New GN'R Thoughts

[Allen8R]

Now that that GN'R have completed their European tour and there are loads of vids and audio files look at and listen to, I have been doing some reflecting. Reflecting on the old-new GN'R. By that I mean the GN'R of 2001/02 and the GN'R of 2006.

I will never forget the first time GN'R blew back on stage to an American audience. I saw it August 29 2002. I was in the downstairs bedroom of some girls house that was having a party lying on the bed getting ready to get a sweet hummer from a girl who would end up being my girlfriend of three years.

I had already heard the bootleg versions of "The Blues" and "Madagascar", but those were hard to come by on the net, and I never really thought I would ever hear of Guns N' Roses again.

The TV, was on he foot of the bed and the 2002 MTV music video awards was on, but neither of us were really paying attention to it as she took my shirt off and we started making out. Just as we began to lie down I heard that guy who introduced them yell "GUNS N FUCKIN ROSES".

I jumped up from the bed in mid kiss in a flash and yelled "HOLLY FUCK THEY'RE BACK".

The girl had an absolutely priceless expression of bewilderment, confusion and surprise on here face.

"Oh...Yeah" she replied.

But all I could respond with was "It's guns n' fucking roses".

By this time the guitar tease intro had passed and Axl had begun his lung busting holler and I began to take in what I was hearing and seeing. A thousand thoughts went rushing threw my mind all at once.

"He looks like a fucking wanna be thug with braids"

"What the fuck is that thing holding a guitar beside Axl, and drunk astronaut with a Skullet?"

"Does that Buckethead dude have an advertising contract with KFC or something?"

And then Axl starts to sing. Thousands more thoughts come blistering threw my diminished-by-beer-and-bud brain cells.

"Jesus Christ, he sounds like he's out of breath"

"He sounds weak and dying"

"There is no rasp, almost like he sucked in on a helium balloon"

"Fucking Christ, he is out of breath, that’s it, slow down boy, your not as young as you used to be"

But the weirdest thing was, at the same time I was thinking this, I also was ignoring these thoughts and busy convincing myself that he looked good. He just changed a bit. He still sounded good, just a bit...Fuck I dunno...Softer like on Madagascar? Yeah that’s, Madagascar is good, he isn’t embarrassing himself in front of the surprised fans...

By the closing notes of the paradise city part I truly had myself convinced that the new GN'R was a good band that looked and sounded like GN'R should.

I got back into the bed with the girl I was with. I ended up asking her out that night...I called her by the wrong name by mistake, but she still said yes anyways. I always had no problem remembering our anniversary...hahaha.

So as time went on, I hunted down GN'R bootlegs and vids and audio from the RIR III show. I cringed to here Axl's faint voice over the instruments. I ignored the fact that he was a fat man in track pants and a massive Chinese shirt that looked like it came fresh off the Wal-Mart clearance rack.

I paid no attention to the fact that GN'R didn’t really look like a rock band, but more like a circus freak show and I even began to convince myself that Silk worms and Riahd were good songs.

So the years passed and I eventually broke up with that girl who I "left lying on the bed" because of the 02 MTV final performance. (but not before ruining my credit rating and hairline). Buckethead had left the band and GN'R had once again dropped to nothing.

Then came along 2006. The year of the great second return. The year Robin lost his space man theme. The year that secret advertising agent for Kentucky Fried Chicken was replaced by a cool guy named Ron. The year Axl remembered he was white, not black , that tight jeans and leather beat track pants and FUBU shirts when your fronting a rock band and ultimately the year that Guns N' Roses blew us all away.

Now when we go to youtube and type in "Guns N' Roses" what we see is a Rock band that sounds the best they have in years, some say ever. They look good, they play well, they have Izzy and Baz with them. They are a genuine rock band that has aged together, not a freakshow anymore.

Before the recent comeback, if I saw someone post something like this, bashing the 01/02 Guns N' Roses I would Roast them just like Joan of Arc was roasted to the cross. I would bring them to their knees. I would tell them to "get in the ring motherfucker, I’ll kick your bitchy little ass".

Its only because we now have something respectable. Now when I look back at me forcing my friends to watch RIR III vids and insisting they were great...I want to puke.

