Slash makes everything better.

[jarmo]

Hey jarmo! What's up man?

I was referring to just the long periods of no news or concerts in years past... mainly the lack of press releases or news/activity. It's been pretty much full steam ahead since Jan. Which is a nice change.

Yeah, like I said, I guess I was focusing on other things.

The past decade has been pretty fucking cool. We got concerts every year except 2008 and 2015. But there were other things going on those years..
So yeah, I must've missed those horrible times. Or I'm not worrying that much about what didn't happen 15 years ago at this point.

More great times are coming.



/jarmo

[C0ma]

If they r selling out 60,000 seat stadiums now, but playing nearly the same songs they played prior to slash, what does that tell us about GNR with and without slash.
It tells us that "Slash makes everything better."

Using this logic, Kanye West is better than GNR because his music sells more.

GNR is more popular because of Slash, popular dosent mean quality. Its all a matter of taste...

I see your point, 'better' is a subjective term. I would say that not only was AFD and UYI more popular, and sold better than CD... but the material is better (quality). Again this is a subjective discussion but I can't see many people putting the best CD track much inside the top 10 of tracks from the other 3 full length studio albums.

Like was mentioned above your take on the band is going to be rooted in when you discovered them, how many times you saw them live, or your participation in the experience of new material. I can see someone loving the 01-02 lineup, or gushing over TIL or Madagascar because you rushed the doors at a Best Buy in 2008. Some of us watched video launches on MTV, some of us saw their first appearance on Headbangers Ball, some of us saw the Ritz show air for the first time, or watched them accept awards... I was at a local record store for UYI and even the Spaghetti Incident.

[Factory Girl]

Unless you became a GNR fan because of CD, I can't really understand someone who's not happy with Slash's and Duff's return. For me, Slash and Duff returning is the return of GNR, the guys who made all that records that we love, so it's not even a matter of discussion. I would love to have Izzy, but I won't even start on that one. Besides, I'm really happy with what we have right now.

Doesn't matter to me that Buckethead, for example, is technically a better guitar player. That's not the vibe of the band to me. Never was, never will be, quite the opposite actualy. IMHO five Bucketheads doesn't worth one Slash. And I'm not being disrespectful to him, his work or anyone who's a fan, it's just that he doesn't belong and it has nothing to do with the music I love and the reasons why I became a fan many decades ago. But that's just my opinion.

[Princess Leia]

Unless you became a GNR fan because of CD, I can't really understand someone who's not happy with Slash's and Duff's return. For me, Slash and Duff returning is the return of GNR, the guys who made all that records that we love, so it's not even a matter of discussion. I would love to have Izzy, but I won't even start on that one. Besides, I'm really happy with what we have right now.

Doesn't matter to me that Buckethead, for example, is technically a better guitar player. That's not the vibe of the band to me. Never was, never will be, quite the opposite actualy. IMHO five Bucketheads doesn't worth one Slash. And I'm not being disrespectful to him, his work or anyone who's a fan, it's just that he doesn't belong and it has nothing to do with the music I love and the reasons why I became a fan many decades ago. But that's just my opinion.

This! Great post. I couldn't agree more 

[siraddam]

Thanks to Slash the band is once again great live! If they get in the studio and make a new album, which I'm sure they could with all the stuff they have floating around between them it would be just incredible!

[OscarAxl22]

This thread has gone down a lot of different paths..hard to keep up with which argument is which.

For me though, its a simple attitude of, the guitarist that was part of making the best music GNR have released is back. And for most fans (i accept not all) this is what matters and the music and the band is closer to being back to what it should be than what it has in 23 years.

For those who like CD era... they still have 3 band members (Axl, Frank, Richard)... its kind of a win win for both groups of fans.

Put simply.. i am happier now than i was 12 months ago... a lot happier and what GNR is achieving right now is huge.

Great time to be a fan! 

 

[D-GenerationX]

Unless you became a GNR fan because of CD, I can't really understand someone who's not happy with Slash's and Duff's return. For me, Slash and Duff returning is the return of GNR, the guys who made all that records that we love, so it's not even a matter of discussion. I would love to have Izzy, but I won't even start on that one. Besides, I'm really happy with what we have right now.

Doesn't matter to me that Buckethead, for example, is technically a better guitar player. That's not the vibe of the band to me. Never was, never will be, quite the opposite actualy. IMHO five Bucketheads doesn't worth one Slash. And I'm not being disrespectful to him, his work or anyone who's a fan, it's just that he doesn't belong and it has nothing to do with the music I love and the reasons why I became a fan many decades ago. But that's just my opinion.

Even if you did become a fan during that era, you obviously checked out the back catalog.  

