[RUMOR] Is Dj Ashba Coming Back This Next Summer?

[SoulMonster]

If Dj's coming back and it means new music, then I am all for it. If he is coming back to replace Slash, then I am more 'meh'.

[D..]

On 30/12/2017 at 4:19 PM, MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle said:

What the band has is Slash.  The band doesn't need someone on par with Bumblefoot or Buckethead because the band has Slash.  

When was the last time you heard TWAT on the NITL tour?  If it was before Apollo gig then yes, you're right, Slash's take on both Robin's and Bucket's solos were bloody awful.  All the CD songs were awful.  However, from around about Louisville on the last NA leg, he started to improve on all the CD solos and well before the last show he was nailing every one beautifully.  And Axl, judging by his animated reactions each time, knew it.  Sorry and Prostitute solos were particular stand outs.

As far as TWAT goes, Slash took 6 attempts to nail Buckethead's (listen to the LA Forum version - it's the best) and he finally nailed Robin's on the very last show.  It's funny that Robin's gave him the most trouble. ^^

Yes, right now the band has Slash. And Fortus. Let's not forget this great guitar player (also a very humble and cool guy). Yesterday it was BBF, Fortus & Ashba, before that was Finck, Fortus & BBF, before that was Finck, Fortus & Bucket, before that was Slash & Gilby, before that was Slash & Izzy, before that was... oh Tracii & Izzy. No Slash. Weird. (sorry I may have forgotten Paul Tobias)

Of course I understand a lot of you guys like Axl & Slash the best, they're one of, if not the most iconic duo of rock n' roll. Don't worry I know my Gn'R History Class and I'm a fan too.
Difference is I like all line-ups and what really matters to me is music. 

Chinese Democracy is legally a Guns N' Roses album. And personally, I love this album. Wonderful music in there.

TWAT LA Forum 2017 version is good? Are you serious?  It's a catastrophe. Slash certainly nails nothing on this song, neither Finck nor Bucket (the Bucket parts are the worst). Anytime they try TWAT live with this new line-up, I listen to it, and I always regret hearing it. Axl's voice is not helping, he hasn't sounded very good in 2017 in my opinion, especially on this song, but it depends of the songs and how long the show lasts. He sounded perfect in AC/DC. The Gn'R songs they picked in the recent setlists are extremely demanding. The setlists are huge and hard to sing as f***, even a 30 years old Axl would have struggled with all those songs. I give extra credits for the ambition of the 2016-2017 setlists. I would be happy with a shorter setlist and top notch Axl's vocals.

Back to Slash. He kills it on the older material. No one can play Coma like he does. He is an even better guitarist now than he was in the 90's. He's also the only guitarist Gn'R ever had that has that "blues' vibe". Bumblefoot did a great job covering Estranged, but he can't play it like Slash does.

On the other hand, Slash can't cope with a lot of the Chinese Democracy material. It's not his style of playing, it's not even his guitar tone. It's also much harder technically. Finck is the only guitar player that can nail the TIL solo as it was written and played. Bucket and Bumble are the only guitar players GN'R had that can nail the TWAT solos and most of the hardest material on CD.

So I would be very happy if Axl offered either Bucket of BBF a spot in the line-up to play this material live. I was really surprised when GN'R reformed with only Slash & Fortus as guitar players. I thought either they would ignore the CD material, or that they would include Bumblefoot or Buckethead in the line-up. And then I heard CD songs performed by Slash & Fortus and over the last two years, I'm sorry to say, they couldn't do justice to the material. Fortus does nail his parts, but Slash can't play it, except some parts on easier songs like Chinese Democracy or Better. I guess that's why they didn't even try Shackler's Revenge.

You can feel however you want about this, but let's be honest here: there are only two guitar players that were part of previous GN'R line-ups that can play all of the CD guitar solos properly and they are Bumblefoot and Buckethead. I'm sure there must be other guitar players out there in the world that could join Gn'R and nail those parts perfectly, but Slash & Fortus are limited to their style (which I admire a lot, they kill it in their genre) and can't do it justice. That's just the way it is.

