Just listened to DJ's version of Better again, and...

[One.In.A.Million]

It simply comes down to DJ not being anywhere near as skillfull and talented Bucket and Robin were. DJ is a VERY average guitarist, and he's nothing special, he's one of millions. There's only one Finck and Bucket, no one can come close to their style and ability. When Robin showed up at that LA show and played Better, he basically showed everyone that DJ's his bitch, end of conversation.

[themadcaplaughs]

The DJ Ashba version of "Better" was astoundingly bad, and I think the fact that DJ himself wrote it off as an unfinished project means we'll be safe from ever hearing this type of stuff again.

[Powerage5]

I like Better Dj better than Better original. Dj made it a heavier sounding song.

[Iron MikeyJ]

I'm not a huge fan of either of the new "betters". The original is by far the best, but having said that, ashba is in the band now. So lets see what he can do. I honestly like ballad of death, I wouldn't mind a couple of songs in that vein. As someone else said, it would add more of a contemporary feel to the album. I also really like the work bumble did on going down, so these two should be able to make their presence felt on the next album.

Like I have said before, let tommy, dj, bumble, and fortus bring 2 songs each. That is 8 songs. Let Axl bring 6 cd leftovers in that equals 14, theirs the album. Even though the cd leftovers were written with other people, the current guys are gonna be given plentyof room to put their stamp on the record on those 8 songs. Plus I'm sure they will add rhythm, lead, and solos on the leftover songs. Add all this up and I think everyone wins. We get a new album, the best cd leftovers, and the current band becomes legitimint. Now someone pass this info on to the "managers".

[Iron MikeyJ]

It simply comes down to DJ not being anywhere near as skillfull and talented Bucket and Robin were. DJ is a VERY average guitarist, and he's nothing special, he's one of millions. There's only one Finck and Bucket, no one can come close to their style and ability. When Robin showed up at that LA show and played Better, he basically showed everyone that DJ's his bitch, end of conversation.

Ok so maybe that is true. But couldn't slash show up and make robin his bitch??? I like what robin did on cd, but other than that, dude is pretty freaking average himself. He botched every slash solo he ever played. At least dj makes them listenable. I'm not saying dj is better than robin, but he does play the slash parts better than robin.

[Apollo]

I'm not a huge fan of either of the new "betters". The original is by far the best, but having said that, ashba is in the band now. So lets see what he can do. I honestly like ballad of death, I wouldn't mind a couple of songs in that vein. As someone else said, it would add more of a contemporary feel to the album. I also really like the work bumble did on going down, so these two should be able to make their presence felt on the next album.

Like I have said before, let tommy, dj, bumble, and fortus bring 2 songs each. That is 8 songs. Let Axl bring 6 cd leftovers in that equals 14, theirs the album. Even though the cd leftovers were written with other people, the current guys are gonna be given plentyof room to put their stamp on the record on those 8 songs. Plus I'm sure they will add rhythm, lead, and solos on the leftover songs. Add all this up and I think everyone wins. We get a new album, the best cd leftovers, and the current band becomes legitimint. Now someone pass this info on to the "managers".

Agreed.

It seems like most of the band wants to write and release new music (except for Pittman).

Fans would love to get more music to enjoy.

But for some reason, Axl and Beta/her children don't seem to feel the same way.

I'd love to hear new music and I'd love to hear music created by the current band. We know these guys can cover Slash/Duff/Izzy's material. Time to see what THEY can do on their own.

If Axl and Beta want the world to accept DJ and company as the "real" guns n roses...........shouldn't they let them record a couple albums of music together? Shouldn't they give these guys a chance to imprint their talents onto the GnR brand name?

It's just weird that they want us to accept this group..........but they won't allow that group to release their own music.

[Modano09]

I don't like it, but part of why I don't like it could be my lack of interest in hearing a remix of a song I first heard in 2006.

I'm as excited about it as I would be for a fan remix. It's just Ashba amusing himself because the band isn't doing anything else.

