Guns N' Roses & related STUDIO SESSIONS - a definitive collection of available info (?)

[zombux]

22 minutes ago, Sosso said:

Tracii: >We were supposed to rehearse Thursdays so after that last gig at the Waters Club everybody said, 'I'll see you Thursday' and I'm like, 'Yeah, OK.'"<

Source: https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/tracii_guns_what_would_gnr_sound_like_had_i_stayed_in_the_band.html

It would mean that most of the rehearsals took place at those dates:

07.

14.03.1985 (third rehearsal) 

21.03.1985 (fourth rehearsal, #1 with Duff) 

28.03.1985

04.04.1985

11.04.1985

18.04.1985

25.04.1985

02.05.1985

09.05.1985

16.05.1985

 

very good point about Ole probably not being at the third rehearsal!

but the timeline of probable rehearsals must be wrong. yeah, they might usually do them on Thursdays, but still you need to put 4 rehearsals into 2 weeks in the beginnings.

edit: table updated.

Edited July 9, 2018 by zombux

[Sosso]

4 minutes ago, zombux said:

very good point about Ole probably not being at the third rehearsal!

but the timeline of probable rehearsals must be wrong. yeah, they might usually do them on Thursdays, but still you need to put 4 rehearsals into 2 weeks in the beginnings.

Rehearsal #1: 14.03.1985*

Rehearsal #2: ??. 03.1985

Rehearsal #3: ??. 03.1985

Rehearsal #4: 21.03.1985

*One day after the last Hollywood Rose concert 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Sosso

[zombux]

11 minutes ago, Sosso said:

Rehearsal #1: 14.03.1985*

Rehearsal #2: ??. 03.1985

Rehearsal #3: ??. 03.1985

Rehearsal #4: 21.03.1985

*One day after the last Hollywood Rose concert 

are you sure? the Raz interview was around 21/22nd March and he says there that the band got together 2 weeks ago.

also we know that the last HR shows was 7th March, so that matches.

or was there one more? I'm starting to get lost in all that

[Sosso]

4 minutes ago, zombux said:

are you sure? the Raz interview was around 21/22nd March and he says there that the band got together 2 weeks ago.

also we know that the last HR shows was 7th March, so that matches.

or was there one more? I'm starting to get lost in all that

I'm sorry, I got confused with the date of the last HR show. I just know that one of those rehearsals was not on a Thursday. 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Sosso

[Blackstar]

Strange that no demo of It's So Easy has surfaced. It must have existed, probably among the West Arkeen tapes. It is known that it was first written as an acoustic counry-ish ballad.

So West comes home with this drum machine, [and] we figured out how to use the stuff. The demo of “It’s So Easy” was pretty great. West at this exact same time had taught me how to tune the guitar to open E. We used like, every feature on the drum machine: cowbell, woodblock, and everything on this demo. I sang it, tuned the guitars, put the drum track on, and it was just this cool little lazy summertime hit. West and I would recall all these “summertime hits,” we’d call them. I had an apartment and West had an apartment before we had a rehearsal space, and it became an encampment for about two months for the band. “It’s So Easy,” “Yesterdays,” and I think “14 Years,” a lot of songs were recorded on West’s four-track. I think “You’re Crazy” came out on the West four-track. Sitting in an apartment, we’d play a lot of acoustic guitars, so I think “Easy” was recorded on acoustic guitar. Thing about our songs, we played ’em all on acoustic guitar. “Night Train,” we wrote on acoustic guitar. Because we’d write them in little cramped apartments [Duff, The Onion A.V. Club, May 2011]

'It's So Easy'...was originally a hippie ya-ya song. And Duff and West wrote this song like on acoustic, and it literally went like: [singing country-like] "I see your sister in a sunday dress..." Oh absolutely, and we were rehearsing in L.A and Slash basically just starts raping the song and I ran up and started like, doing like the evil Iggy Pop over it, while West is standing there and his face is like drooping, like: "My song " [Axl, Eddie Trunk Interview, 2006]

http://www.a-4-d.com/t73-it-s-so-easy

Edited July 11, 2018 by Blackstar

[zombux]

5 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

we were rehearsing in L.A and Slash basically just starts raping the song and I ran up and started like, doing like the evil Iggy Pop over it, while West is standing there and his face is like drooping, like: "My song " [Axl, Eddie Trunk Interview, 2006]

this must be one of the most hilarious GNR quotes, like, ever!

