Hard Skool is coming!

[MaskingApathy]

3 minutes ago, fantomas said:

I did... and I've heard from a few that it was way better... of course it was lol

This is what I had written in the show thread:

On 8/31/2021 at 8:24 PM, MaskingApathy said:

Ok so here's my review

I got inside about half an hour before WVH started and walked around. Looking from the other sections there weren't really any bad seats in the venue, each section had a good view of the stage. Lots of people coming in and getting food/drinks. By the time WVH started the room was about 2/3 full with a lot of people still outside. WVH was great, short set though, so I was happy that I saw them the night before at their headline show (more on that later). After he was done I went out for a bathroom break and there were even more people coming in and walking around. When the intro video started the whole place was full and I couldn't see any empty seats, so this show definitely didn't have any problems selling. I guess that's the difference between playing a basketball arena vs a football/baseball stadium like some of the past few shows. 

So there's definitely a huge difference between watching the show on a stream or YouTube video vs being there in person. Even though I knew which song was coming next it still was exciting throughout. It's boring for us watching online but live it's actually a pretty good set, well paced and contains all the hits for the casuals and some other stuff for the diehards. I even enjoyed RQ (the solo breaks were fun to watch), Slash's blues solo (also fun to watch), and KOHD (one of the few songs that the whole audience went crazy for, especially during the crowd participation parts). Slash and Fortus trading solos on that song is cool to watch and you can tell they really enjoy that part. Absurd is also really cool live, and I love the new version of you're crazy. I could've done without Madagascar though, that song is kind of boring and takes away the energy that's built up from Nightrain. I would've preferred Sorry or TWAT if they have to do a CD song there, otherwise that's a good spot for PTU or whatever else. That's really my only critique with the set apart from the fact that they're not doing Locomotive/Coma/SOYL/Dead Horse/etc anymore. 

Axl was full of energy and very talkative, as noted by other people in this thread. As far as his voice goes, he sounded great overall. Low and mid voice was very strong and sounded like classic Axl, Mickey isn't really that big of a deal live. For me, watching him run around and interact with the crowd makes up for it, but overall I think he was very strong vocally. Certainly not as bad as people here make it out to be. He stayed on stage more for solos than in the past. He had a few timing issues too but it didn't throw off the band. One of my favorite moments was the little dance he did in the back during the guitar lead before the "so nobody ever told you baby" part in Estranged; another was when he came over to the stage left corner right by my section and waved, everyone near me went crazy. 

Slash and Duff were super solid as usual. I really liked seeing I Wanna Be Your Dog live, it rocks hard and the band seems to enjoy doing that song. Duff sounded really good on it, I wish they would have him sing more songs during his section, like maybe I Wanna Be Your Dog, something out of the GnR canon, maybe another song after that. If anything it would give them an excuse to do more TSI stuff. Both of them are clearly enjoying playing shows together again and I loved the little moments of interaction that they had together (I guess this is what they're talking about when they refer to Sluff). Slash's playing was incredible like it always is and he also came to the side of the stage to interact with my section. Dizzy and Melissa are kind of just there in the background and Frank's playing wasn't as offensive as it's been before. Everyone here knows that I don't really like what he's done with some of the songs and while he's no Steven/Matt (and definitely no Fitzy) he was actually pretty good. Slowing down the songs has really helped and the band sounds tighter; for a lot of the set if you closed your eyes it would sound almost like UYI era. Fortus still annoys me with his showboating antics; after seeing Frank Sidoris play before them I was imagining what it would be like if they had him up there instead of Fortus and I would've preferred that. Frankie knows how to move around the stage and look cool without overdoing it like Fortus. 

As I mentioned earlier, I saw Mammoth WVH the night before at their headline show. I ran into Frankie outside the venue when I was walking there so it was cool to see him again and talk. I was right in front between where Frank and Wolf stand on stage so I had a great view and could see everything up close. They sounded great and it's definitely one of my favorite shows that I've been to. Their opening set was only half an hour so a good introduction for new fans but if you're like me then it's worth going to a headline show.

