Jump to content

Why don't they ever/rarely play certain songs live?


Recommended Posts

Don't discount part of it being that they'd (translation Axl) rather play some covers so some of the royalties go to someone other than Izzy. When they play a song Izzy has writing credits on, he gets paid.

Could be a little dig to pay him a little less per night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think they play the hits+a couple of deep cuts for the fans and the covers for themselves. For Axl in particular, the covers are like AC/DC: he enjoys singing them because they are something "new" to him. The 2 hours of the set are the "job" they have to do and the additional hour is for them to have some fun, hoping that the audience will enjoy it too. 

Why do they prefer the covers over deep cuts that haven't been played since 1993 (including NuGnR) so they would be in a way "new" to them? Maybe for some of the reasons listed above (difficult to sing, disconnection with the lyrics). It seems that, apart from the obligatory hits, the songs in the set are songs Axl feels like singing. For exampe, it seems he prefers singing Yesterdays and TIL because they still mean something to him, although he doesn't sing them very well, over a song like Bad Obsession which would be much easier for him to sing.

Edited by Blackstar
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Gnrcane said:

Don't discount part of it being that they'd (translation Axl) rather play some covers so some of the royalties go to someone other than Izzy. When they play a song Izzy has writing credits on, he gets paid.

Could be a little dig to pay him a little less per night.

Come on :lol: Most of the set consists of songs Izzy has a credit for. Two more songs wouldn't make a difference. And Axl has played AFD based shows for years (for which all five members get royalties). Also, if that was the case, why prefer covers over GnR songs Izzy doesn't have songwriting credits for, like Dead Horse, The Garden, Breakdown etc.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Gnrcane said:

Don't discount part of it being that they'd (translation Axl) rather play some covers so some of the royalties go to someone other than Izzy. When they play a song Izzy has writing credits on, he gets paid.

Could be a little dig to pay him a little less per night.

You get royalties if someone plays your song live?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it’s just about getting a blend and keeping fans happy and band happy. So you have hits but Duff wants to Attitude, Slash Coma, Axl CD stuff and The Seeker. Duff might want Black hole sun. 

I think covers like The Seeker and Black probably get a better crowd reaction than other songs. So it’s about the overall show. 

They don’t do 14 years when Izzy isn’t there, they didn’t do Spag Inc without Duff, no Slash no Slither, without Axl Slash doesn’t do Estranged or TIL. 

So some covers might get the nod because everyone wants to do it. Whereas they might not care about Dust n Bones that much. Dead Horse is kind of bitching about the old line up according to Axl so why play it now when everything is going good. Yesterdays has a kind of ironic coolness to it. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the thing I don’t get about the bands setlist is the amount of covers that are in the setlist that just drag the shows along. I’m perfectly fine if those songs such as black hole sun and witchita linemen and the seeker are not played if it gives axl a little bit more stamina. I’m ok with a setlist that’s skin n bones length to be honest.

It does frustrate me that songs that have been rarely played live that the band could pull off today are not being played such as so fine, bad obsession, and pretty tied up. I’m not sure how much he would of factored into this setlist, but if izzy was in the band some of those songs that we haven’t seen live a lot such as dust n bones, 14 years, and think about you would surely make an appearance. I’m surprised think about you hasn’t made an appearance on this tour considering axl played that song a lot from 2001-2006

 

Edited by Bailey96
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ratam said:

I guess that Wichita is more US thing ,no much in other country that nobody know.

To be honest: I am grateful that GNR are playing Wichita Lineman. Never heard of this song before but I am neither from the US or a country fan. I listened to the original version couple of days ago and I really love it! Great song! I think they started playing it because at the time Glen Campbell , the original singer, died. It is a great American tune!

And I think Axl really showed balls singing this song because he knows exactly that his audience is mostly there for the usual 5 GNR hits.

Which annoys me a bit. I wish Hardrock and GNR fans would be less conservative and and allow new Things to happen.It is so incredibly boring to ALWAYS Play the same songs..:blink:

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never understood the logic in choosing covers over original material, especially in a situation as unique as this, with these particular members playing together for the first time in over 20 years. I don't mind a cover here and there, especially when it's to honor someone that's passed or something along those lines, but for the band to consistently be playing Wichita Lineman and Black Hole Sun over, say, You're Crazy and The Garden, is absurd to me. I honestly think that the overriding factor is that Axl is finally tired of Guns and would rather do other material. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spot on this thread and its contents.

Casual fans hate the deeper cuts, that goes for practically every band in existence. 

All these covers and dragging out the setlist made perfect sense in 2016 when hardcore fans and newbies got to see the band back. 

My view is that they believe the hype is fizzling out, therefore playing these festivals for the big money and going into markets they haven't been to keep up the price to pay they can demand.

The only way they can survive as a new up and coming act (not a legacy act as their promoter stressed it wasn't) is to release a new album. Otherwise its back to playing local arenas.