[AncientEvil80]

5 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Strange that no demo of It's So Easy has surfaced. It must have existed, probably among the West Arkeen tapes. It is known that it was first written as an acoustic counry-ish ballad.

So West comes home with this drum machine, [and] we figured out how to use the stuff. The demo of “It’s So Easy” was pretty great. West at this exact same time had taught me how to tune the guitar to open E. We used like, every feature on the drum machine: cowbell, woodblock, and everything on this demo. I sang it, tuned the guitars, put the drum track on, and it was just this cool little lazy summertime hit. West and I would recall all these “summertime hits,” we’d call them. I had an apartment and West had an apartment before we had a rehearsal space, and it became an encampment for about two months for the band. “It’s So Easy,” “Yesterdays,” and I think “14 Years,” a lot of songs were recorded on West’s four-track. I think “You’re Crazy” came out on the West four-track. Sitting in an apartment, we’d play a lot of acoustic guitars, so I think “Easy” was recorded on acoustic guitar. Thing about our songs, we played ’em all on acoustic guitar. “Night Train,” we wrote on acoustic guitar. Because we’d write them in little cramped apartments [Duff, The Onion A.V. Club, May 2011]

'It's So Easy'...was originally a hippie ya-ya song. And Duff and West wrote this song like on acoustic, and it literally went like: [singing country-like] "I see your sister in a sunday dress..." Oh absolutely, and we were rehearsing in L.A and Slash basically just starts raping the song and I ran up and started like, doing like the evil Iggy Pop over it, while West is standing there and his face is like drooping, like: "My song " [Axl, Eddie Trunk Interview, 2006]

That would be one demo I'd kill to listen to... 

[Blackstar]

Since the 1990 auditions/rehearsals with the drummers are included, maybe the Chicago writing sessions (Top Note Theatre rehearsal space, summer 1989) should be included too? They must have recorded them. Much of the "new" UYI material was written and arranged there.

It was mostly Slash, Duff and Steven, who arrived there in June 1989. Axl must have joined some time in early-mid July. A little while later Slash, Duff and Steven left, leaving Axl behind. Izzy reportedly joined them a couple of times during all that time (Axl and Izzy went together in NY, probably from there, on July 22nd for a jam with The Cult).

-----------

I updated my post about the TIL demos and the instrumentals playing on the background of the Making of Estranged doc:

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Blackstar

[zombux]

10 hours ago, Blackstar said:

Since the 1990 auditions/rehearsals with the drummers are included, maybe the Chicago writing sessions (Top Note Theatre rehearsal space, summer 1989) should be included too? They must have recorded them. Much of the "new" UYI material was written and arranged there.

It was mostly Slash, Duff and Steven, who arrived there in June 1989. Axl must have joined some time in early-mid July. A little while later Slash, Duff and Steven left, leaving Axl behind. Izzy reportedly joined them a couple of times during all that time (Axl and Izzy went together in NY, probably from there, on July 22nd for a jam with The Cult).

-----------

I updated my post about the TIL demos and the instrumentals playing on the background of the Making of Estranged doc:

 

excellent. will include this info in next update

[Fashionista]

I wish they did a studio cut of It Tastes Good Don't It

[zombux]

right. so what's next to add?

edit: OK it seems all that remains is going through Chinese Whispers and check for all the forgotten sessions

Edited July 10, 2018 by zombux

[Waemoth]

5 hours ago, zombux said:

right. so what's next to add?

edit: OK it seems all that remains is going through Chinese Whispers and check for all the forgotten sessions

There's an acoustic instrumental of DTJ in the Rarities box set. Do you know what's up with that, is it a fake/cover or something known?

Edited July 10, 2018 by Waemoth

[zombux]

8 hours ago, Waemoth said:

There's an acoustic instrumental of DTJ in the Rarities box set. Do you know what's up with that, is it a fake/cover or something known?

"DTJ extended acoustic outro" is fake (see youtube, in the comments people say who did that).
"Estranged piano demo" is fake (made by a guy who later admitted that).

[zigzagbigbag]

Until this thread happened I always thought I have got some reasonable knowledge about GNR demos but some of you guys proofed me wrong 😄

This is one awesome thread. Thanks to your incredible table, @zombux! Nothing but incredible!

