Slash's Third Album - "World On Fire"

[jmapelian]

Jmapelian: but Slash, from what we can hear, is not that kind of a songwriter. The kind that writes the best songs ever written in under 20 minutes. He's not even really a songwriter. He said so himself.

Slash puts together notes that sound good. It's as simple as that. He's a riff machine, he's a great fuckin' lead guitar player, but that's it. I think he needs the time to collect and hone his ideas. More time then what he's giving himself. A lot of good musicians, when inspired, can write a song in 5 minutes. Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

So...after we've considered how WTTJ was created, and all of Appetite for that matter, and I feel that's a good example cause it's a fuckin' masterpiece and we all love it and Slash is all over it, maybe we can agree that just because you wrote something amazing, a start of an idea, or a great fuckin' riff, that doesn't make it a great song, or means you have to rush it out and not take the time to make it as good as it can be. To realize it's potential.

I can't explain myself better then that. Hopefully, you can see where I'm coming from with this shit.

A bunch of the AFD stuff was written real quickly - I hear what your saying - it was the other members that fleshed AFDout, especially izzy - like I said elsewhere, next album he should get izzy to co-write with him, let frankie tour it, but a slash, izzy, myles album with elvis producing would be sick - and izzy wouldn't have to deal with a singer

[Caught in a Coma]

I've never understood the harsh criticism of Myles' lyrics. Yeah, they're not very good, but it's not as if Axl's a great lyricist either.

[tentonneskeleton]

I went to bed last night not liking Avalon. Woke up this morning singing it to myself.

I think I fell in love with it in my sleep... how is that possible?

[ZoSoRose]

I went to bed last night not liking Avalon. Woke up this morning singing it to myself.

I think I fell in love with it in my sleep... how is that possible?

Jesus made it possible

[tentonneskeleton]

I went to bed last night not liking Avalon. Woke up this morning singing it to myself.

I think I fell in love with it in my sleep... how is that possible?

Jesus made it possible

Edited September 12, 2014 by izzlestrizzle

[Turn_It_Up]

Myles writes good R&R lyrics. You can pick individual lines like "trip the wire" out of certain songs, but again, you can do that on most any album. AFD is a Masterpiece but does anyone really think the chorus to My Michelle is brilliant? Then again Rage Against the Machine and RHCP are 2 of my fav bands and I don't give a flying F%@# about the Zapatista movement or whatever the hell it is Anthony is rhyming just to make it sound good. Fact is, it SOUNDS GOOD and it rocks.

I don't want or expect War & Peace type thought going into my rock lyrics. But Ant's catch on The Dissident is really funny, hadn't listened to it that closely before. Still dig it tho.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Turn_It_Up

[Caught in a Coma]

Myles writes good R&R lyrics. You can pick individual lines like "trip the wire" out of certain songs, but again, you can do that on most any album. AFD is a Masterpiece but does anyone really think the chorus to My Michelle is brilliant? Then again Rage Against the Machine and RHCP are 2 of my fav bands and I don't give a flying F%@# about the Zapatista movement or whatever the hell it is Anthony is rhyming just to make it sound good. Fact is, it SOUNDS GOOD and it rocks.

I don't want or expect War & Peace type thought going into my rock lyrics. But Ant's catch on The Dissident is really funny, hadn't listened to it that closely before. Still dig it tho.

plus, look at lyrics like nightrain

I'm on the nightrain, bottoms up

I'm on the nightrain, fill my cup

I'm on the nightrain

Ready to crash and burn, I never learn

I'm on the nightrain, I love that stuff

I'm on the nightrain, I can never get enough

I'm on the nightrain, never to return,no

great song, but the lyrics are pretty trivial. If Myles wrote that stuff people here would go on and on about how cheesy and immature it is

[jmapelian]

I thought the lyrics to coma were his best ever

But I also like the lyrics to a lot of songs Myles dud with slash and alterbridge

[Turn_It_Up]

Myles writes good R&R lyrics. You can pick individual lines like "trip the wire" out of certain songs, but again, you can do that on most any album. AFD is a Masterpiece but does anyone really think the chorus to My Michelle is brilliant? Then again Rage Against the Machine and RHCP are 2 of my fav bands and I don't give a flying F%@# about the Zapatista movement or whatever the hell it is Anthony is rhyming just to make it sound good. Fact is, it SOUNDS GOOD and it rocks.

