Is anyone sad that the Chinese Democracy era is over?

[Billsfan]

No. As much as I like Chinese democracy and as great of an album as it is, things just went nowhere with it. By 2011/2012 it just seemed like they were in denial or having a hard time moving on from a dysfunctional relationship. Had we gotten a follow up a couple of years ago who knows, but it's clear that either axl didn't have enough faith releasing another album or the label just didn't want to back him on it anymore.

I think it's great he saw it through in a sense but overall I'm glad it's reunion time. Maybe they'll play some songs from it in the future but for now, reunion time baby

[Rovim]

Also the recent deaths of some of my favorite musicians only highlights for me how the number of chances is limited, and they were too good together to waste all that time and potential.

At least the final chapter of the band will be a joined attempt to tie it up nicely. Hopefully.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Rovim

[GNR-girl]

No, I'm glad that the Chinese Democracy era is over...

[username]

The only reason that I'm sad the CD-era is over is that it looks like we won't get to hear the mythical songs locked in Axl's vault.

What makes you think that we won't get to hear them?

What makes anybody at all think we will get to hear them?

[Dazey]

If they had functioned like a normal band and we could be excited for legitimate future releases, then yes, I'd be sad.

Since that didn't happen and we're getting what we're getting, then no, I'm not sad.

This.

[Lies They Tell]

The only reason that I'm sad the CD-era is over is that it looks like we won't get to hear the mythical songs locked in Axl's vault.

What makes you think that we won't get to hear them?

What makes anybody at all think we will get to hear them?

Well, Axl has said that CD2 is finished. He will be asked when the next album will come out. What do you think he's going to answer? That he's gonna retire? Nothing is pointing in that direction. This does not sound like a man who is planning to quit: I don’t feel like I’ve done enough of anything to have a lifetime achievement award. But that’s just me. I know other people were really happy for me about it so that was a good thing. I just feel like, you know, it’s been a long, slow process beyond comprehension with Chinese Democracy, but it’s still moving forward and there’s a lot more that we hope to do.

So if he's not retiring the logical conclusion is that there's gonna be more music at some point. Axl has all the songs from the new GNR era that he's been working on for years. He also has the old stuff from the nineties. Why on earth would they not use those songs? That makes no sense. It's cool if the want to write brand new songs, but you'd think they'd also use some of the existing songs on the next album.

Now you can go ahead and say "lol new album" One day you'll see that I was right though.

[maynard]

Now you can go ahead and say "lol new album" One day you'll see that I was right though.

LOL new album. (Sorry, but I'm right on this one)

[James Bond]

Not really sad, because it never materialized with full potential. 2006 would have been the perfect time to launch the Chinese Democracy. Axl had that clean cut look with cool clothes, they had great new logo and font for Guns n Roses, those chinese looking GNR letters. The leaked songs sounded good and ready. They could have released the "sequels" in 2008 and 2010. If trilogy really was his goal woth the albums too. And then from 2011 onwards move on to other themes or whatever. Too bad.

This is how I feel. Really, the album should have come out in 2002 but I've always felt that 2006 was a missed opportunity. Axl looked and sounded great, the tour was generating positive buzz after the failed 2002 tour, and there was still some mystique surrounding the album. The release in 2008 came and went, yet another member left (Robin), and it was over a year before a tour happened. The mystique was gone. Sadly, what was perhaps the most stable Guns line-up (2009-2014) never released anything. Many missed opportunities there as well.

So no, I don't miss the Chinese era. Had it lived up to the potential, then maybe. With DJ, Bumble, and Tommy gone and no new music in sight (7+ years and countin) I really feel like getting Slash and Duff back was Axl's only option. Otherwise, the venue sizes would continue to decrease as he played with what seemed to the public and many fans to be just the latest set of replacements.

As someone who never got to see the band pre-1993, I'm over the moon that Slash and Duff are back. If we get new music too then great, but if Axl is going the nostalgia route then at least the right guy is playing the solos.

[Nosaj Thing]

New album

Alright, I can see Axl releasing a new song, but album? Never. And if he releases a song, it will feature Slash and Duff, so lol CD era is over.

[Słash]

The CD Era will only be over when a new album with Duff and Slash is released and they stop playing CD songs on the tour. But will that happen? I don't think so.

I guess for Axl CD era will go on and on, for him this is not a "reunion" by getting 2 "new" members, its just making his band move forward

Seriously God I fucking hope there is a new album.

[Apollo]

The AFD line up only released 1 real album.

The UYI line up only 2 studio albums in the 90s.

So 1 album in the 00s from new Guns was ok in my opinion. Axl fought hard to respect GNR legacy.

Better to have one good album than a number of mediocre ones ruining the legacy.

There are still leftovers...

if they are great, I hope they don't stay in the vault forever.

Wow. You think Axl was only talented enough to write one albums worth of quality songs over a 17 year period?

So you think he shot his load with appetite, lies and Illusions and wasn't talented enough to keep that writing pace going?

I respectfully disagree. I think Axl was way more talented than you do.

[Tom-Ass]

I am glad it is over.. It was nothing more than Axl's solo vision. You watch the videos and it doesn't even sound like Guns N' Roses.. I also feel CD is a black mark on Gn'R's legacy. Some people like it but most don't. I think it is awful aside from a couple songs..

[stella]

Not really sad, because it never materialized with full potential. 2006 would have been the perfect time to launch the Chinese Democracy. Axl had that clean cut look with cool clothes, they had great new logo and font for Guns n Roses, those chinese looking GNR letters. The leaked songs sounded good and ready. They could have released the "sequels" in 2008 and 2010. If trilogy really was his goal woth the albums too. And then from 2011 onwards move on to other themes or whatever. Too bad.

