Slash makes everything better.

[Factory Girl]

1991 was great because it was the last great line-up and they were on top of the world.  It was also the year of the best setlists, the longest and most passionate shows, the craziest antics ( and the best wardrobe  ), even the St. Louis riot was better than the lame Montreal, Vancouver or Philly riots 

I just watched a 91 show again and yep, its pretty good......

I also watched RNR 3 , from 01 and it was even better.....

I was at the Seattle show on this leg..  It was good, but nothing compaired to the shows above.

I like a crowd into it, it makes the show that much better

I like when the band interacts with the crowd, nothing we really saw on this leg of the tour

I like random set lists and mistakes during songs.......    Keeps it real

I loved this past leg of this guns tour, but its not even close to the best shows I have ever seen

RIR3?? If the only thing you are basing that off of is the bouncing crowd and the fact that Axl steals a T-shirt from the crowd and screws up Street of Dreams (The Blues) then I can almost see where you are coming from... but Jesus, they just did 25 shows where they killed it every night. It's not 1991 anymore, Robin is not coming though that door (to steal a Rick Petino quote)... We have Axl, Slash, and Duff functioning on stage like a well oiled machine putting 110% into every show and you are longing for RIR3... seriously WTF?!?

Oh my goodness, I was at RIR3, right in front of the stage. It was awful. I can't watch it to this day.
The only good thing about it was to know for sure that Axl was alive and breathing. For those old enough to remember, the late nineties were a very dark period, the internet was practically inexistent. I remember checking every magazine I could find looking for news, pictures, anything...and there was nothing.
Axl did not seem to be in a good place, the whole thing was a mess and the press crushed him.

[estebanf]

I have half a wardrobe full of portable hard discs, DVDs, CDs and blurays, with several TB of GNR recordings which I've been collecting in the last 15 years. Also attended 18 shows and have tickets for 2 more.

... and I have never seen anything like RIR. That atmosphere, that intensity, that darkness, that ferocity. The crowd was wild, the band was hungry, it was electrical. Plus the setlist was unbeatable.

I would trade 10 of my GNR shows for a time machine to RIR3. To me, the greatest GNR show. I still have shivers when I hear The Blues, Oh My God, Madagascar, that INCREDIBLE november rain version with Robin taking the 2 first guitar solos, that collosal version of Jungle, that intro...

[Voodoochild]

Phew, had to read like three pages of new posts.

Bumping this thread because of this audio of This I Love:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8WwRPdQPZs


I can't state how much better Slash's solo sounds to me with this high quality recording... It's absolutely amazing.

You know, I was and still am very critical about how Slash performs the ChiDem guitar solos.

As you may know, im a bootleg collector. I have downloaded everything that's available so far from this NITLT tour, and the first thing I do once the downloads are complete is to check the Chidem songs. Also attended two shows in the US.

IMHO, Slash makes everything better for this band except for the sound he provides. If you only focus in the music (not the image, not the money, not the fanbase, not the critical response, not the overall ''good vibes'' surrounding this tour and reunion), it's impossible to say this band sounds better or at least at the same level than any of the previous lineups. This may be irrelevant for 99% of the fans who are desperate to see Slash & Axl in the same stage no matter what, but you, Bruno, as the musician you are, can't tell me this lineup is sounding better than the past ones, and the main reason behind it is Slash's unhidable sloppiness. You can be sloppy in OTGM, but you CANT be sloppy in TWAT or TIL. You just cant. Do it well or don't do it. My opinion, at least.

But I didnt tell you that. I never said Slash made "everything" better. I did say his take on TIL improved once I had a good quality/almost soundboard version to listen to.

I don't think any of Slash's takes on CD songs are better than the originals. Although I much prefer him anytime over anything Ashba ever played. I rather hear Slash playing his most uninspired solo in TIL instead of Ashba's best take on it. The same with Better.

With Bumblefoot, it's actually a tricky question. I think Slash is not as efficient, but I never really liked BBF's tone. Still, Bumble was the highlight of TWAT after Robin's leads, so yeah, I still think Slash is in the 3rd place here. Maybe if Richard played the Buckethead's parts in TWAT Id change my mind because they have pretty similar tone in the lead (not talking only about the gear, but his attack on the strings and the way he bends the notes).

