Chinese Democracy (2008) vs Rough Mixes CD #1 (2000)

[username]

Easy question. Which is best. 

Edited September 24, 2019 by username

[Coma16]

Both versions work best with the disk that they accompany.

Edit- thought you meant the song. Regarding album, I'll still take the studio version. TWAT with Bucket and Better are 2 of my favorite songs.

Shame this album wasnt released back in 2001. It truly is a shame.

Edited September 24, 2019 by Coma16

[-W.A.R-]

Rough mixes doesn't sound so cut and paste and nothing is drowned out in the the mix. It doesn't have If The World or Scraped, even Silkworms is tolerable as the last song. I don't think its an amazing album or anything but the label would have been better off putting this out than proceeding to spend another 8 years and millions of dollars so Axl could add layer after layer to the same damn songs.

Edited September 24, 2019 by -W.A.R-

[thomase]

there both good

[F*ck Fear]

I can't choose.

I think the only two song from the final Chinese that are far better than the rough mix disc are 'T.W.A.T.' & 'Prostitute'.

Having said that, I love 'Shackler's', 'Better', & 'Sorry'.

[rocknroll41]

2008 all the way!

However, I do prefer the 2000 versions of The Blues and Riad, at the very least.

Edited September 24, 2019 by rocknroll41

[Blue Phoenix]

I love the Atlas mix on the rough mix disk, it could easily fit on the released CD.

[Swedish]

Personally I prefer the 2008 release but I love that we now have both since there definitely is parts of RM#1 I like more that on the 2008 release!

[ChineseDemocracy2004]

Official release for me.

[Live Like a Suicide]

I voted for Rough Mixes CD 1. It sounds better and flows better. Sure, it sucks to lose Shackler's, Sorry, Better, This I Love, If the World and IRS, but the gains in Atlas, Perhaps and the overall sound and flow make up for it. The biggest thing i miss is probably the orchestral arrangements in '08.

Edited September 24, 2019 by Live Like a Suicide

[Gackt]

I love that both are available, but if I could only pick one, I'd stick with the 2008 album.

• Buckethead solos
• Better & Shackler's, I.R.S.
• Improved SOD outro

However if this album came out in 2000 or 2001 and a proper follow-up that was heavy on Buckethead was to come out the following year, I'd be all for it.

[Rapidfire]

Can't really say now as I'm conflicted on the freshness of the leaked CD vs the familiarity of the 2008 CD. 

[El Guapo]

Mh, which Madagascar is the best? This is getting confusing

[Live Like a Suicide]

A number of points:

Madagascar is the perfect opener in its rough mix state. It's not burdened with over-production like its official counterpart.

There was a Time is superior on '08 as Buckethead essentially transforms it from a rock song to an epic.

Atlas Shrugged is near-perfect and slots nicely to the Rough Mixes CD (and would have done the same to Chinese Democracy).

Perhaps is fantastic all around and is one of the standouts. It shares similar DNA to UYI and could have been a single.

Prostitute is Prostitute. It sounds good but like TWAT, i prefer the '08 version.

Rhiad is just so much better on the Rough Mixes. It's balls to the wall.

Catcher in the Rye is simply superior. Brian is superb.

Chinese Democracy, like Madagascar is free from overproduction. It's unadulterated rock, and while i miss the build up on the official version, i prefer the sound on the rough mix.

The Blues - That clarity though. I prefer it to the album counterpart.

Silkworms. I hate the song, but it works as an aggressive industrial closer not dissimilar to My World.

I do miss the other songs from Chinese Democracy, but the Rough Mixes have their own great songs and sound. I think the potential was there for 2000 Intentions. At this time, i prefer the rough mixes.

Edited September 24, 2019 by Live Like a Suicide

[sl4yer]

Because of Bucket‘s solo in TWAT, Sorry, Shackler and Better I’m leading towards 2008 Chinese. But generally it should be released in 2000/2001 

[DieselDaisy]

Guns N' Roses leaks are like buses. You wait forever for one then about 200 of the buggers appear!

I'm utterly confused with all the leaks I'm afraid! Gave up downloading them. 

Edited September 24, 2019 by DieselDaisy

[Live Like a Suicide]

Just now, DieselDaisy said:

Guns N' Roses leaks are like buses. You wait forever for one then about 200 of the buggers appear!

