luciusfunk Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 It's not just better than anything they did after, it's also better than Slash's Snakepit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotsfired cro Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 ya know, it all comes down to the taste.I thought Contraband was good, Libertad very good too.However, some tracks like Yo got no right I always fond pretty annoying, as was the solo - reminded me too much of Living on the edge, and Slash never sounded like others.I thought both Snakepit's were very good, to say the least, Neurotic outsiders excellent, Slash album excellent, AL pretty good.Scott was ok on the album, but he was a MUCH better/natural fit for STP.I never really liked him live in VR, but was amazed how good it looked like when STP reunited.To cut short, Slash is just Slash, whatever he does is just very good to say the least.Slash/Duff/Matt have that magical vibe, chemistry as do any of them 3 with each other (eg Slash/Duff or Matt/Duff).Truth is, there won't be VR without Scott and no matter what we thought of Scott, VR just like STP without him just isn't that band anymore.Do I hope Slash/Matt/Duff get together again? Yes. But do a completely new thing under completely new name if Scott is not involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carne_asaDA Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Cos it has some of the songs of the next GNR album in case of reunion aka big guns. When they realized a reunion was never going to be in this lifetime they decided to release them.Also Scott was really involved in the process, in Libertad not so much. Rubin was the producer right?Actually, Scott was heavily involved in Libertad. He brought in Brendan O'Brien and Libertad was pretty much Scott's baby. Most of Contraband was written prior to Scott arriving. You listen to interviews, Scott is quite proud of Libertad, while Slash and Duff pretty much hate it. Edited June 5, 2014 by Carne_asaDA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovim Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Whatever it wil be called if it'll ever become a reality, the next album from Slash, Duff, Dave, and Matt could be like...Contraband on steroids. Always wanted to describe something like that, cause everyone else seem to use it. It's on steroids, ok?Just heavier, with a singer that understands what Slash needs as a guitar player and with the right phrasing with vocal melodies over Slash's riffs. Good vocal range will help too. Edited June 5, 2014 by Rovim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Cos it has some of the songs of the next GNR album in case of reunion aka big guns. When they realized a reunion was never going to be in this lifetime they decided to release them.Also Scott was really involved in the process, in Libertad not so much. Rubin was the producer right?Actually, Scott was heavily involved in Libertad. He brought in Brendan O'Brien and Libertad was pretty much Scott's baby. Most of Contraband was written prior to Scott arriving. You listen to interviews, Scott is quite proud of Libertad, while Slash and Duff pretty much hate it.Pertaining to Slash, I simply refuse to believe that. Slash is definitely, missing-in-action, on Velvet Revolver's debut yet, Libertad contains some of his greatest, post-GN'R, leadwork. The general 'modern rock' feel of Contraband is also most, un 'Slashy' (as opposed to the 'rock n' roll' production on the second record). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Matter of opinion as I prefer the first Snakepit to Contraband which I thought was a good album.........hoping the new record will have some old Snakepit mojo................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I like both Pitt albums more than Contraband, granted, the second one is rather cheesy. Give me the Pitt cheese over, the VR numetal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR DOOM Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 didnt really care for either album they have moments, but i could never really get into them.This.I love Slash and Duff, but I hate Weiland...I did have high hopes but I can't say either album did much for me at all.I'd take either Snakepit album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 At least you can do the '80s dance' to Ain't Life Grand a al Courtney Cox in that Springsteen video. That is something you cannot do to Headspace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay410 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Cos it has some of the songs of the next GNR album in case of reunion aka big guns. When they realized a reunion was never going to be in this lifetime they decided to release them.Also Scott was really involved in the process, in Libertad not so much. Rubin was the producer right? Actually, Scott was heavily involved in Libertad. He brought in Brendan O'Brien and Libertad was pretty much Scott's baby. Most of Contraband was written prior to Scott arriving. You listen to interviews, Scott is quite proud of Libertad, while Slash and Duff pretty much hate it. Pertaining to Slash, I simply refuse to believe that. Slash is definitely, missing-in-action, on Velvet Revolver's debut yet, Libertad contains some of his greatest, post-GN'R, leadwork. The general 'modern rock' feel of Contraband is also most, un 'Slashy' (as opposed to the 'rock n' roll' production on the second record). Funny, I think Contraband might be the most engaging and unique guitar playing he has ever done. Nothing he did afterward is anything we haven't heard before. And as far as Libertad, pretty much all indications are it essentially was a Scott Weiland solo album featuring Velvet Revolver. Listen to Libertad and Contraband, then listen to Scott's solo shit and tell me which album is more similar. It's pretty well documented how involved Scott was in Libertad musically versus Contraband.It's a shame in general that Libertad is a great sounding album, great mixes. Contraband is fine in the context if itself but if you have a track on a playlist, switching to and from it to another album, the sound difference is jarring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChineseDemocracy2004 Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 At least you can do the '80s dance' to Ain't Life Grand a al Courtney Cox in that Springsteen video. That is something you cannot do to Headspace.I'd rank Ain't Life Grand? up there with some of Slash's best work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shotsfired cro Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 speaking of which...why didn't they ever play Can't get you out of my head live!?one of the best tracks on Libertad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguy Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Scott Weiland. Period.He didn't just put lyrics to finished songs. He had a very involved role in the songwriting process. The man is a phenomenal musician. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classicrawker Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Scott Weiland. Period.He didn't just put lyrics to finished songs. He had a very involved role in the songwriting process. The man is a phenomenal musician.On Contraband the music was already written when he agreed to join the band and he added the vocals from what I have read..He says as much in his autobiography...On Libertad he was involved in the whole process which is why it sounds more like his solo stuff............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evergreen_layne Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Duff was right - Matt's drumming on Contraband is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 They put everything into it, they career depended on it. They played the 80s hard rock card which vibes with GNR fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Scott Weiland. Period.He didn't just put lyrics to finished songs. He had a very involved role in the songwriting process. The man is a phenomenal musician.On Contraband the music was already written when he agreed to join the band and he added the vocals from what I have read..He says as much in his autobiography...On Libertad he was involved in the whole process which is why it sounds more like his solo stuff............I read that they had like 60 songs and he came in with his engineer and took the songs and rearranged them into songs. Do it for the Kids being an example. Loving the Alien is his song?I think Libetad is as good as Contraband. Last Fight and American are great songs. She Mine sounds really fresh. Production is a flatter though. Contra has more 80s 90s vibe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willl Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Agreed that Contraband is better than any later release by those involved, but it's far from the best material (in my opinion) that these guys have released. Sorums "Hollywood Zen" recorded in 2003, and Duffs "Beautiful Disease" both outrank Contraband on my media players "play count". Not a fan of either Snakepit album, though they both have some standout tracks admittedly - I just don't think either Pit album as a whole is as good as Contraband. I didn't even finish listening to Libertad, just really failed to grab my attention like their debut did ^ Do It For The Kids "Dog" was recorded in April 2003 but wasn't released until one year after "Contraband" in 05. Maybe Contraband is so awesome because they had a ghostwriter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakey Styley Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Contraband is what modern rock should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockerRoller Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 I bet izzy helped write more of the content found on contraband then anyone admits. I just listened to it after a few years and it's a really good album, but the lyrics are kinda dumb ya gotta admit haha. Libertad was just not the same, and I think it's cause it was missing that "ghostwriter"....hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estranged Reality Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 there was a 'something to prove' vibe about contraband. those guys were ALL out with something to prove -- scott due to his split from STP and his stubbornness/pride, slash and the boys because of their GN'R history, etc. there was an aggression and punk rock kind of attitude to it that i fucking loved. is every track a winner? no, and the production at times is a bit too indicative of its nu-metal-era origins (the producer, IIRC, was a big name producer for nu metal bands), but overall, i love it. fall to pieces, dirty little thing, slither, loving the alien, you got no right -- all fucking stellar tunes that, if axl sang them, would comfortably fit in with the best of GN'R. and i'm not saying that axl is better than scott but of course with scott singing it's harder to directly compare them to GN'R tunes because they just sound different. but yeah, i love those tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turn_It_Up Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 (edited) Outside of AFD, Contraband is my fav GNR member record. UYI 2 has some huge high points like Civil War and YCBM, but as a full record to listen to I'll take CB. Other than Illegal 1 Song and Spectacle which I'd rank as pretty good filler, the rest of the tracks are stellar and ooze anger, swagger and trippiness. Hate getting into flame wars, but CB really is the anti-Chinese Democracy. Made in a short amount of time, has great flow and undeniable personality and knows exactly what it's supposed to be. It's like the surly big brother who'd want to bitch slap CD for being so bland and whiny. But if you put together the best parts of both(like the mash up of Slither and ITW), you'd have the magic of Old Guns. That said, Scotty's lyrics and delivery are a huge part of what makes CB the animal that it is. Awesome, awesome record. Edited June 6, 2014 by Turn_It_Up 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvH Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Well, I for one think Slash's solo album is way better than Contraband, if less cohesive.Remove Starlight, Gotten, Ghost and We're all gonna Die, switch them with Mother Maria, Baby Can't Drive and Sahara, you got a really really good record. The standard tracklisting was commercially dictated, too bad the best songs were only on the 468-ish limited editions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbo Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Contraband to me was the best gnr related albumreleased by anybody post 96. Not that it's saying much. But it packed the most punch commercially, and has the most replay value to me. Again, not that that's saying much .Everything Slash has done after this has been pretty shit, with a few exceptions on each post releases of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselDaisy Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Contraband is what modern rock should be.Cack? Yes, I agree.Contraband and Scraped and Shackler's Revenge are proof that Stradlin was the genius in that band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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