So bottom line: if you're on the fence about seeing GnR on this run, just go do it. I waited until the week before to buy my ticket and got a good deal so you don't have to spend a lot to go. I think they sound great, better than the last couple years and they look excited and engaged again, which they weren't earlier. Go see Mammoth WVH too if they're playing near you. I kind of wish I had traveled for the LA show and/or the Vegas one as well.

 

[DaneisKing1389]

I’ll be at the Columbus show Thursday. Fingers crossed. 

[fantomas]

13 minutes ago, MaskingApathy said:

This is what I had written in the show thread:

 

That's really good to hear. As much as Axl drives me nuts with studio releases or lack there of, I've been a fan since the 80's and I don't want them to fail or falter.

[LandOla]

16 minutes ago, DaneisKing1389 said:

I’ll be at the Columbus show Thursday. Fingers crossed. 

Enjoy the first performance of Hardskool

[tkarmy]

Honestly at this point who cares

duff will redo Tommy’s bass and slash will wank out some licks he couldn’t give a shit about and we will have axls 99 vocals untouched

 

There is clearly no actual song writing ever going to happen in this line up.

ive already been listening to it for years 

and Axl will sound like a horse getting castrated live 

 

 

[Gordon Comstock]

I accepted years ago that it would be a frankenstein album, essentially Slash and Duff pasted into CD2, and while it's far from ideal I still want to hear it. I wouldn't mind studio versions of The Seeker or Wichita Lineman either.

[AxlRoseCDII]

3 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

I accepted years ago that it would be a frankenstein album, essentially Slash and Duff pasted into CD2, and while it's far from ideal I still want to hear it. I wouldn't mind studio versions of The Seeker or Wichita Lineman either.

I want them just to prove Pele wrong about Axl. Unless he’s going to try to convince us they were recorded in ‘99 too.

[Martin Riggs]

19 minutes ago, tkarmy said:

Honestly at this point who cares

duff will redo Tommy’s bass and slash will wank out some licks he couldn’t give a shit about and we will have axls 99 vocals untouched

 

There is clearly no actual song writing ever going to happen in this line up.

ive already been listening to it for years 

and Axl will sound like a horse getting castrated live 

 

 

Probably true on most of those things, But I’d still like to a hear a studio version of it with Slash doing his thing. I don’t really give a shit about Absurd, but I could see myself listening to this one for years to come. 

[Gordon Comstock]

6 minutes ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

I want them just to prove Pele wrong about Axl. Unless he’s going to try to convince us they were recorded in ‘99 too.

 

If Rock The Rock had been leaked but never released, Pele would be insisting it had '99 vocals...

[StrangerInThisTown]

2 hours ago, tkarmy said:

duff will redo Tommy’s bass and slash will wank out some licks he couldn’t give a shit about and we will have axls 99 vocals untouched

There is clearly no actual song writing ever going to happen in this line up.

I dont even see it as a negative to get material out of Axls last era of being angry, against the world, and wanting to prove something, I don't see it guaranteed in any way that what he would come up with today would be any better. To get these songs reworked by actual GNR members, finished and seeing the light of day is not exactly bad to be honest. Rock bands in their 50/60s aaren't exactly known for writing stuff that is on par with their old work.

Edited September 23, 2021 by StrangerInThisTown

[WVsax27]

they are all different people- the recording industry has also changed. Slash and Duff can do their own thing outside of the band and still be part of Axl's thing to pay the bills without it beig "a thing'. That's why it probably works in a way it didn't then.

[Powderfinger]

1 hour ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

Rock bands in their 50/60s aaren't exactly known for writing stuff that is on par with their old work.

It really depends on the artist/band - Neil Young, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, The Who, Buddy Guy, Motörhead, Judas Priest, Primal Scream and a bunch of other artists released great albums and material well into their careers. 