ITA. In 2006 they sounded great, things seemed to be rolling and they were getting a lot of attention. If CD had come out then and they had kept touring it might have really gone somewhere good.

[stella]

Not really sad, because it never materialized with full potential. 2006 would have been the perfect time to launch the Chinese Democracy. Axl had that clean cut look with cool clothes, they had great new logo and font for Guns n Roses, those chinese looking GNR letters. The leaked songs sounded good and ready. They could have released the "sequels" in 2008 and 2010. If trilogy really was his goal woth the albums too. And then from 2011 onwards move on to other themes or whatever. Too bad.

ITA. In 2006 they sounded great, things seemed to be rolling and they were getting a lot of attention. If CD had come out then and they had kept touring it might have really gone somewhere good.

[Bono]

[comaknight]

Buckethead had the most organic sounding stuff on the record, the other guitar parts that were pasted on sound exactly that - pasted on.

Finck probably had the better look for the band in 06, and Axl was at his vocal peak for the era IMO. Not taking advantage of the momentum and releasing the album as-was (ie. no pointless Bumblefoot fills, keep the Brian May Catcher Solo, Street of Dreams wordless coda vs "that's what they tell ya," etc.) was the biggest mistake.

As it stands now, depending on the rights, Axl would be better off releasing the other songs digitally through his own site and see if they gain traction before bothering with a physical release. Easy way to monetize without having to further invest in production of booklets, discs, etc. Near-instant feedback. But Axl being Axl, I'll just keep dreaming.

[ToonGuns]

There are some small unanswered questions that will keep bothering me forever:

1) What did Axl mean at RIR 2001 when he shouted "OKAY NEVERMIND" during Street Of Dreams?

2) The leaked "Checkmate" chorus is so catchy! What does the rest sound like?

3) Why exactly is Bumblefoot still not talking about it? (maybe this will be cleared up in the next few years)

4) Did Buckethead really request a chicken coop in the studio?

5) "To aviod any"

The "ok nevermind" was because Axl was having problems with his mic, he tried to get the engineer to fix it and he didn't, so he got pissed and shouted "ok nevermind" at the guy.

I agree about checkmate.

For me it is just a massive disappointment that the hype was never met. Buckets solos worked really well with an in form Axl voice, but we got so little material. Album should have come out 2004 or earlier. For me after Bucket left the hype went and the band gradually and continually went downhill.

They should clear the vault on itunes to coincide with the tour, show the fans (those of us that are interested) some thanks for 15 years of support of the era.

Or do a big bucks limited rarities boxset.

Edited January 15, 2016 by ToonGuns

[trqster]

CD was at best underwhelming... Besides This I Love there's not a single song that the casual Gn'R fan relates to. Sad.

[DarkLotus1111]

"And now I don't know why, they wouldn't say goodbye."

I refuse to believe it's over. I like CD a lot. I still pray for CD2 and that one CD remix album to come back...

I don't think CD2 will be released with the original musicians playing the songs.

The Chinese Democracy era went on for far too long for as little music as we got. No reason to be sad it's over

you're right, The Beatles were done in 10 years.

I wouldn't mind seeing Slash on CD2. I just want new music. We're all starving from lack of material. Sucks when other bands release music for their fans and we get the bone. Lol Edited January 15, 2016 by DarkLotus1111

[genesimmons]

I Liked CD, Catcher, TWAT, Prostitute, IRS and TIL. I wish, like many other fans, tat they released it earlier say 2004 and then another CD2 in 2008. However, do we truly know all the reasons for the delay? Sure, we have heard 'theories' but have we truly heard from Axl as to why it took so long? Anyways, I am very happy to see Slash and Duff back (and hoping Izzy is back at least part time and writing). Let's look at the past as a wasted decade plus and hope the next few years are a true GNR revival. Rock and music itself, needs GNR full force. The world doesn't;t need One Direction, Bieber, and the other Milli Vanillis. just my 2 cents.

[Cosmo]

The way things were going? lol hell no

[Nick85]

The way things were going? lol hell no

Pretty much this. All I can really do is lament how I *wish* the Chinese Democracy era went down.

I would have very much liked to have heard the followup album. But who knows? Maybe Slash & Duff are retooling them behind the scenes and we'll still get another GNR album yet.

[Free Bird]

The Chinese Democracy era went on for far too long for as little music as we got. No reason to be sad it's over

Yes it is sad, but when you get sad over it just remember this one little thing.

Chinese Democracy II Starts Now!

No it doesn't. Game over!

The AFD line up only released 1 real album.

The UYI line up only 2 studio albums in the 90s.

So 1 album in the 00s from new Guns was ok in my opinion. Axl fought hard to respect GNR legacy.

Lol no he didn't. One album in 22 years is the opposite of a hard working musican and it's definitely way too little to keep the GNR legacy up.

[Pedrolg]

Regardless of the reunion, the CD era is over anyway - it's a record released nearly ten years ago.

There are many cool things about the CD era: the leaks, Axl's awesomeness in 2006, the great 2010 tour. It's not like it sucked, but it was naturally over years ago, it became a drag in late 2011 at best. Even those of us who enjoyed had plenty, plenty of time to savour. It was abour fucking time for a new chapter to start.

[Free Bird]

I'm not sad in the slightest. Like Slash would say... it was way over due.

So I'm totally happy the saddest years in the history of this once so great band are finally over now and we can be happy about what the future will bring us.