[Roush]

ashba's such a cornball. him and fernando probably shop for $500 ripped jeans together.

[Russel Nash]

We have to agree that of all the Better Remixes (pro and fanmade) this was simply the best.

[Guest NGOG]

Axl will not release a substandard album. He never has.

[ThinkAboutYou]

The best version of Better is the album version then Rons acoustic then better gone and lastly DJ's version

Edited August 30, 2013 by ThinkAboutYou

[Bruno P.]

We have to agree that of all the Better Remixes (pro and fanmade) this was simply the best.

The arrangements in Ron's acoustic recording put this one to shame.

[volcano62]

I'm I the only one that thinks there is no point in these remixes?

[magisme]

I'm I the only one that thinks there is no point in these remixes?

Of course you're not. But all we get are remixes, nostalgia shows and Axl on backing vocals, so we talk about what we can, right?

[Damn_Smooth]

I'm I the only one that thinks there is no point in these remixes?

Of course you're not. But all we get are remixes, nostalgia shows and Axl on backing vocals, so we talk about what we can, right?

We got Going Down you ingrate.

[magisme]

I said Axl on backing vocals, Smoove.

[Young_Gun]

I don't want to see Bucket and Robin's work pissed on by Ashba and Bumble. Ashba is a generic blues-based guitarist and Bumble has immense skill but his solos are not great. How on earth did Bucket and Robin not record solos for pretty much all the songs in vault is beyond me. Were sessions that sporadic? They were in the band for 4+ years supposedly.

[Amir]

I had a listen of the CD demo recently and it really sounds empty without Bumble's fretless, and I was surprised to find I preferred Frank's drumming to Brain's, since I usually prefer Brain. The demo version really does feel incomplete. Can't tell with Shackler's since we don't have a Bucket demo to compare it to.

[One.In.A.Million]

It simply comes down to DJ not being anywhere near as skillfull and talented Bucket and Robin were. DJ is a VERY average guitarist, and he's nothing special, he's one of millions. There's only one Finck and Bucket, no one can come close to their style and ability. When Robin showed up at that LA show and played Better, he basically showed everyone that DJ's his bitch, end of conversation.

Ok so maybe that is true. But couldn't slash show up and make robin his bitch??? I like what robin did on cd, but other than that, dude is pretty freaking average himself. He botched every slash solo he ever played. At least dj makes them listenable. I'm not saying dj is better than robin, but he does play the slash parts better than robin.

It's not the same though, When Robin made a mistake it was never a skill issue. He used to change the solo anyway to make them his own (which I much prefer an artist to do), then he used to FEEL everything and showed it by dancing around and I admit that on the odd accasion he made a goof. But with DJ he doesn't even attemp the full solos usually, and he always plays the bare minimum just to "get away with it". And it's because he is knowhere near the level that Slash, Robin, Bucket, Richard and Ron are. The guy gets away with being a awful player, just cause he plays up to the stereotypical "sunset strip" rocker image, and it's so boring and cheesy it's sad.

[Iron MikeyJ]

I have never understood that rationale. "he bends the notes differently to try and make them his own." I call BS on that, he botched the solo, plain and simple. When Axl brought Robin into gnr he was expecting him to be like his Randy Rhoades. He even said so to Mark Canter. Robin doesn't deserve to tune the late great RR guitar.

I don't mean to come off as a Robin hater, because I like his work on CD alot. He has earned his place in gnr lore. But I can't let Axl off the hook, because Finck was supposed to replace slash. Before slash had even quit, Axl told duff and sorum he wanted finck to play lead and slash play rhythm. come on now!!! That's just stupid.

