Slash makes everything better.

[GypsySoul]

To me, as someone who has played the guitar for 16 years now, I can hear right away who's playing

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Obviously when we can see who it is playing on stage, we believe we can hear a difference.  But if you were to play a snippet of WTTJ for us 80%, most of us would be hard pressed to say if it's Slash or Richard or BH or Robin or BBF or Ashba.

[DAVE ROCK]

To compare Slash with any of his replacements is just nosense to me
All the guitar players that played with Axl since Slash left are obviously really really great players, but none of them is Slash. Is like tryin' to replace Page in Zeppelin, Angus in ACDC, Joe Perry in Aerosmith or Keith Richards in Rolling Stones. Of course there a lot of really great and talented players out there that can play their songs almost exactly like they do, but NOTHING LIKE THE ORIGINAL

[Eduardo]

To me, as someone who has played the guitar for 16 years now, I can hear right away who's playing

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Obviously when we can see who it is playing on stage, we believe we can hear a difference.  But if you were to play a snippet of WTTJ for us 80%, most of us would be hard pressed to say if it's Slash or Richard or BH or Robin or BBF or Ashba.

Yes, I agree 100%

And I didn't mean to be a snob, I was just pointing out the differences between them 

[DAVE ROCK]

To me, as someone who has played the guitar for 16 years now, I can hear right away who's playing

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Obviously when we can see who it is playing on stage, we believe we can hear a difference.  But if you were to play a snippet of WTTJ for us 80%, most of us would be hard pressed to say if it's Slash or Richard or BH or Robin or BBF or Ashba.

I'm  a long time guitar and bass player as well, but there is no need to be a musician to distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next

We all here are music freaks and listeners and love music and Guns N' Roses. That's all u need to appreciate it

[DAVE ROCK]

To me, as someone who has played the guitar for 16 years now, I can hear right away who's playing

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Obviously when we can see who it is playing on stage, we believe we can hear a difference.  But if you were to play a snippet of WTTJ for us 80%, most of us would be hard pressed to say if it's Slash or Richard or BH or Robin or BBF or Ashba.

Yes, I agree 100%

And I didn't mean to be a snob, I was just pointing out the differences between them 

[Eduardo]

But off course, the differences are a long term thing. You can't hear the differences between the way they play the intro riff to WTTJ

But in a whole show, tour or album.... There are differences, even if you don't notice them.. They're there

[Virolec]

A good guitar player has a style that's as distinctive as a human voice, just about.  And if you listen to them often enough, you can pick them out from others.  Like the end to November Rain - nobody other than Slash would have played that.  Other players might copy it, but you can tell the original player from an imitator.

Of think of Iron Maiden - three lead guitar players in that band, and when they swap solos around in a song, any Maiden fan could tell you which player is soloing at any given time, even on a new song they'd not heard before.

[GypsySoul]

And I didn't mean to be a snob, I was just pointing out the differences between them 

No worries.  No offense taken. Appreciate you sharing your perspective. 

But off course, the differences are a long term thing. You can't hear the differences between the way they play the intro riff to WTTJ

We might have a slight language barrier here.  If this is a question, the answer for me is no.  I can not hear a difference.

But in a whole show, tour or album.... There are differences, even if you don't notice them.. They're there

I would think there would have to be some difference to what the audience is hearing even from Slash.  He (or anyone) couldn't duplicate how it sounds when he plays say WTTJ on stage every time, every show, exactly the way it sounded when he played it on the album.  Each settings acoustics alone would be a cause for the difference in the sound perception.

[Voodoochild]

If you read my post, you'll see that I think he is totally capable of doing it his way, but where's the melody, the sense? The November Rain solo is amazing, as are the Estranged solos; which is why "This I Love" is such a disaster. The licks he does at the end of Chinese Democracy  and that rundown are quite impressive for example. The two versions of This I Love are totally improvised and such a great song deserves a classic Slash solo. Hopefully, as you say, we will get it.

Regarding the first and second reply I got, don't mistake me for a Slash-hater. I'm a classic GNR fan who loved Chinese Democracy, appreciates all the guitarists work, was luck enough to see GNR on the 2006 tour and blew me away (I only went because of Axl but was amazed by the whole band's professionality and feel), joined Nightrain and can't wait to see the classic lineup if and when they come to Europe. However, I found and find it very strange that hardly anyone has commented with positive criticism to Slash's work on CD songs. I play the guitar and I'm sure many others do and my observations seem quite simple and realistic 

I don't think his TIL is "a disaster". I do agree with you on the structure and how he's capable of doing better. It's a really long solo, and it needs to flow with the overall melody. But I think he already got better the second night. Maybe it's just a work in progress.

To me, as someone who has played the guitar for 16 years now, I can hear right away who's playing

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Obviously when we can see who it is playing on stage, we believe we can hear a difference.  But if you were to play a snippet of WTTJ for us 80%, most of us would be hard pressed to say if it's Slash or Richard or BH or Robin or BBF or Ashba.

I believe you. I actually remember we had similar conversation before, years ago.

