Absurd / Silkworms

[RoCoKiN]

I didn't know what to think when I first heard it...but it's growing on me now....it's kinda Down on the Farm meets My World....I can't stop listening to it 

[dsaddler78]

I didn't know what to think when I first heard it...but it's growing on me now....it's kinda Down on the Farm meets My World....I can't stop listening to it 

I just can't stop thinking of "Oh my God". Not that it is a bad thing, I just hear an industrial vocal sound meets a punk style rock mix. Definitely cool though. I keep listening over and over

[jarmo]

Jarmo, do you think that GN'R will continue dropping single songs here and there? Or, a full-fledged album?

Ali

Good question. Let's see how things progress.

I like the single idea. Keeps the momentum going. But who knows what the plans are....





/jarmo

[thomas]

can not stop listening to this rock classic

[dsaddler78]

can not stop listening to this rock classic

Lol.....don't go there yet. But i have had it on repeat for some time now. You keep getting more and more out of it, the more you listen

[PermissionToLand]

They really could have done a lot more with that soft breakdown, though. Without it being longer, it just feels out of place and doesn't really seem worth including.

I have to agree with the people saying it feels undercooked. The riffs and structure are very simple and Slash didn't change very much except the guitar tone. I think it had potential to be more.

[Nightrain7]

Im really enjoying 'Absurd'.
It's one of the most GN'R things to do. Release a song they know won't be played on 'air', it will be somewhat controversial (lyrical), it's pretty badass, aggressive a.f.  just as ISE and WTTJ was over 30 years ago. They haven't played it safe, it's a progressive band with progressive sounds. They have once again done things 'their way', and we finally got an official release. Personally I would have made the comeback song something like Atlas/Hardschool- but hey, it's not my band.....
Crank up the volume, mesmerise yourself in the Medusa clip, pour a whisky and just enjoy it! hah.

[dsaddler78]

They really could have done a lot more with that soft breakdown, though. Without it being longer, it just feels out of place and doesn't really seem worth including.

I have to agree with the people saying it feels undercooked. The riffs and structure are very simple and Slash didn't change very much except the guitar tone. I think it had potential to be more.

Nailed it...IMO

[estebanf]

This release brought my enthusiasm for this band back.

I think it was a GREAT idea to drop a new track this way, that GnR was URGENTLY needing a move like this, and I also think releasing a ChiDem era song was another great and refreshing idea.

The song rocks hard. I know this since 2001, then the studio leak confirmed it, and this isn't the exception. Loved the video, the visuals, and the way Axl performed it live.

Just 2 negative things I can see:

1) Slash. Slash should not even appear on it. His bluesy/sloppy sound doesn't fit AT ALL with the modern/industrial sound the song has, and Richard has the needed skills to do the whole guitar parts. I dont see the reason why the band would replace the original guitar parts, when they were clearly better/superior

2) I didn't like the lyrics adaptation. I really REALLY miss the ''what can I do... with a bitch like you''.

Im crossing my fingers for MORE and MORE chidem era songs releases, specially ''Perhaps'' and ''Atlas''.  I think ''Perhaps'' has the level and the grandiosity of other Axl masterpieces like TWAT, Estranged, November Rain, etc.

[rebelhipi]

I asked my friends what they think of the new GN'R song. The response was positive/neutral.

Im starting to be positive about a full length album release late this year/early next year.

[DeN]

I'm sure you are all familiar with 'Achtung Baby'.  Probably U2's second best known album after 'The Joshua Tree'.

It contains all time classic U2 tunes like 'One', 'Mysterious Ways', 'Even Better Than The Real Thing'.  All songs that have been setlist staples for the almost 30 years since.

Does anyone recall what the first single was?  The one that came out before the album??  Because I do.  It was 'The Fly'.

I still recall a line from a 1991 Year In Review article about the album.  "In October, U2 released the album's lead single, 'The Fly'...and promptly scared the shit out of their entire fanbase."

Now, I happen to really like that song.  But, completely candid, it's...what?  Maybe the 6th best song on that album?  Maybe even the 7th.  And it was a totally different sound than what the U2 fanbase had come to expect.  Second single was 'Mysterious Ways', and the third single was 'One'.  Rest was history.  That album went on to sell a jillion copies, and produce a tour that is still considered one of the greatest spectacles of all time.