And Axl must have all of this in mind anyway. I bet that if he could have all the past guitarists on a tour, he'd be more than happy. Everyone could kill it and play their part properly. But it costs too much and it would be next to impossible to organize. Everyone would ask for its piece of the pie and someone like Buckethead looks too unstable, he could cancel anytime or ask for a giant chicken coop on the stage. 

[Its Tino]

[DieselDaisy]

Did you know Miles Davis recorded four albums in two days? Masterpieces also. It just puts into perspective Rose who has recorded five albums during the whole period he has been going, thirty or so years!!

[Free Bird]

1 hour ago, D.. said:

Yes, right now the band has Slash. And Fortus. Let's not forget this great guitar player (also a very humble and cool guy). Yesterday it was BBF, Fortus & Ashba, before that was Finck, Fortus & BBF, before that was Finck, Fortus & Bucket, before that was Slash & Gilby, before that was Slash & Izzy, before that was... oh Tracii & Izzy. No Slash. Weird. (sorry I may have forgotten Paul Tobias)

Of course I understand a lot of you guys like Axl & Slash the best, they're one of, if not the most iconic duo of rock n' roll. Don't worry I know my Gn'R History Class and I'm a fan too.
Difference is I like all line-ups and what really matters to me is music. 

Chinese Democracy is legally a Guns N' Roses album. And personally, I love this album. Wonderful music in there.

TWAT LA Forum 2017 version is good? Are you serious?  It's a catastrophe. Slash certainly nails nothing on this song, neither Finck nor Bucket (the Bucket parts are the worst). Anytime they try TWAT live with this new line-up, I listen to it, and I always regret hearing it. Axl's voice is not helping, he hasn't sounded very good in 2017 in my opinion, especially on this song, but it depends of the songs and how long the show lasts. He sounded perfect in AC/DC. The Gn'R songs they picked in the recent setlists are extremely demanding. The setlists are huge and hard to sing as f***, even a 30 years old Axl would have struggled with all those songs. I give extra credits for the ambition of the 2016-2017 setlists. I would be happy with a shorter setlist and top notch Axl's vocals.

Back to Slash. He kills it on the older material. No one can play Coma like he does. He is an even better guitarist now than he was in the 90's. He's also the only guitarist Gn'R ever had that has that "blues' vibe". Bumblefoot did a great job covering Estranged, but he can't play it like Slash does.

On the other hand, Slash can't cope with a lot of the Chinese Democracy material. It's not his style of playing, it's not even his guitar tone. It's also much harder technically. Finck is the only guitar player that can nail the TIL solo as it was written and played. Bucket and Bumble are the only guitar players GN'R had that can nail the TWAT solos and most of the hardest material on CD.

So I would be very happy if Axl offered either Bucket of BBF a spot in the line-up to play this material live. I was really surprised when GN'R reformed with only Slash & Fortus as guitar players. I thought either they would ignore the CD material, or that they would include Bumblefoot or Buckethead in the line-up. And then I heard CD songs performed by Slash & Fortus and over the last two years, I'm sorry to say, they couldn't do justice to the material. Fortus does nail his parts, but Slash can't play it, except some parts on easier songs like Chinese Democracy or Better. I guess that's why they didn't even try Shackler's Revenge.

You can feel however you want about this, but let's be honest here: there are only two guitar players that were part of previous GN'R line-ups that can play all of the CD guitar solos properly and they are Bumblefoot and Buckethead. I'm sure there must be other guitar players out there in the world that could join Gn'R and nail those parts perfectly, but Slash & Fortus are limited to their style (which I admire a lot, they kill it in their genre) and can't do it justice. That's just the way it is.

