Jump to content

The "New Album" Thread . The maybe, possibly, at some point, soon, whenever, wtf Axl thread🤞


Recommended Posts

3 hours ago, DTJ80 said:

I’ve always found my his an interesting opinion - personally I don’t think it’s THAT different to much of UYI. The stylistic changes from AFD to UYI to me are just us much as UYI to CD....you can see a progression change throughout.

If he had gone full industrial then yeah I could totally agree but I dont think it’s a total seismic shift as it is.....IMO anyway. 👍

I've always found really interesting how people classified some of CD stuff as industrial. Songs like Riad, which had an old school guitar riff and even some Immigrant Song vibe with the vocals. And that drum from the beginning is totally the same as the bridge on Muse's Time is Running Out. Better is based on a chord progression that is not really that different from songs like STP's Plush. 

The album didn't get a fair chance. Still don't have. Fair enough if you don't want to call it a GNR album, but even people who praise the individual musicians are mostly ignoring CD. I've never saw anyone really analyzing the guitars as it is, not just because it's not Slash or what Slash would sound like. 

About the stylistic changes: besides Shacklers and OMG, to me there's nothing really that different. It all goes to Pitman's synths doubling the guitars in several tracks, it changes the sonics quite a bit. Still, the songs are pretty much guitar and/or piano-guitar driven, much like the Illusions. 

10 hours ago, Sweersa said:

I believe that is him. The "old Josh drums" versions of The Blues and Riad also sound like Bucket plays, but I could be wrong. For years I always thought Bucket played the Riad leak solo, but maybe it's Robin.

Buckethead is on Riad, Hardschool, Quicksong, IRS... 

The 1st half of Riad's solo is Robin. When the key changes, it goes back to Bucket. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/13/2019 at 7:53 PM, GnR Chris said:

How do you hold streams? :)

What worries me is it doesn't make sense to drop a new album then leave the United States to go tour Europe. No offense to Europe. But seems like the band would align a new record with a new North American tour. Or do bands usually wait for the record to get out there and get airplay? I don't know.

From what I remember from other "big" bands it's not an uncommon thing to tour other continents first, it also depends on the scedule, for example, the festival season in Europe is not a thing a lot of bands want to skip 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jackparker123 said:

It's insane to me how the most anticipated and most expensive album ever made didn't have proper singles to promote it. 

  • Chinese Democracy
  • Better
  • Street Of Dreams
  • There Was A Time
  • Catcher In The Rye
  • Sorry
  • I.R.S.
  • Madagascar
  • Prostitute

All of the above could have been strong singles in my opinion, we should have got 3 or 4 singles minimum, and we should have got accompanying high budget music videos.

On another point I also think that a few of the weaker songs should have been relegated to b-sides.

I'm going slightly mad here but hey ho:

August 2008:

Better (Single)

  1. Better
  2. Shacklers Revenge

October 2008:

Chinese Democracy (Single)

  1. Chinese Democracy
  2. Riad N' The Bedouins

November 2008:

Chinese Democracy (Album)

  1. Chinese Democracy
  2. Better
  3. Street Of Dreams
  4. If The World
  5. There Was A Time
  6. Catcher In The Rye
  7. Sorry
  8. I.R.S.
  9. Madagascar
  10. This I Love
  11. Prostitute

February 2009:

Street Of Dreams (Single)

  1. Street Of Dreams
  2. Scraped

 

Apparently CD was an official single (mustn’t of had a video) and Better/SOD were promotional singles for radio play.

Clearly Better was intended to be a full on single with the video etc - I wonder why that was canned?

But yeah - it should have had some serious push with singles and it didn’t.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, Voodoochild said:

I've always found really interesting how people classified some of CD stuff as industrial. Songs like Riad, which had an old school guitar riff and even some Immigrant Song vibe with the vocals. And that drum from the beginning is totally the same as the bridge on Muse's Time is Running Out. Better is based on a chord progression that is not really that different from songs like STP's Plush. 

