Which leak would make the best single for a new album?

[GnR Chris]

"Hard School." It has to be that. It's catchy. It's shorter. It's a straight up banger. I mean, if you want a "Guns N' Roses is back with new music," you want a rock song with signature Axl rasp. It's perfect.

Follow it up with a ballad: "Perhaps." That's my favorite of the the leaks mentioned. "Perhaps" is just brilliant.

Third: A re-worked "Going Down" (v1) with Axl on lead vocals and Duff/Melissa harmonizing the chorus. Or go straight experimental and give me some "State of Grace." The coda to that song is RIDICULOUS.

Edited October 2, 2019 by GnR Chris

[ax1]

Cant vote because I have to lean towards non-lyric picks but Id go for Me and My Elvis, but add lyrics of course. Circus Maximus and Billionaire have alot of potential as well. Id pick Silkworms for lyric included but thats an very ancient song already for me.

Edited October 2, 2019 by ax1

[Ant]

Sugar Cane.

[PaoloLA]

Hardschool punches us in the face like old school guns

[GnR Chris]

On 9/30/2019 at 6:23 PM, appetite4illusions said:

None of those songs

Lord, they were left off of Chinese Democracy, why would any of them be able to cross into the mainstream?

Hard School is the best of a poor bunch of rock songs Axl assembled. You could release that but I’m very sure you would have a situation where it’s quickly forgotten. 

It might get you guys excited but I think it’s more the idea of Axl rocking out...because the song isn’t exceptionally good. I would rate even some of the more disposable stuff on UYI as superior; Bad Apples and Garden of Eden, for example.

If Axl wants a truly successful first single, he should go back to the drawing board. These songs were written a time when the Real Slim Shady needed to please, stand up.

Bro ... so much no in all of this. "Hardschool" slaps hard as fuck. It's OK if you don't like it. I love it. And these weren't B-sides from Chinese Democracy. These songs were kept off as part of a planned trilogy of releases. The 2006 leaks, IMO, dictated some of the final track list of Chinese Democracy. We don't even know yet if "Hardschool" was one of the last songs what was left of the Illusions lineup worked up in the middle '90s.

 

Edit: And to the comment that "Hard school" needs more rasp, I disagree. I actually really, really like the voice Axl sings with in the verses. It sounds different and then the chorus comes in and BOOOOOM, vintage AXL FUCKIN' ROSE!!!!!!

Edited October 2, 2019 by GnR Chris

[The Matinator]

2 hours ago, GnR Chris said:

Bro ... so much no in all of this. "Hardschool" slaps hard as fuck. It's OK if you don't like it. I love it. And these weren't B-sides from Chinese Democracy. These songs were kept off as part of a planned trilogy of releases. The 2006 leaks, IMO, dictated some of the final track list of Chinese Democracy. We don't even know yet if "Hardschool" was one of the last songs what was left of the Illusions lineup worked up in the middle '90s.

 

Edit: And to the comment that "Hard school" needs more rasp, I disagree. I actually really, really like the voice Axl sings with in the verses. It sounds different and then the chorus comes in and BOOOOOM, vintage AXL FUCKIN' ROSE!!!!!!

The verse vocals kind of remind me of Phil Lynott from Thin Lizzy, which I think is dope.

For the record I also voted for Hard School, the songs already good Plus Slash soloing and doing the harmonies in the bridge with 4tus would be top notch.

Edited October 3, 2019 by The Matinator

[appetite4illusions]

3 hours ago, GnR Chris said:

Bro ... so much no in all of this. "Hardschool" slaps hard as fuck. It's OK if you don't like it. I love it. And these weren't B-sides from Chinese Democracy. These songs were kept off as part of a planned trilogy of releases. The 2006 leaks, IMO, dictated some of the final track list of Chinese Democracy. We don't even know yet if "Hardschool" was one of the last songs what was left of the Illusions lineup worked up in the middle '90s.

 

Edit: And to the comment that "Hard school" needs more rasp, I disagree. I actually really, really like the voice Axl sings with in the verses. It sounds different and then the chorus comes in and BOOOOOM, vintage AXL FUCKIN' ROSE!!!!!!

You know what makes for a really boring song (to me)?

When a singer sings right on top of the guitar riff and never changes the melody. So the singer, is basically copying the guitar riff, verbatim. 

That doesn't make for a dynamic song and GN'R have always been dynamics....bro...

[appetite4illusions]

Out of all the shit that has leaked - as far as rock and roll goes - Oklahoma and Quick Song have the most promise as riffs.

I can't say much more than that. Those two were the only ones I felt were very worthy that remained undeveloped - particularly Oklahoma.

[GnR Chris]

14 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

You know what makes for a really boring song (to me)?

