bangit

Just watched it. If he reviews it again on official release I expect he will be quite complementary. He liked perhaps. 

4 minutes ago, Coma16 said:

Who is he?

The Darkness lead singer. 

It's a difficult one, I've seen them this year in Budapest. It was an awesome show. Axl sounded fine but did struggle on some songs, but this has been the case on every tour since 2006/7 in my view. Even back then people were critical of him for not sounding like he did in the 80s/90s. 

Shorter shows with careful song selection is probably the way forward. I don't think they are done just yet but also agree they shouldn't go on forever. 

As has always been the case, Axl sounds much better in a concert setting than on YouTube videos. 

Is this a rescheduled date or something? Kind of odd that they would end the tour with a random festival in Mexico. 

The theory that Monsters would be a hidden track is probably most likely. They were always separate songs but do go well together and would be great back to back album tracks. The evidence clearly points that that being the intention. (Registration of the song + quality comment from GNR + the leak of both at the same point etc) 

Let's hope this still happens on the vinyl although it could certainly have been pulled and we just get TG. (just get 🤣) 

Really interesting to see what happens with this next month. If Monsters isn't released then when the fuck will we see that dropped officially!? Could be a long wait. 

Fuck me. They played The General. Wow! 

Never thought that would happen. Big moment this. 

Now, where are my headphones... 

There are a couple of vocal isolation tracks and instrumentals available, I assume these are just AI manipulated tracks? Not actual leaks... 

After a few days listening (a lot) I definitely enjoy TG more than Monsters if we view them as individual tracks. 

Love the power chords and high pitched chorus etc. Really interesting song. Monsters is very good but mainly for the final 2 mins bridge and outro guitar which is clearly slash.  

Overall I really like both songs and hope they are released as one, they are better when combined imo. The songs individually are like a 7/10 for me but combined I'd go for an 8/10. 

Not as good as TWAT or Prostitute but very good songs that hold your interest. Quite different to perhaps and Hardskool which are classic little rockers. 

2 hours ago, Sonic Reducer said:

I like Monsters a lot more than the other one for sure. TBH I was hoping with the return of Slash we would be moving to a more bluesy direction, away from CD which was a good record but I'd rather it be a one-time experiment.

But this isn't a new song written collaboratively, it's a CD track with Slash overdubs just like Hardskool etc. 

At present there is no info appertaining to a brand new songwriting experience with Axl,Slash etc. We all hope this may happen one day but it isn't on the radar at present. 

10 minutes ago, GnR Chris said:

Not to me. It sounds purposeful. You can clearly hear he’s not harmonizing initially. Just distorted, but definitely singing words. Then it transforms/blends into the guitar. So badass. Quick Song was clearly just Axl harmonizing as a placeholder.

I agree, Axl clearly likes to use effects and experiment/ take the vocal experience to a different level. What we perceive to be unusual bits are likely deliberate. I have revisited State of Grace for example, a song which I had assumed was very experimental with unfinished vocals etc. I suspect they are complete, as they are on The General.

As Axl said himself long ago, CD songs are not traditional old school GNR.  I can understand if they are not to the taste of some fans. I personally really enjoy them and hope that TG & Monsters is indeed one mega track not just 2 individual songs. 

1 minute ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

Ok am I tripping or is there a background voice at 1:57 in The General that says "fuck that" ?

You appear to be correct. Weird 🤣 on the vocal isolation which someone put together you can hear it. 

Still nothing picked up in the music media.... Probably don't give much of a shit! Interesting though. This stuff normally gets coverage. 

4 minutes ago, jafeijo said:

Sorry if already been asked, but is Slash on TG? Only noticed his parts on Monsters.

and down the rabbit hole we go.... 🤣  

Lots of speculation about that one, largely assumed that is him on Monsters but debate exists on TG because it appears to be less certain that it's the final version. 

5 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

I don’t get how people think they’re one song in their current state. They are definitely two songs that complement each other because of the subject matter, orchestra arrangement, and when they leaked. Works for me

I don't think there is any doubt that they are 2 separate songs however The General and Monsters is registered as the title implying these 2 tracks will be one finished song with both combined. 

They sound epic together and I really hope this is what happens. 

4 minutes ago, prairieboy said:

 

Imagine having Monsters sitting around for all these years, but leaving it on the shelf to release Absurd instead?

I can't decide if it's funny or upsetting.