The album didn't get a fair chance. Still don't have. Fair enough if you don't want to call it a GNR album, but even people who praise the individual musicians are mostly ignoring CD. I've never saw anyone really analyzing the guitars as it is, not just because it's not Slash or what Slash would sound like. 

About the stylistic changes: besides Shacklers and OMG, to me there's nothing really that different. It all goes to Pitman's synths doubling the guitars in several tracks, it changes the sonics quite a bit. Still, the songs are pretty much guitar and/or piano-guitar driven, much like the Illusions. 

Buckethead is on Riad, Hardschool, Quicksong, IRS... 

The 1st half of Riad's solo is Robin. When the key changes, it goes back to Bucket. 

I suppose we have the benefit of knowing now that Eye On You/State Of Grace we’re in play for a while too which gives more credence to the Industrial part....but agree the final album doesn’t sound very industrial to me either.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, DTJ80 said:

Apparently CD was an official single (mustn’t of had a video) and Better/SOD were promotional singles for radio play.

Clearly Better was intended to be a full on single with the video etc - I wonder why that was canned?

But yeah - it should have had some serious push with singles and it didn’t.

There were no official singles to my knowledge. There was a Chinese/Shacklers 7" vinyl that I think may have been a pre-order bonus in Europe and the UK . And promo CDs existed for Chinese/Better/Street Of Dreams.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, jackparker123 said:

There were no official singles to my knowledge. There was a Chinese/Shacklers 7" vinyl that I think may have been a pre-order bonus in Europe and the UK . And promo CDs existed for Chinese/Better/Street Of Dreams.

Chinese Democracy and Better were for sure singles, radio stations in the US received CDs of the tracks. I have a handful of them. I'd post a pic if I was home, but you can still find them on eBay last time I checked. 

CD was an awful single choice, Better, was a good choice. CD had a video planned according to the MSL documents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Chinese Democracy and Better were for sure singles, radio stations in the US received CDs of the tracks. I have a handful of them. I'd post a pic if I was home, but you can still find them on eBay last time I checked. 

CD was an awful single choice, Better, was a good choice. CD had a video planned according to the MSL documents.

Depends on your definition of a single I guess. To me a single is a song that gets a physical stand alone release that is available in record stores, for sale to the general public, and therefore eligible to chart.

This was still the norm with singles back in 2008, in the UK at least, but streaming was beginning to make an impact.

Lots of songs by bands I like have promo CD's issued for specific songs but they're not singles to me without getting an official release.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, jackparker123 said:

There were no official singles to my knowledge. There was a Chinese/Shacklers 7" vinyl that I think may have been a pre-order bonus in Europe and the UK . And promo CDs existed for Chinese/Better/Street Of Dreams.

 

28 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Chinese Democracy and Better were for sure singles, radio stations in the US received CDs of the tracks. I have a handful of them. I'd post a pic if I was home, but you can still find them on eBay last time I checked. 

CD was an awful single choice, Better, was a good choice. CD had a video planned according to the MSL documents.

Good debate 😂.  An hour ago I’d have said no singles were released apart from promos and I thought I’d check before I posted....and Wikipedia has CD has it as an official single and has chart positions for a dozen countries (I have the 7” you refer to and I’m positive it says promo on it..).
 

Sorry for the horrid copy and paste...

Year Single Peak chart positions
US
[344]
US
Main

[345]
AUS
[346]
AUT
[347]
GER
[348]
IRE
[349]
NL
[350]
NZ
[351]
SWE
[352]
SWI
[353]
UK
[354]
2008 "Chinese Democracy" 34 5 54 26 38 3 15 27 3 11 27
"Better" 18 * * * * * * * * *
2009 "Street of Dreams" * * * * * * * * *
"–" denotes releases that did not chart. * denotes promotional release; not eligible for international charts
Edited by DTJ80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, yourcrazy said:

The lack of success of cd was basically all axl’s fault.  No record could live up to the hype of 14 years of hype and speculation.   At this point, the record was famous for all the wrong reasons and became something like Greek mythology.     Once it was released, reality set in that this was just a good record.  It didn’t live up to the myth (nothing would of).  If this record came out in 98 or 99 it would of been huge.  All that and then account for the change in the music industry and it was set for failure.  
 

