"Slashing ‘Chinese Democracy’ to 45 Minutes" (Ultimate Classic Rock article)

[Nintari]

On 11/30/2021 at 7:50 PM, Cosmo said:

IMO, no album should be longer than 45min, with a few very rare exceptions. I'd take out Scraped, Riad, Sorry and TIL and trim a few of the songs down.

I actually read a study that some scientists did where they determined the perfect listening time for an album of music is exactly 30 minutes. Anything over that, the listener slowly begins to lose his or her attention.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Nintari

[Rovim]

4 minutes ago, Nintari said:

I never understood a lot of the specific criticisms toward the actual music. When you listen to songs like Estranged and Breakdown, it's very easy to see the natural progression toward songs like Catcher in the Rye and Prostitute. Even if Slash and Duff had remained in the band, I still think those songs would have made whatever album came out next because they seem completely logical in the context of Axl's evolution as a songwriter.

maybe cause Slash is a big part of the classic Gn'R sound and for some fans it's just a crucial part of what makes Gn'R a great band. The Izzy factor is also important imo and Chinese lacked that, though I think the album is still great.

[Rovim]

5 minutes ago, Nintari said:

I actually read a study that some scientists did where they determined the perfect listening time for an album of music is exactly 30 minutes. Anything over that, the listener slowly begins to lose his or her attention.

idk. I think it depends on how much a musician got to say so the musical statement should be as long as needed for the artist to express themselves and if it's good, the listener won't lose their attention or the issue is more with the listener than the artist imo.

[Cosmo]

On 12/1/2021 at 2:24 AM, Gunner Gilby said:

Depends on the quality of the songs and if they're all good enough to hold your interest. As we've only had one new album of original material since 91 and that was thirteen years ago. I certainly wouldn't want any of Guns albums to be shorter. 

Besides which everyone's favorite album tracks are different. So if  as some have discussed you cut Illusions to a single album or Chinese to 45 minutes, you'd be removing songs some love.

Yeah but I bet both albums would be much better listens if they were trimmed down to their absolute best. The rest could easily be released as B-sides to singles and such.

[IrishgunnerII]

On 11/26/2021 at 11:39 PM, -W.A.R- said:

The song is actually fine musically with a really nice intro. It's Axl's immature lyrics that really drag it down to misery  

Whereas Absurd has both terrible music and immature lyrics.

Most of if not all the songs on the illusion albums are fine musically, but yes get in the ring hasn’t aged well at all.

[rocknroll41]

On 12/6/2021 at 2:15 AM, Nintari said:

I actually read a study that some scientists did where they determined the perfect listening time for an album of music is exactly 30 minutes. Anything over that, the listener slowly begins to lose his or her attention.

That explains why I like most Kiss albums.

[Mendez]

i like long albums if they are good.

[scottish nutter]

On 12/7/2021 at 9:39 PM, Cosmo said:

Yeah but I bet both albums would be much better listens if they were trimmed down to their absolute best. The rest could easily be released as B-sides to singles and such.

These days everyone can do this themselfs, id rather have everything and pick my own playlist and skip the songs i dont like rather than have someone else tell me what songs are the best and only release those ones

[Nintari]

On 12/9/2021 at 7:10 AM, rocknroll41 said:

That explains why I like most Kiss albums.

Yeah. I have also found the closer an album gets to the half-hour mark, the more I listen to it. Whereas something like Chinese Democracy, it's like... listen to it from front to back, put it away for another year--or three lol. It's just exhausting sitting through seventy minutes of music, even if I love it.

[CubanSkies Dummy]

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

1 & 9 are 1999 versions.

6 fan mix only piano and vocals

8 fan mix 1999 version w/vocals added.

All the rest are 2005 versions.

[DTV88]

On 12/9/2021 at 3:14 AM, IrishgunnerII said:

Most of if not all the songs on the illusion albums are fine musically, but yes get in the ring hasn’t aged well at all.

Wasn’t Get In The Ring originally brought in by Duff? I still love the music but the lyrics are completely immature 

[W. Axl Kev]

Interesting article and concept. I wouldn't fight them on cutting This I Love, certainly. I've always been a Madagascar fan so I'd need to keep that because it encapsulates a lot of my memory and anticipation of Chinese Democracy being released.

A couple of them made an observation which I've never stopped to think about before. A few of the songs do indeed have needlessly long, ponderous intros. I think it works with the opener but Riad one is just weird.