When a singer sings right on top of the guitar riff and never changes the melody. So the singer, is basically copying the guitar riff, verbatim. 

That doesn't make for a dynamic song and GN'R have always been dynamics....bro...

Don't bro me, bro.

[soon]

14 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

You know what makes for a really boring song (to me)?

When a singer sings right on top of the guitar riff and never changes the melody. So the singer, is basically copying the guitar riff, verbatim. 

That doesn't make for a dynamic song and GN'R have always been dynamics....bro...

To my ears theres some classic era Guns with that happening too? Like Dont Damn Me? Or the Chorus of Garden of Eden? Night Train? I think theres more that are escaping me.

I sometimes wonder if the musicians offer Axl riffs that can be doubled on vocals because it takes him so long to come up with vocals (but thats just a musing that I cant support obviously).

[Ant]

On 9/30/2019 at 4:23 PM, appetite4illusions said:

None of those songs

Lord, they were left off of Chinese Democracy, why would any of them be able to cross into the mainstream?

Hard School is the best of a poor bunch of rock songs Axl assembled. You could release that but I’m very sure you would have a situation where it’s quickly forgotten. 

It might get you guys excited but I think it’s more the idea of Axl rocking out...because the song isn’t exceptionally good. I would rate even some of the more disposable stuff on UYI as superior; Bad Apples and Garden of Eden, for example.

If Axl wants a truly successful first single, he should go back to the drawing board. These songs were written a time when the Real Slim Shady needed to please, stand up.

A beacon of GNR wisdom in this jungle.

Slash and Duff can write a sick song in a week if they’ve got something to prove. Lets keep it fresh! Get Fortus and even Frank really invested in coming up with something new. 

None of the CD songs to me sound like a “band.” It sounds like individuals playing parts... I can’t get into it at all. Hopefully the NITL incarnation can find some studio chemistry.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Ant

[appetite4illusions]

22 hours ago, GnR Chris said:

Don't bro me, bro.

Hey you started it. I only have one bro and he doesn’t even call me.

I just hear a jersey shore character when people try to reason to me by starting with that word.

[appetite4illusions]

22 hours ago, soon said:

To my ears theres some classic era Guns with that happening too? Like Dont Damn Me? Or the Chorus of Garden of Eden? Night Train? I think theres more that are escaping me.

I sometimes wonder if the musicians offer Axl riffs that can be doubled on vocals because it takes him so long to come up with vocals (but thats just a musing that I cant support obviously).

You’re right, there are a number of OG GN’R songs where Axl leans on the guitar riff for his melody, but I can’t think of one of the stalwart classics where that’s the case.

I’ve said it before, but the crucial ingredient to a timeless GN’R song is that it is anthemic. This usually means having a big chorus and to have a big chorus...less is more. You mentioned Nighttrain and while Axl settles into the groove of the riff on the verses, he does his own thing on the chorus and it’s the kind of minimalistic thing that works so well:

”I’m on the Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!....Never to return!”

It breathes, nice and easy and it has the space and power for everyone to chant it like a prayer.

Now you’ve got:

”But you had to be a fool and do it your way had to be a fool and throw it all away to a school you thought you were here to stay if that were true it wouldn’t matter anyway!!!”

Not the same thing, at all. It doesn’t breathe one bit. It’s delivered like a rant - which is I’m sure how Axl approached quite a bit of songwriting. It reeks of someone with too much to say and unsure how to say it. Kind of like a high school kid who writes his whole English lit paper as one run-on.

Add to that, it is doing the same exact thing as the guitar riff, it comes off as desperate and a little redundant.

I’m not saying Axl should adopt a Motley Crue style of pop choruses, but he needs to realize that in the craft of songwriting, people want something they can participate to when they hear it live. 

Hard School brings back the idea of rocking out - which is sorely, sorely missing from Chinese, but to me, it doesn’t have an element of timeless songwriting on it.

If Axl is going to swing for the fences, he needs to get back in touch with a simpler approach. If the World was one of my favorite songs on CD, because of its simplicity.

Edited October 4, 2019 by appetite4illusions

[Ant]

5 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

You’re right, there are a number of OG GN’R songs where Axl leans on the guitar riff for his melody, but I can’t think of one of the stalwart classics where that’s the case.

I’ve said it before, but the crucial ingredient to a timeless GN’R song is that it is anthemic. This usually means having a big chorus and to have a big chorus...less is more. You mentioned Nighttrain and while Axl settles into the groove of the riff on the verses, he does his own thing on the chorus and it’s the kind of minimalistic thing that works so well:

”I’m on the Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!....Never to return!”

It breathes, nice and easy and it has the space and power for everyone to chant it like a prayer.