And thanks to all other Sherlock Holmes guys who put their effort and knowledge into the table's development. The whole thread reminds me of good old times browsing through gnrsource.com which I absolutely loved.

This being said my question is, if there is really no (uncirculated) demo of YCBM? I mean its a song which was around since the appetite days. 

 

 

[zombux]

13 minutes ago, zigzagbigbag said:

This being said my question is, if there is really no (uncirculated) demo of YCBM? I mean its a song which was around since the appetite days. 

none we would be aware of, unfortunately.

[zigzagbigbag]

Thanks. 

[Sergeanur]

Just found that Nice Boys take released on American '80s Hair Metal prior to Many Faces.

[31illusions]

On 7/5/2018 at 2:02 PM, zombux said:

Uncertain Lies Sessions (one of the 3 above, while OIAM might be from the same as or different one than UTLH/CS):      

One In A Million (alt. take)   The Alan Niven Lies Sessions N/A Used To Love Her (alt. take)  

The Alan Niven Lies Sessions N/A Cornshucker (certainly from the same session as Used To Love Her alt. take)  

Hey shouldn't this be recorded on the same day as Patience in 1987? As it's all on the same disc from Alan and it's the same quality recording.

[zombux]

Just now, 31illusions said:

Hey shouldn't this be recorded on the same day as Patience in 1987? As it's all on the same disc from Alan and it's the same quality recording.

it might be, but not neccessarily. there's also the You're Crazy alternate take, which was (according to AFD SDE liner notes) recorded in the same day as Patience. 

and since all those are together on one bootleg, they indeed might have been recorded during the very same studio session at Take One 1987. 

but I don't think anybody can confirm this possibility - maybe someone with very good ears, to confirm if they have the same "properties".

but yeah, definitely those might be from the same session.

what does @Sergeanur or @Nikki_Sixx think?

[username]

On 5-7-2018 at 9:02 PM, zombux said:

<amazing list> 

All we need now is a definitive bootleg collection of all these recordings.  I know I have Ultra Rare Tracks and The Story Vol. 1 somewhere. And some of the Lies sessions. And maybe some others. All as mp3, no FLAC. But definitely not the whole thing. Willing to contribute though.. 

[zombux]

5 minutes ago, username said:

All we need now is a definitive bootleg collection of all these recordings.  I know I have Ultra Rare Tracks and The Story Vol. 1 somewhere. And some of the Lies sessions. And maybe some others. All as mp3, no FLAC. But definitely not the whole thing. Willing to contribute though.. 

[Waemoth]

23 minutes ago, username said:

All we need now is a definitive bootleg collection of all these recordings.  I know I have Ultra Rare Tracks and The Story Vol. 1 somewhere. And some of the Lies sessions. And maybe some others. All as mp3, no FLAC. But definitely not the whole thing. Willing to contribute though.. 

Good idea, but there's really no point in keeping it in MP3 - converting an album from FLAC to MP3 takes something like 1-2 minutes. 

[Sosso]

3 minutes ago, Waemoth said:

Good idea, but there's really no point in keeping it in MP3 - converting an album from FLAC to MP3 takes something like 1-2 minutes. 

Converting it to MP3 would be like converting it from Gold to Thrash.

[Sergeanur]

2 hours ago, zombux said:

it might be, but not neccessarily. there's also the You're Crazy alternate take, which was (according to AFD SDE liner notes) recorded in the same day as Patience. 

and since all those are together on one bootleg, they indeed might have been recorded during the very same studio session at Take One 1987. 

but I don't think anybody can confirm this possibility - maybe someone with very good ears, to confirm if they have the same "properties".

but yeah, definitely those might be from the same session.

what does @Sergeanur or @Nikki_Sixx think?

All of the Niven tracks seem to be the same session. I even tend to think Move To The City is the same session too (instrumental wise at least).

Edited July 11, 2018 by Sergeanur

[kevinb]

On ‎7‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 10:21 AM, Sosso said:

I think that they had no bass player during the third rehearsal. Raz said that Ole was fired after the second rehearsal. Duff's first rehearsal with the band was during their fourth. 

Does anyone have a copy of any of the old GNR rehearsals from 1985?  Do we think these even exist?  And does anybody have ANY TRUE gnr rehearsal tapes at all?