I agree with what you said about ashba, the only gnr guitarist he is better than is probably Gilby. But when it comes to the 2002 era band, bucket should of been the only lead player, with fortus on rhythm. Axl should have kicked finck to the curb the day he got bucket. Bucket was his randy rhoades, but he let him get away. And I have always felt that its because he had to share lead duties with finck. If your buckethead why would you want to share duties with a dude that botches most solos? It would be insulting to a man of Buckets ability. I'm sure Axl's lack of movement also played a role in buckets departure, but im sure Finck was also a part of it. I remember hearing that before the rock in rio show, buckethead was ready to go then finck showed up at the last minute and was all cocky saying "I'm the lead guitarist in guns n roses." I feel very strongly that buckethead and finck didn't even like each other. At that rio show, bucket looks bored at times and just stands there not even playing. It's like he's thinking "why am I here?" "why does axl let finck play solos?"

What killed new gnr? Axl not letting bucket be slash's true replacement. Letting a man with questionable ability (finck) having too big a role, while Buckethead (a true virtuoso) sit there bored and not play while finck fucks solos up. This was Axl's biggest mistake with the new band. I know I'm gonna catch heat from the Finck fans, but it's how I feel. You don't ask Picasso to play pictionary, and you don't ask buckethead to watch finck.

[Damn_Smooth]

I said Axl on backing vocals, Smoove.

At this point in time that is exactly where Axl belongs.

[silkchild]

I have never understood that rationale. "he bends the notes differently to try and make them his own." I call BS on that, he botched the solo, plain and simple. When Axl brought Robin into gnr he was expecting him to be like his Randy Rhoades. He even said so to Mark Canter. Robin doesn't deserve to tune the late great RR guitar.

I don't mean to come off as a Robin hater, because I like his work on CD alot. He has earned his place in gnr lore. But I can't let Axl off the hook, because Finck was supposed to replace slash. Before slash had even quit, Axl told duff and sorum he wanted finck to play lead and slash play rhythm. come on now!!! That's just stupid.

I agree with what you said about ashba, the only gnr guitarist he is better than is probably Gilby. But when it comes to the 2002 era band, bucket should of been the only lead player, with fortus on rhythm. Axl should have kicked finck to the curb the day he got bucket. Bucket was his randy rhoades, but he let him get away. And I have always felt that its because he had to share lead duties with finck. If your buckethead why would you want to share duties with a dude that botches most solos? It would be insulting to a man of Buckets ability. I'm sure Axl's lack of movement also played a role in buckets departure, but im sure Finck was also a part of it. I remember hearing that before the rock in rio show, buckethead was ready to go then finck showed up at the last minute and was all cocky saying "I'm the lead guitarist in guns n roses." I feel very strongly that buckethead and finck didn't even like each other. At that rio show, bucket looks bored at times and just stands there not even playing. It's like he's thinking "why am I here?" "why does axl let finck play solos?"

What killed new gnr? Axl not letting bucket be slash's true replacement. Letting a man with questionable ability (finck) having too big a role, while Buckethead (a true virtuoso) sit there bored and not play while finck fucks solos up. This was Axl's biggest mistake with the new band. I know I'm gonna catch heat from the Finck fans, but it's how I feel. You don't ask Picasso to play pictionary, and you don't ask buckethead to watch finck.

Excellent post! Live Finck was embarrassing - if you want to play in Guns surely you have to play the old stuff clean? Fortus is superb! DJ also does a fair job on the oldies. Baffles me how Finck was in Guns doing such a poor job from the start in covering the old stuff? His own work is fine on CD but seriously, he should have not got through the door!

[Crash Diet]

It's a chill re-done of better, but the original is far more superior. To be honest: i like better gone more than DJ's version (Ron's acoustic was good too)

[Crash Diet]

I said Axl on backing vocals, Smoove.

At this point in time that is exactly where Axl belongs.

Holy shit! you don't worship Axl anymore?

[Bruno P.]

I said Axl on backing vocals, Smoove.

At this point in time that is exactly where Axl belongs.

You are right. I'm glad Tommy is singing lead instead of Axl. You know, that high pitched whiney girly voice is fkn annoying.