I have myself shared the TIL version you just shared in my FB page. I did it because I also found it very nice, but I think that was a one good shot among a million missed. If you check the few TWAT versions, he just ruined them all severely. When the band plays ''Better'', when the solo comes the song gets lost in a tide of shaggy nonsense. In ''Sorry'', which can be considered the easiest task for Slash from all the ChiDem songs, he just manages to make a ''decent'' solo.

Agree.

I have never been a DJ fan. In fact, I never liked him because I was comparing him to Robin and that was a fight he could never have won. But now, I have to say I miss him. DJ nailed all the ChiDem solos. When he needed to rebuild a solo, like TIL's case, he did it gracefully.

Disagree very much. I only watched the DVD once because of him and I never intend to do it again.

I'm loving this tour and this moment more than any other, but people should stop listening with their eyes. Does a song sound wrong just because there's another guy playing it, even if he's doing it right note by note? Does a song sound right just because its creator is playing it, even with mistakes? Since this tour started, I've been reading people bashing Frank for playing "wrong" or "fast" (even on songs started by Slash or Duff) and praising Adler, even when he's playing faster than Ferrer did the night before. Have they ever watched to Ritz 88, with speed up and out of tune songs? "Hired hands" can play it right! Classic members can make mistakes too!

What I love about the current line up is that we have Slash's playing without losing Fortus' amazing rhythm playing and Frank incredible additions to the classic tunes. Not to mention Duff's powerful chorus bass. Playingwise, I'd pick 2016 band over 1985-1993 band anytime.

Agree 100%.

The whole time Slash was gone, the end of 'November Rain', or 'Estranged' in its entirety, never sounded right to me.  Not bad, per se, but I was very aware that I was listening to someone cover the classic songs I came to love.

Bumblefoot used to play NR last solo exactly like the studio version, note by note. Not even Slash does that. He also nailed Estranged every single night. Actually, Slash misses the last section of NR first solo every gig.

THIS. Bumblefoot was the only one who actually played the first bend of NR's ending solo's pattern right. Not even Buckethead could do it.
But then again, like I said above, I do think Slash's tone makes a difference. Also, BBF probably used 0.9 strings, so its easier to reach those 2 1/2 bends. Maybe someone more in the know can correct me on this.

[draguns]

1991 was great because it was the last great line-up and they were on top of the world.  It was also the year of the best setlists, the longest and most passionate shows, the craziest antics ( and the best wardrobe  ), even the St. Louis riot was better than the lame Montreal, Vancouver or Philly riots 

I just watched a 91 show again and yep, its pretty good......

I also watched RNR 3 , from 01 and it was even better.....

I was at the Seattle show on this leg..  It was good, but nothing compaired to the shows above.

I like a crowd into it, it makes the show that much better

I like when the band interacts with the crowd, nothing we really saw on this leg of the tour

I like random set lists and mistakes during songs.......    Keeps it real

I loved this past leg of this guns tour, but its not even close to the best shows I have ever seen

You are talking about a different way of life. 1991 didn't have the internet nor cell phones. Different time period and different era. Also people are much older now. I can tell you that when I was young I liked crowded bars. Being 40 now, I hate crowded bars and places.  People grow up and change. 

[TheBaconman]

1991 was great because it was the last great line-up and they were on top of the world.  It was also the year of the best setlists, the longest and most passionate shows, the craziest antics ( and the best wardrobe  ), even the St. Louis riot was better than the lame Montreal, Vancouver or Philly riots 

I just watched a 91 show again and yep, its pretty good......

I also watched RNR 3 , from 01 and it was even better.....

I was at the Seattle show on this leg..  It was good, but nothing compaired to the shows above.

I like a crowd into it, it makes the show that much better

I like when the band interacts with the crowd, nothing we really saw on this leg of the tour

I like random set lists and mistakes during songs.......    Keeps it real

I loved this past leg of this guns tour, but its not even close to the best shows I have ever seen

You are talking about a different way of life. 1991 didn't have the internet nor cell phones. Different time period and different era. Also people are much older now. I can tell you that when I was young I liked crowded bars. Being 40 now, I hate crowded bars and places.  People grow up and change. 

