Seb91

Yeah - I feel old thinking about it I have so much nostalgia for that tour even though I never got to go. My Dad booked a holiday and I won tickets to Wembley and begged my parents to let me go by myself. They wouldn’t let me and when I had a strop my Mum’s reply was priceless - “My Mum didn’t let me go and see Jimi Hendrix when I was your age so you think you’ve got it bad…” I consoled myself by listening to the Rock Am Ring bootleg on a loop. To be honest probably best I didn’t go - my Dad would have just moaned about the late start time and dragged me home before the show started. He wanted to leave the Foos gig in Hyde Park that year before Queen rocked up and that was an early gig! 2010 made up for it though - got to two shows and in 2008 I got to meet Bumble during his promo tour. Man I really miss that era - it’s funny I have more nostalgia for NuGuns as that was ‘my’ GN’R as it were. Also, I was getting massively into folks like Satriani, Steve Morse, Zakk Wylde, Steve Vai etc. so loved Bucket and Bumble.

I think a CD compilation release put out under Axl’s name would be fun. Pete Townshend put out a box set of a reconstruction of Lifehouse comprised of the demos. I’d love a compilation like that - stuff with the old band members still on, Tommy’s lead vocal songs etc. I think the reality is though that the current band are going to use all the salvageable CD stuff they can so I don’t see an archive release being on the cards. Musing on it - I think Lifehouse is reminiscent of CD - whilst CD isn’t a concept album it was an ambitious project which ultimately was never fully released.

Fair enough.

Completely agree - 2006 was the biggest squandered opportunity. The hype was massive for that tour. Agree re Bucket and new material as well that seems to have been the biggest blow for Axl re NuGuns.

Chinese and that era isn’t Slash’s baby though. I don’t mind his reinterpretations and one of the more interesting aspects of the reunion has been hearing his take on the NuGuns stuff and Axl’s take on the VR stuff but complaining that Robin didn’t play stuff note for note (and he’s pretty much spot on there) but giving Slash a free pass just seems a bit contradictory. I mean, if pigs flew and Ritchie Blackmore came back to Deep Purple and changed solos from the Steve Morse era to arrangements people didn’t like as much then I imagine some folks would also be critical. Personally, I’m not bothered by Robin’s versions of Slash’s stuff or Slash’s versions of the NuGuns stuff. If I wanted to hear note for note recreations of songs I’d never go to shows and just listen to the records. I prefer bands who shake things up live.

This. The NuGuns project was well and truly over in 2014. Six years with no new music and yet another lineup change on the cards with Ron and Tommy going. We were definitely heading for the era of ‘Axl Rose sings the songs of Guns N’ Roses’ rather than an exciting GN’R lineup. It seems Axl had no desire to put stuff out after Robin left. I feel Bucket going was the first nail in the coffin re new music and Robin going was the final one. Although there was that rumour that the record label rejected an album in the Ashba era. Whatever the reason the only reason we’ve got these songs is because of the reunion so it’s Slash versions or no versions. The only way there would have been Bucket or Robin versions released is if Chinese had come out in 2002 or 2006 and the lineup stayed consistent properly. I think the 2002 tour drama and then failing to capitalise on the 2006 success is what really did NuGuns in.

Yeah - think his playing was fine in that clip. He could be sloppy for sure but that clip wasn’t an example of that. It’s obvious that Axl hired players for their compositional chops more then their ability to do stuff note for note anyway - Robin’s TIL solo shows the guy’s no slouch on guitar!

Me and My Elvis for sure. Hoping it became Soul Monster and got finished!

I think it only got to that point because of the revolving door of musicians and the lack of new material. The band were still able to headline festivals and sell out arenas in the 2000s with the new guys and there was a lot of buzz around the 2006 tour and the new Chinese songs. Classic Rock Magazine called it their album of the year in 2007 based on the leaks and were gushing about the 2006 shows. Six years of nothing new after Chinese and four years of similar shows after 2010 meant people lost interest, including Bumble. I think yet another lead guitarist leaving and Duff having reconnected with Axl and indeed done a tour with the band was a big part of it as he was a bridge between Axl and Slash. It was reunion or bust at that point. I don't think the Vegas residency was an inevitably from the get-go and had the band got into a regular album-touring cycle in the 2000s with a stable lineup then things would have been better. I mean, as is discussed here a lot GN'R with Slash is losing its novelty appeal over time because of the lack of new material and the buzz over Perhaps in the wider world shows you do need something to maintain interest.

