themadcaplaughs

I feel like the band had to have done this as a nod-nod wink-wink type thing. I still cannot deny the unbearable novelty of seeing something, anything, out of the norm at a GN'R show. Hell, just think that during the 2009-2014 years, people were begging the band to play this song. 

The strangest thing to me was that without the "what can I do with a bitch like you" part of the song removed, Axl just kind of stood around silent most of the song. Had Axl not specifically called it out as a new song, I imagine a lot of the crowd would have thought it was some kind of transition between songs. Also, I like that you only hear awkward silence from the majority of the crowd, and only get applause when Axl says "you heard a new Guns N' Roses song" at the end. 

1 minute ago, RussTCB said:

Silkworms / Absurd is the second worst song GN'R has ever recorded outside of My World. 

Having said that, I admire the action itself on a certain level. 

We wanted them to play something new.....they played something new. We wanted them to shake things up.....that song in particular is a big shake up. 

Slash & Duff playing on that God awful song from 20+ years ago is just so bizarre, but again, it's something different. 

In many ways, this is the most GN'R thing that GN'R has ever done. I still hate the song, but I admire the action itself. 

Could not have said it better myself. 

I'm willing to wait at least one more show before I start to get worried about the show I plan to see in Raleigh. To his credit (and from those who were commenting on the show on Twitter), it appeared the band was having fairly noticeable sound problems the whole show and even "casual fans" seemed to notice Axl was constantly running to the back of the stage to talk to the sound crew. Obviously, the cards are definitely stacked against Axl, but I cannot deny that not being able to hear himself sing and the audio cutting in and out at least partially contributed to the horrible performance. None of this changes that the band as a whole seems completely stoic or disinterested. I am not sure what's worse: Axl singing poorly but at least looking like he was giving it a shot, or Slash and Richard (who usually appears enthusiastic) playing with the enthusiasm of changing a tire. Also, I cannot overstate how disinterested I am in seeing Duff tackle yet another Iggy Pop/punk rock cover. 

TL:DR: I am willing to give Axl a tiny bit of wiggle room as there were clearly sound issues, but it does not look good for him based on some of the clips I've seen. 
 

I have only seen Guns N' Roses three times over the years; the last time being in 2016. So I am genuinely excited to see the band in Raleigh in a few months. Hoping for the best. If nothing else, the set list has changed enough since 2016 that there will be some songs I have not seen live before. 

I would be genuinely surprised if this amounts to anything, but a very nice tribute to a departed friend of theirs. Also, definitely did a double-take when I saw the YouTube notification pop up on my phone. 

Did MSL propagate the rumor about the T. Rex cover? I always thought that was just something that came from another "insider". 

On 7/23/2021 at 2:13 PM, Blackstar said:

Thanks, although I don't trust the source (and other so called "insiders") at all, especially when it comes down to the reunion and NITL era - hadn't the "information" that Slash and Duff recorded Atlas Shrugged in 2016 come from the same source?

Anyway, I don't know if Axl hates Matt so much - I don't think he does, because otherwise Matt wouldn't have been offered a guest spot under the same conditions as Steven . But, seeing how much he appreciates loyalty and wants to reciprocate, it's a logical assessment that he would prefer "his guy" (Frank and or Brain) over Matt.

I cannot stand MSL, but I generally believe he has some sort of inside connection. I know that upsets a lot of people on this forum. I would imagine because of the cognitive dissonance of someone as reprehensible as MSL being the "insider", but like I said, take it for what it's worth (in your case nothing). That being said, I do not know why you'd have any reason to doubt Slash/Duff laid some overdubs over "Atlas Shrugged". Unnecessarily replacing recorded parts for music that will never be released seems to be Axl's M.O. 

On 7/18/2021 at 8:47 PM, Blackstar said:

I'm not so sure about Matt. Even if Slash and Duff were so keen on him (which I have some doubts of), Axl would probably prefer Brain, and I think that at least Duff would be on board with that. It's likely that Brain was asked to be in the reunion, not replacing Frank completely, but sharing duties with him (and maybe Steven, too - Axl is capable of having three drummers ), but declined because he's friends with Frank and doesn't want to even half-take the gig from him. So I doubt Matt would be on the top of the list.

