Why new songs don't get a hot reception among casual fans at shows

[Screamin' Demon]

I've heard it said numerous times on here that your average Gn'R fan just doesn't care much for the new songs at the shows. That doesn't go to say that the songs on Chinese Democracy are no good, but the fact is that the band just doesn't play all the greatest stuff off the album. In the case of Sorry, I must admit that it works great live, it has that rainy night in the dark streets kind of feeling. This I Love is also very powerful, Axl's most emotional since November Rain. Another exception is the beginning of Chinese Democracy but once the song sets in it loses steam. While Shackler's Revenge is okay, it isn't very uplifting, it's rather very dull unlike Scraped which has that "Fuck you! I can do anything I put my mind into!" feel to it. If they actually bothered to perform There Was A Time, Scraped & Prostitute at every show, your average fan's perception of new songs would change. The three I just mentioned give me a chill down the spine when I watch youtube videos of the band performing them the few rare times they did. It is these songs that give the band that shine and yet they deprive themselves of this privelege. Need I mention Scraped Osaka 2009 & Edmonton 2010, There Was A Time Seoul 2009 & Dublin this year, and Prostitute Tokyo 2009? I know the claim that Axl's voice couldn't handle these songs, but from what I've seen, it handles There Was A Time much better than Estranged, it handles Scraped much better than You Could Be Mine & it handles Prostitute much better than Civil War. While overall these songs may not beat Estranged, Civil War or You Could Be Mine, that shine that appears to the band when they do play them cannot be beaten, nor can their abundant sense of pride, confidence, power, freshness and relevance through the performance of these songs be taken away from them. These are the key new songs that can get through to all the casual fans to think "Whoa, that's one hell of a good performance!".

Edited August 20, 2012 by Screamin' Demon

[Jakey Styley]

Axl's current Mickey voice would fuck up Scraped IMO.

They all need to sit down and discuss how they could do Prostitute because it was awful the way they did it in 2009. Just strip it down maybe, same with Catcher.

I feel like Axl puts no effort into singing Chinese Democracy. Sometimes I only think it's the opener because it's so easy to sing.

[bacardimayne]

Axl's current Mickey voice would fuck up Scraped IMO.

What doesn't Axl's current Mickey voice fuck up?

[finck6]

axl does play the best stuff like better and TIL.the problem is it's the wrong dudes playing it. it should be robin and bucket playing these songs. instead of DJ and ronald. since robin and bucket write and record these songs in a recording studio

[Redhead74]

The new songs don't get a reception with the casual fans because most of the 'casual' fans havent heard them before. I don't know about radio airtime that CD receives in other parts of the world, but here in Australia they are NEVER played on the radio. So how would a casual fan get excited about a song they've never heard before? Even if the new songs do get some airtime it still would be minimal compared to SCOM, WWTJ, November Rain and Patience. People just wanna hear what they know.

[Guest Satanisk_Slakt]

People have been making excuses for why the CD songs aren't well received by the public for years. Why not just accept that they aren't good enough to appeal to more than a handful of people on a message board that are blind fans that would like the songs no matter how they sounded?

[username]

People have been making excuses for why the CD songs aren't well received by the public for years. Why not just accept that they aren't good enough to appeal to more than a handful of people on a message board that are blind fans that would like the songs no matter how they sounded?

Painfully true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWvJTAVsGv0

Exhibit A that Chinese Democracy is the punchline to a joke on a sitcom.

Edited August 20, 2012 by username

[NicoRourke]

axl does play the best stuff like better and TIL.the problem is it's the wrong dudes playing it. it should be robin and bucket playing these songs. instead of DJ and ronald. since robin and bucket write and record these songs in a recording studio

Man, you're funny.

What's with the 'Ronald' thing? You're pathetic, even for a cupcake.

OT I believe it takes time for those songs to become classics, but when they do people will start getting more into it.

Every single time I play TIL to non-fans, they ask who it is and go buy at least the song off iTunes, if not the whole album.

Those are great songs that will, in time, be appreciated for what they are.

[bacardimayne]

DJ playing TIL and Better is awful. Look at how much better this version of Better (with Finck) is than the usual 2009-12 ones:

[The_Universal_Sigh]

This I Love is not a good song at all... repetitive melody, extremely cheesy lyrics; so cheesy, it can't be stressed enough.. a solo that just kind of shows up, shines for a little bit I suppose and then goes away back into the boring repetitive thick cut velveeta cheese.

[Bumble's Bridge Pickup]

DJ playing TIL and Better is awful. Look at how much better this version of Better (with Finck) is than the usual 2009-12 ones:

This is awesome

[Ana_1991]

because the old stuff is way better

[GunsNRevolvers2]

Axl's current Mickey voice would fuck up Scraped IMO.

They all need to sit down and discuss how they could do Prostitute because it was awful the way they did it in 2009. Just strip it down maybe, same with Catcher.

I feel like Axl puts no effort into singing Chinese Democracy. Sometimes I only think it's the opener because it's so easy to sing.

Eh he sang it last November in Worcester, MA and killed it...I'd argue his voice has gotten weaker since then however.

[jmapelian]

People have been making excuses for why the CD songs aren't well received by the public for years. Why not just accept that they aren't good enough to appeal to more than a handful of people on a message board that are blind fans that would like the songs no matter how they sounded?

