Article-Chinese Democracy: The most underrated hair-band album of all-time

[RichardNixon]

http://hairmetalmusic.com/most-underrated-hair-band-albums-of-all-time-top-five

The album that many rock fans wouldn’t give a chance because rock god guitar player Slash wasn’t on board, and that received a decade of ridicule because of the high costs and length of time it took Axl Rose to release….Chinese Democracy heads my list as the top underrated rock album that hair metal fans need to revisit.

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Let’s get all the drama out of the way. Yes, this is Axl and a group of hired guns. Yes, Axl is a known diva whose egotistical ways helped break-up what was the best pure rock band of my generation. Yes he used to come on stage late, he treated people like crap and his current band is managed by his former girlfriend’s ex-nanny. Yes, it took too long to make, and cost way more than it should have. And yes this current band does not resemble the band that put out albums that were the soundtrack of so many of our teenage years and early 20s.
If – and this is a big IF – you can get past all of that and just judge the album on its musical merits, you’ll discover that Axl has created a hard rock masterpiece.
Axl’s refusal to promote the album upon its release and the terrible decision on the albums first single really ham-stringed CD from the get go. The song Chinese Democracy is possible the most generic tune on the entire album and its release was met with a collective yawn from most rock fans. “This is what took 13 years and 14 million dollars? This is why he dropped Slash and Duff?”
On first listen, I wouldn’t blame people for asking those questions.
Axl is a Musical Genius
But once you get past the poor choice of an opening song (as a single and an album opener) the rest of the album is pure Axl genius. If you considered yourself more of an Axl die-hard fan, or if he was your favorite member of Guns n Roses, then the album’s remaining songs will transport you back to 1991 and into thinking you’d bought the third disc of the Use Your Illusions release.
The best songs on CD not only compare to, but are just as good as many cuts from either Illusions.
Axl teamed up with Nine Inch Nail guitar player Robin Finck to write one of the catchiest rock songs that Axl has ever released (even with his old band). Better starts off with a cheesy Axl falsetto, but then goes into pure hard rock gold. Catchy lyrics, cool guitars, different tempos throughout the song. Better clearly should have been the lead single. This was the song the general rock audience would have heard and went “interesting, pretty catchy tune.”
TWAT and Catcher
Catcher in the Rye and There Was a Time (TWAT) are pure 100% Axl Rose epic type songs. Right along the vein of Estranged, Rocketqueen, Breakdown, Coma and Locomotive. Catcher has a Beatles vibe to it and I would have released it as the second single. The song is so good that Axl felt it was better off without a Brian May guitar solo.
In the GnR forum community world, TWAT is generally considered the best song on the album. It is simply an updated version of Coma combined with a meaner version of Estranged. Axl’s screams towards the end of the song and the shredding guitar work make TWAT a GnR classic.
More Illusions
Street Of Dreams, IRS, Prostitute and Madagascar also could have slid in perfectly with either of the Illusions. Street of Dreams features some unique Axl singing techniques and would have been my pick as the albums third single. Lyrically the song is the polar opposite of Sweet Child Of Mine, but musically, it is easily just as good and should have been just as big of a hit as Patience was. To me it sounds like the song that most feels like it was initially meant to go on the Illusions.
IRS is a fun little rock song that features Axl’s best scream since live versions of Nightrain. Think that Axl has lost his voice? Check out the scream towards the end of the song when Axl blasts out the word “true” for about 30 seconds.
Prostitute and Madagascar are typical GnR ballads.
Then things get really interesting.
Axl Stretches
Axl leaves his GnR roots behind and explores other musical genres. While the afore mentioned songs sound like classic GnR and are what people expected from Axl, the red-headed singing legend then starts exploring and having a little fun.
Shackler’s Revenge is unlike anything you’ve ever heard from Axl or the old GnR. Maybe this song should have been the second or third single. Man, so many good songs on this album it’s hard to choose a singles release line-up. How does one explain Shacklers? Picture yourself at a rave and a guitar-driven rock techno song with Axl’s voice is blazing through the speakers.
Rhiad and Scraped are the most controversial songs on the album. I personally love Rhiad and feel it is probably the best “rocker” of the album. Imagine a 2008 version of You Could Be Mine. But for some reason a lot of GnR fans hate it. Some say it’s a rip off of a Led Zepplen song. But is Axl Rose singing Robert Plant and Led Zep a bad thing? I think not.
Scraped is a weird mishmash of Axl voices. I’m not a fan, but you can’t blame the guy for taking a few chances.
Love or Hate
And then the song that you will either love or absolutely hate – This I Love. Some say it’s one of Axl’s best while some say it belongs on the Twilight soundtrack. Others say it’s Axl’s poor attempt at a 40s musical song. Whatever the case may be, it’s one that draws conversation. Rumored to be written back in the early 90s and locked away in Axl’s vault, he apparently had to be talked into releasing it on CD by band members. Imagine Axl, with a piano, and no pro tools or special effects on his voice, singing about love. To me the song is a classic and I could listen to it every day without getting bored or tired of it.
Like I said at the beginning, if you don’t judge this album on it’s lack of Slash/Duff/Izzy, and in how long it took to make and how much it cost. Snd if you putyour personal feelings aside on what kind of guy Axl Rose is, I think you will agree that while it might not be a classic GnR record, it most certainly is the most interesting rock record that any hard rock band has released since grunge and hip hop killed the hair metal era.