I have seen some of my fav concerts of all time in crowded bars.    But I do agree with you   As much as TheBaconman still likes to carry on.   He sure does feel it in the morning now.   At 36 I don't feel like I did only at 34 haha.   However.  I can sure still suck it up for a once in a life time concert.   Or a weds thurs Friday Saturday night.  Hahaha

[gunsbetterthanever]

It don't matter how good bumble or finck, or any of them!

They r all replacements.
Slash and duff and GNR!

The others are replacements!

[C0ma]

I think Slash is not as efficient, but I never really liked BBF's tone. Still, Bumble was the highlight of TWAT after Robin's leads, so yeah, I still think Slash is in the 3rd place here. Maybe if Richard played the Buckethead's parts in TWAT Id change my mind because they have pretty similar tone in the lead (not talking only about the gear, but his attack on the strings and the way he bends the notes).

When it come to things like tone etc... it is solely subjective... there is no fact, only opinion.

My opinion is, from 2001-2016 the lead guitar 'tone' for GnR has sucked. Bumble, Robin, Bucket, and DJ can all play (no doubt), but their tone has sucked (I actually can't use the word sucked strong enough in my opinion). People have said it in this thread and in the past, each of the last 4 lead guitar players for the band have always or at least once played a GnR song or solo literally note for note... guess what so can pretty much every asshole who has graduated from the Berkley School of music. But guess what, you have heard of Slash and not Bob from Berkley for a reason... Slash has a sound that is automatically identifiable... the last 4 don't have that...

As far as TWAT... for as 'bad' as everyone has said it was in San Diego... it is literally the best I have heard the guitar played on that song live. For Robin through the last two before Slash no one has pulled that song off live... Slash did.

I get that some people just grew up with Robin and the other,s and just want to have something to hang there hat on... but I just don't see it, Like the Topic states, Slash makes everything better.

[TheBaconman]

I think Slash is not as efficient, but I never really liked BBF's tone. Still, Bumble was the highlight of TWAT after Robin's leads, so yeah, I still think Slash is in the 3rd place here. Maybe if Richard played the Buckethead's parts in TWAT Id change my mind because they have pretty similar tone in the lead (not talking only about the gear, but his attack on the strings and the way he bends the notes).

When it come to things like tone etc... it is solely subjective... there is no fact, only opinion.

My opinion is, from 2001-2016 the lead guitar 'tone' for GnR has sucked. Bumble, Robin, Bucket, and DJ can all play (no doubt), but their tone has sucked (I actually can't use the word sucked strong enough in my opinion). People have said it in this thread and in the past, each of the last 4 lead guitar players for the band have always or at least once played a GnR song or solo literally note for note... guess what so can pretty much every asshole who has graduated from the Berkley School of music. But guess what, you have heard of Slash and not Bob from Berkley for a reason... Slash has a sound that is automatically identifiable... the last 4 don't have that...

As far as TWAT... for as 'bad' as everyone has said it was in San Diego... it is literally the best I have heard the guitar played on that song live. For Robin through the last two before Slash no one has pulled that song off live... Slash did.

I get that some people just grew up with Robin and the other,s and just want to have something to hang there hat on... but I just don't see it, Like the Topic states, Slash makes everything better.

I agree with some of this

Any jerkoff with a few years of guitar playing can play any gnr song note for note. 

Just like all the previous band members did

The thing they didn't do that Slash did.  Was write a hit.   Write a song that sells millions.   Slash has done that.   Has any other previous guitar player d that with gnr?   

I love bucketheads style.  I think he is the best guitar player this band has ever seen.     Coolest looking on stage as well.   But he never wrote a hit.   

Why. Well that's another arguement. Haha

[Nikki_Sixx]

I have half a wardrobe full of portable hard discs, DVDs, CDs and blurays, with several TB of GNR recordings which I've been collecting in the last 15 years. Also attended 18 shows and have tickets for 2 more.

... and I have never seen anything like RIR. That atmosphere, that intensity, that darkness, that ferocity. The crowd was wild, the band was hungry, it was electrical. Plus the setlist was unbeatable.

I would trade 10 of my GNR shows for a time machine to RIR3. To me, the greatest GNR show. I still have shivers when I hear The Blues, Oh My God, Madagascar, that INCREDIBLE november rain version with Robin taking the 2 first guitar solos, that collosal version of Jungle, that intro...