+1

on another note, can anyone guess who's new songs do get a good reception when played live?

Edited August 20, 2012 by jmapelian

[Guest RonMexico82]

Because they are not catchy, have no monster riffs or sing-a-long lyrics and are generally soul less numbers that suck the atmosphere out of an arena.

[jmapelian]

Because they are not catchy, have no monster riffs or sing-a-long lyrics and are generally soul less numbers that suck the atmosphere out of an arena.

lmao,to think after 10 years of touring this album, the songs still haven't caught on yet

[Mastodonny]

I looked forward to TIL being played because I needed to piss and get another beer.

[Gagarin]

They just don't know the songs or know them as well. Actually a surprisingy number of people at the shows I was at knew the songs and reception was warm. Not hot, but warm.

It's got nothing to do with guitaits, his voice, or anything. They just don't know them as well. The record could be every bit as good as UYI I and people wouldn't know it as well. No videos, no intense airplay, no 20 years of exposure.

It's really not that bad of a reception. Especially in GA. I was always surprised by the people singing along to TIL and The Blues (people were singing WHAT I TELL YA! over the PA, so, it was more than 20 people...).

I hope you weren't watching Osaka and wondering why reception was cool. It's Japan.

I think you're a little out of your gord. Prostitute is hard as hell to sing. TWAT is even harder than that - there's NO BREAKS AT ALL.

Edited August 20, 2012 by Gagarin

[ARX77]

I've heard it said numerous times on here that your average Gn'R fan just doesn't care much for the new songs at the shows. That doesn't go to say that the songs on Chinese Democracy are no good, but the fact is that the band just doesn't play all the greatest stuff off the album. In the case of Sorry, I must admit that it works great live, it has that rainy night in the dark streets kind of feeling. This I Love is also very powerful, Axl's most emotional since November Rain. Another exception is the beginning of Chinese Democracy but once the song sets in it loses steam. While Shackler's Revenge is okay, it isn't very uplifting, it's rather very dull unlike Scraped which has that "Fuck you! I can do anything I put my mind into!" feel to it. If they actually bothered to perform There Was A Time, Scraped & Prostitute at every show, your average fan's perception of new songs would change. The three I just mentioned give me a chill down the spine when I watch youtube videos of the band performing them the few rare times they did. It is these songs that give the band that shine and yet they deprive themselves of this privelege. Need I mention Scraped Osaka 2009 & Edmonton 2010, There Was A Time Seoul 2009 & Dublin this year, and Prostitute Tokyo 2009? I know the claim that Axl's voice couldn't handle these songs, but from what I've seen, it handles There Was A Time much better than Estranged, it handles Scraped much better than You Could Be Mine & it handles Prostitute much better than Civil War. While overall these songs may not beat Estranged, Civil War or You Could Be Mine, that shine that appears to the band when they do play them cannot be beaten, nor can their abundant sense of pride, confidence, power, freshness and relevance through the performance of these songs be taken away from them. These are the key new songs that can get through to all the casual fans to think "Whoa, that's one hell of a good performance!".

Ive always felt they should switch around the new songs Play Catcher at the end of Dizzy's solo instead of SOD every night. IMO better always eventually gets the crowd going, I think Shacklers is much better live than on the record. But I agree play TWAT and prostitute more often they are great songs

[Chinaski]

Every single time I play TIL to non-fans, they ask who it is and go buy at least the song off iTunes, if not the whole album.

Of course every single one of them does. And when I play Better over the loudspeakers everyone runs out and starts dancing.

I actually have been (positively) surprised at the GNR shows I have gone to by the reaction to the new songs. It is not as if nobody knows them. Sorry usually has some people singing along, the rest of them are not exactly singalong numbers anyway.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

new songs are never as popular as the classics. with any band. in gnr's case, i think they're especially harmed by the fact that the style of new songs is often totally different than the classics people came for.

[finck6]

DJ playing TIL and Better is awful. Look at how much better this version of Better (with Finck) is than the usual 2009-12 ones:

this performance by robin finck on his better song blew away ronald. made dj bitter and jealous. robin overshadowed axl and ronald. taking away axl's and ronald's precious spotlights. it's why robin should be in and dj/ronald should be OUT

Edited August 20, 2012 by finck6

[Chinaski]

in gnr's case, i think they're especially harmed by the fact that the style of new songs is often totally different than the classics people came for.

That's true. With bands with 12 records over a long period of time you may not know every song from the back catalogue and a song can start and fit right in. At a GNR show it is only two seconds into a new song for the atmosphere to change completely. Like how at the front for the most couple of minutes of CD the crowd goes mental because Axl is out, then they tend to just try and find their footing waiting for the next song to kick in.

[Iron MikeyJ]

Wow I'm surprised by some of the coments on here. Imo better, sorry, and this I love stand up with any of the old songs. And I think they get positive reactions at concerts also. Well they did at the show I went last december in detroit. Cause truth be told those are the three best songs on the album. Ya I like maddy, sod, shacklers, and the others but if I am going to give my honest evaluaition of the situation, those songs could go by by and not to many would miss them. I do like opening with cd untill a new album comes out, then I would drop that one also. But better, sorry, and this I love should be staples from cd no matter what. Even my wife, who doesnt really care, she said "i like thay sorry song, its the best new one ive heard."

[Rustycage]

The songs just aren't that impressive?