alfa75

Does anyone really think guitar parts from Bucket or Robin will actually appear on new music? I mean, Axl wiped TSI of Izzy’s parts and Izzy was FAR more important to the overall scheme of things in GNR land than those guys ever were, and also a much more recent departure at the time. Slash and Richard will no doubt be the only guitarists on any of the upcoming material, CD era or not. I think Monsters pretty much proved that Slash can do the CD stuff justice, and although not universally agreed upon, all the releases from 2021-on absolutely worked with Slash. I think there have been two many assumptions about Slash’s ability to play stuff outside of his traditional wheelhouse. It seems he can handle it pretty well, and in the case of Monsters, very well. Also purely subjective, but Slash immediately made everything sound more GNR to my ears.

To my ears, Monsters sounds more recent, a bit better mixed/mastered, and has Slash on guitar. TG seems like it could date further back, muddier mix and maybe, just maybe has someone else on guitar.

Or rather people who like the song but have been critical of Slash and cannot reconcile with the fact that he did in fact, nail it.

The incredible success and reverence of AFD has always weighed heavily on him IMO, dating back to the “bury Appetite”quote. GNR has released a lot of great music, but nothing will ever reach the heights of AFD in terms of resolution and coherence musically. I think Axl has been trying for almost 4 decades.

The CD album itself is pretty hit or miss lyric wise IMO, but actually so was Illusions (BOB, Bad Apples, Shotgun blues, GITR, etc). AFD/Lies was close to perfect but TAY is arguably a bit weaker than the rest, and OIAM gets a lot of hate, but subject matter aside, I think it's well written. Of the new stuff, Absurd was obviously not a high point, HS was simple but effective, and the others I think have plenty of interesting lyrics, especially Monsters. TG is let down by just repeating the same things over and over even if as one part of the song, it works. I am convinced he always always wanted to outdo his previous self, but that is a lot of pressure to put on oneself, and if your career started with AFD, good luck. I know you were not comparing, did not mean to imply it. Patton is great at what he does, but lyrically I prefer Axl.

Couldn't disagree more. Love the lyrics on Perhaps, TG, and Monsters. I think Mike Patton is much more into using his lyrics, which are often nonsensical as just an extra sound rather than any way of communicating anything. I'm a huge FNM fan for the record.

But “Out ta get me” is ok? Typical GNRness.

Is it me or is it strange to criticise the reunion lineup for output when they have given us 5 songs in 7.5 years, when the previous CD lineup gave us ZERO songs in the 7.5 years before that. I get that the NuGuns diehards are in a smirky mode now that Slash/Duff are playing material from that era, and maybe rightly so, but much like NR and Estranged were clearly "Axl" songs, is anyone to deny Slash's contributions to those songs, and what made them so timeless? On thing I think is certain. Slash does his best work when Axl is there to help him aspire and push himself to the level of the base material. If Slash is on Monsters, which I believe he is, that is the proof.

Great comments. Totally understandable feelings. I do believe they will record 1 new original album. One, and only when Axl has finished getting out the songs he wants to get out.

Absolutely spot on.

I wonder if anyone was able to get the YT version downloaded before it got taken off. The quality seemed a lot better. Seems either it was a different source or maybe some AI mastering magic.

Guess I’m a boomer too, and I like CD and this new stuff, but if you don’t agree that the reason GNR are relevant at all is 87-93, you are in fact in the 1 percent. You can prefer whatever you like of course, and I would never look down on that. Without 87-93, no one would have ever dreamt of financing the whole CD fiasco, and I say that as a fan of CD.

Can someone please, without breaking any rules, point me in some direction which might potentially lead me to hear these tracks 🙏

Absolutely

I wonder how much has to do with the order you hear it. All the AFD stuff (earlier versions) that was released in 2018 sounded vastly inferior to me, as in not even close to as good. It was interesting to hear how those songs came to be, but there wasn't a single one to me that was in any way, better or even as good as the finished songs. Maybe some just prefer the other musicians that were involved on the CD stuff. I totally understand that with GNR, leaks have been the only way to hear anything new, but it seems to undermine the artistic expression and perception of the final released version. In any case, I am so glad that there is no credible complete version of the General that we've heard. Although I sense that some will still not like it and speculate how awesome it would have been if only the NuGuns guys were on it. For years, there was much nostalgia for Slash, and now, the nostalgia is for Bucket and Finck. I know that I will not listen to any more leaks now that they are releasing music.

Just out of curiosity, why do you expect that?

Is it just me or are so many people attached to leaked versions of songs that it sort of ruins the experience of finally hearing the released versions. Since I can remember, there has always been a vocal contingent complaining about most CD leaked tracks compared to the ones on CD, esp. Catcher/IRS/SOD and others and now an equally vocal contingent with Absurd/HS/Perhaps. I am personally convinced these songs would be far less criticised and enjoyed if only the final releases were heard. I hear a lot of people bagging on the Slash solo of Perhaps, but a lot of that IMO, is that they got attached to the Finck solo, same with BBF and the Brain May solo in Catcher. Equally detrimental aspect of the leaks is that all the songs they are releasing are "Chinese Leftovers" as if that is relevant. A good song is a good song, regardless of its origins. I think if Perhaps didn't have that baggage, it would be far more appreciated as what it is, a proper GNR song, which should be determined by the quality and sound, not it's creation history. It's the exact same phenomenon that hampered people's inability to listen objectively to CD. The back story and bitterness about certain personnel not being part of it coloured negatively people's perception and not even giving the music a proper and open minded listen before evaluating it.

The more I listen to the Slash solo, the more I like it and how it fits the song. Far from being virtuoso, it highlights what has always been good about Slash’s work with Guns, he plays what the song needs and not more.

My Michelle, SCOM, and RQ are on the R side of AFD.

NuGNR was indeed a different band, which is why it was often derided as “Not GNR” and I think the name hurt more than helped the musical output of that band, as well as subjecting them to a very difficult to live up to comparison.

Ok, I wasn’t aware of its existence. Sounds pretty convincing I must say.

I am then genuinely perplexed. I have DEFINITELY heard a song that I cannot identify. With lyrics/vocals and what could be the instrumentation from Beltrami. Can anyone help me identify this. It’s labeled “The General” but since there is no name mentioned in the chorus, I don’t know what it is. 7 minutes long if that helps.

Thanks. What about Oklahoma? Sorry, if this is common knowledge here, but I haven’t really been following this since this recent Perhaps incident.

Has anyone heard “The General” with vocals?

You are absolutely correct that I have zero knowledge from a musician’s standpoint, so all due respect to you. What I meant by negativity, was the way the press and some vocal fans have regarded much of what has gone down, musically, communication, management, etc.