Sometimes I wonder if you are a real person, or a programmed bot ... I would trade ALL my GNR shows to erase RIR3.

[rebelhipi]

Phew, had to read like three pages of new posts.

Bumblefoot used to play NR last solo exactly like the studio version, note by note. Not even Slash does that. He also nailed Estranged every single night. Actually, Slash misses the last section of NR first solo every gig.

THIS. Bumblefoot was the only one who actually played the first bend of NR's ending solo's pattern right. Not even Buckethead could do it.
But then again, like I said above, I do think Slash's tone makes a difference. Also, BBF probably used 0.9 strings, so its easier to reach those 2 1/2 bends. Maybe someone more in the know can correct me on this.

Didnt Bumble use his fretless on the last nightrain solo?

[rebelhipi]

Phew, had to read like three pages of new posts.

Bumblefoot used to play NR last solo exactly like the studio version, note by note. Not even Slash does that. He also nailed Estranged every single night. Actually, Slash misses the last section of NR first solo every gig.

THIS. Bumblefoot was the only one who actually played the first bend of NR's ending solo's pattern right. Not even Buckethead could do it.
But then again, like I said above, I do think Slash's tone makes a difference. Also, BBF probably used 0.9 strings, so its easier to reach those 2 1/2 bends. Maybe someone more in the know can correct me on this.

Didnt Bumble use his fretless on the last nightrain solo?

After a quick youtube check. I saw that he did use his regular fretted guitar on that one 
My bad.

[McKenzie]

Phew, had to read like three pages of new posts.

Bumblefoot used to play NR last solo exactly like the studio version, note by note. Not even Slash does that. He also nailed Estranged every single night. Actually, Slash misses the last section of NR first solo every gig.

THIS. Bumblefoot was the only one who actually played the first bend of NR's ending solo's pattern right. Not even Buckethead could do it.
But then again, like I said above, I do think Slash's tone makes a difference. Also, BBF probably used 0.9 strings, so its easier to reach those 2 1/2 bends. Maybe someone more in the know can correct me on this.

Didnt Bumble use his fretless on the last nightrain solo?

After a quick youtube check. I saw that he did use his regular fretted guitar on that one 
My bad.

The subject is November Rain.

[rebelhipi]

Phew, had to read like three pages of new posts.

Bumblefoot used to play NR last solo exactly like the studio version, note by note. Not even Slash does that. He also nailed Estranged every single night. Actually, Slash misses the last section of NR first solo every gig.

THIS. Bumblefoot was the only one who actually played the first bend of NR's ending solo's pattern right. Not even Buckethead could do it.
But then again, like I said above, I do think Slash's tone makes a difference. Also, BBF probably used 0.9 strings, so its easier to reach those 2 1/2 bends. Maybe someone more in the know can correct me on this.

Didnt Bumble use his fretless on the last nightrain solo?

After a quick youtube check. I saw that he did use his regular fretted guitar on that one 
My bad.

The subject is November Rain.

?
Ups! Thanks for clearing that up.
I should log out now..

[sky dog]

I think Slash is not as efficient, but I never really liked BBF's tone. Still, Bumble was the highlight of TWAT after Robin's leads, so yeah, I still think Slash is in the 3rd place here. Maybe if Richard played the Buckethead's parts in TWAT Id change my mind because they have pretty similar tone in the lead (not talking only about the gear, but his attack on the strings and the way he bends the notes).

When it come to things like tone etc... it is solely subjective... there is no fact, only opinion.

My opinion is, from 2001-2016 the lead guitar 'tone' for GnR has sucked. Bumble, Robin, Bucket, and DJ can all play (no doubt), but their tone has sucked (I actually can't use the word sucked strong enough in my opinion). People have said it in this thread and in the past, each of the last 4 lead guitar players for the band have always or at least once played a GnR song or solo literally note for note... guess what so can pretty much every asshole who has graduated from the Berkley School of music. But guess what, you have heard of Slash and not Bob from Berkley for a reason... Slash has a sound that is automatically identifiable... the last 4 don't have that...

As far as TWAT... for as 'bad' as everyone has said it was in San Diego... it is literally the best I have heard the guitar played on that song live. For Robin through the last two before Slash no one has pulled that song off live... Slash did.

