Tom2112

I think it works better having the separation, bit of a chaotic thing going on having all in one space.

That one was a surprise, didn't really like it on the album but it works well live. Myles asking in between lyrics if the dog on a fans phone was a shih tzu cracked me up🤣

Yeah production was next to nothing. I think they were going for to frills rock n roll but to me it said "keep the budget tight". Even an animated screen behind them instead of the standard banner would have been something. I had great centre seats so I could see everything (in theory should have had great sound too) but had I been further back or on the floor I wouldn't have seen a thing. I don't think I'll bother seeing him solo again.

Not expected true, but the set lacks songs to hold a large crowds attention. I saw the Dublin gig and the first 3 songs were really poor choices, I watched the crowd go for euphoria at seeing Slash to then being kinda sedate until he played something better or more well known. Now the crowd was pretty into it for the most part though, but they were not buying the material that's come since WOF that's for sure... with the exception of the Elton John cover. Biggest songs of the night were from the first 3 solo albums Starlight, Wicked stone, You're a lie. That River is rising song is a flat piece of cardboard live If he's not playing GNR (besides Don't damn me/bad apples) he should at least throw in some Velvet revolver. But my big take away from the show was that Slash's solo material on its own is not up to the task of entertaining an arena, fine for a club. The sound was pretty rubbish too, apparently it was the same when they played England. Mammoth were pretty good though, his voice is incredible (as was Myles's) and his guitar work was spot on! Guitar player of the night without question. Now the songs aren't always my cup of tea, but I would have preferred a slightly longer Mammoth set (better sound too).

I don't like having to do all this research, but it's great when it proves you to be even more off base. Going one further, Perhaps charted on billboard no 24. Hardskool was no 9. Better was no 18 These are all billboard chart positions which is all you count. There was also only 1 official single from Chinese too (this might not be accurate but that's what it says). Anyway... I'm not defending Axls lack of output. Just saying your initial post wasn't really accurate. I don't think there was a megahit on Chinese. But the right push behind Better, Chinese and they could have done a bit more than they did.

Well charting in itself is a hit but I was also kind of joking... But not joking. It is a fact that when you get into the top ten even if it's not in the great old USA it's counted as a hit... At least since the beginning of modern music history. I mean we can say the goal posts have moved now, but this was what it was. Not a song that was on regular circulation like Taylor swift or dua lipa but it was popular enough to get onto playlists and that means it was at least a lower level hit. Nonetheless a hit is a hit.

Well after some digging it appears you are dead wrong😄 The song Chinese democracy actually performed on mmfew worldwide charts No 5 on American main stream rock chart. Top 10 song in Canada, top 30 in the UK. Finland, Norway, Sweden etc. were all top 10 too. And there's more countries if you care to scour through that info. There was no megahit and today almost nobody remembers...but nonetheless a hit is a hit. I rest my case.

Well they can technically replace him but what I meant is that you can't escape his shadow. I liked a lot of those guys either on stage or in the studio but that's not the popular opinion, most still say "it took 3 guitar players to replace Slash". Idiots of course😄

Motley will have retired and got back together again, that'll be a hot tour

I wasn't really thinking co-headline, more of a big band that could bring in a slightly different crowd. Have you checked out Nickelback live? I've just seen clips but I can imagine a GNR crowd enjoying them - pyro, big choruses, big hits everybody knows. I'm not going to bat for Nickelback they were just one band that sprung to mind. Carrie underwood would be a leftfield choice, even with her supporting them before and helping out with vocals on that show... but in America that might work, Europe I don't think she's crossed over. Whatever they do there's only so many times they can take out Dirty honey, Gary Clarke Jr and Tyler Bryant. The scrapped covid tour with Smashing pumkins was a good match. But yeah bands like Metallica/Foo figthers co-headlining with GNR makes no sense other if the bands just wanted to tour together despite each losing some money... which isn't impossible, but I think we can rule out Metallica ever touring with GNR again though😄

If I had to choose I'm going back to Axl without Slash... But Slash is inescapable, no guitarist no matter how good can replace a guy like that.

