The lyrical telepromoter on the UYI tour

[Nice Boy]

I always wondered how things worked with the lyrical teleprompter at front stage on the UYI. I mean if there was no fixed set list as they claimed, then there must have been some person whose job was to listen out closely for whatever song the band was about to play, and then very quickly co-ordinate the lyrics onto screen in time with the song that had already started. And if the song was one where the lyrics start right away (e.g. Live and Let Die, Perfect Crime) then the teleprompter guy would have to be very on the ball to immediately cue the song's lyrics and make sure they were running in time with where the band was in the song.. know what I mean?

[DieselDaisy]

The ''no fixed set list'' thing is a lie that they stated (still do in fact) to simply, look cool. Guns have always had setlists more rigid than Jimmy Saville's bellend at a nursery. Many forum members have even produced the evidence, paper copies of the very setlists, over the years.

Word of advice: Guns N' Roses lie.

[SeBaZ]

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

[Nice Boy]

Well yeah whilst it's true that most of the UYI sets follow a pattern, there were variations. So the question still remains, if they suddenly said ok let's do Perfect crime in the middle of the set, then teleprompter guy is gonna have to do his thing real quick to get the lyrics running in tandem with the song being played..

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

That would be a sufficient answer.. so they had an 'internal/private' mic system too? I thought they just spoke closely to confer about what songs to do.

[DieselDaisy]

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

[Amir]

The ''no fixed set list'' thing is a lie that they stated (still do in fact) to simply, look cool. Guns have always had setlists more rigid than Jimmy Saville's bellend at a nursery. Many forum members have even produced the evidence, paper copies of the very setlists, over the years.

Word of advice: Guns N' Roses lie.

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

Nope.

While I've had "setlists" from a few shows, there are songs on there that were not played at those gigs, and songs played that were not on the setlist.

Yes, in recent years, the setlist has become far more rigid, but every once in a while when Axl is in the mood, they'll pick something new, i.e. Yesterdays & Prostitute at Vegas 2014, YCBM as opener in Bolivia 2014.

They did Nice Boys as a second encore after PC in Gurgaon in 2012. That was quite obviously impromptu.

There's a list of 70 or so songs they choose from, and while unfortunately in recent years the variation of songs hasn't been great, the computer system still exists. Powerage and Black Sabbath will tell you that at Vegas this year they saw the list being scrolled through on the screen before one of the shows, saw Prostitute among the list of songs and joked about it being played that night, which it was, though it was one of a long list of songs including songs that were not played.

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

Yup, though I guess on some nights/for some stretches they're on autopilot, i.e. they know to go from Chinese to WTTJ to ISE so it's probably not between every song.

[DieselDaisy]

The ''no fixed set list'' thing is a lie that they stated (still do in fact) to simply, look cool. Guns have always had setlists more rigid than Jimmy Saville's bellend at a nursery. Many forum members have even produced the evidence, paper copies of the very setlists, over the years.

Word of advice: Guns N' Roses lie.

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

Nope.

While I've had "setlists" from a few shows, there are songs on there that were not played at those gigs, and songs played that were not on the setlist.

Yes, in recent years, the setlist has become far more rigid, but every once in a while when Axl is in the mood, they'll pick something new, i.e. Yesterdays & Prostitute at Vegas 2014, YCBM as opener in Bolivia 2014.

They did Nice Boys as a second encore after PC in Gurgaon in 2012. That was quite obviously impromptu.

There's a list of 70 or so songs they choose from, and while unfortunately in recent years the variation of songs hasn't been great, the computer system still exists. Powerage and Black Sabbath will tell you that at Vegas this year they saw the list being scrolled through on the screen before one of the shows, saw Prostitute among the list of songs and joked about it being played that night, which it was, though it was one of a long list of songs including songs that were not played.

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

Yup, though I guess on some nights/for some stretches they're on autopilot, i.e. they know to go from Chinese to WTTJ to ISE so it's probably not between every song.

Bollocks.

Listen, if they have dispensed with the bits of paper it is because the setlist is so fuckin rigid that they do not even need the bit of paper.

[IncitingChaos]

The hell that the crew for GNR went through during this tour is legendary haha. They tried to make it seem ok at the time with comments like "working for GNR always keeps you on your toes..you never know what's coming next." But a few have spoken out about the ridiculous hours, the lack of consistency from show to show, and the overall demand of making things happen in the moment.

[Amir]

The ''no fixed set list'' thing is a lie that they stated (still do in fact) to simply, look cool. Guns have always had setlists more rigid than Jimmy Saville's bellend at a nursery. Many forum members have even produced the evidence, paper copies of the very setlists, over the years.

Word of advice: Guns N' Roses lie.

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

Nope.

While I've had "setlists" from a few shows, there are songs on there that were not played at those gigs, and songs played that were not on the setlist.