I get that some people just grew up with Robin and the other,s and just want to have something to hang there hat on... but I just don't see it, Like the Topic states, Slash makes everything better.

100% with you....my least favorite part of Chinese Democracy was the guitars. I love the lyrics, the singing, the orchestration, the rhythm section, the keyboards/synths...the basic structure of the songs...the guts. What I don't really care for is the multiple pitchy guitars on every track. 4 different guitar players on one track? Really? The current arrangements of the songs are cool and different...more my style. I am not disparaging other people's opinions either...just stating mine.

[Voodoochild]

I think Slash is not as efficient, but I never really liked BBF's tone. Still, Bumble was the highlight of TWAT after Robin's leads, so yeah, I still think Slash is in the 3rd place here. Maybe if Richard played the Buckethead's parts in TWAT Id change my mind because they have pretty similar tone in the lead (not talking only about the gear, but his attack on the strings and the way he bends the notes).

When it come to things like tone etc... it is solely subjective... there is no fact, only opinion.

Of course its only opinion. I didnt say I was right and people who disagree were wrong.

My opinion is, from 2001-2016 the lead guitar 'tone' for GnR has sucked. Bumble, Robin, Bucket, and DJ can all play (no doubt), but their tone has sucked (I actually can't use the word sucked strong enough in my opinion). People have said it in this thread and in the past, each of the last 4 lead guitar players for the band have always or at least once played a GnR song or solo literally note for note... guess what so can pretty much every asshole who has graduated from the Berkley School of music. But guess what, you have heard of Slash and not Bob from Berkley for a reason... Slash has a sound that is automatically identifiable... the last 4 don't have that...

I get what you're saying, but to me, Bumble and especially Robin and Bucket had all pretty much recognizable tones. Pretty much so in Robin's case - almost everyone automatically identified Robin's playing in This I Love once CD came out even before reading the booklet.

And in my defense, I always loved the little tidbits he and Bucket added to the original solos to kinda make it their own style. I love Robin's solo in SCOM, still do.

As far as TWAT... for as 'bad' as everyone has said it was in San Diego... it is literally the best I have heard the guitar played on that song live. For Robin through the last two before Slash no one has pulled that song off live... Slash did.

I get that some people just grew up with Robin and the other,s and just want to have something to hang there hat on... but I just don't see it, Like the Topic states, Slash makes everything better.

I grew up with Slash. He made me want to learn how to play guitar when I was 15, some 21 years ago. He still is one of my top 3 fav. I just disagree with you.

What I don't really care for is the multiple pitchy guitars on every track. 4 different guitar players on one track? Really? The current arrangements of the songs are cool and different...more my style. I am not disparaging other people's opinions either...just stating mine.

I get and I respect your opinion. But really, this 4 different guitar players on one track is not to get them all sounding at once. On TWAT, Axl said his guitar is very subtle, something that follows the vocal melody or whatever. Its just that with all the different lineups recording, and the non-linear nature of Pro Tools editing, you can just copy and paste the track and mix it with the others, you dont need to ask to the new guy to play everything just to replace the other.
But yeah, sometimes they did do that. Bumblefoot's rhythm guitar in that song was really something just for the sake of having him playing power chords at the ending, it added nothing to the song.

[GNR4LIFEJD]

Whether Slash makes everything better or not the reality is Slash has to be the guy you go forward with. Not just because thats what probably a majority of fans want but can you really make what a 6th guitar player change I don't think you can go back from this. For all we know after this entire tour is done Maybe Axl says I want us going out on top with all this positivity going on because you know once this tour is done with the only question anyone is going to have is are you going to come out with new music and who knows what Axls mindset will be at that time. So hopefully Slash does make everything better going forward.

[C0ma]

When it come to things like tone etc... it is solely subjective... there is no fact, only opinion.

Of course its only opinion. I didnt say I was right and people who disagree were wrong.

That was less in direct response to you, more just setting up my statement saying I didn't think I was stating fact to get in front of any responses to my comments.

My opinion is, from 2001-2016 the lead guitar 'tone' for GnR has sucked. Bumble, Robin, Bucket, and DJ can all play (no doubt), but their tone has sucked (I actually can't use the word sucked strong enough in my opinion). People have said it in this thread and in the past, each of the last 4 lead guitar players for the band have always or at least once played a GnR song or solo literally note for note... guess what so can pretty much every asshole who has graduated from the Berkley School of music. But guess what, you have heard of Slash and not Bob from Berkley for a reason... Slash has a sound that is automatically identifiable... the last 4 don't have that...