And Axl must have all of this in mind anyway. I bet that if he could have all the past guitarists on a tour, he'd be more than happy. Everyone could kill it and play their part properly. But it costs too much and it would be next to impossible to organize. Everyone would ask for its piece of the pie and someone like Buckethead looks too unstable, he could cancel anytime or ask for a giant chicken coop on the stage. 

Maybe the reason the songs are sounding great on this tour is because Slash doesn't nail them but plays them the way he's doing. Little changes here and there on TWAT, the way he plays the Prostitute solos, his TIL solo, his takes on CD and even Sorry. All this do the songs justice IMO, but that's a matter of taste and since I'm a bigger fan of Slash's style I like the songs more than with some of the shredder stuff on them.

[Robert39]

Like al those dudes didn't sound like Slash, Slash don't (thank god !!) sound like Bucket and Bubbelgum or finck !! And i like to think slash doesn't want to sound like them at all !!

[colonizedmind]

On ‎12‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 5:22 PM, Bluefish18 said:

Maybe Fortus is bailing out?  He seemed less and less into the shows as the tour went on.

Don't forget, the guy broke his ankle and had to continue the tour for 3 months after while in recovery !
So perhaps, he didn't move around as much...

[MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle]

1 hour ago, D.. said:

Difference is I like all line-ups and what really matters to me is music. 

I like all the line-ups (except for Ashba because he’s not good enough - nothing against him personally - just I think he's a mediocre guitar player and I don't like his song writing efforts either).  The music matters to me, too.

Quote

Chinese Democracy is legally a Guns N' Roses album. And personally, I love this album. Wonderful music in there.

I also love this album.  Hey, I’m the sole member of this forum who loves Riad.   Well, there might be 2 others…unless you do and that would make a grand total of 4.

Quote

TWAT LA Forum 2017 version is good? Are you serious?  It's a catastrophe.

Yep, totally serious.

Wow, it's not often I come across 1. a CD fan 2. A CD fan who has high expectations of how TWAT should be played. LOL So this is a surprise. All TWAT versions pre-Louisville - now that was catastrophic. I remember complaining bitterly about how Slash's guitar always sounded ill or drunk, or both, and not in a good way. He struggled terribly with tone, right up until the last show where I think he finally managed to incorporate his own tone in the right way. Before then Robin's solo often sounded like a mule in pain.  So compared with that? Yeah, LA Forum was the best of Slash's versions for that leg. I still think he did a bloody awesome job.  Admittedly, Robin's solo was played a little safe but he crushed Buckethead’s. 

Quote

Slash certainly nails nothing on this song, neither Finck nor Bucket (the Bucket parts are the worst).

Buckethead's were the best - Robin's were the worst, by a loooong shot. LOL

Quote

Anytime they try TWAT live with this new line-up, I listen to it, and I always regret hearing it. Axl's voice is not helping, he hasn't sounded very good in 2017 in my opinion, especially on this song, but it depends of the songs and how long the show lasts.

I had long since given up listening to Axl.  I was just ignoring him and focusing on the band (sorry Axl!).  Now that Slash has nailed both solos, Axl shouldn't roll TWAT out again.

Quote

On the other hand, Slash can't cope with a lot of the Chinese Democracy material. It's not his style of playing, it's not even his guitar tone. It's also much harder technically. Finck is the only guitar player that can nail the TIL solo as it was written and played. Bucket and Bumble are the only guitar players GN'R had that can nail the TWAT solos and most of the hardest material on CD.

I disagree - seems to be a pattern here.   Yes, Slash struggled for most of the tour on the CD songs for the reasons you say, but he got to grips with them in the second NA leg. Of course it was always going to be a challenge for him, but he rose to that challenge.  As a fan of both CD and Slash, I'm really proud of him for what he accomplished.  It was actually exciting watching him improve with every show.  I used to look forward to seeing what he’d do next and sometimes it would work and other times it wouldn’t, but you know, that was part of the joy of it - not knowing what to expect.  