GnR aren’t going to write an appetite for destruction or Illusions now. But I can see them doing a great Jar of Flies/Sap type EP. (acoustic Alice in Chains EPs) 

[Free Bird]

What's even more annoying then the lack of new music is the clairvoyant skill set of internet trolls who act like they know everything.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Free Bird

[MaskingApathy]

So I guess in a little under 24 hours we might have HS... going to be patient until then.

[GoForJMark]

12 minutes ago, MaskingApathy said:

So I guess in a little under 24 hours we might have HS... going to be patient until then.

Maybe. Maybe not. We should have learned by now. I expect the same old "this is our new gooey love song" schtick from Axl as he intro Absurd and the rest of the night nothing happens. Maddy-DC-Zika-PC on the encore and then mid-night comes the link doesn't have music. 

It would feel good if they prove me wrong for once on this.

[Pskihq92]

6 minutes ago, GoForJMark said:

Maybe. Maybe not. We should have learned by now. I expect the same old "this is our new gooey love song" schtick from Axl as he intro Absurd and the rest of the night nothing happens. Maddy-DC-Zika-PC on the encore and then mid-night comes the link doesn't have music. 

It would feel good if they prove me wrong for once on this.

How I feel too. Trying to not get too excited because I know it might not be released until next week or later

[GoForJMark]

7 minutes ago, Pskihq92 said:

How I feel too. Trying to not get too excited because I know it might not be released until next week or later

The most realistic thing I'd see Axl doing is he'll have it released after this leg. Buying more months to prep himself in performing it live in Europe, IF the song hasn't faded by then.

AND the soundchecks are probably their most "unique" way of marketing it.

Edited September 23, 2021 by GoForJMark

[MaskingApathy]

38 minutes ago, GoForJMark said:

Maybe. Maybe not. We should have learned by now. I expect the same old "this is our new gooey love song" schtick from Axl as he intro Absurd and the rest of the night nothing happens. Maddy-DC-Zika-PC on the encore and then mid-night comes the link doesn't have music. 

It would feel good if they prove me wrong for once on this.

That's why I said "might."

[Stay.Of.Execution]

This might be the last hardskool-less day in our lives.

[GoForJMark]

3 minutes ago, Stay.Of.Execution said:

This might be the last hardskool-less day in our lives.

You could be the key. Maybe Nando is just waiting for you to update your signature 

[MaskingApathy]

23 minutes ago, GoForJMark said:

You could be the key. Maybe Nando is just waiting for you to update your signature 

 

27 minutes ago, Stay.Of.Execution said:

This might be the last hardskool-less day in our lives.

Yeah what happens whenever the song comes out, will you change it?

[Free Bird]

One's for sure. With every passing Friday we're getting a little bit closer to an actual release of HS. It will happen, we just don't know when.

[ThePreacher]

Unless they give any hints tonight, I will try to sleep normally till morning

Last couple of thursday night i've been restless and checked Spotify time to time Look Axl what you have made us!!!

 

 

[jamillos]

I'm normally a rather positive guy, but... all it took was one Axl's (alleged) "soon" - and I think many people have been setting themselves up for disappointment since. I'd love to be proven wrong, of course. 

[Live Like a Suicide]

13 minutes ago, jamillos said:

I'm normally a rather positive guy, but... all it took was one Axl's (alleged) "soon" - and I think many people have been setting themselves up for disappointment since. I'd love to be proven wrong, of course. 

For sure, a lot of people have been expecting a new release without much evidence, but at this stage, i think there is enough smoke to warrant a fire. We have Axl's alleged meeting with the woman, multiple shares of Hardskool's soundcheck on accounts connected with the band (even Slash) and now an official link to Hardskool's Linkfire page (even though it still needs to be updated). If they want to maintain the momentum of recent social media and media interest, then a near-future release is likely. I am pretty confident we will see Hardskool, if not by the end of the month, at least by the end of the year.