Big guns on CD2?

[seagullview]

Now that it seems like things are finally happening in regards to a new album do you think it will contain some "big guns"? Or has he used all his best songs for CD1?

Personally I think he has saved a lot of the best songs for this album. I believe so since he has always said he sees it as a double album. This could have made him save some songs for this particular album. Also if you look back at the history of GN'R they always waited a long time before relasing songs even though they were some of their best songs, e.g. November Rain and Don't Cry. They could have been released on earlier albums, but were continuously worked on and released on later albums.

Then there's the theory of the leaks and how it determined what songs ended up on CD1. If this is correct many good songs could have been left out.

Finally, it seems they are also writing brand new songs and who knows what they sound like?

Anyway I'm pretty sure the songs on the new album will be just as strong as the previous album and some of them maybe even better

[Sixes]

I never understood the concept of saving so called big guns for another album. Axl Rose hadn't released an original album in almost 2 decades. Why would he decide to release what he perceived to be songs that weren't his best? Wouldn't he try to come out swinging with the best of the best to make a statement and to show that he wasn't just wanking off for 20 years?

[Scarstruck]

I asked Ron at the Vegas residency this year whether the CD tracklist was

a) the best of the material that was recorded

b) decided upon based on what had leaked

c) just the collection of songs that worked together as an album and not necessarily the best and not influenced by what leaked.

His answer was that it was c.

[DannyVinyard]

Every leaked song was on CD though, so there must have had to been some influence.

[Russel Nash]

Double exited about a new release without leaks.

[tomfriend]

I don't know about you, but if I had written and recorded a song that I thought was on a par with or better than November Rain, I'd be eager for people to hear it. More eager than Axl seems to be. Doesn't mean he's bluffing though. Who knows what the fuck his gameplan is, if he even has one anymore.

[Scarstruck]

Every leaked song was on CD though, so there must have had to been some influence.

I guess the influence could potentially have been the other way around as well. Maybe the 14 songs were chosen for CD and because they needed the most work/mastering etc. they were passed around from band to label and others and were therefore most prone to leaking. Atlas was intended for CD according to Ron but CD limitations meant it couldn't make the cut. Therefore they didn't put it through the same pre-release procedures and it was not accessible to leaks?

[seagullview]

I never understood the concept of saving so called big guns for another album. Axl Rose hadn't released an original album in almost 2 decades. Why would he decide to release what he perceived to be songs that weren't his best? Wouldn't he try to come out swinging with the best of the best to make a statement and to show that he wasn't just wanking off for 20 years?

It's not hard to agree with you, but I think since he viewed it as a double album you have to save some of the good songs for that too? I mean he must already have had that album (CD2) in his mind when choosing songs for CD1?

Edited December 4, 2014 by seagullview

[seagullview]

Let's take Silkworms as an example. This was one of the first new songs being played live, yet it didn't make it to the final album. Was it regarded as one of the better songs by the band since they played it live? Then why wasn't it on the final album? Or if it wasn't regarded as being so good why would they play it live as one their first new songs?

Haha it's impossible to understand this band!

[seagullview]

Every leaked song was on CD though, so there must have had to been some influence.

I guess the influence could potentially have been the other way around as well. Maybe the 14 songs were chosen for CD and because they needed the most work/mastering etc. they were passed around from band to label and others and were therefore most prone to leaking. Atlas was intended for CD according to Ron but CD limitations meant it couldn't make the cut. Therefore they didn't put it through the same pre-release procedures and it was not accessible to leaks?

Good point!

[Apollo]

I could see Axl not wanting to put the cream of the crop on the first album IF - that's a big IF - the plan was to release three albums in a small time period. If they recorded 30-40 songs and planned to release an album every 2 or 3 years - then it makes sense.

But to wait 6-7 years between albums.....then that is where the initial strategy really ended up failing. Because now that follow-up album isn't going to be that cohesive. You'll have a song written by Axl and buckethead TEN years ago mixed in with songs written by Axl (in a completely different space and attitude now than a decade ago) and DJ......the big question is will those songs flow together?

