sascha

Special in a bad way. The late thing only resuts in good portions of the crowd being too tired to sing along, scream, dance or just clap their hands. It's like watching a movie just before you go to sleep, you get it, you like it, it might be the greatest movie ever, but you just can't appreciate it as much as if you were less tired. It's frustrating, the longer the wait, the more people get exhausted and are absent with their minds, don't focus on the show, but on how to get home or what to tell the boss the next day, it makes you enjoy the show a lot less and it results in people leaving before the encore or giving bad reviews even if the show was good. The sad thing is the band knows and even cares about this, but they can't do a thing about it. It's Axl being Axl, sometimes he just has to warm up and get into it before going out, sometimes he's not even in the same country while the band is waiting backstage ready to rumble. It's exhausting for them too, it just drains a lot of energy out of the whole thing.

Or can you point me in another direction to find the best live version of this song?

Arnhem, Oct. 3, 2010

I'm talking about a STAR. Someone like Dave Navarro, or Brian May, or Jimmy Page, or Zakk Wylde. You get the idea.

Skills are one thing, chemistry is another. And just because someone is popular doesn't mean he's the right choice for a project.

No.

When listening to Chinese Democracy, have a look in the booklet and see who plays on most of the best solo's.

The booklet is a joke, the only thing they got right is the band name. Robin co-wrote half of the songs on the album and also worked on the production. Axl said Robin's TWAT solo is his fav guitar solo on the album and he refered to Better in public as "a song written by Mr. Robin Finck". Robin also wrote good portions of Prostitute, The Blues and TWAT without being credited for it. If you want the real credits get the sheets for musicians / tab book, they have the right credits.

now, where the FUCK is Robin??? His site is closed like since 2008 or so. And I don't have ANY news from him since his departure.

What do you know???

He toured with NIN and sold the guitars he used in Guns on eBay.

Robin is a great guitarist, so, no.

Have you ever listened to his solo spots from when he was in Guns?

Here's one of them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzEU_MnZdHg

And here's him playing THERE WAS A TIME:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkKmXpcwYOk

He was often hit and miss but around the end of the 06/07 tour he was pretty good.

Underrated and underappreciated.

Axl didn't have an issue with Slash performing with other artists, it was who those artist were that he took issue with.

As for who Slash played with when he was in Guns well he performed with Alice Cooper, Lenny Kravitz, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson...it's not like he went over to the dark side and recorded with David Hasselhoff or something. Today it's different but look at Jimmy Page working with Sean Combs and this Olmypia chick, you think he'd do that if he was active in Led Zeppelin? He's bored! Maybe Slash is bored too? Would he be in Guns I'm sure he'd be too busy for playing with everyone and probably be more picky about it too.

I agree with the OP. I would love to see Axl himself guest on an Eminem single. One of those "rap the verse, have someone come in and sing the chorus" songs. They've both got the rebellious, mad at the world, half psycho attitude. I'm no expert, but I think it could be a huge hit and a huge push for Gn'R.

Not sure that would work but think of Axl doing vocals with Tool/Puscifer, Ron jamming with Kings Of Leon or Guns having Jack White for a song, that's what I'm talking about. They all have their sideprojects and other gigs and stuff but nothing with actual recognition for Guns. The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Elton John were all not too cool to perform with Axl back when he was the hot shit of the day and I'm sure it got some people into Guns. Today Axl is one of those "legends" himself but it appears he's kinda picky when it comes to reach out and connect some musical dots for the younger generation? Maybe I'm naive but I don't get it.

I remember Axl complaining about Slash performing with other artists and stuff, maybe he could not see how this actually got more people into Guns? Aside from these kind of gigs being personal favours or just killing time, it’s also good cross promotion and it’s not hurting the music, it’s actually connecting people with music and artists they might have never given a chance otherwise.

Today Axl is working with Richard Fortus who also performed with many other artists, nothing wrong with that but it makes me wonder why Axl to this day keeps complaining about Slash performing with others? Did someone whisper in his ear saying working with other musicians is evil or what does Axl base this on? Not knocking anyone here, just observing.

Doesn’t look like Axl is into cameos (he did like three in 20 years or so) but I think it would be pretty cool if Guns would reach out and do that kind of “cross promotion” to get more attention for the band and more people into Guns music. They perform with Bach and the Trailer Park guys and though fun does that really widen anyones musical horizon?

The goal should be people at a let’s say Lady Gaga concert going like “look, there’s the guy from Guns N’ Roses, now that’s a mean guitar solo I gotta check them out!!!” and not like Guns fans at a Guns show going “isn’t that the guy who played cello on Paul McCartney’s last tour?”. Know what I mean? Thoughts?

It's not the guitars, it's the drums. There's up to three drummers plus synth and plugins for one song alone, it's like driving on four different tires, it will work but it won't feel right.

As for the live sound, Richard and Robin clicked, but right now only the rhythm section is tight. Ron's sound is too compressed and DJ's is too mellow, not much tonal interaction possible even if they try.

Who is John Galt?

He's your daddy bitch.

LOL just read the book and you get it.