I don't want or expect War & Peace type thought going into my rock lyrics. But Ant's catch on The Dissident is really funny, hadn't listened to it that closely before. Still dig it tho.

plus, look at lyrics like nightrain

I'm on the nightrain, bottoms up

I'm on the nightrain, fill my cup

I'm on the nightrain

Ready to crash and burn, I never learn

I'm on the nightrain, I love that stuff

I'm on the nightrain, I can never get enough

I'm on the nightrain, never to return,no

great song, but the lyrics are pretty trivial. If Myles wrote that stuff people here would go on and on about how cheesy and immature it is

Exactly. What sold AFD was Axl's delivery of the material and the entire band's attitude. They hardly came off as deep or intellectual and that was never the intent. IMO, Axl's shortcomings as a lyricist are all over CD and are the main proponent dragging the album down. But ultimately it's all subjective. So whatever...

[Rovim]

Jmapelian: but Slash, from what we can hear, is not that kind of a songwriter. The kind that writes the best songs ever written in under 20 minutes. He's not even really a songwriter. He said so himself.

Slash puts together notes that sound good. It's as simple as that. He's a riff machine, he's a great fuckin' lead guitar player, but that's it. I think he needs the time to collect and hone his ideas. More time then what he's giving himself. A lot of good musicians, when inspired, can write a song in 5 minutes. Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

So...after we've considered how WTTJ was created, and all of Appetite for that matter, and I feel that's a good example cause it's a fuckin' masterpiece and we all love it and Slash is all over it, maybe we can agree that just because you wrote something amazing, a start of an idea, or a great fuckin' riff, that doesn't make it a great song, or means you have to rush it out and not take the time to make it as good as it can be. To realize it's potential.

I can't explain myself better then that. Hopefully, you can see where I'm coming from with this shit.

A bunch of the AFD stuff was written real quickly - I hear what your saying - it was the other members that fleshed AFDout, especially izzy - like I said elsewhere, next album he should get izzy to co-write with him, let frankie tour it, but a slash, izzy, myles album with elvis producing would be sick - and izzy wouldn't have to deal with a singer

Yeah, but it was more then just fleshing the material out. Axl said it was worked on and worked on. So they wrote their ideas quickly, in an organic way, but then they added more ideas and then performed it live and came up with more ideas, and made new adjustments to the songs. They lived together as well, so they probably always played the songs together. A lot of work went into it. It's not like a few hours a day went into the songs. My guess is they've spent most of the time writing it. So maybe it was written quickly, but the amount of time, thought, and sweat spent on it was crucial to how good it turned out at the end.

[Towelie]

I don't really listen to Slash albums for the lyrics to be honest.

Granted, Myles Kennedy is no Morrissey, but then neither is Axl.

[Estranged Reality]

that's the thing -- sometimes if a critic doesn't like a song they'll point to derivative or lazy lyrics and be like, 'this is why it sucks!'

but honestly? some great songs have pretty brief or unoriginal lyrics. appetite does have a lot of cool lyrics (like the outro to rocket queen) but yeah, if you're taking nightrain at face value, c'mon, it's not like it's particularly mindblowing. it's the song's whole package -- the sound, the context of the lyrics within that sonic space, the vocals, everything -- that makes it what it is.

so definitely there's some filler here and some generic RnR lyrics on a few tracks but the lyrics, imo, aren't necessarily what makes them mediocre, imo.

I still reckon this has some of his best work since leaving GN'R -- "Bent to Fly" could have been a big GN'R hit back in the day.