[Dean]

Let's take Silkworms as an example. This was one of the first new songs being played live, yet it didn't make it to the final album. Was it regarded as one of the better songs by the band since they played it live? Then why wasn't it on the final album? Or if it wasn't regarded as being so good why would they play it live as one their first new songs?

Haha it's impossible to understand this band!

I'm sure there is an interview from 2002 where Axl says that they were keeping the big guns back and that the new material they were playing wouldn't be used as singles. I'll have a look for it

[Sixes]

why would any artist release sub-par material on purpose?

makes zero sense

[username]

Nothing is happening regarding a new album.

We've been through this between 2001 and 2008.

[Bono]

the big guns if any on the new GnR record will be written by Slash.

[Iron MikeyJ]

Now that it seems like things are finally happening in regards to a new album

What makes you think this? I have heard nothing to make me think we are at all close to a new album. If you have info, please share.

[maynard]

Now that it seems like things are finally happening in regards to a new album

What makes you think this? I have heard nothing to make me think we are at all close to a new album. If you have info, please share.

This. If that Twitter picture means something. It probably means he's still recording the new album. He lied about it being ready some months ago.

[Mendez]

In regards to the leaks being the tracklist on the album. Maybe they were just working on those at the time, the others were on hard drives somewhere else, and the guy that brings coffee to producers made a copy of the material that was in-studio (or wherever the fuck it was)

[wasted]

Atlas Shrugged and The General seem like huge guns.

[Intercourse]

why would any artist release sub-par material on purpose?

makes zero sense

Exactly!

What people are forgetting is that Axl had lost control of the CD release strategy at that stage. He'd blown the bank and his backer's patience. Even divas like Axl can be controlled when it comes to the almighty dollar.

I'm willing to bet the label took what was ready and shoved it out to start recouping ASAP. Axl went into that epic huff and disappeared which proves he'd lost his place at the table where how GNR things would be done was decided.

I'm sure the label owns Axl's masters (as they do in 99% of cases) and "Atlas" or "The General" or any of the other "big guns" were ready they'd have been in there instead of "Scrapped" and "Rhiad". The label would have wanted the album to be stellar, to at least valiantly attempt to match the level of insane speculation that was swirling around it. Nobody with any hearing to speak of can say that "Scrapped", "Rhiad", "Sorry" and "Chinese" really stand up to the idea that they rightly took over a decade and twelve million bucks to craft, especially when fans knew that songs like SCOM were done in a day.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Intercourse

[SoulMonster]

Every leaked song was on CD though

No.

why would any artist release sub-par material on purpose?

makes zero sense

Luckily Axl never thought of the songs on CD as "sub-par" then.

Now that it seems like things are finally happening in regards to a new album do you think it will contain some "big guns"? Or has he used all his best songs for CD1?

Axl has a history of holding songs off for later releases. We also know from people who listened to many songs back prior to 2008 that some of the better songs - in their opinion - was not included on CD. Then we have Axl's own statements that he would wait with some songs for later records and other band members who have said the same thing. All this taken into consideration I am fairly certain there will be songs on the next album that I like a lot more than some songs on CD.

Edited December 5, 2014 by SoulMonster

[magisme]

We have to be the most gullible fanbase in history.

[LyndaRose]

I really do not understand their intentions....fans waited years and years for something new, finally it came out, with the message: this is the first of a double album, but we left the best out. Then we heard: there are tons of songs recorded, and they keep saying this for years now. What is the point of playing games with the fans like this? Never ever we get a decent official update, that is not a healthy relationship towards the fans I believe. More and more diehard fans become ex-fans. Time to wake up for this band

[wasted]

Once they got the Best Buy deal it didn't matter what CD was really. Maybe a couple of Best Buy guys listened to it. But honestly it sounds pretty epic to me.

[SoulMonster]

We have to be the most gullible fanbase in history.

What is gullible now then? Believing the journalists who listened to songs in the making long before the track list of CD was known, and said they preferred some songs that ended up not being included on CD? Beliving Axl could repeat his earlier decision to leave some songs for later releases?

In general I think the overwhelming naivity and, true, in some cases gullibility that indeed was widespread on gnr fans forums some years ago has been replaced by an equally unrealistic negative mood where there is almost a competition to shoot down any positivity as soon as it emerges.