The Chinese Democracy intro: Yay or Nay?

[GNRfanMILO]

Do you think the way the album begins, lives up to the expectation it had? The “mysterious” riff, the voices, and Axl’s trademark scream.

In my head, the intro sounds like a lot of excited fans talking about GNRs possible return, and after that Axl emerges from exile to reclaim his title (as someone here already said) with that classic, epic, powerful scream. It’s arguable that the song doesn’t live up to the hype of the intro, but still.

Even though Axl’s return album came 7 years later than his actual return, I think the intro is still one of the greatest parts of the whole album. It gives me goosebums every time I hear it. 

Do you think another vibe would have been better for the intro? Let’s be honest, with all that happened to the album before it’s release, the intro summarizes perfectly the mystery that the whole era had. Before and after it’s release, with the leaks, CD2 and all.

 

[MildlyArtistic]

I like the intro. Nothing wrong with a buildup to a song kicking in.

[sl4yer]

18 minutes ago, GNRfanMILO said:

It’s arguable that the song doesn’t live up to the hype of the intro, but still.

The song fucking rocks!! 

[username]

24 minutes ago, GNRfanMILO said:

Do you think the way the album begins, lives up to the expectation it had? The “mysterious” riff, the voices, and Axl’s trademark scream.

In my head, the intro sounds like a lot of excited fans talking about GNRs possible return, and after that Axl emerges from exile to reclaim his title (as someone here already said) with that classic, epic, powerful scream. It’s arguable that the song doesn’t live up to the hype of the intro, but still.

Even though Axl’s return album came 7 years later than his actual return, I think the intro is still one of the greatest parts of the whole album. It gives me goosebums every time I hear it. 

Do you think another vibe would have been better for the intro? Let’s be honest, with all that happened to the album before it’s release, the intro summarizes perfectly the mystery that the whole era had. Before and after it’s release, with the leaks, CD2 and all.

 

It's one of the best things about the CD album. Too bad everything rapidly goes downhill after that. 

I think it also works as a show opener, but when the song is place anywhere else in the set they should just start with the guitar chord instead, like they did in 2002. 

[metallex78]

I just wish the intro, and the actual start of the riff were two seperate tracks. So you could skip straight to the riff rather than having to wait a minute and a half for the actual song to start every time you listen to it. 

[soon]

I'm into the intro. Sounds like Axl coming through on his promises about the album, imo.

Sadly, the intro will always be linked to this image:

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by soon

[Gibson87]

1 hour ago, metallex78 said:

I just wish the intro, and the actual start of the riff were two seperate tracks. So you could skip straight to the riff rather than having to wait a minute and a half for the actual song to start every time you listen to it. 

This. I hate sitting through the intro 

[TheDemocracyRose]

Perfect.

[jacdaniel]

The intro is one of those things that made me hate Nu Guns. A fairly cool song ruined by adding more guitar parts than necessary and an unnecessarily long intro. 

 

[Draguns]

I think the intro shouldn't have been done. The riff is awesome! It's one of the best songs on the album. It also helps that Slash came up with that riff. 

[WhazUp]

I like the intro a lot, I think a lot of it has to do with when the first version of CD leaked in 2006, hearing that intro was really cool and got me excited for the eventual release of the album

[Ratam]

Yay, misteryous and dark  intro.

[Sweersa]

Great intro, the song is fun, but a weaker one compared to most of the others on CD. It was a poor choice for a first single, which may have been intentional. I can think of a much better song for the first single.

[F*ck Fear]

My only issue with the intro is that it fucking killed radio airplay of the song.

[-W.A.R-]

I thought it was a real dick move to make fans wait an additional minute after taking 15 years on the album.

[Jabberwocky]

4 minutes ago, F*ck Fear said:

My only issue with the intro is that it fucking killed radio airplay of the song.