Black hole sun... One year after Chris Cornell's death? Axl needs to man up if he wants his machine to continue. Fucking embarrassing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all your input... :headbang:

I wouldn't underestimate the "casual" fans though, lots of them have the UYI albums and love em. You think they could just rotate Coma with another UYI deep cut like Breakdown or Locomotive? Or maybe do "Sorry" instead of TIL, also from CD but easier to sing and room to shine for both Axl and Slash.

Not a big fan of their covers, but....lemme jut think loud here...since they love covers so much and do "Wish You Were Here" anyway (their 3rd Pink Floyd cover already, isn't it?) why not do it with vocals? Axl would absolutely shine on this with Dizzy on piano and Duff singing backing vocals. And we know what Slash and Richard can do with it. This could be a big highlight of the show instead of a filler/bridge type of thing. They could drop both Wichita and BHS for this, everbody knows and loves WYWH so why not just go for it? Could also be a great transition into Patience or Civil War. So many options... :lol:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, angriestwhopper said:

 

Black hole sun... One year after Chris Cornell's death? Axl needs to man up if he wants his machine to continue. Fucking embarrassing.

My point exactly in the Firenze thread. The cover kinda sucks anyway (it's a lazy, muddled, forced attempt), so it's a mystery to me why they haven't realized it and dropped it already? :blink: 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think in 2016 rightfully they wanted to make the setlist as close to the UYI tour as possible as we all missed it and wished for it so bad.

Right on to axl n co for going that. Clearly a push to please the fans and how brilliant of them.

Now they need to step up and move on.

Slither is in the right direction but people want a new album. How fucking difficult is it for axl to just sing on slashs album and release that? It'll be fucking sweet! No one buys new music anyway! It'll be more guns than Chinese! (I like Chinese)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Blackstar said:

Come on :lol: Most of the set consists of songs Izzy has a credit for. Two more songs wouldn't make a difference. And Axl has played AFD based shows for years (for which all five members get royalties). Also, if that was the case, why prefer covers over GnR songs Izzy doesn't have songwriting credits for, like Dead Horse, The Garden, Breakdown etc.

AFD he has no choice.  If Axl didn't perform those, nobody would buy tickets (especially in the post Illusions/pre NITL era).

I know it doesn't make too much sense but we are talking about GNR/Axl here so I wouldn't discount anything.  Maybe some non-Izzy songs they just don't like.  With a hit, they have to play it (like Aerosmith plays I Don't Want to Miss a Thing) but with a deep cut they don't.

7 hours ago, Modano09 said:

You get royalties if someone plays your song live?

Absolutely.  If you write a song, nobody can perform it without compensating you.  I think you can play like 30 seconds or something like that without paying royalties.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Sosso said:

Most of the people in the audience are casual fans and they wanna hear the bands classics. There's not much room left if you sum up every classic song, cover and solo/instrumental.

Well, a female colleague of mine was with her husband at the Gelsenkirchen show on Tuesday. So was I. My colleague is one casual fan of GNR. She knows the big hits and thats it. 

The next day at work she came to me and literally said:

"The show was awesome but whats the story behind this whole cover thing?! I wasn't aware that GNR has so few own songs or why do they cover Pink Floyd, Soundgarden, folk classics etc. instead of playing something own. Aren't there tons of songs from those two 90ies albums with the yellow and blue cover they could play instead?! I mean two of their big hits are already cover songs (she meant LALD an KOHD). I wasn't expecting I bought a ticket for a cover band!"

Hence, even the average Joes or casual fans are irritated by getting about one hour of cover songs by a reunion tour of one of the biggest bands of the eighties/nineties who have at least three full albums with own material plus CD and other solo work from its members. 

With respect to your statement this means GNR should create some room for their own songs by deleating at minimum two cover songs from the setlist. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, Gnrcane said:

AFD he has no choice.  If Axl didn't perform those, nobody would buy tickets (especially in the post Illusions/pre NITL era).

I know it doesn't make too much sense but we are talking about GNR/Axl here so I wouldn't discount anything.  Maybe some non-Izzy songs they just don't like.  With a hit, they have to play it (like Aerosmith plays I Don't Want to Miss a Thing) but with a deep cut they don't.

Absolutely.  If you write a song, nobody can perform it without compensating you.  I think you can play like 30 seconds or something like that without paying royalties.

Generally speaking, it's the establishment (bar, venue, etc) that would pay for a general "license" with a royalty company....not the band, that pays the "royalty".

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Kasanova King said:

Generally speaking, it's the establishment (bar, venue, etc) that would pay for a general "license" with a royalty company....not the band, that pays the "royalty".

 

Right but Axl knows that Izzy will get a cut of the songs he has credits on. Like I said, we're dealing with Axl so anything is possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Kasanova King said:

Generally speaking, it's the establishment (bar, venue, etc) that would pay for a general "license" with a royalty company....not the band, that pays the "royalty".

 

I wonder how much money they would have pay to Paul Tobias (or any other absent member) after each of the NITL gigs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...