[Slash2baz]

Slash will appear on Howard Stern on 9/16 at 8:00 AM EST. Listen at: http://www.howardstern.com

[jmapelian]

Jmapelian: but Slash, from what we can hear, is not that kind of a songwriter. The kind that writes the best songs ever written in under 20 minutes. He's not even really a songwriter. He said so himself.

Slash puts together notes that sound good. It's as simple as that. He's a riff machine, he's a great fuckin' lead guitar player, but that's it. I think he needs the time to collect and hone his ideas. More time then what he's giving himself. A lot of good musicians, when inspired, can write a song in 5 minutes. Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

So...after we've considered how WTTJ was created, and all of Appetite for that matter, and I feel that's a good example cause it's a fuckin' masterpiece and we all love it and Slash is all over it, maybe we can agree that just because you wrote something amazing, a start of an idea, or a great fuckin' riff, that doesn't make it a great song, or means you have to rush it out and not take the time to make it as good as it can be. To realize it's potential.

I can't explain myself better then that. Hopefully, you can see where I'm coming from with this shit.

A bunch of the AFD stuff was written real quickly - I hear what your saying - it was the other members that fleshed AFDout, especially izzy - like I said elsewhere, next album he should get izzy to co-write with him, let frankie tour it, but a slash, izzy, myles album with elvis producing would be sick - and izzy wouldn't have to deal with a singer

Yeah, but it was more then just fleshing the material out. Axl said it was worked on and worked on. So they wrote their ideas quickly, in an organic way, but then they added more ideas and then performed it live and came up with more ideas, and made new adjustments to the songs. They lived together as well, so they probably always played the songs together. A lot of work went into it. It's not like a few hours a day went into the songs. My guess is they've spent most of the time writing it. So maybe it was written quickly, but the amount of time, thought, and sweat spent on it was crucial to how good it turned out at the end.

I hear you but slash is at a very different place in his life now. How many times have you heard slash, duff, or izzy say they can have a guns record ready in a week?

[Rovim]

Jmapelian: but Slash, from what we can hear, is not that kind of a songwriter. The kind that writes the best songs ever written in under 20 minutes. He's not even really a songwriter. He said so himself.

Slash puts together notes that sound good. It's as simple as that. He's a riff machine, he's a great fuckin' lead guitar player, but that's it. I think he needs the time to collect and hone his ideas. More time then what he's giving himself. A lot of good musicians, when inspired, can write a song in 5 minutes. Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

So...after we've considered how WTTJ was created, and all of Appetite for that matter, and I feel that's a good example cause it's a fuckin' masterpiece and we all love it and Slash is all over it, maybe we can agree that just because you wrote something amazing, a start of an idea, or a great fuckin' riff, that doesn't make it a great song, or means you have to rush it out and not take the time to make it as good as it can be. To realize it's potential.

I can't explain myself better then that. Hopefully, you can see where I'm coming from with this shit.

A bunch of the AFD stuff was written real quickly - I hear what your saying - it was the other members that fleshed AFDout, especially izzy - like I said elsewhere, next album he should get izzy to co-write with him, let frankie tour it, but a slash, izzy, myles album with elvis producing would be sick - and izzy wouldn't have to deal with a singer

Yeah, but it was more then just fleshing the material out. Axl said it was worked on and worked on. So they wrote their ideas quickly, in an organic way, but then they added more ideas and then performed it live and came up with more ideas, and made new adjustments to the songs. They lived together as well, so they probably always played the songs together. A lot of work went into it. It's not like a few hours a day went into the songs. My guess is they've spent most of the time writing it. So maybe it was written quickly, but the amount of time, thought, and sweat spent on it was crucial to how good it turned out at the end.

I hear you but slash is at a very different place in his life now. How many times have you heard slash, duff, or izzy say they can have a guns record ready in a week?