If we are operating under the premise you hadn't heard any of it.  Like, if you have never been in a car.  Or near a radio.  Or a TV set.  Ever.

You checked out AFD and the UYI albums at some point.  Are you honestly going to sit here and say you didn't like them?

[Virolec]

If Chinese Democracy was what got you into Guns N' Roses, a fair chunk of that band was out of the picture, and had been for some time, before this current lineup came about.  Finck, Buckethead, Brain, Paul Tobias, Bumblefoot...

[OscarAxl22]

If Chinese Democracy was what got you into Guns N' Roses, a fair chunk of that band was out of the picture, and had been for some time, before this current lineup came about.  Finck, Buckethead, Brain, Paul Tobias, Bumblefoot...

I'd wager a guess that less than 1% of fans got into Guns n Roses off the back of CD.

[Factory Girl]

Unless you became a GNR fan because of CD, I can't really understand someone who's not happy with Slash's and Duff's return. For me, Slash and Duff returning is the return of GNR, the guys who made all that records that we love, so it's not even a matter of discussion. I would love to have Izzy, but I won't even start on that one. Besides, I'm really happy with what we have right now.

Doesn't matter to me that Buckethead, for example, is technically a better guitar player. That's not the vibe of the band to me. Never was, never will be, quite the opposite actualy. IMHO five Bucketheads doesn't worth one Slash. And I'm not being disrespectful to him, his work or anyone who's a fan, it's just that he doesn't belong and it has nothing to do with the music I love and the reasons why I became a fan many decades ago. But that's just my opinion.

Even if you did become a fan during that era, you obviously checked out the back catalog.  

If we are operating under the premise you hadn't heard any of it.  Like, if you have never been in a car.  Or near a radio.  Or a TV set.  Ever.

You checked out AFD and the UYI albums at some point.  Are you honestly going to sit here and say you didn't like them?

If Chinese Democracy was what got you into Guns N' Roses, a fair chunk of that band was out of the picture, and had been for some time, before this current lineup came about.  Finck, Buckethead, Brain, Paul Tobias, Bumblefoot...

I'd wager a guess that less than 1% of fans got into Guns n Roses off the back of CD.

Sure, but if someone became a fan because of CD and that kind of sound, even though those musicians were long gone by the time of the last tour, Slash probably won't be the best guitarist for that person. He's even further from the Buckethead era than the last lineup IMO. Doesn't matter if this fan already knew AFD/UYI or not.

You can easily find people in the fan forums that think CD is the best. I surely don't agree, but I'm not gonna be the one to say "no you don't really think that".

And this is obviously not the case for the majority of fans, I only said that to exemplify that this is the only situation I can understand someone not being happy with Slash's and Duff's return.

[D-GenerationX]

If Chinese Democracy was what got you into Guns N' Roses, a fair chunk of that band was out of the picture, and had been for some time, before this current lineup came about.  Finck, Buckethead, Brain, Paul Tobias, Bumblefoot...

I have always rejected this premise.

This is a band with staples of FM radio.  Everyone has been in a car.  With staples in culture.  Anyone at a sporting event, ever, has heard 'Welcome To The Jungle'.

I just cannot accept that someone heard that there was this band called Guns N' Roses was touring in the mid 2000s, and dedicated their time to finding internet leaks of a (at the time) theoretical album, with no stopping off at the classic material first.

Even if you got into GNR in 2005, you weren't looking for the 'I.R.S.' that you hard Mike Piazza had a copy of.

[Princess Leia]

If Chinese Democracy was what got you into Guns N' Roses, a fair chunk of that band was out of the picture, and had been for some time, before this current lineup came about.  Finck, Buckethead, Brain, Paul Tobias, Bumblefoot...

I have always rejected this premise.

This is a band with staples of FM radio.  Everyone has been in a car.  With staples in culture.  Anyone at a sporting event, ever, has heard 'Welcome To The Jungle'.

I just cannot accept that someone heard that there was this band called Guns N' Roses was touring in the mid 2000s, and dedicated their time to finding internet leaks of a (at the time) theoretical album, with no stopping off at the classic material first.

Even if you got into GNR in 2005, you weren't looking for the 'I.R.S.' that you hard Mike Piazza had a copy of.

You can't reject the premise that some people like CD songs more than they like AFD songs. So CD might not necessarily got them into GN'R. But they still might like those songs more than the classic hits

[D-GenerationX]

You can't reject the premise that some people like CD songs more than they like AFD songs. So CD might not necessarily got them into GN'R. But they still might like those songs more than the classic hits

Oh no, I would not reject that premise.  Absolutely not.

But I tend to big a big picture guy.  I'm sure such people exist in some number, but that number is infinitesimal.

