Fortus and Izzy

[BillyMac]

Like so many, for nostalgia purposes, I truly wish Izzy was back also. I love Izzy's vibe, the cool Stonesy, blues, feel to his playing, and he is just the epitome of cool! But one thing that is very apparent, is that most fans aren't musicians themselves, and don't understand different talents of guitar players. I myself have played for over 30 years and appreciate many different styles of guitar players. Which brings me to Fortus, he is an absolute killer guitar player, and unfortunately the nostalgia blinds people from that fact. He is hands down the 2nd best guitar player that has ever been in GNR next to Slash! He is a master of many many styles of playing, where as Buckethead, Finck, and Bumblefoot were one trick shred ponies and played with no dynamics. It's no secret Slash wanted Fortus in his own band at one point. So as much as we all love Izzy and the classic 5, just strictly from a playing standpoint, Fortus is a better guitar player than Izzy and the potential is endless for the Slash/Fortus combo! The thing that will always be sorely missed and irreplacable with Izzy is his songwriting skills. Just my .02 cents...

[SoulMonster]

Izzy is good at writing music, Richard is good at playing guitar.

[Ant]

I'm excited for Richard in a live context, but as a huge Izzy fan, I was hoping he was involved because I bet they would have bashed out new tunes while on the road. I feel like it would be an inevitability during rehearsals if Slash Izz and Duff were there. Songs just seem to fall out of Izzy's butt. 

 

But who knows, maybe Richard will inspire some cool new shit... Izzy isn't the only talented songwriter on the planet. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ant

[theconspirator]

I think Izzy probably just doesn't care or practice much anymore. I assume he still plays a lot of acoustic stuff since he posted those videos, but I doubt he's playing electric everyday (and those are two very different instruments, I don't care what anybody says).

Also, I know Slash wanted Fortus but for which band and what year? The Conspirators?

[DieselDaisy]

Fortus is not fit to carry Izzy's guitar case.

[Ant]

4 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

Fortus is not fit to carry Izzy's guitar case.

I'm a huge Izzy guy, absolutely equal to Slash in my esteem, but I figure Richard is the least offensive thing that came out of NuGNR by miles. Not sure if that's saying much, but just like Mick Taylor is a god among men, Ron Wood did some cool shit too!

As far as Izzy not praciticing electric though, he was rockin' it with Aerosmith on mama kin not too long ago. And you could actually hear him!

Edited April 3, 2016 by Ant

[BillyMac]

I didn't want to appear to slight Izzy in the least, I have followed and been a fan since Live Like A Suicide came out and had an original copy, but simply from a guitar chops standpoint, Fortus is a much better player and has a cool blues vibe himself!

[Ak1nney]

I would really like to think Fortus and Ferrer are involved because this is an actual regrouping and new material will happen after this tour.

[IkaruFunk]

26 minutes ago, BillyMac said:

Like so many, for nostalgia purposes, I truly wish Izzy was back also. I love Izzy's vibe, the cool Stonesy, blues, feel to his playing, and he is just the epitome of cool! But one thing that is very apparent, is that most fans aren't musicians themselves, and don't understand different talents of guitar players. I myself have played for over 30 years and appreciate many different styles of guitar players. Which brings me to Fortus, he is an absolute killer guitar player, and unfortunately the nostalgia blinds people from that fact. He is hands down the 2nd best guitar player that has ever been in GNR next to Slash! He is a master of many many styles of playing, where as Buckethead, Finck, and Bumblefoot were one trick shred ponies and played with no dynamics. It's no secret Slash wanted Fortus in his own band at one point. So as much as we all love Izzy and the classic 5, just strictly from a playing standpoint, Fortus is a better guitar player than Izzy and the potential is endless for the Slash/Fortus combo! The thing that will always be sorely missed and irreplacable with Izzy is his songwriting skills. Just my .02 cents...

Agree with everything you said, except Bucket is definitely not a one trick pony. He was probably the most diverse and talented guitarist this band has ever seen, and I'm saying that as a huge Slash/Fortus fan.

12 minutes ago, Ak1nney said:

I would really like to think Fortus and Ferrer are involved because this is an actual regrouping and new material will happen after this tour.

Crossing my fingers for this, that would be absolute heaven!

As for Richard's songwriting skill, that one's tricky. He certainly is no Izzy, but we haven't seen much of it at all. He wrote the little verse part in Better and a handful of songs with his other bands, but that's about it. 

[Graeme]

I thought this was gonna be about that time Richard and Izzy got their jam on in London, 2006. I remember reading at the time that both of them enjoyed hanging out and playing on the tour together. Good times.

 

[CardinalGunner]

2006 had such amazing shows.    Great times.

[Graeme]

The glory days.