Terrestrial radio airplay is irrelevant. Who buys music based on FM radio anyways when there is a plethora of other services available?. They weren't going to touch it regardless if it had the intro or not  Program directors pick what to play on their shitty ass format not the jocks

[Ninjapie24]

I like the intro a little bit, but like someone said, it should be used as a separate track do I can skip right to that amazing riff. I believe that Aerosmith did that with Get a Grip and having a song called “Intro” before Eat the Rich.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Ninjapie24

[F*ck Fear]

14 minutes ago, Jabberwocky said:

Terrestrial radio airplay is irrelevant. Who buys music based on FM radio anyways when there is a plethora of other services available?. They weren't going to touch it regardless if it had the intro or not  Program directors pick what to play on their shitty ass format not the jocks

Oh I get that.

I just remember when the album was released, people who I knew turned the channel because of some minute long clip of sounds. Many people tuned out.

[31illusions]

Intro is cool. The song is pretty lame. Liked it better with just the bass during the verses and Brian's drumming on the song was horrendous. Yeah, it's just a substandard song.

[TheSeeker]

31 minutes ago, 31illusions said:

Intro is cool. The song is pretty lame. Liked it better with just the bass during the verses and Brian's drumming on the song was horrendous. Yeah, it's just a substandard song.

Remember that it was Brain doing Josh Freese's parts EXACTLY AS JOSH PLAYED THEM per Axl's request, and then they were protooled to sound like the drums on "Smells Like Teen Spirit" per Axl's request

Axl made dumb requests

[Rovim]

the perils of Axl Rose intros, spoken outros and mlk junior in back to the future. I remember Josh Freese talked about how he came up with the riff and that he didn't like the intro. He thought it should have started with the riff.

Personally, I like it. I think it has like a wttj buildup with the scream, there's a sense or urgency that something huge is coming and for me, that's appropriate for the kind of album Chinese is.

on the other hand, it would have been punk as fuck to just start straight away with the riff and keep the original drum track. But I like Frank's drums on it as well. great tune. Josh also mentioned in that same interview he wrote 3 or 4 AAA tunes for Axl. I wonder if another Josh tune will find it's way into another Guns album. 

Edited November 18, 2018 by Rovim

[History2010]

3 hours ago, Jabberwocky said:

Terrestrial radio airplay is irrelevant. Who buys music based on FM radio anyways when there is a plethora of other services available?. They weren't going to touch it regardless if it had the intro or not  Program directors pick what to play on their shitty ass format not the jocks

I remember radio still being relevant enough in 2008 to drive record sales

[t-p-d-a]

The album came 8 years to late.

[Azifwekare]

Considering the context of the album, the intro fits perfectly. 

Having said that, I would drop it in a heartbeat if it meant it made enough room to fit Atlas on the album. (Oh Ron, why tease us with how close we came to getting one of "the big guns"?)

Edited November 18, 2018 by Azifwekare

[Propaganda]

16 hours ago, GNRfanMILO said:

Do you think the way the album begins, lives up to the expectation it had? The “mysterious” riff, the voices, and Axl’s trademark scream.

In my head, the intro sounds like a lot of excited fans talking about GNRs possible return, and after that Axl emerges from exile to reclaim his title (as someone here already said) with that classic, epic, powerful scream. It’s arguable that the song doesn’t live up to the hype of the intro, but still.

Even though Axl’s return album came 7 years later than his actual return, I think the intro is still one of the greatest parts of the whole album. It gives me goosebums every time I hear it. 

Do you think another vibe would have been better for the intro? Let’s be honest, with all that happened to the album before it’s release, the intro summarizes perfectly the mystery that the whole era had. Before and after it’s release, with the leaks, CD2 and all.

 

My concern on the album version of this song is that you can't really hear the bass or the drums at times... and so it sounds like a big clusterfuck. I prefer the earlier version. The intro is fine, but it should have been shorter. Like instead of 1 minute, make it 30 seconds.

Edited November 18, 2018 by Propaganda