I think it's pretty cool to find inspiration for rock music from books. Jim Morrison was inspired by literature too and the results were great. I'd like to hear 'Atlas Shrugged' just to see what kind of inspiration Axl got out of the book and how he communicates that in five minutes or so, it's quite a powerful book so that song should be intresting.

Who is John Galt?

Got into him when I saw them in 2006, Robin sounded like pulling teeth that night so Richard's guitar tone was quite a relief and his playing and stage presence were pretty cool, even next to Izzy later on that night. (And I don't think they look much alike, at least not in real life, neither is Richard impersonating Izzy, whoever says that never saw either one of them in concert.) Saw him again three weeks ago and he's like exploding on stage now, great energy and massive stage presence. Also met him after a show, very nice and thoughtful, great guy.

4tus and dizzy stardust are best

dj's ballad of death is pretty cool too but the slash impersonation kinda ruins it for me

Slash = Connery

Buckethead = Craig

Izzy / 4tus = Moore

Paul = Lazenby

rObiN = Brosnan

Ron = Dalton

Ashba = Austin Powers

Axl = Blofeld

........does it really matter? I used to think I wanted a full reunion, but after seeing Izzy and Duff on stage with Axl, I don't think I care anymore. The music with either of these guys playing doesn't sound any different from Axl's lineup, other than (I guess?) hearing slightly different backing vocals. Duff's stage presence isn't anything unique or special.........he just walks around. He's not David Lee Roth with a bass. Izzy just stands still the whole time.

Without new music, I don't care about a reunion.

I believe a reunion is possible (with everyone except Steven Adler)............but I think a reunited GNR writing new songs and releasing a (good) album is nearly impossible. These guys are pushing 50 right now......how many veteran rock musicians release a groundbreaking album post-50 years old? I thought Chinese Democracy was a good, solid album....but Axl started it when he was in his 30s. Contraband was average at best and Libertad was just awful.

My question, for those of you who are dying to see a reunion.........what are you really expecting? Appetite For Destruction II? Or do you just want to see the original members on stage together? If the latter is the case, then do you expect the music on-stage to be any different from what we're hearing now with Axl's current lineup?

Stage presence has nothing to do with running around and putting on a show. DJ has everything you could ask for in a star guitar player but even if he's just being himself, in the context of GNR it comes across as if he's trying too hard or poking fun at Slash. What I'm saying is he can't win. On the other hand Izzy walks out being Izzy and is home. Reunion...you probably need a 20 piece all star ensemble to make everyone happy. The original and the 2002 lineup clicked the best, but one lineup was a machine and the other a river. Both can take you there, but the feel will be a lot different. I for one would love to see them fusing the best of both worlds like in 2006 or now with Duff, but I also learned to take and enjoy the band for what it is rather than what it was or I think it should/could be. And I can tell you it's a lot more fun that way.

Breakdown

Estranged

Prostitute

There Was A Time

Catcher In The Rye

Sweet Child O' Mine

Locomotive

You Could Be Mine

Welcome To The Jungle

Coma

Estranged

Thank you Duff for playing with the band and thank you Axl and everyone else, especially Tommy, for having Duff on stage with you.

Not talking reunion but I'd love to see more former members make their peace with the band and vice versa. It kinda makes me enjoy the music even more when I see it's done in good spirits. Maybe the current band playing old songs with former members makes them less of a cover band to the haters and the old members playing with the current lineup kind of gives it approval like "yeah, it's cool, let them play these songs". Do you know what I mean?

The flipside is everyone talking reunion now for a while and that's just annoying. It's understandable but unfair. The band plays great shows and all they get is shit. Then a former member joins them for some songs and even Rolling Stone picks up and features GN'R again. They just can't win. But if they listen and keep an open mind I think they can get the most and best out of it for them and the fans. And for the music.

So thank you guys and keep it going, you are doing great.

The guy helped create the classic AFD sound and material and it looks like he got his shit together after strokes and a longtime heroin addiction. That's probably a lot more than the people who poke fun at him may ever achieve. If his heart is still so much in that music and that band that he has to play with Axl one more time to find peace and come full circle then so be it.

Don't know, but the ending to Prostitute is basically only Moby's Dead Sun Moby was the producer from CD at the time he released this track, so maybe Axl just liked it and asked him if he could use it?

"God Moving Over The Face Of The Waters" comes to mind, from the movie HEAT, and somehow the ending of Prostitute strikes a similar chord inside of me as the ending of that film.

Something I noticed, in the ending of Prostitute, what is like the final chord of the album (consisting of three chords) - is that the same chord progression as in the second half of TWAT, just one step lower? Like where he sings "I would do anything for you", that comes back in the ending of Prostitute just one step deeper, so the final chord/s is basically saying "I would do....anything....for you" without words, just the music being a recital, giving both songs yet one more layer and a connection? Coincidence? Also, both songs use a cuss word for a title but their lyrics express heartfelt emotion. Who is he talking to? A lover? A friend? Music? The audience? Himself? One song appears to be addressing someone else (TWAT) and the other (Prostitute) is more reflective and appears to be more about himself, saying he is no better but trying to find a way out in awareness of the price to remain himself? Notice how prostitute is used only once and as a verb (!) in the lyrics, like "to prostitute". Looks like there's some deep shit going on in these songs.