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 Elizabeth Lopatto's essay on Guns n Roses from THE VERGE = The Guns N' Roses reunion and the future of angry young men


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This is way more than a Coachella review, its some sort of ESSAY on Guns n Roses and i found it really worthy reading despite some mistakes here and there... Enjoy!

 

The Guns N' Roses reunion and the future of angry young men

 

What became of the most dangerous band in the world?

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Guns N’ Roses are only seven minutes late for their Saturday Coachella set, which is very close to actually being on time.

There is a horrible second, right before they come out, when the Looney Tunes "That’s all folks" jingle plays and I am briefly convinced we are being pranked. It wouldn’t be out of the question — in fact, this reunion has seemed unlikely ever since it was announced in January, especially given the enmity between Slash and Axl. Before this tour the two hadn’t played together since 1993. There have been riots before, when Axl didn’t show up. I am suddenly, uncomfortably, aware of being surrounded by thousands of people, and well away from an exit.

I AM BRIEFLY CONVINCED WE ARE BEING PRANKED

Adding to my sudden fearfulness: this is Coachella, a cosplay convention for the wealthy children of LA. All the press making fun of the flower crowns and crocheted white dresses has in no way deterred the legions of women decked out in them; the men tend toward the frat boy standard — T-shirts, baseball caps, and cargo shorts — though a brave few appear to be wearing the beta versions of their Burning Man costumes. In general, though, it’s more of an EDM crowd than a metal one. Of course this is a joke. Why would Guns N’ Roses play here?

And then, the opening notes of "It’s So Easy."

The voice is unmistakable. Axl’s voice resonates in a way few other singers’ voices do; rattling around the sinus cavities, vibrating in the skull. You feel it as much as hear it. His breath control is great. The vibrato is still rich and open, even after some scream-singing.

Holy shit.

vintage-guns-n-roses-getty

The One True Lineup in December 1987 (Paul Natkin/Getty Images).

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The crowd doesn’t want to let him go. His shirt is ripped off in the struggle, and some of his jewelry is gone. Finally, he’s back on stage. He takes a second — then begins to bang his head like nothing happened. This is the part of the video that is remarkable to me, not the brawl. Axl picks up the mic, unfazed, and finishes the song. Watch how he glances at his wrist, while singing, coolly assessing the damage from the pit. He’s not surprised or scared. This is a normal day for Axl Rose.

Clearly you've never heard of Iggy Pop.  He's been performing since Axl was 7 years old.  And he still jumps into crowds and back out.

Edited by Len B'stard
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