ATLAS SHRUGGED - Full Leak Discussion Thread **NO LINKS, NO ASKING / HINTING FOR LEAKS**

[Fanboy]

after a decade, I assume that we are allowed to be greedy, just a little greedy, so what's next? The General?

[jacdaniel]

I think that people have been waiting on these songs for so long that they’re going to convince themselves they like it, regardless of the actual quality of the songs. 

I personally think both songs are really not that good at all. They don’t sound like GNR songs to me.

Im not surprised that the label didn’t really support any more Chinese material and the band themselves seemed reluctant to put these songs out. 

I really hope they ditch these songs and focus on some guitar driven, riff based songs with a hook type chorus. 

Just my honest opinion.

 

[MrMojo]

I can imagine how I would structure this song in my head along with a solo (Wouldn't be able to play it though 🤔) Love the synth, solo is decent but doesn't feel complete. Hope something official is released in the future.

[The Matinator]

So I love the chorus of atlas, it's not conventional but love how it bounces around. And the Brian May solo is killer.

Seems like it's a good thing that these songs didn't make CD, they would fit the current lineup well. I mean both songs reference being a man in them, so I bet they automatically get Duff's vote 

Edited September 5, 2019 by The Matinator

[rocknroll41]

11 minutes ago, Fanboy said:

after a decade, I assume that we are allowed to be greedy, just a little greedy, so what's next? The General?

The General is not on the storage locker discs that are in flux at this time, so I don’t think we will hear that one or Seven for a while, if ever.

2 minutes ago, The Matinator said:

So I love the chorus of atlas, it's not conventional but love how it bounces around. And the Brian May solo is killer.

Seems like it's a good thing that these songs didn't make CD, they would fit the current lineup well. I mean both songs reference being a man in them, so I bet they automatically get Duff's vote 

Yeah and structurally I think they would suit Slash very well. Let’s hope there’s more like these in the vault!

Edited September 5, 2019 by rocknroll41

[rebeldhipi]

I love it!

[Orion]

Really fucking loving it. After all the years on this forum this is the kinda stuff that has been missing over the past few years. Yeah leaks are bad blah blah blah but once something like this hits it makes you feel like a kid at Christmas. 

[DieselDaisy]

Regarding ''Hard School'', it is no masterpiece but if you delete ''If the World'' and put ''Hard School'' in its place, even in demo form, Chinese instantly improves.

[Otto]

51 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I almost tagged you in that post but I didn't think you posted here anymore! lol

Whoa.....check out WAY more than that by The Crowes!

Always lurking, rarely posting! @Dexter style.

[Azifwekare]

This is definitely the happiest GN'R song we've heard. I heard it first thing this morning after stumbling across it while browsing the web on my phone after waking up, and it put me in a great mood for the rest of the day.

@RussTCB was told it could be written about Robin - if true, it's very heartwarming.

I said it when the clips leaked, and I'll say it again - the verses and chorus give off Pink Floyd and Blind Melon vibes, respectively. It would definitely have been a hit in the '90s.

I'm seriously digging the key changes and the killer guitar solo.

Imo, this song is perfect as it is, all it needs is the vocals to be more balanced in the mix. Despite the fact that I love diving into the layers on CD, I dread to think how much this could have been messed with over the last 20 years.

Having said that, it would be cool if there was an extra solo spot added for Slash. Could you imagine the buzz if this was released with him and Brian May trading solos?

This has definitely had at least a few seconds cut from it before it was leaked, like the g-funk section that was missing when the Shackler remix was first leaked. (Actually, thinking about it now, I really hope there's a hidden g-funk section in Atlas )

[El Nono Pololo]

3 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

Regarding ''Hard School'', it is no masterpiece but if you delete ''If the World'' and put ''Hard School'' in its place, even in demo form, Chinese instantly improves.

True. Then again, if you delete "If the World" and replace it with nothing, CD instantly improves too.

[Azifwekare]

6 hours ago, Jordan Rose said:

Couldn't name one Tool song! 

I love Prison Sex.

[Team RamRod]

I fucking love it.

[Lies They Tell]

22 minutes ago, jacdaniel said:

I think that people have been waiting on these songs for so long that they’re going to convince themselves they like it, regardless of the actual quality of the songs. 

What makes you think so? Just because you don't like something doesn't meant that others can't genuinely like it. Personally I think that the chorus and verses in Hard School are perhaps the best thing that Axl ever wrote with newGNR. The rest of the song is ok at best. I dislike the overall guitar tone that Robin Finck uses in that song. It's the same guitar tone that's in Going Down also and I don't like it. I'd prefer a more distorted guitar sound. Other than that the intro is cool. The guitar solos are ok, but could be better. The ending of the song is stupid if you ask me. Well it's typical Buckethead silliness, but it doesn't fit the song at all in my opinion. But the chorus and verses are so good that with a little input from Slash it could be one of the best GNR songs ever.