It was Slash playing the CD songs that brought some spontaneity to the setlist because they played all the other songs the same way each and every time.  It was Slash improving on CD songs that made me realise it wasn’t 'cash grab' because if it was all about money, he wouldn’t have been trying so hard.

The rest of what you say?  It’s just not practical to have half a dozen guitarists participating in the tour - though I do believe Axl would get off on that very idea.  He seems to like cluttering the stage with as many of them as possible.  It’s like his hobby, collecting guitarists. 

Look, I love CD more than life itself, but the reality is it’s not that important for the tour that they play those song to perfection or like previous line-ups did, every night.  They must do justice to AFD and some of the Illusions songs because those matter.  CD songs don’t.  Not to the crowd who’ve paid a small fortune to hear NR and SCOM.   

For what it’s worth I do think this line-up played them brilliantly in the end.  No, they didn’t play them how they were written to be played, but I’m OK with that.  I actually love the new interpretation particularly Duff’s driving bass which CD sorely lacks (Riad being the exception) and Slash’s dirtier, sexier approach - it works.  

I guess it’s a matter of personal taste and how accepting you are of hearing a different line-up put a new spin on songs you love.  I particularly love what Slash brought to Sorry, Prostitute and Catcher.  TWAT was always going to be problematic, but I sure enjoyed listening to Slash strive to conquer those solos - and he did, in his own way.  That's why I love him.

Edited January 1, 2018 by MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle

[riot]

19 minutes ago, MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle said:

I like all the line-ups (except for Ashba because he’s not good enough - nothing against him personally - just I think he's a mediocre guitar player and I don't like his song writing efforts either).  The music matters to me, too.

I also love this album.  Hey, I’m the sole member of this forum who loves Riad.   Well, there might be 2 others…unless you do and that would make a grand total of 4.

Yep, totally serious.

Wow, it's not often I come across 1. a CD fan 2. A CD fan who has high expectations of how TWAT should be played. LOL So this is a surprise. All TWAT versions pre-Louisville - now that was catastrophic. I remember complaining bitterly about how Slash's guitar always sounded ill or drunk, or both, and not in a good way. He struggled terribly with tone, right up until the last show where I think he finally managed to incorporate his own tone in the right way. Before then Robin's solo often sounded like a mule in pain.  So compared with that? Yeah, LA Forum was the best of Slash's versions for that leg. I still think he did a bloody awesome job.  Admittedly, Robin's solo was played a little safe but he crushed Buckethead’s. 

Buckethead's were the best - Robin's were the worst, by a loooong shot. LOL

I had long since given up listening to Axl.  I was just ignoring him and focusing on the band (sorry Axl!).  Now that Slash has nailed both solos, Axl shouldn't roll TWAT out again.

I disagree - seems to be a pattern here.   Yes, Slash struggled for most of the tour on the CD songs for the reasons you say, but he got to grips with them in the second NA leg. Of course it was always going to be a challenge for him, but he rose to that challenge.  As a fan of both CD and Slash, I'm really proud of him for what he accomplished.  It was actually exciting watching him improve with every show.  I used to look forward to seeing what he’d do next and sometimes it would work and other times it wouldn’t, but you know, that was part of the joy of it - not knowing what to expect.  

It was Slash playing the CD songs that brought some spontaneity to the setlist because they played all the other songs the same way each and every time.  It was Slash improving on CD songs that made me realise it wasn’t 'cash grab' because if it was all about money, he wouldn’t have been trying so hard.

The rest of what you say?  It’s just not practical to have half a dozen guitarists participating in the tour - though I do believe Axl would get off on that very idea.  He seems to like cluttering the stage with as many of them as possible.  It’s like his hobby, collecting guitarists. 

Look, I love CD more than life itself, but the reality is it’s not that important for the tour that they play those song to perfection or like previous line-ups did, every night.  They must do justice to AFD and some of the Illusions songs because those matter.  CD songs don’t.  Not to the crowd who’ve paid a small fortune to hear NR and SCOM.   