Right, but there is more then one way to write a great album. For Slash, I think even without getting together every day to play 12 hours and writing music, he can still release much better material. Not that I don't like World On Fire, I dig it. I just don't think it's a great album. I think Slash has the potential to create a great album with the right people. (not talking about old Guns members excpet maybe Duff)

Just take more time to write and record it. Don't release another pretty good album 2 years from now. Why not take more time to hone his ideas? and give Todd, Brent, and Myles more freedom. They're excited to create music with him. Use them. There are a couple of songs on World On Fire that reminds me of Aerosmith. Other songs bring together different styles. We know Slash still likes the same music he always liked.

I think they should go with my idea: do a fun, yet serious Rocks meets Appetite kinda record, with better lyrics (won't be hard) and only AAA solos (with Elvis pushing Slash to work on them more) and with say...3 years of not releasing anything, Slash will probably have tons of cool sleazy riffs to choose from and ONLY choose the best ones. Make it a 10 to 12 songs album. Precise, and to the point. You don't think they can do it? I believe they can.

World On Fire indicates potential imo. Still not sure about Myles, but his Alter Bridge work (Blackbird for example) did prove he's not without talent. Brent and Todd are really into it. They can help Slash with writing and recording a great album. Elvis is the right producer for Slash. Just fuckin' go for it.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Rovim

[jmapelian]

Jmapelian: but Slash, from what we can hear, is not that kind of a songwriter. The kind that writes the best songs ever written in under 20 minutes. He's not even really a songwriter. He said so himself.

Slash puts together notes that sound good. It's as simple as that. He's a riff machine, he's a great fuckin' lead guitar player, but that's it. I think he needs the time to collect and hone his ideas. More time then what he's giving himself. A lot of good musicians, when inspired, can write a song in 5 minutes. Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

So...after we've considered how WTTJ was created, and all of Appetite for that matter, and I feel that's a good example cause it's a fuckin' masterpiece and we all love it and Slash is all over it, maybe we can agree that just because you wrote something amazing, a start of an idea, or a great fuckin' riff, that doesn't make it a great song, or means you have to rush it out and not take the time to make it as good as it can be. To realize it's potential.

I can't explain myself better then that. Hopefully, you can see where I'm coming from with this shit.

A bunch of the AFD stuff was written real quickly - I hear what your saying - it was the other members that fleshed AFDout, especially izzy - like I said elsewhere, next album he should get izzy to co-write with him, let frankie tour it, but a slash, izzy, myles album with elvis producing would be sick - and izzy wouldn't have to deal with a singer

Yeah, but it was more then just fleshing the material out. Axl said it was worked on and worked on. So they wrote their ideas quickly, in an organic way, but then they added more ideas and then performed it live and came up with more ideas, and made new adjustments to the songs. They lived together as well, so they probably always played the songs together. A lot of work went into it. It's not like a few hours a day went into the songs. My guess is they've spent most of the time writing it. So maybe it was written quickly, but the amount of time, thought, and sweat spent on it was crucial to how good it turned out at the end.

I hear you but slash is at a very different place in his life now. How many times have you heard slash, duff, or izzy say they can have a guns record ready in a week?

Right, but there is more then one way to write a great album. For Slash, I think even without getting together every day to play 12 hours and writing music, he can still release much better material. Not that I don't like World On Fire, I dig it. I just don't think it's a great album. I think Slash has the potential to create a great album with the right people. (not talking about old Guns members excpet maybe Duff)

Just take more time to write and record it. Don't release another pretty good album 2 years from now. Why not take more time to hone his ideas? and give Todd, Brent, and Myles more freedom. They're excited to create music with him. Use them. There are a couple of songs on World On Fire that reminds me of Aerosmith. Other songs bring together different styles. We know Slash still likes the same music he always liked.

I think they should go with my idea: do a fun, yet serious Rocks meets Appetite kinda record, with better lyrics (won't be hard) and only AAA solos (with Elvis pushing Slash to work on them more) and with say...3 years of not releasing anything, Slash will probably have tons of cool sleazy riffs to choose from and ONLY choose the best ones. Make it a 10 to 12 songs album. Precise, and to the point. You don't think they can do it? I believe they can.