Now that GN'R are back and REALLY back, I think we can admit they were pretty bad in 01.

Anyone else ready to come to terms with that?

[quadlaser]

Been saying for a while now that after 2002 I had very little faith in it all. In 2006 Axl and Guns n' roses proved me to be so wrong about that. And I love em for it.

same thing here.

[Axls_Disillusion]

2002 wasn't all bad. In fact they played some amazing shows in 2001 and 2002. I still think RIR 3 is one of the legendary GNR performances. I saw them in Pittsburgh and I thought they put on a great show.

They are much better now in 2006 no doubt about it, but 2002 is what got me to accept and love the new band in the first place.

[Calm Like A Bomb]

Superb post allen8r and i can definately agree with you when you said the part about how you kinda forced yourself into liking them back then as that's what i also did. I didn't want to believe the bad stuff about GN'R in 01/02 but thankfully i think it has been all put straight, over the last 6 months or so

Edited September 10, 2006 by Calm Like A Bomb

[bandita]

So the years passed and I eventually broke up with that girl who I "left lying on the bed" because of the 02 MTV final performance. (but not before ruining my credit rating and hairline). Buckethead had left the band and GN'R had once again dropped to nothing.

@ ruining your credit rating and hairline. I can feel your pain. Don't mean to laugh but I just had to.

But I also agree with just about everything you said. I was so disheartened after that 2002 debacle, somewhat redeemed when I saw them at MSG the end of the same year and then sad again when they cancelled the tour thinking to myself, "is this finally the end?"

Now again I have hope and this band is kicking ass and taking names. It's a pretty good feeling if you ask me.

Edited September 10, 2006 by bandita

[quadlaser]

2002 wasn't all bad. In fact they played some amazing shows in 2001 and 2002. I still think RIR 3 is one of the legendary GNR performances. I saw them in Pittsburgh and I thought they put on a great show.

They are much better now in 2006 no doubt about it, but 2002 is what got me to accept and love the new band in the first place.

dude i saw them in pittsburgh too, i thought they were awful. bucket kicked major ass that night, though.

[Axls_Disillusion]

2002 wasn't all bad. In fact they played some amazing shows in 2001 and 2002. I still think RIR 3 is one of the legendary GNR performances. I saw them in Pittsburgh and I thought they put on a great show.

They are much better now in 2006 no doubt about it, but 2002 is what got me to accept and love the new band in the first place.

dude i saw them in pittsburgh too, i thought they were awful. bucket kicked major ass that night, though.

bucketheads solo was amazing. I thought the whole show was equally amazing. I was really impressed with Robin and Richard in particular, and I thought Axl sounded great. Of course, they outdid themselves in NY in 2006.

[Allen8R]

2002 wasn't all bad. In fact they played some amazing shows in 2001 and 2002. I still think RIR 3 is one of the legendary GNR performances. I saw them in Pittsburgh and I thought they put on a great show.

They are much better now in 2006 no doubt about it, but 2002 is what got me to accept and love the new band in the first place.

dude i saw them in pittsburgh too, i thought they were awful. bucket kicked major ass that night, though.

bucketheads solo was amazing. I thought the whole show was equally amazing. I was really impressed with Robin and Richard in particular, and I thought Axl sounded great. Of course, they outdid themselves in NY in 2006.

2002 did have its better moments, in terms of sound, but nothing compared to 06. They still looked horrible though.

[s487807]

Been saying for a while now that after 2002 I had very little faith in it all. In 2006 Axl and Guns n' roses proved me to be so wrong about that. And I love em for it.

same thing here.