For what it’s worth I do think this line-up played them brilliantly in the end.  No, they didn’t play them how they were written to be played, but I’m OK with that.  I actually love the new interpretation particularly Duff’s driving bass which CD sorely lacks (Riad being the exception) and Slash’s dirtier, sexier approach - it works.  

I guess it’s a matter of personal taste and how accepting you are of hearing a different line-up put a new spin on songs you love.  I particularly love what Slash brought to Sorry, Prostitute and Catcher.  TWAT was always going to be problematic, but I sure enjoyed listening to Slash strive to conquer those solos - and he did, in his own way.  That's why I love him.

Hi! I dont post really often but i want you to know that i absolutely love chinese and that i hate every single slash’s solo on this i love. I even liked ashbàs take better (closer to the original.) to me fink’s solo on this i love has the same feel to it than those of november rain and i was surprised slash couldnt write something similar.

[MyPrettyTiedUpMichelle]

41 minutes ago, riot said:

Hi! I dont post really often but i want you to know that i absolutely love chinese and that i hate every single slash’s solo on this i love. I even liked ashbàs take better (closer to the original.) to me fink’s solo on this i love has the same feel to it than those of november rain and i was surprised slash couldnt write something similar.

Haha! Well, er, thank you for letting me know that. ^^  

To be honest, I don't listen to TIL.  That and Scraped are the only CD songs I can't stand to listen to. Sorry!

[HollyWoodRose84]

I think the next album is going to feature a lot of people. I don’t think Slash will be rewriting other people’s parts. My 2 cents is DJ is in LA recording parts to the new album which will feature him, robin, Slash and maybe even Bucket. Guns n Roses is more of an entity than a band at this point, has been for quite some time and I think it will be that way moving forward 

 

 

[Sydney Fan]

2 hours ago, HollyWoodRose84 said:

I think the next album is going to feature a lot of people. I don’t think Slash will be rewriting other people’s parts. My 2 cents is DJ is in LA recording parts to the new album which will feature him, robin, Slash and maybe even Bucket. Guns n Roses is more of an entity than a band at this point, has been for quite some time and I think it will be that way moving forward 

 

 

The only other question to that scenario is if Axl wants to tour and play those songs what guitar players will be playing those songs?. If any recordings Axl wants to do as a solo record he could take those muscians on the road depending upon their health and availability (if he tours under the WAR name) but if its under the GNR name, does this mean slash anjd fortus will be playing those guitar pieces on the road?. If these songs were being recorded for say a greatest hits or something then completely understand but if its a WAR solo record or GNR album this gets difficult.

[GoForJMark]

Wow this tour break is really creeping in on everyone. 

[Powderfinger]

If Axl N' Others start touring again as GNR they won't fill much more than 5-600 venues. Who's gonna wanna see that after everyone got what they wanted!!  

I understand that people like different lineups etc. But it was never Guns after Slash left and Axl should have changed the band name.... The reception to Chinese was Lukewarm. If it had been an Axl solo / new band album, I really think it would have been approached with a more open mind by critics,media and fans. 

Before the reunion people have had to buy tickets for 4-5 bands, just to see Axl sing in one band, Slash, Duff & Matt in another, Slash Solo in another, and Duff Sing in a further group..... 

This was the only way to hear these guys play these songs. Its been like this for 20 years and although all the above have their merits, NITL proved the public want one particular configuration above everything else on offer...

Has there ever been a poll of the lineups to see which is the most popular thus far? 

Edited January 2, 2018 by Powderfinger

[BangoSkank]

5 minutes ago, Powderfinger said:

If Axl N' Others start touring again as GNR they won't fill much more than 5-600 venues.

LOL okay...

[HollyWoodRose84]

GnR will only tour with Slash moving forward. I think that’s been cemented, especially with promoters. Who plays on the album(s) is a whole different story. 

