Bob Dylan rejected Slash solo for sounding to much like GN'R

[merryfnchristmas]

On 4/5/2022 at 8:18 AM, Sosso said:

“I went into the studio with my happy-go-lucky guitar player attitude,” he explained. “It was a simple song with a I-IV-V [chord] progression called Wiggle Wiggle. Right before I played, Bob asked me to make it sound like Django [Reinhardt, the French-Romani jazz legend]. 

“I didn’t think he was serious,” Slash continued. “I played what I thought was one of my better one-off guitar bits as me, and also did an acoustic track. And I asked Don to send me a rough [mix] when he was ready.”

However, as Slash was soon to find out, the rough mix unfortunately didn’t include his solo.

He added, “A couple of days later he sent me the cassette, and when we get to the guitar solo section, it’s nothing but me strumming acoustic for sixteen bars. I called Don and said, ‘What happened to the guitar?’ He told me, ‘Bob says it sounds too much like Guns N’ Roses.’”

 

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/slash-bob-dylan-solo-rejected

It's a strange Dylan album. Definately not in my top 10, 20 or 30. I suspect Bob Dylan does not work very well in those all-star cast situations. Maybe nobody really does. Not really Slash or Bob's fault, more just a weird idea to try and smoosh incongruous players together.

I do like Born In Time from that record though. Other than that it's mighty slim pickins. 

[thunderram]

11 hours ago, Free Bird said:

I don't know... to me all that yiu mentioned sound like Slash, though. Even in different styles. And Slash's a big part of the GNR sound. So yeah... even if the music is different, the guitar is still recognizable Slash.

Of course SLASH has a recognizable sound. And for those of us that aren't the typical casual fan, we recognize it easier.

That said, the guitar work on VR and SMKC is different enough that it isn't instantly recognizable as "GUNS" to the average fan.

From a 1st person perspective I know this because over the years as the music came out I would play it for friends/family and rarely did anyone know what it was or who it was. The ones that did answer usually thought VR was STP due to Scott's voice.

Regardless, as a huge fan of GN'R dating back to the 80's and being an amateur guitarist myself, I can unequivocally say that despite SLASH's signature sound and style across ALL his recordings, the work he did on much of VR and SMKC is different.

I'll bet if you played any of the deep cuts from GN'R and then from VR (songs that aren't instantly recognizable to the layman) to any music fan that isn't a super fan like most are in this forum -- they will not be able to tell you there's any connection whatsoever. Especially so if you mixed in some tunes from a couple other bands as well.

Edited April 6, 2022 by thunderram

[thunderram]

On 4/4/2022 at 11:34 PM, drlaban said:

That was 15-30 years later than the Dylan thing though. 

I don't dispute that. Point was, SLASH's work on GN'R differs from his work on much of VR and some of SMKC.

But to further demonstrate how SLASH was more than capable in 1990, take the song "Always on the Run" as an example. The main riff was considered "too funky" for GN'R to use, which is largely why Lenny Kravitz ended up with it. And that tune was recorded in 1990 and was surely something SLASH had come up with earlier than 1990.

There were lots of riffs and parts SLASH came up with that AXL and/or the rest of the band didn't wish to use back in those days because it supposedly "didn't fit" the GN'R sound. Which proves that SLASH was quite capable of sounding different than "GN'R".

I mean, his own band essentially said so!

Edited April 6, 2022 by thunderram

[thunderram]

On 4/4/2022 at 11:47 PM, Stay.Of.Execution said:

Bob Dylan is overrated and annoying

I completely agree.

Like The Beatles, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and many others, their greatness is vastly overstated. 

I don't deny the musical impact and influence, but the overall work isn't that great.

Like anything, if something is your cup of tea and among your favorites -- you'll believe differently. But for those that aren't super into those artists, the music they created is very much overrated.

Same goes for later era artists such as U2, Metallica, Nirvana and even our own GN'R.

 

5 hours ago, merryfnchristmas said:

I love me some Dylan and some GnR, but the Guns Knockin On Heavens Door is an eternal pissbreak moment for me. That's about the nicest way I can put it!

 

The current version of how the song is performed, I agree. But not how it was performed circa 1987 through 1993. More so the earlier 80's versions.

The 90's version bordered on being too long. But the version AXL's been doing since NuGN'R and now with the current lineup is WAY too freaking long.

Edited April 6, 2022 by thunderram

[WhazUp]

9 minutes ago, thunderram said:

But for those that aren't super into those artists, the music they created is very much overrated.

I think though ultimately it is all down to personal preference, no?  Like, a band's greatness being viewed as vastly overstated is just as much a subjective "cup of tea" thing than those who are accused of overstating their greatness IMO

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by WhazUp

[thunderram]

1 minute ago, WhazUp said:

I think though ultimately it is all down to personal preference, no?  Like, a band's greatness being viewed as vastly overstated is just as much a subjective "cup of tea" thing than those who are accused of overstating their greatness IMO

 

I absolutely agree. That was basically my point.

