ABSUЯD Single released at midnight

[agustingloger]

I don't love the song itself but the whole picture of it. I think there's more coming... Maybe this was the "easiest" song to release quick. Who knows. I think the music sounds great but Axl's vocals with too much effects i'm not sure

[Tom2112]

7 minutes ago, downzy said:

I’m of the opinion this is a really weird and perhaps counterproductive strategy.

How many people will be willing to give GNR’s next single a listen if they’re turned off by Absurd?

We kind of saw that with CD, with the underwhelming response to the title track’s single release.

I think it has more to do with the band liking the idea of Absurd as a single than it does with rebuilding interest in anything GNR releases. The song is a punch to the face. There is nothing safe about it. I think that likely appeals to Axl, Slash, and Duff more than any concerns over whether people actually like it or what people expect of them. 

Whether I like it or not is beside the point. 

I appreciate that they'd release a song that I'd so obviously abrasive and hard to get into. Most bands in gnrs position would go in and cook up the watered down *insert major hit* and laugh all the way to the bank. 

I really hope there's at least one or two songs that Slash wrote so we can get a little bit of the straight rock n roll in a long with the experimental stuff. I'm all for the experimental stuff too but I think I'd also kinda like a gnr album that more than a pocket of fans can enjoy. I cannot see Absurd becoming a live fan favourite.

[ToonGuns]

1 hour ago, rocknroll41 said:

Why did Brain get credited but not Buckethead, even tho that’s definitely still Buckethead’s killswitch in the intro?

Also sounds like Bucket on the acoustic bridge bit?

I hope they let him guest at a concert. That would be epic.

[agustingloger]

14 minutes ago, downzy said:

I’m of the opinion this is a really weird and perhaps counterproductive strategy.

How many people will be willing to give GNR’s next single a listen if they’re turned off by Absurd?

We kind of saw that with CD, with the underwhelming response to the title track’s single release.

I think it has more to do with the band liking the idea of Absurd as a single than it does with rebuilding interest in anything GNR releases. The song is a punch to the face. There is nothing safe about it. I think that likely appeals to Axl, Slash, and Duff more than any concerns over whether people actually like it or what people expect of them. 

At this point they don't care what people Say about it. They release what they want. They really don't Make music for the fans. Chinese is the Best example. That sounds nothing like GNR and Axl released it anyway because it was his vision. Casual fans only want to hear SCOM and PC

[Coma16]

Just now, ToonGuns said:

Also sounds like Bucket on the acoustic bridge bit?

I hope they let him guest at a concert. That would be epic.

Not in this lifetime 😉

[fantomas]

11 minutes ago, downzy said:

I think it has more to do with the band liking the idea of Absurd as a single than it does with rebuilding interest in anything GNR releases. The song is a punch to the face. There is nothing safe about it. I think that likely appeals to Axl, Slash, and Duff more than any concerns over whether people actually like it or what people expect of them. 

You bring up an excellent point about them playing it safe.  My concern is as far as the mainstream audience goes, this is going to turn them right off. There is nothing safe about this. There is also nothing that says GnR is back.  They have left it too long between releases to justify such a change in direction. They almost needed to play it somewhat safe to entice a new/old/uninterested audience in. This feels more like a fuck you to the died hards than a genuine attempt to release new material. 

[Tom2112]

23 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

Get people shocked with Absurd and then release the accessible song right after. Hard Skool, here we come

I think that's logical in a gnr logic way🤣

...One month later "🎶hey hey mac daddy, hey heey" 

[duffgnr86]

Just now, Tom2112 said:

I think that's logical in a gnr logic way🤣

...One month later "🎶hey hey mac daddy, hey heey" 

Slash is Mc Daddy

[AirSenna]

Not my favorite, but after listening to it 100 times I'm digging it more and more.

[2020_Intensions]

1 minute ago, Tom2112 said:

I think that's logical in a gnr logic way🤣

...One month later "🎶hey hey mac daddy, hey heey" 

Eye on You is the obvious next release for them to go for

[guitarpatch]

1 minute ago, Tom2112 said:

I think that's logical in a gnr logic way🤣

...One month later "🎶hey hey mac daddy, hey heey" 

This isn’t being talked about enough. We’re this close to Mac Daddy

[Tom2112]

1 minute ago, fantomas said:

You bring up an excellent point about them playing it safe.  My concern is as far as the mainstream audience goes, this is going to turn them right off. There is nothing safe about this. There is also nothing that says GnR is back.  They have left it too long between releases to justify such a change in direction. They almost needed to play it somewhat safe to entice a new/old/uninterested audience in. This feels more like a fuck you to the died hards than a genuine attempt to release new material. 