I get what you're saying, but to me, Bumble and especially Robin and Bucket had all pretty much recognizable tones. Pretty much so in Robin's case - almost everyone automatically identified Robin's playing in This I Love once CD came out even before reading the booklet.

And in my defense, I always loved the little tidbits he and Bucket added to the original solos to kinda make it their own style. I love Robin's solo in SCOM, still do.

I would agree that Robin's style (playing and visually) is unique, but IMO his tone is garbage... the one outlier I think most people can agree with no matter your overall opinion of Robin, his work on TIL is amazing and probably the best work of his career. That is a very stripped down track that they didn't weigh down his guitar with too many effects and too much crunch.

The problem I have always had with the 2000-2014 guitar players is that there was too much happening between them and the front of house sound... I know that was by design, but I much prefer the tone Slash gets out of his guitar and amp with minimal effects. If you watch the Premier Guitar Rig Rundown of the 2012 (could be wrong on the year) tour it takes the guitar techs forever to get through their pedal configurations. Also more specifically Bumble, I think the Vigier guitars sound very thin... 

As far as Robin and SCOM, it got better in 2006, but the 2002 tour is about the worst I have ever heard anyone play the SCOM solo.

[Wooody]

If you say Slash is sloppy you clearly don't know anything about art.

Duff once said that he liked what he and Slash had when they jam, I think he called it ''control chaos'', And I think the GNR sound is exactly that, a controlled chaos. Like a twister or the eye of a storm creating chaos on a specific path.

The way I see it there are two types of musicians, and interpreter and a writer.

I would say Bumble Richard and Buckethead are interpreters, and they do it very well, and as someone said Bumble was the only one to play NR as faithfully to the album version, but thats what those kind of guitar players do.

My uncle for example is a pro, and plays mozart and classical music. But tell him to write a simple melody and he is incapable, no interest in doing it either. That sounds like something Richard would say.

Slash is a writer, and in my opinion, that kind of guitar player takes far more liberties in guitar playing that the mentioned above. You push the boundaries, you don't paint within the lines, you play on your instincts and feelings, you make the guitar suffer if necessary, you don't have to be faithful, nor stick perfectly to the notes, the timing, the bends, etc. Its rock n roll, it wild and free. If you want guitarists who stick to the note sheets that's not what GNR is about, and I do think that in this respect, Slash does make everything better, because of his controlled chaos, everything flows better. Chinese democracy is something squared that has a hard time flowing, you can enjoy it because you kind of sense where Axl wanted to go with it and sometimes and in some places it really does shine through that squared roughness, but I don't think that he ever found a guitarists capable enough, Robing may have had some of that wild free spirit in him, but he just wasnt that gifted technically, he was starting to become a Guitar God when I saw him 2006, but he left shortly after.

A friend of mine once said about Chinese Democracy, Its ok, but it doesnt really have songs that ''Run'', it may be hard to explain what he meant but I completely got it. AFD has lots of songs that "run"? mostly all of them.. Because its untapped energy, its that controlled chaos.

[Wooody]

As far as Robin and SCOM, it got better in 2006, but the 2002 tour is about the worst I have ever heard anyone play the SCOM solo.

We're in sync. 

 

[D-GenerationX]

Oh my goodness, I was at RIR3, right in front of the stage. It was awful. I can't watch it to this day.
The only good thing about it was to know for sure that Axl was alive and breathing. For those old enough to remember, the late nineties were a very dark period, the internet was practically inexistent. I remember checking every magazine I could find looking for news, pictures, anything...and there was nothing.
Axl did not seem to be in a good place, the whole thing was a mess and the press crushed him.

Agree with all of this.

RIR III was basically just a "proof of life" video for me.  I know Vegas was the first show, but it was not readily available.  But RIR III was on Kazaa (yeah, I am old) within the week.  That was my first real tangible proof there would be at least some sort of band going forward.  Who actually did have some new songs.

But the show itself, well, is not good.  I do like those versions of the new songs to this day.  But the classic GNR stuff is a god damn mess.  It's not a bootleg I crack out, ever.