Yeah, it would have been bigger than the actual release. Still, I'm glad that the album was finally released in 2008. I was still hyped about the 2006 Tour back then. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Free Bird said:

Most people I know (on forums etc.) bought that record. I remember how I met a guy from another forum at the store before it opened just to be the first in town who buys that record on the day of its release. We were excited as hell and we both knew there wasn't Slash on it.

The disappointment was BIG though.

To me the point of preoccupation because of Slash regarding CD seemed always as an attempted explanation or as an excuse by people who were dissapointed of the low success of CD.

There might were a few guys out there who were biased to the point of not buying that record or not giving it a fair listen. But that surely was a minority which didn't effect the success of CD.

I think the biggest reason for that was the change of sound. It wasn't just a different band, the music was entirely different. 

Of course there's a difference between good and popular. Many unknown bands have good but unsuccessful albums. But if an album has GNR printed on it's cover, then that alone should help sell a lot of records. Of course there's a lot more that flows in but a few years back something similar sold pretty well (Contraband).

The sound/style was definitely a factor too... on some of the songs. It's not for everyone though😃

I don't know your experience with it! but I have met loads of people that haven't listened to it, or thought it was still being made!🤣 and they all said the same thing "it's shit" followed closely by something about the break up, name, or Slash - "it's a shit record, why would I bother listening to it?" was probably the most memorable dumb thing I've heard about CD. How you can judge an album without hearing it is beyond me! especially if it's 10+yrs later and you didn't realise it's been released😄 

I have met a small amount of people that enjoyed it too, but you really have to look😄

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, jackparker123 said:

Depends on your definition of a single I guess. To me a single is a song that gets a physical stand alone release that is available in record stores, for sale to the general public, and therefore eligible to chart.

This was still the norm with singles back in 2008, in the UK at least, but streaming was beginning to make an impact.

Lots of songs by bands I like have promo CD's issued for specific songs but they're not singles to me without getting an official release.

Oh My God (1999) was also a single, those can be quite rare, but I have that one as well on a single disc.  I don't know if any were available for sale, but that isn't a requirement for it to be a single, even if it's not normal.

I'll take photos of what I have later, some are interesting. Not all of mine are from the US either.

Distribution to radio stations alone should qualify it as a single. Better and CD did get radio airplay too, though not much in my area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_(music)#:~:text=In music%2C a single is,also appears on an album.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Oh My God (1999) was also a single, those can be quite rare, but I have that one as well on a single disc.  I don't know if any were available for sale, but that isn't a requirement for it to be a single, even if it's not normal.

I'll take photos of what I have later, some are interesting. Not all of mine are from the US either.

Distribution to radio stations alone should qualify it as a single. Better and CD did get radio airplay too, though not much in my area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_(music)#:~:text=In music%2C a single is,also appears on an album.

I've got a couple of those Oh My God promos myself, specifically these two:

https://www.discogs.com/Guns-N-Roses-Oh-My-God/release/5793736

https://www.discogs.com/Guns-N-Roses-Oh-My-God/release/5882632 

Again no official/public single release for Oh My God. Only officially available on the End Of Days soundtrack.

Edited by jackparker123
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, jackparker123 said:

Very nice! I have the second one you listed. I believe the first one is more rare.

I'll try to remember to post photos of my little collection tonight after work. My favorite is the Japanese CD single, it uses the 2006 era artwork, which is my personal favorite, by far.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, DTJ80 said:

 

Good debate 😂.  An hour ago I’d have said no singles were released apart from promos and I thought I’d check before I posted....and Wikipedia has CD has it as an official single and has chart positions for a dozen countries (I have the 7” you refer to and I’m positive it says promo on it..).
 

Sorry for the horrid copy and paste...

