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Melissa, Dizzy on Keyboard


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I barely noticed her at the show I went to, and I was front row on her side of the stage.  While on the one hand it might indicate that she doesn't contribute much, I'd also be hard pressed to say that her presence was annoying in any way

Edited by ironicninja
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On 8/15/2016 at 3:10 PM, auad said:

the big question for me is: her presence is really necessary?

Dizzy can't play samples, so unless you want to hear songs like Civil War and Madagascar without the quotes, she has to stay

Also many of the Chinese Democracy-era songs require playback of samples/Axl's recorded backing vocals

Edited by TheSeeker
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On Dizzy- I enjoy Dizzy in the band. I'm glad to see he's still there. I may be biased because Estranged is one of my favorites and he kills it ??. Power to him.

On Melissa- I really like her presence in the band. I think she has good vocals, a cool, artsy and fun stage presence and she's musically well-rounded. I don't feel at all that Gn'R NEEDS her in the band to be "relevant" with this generation. This is a band that was ahead of its time and is still the epitome of bad ass rock in this generation's eyes. Yes, like most here, I LOVED the AFD 5, however, shit changes. Having this young, talented woman in Gn'R is not the worst shit that could happen. The worst shit that could happen is that this shit wouldn't be happening and we would just be talking about the same old shit. I would much rather embrace this new shit than have no shit. Just my two cents ? ✌?️. (I like the word shit, apologies in advance.)

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15 hours ago, TheSeeker said:

Dizzy can't play samples, so unless you want to hear songs like Civil War and Madagascar without the quotes, she has to stay

Also many of the Chinese Democracy-era songs require playback of samples/Axl's recorded backing vocals

I'm fine with Melissa and I enjoy her backing vocals.  But the quotes from Civil War, Madagascar...and some of the samples could easily be done by sound guys/techs....so that's not really true, fyi.

 

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On August 15, 2016 at 0:40 PM, guitarpatch said:

There are plenty of bands who would just throw that person behind the stage and have them play along to put up the guise that they sound bigger than they are. I guess GNR doesn't like to hide behind a curtain? What you see on stage is what you really hear for the most part. 

 

So true. It's surprising how many bands use hidden musicians live. Many play along to prerecorded tracks as well. 

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I was just watching the Live in Paris '92 show last night and wondered to myself - what the hell does Dizzy do on songs like It's So Easy, Attitude, Double Talkin' Jive, Paradise City etc? Just seems like the total definition of an additional musician, yet seemingly had 'full' status? I get that he contributed a lot more to Chinese Democracy, but live the band still played way more AFD tracks than any other album, and none of those had keyboards on it.  

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People are thinking keyboards as in classic synth sounds or piano. I'm betting the majority of what Melissa plays are guitar lines that help fill up the songs on AFD. Especially during the chorus. Dizzy adds percussion and the noticeable piano stuff. 

Her playing is meant not to be heard but felt. Makes the songs sound bigger and a sense of dynamics live. Again, most bands have someone that does this, but they have them backstage. GNR chooses to not hide them

Plus she sings backup and has stage presence 

Edited by guitarpatch
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On 8/15/2016 at 5:35 PM, EverythingWasRoses said:

I think Melissa is a great addition to the lineup. Her background vocals are incredible (especially on CD, LALD, and Better). She sounds great with Axl and her vocals are pleasing to hear, unlike Pitman. 

 

Not it to mention the fact that she's very easy on the eyes. I welcome her for as long as she can stay!

Yep! 

Edited by JohnnyGtar
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On 22/08/2016 at 9:53 PM, TheSeeker said:

Dizzy can't play samples, so unless you want to hear songs like Civil War and Madagascar without the quotes, she has to stay

Also many of the Chinese Democracy-era songs require playback of samples/Axl's recorded backing vocals

Dude, you know that playing samples is just... push a a button and thats it, right? 
I have a band and my girlfriend that has no musical skills at all pushes the button for us. Thats it. 

I dont really care for Melissa being on the band but I also dont see the point of having her. Her voice isnt that good or needed, her electronica skills arent needed even on Chinese songs as anyone that has fingers could push a button for samples, she is a ProTools and Logiq tech and ai think this is the main reason Axl wants her around, but a tech dont need to be onstage or to be a member of a Rock N' Roll band that already has a piano/keyboard player. 

