Eric Dover Incident?

[Poops Magee]

I was just watching the video for "Good to be Alive" by Slash's Snakepit and for the first time really took notice of Eric Dover. Unlike Rod Jackson (post GN'R Snakepit singer) who looks and sounds nothing like Axl, Dover is a lot closer to the mark. This was Slash's first side project and was started while GN'R was still together. So was it a deliberate move or merely a coincidence?

With the band reportedly already in turmoil, Slash's choice to add a Rose look-alike to his new project is a hard one to understand. He must have known that the choice of a red haired Dover, who sings in a similar rock style, would have been a touchy one at the very least. This is not to say that Rose would have felt threatened by Dover, but that the move by Slash to use an obvious weak imitation is clearly meant to be a dig at him. Added to this the fact that two other members of GN'R were recruited to join the party, and it starts to look like a power move.

Assuming that Slash would want to make the best possible album and use the most talented singer he could access, this would be a coincidence. But I always thought it was interesting that this guy wasn't tapped again when Snakepit was reformed and that subsequent front men have been stylistically very different. So...

Deliberate or coincidence?

[LongGoneDay]

I'm sure Slash wanted to prove he could still create good music outside GN'R. That's just human nature, but I'm not sure it was the dig, or conspiracy theory you suggest.

I think it's clear that Slash prefers working with singers with similar range to the likes of Axl, Tyler, Plant etc.
He grew up on bands like Aerosmith and Zeppelin, and obviously made his name creating songs with Axl, so no real surprise he would want someone of that ilk.
Playing alongside someone like Myles allows him to continue to write new songs, and also perform his back catalogue.
The only problem is, while there are plenty of singers with similar range, it seems there are no total packages out there to be found.

Dover and Jackson had their moments, but overall I would say that Snakepit has the reputation it has today because of impossibly high expectations to live up to, but more importantly Jackson and Dover's inability to write inspired lyrics. The band was talented, and the music still holds up well, but the drop off in substance in the lyrics from GN'R to Snakepit was significant to put it nicely.

I'm not as down on those records as the majority of people posting here, though.
Slash and Myles put on one of the best live rock n' roll shows you can see today, and getting to hear Beggars and Hangers On was one of the highlights for me.
Song absolutely rips live.

The situation is not all that different from Chinese Democracy. People wanted to hear a style similar to what they were accustomed to, and didn't get it.
The record had impossibly high expectations, and lyrically isn't on the level of UYI. All of the records mentioned have their moments though if you listen to them for what they are, instead of what they aren't.

[CheapJon]

but more importantly Jackson and Dover's inability to write inspired lyrics. The band was talented, and the music still holds up well, but the drop off in substance in the lyrics from GN'R to Snakepit was significant to put it nicely.

The masses and the mainstream don't give a fuck about lyrics.

[Bridge]

The masses and the mainstream don't give a fuck about lyrics.

And Guns N Roses fans don't give a fuck about the masses and the mainstream.

[Chuzeville]

The similarities you mention never occured to me.

[Poops Magee]

All great points! But what I'm suggesting is that there must be some deep issues between Axl and Slash since the other guys have, more or less, reconciled with Axl. Slash forming a new band while still in GN'R was probably a very hurtful thing to do and the fact that the lead singer he chose has this look is being obtuse at the very least.

It's like showing up to a party with a girl who looks just like your ex and introducing them. You may be genuinely in love with the new girl, but people are gonna talk and don't be too surprised when your ex gives you the "you've got to be kidding" line.

I mean, lots of people have run down DJ Ashba because they say he's aping Slash's signature top hat; saying Axl only picked him as a look-alike etc. etc. Do I think it's unfair? Yes. Do I think people are just pointing out the obvious though? Yes. I also think it's totally inaccurate too...

But that doesn't mean that somewhere Slash isn't sitting back saying, "you've got to be kidding me". In the grand scheme this may not have been as deep a cut as I argue, but it looks to me like a shot across the bow.

Also, I saw Snakepit on two occasions-at the old Galaxy theater in Santa Ana, CA and opening for AC/DC and just loved it. But those were with Rod Jackson...