RATE: Catcher in the Rye (1999) - Brian May Demo

[wasted]

On 18/10/2017 at 11:12 AM, DieselDaisy said:

Only Axl Rose would have a solo by Brian May - I repeat Brian bloody May - only to decide to jettison the thing in favour of one of his dimwit hacks.

Supposedly there wasn’t a finished Brian May solo that he liked. I think the demo is 2 solos patched together? 

So there is some context to Axl throwing Brian’s solo in the trash. May didn’t really commit to the whole project or even enough to do a full solo that worked. 

But it might have been smart to have Brian May on CD. Maybe the next one will have May, Angus, Slash, Duff, Izzy. 

If this is a simulation, it will probably happen. 

Edited September 18, 2018 by wasted

[wasted]

The problem is that I’m not sure we  always understand what the song is about. When I heard the demo I took it more like Estranged 2. Axl was this Holden type person, alienated in his mansion. At that point the demo, a dreamier, more delicate treatment seems right. 

But I think it’s more of an aggressive song than that. The target is more a Holden type and by proxy the author of the book. So in that way the harder treatment on the album is better. Or a closer representation of the feelings. 

It’s not just what sounds nicer, then sing over it. 

[CAFC Nick]

3 hours ago, TeeJay410 said:

It's an upper echelon GNR track that got bludgeoned over time with tinkering and overthinking. The 1999 version was done. 

Exactly this - now we can close the thread 

[Propaganda]

It sounds more like Queen than GNR. That guitar tone can't be mistaken for Classic GNR. It's a more crispier tone, while Slash's more raw.

I like the album version the best, but May's solo is very good. I find it very possible that Bryan didn't like the copy paste Axl and Beavan produced. I remember I read an interview somewhere that Bryan felt insulted that they would cut pieces of the solo. I think it was Bryan himself on the interview, could be wrong.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Propaganda

[MrSoftie]

3 hours ago, Propaganda said:

It sounds more like Queen than GNR. That guitar tone can't be mistaken for Classic GNR. It's a more crispier tone, while Slash's more raw.

I like the album version the best, but May's solo is very good. I find it very possible that Bryan didn't like the copy paste Axl and Beavan produced. I remember I read an interview somewhere that Bryan felt insulted that they would cut pieces of the solo. I think it was Bryan himself on the interview, could be wrong.

I believe he commented on this on his soapbox (a sort of blog thing) when someone sent a link to him of the demo.

[Rovim]

1 hour ago, Propaganda said:

It sounds more like Queen than GNR. That guitar tone can't be mistaken for Classic GNR. It's a more crispier tone, while Slash's more raw.

I like the album version the best, but May's solo is very good. I find it very possible that Bryan didn't like the copy paste Axl and Beavan produced. I remember I read an interview somewhere that Bryan felt insulted that they would cut pieces of the solo. I think it wa's Bryan himself on the interview, could be wrong.

I think it was actually Axl that talked about it. He said that after hearing the solo Brian said: "but that's not what I played" or something like that. In an interview May gave he said about the catcher leak: 'yeah, that's me playing there, nice and crisp". he didn't have anything negative to say about it.

After that interview Axl seemed to not be entirely convinced Brian was sincere about liking it or thinking it was good probably cause he didn't seem satisfied in the studio at the time they worked on it.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Rovim

[-W.A.R-]

In all fairness you don't cut up (or add to) someones solo without permission.

Did he not learn anything from the Tobias' fiasco?

[Gnrfan2001]

Chris Pitman's synth bridge > everything else on this song

[Edward Nygma]

18 minutes ago, Wagszilla said:

Chris Pitman's synth bridge > everything else on this song

Always preferred the album version to the demo.

[Gnrfan2001]

59 minutes ago, Edward Nigma said:

Always preferred the album version to the demo.

I hope Batman punches you in the face 

[adamsapple]

Some of the best lyrics ever in the coda, prefer the Brian May demo over the final version.

But then again, basically ALL Chinese songs are better in their 2002-ish versions. The album should have been released as it was back then. I never listen to the finished product when I want my CD fix put on the demos or live bootlegs from that era.

[Edward Nygma]

5 hours ago, Wagszilla said:

I hope Batman punches you in the face 

I just think Bumbles solo suits the song more as it more up tempo from the May demo.

[edsonandhudson]

I'm not a big Queen fan and don't care much about May. But his solo is much better than Bumble's. It's melodic, emotional, simple and yet powerful. BBF is a bunch of random notes. It ruins the song just as Slash's TIL and many others.

[ezosk]

Not sure If classic but IMO it's the best version of the song.

[Stoymatic]

Not to sound blunt, but did it really matter which version of the song made it to Chinese?

Would either version of the song pushed more sales? Created anymore of a buzz? etc

Maybe very little...Maybe some Queen fans would have bought the album or song just to hear May.

[janrichmond]

I've never heard it 

[jimisbatman]

Hi team, cant seem to find the post which describes the differences between the different versions of CD album, MSL & anti-quiet.   And the post about what versions has buckethead on. Any directions to the old postings would be much appreciated 

[CAFC Nick]

7 hours ago, jimisbatman said:

Hi team, cant seem to find the post which describes the differences between the different versions of CD album, MSL & anti-quiet.   And the post about what versions has buckethead on. Any directions to the old postings would be much appreciated 

There is no widely released version with bucket. There are only 2 versions that are ‘out there’ - 1999 with Brian May and 2008 album release Chinese Democracy version with Bumble. CITR was not included on the Skwerl leaks of 2008.

[Sydney Fan]

On 20/09/2018 at 1:39 AM, lukepowell1988 said:

Nothing against Bumblefoot I have a lot of love for the guy but they should have left Brian May's solo on the track I personally love the 99 Version 

I agree, but It also proves axl is no producer .

On 20/09/2018 at 3:03 AM, Stoymatic said:

Not to sound blunt, but did it really matter which version of the song made it to Chinese?

Would either version of the song pushed more sales? Created anymore of a buzz? etc

Maybe very little...Maybe some Queen fans would have bought the album or song just to hear May.

I often wondered if mays version was left on whether it could have been marketed a little different.

[uzi your illusion]

Is there a definitive resource anywhere listing the exact differences between the demos and the finished album versions with time stamps to highlight the exact changes?

[Propaganda]

Only Axl would take out Bryan May off the track and replace it with Bumblefoot...

[Bitchisback]

I don't like it either way tbh.  It's always been one of my least favorite tracks by GnR.

[F*ck Fear]

May's solo was beautiful, but because of the quality I prefer the studio track.

[RussTCB]

8 hours ago, Bitchisback said:

I don't like it either way tbh.  It's always been one of my least favorite tracks by GnR.

Same here.

[Tom2112]

The finished track is just as good.

I liked Brian's take (edited take😁) too, but I think bumbles Solo fits great too, and is one of the most Slash-like solos on the record!