Yes, in recent years, the setlist has become far more rigid, but every once in a while when Axl is in the mood, they'll pick something new, i.e. Yesterdays & Prostitute at Vegas 2014, YCBM as opener in Bolivia 2014.

They did Nice Boys as a second encore after PC in Gurgaon in 2012. That was quite obviously impromptu.

There's a list of 70 or so songs they choose from, and while unfortunately in recent years the variation of songs hasn't been great, the computer system still exists. Powerage and Black Sabbath will tell you that at Vegas this year they saw the list being scrolled through on the screen before one of the shows, saw Prostitute among the list of songs and joked about it being played that night, which it was, though it was one of a long list of songs including songs that were not played.

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

Yup, though I guess on some nights/for some stretches they're on autopilot, i.e. they know to go from Chinese to WTTJ to ISE so it's probably not between every song.

Bollocks.

Listen, if they have dispensed with the bits of paper it is because the setlist is so fuckin rigid that they do not even need the bit of paper.

Bumble and Fortus tried to get Richard to play Yesterdays by jamming it on the 31st May. Didn't work, Bumble said maybe next time. Seems Axl was in the mood on the 4th June, and they played it then. Axl's first performance since '93 of Don't Cry in Japan in '07 was impromptu, he just started joining in with Bumble's solo spot.

I spoke with fans who saw the London 31st May 2012 setlist, TWAT was on there, unfortunately it was not played.

IRS is on my L'Arc setlist. It has never been played live acoustically.

Yes, Dizzy and DJ are wildly exaggerating when they say there is "no setlist", there is a base setlist that is followed, but every now and then Axl likes to either throw something in or skip a song or change order.

[KeyserSoze]

Has anyone read Duswalts book…?

Craig said that it was his job to use a big 90's dinosaur computer to project the lyrics onto the big box teleprompters. he would do it by ear, so he would have to be on the ball. he said that during his first couple of shows he knew none of the songs and had people help him, but they would play pranks on him. i think he said he tried to get Doug Goldstien to help him on one song and he pulled up the lyrics to like mama kin when the intro to civil war started and axl got mad and looked at craig and shot him the bird. don't quote me on that! i think one night he also got fired for pulling up the wrong lyrics too, but was rehired by the time they got back o the hotel

here, i actually got Craigs book out to look back at this section. This section is actually called "The Dreaded Teleprompter"

here are some excerpts:

Axl felt that since he exerted so much energy on stage every night, it would be more comfortable for him to have them placed around the stage. (it also helped later on when he would stop shows to remember where the band was in the song)

Blake (axls old manager used to do it)

the key to being "good" at it was to know the song a couple of notes in

no job backstage was as stressful as running the teleprompter

the band met backstage to decide which song would be played first, Axl or Slash would tell Blake which was the first song, he would load it up, but after that it was a free for all

GNR DID HAVE A SETLIST TAPED TO THE FLOOR, but according to Duswalt, it was hardly followed.

direct quote from the book: 'BECAUSE AXL WAS THE SINGER, 99 PERCENT OF THE TIME THE CHOICE OF SONG WAS HIS, AND HE WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION EPENDING ON HOW HIE VOICE FELT THAT NIGHT"

the process: guessing the song, exiting out of the last song, scrolling down to the next song (they were in alphabetical order) and then choosing that song took about 15 seconds

(there is a "typical GNR setlist" typed into the book)

craig says songs like "live and let die" and "estranged" tat didn't have intros were a challenge, but they were still expected to get the words up that fast

the teleprompter room was located on the stage, under the stage left ramp, right next to axle onstage dressing room, and directly stage left of where slash stands onstage.

Edited December 1, 2014 by jeaubear

[LyndaRose]

I wonder WHY they need lyrics..lol...every fan knows the lyrics by head

[uncivil war]

I wonder WHY they need lyrics..lol...every fan knows the lyrics by head

When your performing and focusing on vocal tone or pitch or whatever, it helps to have the words just in case you get too distracted and temporarily loose where your up too. More often than not it's more of a "security blanket",but it helps to have a point of reference.

[Sixes]

I wonder WHY they need lyrics..lol...every fan knows the lyrics by head

When your performing and focusing on vocal tone or pitch or whatever, it helps to have the words just in case you get too distracted and temporarily loose where your up too. More often than not it's more of a "security blanket",but it helps to have a point of reference.

didn't seem to help Axl at Rock in Rio 11 or Bridge School or....etc, etc, etc

[WFA]

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

You're lying. Let me calmly explain to the forum why your posts in this thread should now be dismissed.