I AGREE

[gnrfan4life3690]

dudes i really hate to say this but from 2002, things really havent changed much in my eyes. im really trying my hardest to like them so i put them on (nugnr) and i really cant get into it. i hate to say it, axls getting older, his voice isnt as good, and the new music is for either a past generation or a future one (hopefully more for the future) isnt GnR.

yes i know its a new band and everything, but theres not one person who cant argue gnr is not JUST axl, or slash, or duff, or matt, or anyone from the old lineups. songs like welcome to the jungle, sweet child o mine, dont cry, november rain, estranged, get in the ring, dont damn me, and others are GUNS N ROSES.

think about this: Guns come out with Chinese Democracy, they do the US leg of the tour, nothing bad happens, then what? the new sound is so different from the old sound, so they come out with another cd similar but different to Chinese Democracy thats even more different to old Guns? lets say the next cd even comes out, and another tour, but knowing axl something happens, someone leaves and the bands disasembles for good. now we have this new GnR with 2 cds, old gnr with 4, couple stray songs, live cd, live dvds, and a punk cover cd. not a bad run, but the new gnr may be remembered more? do u want GnR to die with kids years from now saying, " oh yea, didnt that band have 3 guitarists, something fink, something fortus and some bumblefoot dude?"? me i dont.

so as i reflect on this whole GnR 2000, i really am sad. i dont want gnr to die out as some expermantle hard rock band, but more of an 80s to hard for hair metal to soft for thrash/heavy metal band (didnt know what to call it).

this wasnt some random bash either. with old gnr today, there wouldnt be much difference, just different sound but axl would still sound like shit, and VR (x gnr members only) would be getting old too.

[Vogstar90_G'N'R]

the band is not called new guns n roses, its just guns n roses.

[Ridin' the Nightrain]

After 2002, the band were dead to me. The most awful tour possible.

Then, what d'ya know? Axl comes back sounding great, pulls his socks up and hits every single date scheduled. I saw them 4 times in the space of 3 weeks, and I can tell you they blow me away. The best month of my life.

I have one complaint, which is Robin Finck, however that's not enough to really hold down my enjoyment of this band. Bumblefoot and Fortus are great guitarists, and the live show as a whole is tight.

[Allen8R]

dudes i really hate to say this but from 2002, things really havent changed much in my eyes. im really trying my hardest to like them so i put them on (nugnr) and i really cant get into it. i hate to say it, axls getting older, his voice isnt as good, and the new music is for either a past generation or a future one (hopefully more for the future) isnt GnR.

yes i know its a new band and everything, but theres not one person who cant argue gnr is not JUST axl, or slash, or duff, or matt, or anyone from the old lineups. songs like welcome to the jungle, sweet child o mine, dont cry, november rain, estranged, get in the ring, dont damn me, and others are GUNS N ROSES.

think about this: Guns come out with Chinese Democracy, they do the US leg of the tour, nothing bad happens, then what? the new sound is so different from the old sound, so they come out with another cd similar but different to Chinese Democracy thats even more different to old Guns? lets say the next cd even comes out, and another tour, but knowing axl something happens, someone leaves and the bands disasembles for good. now we have this new GnR with 2 cds, old gnr with 4, couple stray songs, live cd, live dvds, and a punk cover cd. not a bad run, but the new gnr may be remembered more? do u want GnR to die with kids years from now saying, " oh yea, didnt that band have 3 guitarists, something fink, something fortus and some bumblefoot dude?"? me i dont.

so as i reflect on this whole GnR 2000, i really am sad. i dont want gnr to die out as some expermantle hard rock band, but more of an 80s to hard for hair metal to soft for thrash/heavy metal band (didnt know what to call it).

this wasnt some random bash either. with old gnr today, there wouldnt be much difference, just different sound but axl would still sound like shit, and VR (x gnr members only) would be getting old too.

I don't mean to roast you, but there is no way in hell you can claim that axl sounded any better in the Tokyo Dome videos thatn he does now. Especialy on tracks like sweet child.

[gunsguy]

GN'R are not back, they have never left....

Gunsguy

[Allen8R]

After 2002, the band were dead to me. The most awful tour possible.

Then, what d'ya know? Axl comes back sounding great, pulls his socks up and hits every single date scheduled. I saw them 4 times in the space of 3 weeks, and I can tell you they blow me away. The best month of my life.

I have one complaint, which is Robin Finck, however that's not enough to really hold down my enjoyment of this band. Bumblefoot and Fortus are great guitarists, and the live show as a whole is tight.

I have to agree with you on Robin. I just can't get into his guitaring. It seems like he just can't play solo's like SCOM or NR correctly. I found that Buckethead had them right to a tee and I remember wishing that Axl would loose Robin and keep Bucket.