Take it for what it's worth, but back in 2016, MSL said that at the outset of negotiations, Slash and Duff tried to mention bringing Matt back in the fold, and were essentially told that if they asked again, negotiations would stop; it was going to be Frank and Steven (at the time) or nothing. He also said that while Axl still doesn't really like Steven Adler, he was willing to at least consider bringing him on as he had an intrinsic "value" as being part of the Appetite for Destruction band (same as Izzy). Apparently Axl still hates Matt for whatever reasons Axl has to hate Matt, but unlike Steven, Axl didn't see Matt bringing the same kind of "boost" to the tour. 

I have no beef with Matt. He was obviously the right guy at the right time, and was able to get the band to the "finish line" in terms of recording the Use Your Illusions albums, but I have never been a huge fan of his playing style with Guns N' Roses. I would actually rank him at the bottom (even under Frank). I thought he worked in Velvet Revolver a little better, I am guessing because that band was "built" around his style. 

19 hours ago, Gambit83 said:

Can't maintain a relationship that doesn't exist or one-sided. I also sent an email to Fernando months later after I found out about his text, asking permission to interview Frank again. I'll respect his chain of command. Only approved topics, that he could listen to the recording first. Radio silence. Frank wanted to come on again with Brain btw.

I mentioned earlier this has been going on since the beginning, before I ever interviewed or spoke to Doug. 5 years...can't believe I've been doing it for that long. And for an opportunity to write a GNR book, a band I grew up loving, who would have ever guessed? Not me. I'm enjoying the ride. Trying to.

 

Bummer. An interview with Frank and Brain would have been one of the most informative interviews you had ever done! In regards to the Frank interview ( a great one) being "the straw the broke the camel's back", I wonder if it involves folks in the forums/online reading (probably too much) into Frank's "non-answer" and body language to an admission that he recorded the drum tracks on "Shadow of Your Love". That would be the only thing I could reasonably think of that could be viewed as controversial. I have heard your Dizzy Reed, Richard Fortus, and Tommy Stinson interviews, and you go frustratingly out of your to avoid Guns N' Roses unless they bring up the topic (not ragging on you; you had to "play ball"). 

On 7/16/2021 at 3:52 PM, Blackstar said:

Not replying for @Gambit83 , but I just want to point out that the book hasn't been a secret. Brando has been open about working on it since the beginning and has been taking questions for Doug from fans.

I did not say the book has been a secret. My point was just that whenever Brando made that point public, it was pretty much going to dash any chances he had of ever maintaining a productive relationship with Team Brazil. 

@Gambit83I look forward to reading the book. I hope you have something in writing, however. As they say, I would not trust Doug Goldstein any farther than I could throw him.

1 hour ago, Gambit83 said:

The book happened after Fernando’s text. He sent it after my interview with Frank. Doug and I have only been working on it this year.

Did Doug offer you some kind of big payday? At some point or another, this was going to go public, and it seems like a very strange move for someone to make who runs a Guns N' Roses podcast with aspirations of one day interviewing Axl. 

I am not being sarcastic or smart alec-y, just genuinely curious what made you choose to tackle this project, as it seems in direct contradiction to your goals with the podcast. 

Found the red hand in a Goodwill in the Atlanta area back in 2017/2018. As Russ said, many of these are probably languishing in peoples' closets, basements, storage rooms, etc. 

17 hours ago, RussTCB said:

Is "a DJ might have said new GN'R is coming" the 2021 equivalent of "kids were dancing in the hallways"? 

Sorry to be that guy, but can someone explain the "dancing in the hallways" reference to me? 

I remember Canter saying it was not uncommon to see Axl's mom and stepdad at early Guns N' Roses shows and that he talked to them a handful of times. My guess would just be him trying to "live" with his family for as long as possible. 

19 hours ago, downzy said:

I was there for that too and it did not land well.  It certainly didn't help that it was the fourth or fifth straight new song played in a row.  