Atlas Shrugged is a good song. What can I say. Nice melodies, great drumming and even the guitar tone is better in this one compared to Hard School. I absolutely love the Baba O' Riley type sounds in the background. It gives the song a lot of personality. What's there not to like? The mix is poor of course and sounds cut n pasted, but it's a demo. Some seem to have a problem with the melodies. It' not the kind of poppy and catchy melodies that instantly grab you. It's bit more complex and gets better after a few listens. For me CITR was similar in that sense. But that's why I love Axl as a songwriter, cause he makes interesting melodies and song structures. With many other bands all their songs sound way too familiar, like you've heard the same song already a thousand times. With Axl the songs always sound fresh. The melodies in Atlas Shrugged don't remind me of anything else. Sure, there's room for improvement on this song too. But even as rough demos, both of these songs are much better than 99% of music out there.

 

[rocknroll41]

25 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

Regarding ''Hard School'', it is no masterpiece but if you delete ''If the World'' and put ''Hard School'' in its place, even in demo form, Chinese instantly improves.

I disagree. If the World is one of my favorites!

20 minutes ago, Azifwekare said:

I love Prison Sex.

That one and Bottom are my favorites of theirs!

[Iron MikeyJ]

My 2 cents

I was expecting worse based upon the reviews here. I actually kinda like it. It's not a hit song, no. Its NO November Rain or Estranged, but it's better than Scraped, Riad, If the world, IRS and Shacklers imo. 

I agree with another comment, it would have actually been a positive song on what is a pretty somber album. It's kinda another epic song on an album full of epic songs, so maybe that's why it got cut? It fits right in there with TWAT, Maddy and Catcher imo. Not necessarily something I would be yelling to hear at a concert, but still an above average album track imo.

[megaguns1982]

33 minutes ago, DieselDaisy said:

Regarding ''Hard School'', it is no masterpiece but if you delete ''If the World'' and put ''Hard School'' in its place, even in demo form, Chinese instantly improves.

It's funny that back then I thought of the world was great, now it just makes me cringe. I was waaaay more enthusiastic about new music. Then I played it at a house party and everyone was like wtf is this shit. 

If Axl had sold that song to one of the big female singers back then it probably would have been a top ten hit.

Edited September 5, 2019 by megaguns1982

[Nick85]

Soooo what are the other alleged unheard tracks from this cache? Oklahoma & Quick Song? Think Leave Me Alone aka Me & My Elvis aka Soul Monster was on that list too.

I don't want to sound greedy, but still...

Edited September 5, 2019 by sofine11

[Caedo]

Gotta be honest I'm slightly surprised that this was the song they nearly included on the album. Even from hearing the rubbish quality clip of The General, surely it's got more going for it. Or Hard School even. 

[GnR Chris]

1 hour ago, jacdaniel said:

I think that people have been waiting on these songs for so long that they’re going to convince themselves they like it, regardless of the actual quality of the songs. 

 

 

This is a super annoying take. So because you don't like it, others must like it only because the mystique surrounding the songs. 

 

I'm also not really understanding the complaints about a lack of poppy chorus. GNR have always been about the one-of-a-kind vocals from Axl, the guitars, and the codas. People bitched about "Chinese Democracy" not having a proper chorus too, and that songs slaps so goddamn hard. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by GnR Chris

[axljungle]

1 minute ago, GnR Chris said:

This is a super annoying take. So because you don't like it, others must like it only because the mystique surrounding the songs. 

You've heard it? Is good, bad, bizarre...?

P.S.: From a banned fan from gnrtruth

[Amir]

6 minutes ago, sofine11 said:

Soooo what are the other alleged unheard tracks from this cache? Oklahoma & Quick Song? Think Leave Me Alone aka Me & My Elvis aka Soul Monster was on that list too.

I don't want to sound greedy, but still...

I don't think Oklahoma or Me & My Elvis have vocals on these demo CDs.

[TheSeeker]

5 minutes ago, Caedo said:

Gotta be honest I'm slightly surprised that this was the song they nearly included on the album. Even from hearing the rubbish quality clip of The General, surely it's got more going for it. Or Hard School even. 

Scraped made the album

They were going for quantity, not quality

Unless Axl has some dumb attachment to Scraped we're unaware of and he just had to put it on the disc

[GnR Chris]

1 minute ago, axljungle said:

You've heard it? Is good, bad, bizarre...?

P.S.: From a banned fan from gnrtruth

"Atlas Shrugged" is clearly in rough demo shape, at least the version that leaked. 

Yeah, it's choppy. It features abrupt melody changes. And some repeated lyrics that were maybe "placeholders." It also cuts off and changes melodies in parts where you'd maybe expect a guitar solo or grand GNR-style coda.

Very good lyrics. I love the synth intro (Stranger Things would be jealous) and how it still plays for a spell under the bombastic drums and guitars that come thundering in. I like Axl's vocals on it a lot. 

People are being hyper critical of a demo v1 of a song and comparing it to studio releases from GNR. 

[SeBaZ]

2 hours ago, Creed said:

how can you loose your ability to write hit singles? its like Axl didnt know that a song needs a chorus here.

 

Their environment has changed. He is not longer that white boy in the jungle. He is no longer hungry to conquer the world (maybe yes, but not with the passion that you have when you are an adolescent). When you write songs, you write about your life, your experiences, your situation. He is in the confort zone now, like many other artist who lost that spark. Did Izzywrite any song catchy like the ones he wrote for gnr? Slash? Did Roger Waters write any great song like the ones he wrote for Pink Floyd?
Also remember, AFD was written by a band, not by Axl all alone. Maybe you can write the greatest lyrics, but you need a melody, a riff, and the most important, that chemistry with the other band members.