What's your fav New Guns N Roses Era

[NachoLZ]

Why are 2009-2010 2011-2013 separated? its the same lineup, only axl's voice and energy changed but its the same ?

[Carburetta]

The 2001 line-up had the most talent by far. Buckethead is superior to Bumblefoot, Brain to Frank, Finck to Ashba. The band had a weird circus style feel about them, unlike the more straightforward - even cheesy 80s (i.e. Ashba) - style today. And, Tobias, for although lacking Fortuss stage persona, seemed to write a lot of Chinese Democracy songs so I take him before Fortus although the 2002 band was virtually the same band and just as good really. Axl was also fearless in those days: debuting five new songs at your first two gigs in eight years is fairly bold stuff. He seemed to have a lot of interesting plans, the trilogy, Chinese Democracy followed by a second industrial album.

Since Rio 3 it has been all down hill. Everything just became derailed following the collapse of the 2002 tour. Firstly that long hiatus (2003-05) happened and then the band that re-emerged was lacking its most talented musician. Meanwhile, Democracy just drawed on-and-on and all the impetus (generated from the whole 1999-2002 re-emergence of Axl) was lost; I do not think anyone gave a shit when 2008 came and the album finally dropped - the whole thing had been leaked anyhow. Then the band which re-emerged in 2009 was the cash-obsessed nostalgia act ran by Brazilians that we have today.

Can't disagree with much of that. I can credit the current line with one thing though, if nothing else they're a pretty polished live act. (minus Axl)

[phaeryen]

1998-2001.

[downzy]

Why are 2009-2010 2011-2013 separated? its the same lineup, only axl's voice and energy changed but its the same ?

Think you answered your own question.

I went with 2009-2010 for two reasons. First, Axl sounded better during this period than in any other period since the old line (87-93). For some, he sounded better in 2006, but for me, that Axl "sound" was most pronounced during 2009-2010.

Second, we got the biggest set lists that were filled with songs from Chinese Democracy. The album had only been out for a year or two and there was excitement about hearing the new material for the first time (Catcher, Shacklers, Sorry, This I Love, Catcher, If the World, etc.) The concerts from 2011 and onwards were not, in my opinion, as ambitious with regards to set lists.

The 2002 lineup had a lot of mystery around it, and Buckethead was something else, but Axl (again, in my opinion) sounded awful and the set lists weren't my favourite.

[D-GenerationX]

Creatively 2001-2002 easily.

Image and live performance-wise 2006-2007 easily.

Probably how I'd put it too.

I can never get too charged up about that 2002 tour though, because Axl just did not sound good.

On the bootlegs I have, he sounds good on the new songs and pretty shitty on the classic ones. He also looked like the try hard doofus of alltime with those free flowing braids and the football jerseys.

[username]

Creatively 2001-2002 easily.

Image and live performance-wise 2006-2007 easily.

Probably how I'd put it too.

I can never get too charged up about that 2002 tour though, because Axl just did not sound good.

On the bootlegs I have, he sounds good on the new songs and pretty shitty on the classic ones. He also looked like the try hard doofus of alltime with those free flowing braids and the football jerseys.

Agreed.

But there's more I didn't like. As much as Bucket's guitar work in GnR has grown on me I always felt that his image didn't fit GnR in any way. Nor did sock puppets and nunchuck dances fit a GnR live show. That's always been my main problem with Bucket in GnR. The image of the band was just all over the place in 2001/2002. Besides Buckethead I really don't like Axl's oversized jersey look, and Finck looked just plain strange too. I never really got used to that, no matter how good anything might have sounded. In terms of that the 2006/2007 version of the band just felt and looked like a rock band rather than a variety freak show. The 2006/2007 incarnation looks much more human and relateable. I like that in a band.

But creatively, that band (2001/2002) was easily the best incarnation post-1994.

[LuanVictor]

2001-2002 and 2006-2007.

[D-GenerationX]

Truthfully, the entire 2002 operation had a bit of try hard to it.

Axl trying way to hard to be hip and youthful, obviously. But Robin looked like some emo reject. As stupid as I thought Axl looked, Robin was a downright embarrassment.

Then you got Bucket. He is about as schticky as its gets, and this is a lifelong wrestling fan talking here. I have no problem with gimmicks, but he was just so strange. I think seeing him do the interview with his hand doing the talking for him really soured me on his whole deal.

[IRanOutOfIdeas]

2006-2007. I've always thought this was the peak of new-GNR. Axl was powerful and the band was tight.

Yes, 2001-2002 has Buckethead, but I've always thought this era was a bit of a trainwreck. Bucket has the talent, but I believe Bumble gels more with the band since he's not so idiosyncratic. That and 2001-2002 Axl was pitiful.

[J Dog]

01-02. That band should have really, really, put the album out.

[PirateRadio]

The 2001 line-up had the most talent by far. Buckethead is superior to Bumblefoot, Brain to Frank, Finck to Ashba. The band had a weird circus style feel about them, unlike the more straightforward - even cheesy 80s (i.e. Ashba) - style today. And, Tobias, for although lacking Fortus’s stage persona, seemed to write a lot of Chinese Democracy songs so I take him before Fortus although the 2002 band was virtually the same band and just as good really. Axl was also fearless in those days: debuting five new songs at your first two gigs in eight years is fairly bold stuff. He seemed to have a lot of interesting plans, the trilogy, Chinese Democracy followed by a second industrial album.

Since Rio 3 it has been all down hill. Everything just became derailed following the collapse of the 2002 tour. Firstly that long hiatus (2003-05) happened and then the band that re-emerged was lacking its most talented musician. Meanwhile, Democracy just drawed on-and-on and all the impetus (generated from the whole 1999-2002 re-emergence of Axl) was lost; I do not think anyone gave a shit when 2008 came and the album finally dropped - the whole thing had been leaked anyhow. Then the band which re-emerged in 2009 was the cash-obsessed nostalgia act ran by Brazilians that we have today.

Great post. I really can't understand how can anyone enjoy the post CD tours. There are less talented musicians, no new songs.... Hell, they even abandoned the Chinese themes and now every tour is a reference to AFD. Being stable doesn't mean they are good, or moving forward. Never thought GNR would end up like this.

I echo this completely. As a fan it was cool seeing Axl come back in 2006 and then again in 2009/10. I didn't have the perspective that the band was so so different than the ultra talented 2001 group. I just wanted to hear Axl sing. When any post AFD era bandmates played the old songs I looked at the whole thing as a fraud anyways. What's really bummed me out is that in 2008 Chinese had very little life. And then of course the runaway vocal train of 2011+. I'm not excited about the future at all.