[Evil Doer]

hopefully axl, slash, and duff are in this for the long haul and izzy at least involved with some guest appearances and songwriting.

[3rd Wheel]

Fortus deserves to be part of this. Good for him. Hopefully, with one less guitarist on stage and in recording sessions, he can have a larger voice both through his guitar and in songwriting.

[yourcrazy]

I love Izzy and think he was a huge piece of what made GNR successful, but I have to say Fortus is a great replacement.  I hope Izzy does do some guest appearances but I think overall Richards a good fit.  He even looks like him to a degree.  

[NicDwolfwood]

2 hours ago, Graeme said:

I thought this was gonna be about that time Richard and Izzy got their jam on in London, 2006. I remember reading at the time that both of them enjoyed hanging out and playing on the tour together. Good times.

 

That was bitchin!

God Axl's voice in 06 was insane. It just may have been better than it was during the UYI tour, It was Raspy, but he had total control of it and could sing in all registers without either A) sounding like he had strep throat or B) like Mickey. 

[MrSoftie]

8 minutes ago, NicDwolfwood said:

That was bitchin!

God Axl's voice in 06 was insane. It just may have been better than it was during the UYI tour, It was Raspy, but he had total control of it and could sing in all registers without either A) sounding like he had strep throat or B) like Mickey. 

I think so. He was incredibly dynamic in 06.

[wasted]

I kind of feel like Izzy is best not in a stadium band. That's not really his thing. Where as Keith has that authenticity blues guy thing he also is mr showbiz when he wants. Whereas Izzy isn't. 

Also, we well I only know famous guitarists but there are a lot of cool guitarists not in stadium bands. Mike McCoy might be a known example but when when your record collection is full of rock n roll unknowns then maybe it's easier to not be in a stadium band. 

But he has done a lot of solo records and you'd think a quick tour through the US getting paid millions would be a great way to cap off you're career. But maybe the plans are bigger than that and a longer committment is needed. 

[Kenan]

Something's wrong with that video. I see two Izzys.

[Rovim]

8 hours ago, BillyMac said:

He is hands down the 2nd best guitar player that has ever been in GNR next to Slash! He is a master of many many styles of playing, where as Buckethead, Finck, and Bumblefoot were one trick shred ponies and played with no dynamics.

Absolutely false. Robin is all about saying something with direction, he doesn't shred. Bucket is brutally dynamic, he can do it all, make no mistake, he's just doing what interests him musically. Bumble does overplay, but he can do a lot of styles as well.

Bucket is one of the best guitar players in the world. Has been for years now.

Richard is the best fit for Gn'R imo though. He just sounds right with Slash in Guns. If you can't have Izzy, he's a great choice. Plus Paul Huge kinda played the Izzy role with Chinese and Fortus completed the puzzle with his Chorus riff in Better. Fortus said Axl has 3 albums worth of material so if that's true, and Paul and Richard were a part of it, Axl is set now when it comes to material to work with and genuinely gifted guitar players in his band.

Slash and Fortus sound fuckin' great together. It is just like I've imagined. I just hope Axl won't let it go to waste.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Rovim

[PsychoKiss344]

I like Fortus in the band, he's an unreal guitar player

[coolio GNR]

Fortus is a solid guitar player, but if they are going to write new music they need Izzy more than they need Fortus.

Edited April 4, 2016 by coolio GNR

[hudsonsaul]

I agree with the masses that Izzy is somewhat one of the most important ingredients when it comes to GNR song writing. He's also my favourite member of all members new & old.

However, Fortus is a phenomenal guitar play and absolute professional with a range of styles and tastes. He is without a doubt my favourite 'nugnr' member. I personally reckon musically and technically he is a fantastic fit for GNR and hope he doesn't go anywhere, whether Izzy comes back or otherwise.

I'd love to hear what Fortus & Slash could do under the GNR banner, whilst the Izzy, Fortus, Slash combo would be awesome on top of that (despite this comment running the risk of going into the old debate of 2 vs 3 guitarists).

[Rovim]

9 minutes ago, coolio GNR said:

Fortus is a solid guitar player, but if they are going to write new music they need Izzy more than they need Fortus.

Well yeah, but even if Izzy will write at some point for Guns, I don't know if he'll want to commit to it like Fortus. A realistic scenario will be if Izzy is interested, give him a bunch of money to perform whenever he wants to live, don't force him and in the studio use him as much as you can with Duff and Slash or even write on his own for Guns and keep Fortus in the band as well, in case Izzy is pre occupied.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Rovim

[Ant]

It's just weird that Izzy seems to want to be involved... is regularly in contact with Duff and I think Slash.... I mean how does Duff talk to Izzy now? Hey how's your band GNR doing? The one I wrote half the songs for....