This is easily my least liked song on the album.  It blows my mind having heard some of the leaks from a couple of years ago that this song was included.  There were so many better options.  

At best, this should have been a b-side to a fourth or fifth single released from Chinese Democracy.  

Per certain wrestlers who used to run message board about GN'R, the track list for Chinese Democracy remained fairly solid over the years, despite the leaks. That being said, he did say "Riad" was possibly a tacked on at the last minute since it had already leaked. 

I know on the Appetite for Distortion podcast, multiple people over the years mentioned that Axl apparently crushed it during the rehearsals, even if the actual performance proved underwhelming. Also, there would be a curiosity factor to it all as well. Think of how little we've seen Axl rehearsing with the band; particularly that lineup. It would be insightful just to see the interaction between all the band members at that time. 

Regardless, definitely not something anyone needs to pay for, but if this leaked, I might consider it my "peace out" token, and only pay attention to the band if/when it releases new music. When the House of Blues show dropped out of the blue (another one of my "holy grail" items), it kickstarted my belief that anything could drop at any time.

On 4/27/2021 at 2:15 PM, James Bond said:

How about a compromise - he can deliver the pizza during a 1993 throwback acoustic set.

It's a fantastic idea.

Well now I feel cheated. I would have voted differently had I known we would not be getting full Dizzy Reed bongo/tambourine action. 

21 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

I hear ya, trust me. I spent a lot of time worried about the situation between Wednesday night and Thursday until I heard back. 

That's the only reason I posted anything here. I just didn't want anyone to be worried like I was. 

All i want to say for now is that I'm certain he'll address it soon. I agree that it's totally out of character for him not to, but I do know he's got some cool personal stuff going on. He's probably far more focused on that this week, which he totally deserves for how hard he's worked all these years. 

Make sense. I wish him the best. I am not the biggest fan of his solo stuff, but know a good number of people are. I do think he's a phenomenal guitarist, and I loved all of his work both in the studio and live with Guns N' Roses, and I think he deserves a career more in line with, say, Buckethead; selling out theaters with a devoted fan base. Seeing him playing those type of shows such as the one last week was disheartening. Thanks for your updates! 

15 hours ago, RussTCB said:

Exactly. I'm reasonably sure Ron has no idea what State of Grace is but I can tell you this for 100% sure; he absolutely doesn't give a remote shit about it.

The idea that this whole thing has anything to do with GN'R, let alone someone yelling unreleased GN'R songs at him is laughable at the very best.

I've been super busy today, so I don't know if he ended up releasing a statement yet. If he didn't, I'm guessing he won't do so this week. He'll be tied up with other stuff this week and (at a guess) not even remotely thinking about all of this stuff.

Russ, I sincerely appreciate you letting us know Bumblefoot is ok, and that this was not a health issue. That being said, I'm genuinely surprised Bumblefoot has gone incognito like this. He has always proven to be extremely fan friendly, and there a lot of fans on his social media expressing genuine concern for his well-being and disappointment over not being able to see him play. Obviously, he does not owe us an in-depth explanation as to why he decided to cancel the tour, but it does seem like the least he could provide is a "sorry guys, update coming soon, I'm ok" type post. Oh well. 

On 4/25/2021 at 12:35 PM, SoulMonster said:

It is what "original" means  I have never understood why this rubs so many fans the wrong way. It doesn't in any form or shame reduce the significance of the AFD lineup, it doesn't in any shape or form means that the original lineup was important or anything, it doesn't in any shape or form means that Steven. Slash and Duff weren't extremely important members of Guns N' Roses. It just means they weren't the first.

I am a hardcore AFD lineup fan. To me, that was Guns N' Roses at its best. But I can still at the same time admit that Rob Gardner played drums in Guns N' Roses before Steven did, that Ole Beich played drums before Duff did, and that Tracii Guns played lead guitar before Slash did. Steven, Duff and Slash are still awesome, just not the original band members. They can be awesome and be second. 

Ole Beich played bass...

