Izzy Stradlin's 117*

[ThomasMeadow]

Does anyone jam to this album on a regular basis? I've been listening to it lately and I have no problem saying its one of my

favorite albums. Not just GNR related Albums, but Albums period.

I've drove cross the United States 4 times in the last 4 years and this always one I play over and over on the drive.

I've had this album since I was 17ish and its always been a album that's a must at times in my life.

[wasted]

it's my favorite Izzy album and it's become one of favorite albums because all the songs are good and have a sort GNR feel to them in a way. Good Enough and Bleedin'. Ain't it a Bitch is cool opener. And as the record goes on it develops and there's surf rock or something towards the end. 117 is like Izzy riding his harley to the beach or something. It's pretty straight ahead, not too junkie like Like a Dog, not too country like River. It's UYI of Izzy Stradlin albums.

[Rovim]

Never gave it a full listen. I'll do it today.

[The Real McCoy]

Love it. All of Izzy's solo stuff is great.

[wasted]

Old Hat could've been GNR's It's Only Rock N Roll.

Freigh Train is like Nightrain meets Perfect Crime. Parasite isn't far off.

Up Jumped the Devil could have been the next Double talking' Jive.

There's ton of material on 117.

[moreblack]

I can't get into his solo stuff, it's like he's trying to be Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and George Harrisson, but not nearly as good.

[downzy]

I gave it a listen a few times but not sure if I was being completely opened minded. I wanted songs like Dust N' Bones, 14 Years, You Ain't The First, and Patience. I felt like none of the songs on 117 came close. I should go back and give it another listen.

[Rovim]

I gave it a listen a few times but not sure if I was being completely opened minded. I wanted songs like Dust N' Bones, 14 Years, You Ain't The First, and Patience. I felt like none of the songs on 117 came close. I should go back and give it another listen.

Liked Good Enough. Song title is appropriate.

[Crash Diet]

Does anyone jam to this album on a regular basis? I've been listening to it lately and I have no problem saying its one of my

favorite albums. Not just GNR related Albums, but Albums period.

I've drove cross the United States 4 times in the last 4 years and this always one I play over and over on the drive.

I've had this album since I was 17ish and its always been a album that's a must at times in my life.

More GNR related TM thread's please

[BreakDown2014]

Never gave it a full listen. I'll do it today.

[wasted]

You can see how Axl and Slash would fill out these songs. You can hear the riffs and progressions but Slash would make more dynamic and streamlined., there's one of his solo songs has a Brownstone type riff. River is pretty polished album too.

[Streetchild]

117 degrees was the first Izzy album I've bought, and it's still my favourite.

Gotta Say is one of my favourite Izzy solo tracks.

Old Hat, Bleedin', Good enough and here before you are also great songs.

[axlsalinger]

First half of the record is great. Love Gotta Say, Old Hat and Bleedin'. Second half fades a bit but still, really good album overall.

[ludurigan]

It's incredible how Izzy kept a very peculiar GNR "thing" on his solo career.

(and specially on this album).

In my book, every song that GNR covered is better than the original version.

The list covers pretty much every song that GNR covered and includes early stuff like "We're an American Band", "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "Whole Lotta Rosie", "Nice Boys" and also "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", "Live and Let Die" etc;

I can't think of any other band capable of doing this.

Well, actually... Izzy can.

"Up Jumped the Devil" and "Memphis" (from 117º) are terrific covers -- much, much better than the original versions.

Back in the 90s, during the Ju Ju Hounds tour, Izzy also used to play "Rocker" (a.k.a. "Rockin Daddy") and "Jivin' Sister Fanny" live and it's unbelievable how great (and how better than the originals) these songs are when played by Izzy;

I always thought that Axl's voice and Axl's delivery (just listen to what he does to "Free Falling") were THE key element that allowed GNR cover versions to be better than the original song;

But after listening to Izzy's covers I noticed that Axl is definetely not the only reason that GNR cover songs were so great;

The instrumental is also better; and it needs Izzy to be better, because Gilby was never able to create the same stuff;

On a side note, it's funny that Velvet Revolver were never able to play one single good cover song; Their version of "No More, No More", for example, is just sad and pathetic; the only time Velvet Revolver sounded good playing a cover song was when they played "Angie" ("Mary") with Izzy on board;

[DieselDaisy]

It is better than Guns N' Roses ever released. Guns could never have put out an album as good as that. It is a brilliant album but, nb, there are many albums by Stradlin of a similar quality: River, On Down The Road. Like A Dog.

[Bards]

I enjoyed the album although my friend and I used to nickname it "Izzy goes to Melon Camp" because of it's Mellencamp-ish vibe. Seemed like classic Izzy though, it was like he recorded most of the album then got to the last couple of songs and said "fuck it, just throw on whatever we have recorded".

[wasted]

On that live album in Japan, Izzy covers California Sun by the Ramones I think or is it a Beach Boys song?

But that made me think that's the difference between Keef or whoever and Izzy, there's still a punk element. Maybe that's why his solo still sounds a little GNR. It's Churry Berry played by the Ramones, Stonesy with a touch of Hanoi Rocks or something. It's always dirty and weird. River maybe isn't as much.

On 117 and Ju ju he has more of his own voice. Some others it's a little copy cat of Dylan or Petty but there's still a lot of great songs.