[Powderfinger]

1 hour ago, BangoSkank said:

LOL okay...

 

 

Look at the sales and chart positions of Appetite, UYI 1&2 and look at the tours that went with those albums, now look at Chinese and it's tour and then look at NITL .... Numbers don't lie. Huge with Slash and Duff not so huge without. 

Plus, bollocks to all that hanging around for hours before the band came on stage. It's been great that they were able to hit the stage on time almost night during the tour. What excuses the way it was before now? 

Who's gonna hang around to see Axl N' Friends for 2 hours when they saw the real thing 2-3 years ago....

The original Guns released more material than nu guns have, and the potential for new material being released is greater with Duff and Slash back in the band. I think that material would also be more interesting.

Listening to Slash's interview with Niki Sixx he sounded positive about the whole tour and talked about how addictions keep you caught in a cycle with certain behaviours and angers and this keeps people from growing and once he cleaned up, his dealings with people had evolved. 

I think that all 3 of those guys would be an evolved songwriting team also, from what they were 25 years ago, and look what they wrote then! I would love to hear what they came up with. (In my head it's GNRs Exile On Main St) 😂

[Powderfinger]

5 hours ago, HollyWoodRose84 said:

I think the next album is going to feature a lot of people. I don’t think Slash will be rewriting other people’s parts. My 2 cents is DJ is in LA recording parts to the new album which will feature him, robin, Slash and maybe even Bucket. Guns n Roses is more of an entity than a band at this point, has been for quite some time and I think it will be that way moving forward 

 

 

This sounds like some punishment.... Like water boarding..... or playing rock music to prisoners in Guantanamo....... 

DEAR LORD NO...NOT FUCKING ASHBA PLAYING OVER SLASH.... STOP...... I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW JUST MAKE IT STOP..... 

[shotsfired cro]

2 hours ago, Powderfinger said:

If Axl N' Others start touring again as GNR they won't fill much more than 5-600 venues. Who's gonna wanna see that after everyone got what they wanted!!  

I understand that people like different lineups etc. But it was never Guns after Slash left and Axl should have changed the band name.... The reception to Chinese was Lukewarm. If it had been an Axl solo / new band album, I really think it would have been approached with a more open mind by critics,media and fans. 

Before the reunion people have had to buy tickets for 4-5 bands, just to see Axl sing in one band, Slash, Duff & Matt in another, Slash Solo in another, and Duff Sing in a further group..... 

This was the only way to hear these guys play these songs. Its been like this for 20 years and although all the above have their merits, NITL proved the public want one particular configuration above everything else on offer...

Has there ever been a poll of the lineups to see which is the most popular thus far? 

man...you overestimated that alot, ya know?

there were figures for 2011 or something on billboard, the numbers ranged from 2000 to 2500.

[Lio]

5 hours ago, GoForJMark said:

Wow this tour break is really creeping in on everyone. 

My God! You're right! If it is like this now, what will it be in 5 months time? I wonder what crazy theories will have developed by then.

[GoForJMark]

24 minutes ago, Lio said:

My God! You're right! If it is like this now, what will it be in 5 months time? I wonder what crazy theories will have developed by then.

Remember when Dave Kushner was even rumored to be part of NITL? I bet by June a theory of Dave Navarro replacing Fortus will happen. 

[Lio]

18 minutes ago, GoForJMark said:

Remember when Dave Kushner was even rumored to be part of NITL? I bet by June a theory of Dave Navarro replacing Fortus will happen. 

Hush. You know how fast rumours spread. You might have inadvertently started one!

[GoForJMark]

24 minutes ago, Lio said:

Hush. You know how fast rumours spread. You might have inadvertently started one!

It's probably in alternative nation by now. 

[Eric Cantona]

oh boy looks like the cover leaked

[HollyWoodRose84]

40 minutes ago, AslatIE said:

oh boy looks like the cover leaked

Lmao