You're right! I relistened and no piano. I guess because of the similarity to Catcher I'd misremembered and my brain put some piano in

This. I don't get the hate for Frank, dude's doing a solid job and has done throughout his time in Guns. Sure, Brain's great and my favourite GN'R drummer but that doesn't mean Frank is bad. I mean, equally no guitarist the band's had since Bucket has been on his level but I'm still a huge, huge fan of Bumble and Slash.

I think Atlas would have been received better if it had come out sooner (well, I mean, technically it still hasn't! ). It's a fine piano led rock song but nothing extraordinary. I put it down to the title really - the title coming from a philosophical novel and the fact NuGuns had some epic songs meant I was expecting some proggy masterpiece and was really surprised when it was a fairly standard rock song which was very similar to Catcher. In terms of The General and Soul Monster - if the clip's anything to go by then it is more proggy NuGuns than a straightforward rocker or ballad. If Soul Monster is Me and My Elvis then I feel it's safe to say that's already an epic as an instrumental, in fact I still listen to it regularly and it's my favourite of the Village Leaks. With some vocals and a waily Slash solo then I'd be very surprised if I was underwhelmed.

I think the status of band members has changed since the NuGuns era. In the NuGuns era there was the vibe that everyone was a full GN'R member, everyone had their solo spots and was featured in promo stuff; the biggest example of that was the 2010 tour shirt with all the band members (my favourite band shirt of all time - fairly faded now but I'm never giving it up! ). Since the reunion the vibe has been that Axl, Slash and Duff are GN'R as all the promo stuff has just featured them. To be fair that's not unusual, Darryl Jones is very much Bill Wyman's replacement in the Stones as he's played on the records, same goes for Guy Pratt in Pink Floyd and yet neither became proper band members. Re Frank's relegation - I think the difference with GN'R is that Brain is still on the books as he never technically left and so if it's all about having the current lineup on there I imagine Axl doesn't see the point in paying Frank to copy Brain's parts when he's still part of the band. Plus, as the official line is Guns is Axl, Slash and Duff then it doesn't really matter anyway in terms of representing the current lineup. I mean, I'm sure Frank doesn't mind, he knows the reality of the music business and as one of the last NuGuns standing along with Richard, is able to make more money than with NuGuns I imagine due to the scale of the tours and shows. I imagine if pigs were to fly there were a new record from scratch then anyone not Axl, Slash and Duff would be listed as 'additional musicians' rather than part of GN'R. Therefore I think it's not really possible to say whether Frank's been fully relegated as there hasn't yet been a release that needed a drum track (and let's be honest, there isn't likely to be). if a new record from scratch were to come out and it was all Brain then yeah, we can safely say Frank's been relegated but then anyone not Axl, Slash or Duff isn't a GN'R member anyway it seems these days.

Yeah, Slash when he's on his A-game is like a younger Brian May so I can't wait to hear what he has in store on The General. Given Brian's involvement with Guns in the late '90s and the fact that he's said he felt quite loss after the end of Queen, I wonder if him joining Guns full time was ever mooted. I'm now imagining Brian May and Bucket guitar duets...

I like the Perhaps stuff - the only thing that really doesn't work for me is the hoodie. Love the merch truck design best though. Hoping we get a t-shirt for The General. Didn't both Absurd and Hard Skool get shirts or did I dream it? On a non-GN'R related note, those Motorhead/Harley Davidson shirts on the Mr Scott Design look amazing.