Year Single Peak chart positions
US
[344]
US
Main

[345]
AUS
[346]
AUT
[347]
GER
[348]
IRE
[349]
NL
[350]
NZ
[351]
SWE
[352]
SWI
[353]
UK
[354]
2008 "Chinese Democracy" 34 5 54 26 38 3 15 27 3 11 27
"Better" 18 * * * * * * * * *
2009 "Street of Dreams" * * * * * * * * *
"–" denotes releases that did not chart. * denotes promotional release; not eligible for international charts

I would guess those chart positions are from iTunes downloads?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, jackparker123 said:

I would guess those chart positions are from iTunes downloads?

No idea mate - did they even do that in 2008...I can’t remember when downloads started counting....or maybe I’m getting confused with streaming.....this all makes me feel old 😂!!?

You might be in with a shout if downloads WERE counted:-

"Chinese Democracy" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, and the title track from their sixth studio album. It was released as a radio single on October 22, 2008[1] and was released on the iTunes Store on November 9, 2008. It was primarily written by Axl Rose and Josh Freese.[2] It was the band's first single of original material since "Estranged" was released in 1994 as the final single off the 1991 album Use Your Illusion II.

Edited by DTJ80
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, --DEA-- said:

If this was a normal band they should have at least released one song in this covid-19 pandemic.. Just look at Marilyn Manson.. A whole album. He really care about his fans. 

There has been a lot of bands this year that cares about their fans =)

And the latest is that AC/DC is rumored to release their new one this november. Take that, Axl!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, ThePreacher said:

There has been a lot of bands this year that cares about their fans =)

And the latest is that AC/DC is rumored to release their new one this november. Take that, Axl!

It has nothing to do with the band, it has everything to do with Axl. Everyone must tread lightly with Axl’s irrational thinking and erratic behavior. I could imagine how often band mates must walk on eggshells just to keep this facade going. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guns N' Roses cares for their fans - in their own special way.  GNR recognizes that money doesn't grow on trees - and by providing as little opportunities for the masses to spend money on the band, they have more they have to spend on other things.  

At least the difference between 2020 and 2002 conversations is that we can talk about Chinese Democracy as an album that actually exists.

Edited by Spike Killer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, jackparker123 said:

Depends on your definition of a single I guess. To me a single is a song that gets a physical stand alone release that is available in record stores, for sale to the general public, and therefore eligible to chart.

This was still the norm with singles back in 2008, in the UK at least, but streaming was beginning to make an impact.

Lots of songs by bands I like have promo CD's issued for specific songs but they're not singles to me without getting an official release.

CD was released as a physical stand alone disc. I know it becsuse I bought it. I would post a picture of it if I'd know how it works...

Try this one

https://ibb.co/jMmcmH8

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Free Bird said:

CD was released as a physical stand alone disc. I know it becsuse I bought it. I would post a picture of it if I'd know how it works...

Try this one

https://ibb.co/jMmcmH8

 

Good point. I was aware of that CD but I actually thought it was a promo until now. After a look on discogs it does appear to be an official release.

I wish they bothered with a proper picture sleeve though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, DTJ80 said:

 

Good debate 😂.  An hour ago I’d have said no singles were released apart from promos and I thought I’d check before I posted....and Wikipedia has CD has it as an official single and has chart positions for a dozen countries (I have the 7” you refer to and I’m positive it says promo on it..).
 

Sorry for the horrid copy and paste...

Year Single Peak chart positions
US
[344]
US
Main

[345]
AUS
[346]
AUT
[347]
GER
[348]
IRE
[349]
NL
[350]
NZ
[351]
SWE
[352]
SWI
[353]
UK
[354]
2008 "Chinese Democracy" 34 5 54 26 38 3 15 27 3 11 27
"Better" 18 * * * * * * * * *
2009 "Street of Dreams" * * * * * * * * *
"–" denotes releases that did not chart. * denotes promotional release; not eligible for international charts

I dont remenber hearing any of the CD songs/singles on Aus radio during this time.

If i was from the record company, i woukd have done a non expensive video for better as a way of gauging interest. The days of GNR spending 1.2 million dollars on a video like they did for NR are over.

Then i would have done a single and vid for SOD then CD as a rockier song and gone all out for TWAT. Using footage or photos from the illusion era days and a few models as well to convey the lyrics. Maybe TWAT as the second single.....

 

Edited by Sydney Fan
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...