Guns N' Roses?  Love 'em.  'Welcome To The Jungle', 'Paradise City', 'November Rain'.  Excellent.  And, of course, that stuff with the other line-up.  With the guy with the bucket.  Decent.

Guns N' Roses?  Love 'em.  'Chinese Democracy', 'Better', 'Street Of Dreams'.  Excellent.  And, of course, that stuff with the other line up.  With the guy with the top hat.  Decent.

If you had to break down the percentages among our fanbase, is it even 90/10?  Would 95/5 be more accurate?

[jacdaniel]

Huge Slash fan here and I am delighted he is back, but his sound is not as good as it has been with SMKC.  At least not yet. 

I think there are a number of reasons for this.  He is far too low in the mix, the song tempos are way faster and he is struggling to keep up and he used to playing with a more laid back rhythm player.   

If they slow the songs down a bit and bring him up in the mix I think he'll be back to his best in no time. 

[D-GenerationX]

Huge Slash fan here and I am delighted he is back, but his sound is not as good as it has been with SMKC.  At least not yet. 

I think there are a number of reasons for this.  He is far too low in the mix, the song tempos are way faster and he is struggling to keep up and he used to playing with a more laid back rhythm player.   

If they slow the songs down a bit and bring him up in the mix I think he'll be back to his best in no time. 

I didn't really pick up on the quicker tempos initially.  But the say everyone kept harping on it, I began to listen for it.

It's a legit beef.  But, perhaps something they correct before Detroit.  The band doesn't need Axl to sort that out in the interim.

[Six Strings]

The faster tempo might has its purpose. Maybe they are looking for more punk sound of the songs. I don't mind, as far as I'm concerned they do sound amazing. That's all that matters.

[Eduardo]

The tempo has been a huge concern for me, especially on the ballads (NR and Estranged)

It takes away these song's emotions, especially on the solos... Take the NR's first solo for example. The notes need to "breath" between one another if you know what I mean. With the faster tempo, the solo feels rushed, so does the song.

And on the faster songs, the faster tempo takes away the "swag". It also feels rushed and too punky to my taste

A slower tempo would also help Axl IMO, since his out of breath problem has been a huge concern these past years

[Voodoochild]

Huge Slash fan here and I am delighted he is back, but his sound is not as good as it has been with SMKC.  At least not yet. 

I think there are a number of reasons for this.  He is far too low in the mix, the song tempos are way faster and he is struggling to keep up and he used to playing with a more laid back rhythm player.  

If they slow the songs down a bit and bring him up in the mix I think he'll be back to his best in no time. 

If youre talking about the sound level he had in the Illusions, please, no. Gilby was way too low.

There's nothing wrong with Slash's level in the mix IMHO.

[ice cream sand pig]

Unless you became a GNR fan because of CD, I can't really understand someone who's not happy with Slash's and Duff's return. For me, Slash and Duff returning is the return of GNR, the guys who made all that records that we love, so it's not even a matter of discussion. I would love to have Izzy, but I won't even start on that one. Besides, I'm really happy with what we have right now.

Doesn't matter to me that Buckethead, for example, is technically a better guitar player. That's not the vibe of the band to me. Never was, never will be, quite the opposite actualy. IMHO five Bucketheads doesn't worth one Slash. And I'm not being disrespectful to him, his work or anyone who's a fan, it's just that he doesn't belong and it has nothing to do with the music I love and the reasons why I became a fan many decades ago. But that's just my opinion.

This! Great post. I couldn't agree more 

^ people that can say such things, and people that say bucket doesn't play with feeling/soul...

i have to guess that you've never listened to buckets electric tears album in full.

[JustanUrchin]

The tempo has been a huge concern for me, especially on the ballads (NR and Estranged)

It takes away these song's emotions, especially on the solos... Take the NR's first solo for example. The notes need to "breath" between one another if you know what I mean. With the faster tempo, the solo feels rushed, so does the song.

And on the faster songs, the faster tempo takes away the "swag". It also feels rushed and too punky to my taste

A slower tempo would also help Axl IMO, since his out of breath problem has been a huge concern these past years

From the Periscope feeds, I noticed the same.  It's hard to ignore, actually.  The pace set by the drummer, especially on PC, is frantic.  But given that the tempo has been forced every show from the clips of the 6-7 shows since they've "reunited," it must be intentional.  For the reasons you stated, it's hard to imagine how this benefits the songs (especially PC, and, as you noted, the solos).  Maybe this was occurring live over the past decade (and now is a given as the drummer remains the same) and I simply didn't notice it as I saw them live just once during that period and wasn't one to watch YouTube clips of the revolving incarnations of the band?