Band: Axl Rose on vocals, Robin Finck, Buckethead, Ron Thal, DJ Ashba, Richard Fortus on guitars, Tommy Stintson on bass, Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman on keyboards, Frank Ferrer and Brain Mantia on drums.

[magisme]

Isn't that Groghan's site?

[gmsugaree]

Dangerous Toys are way underrated... nice pick for #3....

[Amir]

Band: Axl Rose on vocals, Robin Finck, Buckethead, Ron Thal, DJ Ashba, Richard Fortus on guitars

Groghan, how could you...

And who could forget Paul Huge/Tobias?!

[Guest NGOG]

Don't ever fucking refer to Axl Rose, Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese/Bryan Mantia, and Chris Pit(t)man as a HAIR-BAND.

Ugh ugh ugh.

[RichardNixon]

Don't ever fucking refer to Axl Rose, Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese/Bryan Mantia, and Chris Pit(t)man as a HAIR-BAND.

Ugh ugh ugh.

Yeah--don't care for that label, but it's a nice shout-out to C.D. anyway.

Dog Eat Dog is a good album too.

[maynard]

if by hair metal you mean female pubic hair metal, then i agree.

[RandallFlagg]

It's a great album, maybe a GNR record, maybe not, the line is a little blurred. It's unique and confused and deranged that's for sure. A cult classic and time will be kinder to it.

[Apollo]

Don't ever fucking refer to Axl Rose, Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese/Bryan Mantia, and Chris Pit(t)man as a HAIR-BAND.

Ugh ugh ugh.

The most interesting thing about my little site is that I've gotten NO complaints about any of the actual topics or selections.........the only complaint has been about the use of the world hair band or hair metal. Why that offends people is beyond me. NGOG makes complaint number three.

There is no general term that suits everybody's needs. Some people call Motley Crue and bon Jovi "metal". Some people call Warrant a hair band, but the majority of their catalog is nowhere near the same as a Poison.

Who really cares what a type of music is called.

At the end of the day, it's all rock and roll.

And I couldn't really call it www.music from my generation, mainly bands that I enjoy. I can't stand kiss so they aren't included.com

And sigh. Only on this forum would somebody complain about a blog that pretty much lists GnR as the BEST at every category and gives GnR TONS of props.

AND 3..........

It's a blog. I am a writer. I love the music of my youth. It allows me to write about one of my favorite subjects, without having to argue with people about stupid things or argue with people who carry grudges around. I'm not a professional website designer, nor a professional blog writer. You will find spelling mistakes, you will find grammar mistakes. If you like the bands that I love - GnR, Tesla, Cinderella, Motley Crue, Dangerous Toys, Ratt, Great White, etc then you might enjoy some of it. If you hate those bands or that era, it probably isn't for you.

Best hair metal song of all time? Welcome to the Jungle beat out Rock You Like Hurrican and 63 other hopefuls.

Most underrated hair metal album of all time? Chinese Democracy won that one as well.

Top power ballad of all time? Best front man of all time? Best debut album of all time? Most underrated song of all time? I'm sure you can guess who is probably going to win all of those.

[Apollo]

Isn't that Groghan's site?

Mags, don't laugh. I've made a huge profit of $80.40 in the last four months!!!

Just enough to cover the hosting fee and enough profit to buy my wife and I milkshakes last weekend.

I'm working on a couple others. http://www.netflixscarymovies.com is already out there but I haven't been able to touch it for several months. And I've been working on ones for twins, worst people in sports, stay at home dads and a couple on different disabilities.

[chevelle]

Definitely agree that Better should've been the lead single, not CD. It has that great blend of hard rock and modern edge that would've given people a much better impression of Axl's new band and direction (not that I think it would've turned the album into a mega hit or anything, though).

[magisme]

Isn't that Groghan's site?

Mags, don't laugh. I've made a huge profit of $80.40 in the last four months!!!

Just enough to cover the hosting fee and enough profit to buy my wife and I milkshakes last weekend.