Yes this is true. All part of a grand plan I hope 🤣

Just now, rumandraisin said:

Not if it's a CD era leak of the track!

Exactly.... Hence the debate. If these are not the final versions (which we don't know) then it's possible other artists are on them. 

9 minutes ago, 22frets said:

Why do you feel it's unlikely that it's Slash? I wouldn't call myself an expert but I have a fairly good understanding of how Slash plays from analyzing his guitar parts to learn them and the TG outro has a lot of signature Slash licks. The shred part is something he does a lot when improvising live and also sounds quite similar to his solo in Straight to Hell by Ozzy Osbourne. And the speed isn't outside Slash's comfort zone either. 

 

It definitely isn't Buckethead. Bucket is a lot cleaner while shredding and he plays some variation of a very recognizable Paul Gilbert-esque legato sequence almost always. I don't think it's Bumblefoot either, he has a very different playing style and tone than what we hear on the song. 

You definitely sound like more of an expert on guitars than me! Hopefully we will find out definitively soon enough. 

Who was registered on that website someone shared last week that confirmed the title as The General & Monsters? 

12 minutes ago, rumandraisin said:

Wasn't there a rumour about the chairman having CD2 or the General? It'd be quite a twist if this turns out to be the Bucket and Robin versions. 

I'm not as familiar with Slash's tone, I've never paid attention to anything outside of his Gnr work and I usually listen to CD era guns. So for me I can't say 'this is absolutely Slash'. I hear Bucket in The General and that ending solo on Monsters could be Robin to me. I'm no expert. 

The guitar on Monsters does sound more like Slash or even Richard. I'm also no expert! The faster / shredding outro of TG is unlikely to be Slash. Could be bucket or bumblefoot perhaps? 

If they were leaked as 2 separate tracks they could well be from a while ago and the final version could sound a fair bit different in terms of the mix. I think that these are the finished versions of the songs/song on the whole though.

Yes maybe some mix changes will occur but I would be surprised if it was any more than that. 

Anyone know where the leaks first appeared / who uploaded them? 

It's really interesting the timing of GNR putting out a message and the leak just before it. Is this a hoarder who was pissed off and decided to drop the tracks or someone who had access to the vinyl etc... ? I'm intrigued. 

I may be wrong but it would surprise me if this version of The General isn't the finished article or at least, very close to it. The only changes I'd expect are to have the song in a slightly higher quality on an official digital release.  We haven't seen any drastic changes to the fundamentals of Hard Skool, Perhaps etc from the demos of old. Sure they sound cleaner etc but the song is the song. 

Those looking for really big changes are probably in for a shock. 

Who leaked these fuckers anyway? All a bit suspicious.... Why were they not leaked as one track (I don't think)? Why were they split or am I wrong? I know they originally were likely to be separate songs etc. 

Still lots of questions to be answered.... 

The song only grows on me the more is listen. Awesome. 

Not sure why people are continuing to discuss these as 2 separate tracks, it is one song. Yes it may be formed from 2 separate songs originally but it is registered as one single song with 2 distinct parts. 

Really intrigued now to hear what the final version sounds like. Hope we do get a digital release at some stage later this year. 

I can't imagine anything other than the 2 tracks being 1 song which we will know as The General.

General and Monsters is like the formal name for writing credits sake etc I would expect. It's a daft title if it is more than that! 

We can only speculate on the rest tbh. Maybe Axl once upon a time had tried to develop each song individually but decided to merge them into one. All good though, I actually think that each section as an individual song is good but when viewed as one track, it is something special. 

Had a sleep, now listening again. 

We asked for an epic track, this is certainly that. I can understand how it may not be to the taste of some but it's so complex you need listen a lot to fully appreciate. 

I think it's great. Interesting to see what the final version sounds like on the vinyl/digital release. 

The General has some buried vocals like Oh My God. Deliberate, not a poor mix. This 9 min beast is not one for radio or for casual fans. It has far more to it than that.

I hoped for something on the scale of TWAT/Prostitute. This is certainly up there, already holding its own. Epic. 

2 minutes ago, DingBat said:

It wasn't him, it was someone impersonating him... poor guy!

Then my apologies 👍 This is a good day to be a GNR fan.... Started badly like but improved 🤣

2 minutes ago, Voodoochild said:

For people saying it's not Slash in The General's ending, that's 100% him. Not only it's his tone, but also he plays fast all the time live, and those licks sound nothing like Bucket's style. 

Slash all the way. Those licks are almost certainly him.