A fuck you to the diehards? If anyone is going to enjoy this it's the diehard fans. This is a love letter to us... maybe a love letter from an unbalanced ex but nonetheless it's nice to be thought of😊

The fans that skipped Chinese and have been enjoying NITL this is a "BTW we aren't no classic rock band" notification😄 

[guitarpatch]

4 minutes ago, fantomas said:

You bring up an excellent point about them playing it safe.  My concern is as far as the mainstream audience goes, this is going to turn them right off. There is nothing safe about this. There is also nothing that says GnR is back.  They have left it too long between releases to justify such a change in direction. They almost needed to play it somewhat safe to entice a new/old/uninterested audience in. This feels more like a fuck you to the died hards than a genuine attempt to release new material. 

I don’t think people are going to stadium shows to hear new material if it were safe or not. They are there to hear old songs

Maybe GNR doesn’t care if it resonates with them. Maybe they don’t want to play it safe

[alfierose]

25 minutes ago, downzy said:

I think there’s a whole lot of cognitive dissonance going on in the last 12 hours.

On the one hand, the song isn’t great.

On the other, it’s the first real new release from GNR (not counting SOYL) in over a decade.  

It’s hard not to be excited about that and celebrate the song for that fact. 

Yeah I'm afraid it's not growing on me. I've listened to about 3/4 of the YouTube video and that's probably me done.

If they release HS as a single I will make up for my disloyal ears by playing that plenty. 

Very happy with the general buzz around them releasing something though.

[Towelie]

This is a good day for GNR fans. 

For once, I can say nice one Axl, nice one Guns, nice one TB. 

[wondering where's izzy?]

11 hours ago, James Bond said:

If you had told me when I joined this forum in 2004 that 17 years later we'd be listening to Slash play on this song of all things...

Ha exactly my thoughts. Also joined in 2004.

[TheGeneral]

Look at all of you, having Stockholm Syndrome for that song ...

 

... yeah, me too, kinda.

 

[GNRfanJen]

I think we can all agree that this song isn't exactly what you would call "good." This is surely no Estranged, nor even a simple, cool tune like Brownstone. The title of the song is appropriate; there really is no better word to describe the song than absurd. Would it have made more sense to release Hard Skool first? Obviously. I mean, I wish they had.

But this is what we got and I'm (still) celebrating. There was clear intention on Axl's part to make this particular song the first single over any others. What his reasons are? Only he knows. But fuck it, I'm along for the ride. I've waited almost 10 years of my life for a "new" Guns N' Roses song so I'll take what I can get. 

[duffgnr86]

I know a lot of people who went to the 2016 reunion tour shows and when Chinese Democracy songs were played they didn't even know what was happening... this song is surely not for them

[guitarpatch]

So when are we getting the Absurd merch? Can’t believe that’s not up and running 

[Gibson87]

Some thoughts, now that I've had time to process it...

I'm really starting to dig this song. The lyrics don't bother me simply because I was never one to pay attention to song lyrics anyways. Instrumentally it rocks the fuck out, that riff is simple but pretty catchy. They did a really good job with the tension/release when they came out of the breakdown, as well as in the final chorus where it stops for a beat and everything comes right back in. Pretty good job on the production as well, I wish the "screaming fucking banshee" line was on beat the first 2 times. 

Overall, I love the vibe of the song and the absurdity of this whole situation. I thought I had this band figured out and then they pull this shit. I love it

[SAU3R]

9 hours ago, SilverMachine said:

So many on here have got it all wrong. 

I love the fact that it's divisive as fuck - think back to when you first heard Welcome To The Jungle or It's So Easy and what that was like.

The usual comeback route these day's for bands is for some dull Coldplay-esque radio-friendly thing with a some tired 80's synth pads underneath to somehow make it relevant.

This is genuinely edgy and will undoubtedly fuck a load of people off. Far more in keeping with their roots in many ways.

Not sure its something I'll listen to a great deal, but its in total "what-the-fuck?" territory and has put a smile on my face this morning.

This is probably the best summary of this song so far. I didn’t even think this far but imo it’s spot on 

[Stealthcamo]

6 hours ago, denin said:

It's either to promote the new tour or Axl realized during the lockdown that he can cheer people up by releasing his weird music.

Not gonna lie, a semi-regularly released "new" song from the current lineup would brighten my days working from home and drinking myself into an administrative stupor.

[guitarpatch]

“I sense great vulnerability. A man-child crying out for love. An innocent orphan in the post-modern world.”

“I see a parasite. A sexually depraved miscreant who is seeking only to gratify his basest and most immediate urges.”

“His struggle is man’s struggle. He lifts my spirit.”

“He is a loathsome, offensive brute. Yet I can’t look away.”

“He transcends time and space.”

“He sickens me.”

“I love it.”

“Me too.”

[Argento]

Axl: "Slash, would you stop playing Starcraft, we need that new video!!!"

Slash: "Hold my beer!"