Stern's first impression of Chinese Democracy

[dalsh327]

Any opinions on Stern playing bits of the album and the comments?

I thought the part was interesting where they said Slash had just been on and said Buckethead was only a really technical guitar player but lacks soul.

It's not like Howard gave the album a serious listen when he talked about it on the show. It's only recently he started doing interviews more about the music when he's had guests on. I also think some of the guests that have never been on before have been going on because he's probably retiring in the next few years.

At this point, he could care less if he has Axl on but if he has a new album in the works, hopefully he will go on the show to promote it, have the band play songs in the studio and have a good time. It don't really matter....

http://youtu.be/DU8goBx-JBY

I think Stern would love to have Axl on. He really likes Guns N Roses. He always pushes the Slash Axl break up though.

He wants people who are going to talk about a variety of things and be a good interview. People are nervous as hell going on his show, but he's a pretty easygoing interviewer compared to others. All they have to do is show up ready to talk.

[RandallFlagg]

I remember when Stern spent a whole show dissing Gaga for petty reasons then when she came on his show he seemed to eat his words and was a bit of an ass kisser, I reckon she went on the show cause she got hold of the shit he was talking, kinda surprised he never admitted he was ripping her since he's usually a straight shooter and Gaga would've enjoyed the challenge. She practically blasted through two incredible performances right infront of him and stunned Howard going into the lion's den more or less.

Edited January 30, 2015 by RandallFlagg

[IncitingChaos]

I remember when Stern spent a whole show dissing Gaga for petty reasons then when she came on his show he seemed to eat his words and was a bit of an ass kisser, I reckon she went on the show cause she got hold of the shit he was talking, kinda surprised he never admitted he was ripping her since he's usually a straight shooter and Gaga would've enjoyed the challenge. She practically blasted through two incredible performances right infront of him and stunned Howard going into the lion's den more or less.

Her performance on his show was incredible! She has a beautiful voice, I use to knock her for all her little antics and styles but you can't deny talent.

http://youtu.be/xD4ICwgZiBs

Just for reference and how cool would it have been if Axl did a performance like this in his prime.

It makes me sad that he never got to do an mtv unplugged or something like this solo because I really think his accoustic voice or whatever will blow people away. He's a highly underrated singer in my opinion. I think lies proves how good he can be but to see a live performance of a Axl singing by himself with a piano would have gained him many more fans and I really think people would have appreciated him more. (He was the biggest rock star on the planet) but a performance like this would have earned him continued respect. People dismiss Axl's voice now, but it was unique and really incredible. It's why I'm a fan today. I think he's one of the best of all time when you factor in the part that nobody can sing like him.

Edited January 30, 2015 by IncitingChaos

[WhazUp]

I would love to see Axl on Stern however if he doesn't want to talk about how the old band imploded or why CD took so long specifically I don't know how an hour interview will go down. Stern isn't like Eddie Trunk where you just talk about whatever and you hang out on the radio, he goes through the interviewees childhood and all the major things that have happened to them. So if Axl is a closed book it would not be an interesting interview

[IncitingChaos]

I would love to see Axl on Stern however if he doesn't want to talk about how the old band imploded or why CD took so long specifically I don't know how an hour interview will go down. Stern isn't like Eddie Trunk where you just talk about whatever and you hang out on the radio, he goes through the interviewees childhood and all the major things that have happened to them. So if Axl is a closed book it would not be an interesting interview

Axl just needs to be asked. He's not going to walk away from a live interview. If you ask him what happened then be prepared to get more than you bargained for in the form of an answer.

Beta will be mad but that's bc she thinks it angers Axl and puts him in a bad mood. If Axl isn't on there to announce a new album or promote one then he better be prepared to get asked about the old days.

[classicrawker]

It's not like he was giving it a proper review. CD has its issues but I still really enjoy it. I can't see Axl going on Stern either although I dunno it seems Axl has mellowed a bit in the last few years. I'm not a huge fan of Stern but the interview he did with Roger Waters from Floyd a while back was incredible and managed to get Waters to talk about stuff he hasn't with other interviewers.

Personally though I think Marc Maron is the best interviewer at the moment - he gets people to open up without doing Stern's being an asshole act.