Edited by default_
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4 minutes ago, default_ said:

Dude, you know that playing samples is just... push a a button and thats it, right? 
I have a band and my girlfriend that has no musical skills at all pushes the button for us. Thats it. 

I dont really care for Melissa being on the band but I also dont see the point of having her. Her voice isnt that good or needed, her electronica skills arent needed even on Chinese songs as anyone that has fingers could push a button for samples, she is a ProTools and Logiq tech and ai think this is the main reason Axl wants her around, but a tech dont need to be onstage or to be a member of a Rock N' Roll band that already has a piano/keyboard player. 

Again she's doing more than samples... She's doubling up on guitar/bass parts to help fill out the sound. Very common practice in big gigs. The whole point is you don't want to hear what she plays, only to feel it live. Gives a fuller sound during certain parts for dynamics.  

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This is the article about hidden keyboard practice.

http://www.laweekly.com/music/inside-the-strange-hidden-world-of-offstage-touring-musicians-6539027

I think if she playing keys or singing backing vocal on almost every song, it's the right decision to put her on stage.

Even if the idea of hiring her come from Axl, but it seems that Slash and Duff accept her and being close/friendly to her on a lot of backstage photo.

Y'know the reason Axl hiring another keyboardist maybe just because he feeling weird seeing the right side of the drummer is empty, while the left side is filled by Dizzy. Maybe he thinks it looks unbalanced or something.

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On 19 August 2016 at 11:52 PM, trqster said:

Melissa is a very wise move on Axl's part to keep the band more related somehow with a younger audience rather than just +40's oldfuck fans like myself. And yes she's indeed easy to look at.

 

Hmmm... this is a bit far fetched! I don't think anybody will be thinking to themselves: "Gee, that Guns N' Roses band are pretty hip these days... now they've got a second female keyboardist!". 

 

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I like her vocals in GNR, and like that she seems happy with what she does both in and out of GNR - some good vibes.

Never really liked Pittman, but more importantly I could never hear the benefits of him - sometimes not even hear at all what he was playing (often just looked like he was pretending to play). Melissa is the same (though I've yet to catch this incarnation live), I don't really hear the benefits (vocals aside) - and much like Pittman, don't really hear anything at all. At least when I compare this to Pittman I saw him in the band live countless times and bar some dumb sound effects could never hear anything.

I'll hold judgement until I see/hear her live, but if I can't hear anything much like Pittman days I'll have a similar opinion - is she needed, wtf is she doing? - the youtube clips and stuff her vox are welcome addition and shes got good energy.

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31 minutes ago, hudsonsaul said:

I like her vocals in GNR, and like that she seems happy with what she does both in and out of GNR - some good vibes.

Never really liked Pittman, but more importantly I could never hear the benefits of him - sometimes not even hear at all what he was playing (often just looked like he was pretending to play). Melissa is the same (though I've yet to catch this incarnation live), I don't really hear the benefits (vocals aside) - and much like Pittman, don't really hear anything at all. At least when I compare this to Pittman I saw him in the band live countless times and bar some dumb sound effects could never hear anything.

I'll hold judgement until I see/hear her live, but if I can't hear anything much like Pittman days I'll have a similar opinion - is she needed, wtf is she doing? - the youtube clips and stuff her vox are welcome addition and shes got good energy.

She's doubling up on what's being played on rhythm guitar and/or bass most likely. Playing synths that sound like guitar etc... It's not supposed to be noticeable, and lays back in the mix just enough that you feel its effects instead of hearing them. You're def not going to hear it on youtube. Keyboards in that setting give a performance either dynamics or make a song sound and feel fuller as you can dial in tones that the guitars and bass don't handle well. That's probably 80% of her job on stage. Then it's contributing background vocals and samples last. 

A lot of bands do this, except they have them backstage playing parts. It's a legit gig. 

Edited by guitarpatch
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10 minutes ago, LyndaRose said:

my opinion: no need for her at all, attentionseeker

So would you rather have someone playing stuff backstage, or just have her stand there emotionless and not connected to the performance? 

She never comes out from behind her setup the entire show. That's a pretty minimal spotlight 

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