[Free Bird]

51 minutes ago, thunderram said:

Of course SLASH has a recognizable sound. And for those of us that aren't the typical casual fan, we recognize it easier.

That said, the guitar work on VR and SMKC is different enough that it isn't instantly recognizable as "GUNS" to the average fan.

From a 1st person perspective I know this because over the years as the music came out I would play it for friends/family and rarely did anyone know what it was or who it was. The ones that did answer usually thought VR was STP due to Scott's voice.

Regardless, as a huge fan of GN'R dating back to the 80's and being an amateur guitarist myself, I can unequivocally say that despite SLASH's signature sound and style across ALL his recordings, the work he did on much of VR and SMKC is different.

I'll bet if you played any of the deep cuts from GN'R and then from VR (songs that aren't instantly recognizable to the layman) to any music fan that isn't a super fan like most are in this forum -- they will not be able to tell you there's any connection whatsoever. Especially so if you mixed in some tunes from a couple other bands as well.

I don't know what casual fans or foreign people think. I'm only speaking for me. 

Playing a funky riff that being rejected for Guns is something else than playing a solo which, even on Always On The Run is typical Slash and therefor typical GNR. The songwriting differs from band to band. The guitar solos not so much. Even in Obsession Confession you should immediately recognize Slash

And I think a music genius like Dylan is more than capable of doing so.

[thunderram]

1 hour ago, Free Bird said:

I don't know what casual fans or foreign people think. I'm only speaking for me. 

Playing a funky riff that being rejected for Guns is something else than playing a solo which, even on Always On The Run is typical Slash and therefor typical GNR. The songwriting differs from band to band. The guitar solos not so much. Even in Obsession Confession you should immediately recognize Slash

And I think a music genius like Dylan is more than capable of doing so.

 

First of all, labeling Bob Dylan a "music genius" beyond what he does -- which is extremely limited -- is quite silly. I mean, as others pointed out -- how genius was it to invite SLASH to play and think he wouldn't sound like SLASH? Imagine GN'R asking Dylan to guest on a song but ask him not to sound too much like Dylan?? Freaking genius alright. But I digress....

You clearly missed the point and for some reason are moving the goal posts to only include "solos".

You do realize musical style includes more than just "solos"? Apparently you and Bob Dylan aren't "music genius" enough to recognize SLASH's strumming pattern, as that part was left in tact. But whatever.

Regardless, SLASH has done many solos across the lesser known songs of his catalog that if you didn't already know the song and it was played for you, along with several other hard rock blues-based solos from other guitarists, I'll bet anything you wouldn't score 100% on the test. I'll also bet anything that until you discovered SLASH had done Obsession Confession you had ZERO idea it was him. It wasn't at all as recognizable as you're letting on. Especially in 1996.

But think (lie) as you like.

As I proved, SLASH has created riffs and solo's that his band mates didn't believe sounded like Guns N' Roses thus they were rejected. You can try to dismiss and re-direct all you want, the point has been made.

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by thunderram

[Free Bird]

2 hours ago, thunderram said:

 

First of all, labeling Bob Dylan a "music genius" beyond what he does -- which is extremely limited -- is quite silly. I mean, as others pointed out -- how genius was it to invite SLASH to play and think he wouldn't sound like SLASH? Imagine GN'R asking Dylan to guest on a song but ask him not to sound too much like Dylan?? Freaking genius alright. But I digress....

You clearly missed the point and for some reason are moving the goal posts to only include "solos".

You do realize musical style includes more than just "solos"? Apparently you and Bob Dylan aren't "music genius" enough to recognize SLASH's strumming pattern, as that part was left in tact. But whatever.

Regardless, SLASH has done many solos across the lesser known songs of his catalog that if you didn't already know the song and it was played for you, along with several other hard rock blues-based solos from other guitarists, I'll bet anything you wouldn't score 100% on the test. I'll also bet anything that until you discovered SLASH had done Obsession Confession you had ZERO idea it was him. It wasn't at all as recognizable as you're letting on. Especially in 1996.

But think (lie) as you like.

As I proved, SLASH has created riffs and solo's that his band mates didn't believe sounded like Guns N' Roses thus they were rejected. You can try to dismiss and re-direct all you want, the point has been made.

 

Me and Bob Dylan in one sentence  thanks I appreciate that.

Of course you're right when you say I'm not a music genius. But Dylan is one of the best songwriters of our time. To say he isn't a genius in that regard is like saying The Beatles weren't important as a rock band or Jimi Hendrix is an amateurish guitar player.

Why I limited my statement on the solos? Because that's what Dylan erased obviously.

He kept the strumming but the solos were too much like GNR sounding. And thats what I'm saying which you don't get I think. Slash's solo's sound too much like Slash and therefore too much like GNR... always. That's not bad or good... it depends on what you like.