I have been listening to Howard daily since he came to NYC in the 80's on WNBC radio. He has mellowed with age and adapts his style to the person he is interviewing. These days he is very respectful in his interviews and does not push someone if he senses his questions is making the person uncomfortable. But based on Howard's recent interviews with Slash he certainly would want to ask Axl about the old band and about his plans for new music. Considering Axl refuses to discuss these topics there would be no point in Axl doing Howard's show

Based on Axl's recent interviews, where he has basically told us nothing, I doubt Howard or Maron could get much out of him of value.

I'd hope people don't review an album like Stern, by listening to the first 15 seconds of the track to decide if you like it or not then skip to the next track

ChiDem has a lot of songs that could be considered classics with age, but the common crowd will only know the band for Appetite for Destruction

JMO but any album that requires me to listen to it multiple times to "get it" probably is not something I am going to want to listen to multiple times.

I remember when Stern spent a whole show dissing Gaga for petty reasons then when she came on his show he seemed to eat his words and was a bit of an ass kisser, I reckon she went on the show cause she got hold of the shit he was talking, kinda surprised he never admitted he was ripping her since he's usually a straight shooter and Gaga would've enjoyed the challenge. She practically blasted through two incredible performances right infront of him and stunned Howard going into the lion's den more or less.

Howard says a lot of shit on his show and then a week later does not remember saying it. Happens all the time and Robin will remind him that he dissed someone and he is surprised and does not remember saying it.

Edited January 30, 2015 by classicrawker

[dalsh327]

Stern trashed Lena Dunham but he's had her on 3 times since.

[JONEZY]

Howard Stern is an acquired taste, not for everybody. But he is awesome. An interview with Axl would be great radio. Won't happen unfortunately.

[Tom2112]

much more interesting!

[WAR41]

Really interesting to listen to this, thanks for posting. I have always despised Artie Lange and I don't get why people like him so much. This clip reaffirms everything I already feel about him as a comedian. Robin is insanely annoying and I don't care what she says about anything. Howard's opinion doesn't surprise me much, he is pretty pessimistic about everything. With that being said, I still am not a fan of Chinese Democracy as a whole.

[pockets]

pockets first impressions of cd is robin's epic solos on better, twat, street of dreams, and this I love - and bucket's epic solos on shackler's, if the world, and prostitute

axl singing a story on twat, axl's BIG TIME Better vocals, axl's SAD this I love studio vocals, and axl's mellow prostitute vocals

there was little to no swearing - a first for axl on a gnr cd - the ending of prostitute was a surprise firsr for a gnr song - robin's epic this I love was a historic original rock solo for a gnr song

and first impressions saw cd as the best classic rock album to come out on the scene since illusions

Edited January 30, 2015 by pockets

[IncitingChaos]

I like how Artey said "that first song is better than anything Velvet Revolver released!" And then the "welcome to China!"

[dalsh327]

They had a "thing" once and she has enough money to hire GNR to play a backyard party.

[pockets]

and I love when caller Mike told Howard Stern my GNR/Rock fav ROBIN FINCK was the SOUL of AXL'S NU GNR before ROBIN QUIT

[Mysteron]

Howard Stern is Beavis and Butthead, but CD is/was a great album

I just wish it got the release it deserved.

[magisme]

I remember when Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars. That's when I knew for sure it sucked.

[gnfnrs1972]

I remember when Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars. That's when I knew for sure it sucked.

Even though I like Chinese Democracy I agree with what your saying about Rolling Stone reviews.

[shjtjustgotreal]

YYAAAAAARRGH WELCOME TO CHINA

[Nosaj Thing]

I feel sorry for that Mike guy who called to tell Stern that he needed to listen to There Was A Time.

[IncitingChaos]

If they would have waited 3 more seconds on better I think they might have liked that one haha the first time I heard it I almost changed it too. That wimper of a voice at the beginning ruins it.

And yea poor Mike. He was applauding all the great guitar work and had to let them know that both were now out of the band haha he tried though! I'm sure he's been on the forums before.

Edited January 31, 2015 by IncitingChaos

[pockets]

demi-god- I liked better right off from the start - which leads into powerful and heavy axl vocals - and leads to the classic rock, industrial, and bluesy rock guitar work of mr. robin finck

Edited January 31, 2015 by pockets

[dalsh327]

I remember when Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars. That's when I knew for sure it sucked.