Guns N' Roses does not have a setlist. A setlist is a set list of songs that get played in the exact order as on the sheet. Guns N' Roses does not have this. What their sheet is, is a list of songs rehearsed and ready to be played depending on how Axl is doing. The order gets switched around, some songs don't get played, etc. That would not be the case with a setlist.

[dalsh327]

Craig Duswalt's book made it sound like it was a shit job to run the teleprompter and they'd have problems with it, it would take a while to load the next song, so Axl probably knew how long they needed. There were jokes played and would tell him the wrong song when he didn't hear Axl say what the next song was.

Supposedly Courtney Love wound up with one of the teleprompters.

http://www.mygnrforum.com/index.php?/topic/200845-courtney-love-uses-teleprompter-that-was-allegedly-stolen-from-axl-rose/

[Snowmass]

The UYI tour was so bloated and massive that while they had to have basic outline of a set and they would mix in audibles as well. The teleprompters I'm pretty sure Axl used them to lean back on as a security blanket for certain songs...not like he stared at em for every word.

[ludurigan]

GNR didn't have a setlist on the very beginning of the UYI Tour.

It's easy to verify that, the setlist changed pretty much every night while Izzy was onboard.

Check it here: http://www.gnrontour.com/setlistalm91.htm

After Izzy left and the Tracy-Roberta-circus-era began, whatever was left of GNR followed a setlist with very little changes for pretty much the entire 1992 tour.

http://www.gnrontour.com/setlistalm92.htm

I remember watching the Paris pay per view show in June 1992 on TV. I recorded that show in VHS and watched it many times.

Six months later, Axl, Slash, Duff and the circus arrived in Brazil for 3 shows. I attended 2 shows in São Paulo, and I just knew the entire setlist by heart. They played pretty much the same exact setlist as Paris 1992.

I went to the 2 shows and it was maybe 1 or 2 different songs each night;

I remember they played "Nightrain" one night and they didn't play it on the other.

I remember screaming "Coma!" and "Locomotive!" and "Rocket Queen!" a thousand times;

But no one seemed to care

[Nice Boy]

Thanks jeaubear that answer was quite informative, with the bits from Duswalt's book .. kinda said what I expected, that the teleprompter guy's job would be a nightmare, especially cueing up the songs with lyrics right at the start!

[Russel Nash]

Axl announces the next song through private mic line.

They even follow the setlist in Rio 2011, playing Oh my God and Going Down.

[magisme]

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

You're lying. Let me calmly explain to the forum why your posts in this thread should now be dismissed.

Guns N' Roses does not have a setlist. A setlist is a set list of songs that get played in the exact order as on the sheet. Guns N' Roses does not have this. What their sheet is, is a list of songs rehearsed and ready to be played depending on how Axl is doing. The order gets switched around, some songs don't get played, etc. That would not be the case with a setlist.

Found a new persona to model?

On topic: Your post is semantic bullshit.

Edited December 1, 2014 by magisme

[D-GenerationX]

They have a setlist. It exists and is sent around the band and crew members. A few fans have obtained copies of these setlists. ''No setlist'' is a pure and simple lie.

You're lying. Let me calmly explain to the forum why your posts in this thread should now be dismissed.

Guns N' Roses does not have a setlist. A setlist is a set list of songs that get played in the exact order as on the sheet. Guns N' Roses does not have this. What their sheet is, is a list of songs rehearsed and ready to be played depending on how Axl is doing. The order gets switched around, some songs don't get played, etc. That would not be the case with a setlist.

So why such little variation?

Why is CD-WTTJ-ISE-MB the first 4 songs?

Why is YCBM-SCOM-NR the middle of the show?

Why is KOHD-NT the end before the encore?

How come SCOM doesn't happene earlier? Why is YCBM never real late?

Because there is a setlist.

[ChineseIRS]

Why are people talking about the recent tours? The question was directed towards the UYI tour 91-93. Where the setlists were actually varied, especially the '91 part of the tour. Each leg was different.

We all know DJ and Dizzy bullshit about how unpredicitable their show is, but the original question isnt geared towards that.

[thomasmcole]

I don't really think the lyrical teleprompter means you can't have a spontaneous setlist. Michael Stipe from R.E.M. always used a teleprompter, and they always added/subtracted songs throughout their sets, especially on their last tour

[DieselDaisy]

With a setlist as predictable as the one Axl plays, you do not need a bit of paper to remind you of what song comes next.

[D-GenerationX]

Why are people talking about the recent tours? The question was directed towards the UYI tour 91-93. Where the setlists were actually varied, especially the '91 part of the tour. Each leg was different.

We all know DJ and Dizzy bullshit about how unpredicitable their show is, but the original question isnt geared towards that.

Early summer 1991 was. But even by the Euro leg later that summer, it was fairly set.

And was farily set on each subsequent leg. Maybe 2 or 3 songs got reordered, but there wasn't this wild variation.