[sammerc]

After 2002, the band were dead to me. The most awful tour possible.

Then, what d'ya know? Axl comes back sounding great, pulls his socks up and hits every single date scheduled. I saw them 4 times in the space of 3 weeks, and I can tell you they blow me away. The best month of my life.

I have one complaint, which is Robin Finck, however that's not enough to really hold down my enjoyment of this band. Bumblefoot and Fortus are great guitarists, and the live show as a whole is tight.

I have to agree with you on Robin. I just can't get into his guitaring. It seems like he just can't play solo's like SCOM or NR correctly. I found that Buckethead had them right to a tee and I remember wishing that Axl would loose Robin and keep Bucket.

Your original post is fuckin' hysterical!

I remeber that day also and was watching it with people who weren't being complementary at all. It killed me! I wanted the band that I love so much not to look like the circus act. I wanted them to pull it off....to succeed....I found myself making things up in my head too. The KFC bucket is an artistic statement.

But now, all the craziness was so distracting that I couldn't truly listen....as we had witnessed...maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Great post. funny!

[Welcome to the Jungle]

GN'R are not back, they have never left....

Gunsguy

Dude that is so true Guns N Roses are here to stay

[Zint]

That first post reminds of Slash's story about the first time he heard Aerosmith's Rocks.He was at some chick's place and she put on Rocks.Slash was completely blown away...picked up the album cover and kept playing the record over and over all night completely ignoring the chick!

The power of rock and roll!

heh

[ohmygod]

the band is not called new guns n roses, its just guns n roses.

thank you.

[Allen8R]

After 2002, the band were dead to me. The most awful tour possible.

Then, what d'ya know? Axl comes back sounding great, pulls his socks up and hits every single date scheduled. I saw them 4 times in the space of 3 weeks, and I can tell you they blow me away. The best month of my life.

I have one complaint, which is Robin Finck, however that's not enough to really hold down my enjoyment of this band. Bumblefoot and Fortus are great guitarists, and the live show as a whole is tight.

I have to agree with you on Robin. I just can't get into his guitaring. It seems like he just can't play solo's like SCOM or NR correctly. I found that Buckethead had them right to a tee and I remember wishing that Axl would loose Robin and keep Bucket.

Your original post is fuckin' hysterical!

I remeber that day also and was watching it with people who weren't being complementary at all. It killed me! I wanted the band that I love so much not to look like the circus act. I wanted them to pull it off....to succeed....I found myself making things up in my head too. The KFC bucket is an artistic statement.

But now, all the craziness was so distracting that I couldn't truly listen....as we had witnessed...maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Great post. funny!

Thanks. The post was so long, i'm surprised anyone read it all.

[muttyhc]

rock in rio 3 is one of if not the best gnr show ever, axl's vocals then were average yeah but it had the energy and thats what gnr are truly about. 06 axl is just going through the motions on ALOT of songs, some he perks up like nightrain but mostly its just getting the job done.

I really liked his look at rir3 as well, he looks just as dumb now as he did in 02.

[Allen8R]

rock in rio 3 is one of if not the best gnr show ever, axl's vocals then were average yeah but it had the energy and thats what gnr are truly about. 06 axl is just going through the motions on ALOT of songs, some he perks up like nightrain but mostly its just getting the job done.

I really liked his look at rir3 as well, he looks just as dumb now as he did in 02.

I can understand that everyone has their own opinion, but man, if you really can compare the 01/01 GN'R to the current and think there isn't much improvement, you are a rare breed of a GN'R fan for several reasons

the helium whine

the guetto shit

spaceman meets kfc paranoid skitzophrenic

[axlsend]

After 2002, the band were dead to me. The most awful tour possible.

Then, what d'ya know? Axl comes back sounding great, pulls his socks up and hits every single date scheduled. I saw them 4 times in the space of 3 weeks, and I can tell you they blow me away. The best month of my life.

I have one complaint, which is Robin Finck, however that's not enough to really hold down my enjoyment of this band. Bumblefoot and Fortus are great guitarists, and the live show as a whole is tight.

I saw them 3 times this summer and I agree with everything you say. It was the best summer I've had for years. They were great and Axl was awesome. Can't wait to see them again!