists all along the record. None of them play enough for that.

Don't you think the band needs a Star on Guitar like Slash in the old band? Don't you feel like it's missing? not necessarily musically, but in term of influence and personality. Something like "this guy is on the record from begining to the end and I can feel his presence all over the record with Axl".


 

PS : this is for jarmo

HAHA... well... I've actually long thought the idea was to put the emphasis on Tommy Stinson as the #2 guy (because of his independent success and fame and to dial down the Axl-lead guitarist emphasis). As I recall, there was some kind of leak in the rock media to that effect way back when Tommy first joined the band too. The fluctuation in guitar players since (Finck, Buckethead, Tobias, Fortus, Thal, Ashba) perhaps bears that out. But who the hell knows...

[jarmo]

Do you think the band agree with 3 Guitar Players? I remember an interview you did with Tommy in 2004 after a VGH show when he said after the BH's departure that the band didn't need a 3rd player and was fine with 2 players... did you already forget that? 

Where did he say they didn't need three guitar players?

A hint: He didn't!

Don't you think the 3 players idea is a way to avoide any of them to be too important and a way for Axl to keep control over the band?
That's the way I see it. That's just my opinion of course, I don't pretend to hold the truth. Axl tried to do that with Slash with Paul Tobias, by bringing a new "collaborator" in order to reduce Slash influence in the band. It's very political. That's the impression I've always had. But maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. What do you think?

Why so many guitars on 'Chinese Democracy'?

Why not?

Seriously, past Guns records have only two. Why did you feel the need for more on this endeavor?

I understand it's for whatever reason a bit of a challenge for most people to feel comfortable in their minds with any band having more than two guitarists, but technically, as far as our recording goes, we're a bit more alike with the older recordings than one might think. On the older records, though, it's very distinct that there are generally two guitar parts -- each part is actually performed and recorded twice, giving a fuller sound, so in effect you have four guitars. Leads and fills are another pass, and often songs were originally written and demos were done with other guitarists as well.

On 'Chinese,' instead of having the same player double his part, we chose to add another voice and either each player's own take on the part or their take of another's, then there's leads and fills which vary from one person or a few on a track. Also on this record, though, you may have one player playing more than one part in a section; they generally tend to be two distinct parts and not overdubs or harmonizing with their own leads or fills. No way is better than another; it's just whatever works for what you're trying to do, what you personally want or for whatever reason you feel you either need, choose or like.

For this record, I wanted a blend of different-style sounds and approaches; some at least a bit unique to the individual players and their takes on these songs. I feel the different personalities and techniques give the material its own sense of originality. Live, I prefer the more solid approach of the three guitars now, especially as the performances with the rhythm are more energetic, consistent and reliable. It was fun having Izzy on board a bit adding yet another voice to the mix and seemed to work better for the songs this way, as opposed to having him by himself.

Do you really think you can when your have a minimal input on guitar, and in the band?

Yes, definitely.




/jarmo

[The Catcher]

What Axl said about the more solid approach is true, just listen to the richness in guitar work on CD. It's fucking awesome to listen to all the layers of guitar, it makes for a very full and complex sound, as well as diverse and original. The guitar work on Chinese is the most impressive out of all Guns records in my opinion.

[loretian]

I think many of the songs would lose some of their depth and unique "flavoring" with only two guitar players live as well.  I'm sure If The World could be done with two guitar players, but .... it'd be missing a lot with just two guitarists.

[The Catcher]

I think many of the songs would lose some of their depth and unique "flavoring" with only two guitar players live as well.  I'm sure If The World could be done with two guitar players, but .... it'd be missing a lot with just two guitarists.

I agree. For those of you who saw Guns live in 2006, you know what kind of fucking three-headed monster GN'R are on stage now. There's no going back from that.

[gonella]

http://www.richardfortusonline.com/music/bond%20master%20mix.mp3#/the_official_website_of_richard_fortus_bond_20master_20mix.mp3

[jarmo]

I was listening to this again a couple of days ago, and it sounds great....


I haven't played the game, but I assume it works really nicely in it.

Seems like the kind of song that would.


/jarmo

[dimitrisaxl]

I like it very much!

[ppbebe]

will make an amazing solo spot for the upcoming GNR tour.

[Voodoochild]

It's good and it should be on Rock Band as well.

[ppbebe]

But isn't rock band rock band?

[carmiedisco12]

Awesome...that's all I have to say Have really liked the snippets of Richards stuff we have heard and hope his influence is all over nu gnr's stuff in future.

God I've missed some of those guitar tones in GNR...sigh, had quite forgotten till that was played.