World On Fire indicates potential imo. Still not sure about Myles, but his Alter Bridge work (Blackbird for example) did prove he's not without talent. Brent and Todd are really into it. They can help Slash with writing and recording a great album. Elvis is the right producer for Slash. Just fuckin' go for it.

I don't disagree with anything you said. I just question whether slash would have the patience. Dude's a bit OCD when it comes to recording and touring. Sometimes I think he just wants to get the record out so he can tour it, and maybe let the album suffer for it.

With Axl he should tinker less; and with slash, the exact opposite.

[Ant]

As much as I would love him to release something that's been laboured over a little more... I don't think it's in his nature. Everything you read from him shows that when he's not on tour he gets antsy and bored and starts doing drugs and other shit haha.

And I don't want to come off as a lyric snob... The Dissident just struck me as particularly funny ... not just the lyrics but the subject matter contrasted with the lighthearted sounding party chorus.

I like Safari Inn more each time I hear it.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Ant

[Rovim]

Jmapelian: Yeah, Slash doesn't seem to have the attention span, patience, or will to fuck around in the studio. I think that's why he said he "wanted to kill Elvis" when he made him record take after take when he just wanted to use what he had. Too bad, cause it worked. (at least partially) Some of the solos on World On Fire sound like Slash worked on them more compared to AL for example. That more care went into them.

I'm guessing if it doesn't come naturally for Slash, and easily even, then he won't try too hard. His improvisational skills carry him. And he loves to play his guitars, and perform live, so he spends much of his time playing guitar. That's how he comes up with many ideas and just puts them together like he said when he comes back home from touring and in soundchecks. I don't think it's going to change.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Rovim

[jmapelian]

Jmapelian: Yeah, Slash doesn't seem to have the attention span, patience, or will to fuck around in the studio. I think that's why he said he "wanted to kill Elvis" when he made him record take after take when he just wanted to use what he had. Too bad, cause it worked. (at least partially) Some of the solos on World On Fire sound like Slash worked on them more compared to AL for example. That more care went into them.

I'm guessing if it doesn't come naturally for Slash, and easily even, then he won't try too hard. His improvisational skills carry him. And he loves to play his guitars, and perform live, so he spends much of his time playing guitar. That's how he comes up with many ideas and just puts them together like he said when he comes back home from touring and in soundchecks. I don't think it's going to change.

Agree with every thing you said.

My CD shipped yesterday from TN and it's still in TN...wtf

[Fucking Little Schemer]

who gets a rocket queen vibe from wicked stone?

[Rovim]

who gets a rocket queen vibe from wicked stone?

I get more of a Locomotive vibe.

[DieselDaisy]

Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

This is not true. It was written quickly and in its, familiar form, recognizable fairly early.

Edited September 13, 2014 by DieselDaisy

[Fucking Little Schemer]

save me reading back through the whole thread, Safari Inn, the solo?

[Rovim]

Slash wrote WTTJ really quickly. But the song itself was worked on for years. It sounded that good cause Slash and the rest of the band had the time and interest to work on it.

This is not true. It was written quickly and in its, familiar form, recognizable fairly early.

Yes...it's true. Slash said he wrote it in 15 minutes and Axl came up with the lyrics (Slash said he didn't know where Axl got the idea for the lyrics)

But the song was worked on from the moment the basic structure of the song was written until they've recorded it in the studio. The part of the song where Axl sings "and when you're high you never..." was repeated, it was done twice originally. Pretty big difference. A whole section of the song was changed. Many other things were added. Little fills and leads that were not there before.

Did I say it wasn't recognizable? I even said Slash wrote it quickly! what the fuck man. "but the song itself was worked on for years". That was my point.

This is the part where you tell me you're just fuckin' with me. Tedious as fuck.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Rovim

[Fucking Little Schemer]

come on Rovim I see you lurking wheres that solo from?

Edited September 13, 2014 by Fucking Little Schemer