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The reason why although Better is the most catchy GNR song ever, it never became a hit


ManetsBR

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LOL this.

I agree with you completely, Manets. But I do think if Axl/Ashba write a stripped-down power ballad that resembles old GnR, people would be receptive.

The version featuring DJ Ashba supposed to be released on the Chinese Democracy re-issue or the Remixes album is claimed to be like that. A more OldGNR blues ballad vibe song.

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I always thought that The Day That Never Comes was like "One 2" cuz they are very similar and they talk about war

I don't think the song is about war. The stupid video had soldiers in Afghanistan in it. I think that's about as close as it got.

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The riff from The Day That Never Comes resembles so much One that it's even kind of pathetic.

That song is a joke. It's like a low-quality compilation of all 'No. 4' songs Metallica had on RTL, MOP and AJFA.

I wouldn't say that Better is the most catchy song the band Guns N' Roses has ever released. But it's definitely one of those songs.

Edited by Scumcat Esq.
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Definitely Axl's relationship with the label and management. They held it together to get the record out just about. But almost immediately Axl was pissed off about the release and Azzoff tried to instigate reunion. So Axl wasn't cooperating. The label weren't helping to put out the Better video or push radio play.

All that was kind of a result of either Axl taking so long or being held back by set backs. You could say that was a lesson other bands could learn. Play ball or get fucked.

The other thing, and maybe more importantly, only the first single in those days really got the attention. The two pre-album promo singles were ITW and Shacklers. That set up Chi Dem and fair enough it did pretty well. But people had stopped caring by the time Better came out, it did actually charted quite highly though. It was SOD that didn't seem to impact.

So the songs people remember from that era are Rock N Roll Train, The Day that Never Comes and Chinese Democracy. When maybe it should be Better.

The singles now seem to be Better, SOD and TIL. If they could have put videos out for these songs on release with maybe Better having movie tie it.

With Brain Finck and Bucket gone doing vids or even getting them to chat about the cd wasnt going to happen.

The fact that Better had already leaked and a tour was booked off it also meant it was a used rubber.

I really if Better had been first single it would have got the right attention and been linked more strongly with GNR. As it is Chi dem is what reps CD.

Edited by wasted
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If they'd come out with SOD as a first single it might've given people some kind of hook to hang their hat on, but Better was weird enough, and such a departure, that people probably went "that sounds nothing like GNR, I'm out."

Yeah, sure, and that is why that song held the top spot on the new songs hit parade on the local classic rock radio station where I live.

The intro ruins the song plus Axl's voice fits rock songs, not semi industrial songs. If only Axl himself would realize that...

His voice can fit anything. It depends on how he chooses to sing it.

Edited by Scumcat Esq.
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For once in CD, This I Love is far more popular and 'catchy' than Better ever was or willl be... That being said I do agree that Better is a nice song, but still a far cry of what 'real' Gn'R has done in the past.

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Say what you want about the day that never comes.. Fade to Black, Rain, One... But the fact is that it blows GNR's Better out of the Water. It sounds like the band that you grew up on / came to love which is far more than you can say for Better. Annoying Falsetto, Bubble Fart Breaks, Needless Shredding, Cut and Paste ALL over. I don't know what Axl was trying to do but he sure as hell took some decent riffs and wasted their potential. The only similarity is that both James and Axl hold back on their trademark voices in parts.

The sad thing is this is the best track on the album where as Death Magnetic is filled with awesome fucking tracks all over that connect with fans of the Metallica Sound. Nothing on CD connects with the Guns Sound except for the piano and 10 percent of Axls Vocals.

God Axl, did you fuck up the Guns Name or what. Not even your replacement band stood by you.

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Guest Manny Manner

Say what you want about the day that never comes.. Fade to Black, Rain, One... But the fact is that it blows GNR's Better out of the Water. It sounds like the band that you grew up on / came to love which is far more than you can say for Better. Annoying Falsetto, Bubble Fart Breaks, Needless Shredding, Cut and Paste ALL over. I don't know what Axl was trying to do but he sure as hell took some decent riffs and wasted their potential. The only similarity is that both James and Axl hold back on their trademark voices in parts.

The sad thing is this is the best track on the album where as Death Magnetic is filled with awesome fucking tracks all over that connect with fans of the Metallica Sound. Nothing on CD connects with the Guns Sound except for the piano and 10 percent of Axls Vocals.

God Axl, did you fuck up the Guns Name or what. Not even your replacement band stood by you.

I couldn't disagree more- I never really respected Axl as an artist or GNR as a band until CD came out. It's that album that brought me into the fold and made me reevaluate their entire catalog. I think people's problems with it have more to do with perception than anything. I think it's criminally underrated and by far the best rock n roll record released over the past decade. Furthermore, I think it helped to modernize their sound, but I definitely don't feel like its a complete departure. I like Death Magnetic too, but I think its a stretch to say that it really connected with (all) their fans- I heard a whole lot of criticism from Metallica fans - but I think once a band really establishes itself like GNR and Metallica have done its really difficult to get fans to accept new material. I think the biggest problem with the rock industry today is that fans (in general) just refuse to accept any new material. I do agree that Finck and Bucket leaving really hurt the band though (at least in my eyes). I certainly prefer them to Bumble and DJ. That's just my opinion.

Edited by Manny Manner
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CD is too honest, it plays to strengths of the players that made it and has a sound that suits them. When really it would safer for them to recycle riff and use Mick Clink type production and fake GNR style.

You really have to accept thats it a different group of musicians and move on. If you think with different production you might like it, then it might be worth waiting. But if you hate the idea of different members and the music they make its really a waste of time.

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It's because it was released as the second single and didn't get much airplay after Chinese Democracy tanked. Chinese Democracy got a lot of airplay but no one liked it. If Better was released as the first single back in 06 it would have been a hit.

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It's because it was released as the second single and didn't get much airplay after Chinese Democracy tanked. Chinese Democracy got a lot of airplay but no one liked it. If Better was released as the first single back in 06 it would have been a hit.

Agreed. The band had one shot to make an impression with anyone who was even slightly curious about the record. CD (the track) was an utterly underwhelming first statement, so much so that it caused most people to write off the album. And like a movie that doesn't open well in its first weekend, support gets yanked by its backers. Better would have definitely done a better job at bringing people on board. Hell, they should have just gone balls out and released TWAT as a first single. It's not as though a lengthy single is uncharted territory for a band like GNR.

But this is to assume that the band/Axl had any control over the selection of the first single. I remember hearing a rumor awhile back that they wanted Shacklers Revenge to be the first single. Not sure if that would have been the right way to go, but probably a better move than the title track. If I was calling the shots the order of the singles would have been Better, TWAT, and Catcher. Reason for this: they're the most GNR sounding songs on the album (and also my three favourite songs).

Edited by downzy
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