The crowd goes mild. 

5 hours ago, James Bond said:

The AFD five is reuniting! But with a catch - Melissa will be taking over as the lead vocalist. Axl is taking Dizzy's place so that the piano songs can still be trickled into the set. For the first time ever, hear Steven back the Illusions material with Slash and Duff. Relive the serious groove and swing of Izzy and Steven on the Appetite material. Hear Axl play the piano on Estranged live.

Or, as the alternative, the current line-up continues as-is. No new music. Axl continues a steady vocal decline. Richard buys a new shirt and no longer gives us any sideboob.

I know my vote.

But I'll miss the sideboob.

The deal-breaker would be the following: will Dizzy still be in the band playing bongos, or will he retire and work for Taco Bell? 

DJ Ashba is nota bad guitarist, and actually seems to be a fairly successful songwriter (although I am not a fan of much of his material). He just wasn't a good fit the role of lead guitarist in Guns N' Roses image-wise or skill wise. I always said that had he been in a role more similar to Richard Fortus - mainly playing rhythm with a few big solos scattered throughout the set that played his his strengths as a guitarist- the die hard fans probably would have liked him a lot more. He just did not have the dexterity as a guitarist to handle all the different types of guitar styles the role entailed. To be fair, and as others pointed out, Robin struggled immensely with some Slash solos; particularly during 2001/2002 era of the band, but he also had the opportunity to play some of the material he worked on with the band, and absolutely owned some of the old solos. 

Authenticity also plays a role in these bands. I know a ton of people, over the years, disliked Robin and Buckthead, but no one doubted they were at least authentic players and artists brining their own persona to an existing band. DJ just seemed so hollow in trying to be the stereotypical "rock star:" the lame posing on stage, the tweeting about getting drunk and getting in fights. It all just felt contrived. Worst of all, DJ's antics came at the expense of the music. Robin got better and better as his time in the band progressed: to the point that many reviews of 2006/2007 shows mentioned him as a highlight. DJ just seemed to get worse and worse as time went on, and in direct correlation with his on-stage antics and showboating increasing. If you go back and watch the 2009/2010 shows, you can see DJ needs a lot of work, but can also see why he might have been a good fit for the band. By 2014, it seemed like his playing had just gotten lazy and unnecessarily showy (see that awful "Patience" solo which seems to miss the point of the song entirely). 

To be completely fair to DJ, I think he does seem like a nice guy, and by all accounts Axl hired him more for his songwriting than his skills as a guitarist, and I admit it will always be partially unfair to judge DJ without hearing any material he might have brought to the band. Even before Chinese Democracy came out in 2008, we had a good idea of Robin and Buckethead's musical contributions to the band through leaks and live shows, and their esteem has only risen as more and more people hear the Chinese Democracy songs. All we've had (to my knowledge) from DJ, other than his solo spots, is the remix he did of "Better", which I hated, but know many people dug. 

He clarified on a later YouTube interview that nothing was set in stone regarding Slash and Duff when he left, but that the rumors were already starting to spread among the other band members and the road crew that it was the next step.

From what we've been told by moderators on this forum, Axl and management at least briefly pursued the idea of "CD II" coming out in 2016/2017 and that Axl was taking stock of what songs were ready and which needed more work; which was also corroborated by those tweets of Christ Pittman hanging out with Axl in the studio in 2015. Pittman had also mentioned on Facebook before that he was the "archivist" or sorts when it came to the band's studio sessions, so it make sense he'd be working alongside Axl on that process. Per certain wrestlers, the band had even settled on a replacement for Bumblefoot (possibly female) who had been recommended by DJ Ashba. Once DJ quit, however, things went into reunion mode. 

My guess has alwasy been that, had Axl decided to keep moving forward with the "nuGNR" lineups, we would have seen Slash hopping in and out of shows like Izzy did over the years. 

Some dude named Michael Lee Firkins auditioned at some point. You can read the thread about it from way back. Tl;dr version: Axl passed because Firkins used his whammy bar too much. 

Also, Tommy looks particularly rough in that video.