I'm working on a couple others. http://www.netflixscarymovies.com is already out there but I haven't been able to touch it for several months. And I've been working on ones for twins, worst people in sports, stay at home dads and a couple on different disabilities.

I'm not laughing at you, man. And I ain't gonna sneeze at that $80.40 either. I love a milkshake.

I'm just laughing at the incestuousness of our little community.

[tinyrobot]

Hair band??

Guns N' Roses DID NOT stand out because of their HAIRS... hello? GN'R is a HARD-ROCK BAND and is nowhere near those groups that used to be boxshapped into that label....

Chinese Democracy is an album of the late 2000's so its pretty inaccurate to call it "hair band material"...... It is sad when media use these misleading titles to catch some passing by idiot.

[magisme]

Why are you out ta get Axl, Groghan?

[Crash Dieter]

Goddamm if I don't agree with the dude's choices for those five albums. Dog Eat Dog and These Days are extremely good LPs.

I never thought Too Fast... was underrated though.

[D-GenerationX]

I love 'I.R.S.' I'd have made it the lead single. And that scream is awesome.

That scream was also recorded when Bill Clinton was in office. It doesn't have much to do with his current vocal state.

[Thin White Duke]

Dude, GNR is not a hair metal band. It doesn't matter if the singer tries to copy Vince Neil and even tries to sing worse than him. it's not a hair metal band if the hair is fake.

[RichardNixon]

You know who else is a hair band?

Alice In Chains:

And Pantera:

[foghat43]

Don't ever fucking refer to Axl Rose, Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese/Bryan Mantia, and Chris Pit(t)man as a HAIR-BAND.

Ugh ugh ugh.

Or better yet...Don't ever fucking refer to Axl Rose, Buckethead, Robin Finck, Paul Huge, Dizzy Reed, Tommy Stinson, Josh Freese/Bryan Mantia, and Chris Pit(t)man as Guns N' Roses.

Ugh ugh ugh.

[Apollo]

Guys - again, who cares about a label of the genre.

You'll notice in the story it refers to them as a hard rock band.

I thought people would debate the ranking of the 10 albums.....not one person's classification of a type of music. Again, I couldn't call it www.myfavoritebands.com.

You have to use certain words and phrases to get your site ranked. How many people do you think search the term "groghan's favorite bands" or "groghan's most underrated albums of all time" compared to how many people search "best hair band album of all time" or "best hair metal song of all time?"

[Kill Your Hero]

Not a hair band!

[D-GenerationX]

Huge, lifelong Bon Jovi fan here.

I think 'These Days' has some real standout tracks. I think the title track and 'Hey God' are the best songs, overall. And 'This Ain't A Love Song' is one of my favorite of their ballads. (though the video sure is a head scratcher)

But overall, the album's tone is so bleak. That's not why I listen to Bon Jovi.

'Crush', totally overrated. And 'Have A Nice Day' is probably my favorite album top to bottom after 'Slippery When Wet'

[DR DOOM]

Groghan my only issue is you listed Ashba in the lineup for Chinese Democracy, or at least that's what it says in the OP here

[Apollo]

Huge, lifelong Bon Jovi fan here.

I think 'These Days' has some real standout tracks. I think the title track and 'Hey God' are the best songs, overall. And 'This Ain't A Love Song' is one of my favorite of their ballads. (though the video sure is a head scratcher)

But overall, the album's tone is so bleak. That's not why I listen to Bon Jovi.

'Crush', totally overrated. And 'Have A Nice Day' is probably my favorite album top to bottom after 'Slippery When Wet'

I think that's why I liked it, because it was a bit darker than most of their stuff. I shall go back and give Have A Nice Day another listen!

Dr. Doom - I don't recall my method for listing who was in the band. I think I just copied what was on Wiki. I'll go back and check it out though and maybe make a different note on it.

Kill Your Hero - for f*cks sakes. I've explained this a couple times already.

Does the label really matter? Some people list Bon Jovi and Warrant as being metal bands. Appetite came out during the height of the hair band era. When GnR first started, the guys had their hair poofed up and probably used a bit of make-up. But who cares about the label. Rock music is rock music is rock music.

"Groghan's favorite rock albums" is going to get 3 search hits per year (one by my wife, one by my son and one by my office mate). "Hair metal's most underrated ablum" or "What is the best hair band album of all time" get hundreds of hits a day. To have a blog that people are going to read, you have to use words that people are going to search.

Who cares what the name of a restaurant is. Did you like or dislike the food?

[D-GenerationX]

I think that's why I liked it, because it was a bit darker than most of their stuff. I shall go back and give Have A Nice Day another listen!

Grab the Japanese version with the extra tracks. 'Dirty Little Secret' is a great pop song.