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One In A Million


Snowmass

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It was only played those two times.

Incorrect.

It was the opener July 30, 1987 at the Val du Lakes Amphitheater in Mears, Michigan.

They played Val du Lakes Amphitheater in Mears, Michigan in July 30, 1988, as part of their tour with Aerosmith. I have never heard of them playing the same venue on the exact date one year before. What is your source for this? I also don't have the full setlist for the 1988 show in Mears, but I doubt strongly they would play that song again.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/guns-n-roses/1987/val-du-lakes-amphitheatre-mears-mi-7bd2ea0c.html

Not sure why it would say so if it didn't really happen, but I didn't attend every gig so I can't confirm all of 'em. ;)

That site can be edited by anyone and I am afraid a mistake has been made here. I am quite certain whoever made that entry mistook 1988 for 1987. It is interesting that they list four songs on the setlist, though, three that is known from before (see gnrontour.com, or my own site) for the 1988 gig and then 'One In A Million'. Typing the wrong year is an honest mistake, but adding a new song to the existing list of know songs played, is something else. I have no explanation for this and can't rule out the possibility that 'One In A Million' was actually played in July 1988, although I find it dubious especially sice whoever made this entry already made one mistake.

Edited by SoulMonster
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The guy who claims he heard "One In A Million" at the show, a Brazilian called Fabio, doesn't look at all old enough to have been at a concert in 1988 or 1987 (judging by his Facebook pictures). And if you look at the list of shows he says he has attended, the oldest is from 2009 and all of them took place in Brazil. Why he would claim to have attended a show in 1987 (that really took place in 1988) in USA and that 'One In A Million' was played there, is beyond me, though.

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Love Slash's solo on that live version, never heard it before, thanks for posting SoulMonster.

Was discussing this song with a casual GNR fan friend of mine, he told me he loved the song musically, thought it could've been a hit if there were non-racist/non-homophobic lyrics to it.

I don't buy the third-person story, either, from stories Axl has told about black guys trying to sell him chains and being chased out of gas stations by Iranians, it's blatant that it's what his worldview was like at the time. I don't agree with the views expressed in the song but I do think Axl should have stood by what he said or at least admitted it was how he felt at the time of writing it.

I still love the song, though. Catchy as hell.

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Linguini: You're right, but I am still not convinced it actually happened. The show in July 30, 1987, probably didn't happen at all and that is it just someone who made a typo for the confirmed July 30, 1988 show in the same venue, meaning that Cari Baloun's memory is somewhat sketchy. She might have been to the 1988 gig and the band might have played One In A Million there (the setlist is incomplete for this gig, as you say), and then she just forgot which year it was, but I will have to call it implausible until confirmed by secondary sources.

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This of course begs the question of whether the song was played at more shows in 1988. I have always assumed it wasn't because of the band member's alleged displeasure with the song and because of media outrage. But Lies wasn't released until late November 1988, so there were plenty of opportunities to play the song before that during their tour with Aerosmith. Less than half of the setlists from this tour is complete, and many setlists are missing altogether. But since it doesn't pop up in the complete setlists we have, it is safe to safe it wasn't a standard song played very frequently. But sure, it could have been played more times.

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Its a great song because of Axls honesty and the great music behind it.

Nobody has to like it, but for those of us that do, it doesn't make us racist or bigots etc... Its art, its supposed to raise eyebrows in some cases. In this case it did.

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Guest Len B'stard

Anyone who calls this song racists can say the same about almost every rap song there is.

Oh well thats alright then, as long as there's more of em :lol:

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One In A Million was played at the 1988 gig. Read more the show here and a fan's day with Izzy:

http://www.diaryofamanicurist.blogspot.no/2012/12/a-day-with-izzy-stradlin.html

God, that is hard going.

Izzy was a vision of perfection, with such smooth skin and a youthful god-like body, wide shoulders and a narrow waist. It was while he was laying back that I noticed for the first time his beautiful mouth, delicate, sweet and angelic, curled upwards slightly at the corners.

I guess Axl was not the only one to attract the fanatics!

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It was only played those two times.

Incorrect.

It was the opener July 30, 1987 at the Val du Lakes Amphitheater in Mears, Michigan.

They played Val du Lakes Amphitheater in Mears, Michigan in July 30, 1988, as part of their tour with Aerosmith. I have never heard of them playing the same venue on the exact date one year before. What is your source for this? I also don't have the full setlist for the 1988 show in Mears, but I doubt strongly they would play that song again.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/guns-n-roses/1987/val-du-lakes-amphitheatre-mears-mi-7bd2ea0c.html

Not sure why it would say so if it didn't really happen, but I didn't attend every gig so I can't confirm all of 'em. ;)

That site can be edited by anyone and I am afraid a mistake has been made here. I am quite certain whoever made that entry mistook 1988 for 1987. It is interesting that they list four songs on the setlist, though, three that is known from before (see gnrontour.com, or my own site) for the 1988 gig and then 'One In A Million'. Typing the wrong year is an honest mistake, but adding a new song to the existing list of know songs played, is something else. I have no explanation for this and can't rule out the possibility that 'One In A Million' was actually played in July 1988, although I find it dubious especially sice whoever made this entry already made one mistake.

I don't know if this helps but GNR LIES was released in late November early December of 1988. They have a history of playing songs prior to official release but who knows, I doubt they would play OiaM before the record came out.

Never mind I just noticed you posted the release date.....

Edited by T.wa.T
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