I really don't think Axl was making Chinese with hit songs at the forefront of his mind, and I can't imagine he thought songs like Absurd in 2022 were going to challenge Taylor swift etc. songs like better with the right video and label support were hit songs in waiting. Definitely for rock radio, not sure if they made it to radio playlists or how they did though somebody else has those stats

I know ticket sales have fallen a bit for gnr, but they are still more than capable of headlining without the help of another act to bump the sales. Motley wouldn't move the needle. They basically share the same fans for 1, 2 motley have an even worse live reputation than gnr. An example of a good pairing for stadiums would be GNR/Nickelback, complimentary but different style and has a slightly different fanbase and they don't play stadiums so it would be worthwhile for them. Billed as the the two most hated bands in rock. I don't even like Nickelback all that much but I'd be interested in that pairing

Out ta get me My Michelle Dust n bones Pretty tied up Better This I love Give them a bit of everything... Although not a huge commitment to listen through to the entire back catalogue 🤣

It's kinda just power in writing rather than power to actually get things done though. They are partners in the way they were at the end of UYI. They can't get Axl to work if he doesn't want to and they can't release under the gnr name without his agreement. But they earn good money and have a louder voice than the remainder of the band.

It's not a whole lot different now, difference being they are touring consistently and getting on personally. If they want to just be a touring act then fine. They don't really have enough material to do it justice, but they are still going to sell a boat load of tickets whenever they announce the next dates. Most realistic new album for sure!

It could have found its way on there, and not been out of place... But thank the heavens it didn't!😄 I'm sure it was much worse before Slash and Duff improved it.

Well I didn't say anything about misleading... But what you said isn't entirely true. He said they needed to finish off shows in 2023 and then they were going to work on a record. It was a pretty definitive answer. I don't think he said that knowing it wasn't going to happen though. Axl has his reasons why they haven't got it together, I highly doubt anyone but him knows that answer.

I don't doubt that. Slash has definitely got some good songs in him if he's motivated! And Axl is good at picking Slash's better ideas. The collaboration between the two could be great IF they can get in a room together and write. Which I think they are getting closer to doing. I said it loads of times but Slash likes to write on the road, I'm sure he's sent files to Axl and I'm sure there's things Axl has earmarked. But Axls sense of time is beyond your average persons understanding and when he will give the go ahead is anyone's guess so Slash saying that was as accurate an update as he could give... Although he is a sly fox so he also has been know to mislead!

True, but that might never happen though. All that we can do is go by what we have heard and the rumoured tracklisting. For me the shine on that material has worn off and I don't care all that much to ever hear the rest. Each song that comes out has a curiosity factor that makes me listen but none keep me hooked... Well, Perhaps gets a pass I have listened to that a fair bit.

Well we've heard a fair few to draw some conclusions. Atlas included. I don't know how much more material was intended for CDII but that's a first half of a record there or more, so the remainder would need to be A++ materia. So I can't write off what I haven't heard true, but what I have had no excited me like hearing Better, Madagascar or I.R.S back when they first appeared. Of course I would love to hear something great though! I'm sure there's something in that vault that could be fucking brilliant.🤞that monsters and Atlas aren't the only other songs coming out way!

Yeah read this earlier. It's vague, Slash's foreseeable future would need Legolas eyesight😄 The takeaway here is that it's not a priority, but they are not opposed to doing a record. Basically don't hold your breath.

Don't agree, the songs on Chinese were a lot better thought out, different lyrics for each verse, better vocal melodies better arrangements. While obviously not a perfect record the songs for the most part were strong and there was at least a few that everyone could agree were good songs (I would say about 8 good/great songs). The village leak material doesn't have the cohesion, or the attention to detail the Chinese material had. Who knows what they sounded like in 2014 before Slash/Duff worked on them, but the general arrangements are what they were and that's a big issue along with the vocals/lyrics so I believe IF this was what CDII was it was going to be a disappointment. Saying that as a big fan of Chinese as well. Slash and Duff probably improved a few of these songs

The power of that mans feet @3:52 causing the cymbals to crash, incredible😉 Haven't listened to this in at least 20yrs and it aged well!

Yeah with Sharon as manager of Sabbath, she wants the Ozzy years to be the only thing people think of. It could come out as Iommi solo, been a long time since Tony went solo.