I'm utterly confused with all the leaks I'm afraid! Gave up downloading them. 

If anything, it's worth picking up the Rough Mixes CDs. They seem to have the best quality takes. Only the first has leaked so far.

[TheSlashrose]

Chinese Democracy original 2000

Eye on You 

Better 

Atlas

The Blues 

Zodiac 

Perhaps 

Quick Song 

Twat

Catcher 

Sorry 

Madagascar 

Prostitute 

Porm (bônus) deluxe 

Soul Monster (Bônus) 

 

The best album since AFD

Edited September 24, 2019 by TheSlashrose

[dave94]

I think the new leaks are exciting and that obviously as it’s new and unheard it makes people biased towards the unreleased stuff. Had it actually have been a real album I’m not sure on how well it would have been received.

I don’t think the rough mixes are perfect, a bit more work required, equally the final album felt like it had too much work done in places. I wonder if there’s a middle version from say 2006 which would be perfect?

in terms of individual songs, I like Atlas and especially Perhaps (Hardschool is also decent although I guess that doesn’t count as it wasn’t on “mix 1”), along with the original “The Blues” so it’s a shame those songs aren’t on the final album. I don’t particularly like a couple of CD songs eg Riad, Scraped, Shacklers but it’s seens like they’d have probably have been released any way, either in album 1 or another one, along with Silkworms.

I’d have to lean towards the real 2008 album. In a perfect world Scraped, Shacklers, Riad, Sorry would have been dumped for Atlas, Perhaps and Hardschool with the 2001 Blues version instead of Street of Dreams

[TrixAreForKids]

Newest Atlas just doesn't sound right to me, just overproduced and the layers don't work for me. Solo seems to be re-done, is that Bumble? 

[username]

49 minutes ago, Live Like a Suicide said:

A number of points:

Madagascar is the perfect opener in its rough mix state. It's not burdened with over-production like its official counterpart.

There was a Time is superior on '08 as Buckethead essentially transforms it from a rock song to an epic.

Atlas Shrugged is near-perfect and slots nicely to the Rough Mixes CD (and would have done the same to Chinese Democracy).

Perhaps is fantastic all around and is one of the standouts. It shares similar DNA to UYI and could have been a single.

Prostitute is Prostitute. It sounds good but like TWAT, i prefer the '08 version.

Rhiad is just so much better on the Rough Mixes. It's balls to the wall.

Catcher in the Rye is simply superior. Brian is superb.

Chinese Democracy, like Madagascar is free from overproduction. It's unadulterated rock, and while i miss the build up on the official version, i prefer the sound on the rough mix.

The Blues - That clarity though. I prefer it to the album counterpart.

Silkworms. I hate the song, but it works as an aggressive industrial closer not dissimilar to My World.

I do miss the other songs from Chinese Democracy, but the Rough Mixes have their own great songs and sound. I think the potential was there for 2000 Intentions. At this time, i prefer the rough mixes.

Great analysis. I'm with you on TWAT, but I personally do prefer the Rough Mixes Prostitute. Other than that you're spot on imo. 

[username]

6 minutes ago, TrixAreForKids said:

Newest Atlas just doesn't sound right to me, just overproduced and the layers don't work for me. Solo seems to be re-done, is that Bumble? 

It's dated as 27-03-2000. So no. 

[Jordan Rose]

1 hour ago, Gackt said:

I love that both are available, but if I could only pick one, I'd stick with the 2008 album.

• Buckethead solos
• Better & Shackler's, I.R.S.
• Improved SOD outro

However if this album came out in 2000 or 2001 and a proper follow-up that was heavy on Buckethead was to come out the following year, I'd be all for it.

Bucket's Twat solo over everything. Axl should spend a week at Bucket's and just sing over loads of Pikes. Look what he did in no time at all with Stuck Inside. 

[username]

Just now, Jordan Rose said:

Bucket's Twat solo over everything. Axl should spend a week at Bucket's and just sing over loads of Pikes. Look what he did in no time at all with Stuck Inside. 

Weeks? For fucks sake man, at Axl's speed weeks would barely be enough for one "Ahhhh aaaaahhhh".

[jamillos]

Rough mixes + Buckethead's guitars