Illusion1987

The song is so horrible it makes the video seem like a masterpiece, by comparison

Why didn't they just release the video/digital on the same day and then the record release to the handful that actually use that medium. Why do they always stagger these things....especially after it is bashed for being low quality music. Nobody...and I mean NOBODY outside of this forum cares about a General video. Now dropping a Monsters video and song, or any other QUALITY song would have created a buzz!

It should be a concept video backing what thr song is about. Make it a bad ass animation video with GnR and CD themes

So.... They are releasing a song almost 100% of the General public hates and has mixed reviews from their die hard fans. All of this after BOTCHING a digital release that they only had 20+ years to prepare for. This band can't Get out of their own way! People are only going to bash the band more for releasing a mediocre song as a video..

Seriously....how fun is it going to be to listen to a new album where you've already heard 85% of the songs? Isn't one of the great things about hearing a new album is hearing a whole NEW collection of songs at once and slowly navigating through the album? This drip feed strategy Sucks!

Dude...There were numerous years where Axl started touring over weight and out of shape. In some years he gets better...some years, not. Many band members have stated they don't rehearse that often. Axl has admitted that for many new songs they are winging it. Does Axl have immense talent...yes. Does he perform concerts people enjoy..yes Does he enjoy performing live...sometimes yes but don't confuse that with PASSION. PASSION is a whole different level of ALL-IN. Someone who was all in wouldn't show up out of shape so often..especially for his high intensity style

The examples in gave our examples of "mailing it in"

They lost their passion for creating NEW quality music As far as their passion performing. It's been hit and miss. Axl sounds great some nights and sounds horrible others. Same wirh Slash...MANY examples of noodling through songs. Many have this is a nostalgic cash grab because THAT is what this is. Wake me up when we hear NEW AMAZING mus8c from thos group. Absurd + Hard School + Perhaps + The General is not it. The General was beyond disappointing. Its a listen to one time and move on to almost all of the music fans that look it for what it is. Again...wake me up when they release their next masterpiece

I just don't think they have it in them to put out a creative, well written, we'll produced, well performed album. They aren't the Rolling Stones or Frank Sinatra ...99.99% of music acts just can not produce hits past their prime. Rock and Roll and professional sports are a young man's game and Father Time is virtually unbeaten. Chinese Democracy was all that Axl had left in him. The 20 + years Chinese left overs are just ideas and even with that time and ALL the money in the world, they are forgotten tracks. He'll, half of us here (even wirh no musical background) could have made those tracks better than they were...they just don't care. They've lost their muse They've lost their passion They've lost their voice It happens to the best of us...

I'm still thinking which song is more unlistensble- Absurd or The General?

Oh, I think those songs are outstanding but they are a notch below epics like November Rain and Estranged which can hold their own with the best Rock epics OF ALL TIME!

So...we are all hoping for an album where 75% of the songs are ones they've already released and we've already downloaded? How about an album of new post CD material? They can keep releasing the Chinese Leftovers but are we hoping they just throw the 4 + we've already received on an album?

Until I hear otherwise, I have no reason to believe these 4 songs...and most likely others, are nothing more than songs that weren't good enough to make CD or were sketch ideas that the band said F'it...just throw Slash and Duff on it and release it. Even the mid tier epics on UYI, like a locomotive or Breakdown have more soul than these songs....they are musical journeys. The General is just a repetitive idea...nothing more. The ironic thing is that thru could have fused it wirh monsters with the same orchestra and THAT would have been an epic musical journey. Axl has had MORE THAN 20 years to tinker wirh these songs and all he has left in him is repetitive lazy lyrics and bad mixing. I hope I'm wrong and they release something great that GNR is capable of but....the passion might not be there anymore.

Last one to leave, turn off the lights. This band quit trying a long time ago.

Maybe, Izzy was the only member of the band that truly understood how to write inspiring songs. Better was the closest and there were a few strong Axl heavy songs on CD but nothing has captured the energy and brilliance of most of the iconic tracks from AFD/ Lies/ UYI. What we are getting.now are lifeless methodical low level type of songs. Repetitive lyrics...no hooks...just lifeless. They can work on these songs for 50 years and it won't matter. Anyone here can take the General and find ways to make it more interesting. It literally hurts my ears to listen to. I just think either A) they are NOW musically incompetent in understanding what a great song is or B) they don't care and are going the "mail it in route " Ironically, Rock the Rock had more life and I'm guessing that was a pre written song they just needed Axl to drop vocals on...lol It reminds me of the two latest movies I've seen from Scorsese and Ridley Scott...those two directors are legends but at some point they FORGOT what made them great and they just turn out "Yes Men" type of bloated unwatchable crap...and that's with great actors and all of the money and creative freedom in the world at their disposal.

That literally destroys the whole concept behind the song

Better is a top 10 GNR song of all time and the most radio friendly song on CD. THAT should have been the welcome back song. There was so much anticipation for the first single off of the album....then we go Chinese Democracy They blew it. It seems like almost all of Axl's CD era songs are just missing that little something that was common on the UYI AFD and Lies era songs. Better was the closest to having that missing ingredient.

Why can't they just release a damn album like Metallica, the Stones, RHCP, etc They have the songs! This drip feed approach is torture...for both the fans and the band...WTF?

On the General, the concept was to have murky vocals. Clean vocals would make no sense. It's supposed to be of a kid crying out for help but nobody hears him.

Not true..i'd say Perhaps WAS promoted. They released a video and featured the song on an ongoing tour.

Rolling Stones, Anger= 22 million views on YouTube Guns N' Roses, Perhaps= 4.9 million views on YouTube ...and Perhaps has been on there a month+ longer so.....it seems like the public is more connected to the Rolling Stones single (which was my whole point) so I'd say you're the one with the bad taste. The numbers don't lie! The General won't even sniff Perhaps number of views.

I've been listening to the two new tracks for a few weeks now. I sent it to a few of my friends (including one who just saw them in concert and appreciates CD) and their reaction was basically nothing...no comments...I'm sure they'll never want to listen to them again. Even my interest is fading to the point where I'm not excited about the release anymore. The songs are OK but they don't inspire me in any way. I then listened to the entire new album from the Rolling Stones and I have so much fun listening to it. I just play the whole album over and over again and love the music. I then asked myself why am I not excited by the Five new tracks from one of my favorite bands and what are the Rolling Stones doing, in their 80s!, that GNR isn't doing? Yes, these are comparable since early GNR was regarded as the new Stones. I think the answer is passion...the new GNR tracks are lacking passion...they are lacking chatacter...they are just there..like a premanufactueed widget...nothing organic about them. The Rolling Stones songs are full of passion, energy....they just feel alive and that resonates with the listener. Perhaps has the most passion...Hard School SHOULD have more...Absurd is garbage ...Monsters is OK but bores itself and the General.should be more. I Don't know, it feels like Monsters and the General could have been reworked to be ONE Illusion era epic song...but it wasn't! I hope the new material has more passion and synergy a la what the Rolling Stones accomplished in a fraction of the time.

Same here!

How bummed would we be if we only heard the General and didn't hear Monsters?

I agree...those vocals were rough. The filters on the track is what makes the song. It's the whole concept behind the song! Imagine being in the audience to hear the old songs and this is your first time hearing that songs....a lot.of silence and WTF was that.