I'm not too sure about that as from what we've heard of The General it sounds like it's quite prog metally and different from GN'R's normal stuff. The more proggy/experimental stuff from Chinese didn't seem to go down well with the wider public so Perhaps was the better choice marketing wise. I'm curious as to what Slash will do guitar wise, in the clip it sounds like Bucket or Finck (or both more likely) going to town in their signature styles so not sure blues licks over the top will work but then it oddly really worked with Absurd so it should be interesting.

For sure - the guy's the David Gilmour of shredders in my view - such incredible melodies and soulful playing. It's a real shame we didn't get more Bucket music with Axl singing over the top.

I think the Bach interview where he talked about The General was interesting - he said Axl told him the plan was to release it on the third record in 2012 or something? I mean that does imply Axl planned to get back into a regular recording/touring cycle. I think Axl genuinely did have a plan for the albums but for whatever reasons never got around to doing them. I think Robin leaving must have been a blow to him and the label may have been less than helpful. I think what surprises me is that there are better songs out there than some of the CD songs - I mean, I do like all the songs on CD a lot but I feel that Hard Skool and Perhaps are better than Scraped and Riad. Going Down's a great song as well (Tommy's an amazing songwriter!) and it would have been fun for Tommy's solo spot to be an actual GN'R song and would have helped cement the band more in the public's mind. It does seem Axl really did have a release strategy in mind that didn't happen for whatever reason. I just hope one day we get the real history of all the NuGuns era - i.e. was a record rejected? Classic Rock Magazine put out a fun mini magazine as a freebie for the issue that came out when Chinese was released with a potted history of everything. Read that cover to cover all the time as a kid - would love a follow up!

Yeah, I mean this year has been the most exciting year GN'R wise in a long while. It really feels like 2006 in terms of good press and momentum and the fact we've heard new songs. Indeed, Glastonbury sort of felt like a modern Rock Am Ring 2006 (I played the hell out of that bootleg as a kid!). It would make sense to capitalise on it but Slash has got a ton of stuff happening next year so I can't see plans changing. I guess if there are even more songs good to go then they can release another two and still have some in the can for 2025 but I don't want to be too optimistic!

It seems folks are just inferring it from the stuff Slash has said and the fact it's the final song that's really good to go from the Village Leaks so we know it's a viable release for sure. I fear that even if it is done though that it'll be 2025 when we hear it - seems the singles are there to boost the ticket sales for US tours more than anything else.

This. Bumble's a class act. Ron's a lovely guy, very generous with his time and was great with the fans. I mean, the guy used to play acoustic guitar for people queing to go into the shows. I think the accident understandably changed things for him - he was in a lot of pain, doing long tours and still didn't put a note wrong - the guy's a real trooper. I think the bottom line is that he saw the writing on the wall - there never going to be any more music, GN'R were going nowhere and the popularity was decreasing. He'd no doubt made enough being in GN'R to be financially secure and so could do what he wanted and saw nothing was happening with the band. It's exactly the same reason Josh, Bucket and Robin left so I don't see why he should get singled out. I mean, I was really sad when it was obvious he was leaving and then it was confirmed but I completely get his rationale. I mean, he was in the band for the best part of a decade - it's not like he didn't stick with it. I think it's the best of both worlds really - he's put out some great stuff (I love the Sons of Apollo records) and due to Slash rejoining getting new music. I doubt we'd have got these singles if NuGuns was still a thing. Plus, I really didn't dig DJ's version of Better so if any new songs were all going to be DJd up as it were, I'm glad we didn't get those versions! Really, the optimum time to have put stuff out would have been 2006 I feel. Ron and Robin worked really well together and there was a lot of buzz around the band. I think in spite of how great the 2010 tour was, Robin leaving was really the beginning of the end of NuGuns I feel given how much writing input and lead playing was his on Chinese.

They should really strike when the iron is hot but I imagine Slash may already have venues booked for his solo tour early next year.

Re the mix, anyone else finding it optimised for headphones? Through speakers Axl seems a bit lost in the mix at times but through headphones he’s front and centre. Sounds glorious through headphones that’s for sure!

True! I do think solos are something of a dying art though to an extent.

Yeah - sounds completely different - has it ever been confirmed if it’s Bucket or Finck (or both?) doing the lead stuff in the clip?