Anyways, the thing is: there's a lot like you who can't say who plays what. But there's also lots of non-musicians (regular people too, really) who are able to tell the difference. Because in the end, they alo make a difference even if you can't tell right away. And it's up to you if you like it or not. And some people just likes someone tone and notes better.

[Eduardo]

But off course, the differences are a long term thing. You can't hear the differences between the way they play the intro riff to WTTJ

We might have a slight language barrier here.  If this is a question, the answer for me is no.  I can not hear a difference.

I'm sorry, English is not my 1st language 

I was stating that, that was not a question. What I meant is that the differences appear in the long term. In an album, on a tour, the different playing styles will show, not on a single riff.

For example, today I was listening to Catcher In The Rye. In my opinion, Slash would never play the solo like Bumblefoot did. It's just to "right" you know. It's not that I don't like it, I do, but it's far too mechanical to me.

After that, I listened to Brian May's approach on the solo, from the demo. That's a whole different feel to me. And that feel is closer to Slash's, and closer to what I feel GNR should be.

Anyway, I think music is too subjective, and that's why it's so hard to me to explain my point. Besides, there's the language problem 

[GypsySoul]

No worries about the language difference. 

Your explanation actually did make it easier for me to understand a little better.... especially the Catcher analogy.

Bumblefoot has a reputation of being able to technically replicate a song.  Slash has a reputation of playing songs more from the heart (as opposed to technically correct).  So I can see how Slash's style of playing would bring an entirely different sound to a song like Catcher rather than a more mechanical style like Bumblefoot.

[Eduardo]

No worries about the language difference. 

Your explanation actually did make it easier for me to understand a little better.... especially the Catcher analogy.

Bumblefoot has a reputation of being able to technically replicate a song.  Slash has a reputation of playing songs more from the heart (as opposed to technically correct).  So I can see how Slash's style of playing would bring an entirely different sound to a song like Catcher rather than a more mechanical style like Bumblefoot.

Yes! You summed it up nicely! 

[D-GenerationX]

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Honestly...no.

We have been listening to this guy our whole lives.  You can't tell?

Even when it's a Slash solo song I don't know (and I don't know any of them), the second I flick on the radio and its one of his songs, I know.

And I'm no musical savant.  I'm still listening to Skid Row and Twisted Sister, and claiming them as favorite bands...unironically.

[Bodhi]

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Honestly...no.

We have been listening to this guy our whole lives.  You can't tell?

Even when it's a Slash solo song I don't know (and I don't know any of them), the second I flick on the radio and its one of his songs, I know.

And I'm no musical savant.  I'm still listening to Skid Row and Twisted Sister, and claiming them as favorite bands...unironically.

Ha!  Skid Row were a legit good band, the first 2 records were great.  Twisted Sister... You're on your own with that one.

[D-GenerationX]

Ha!  Skid Row were a legit good band, the first 2 records were great. 

'Slave To The Grind' is still one of my favorite records ever.  It's a "desert island" album for me, even in 2016.

[ice cream sand pig]

^Love that album! Then when I first heard that acoustic radio performance/demo thing of Angel Down (the song) I was so stoked about it! It rocked so hard! But I hated the finished version. It had some poor man's November Rain ballad-y stuff going on that I couldn't stand and it totally took the song down a couple notches for me. Loved hearing Axl on that album though. How cool was that!?

[Thorned Rose]

Wouldn't you agree that 80% of the fans attending these shows are like me and don't play guitar and can't distinguish one guitar player's sound/style from the next? 

Honestly...no.

We have been listening to this guy our whole lives.  You can't tell?

Even when it's a Slash solo song I don't know (and I don't know any of them), the second I flick on the radio and its one of his songs, I know.

And I'm no musical savant.  I'm still listening to Skid Row and Twisted Sister, and claiming them as favorite bands...unironically.

Ha!  Skid Row were a legit good band, the first 2 records were great.  Twisted Sister... You're on your own with that one.

Always loved Sabo's guitar on "In a Darkened Room" man. Subhuman race has one of my favorite songs ever... "Breakin DOwn"

[Thorned Rose]

To sum it all up, Slash has a very distint style, and that style IS Guns N' Roses. He makes the old songs right and the CD era songs interesting for me. They were fine without him, but it is just cool to hear his solo on"This I Love" etc.

Slash does make Gn'R better. With Axl and Slash seemingly on great terms and getting on well... it is only positive things for the present and the future!

[Ginger King]

Ha!  Skid Row were a legit good band, the first 2 records were great. 

'Slave To The Grind' is still one of my favorite records ever.  It's a "desert island" album for me, even in 2016.

Ha!  I love that album...I think of Wasted Time as the last ballad, the final homage to the 80's before the tidal wave of grunge and flannel shirts took over.  IMO, a very underrated song.

[Wooody]

You can't tell the difference between Slash and Ashba??

No. Honestly I can't.  To my ears, 70% of the time the guitar solos sound like someone having 'relations' with a cat and the cat is NOT enjoying it.

Isn't that being tone deaf ?