Now you’ve got:

”But you had to be a fool and do it your way had to be a fool and throw it all away to a school you thought you were here to stay if that were true it wouldn’t matter anyway!!!”

Not the same thing, at all. It doesn’t breathe one bit. It’s delivered like a rant - which is I’m sure how Axl approached quite a bit of songwriting. It reeks of someone with too much to say and unsure how to say it. Kind of like a high school kid who writes his whole English lit paper as one run-on.

Add to that, it is doing the same exact thing as the guitar riff, it comes off as desperate and a little redundant.

I’m not saying Axl should adopt a Motley Crue style of pop choruses, but he needs to realize that in the craft of songwriting, people want something they can participate to when they hear it live. 

Hard School brings back the idea of rocking out - which is sorely, sorely missing from Chinese, but to me, it doesn’t have an element of timeless songwriting on it.

If Axl is going to swing for the fences, he needs to get back in touch with a simpler approach. If the World was one of my favorite songs on CD, because of its simplicity.

A lot of the CD stuff is very verbose... it can be sonically exhausting. 

[Axl2002]

Zodiac or D Tune could be great Singles, if they had some good melodies and lyrics.

I think @Ant is Right Axl sometimes put too many words into a song/verse. Take "There was a time"  for example the first 2 1/2 minutes he sings non stop. That`s why it`s so

hard to sing a lot of the Chinese Stuff Live. There is almost no time for the singer to breathe and Axl isn`t 28 anymore. So when writing new stuff Axl should do things vocally he

can reproduce in a live enviroment. 

[Axl_morris]

Bolo e for quicksong?

[soon]

22 hours ago, appetite4illusions said:

You’re right, there are a number of OG GN’R songs where Axl leans on the guitar riff for his melody, but I can’t think of one of the stalwart classics where that’s the case.

I’ve said it before, but the crucial ingredient to a timeless GN’R song is that it is anthemic. This usually means having a big chorus and to have a big chorus...less is more. You mentioned Nighttrain and while Axl settles into the groove of the riff on the verses, he does his own thing on the chorus and it’s the kind of minimalistic thing that works so well:

”I’m on the Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!...Nighttrain!....Never to return!”

It breathes, nice and easy and it has the space and power for everyone to chant it like a prayer.

Now you’ve got:

”But you had to be a fool and do it your way had to be a fool and throw it all away to a school you thought you were here to stay if that were true it wouldn’t matter anyway!!!”

Not the same thing, at all. It doesn’t breathe one bit. It’s delivered like a rant - which is I’m sure how Axl approached quite a bit of songwriting. It reeks of someone with too much to say and unsure how to say it. Kind of like a high school kid who writes his whole English lit paper as one run-on.

Add to that, it is doing the same exact thing as the guitar riff, it comes off as desperate and a little redundant.

I’m not saying Axl should adopt a Motley Crue style of pop choruses, but he needs to realize that in the craft of songwriting, people want something they can participate to when they hear it live. 

Hard School brings back the idea of rocking out - which is sorely, sorely missing from Chinese, but to me, it doesn’t have an element of timeless songwriting on it.

If Axl is going to swing for the fences, he needs to get back in touch with a simpler approach. If the World was one of my favorite songs on CD, because of its simplicity.

Well said. As far a singles go, it lacks the singable chorus. I mean it’s been stuck in my head since I first heard it, but needs more to dent radio.

and musically we talk about ‘resolving melodies’ and giving ‘relief’ from tensions. Axl hasn’t exactly been great at resolving things or easing tension in his life. Interesting how those traits show up in his vocal writing.

[jacdaniel]

I gotta agree that none of these leaks are really worthy of being a single for Guns N Roses. I think they should focus on writing new stuff together. 

And actually write TOGETHER! Not sending ideas via email and recording parts separately. 

I think the leaks sound almost like B sides, stuff that wasn’t deemed good enough for Chinese and Axl never felt like releasing. 

[SoulMonster]

2 hours ago, jacdaniel said:

I gotta agree that none of these leaks are really worthy of being a single for Guns N Roses. I think they should focus on writing new stuff together. 

And actually write TOGETHER! Not sending ideas via email and recording parts separately. 

I think the leaks sound almost like B sides, stuff that wasn’t deemed good enough for Chinese and Axl never felt like releasing. 

I couldn't disagree more. Sure, some of them are mere demos lacking instrumentation and vocals, and some have only guide vocals, but many of them could, in my opinion replace songs on CD and make that a better album. Or UYI. Like Hard School, Atlas Shrugged, Thyme, Quick Song, Prom Queen, State of Grace, Perhaps. And the potential in a handful others is to me undeniable. In general, the leaked songs to me are on average better (or with a potential indicating they would be) than the songs that ended up on CD.