Even though I like Chinese Democracy I agree with what your saying about Rolling Stone reviews.

At least it wasn't Jann Wenner reviewing it, but Bruce can do no wrong with Rolling Stone, or Bob Dylan (although they did give Dylan's xmas album 3 stars and not 5) . Or Yoko and MIck Jagger.

Fricke gave it 4 1/2 stars.

Someone put together what they felt were the worst reviews, it's a few hours to read through it. He put ChiDem on the list but he was just criticizing Fricke more than the album.

http://rateyourmusic.com/list/schmidtt/rolling_stones_500_worst_reviews_of_all_time__work_in_progress_/1/

[ronartest2004]

Axl was supposed to go on Howard according to fa-fa-flow-hi, it was supposed to be "1 magazine, 1 tv show, and 1 radio"...Axl did 2 of those...The radio interview was supposed to be howard. They talked about it on the show baba booey said he talked to a woman who was axls manager and she was very nice but told him she was trying to convince axl to agree to the interview.

I truly believe Howard would be the only guy not star-struck by axl and would ask him the questions that we all want answers to. But axl also knows that which is why it will never happen.

[Bumblefeet]

Though I would like to see Axl on the Stern show, I imagine he would mostly be denying rumors, discussing the breakup and old lineup and all the women he banged.

I personally wouldn't expect any big revelations to be gotten from such an interview, it would still be entertaining to listen to.

P.S. I hope Sal isn't into GnR.

[gunsfanoldie]

The first time I heard the full album I was pretty confused but! this is not an instant classic, you have to listen to it all the way through a few times because it's so layered and different that you can't get the full picture by just listening to 10 seconds of each song. I would disagree with most of what they had to say about the album, but I would also say a lot of people viewed the album this way and that is why a lot of people hate it. I listened to the album, I really wanted to like it, and at first I didn't know if it was something I could get into because it was so different (If the world/shacklers revenge, for example) but I kept listening to it and I discovered one of my favourite records. It's not perfect, it has more than a few flaws (overloaded with layers of gtrs and synth and multi-tracked vocals) and some questionable track inclusions (Rhiad/scraped).

Someone mentioned brainwashing yourself into liking it, I think that's valid in a lot of cases, but if you really don't like something you won't put the effort in to listen to it enough that you might achieve brainwashed status. For example I hate when Axl sings in the British accent on Down on the farm... It's horrible so I avoid it and only listen to it to show other people and laugh, I don't need to like everything gnr related, it would have sucked if I didn't like the album though. At the end of the day if you like a song, you don't have to overthink it, just enjoy, who cares what reviewers or other fans say, you should know what you like and that should be all that matters.

You're absolutely right that everyone is entitled to their own view and not to overthink it.

However, reading your review is exactly what I think is the definition of an Axl brainwashed person. And maybe I'm wrong, but all the wording there is exactly of something that I think is trying too hard to like this album. I've never overthought this album. I like about 8 songs, but I know that none of them are classics, or even GNR. They are just Axl songs, some great, some just good, and basically, what we are stuck with.

I can't help and kind of roll my eyes when I read something like "once you listen to it a few times..." No. There are admittedly some albums that are like that. I, personally, don't think this is one of them. There's too much tied to this album (time spent, the only album he ever released after GNR broke up) that when that is said, it sounds like an insane comment. Its basically saying (and I don't mean to get on you for this comment, but you're just the review I saw of it) "listen, the album that took 15 years to make takes a few listens to really understand the brilliance." Personally, I think that is overthinking it and giving it credit that you already wanted to give it to justify it.

I'm not saying I'm right. I'm just saying that I think there are ways to give this album a fair and measured review, even though everyone's review will be different. I think for a very selected few, this album is a brilliant record and maybe one of the best records they've ever heard. But I think for everyone else, it is just fine and they convince themselves otherwise. Any review to me of this album that is widely praising or widely negative is way off base and going into it with a bias. I just think there's more merit to those overwhelming negative reviews.

Why I wrote all this, I'm not sure. It made sense in my head.