[DieselDaisy]

Miami is a nice album. Somewhat offbeat for Stradlin.

[blablabla123]

Just downloaded this album. I expect it to be as good as On Down The Road, I just love Sweet Caress.

Edited September 12, 2014 by blablabla123

[wasted]

It is better than Guns N' Roses ever released. Guns could never have put out an album as good as that. It is a brilliant album but, nb, there are many albums by Stradlin of a similar quality: River, On Down The Road. Like A Dog.

But for people coming to Izzy from GNR or stadium rock 117 is more comfortable. There's some hint of hard rock.

Whereas River is quite glossy country. On down the Road is punk Dylan. Like a Dog is dirty. Coming from Jungle and Estranged to Dog is like stepping out if the mall into some dog poop.

Izzy Slash kind of used to say we can make a GNR record in two weeks or whatever. But you can see that only some of their stuff would really work in stadiums as GNR.

There's one track on Dog that has a chunky riff track 3. That's heavy and would work. The more angular Izzy punk is much harder to convert. Bomb would work, it did for VR.

Miami is a nice album. Somewhat offbeat for Stradlin.

I like Ride on.

California the girls are making porno. It's off beat but also catchy. The perfect antidote to an Axl epic.

[DieselDaisy]

It is better than Guns N' Roses ever released. Guns could never have put out an album as good as that. It is a brilliant album but, nb, there are many albums by Stradlin of a similar quality: River, On Down The Road. Like A Dog.

But for people coming to Izzy from GNR or stadium rock 117 is more comfortable. There's some hint of hard rock.

Whereas River is quite glossy country. On down the Road is punk Dylan. Like a Dog is dirty. Coming from Jungle and Estranged to Dog is like stepping out if the mall into some dog poop.

Izzy Slash kind of used to say we can make a GNR record in two weeks or whatever. But you can see that only some of their stuff would really work in stadiums as GNR.

There's one track on Dog that has a chunky riff track 3. That's heavy and would work. The more angular Izzy punk is much harder to convert. Bomb would work, it did for VR.

Miami is a nice album. Somewhat offbeat for Stradlin.

I like Ride on.

California the girls are making porno. It's off beat but also catchy. The perfect antidote to an Axl epic.

I would take any antidote to an 'Axl epic' I could get.

River by the way has Jump in Now, a fuzzy rocker. All Izzy albums are balanced.

[wasted]

It's still more polished than like a Dog and Road. Jump in Now is another GNR possibility. There's always a decent but then the country on River maybe isn't as relatable to GNR fans. Far Below Me Now could be like Dead Flowers I guess. If you cherry pick. But 117 is like the UYI of Izzy.

I just think when they became a stadium band, Izzys aesthetic just became a bit lost. In a stadium even Slashs bluesy guitar is less important to the sing a longs. That's why maybe Axl came to prominence the singer armed with Elton songs is vital to stadium shows. In 91 I only noticed Izzy when he did DNB. Slash was always soloing on a ramp but it could have been anyone. Axl was carrying the show out front. There's a slight tonal shift in the 09 show but really it was the same except Ron was soloing on a ramp.

Edited September 12, 2014 by wasted

[DieselDaisy]

It's still more polished than like a Dog and Road. Jump in Now is another GNR possibility. There's always a decent but then the country on River maybe isn't as relatable to GNR fans. Far Below Me Now could be like Dead Flowers I guess. If you cherry pick. But 117 is like the UYI of Izzy.

I just think when they became a stadium band, Izzys aesthetic just became a bit lost. In a stadium even Slashs bluesy guitar is less important to the sing a longs. That's why maybe Axl came to prominence the singer armed with Elton songs is vital to stadium shows. In 91 I only noticed Izzy when he did DNB. Slash was always soloing on a ramp but it could have been anyone. Axl was carrying the show out front. There's a slight tonal shift in the 09 show but really it was the same except Ron was soloing on a ramp.

Well, who wants to watch music in a football stadium?

[WhazUp]

It is a decent record, but like all of his output post-Ju Ju Hounds it certaintly is missing the other elements from GNR that helped his writing immensely

[wasted]

It's still more polished than like a Dog and Road. Jump in Now is another GNR possibility. There's always a decent but then the country on River maybe isn't as relatable to GNR fans. Far Below Me Now could be like Dead Flowers I guess. If you cherry pick. But 117 is like the UYI of Izzy.

I just think when they became a stadium band, Izzys aesthetic just became a bit lost. In a stadium even Slashs bluesy guitar is less important to the sing a longs. That's why maybe Axl came to prominence the singer armed with Elton songs is vital to stadium shows. In 91 I only noticed Izzy when he did DNB. Slash was always soloing on a ramp but it could have been anyone. Axl was carrying the show out front. There's a slight tonal shift in the 09 show but really it was the same except Ron was soloing on a ramp.

Well, who wants to watch music in a football stadium?

It seems a lot of people. A cavernous stadium. Guns became a stadium rock band and the stuff Izzy wanted to do wouldn't fly unless Slash and Axl beefed them up. Just type of vocalist Axl is it guides the music bigger. Izzy don't really need it but songs like Don't Cry were changed into stadium anthems. Even Patience is taken further with the "Livin' the Dream" part. November Rain became the centre piece of the show in the stadium setting.