So, to make a long story short (too late) you can't let a first impression freak you out.  

difference is, it's not a first impression.
I mean, we had 20 years to evaluate the qualities of Silk...Absurd.

[Executioner]

It's definitely divided opinions had they done another WTTJ, SCOM or November Rain they would have been lynched at dawn and accused of lacking in any fresh ideas ,I do think if they release an album it will be a mix of old and new sounds a bit like CD which isn't a bad thing.

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

So after listening to Absurd several times, its become an ear worm and I'm having trouble containing myself from blurting out 'pussy full of maggots', even while my kids are around  

I think Axl released this as the first single for a few reasons:
1. As a fuck you to Geffen, getting his way  
2. As a "I won" to Slash, in that he got him to play on a song that could be considered emblematic of stylistic departure for GN'R that partially led to him leaving the band.  
3. It's content and aggressiveness demonstrates that Guns have not gotten soft in their older age.

Also, this nonsense about the "mistake" in the production is crap.  Axl is meticulous and precise, nothing is a mistake.  

[jarmo]

Oh, add to that the possibility that one of the reasons why it was picked to be released was because some had already heard it, but not the finalized version.....




/jarmo

[COMAMOTIVE]

So after listening to Absurd several times, its become an ear worm and I'm having trouble containing myself from blurting out 'pussy full of maggots', even while my kids are around  

I think Axl released this as the first single for a few reasons:
1. As a fuck you to Geffen, getting his way  
2. As a "I won" to Slash, in that he got him to play on a song that could be considered emblematic of stylistic departure for GN'R that partially led to him leaving the band.  
3. It's content and aggressiveness demonstrates that Guns have not gotten soft in their older age.

Also, this nonsense about the "mistake" in the production is crap.  Axl is meticulous and precise, nothing is a mistake.  

More I think on this - More I am optimistic that this is typical Gnr irony
That they actually have a lot of good stuff ready to go - but threw this out there as a probe / test case - see how it flies releasing in that fashion...nothing too fancy..just a punky nasty little thing - not to be taken too seriouisly..and prob got a chuckle knowing what's to come..hopefully in the near future

Then again I'm wrong more than I'm right on this topic so......

[thomas]

Oh, add to that the possibility that one of the reasons why it was picked to be released was because some had already heard it, but not the finalized version.....




/jarmo

that a good point did we heard in the past of some people saying they heard a much different silk worms

[kunzerd]

If I had to pick a preferred version of silkworms it would be the 2000 demo and then if you layered slash’s guitar work onto that, musically and the vocal melody would make it something I’d be ok with being on an album. But the lyrics are probably the worst thing since my world. The only upside to the 2000 demo is that it didn’t feel the need to have a chorus, so we don’t have the awkward jamming of absurd in there or whatever he said in the live versions from the rock in rio era

Hopefully this is a taste before more stuff, and not like when oh my god was released. Cool that gnr is considering sharing new music with us, but baffled by their choice to go with something 21 years old and lyrically kind of out of touch

Atlas Shrugged to me is a mature bit of lyric writing with some nice reflection in there

[jarmo]

Did anyone notice the different Copyright on the song? At least in Spotify.

Previous releases are Copyright Geffen or UMG.

Absurd is Copyright Guns N' Roses, under exclusive license to Geffen Records.



Yet another hint about how they needed to figure out how to release new music....




/jarmo

[Ali]

Did anyone notice the different Copyright on the song? At least in Spotify.

Previous releases are Copyright Geffen or UMG.

Absurd is Copyright Guns N' Roses, under exclusive license to Geffen Records.



Yet another hint about how they needed to figure out how to release new music....




/jarmo

Yes. I noticed that right away. I was told by a very knowledgeable person that it means that they own the masters, and that they have likely renegotiated their record contract.

Ali

[kunzerd]

Did anyone notice the different Copyright on the song? At least in Spotify.

Previous releases are Copyright Geffen or UMG.

Absurd is Copyright Guns N' Roses, under exclusive license to Geffen Records.



Yet another hint about how they needed to figure out how to release new music....




/jarmo

Thats actually a really cool point, and encouraging if they are just going their own way.