"The General" is officially delayed... but "The General" AND "Monsters" is (unofficially) out of the bag

[Amir]

27 minutes ago, Voodoochild said:

Or maybe it was produced way before both joined the GNR camp.

Maybe. Beltrami is on it and he apparently worked on songs in 2002, but the ones he specifically mentioned working on that year were the ones which didn't make the album, so maybe the ones on the album were worked on at a different point?  But the lack of Paul Tobias as well makes me think the version on the album was produced after Bucket left.

[Arnuld]

4 minutes ago, Amir said:

Maybe. Beltrami is on it and he apparently worked on songs in 2002, but the ones he specifically mentioned working on that year were the ones which didn't make the album, so maybe the ones on the album were worked on at a different point?  But the lack of Paul Tobias as well makes me think the version on the album was produced after Bucket left.

If I recall correctly the songs on CD with strings were arranged by a guy name Paul Buckmaster. I don’t think Beltrami worked on anything that made CD

[Voodoochild]

9 minutes ago, Amir said:

Maybe. Beltrami is on it and he apparently worked on songs in 2002, but the ones he specifically mentioned working on that year were the ones which didn't make the album, so maybe the ones on the album were worked on at a different point?  But the lack of Paul Tobias as well makes me think the version on the album was produced after Bucket left.

I think Paul wasn't on the song because it wasn't suppose to have any rhythm guitar at all. Bumblefoot's addition in this one was even more out of place IMO, and felt like he was just trying to get in some capacity in every single track for no reason. 

I still believe Robin's solo was recorded between 2005-07 because of how it sounded more like his live setup tone than any other CD song. Not sure when Pati Hood recorded the harps, but sp1at mentioned it before 2006 as far as I know. 

Of course, the song could be (mostly certain is) from multiple recordings across the whole CD saga. 

[Amir]

12 minutes ago, Voodoochild said:

I think Paul wasn't on the song because it wasn't suppose to have any rhythm guitar at all. Bumblefoot's addition in this one was even more out of place IMO, and felt like he was just trying to get in some capacity in every single track for no reason. 

I still believe Robin's solo was recorded between 2005-07 because of how it sounded more like his live setup tone than any other CD song. Not sure when Pati Hood recorded the harps, but sp1at mentioned it before 2006 as far as I know. 

Of course, the song could be (mostly certain is) from multiple recordings across the whole CD saga. 

Looks like Patti recorded her part around 2004:

https://gnrhispana.forosactivos.net/t648-entrevista-con-patti-hood

She was just given an instrumental at the time. Not to say vocals were not recorded as I don't think she would near to hear them to play her part, but Axl's vocals still sound 2006-ish.

[Amir]

22 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

If I recall correctly the songs on CD with strings were arranged by a guy name Paul Buckmaster. I don’t think Beltrami worked on anything that made CD

Both Beltrami and Buckmaster worked on songs.

Songs worked on by both on them:

SoD
TWAT
Madagascar
Prostitute

Whereas only Beltrami worked on TIL (and the unreleased tracks).

[there is no dana only zool]

2 hours ago, ZODIAC said:

They also used music from "The Exorcist" as intro music around that time. 

I mean, I remember Exorcist from 99/2000/2001 but... i don't think it was used in 06, was it???

[bumbleslash69]

1 hour ago, Seb91 said:

My guess is it'll be played live after it's dropped. I feel that the Perhaps thing showed us that's very much the m.o. as they could have played it yonks before it dropped if they wanted to. The streaming thing's an interesting question, the media outlets are saying October but that seems to be purely based on the vinyl release date so it could be any time really. My guess is they wouldn't want it too soon as Perhaps is still new. I do wonder if it will get some proper promo. 

 

That's where I'm at. They'll give Perhaps time to breathe. They had the full rollout with it so they'll be trying to sell as many T-shirts and Magic 8-Balls as they can. I'm thinking mid-September will be when it drops. Gives people more motivation to buy tickets, shirts, pre-order the vinyl, etc.

Releasing it when the 7" drops makes zero sense. There'd be no more shows left to promote (which is where the real money is, not in streams and record sales) and Perhaps (the single) will have lost all its steam by then. But it's GnR, so who knows lol. 

[Blackstar]

From a4d, the chapter about Marco Beltrami and Paul Buckmaster adding orchestration:

SUMMER OF 2002: MARCO BELTRAMI AND PAUL BUCKMASTER WORK ON THE MUSIC (a-4-d.com)

And about Patti Hood adding harp on TIL:

MID-2005: PATTI HOOD ADDS HARP TO 'THIS I LOVE' (a-4-d.com)

Edited August 24, 2023 by Blackstar

[Underhardy]

It's rumored The General's lyrics center around child abuse. I've never seen anything to hint at this. I know the speculated lyrics say "Who did this, to you?" which would make sense. But where did this rumor actually start? There was one mention of a song about child abuse in a release from Globo the day after Rock in Rio 2001. 

"With 18 songs, the group's next album [...] which will be released in June [...] is a collection of songs, which, in Axl's opinion, are as good as 'November Rain'. Among them 'Madagascar', included in the show on Sunday. The CD will include a tribute to John Lennon [Catcher in the Rye], and another [song] about child abuse." (O Globo, 01/16/01)

Did someone just decide to assume, or guess, it was The General being referenced here and run with it? 

[Blackstar]

Just now, Underhardy said:

It's rumored The General's lyrics center around child abuse. I've never seen anything to hint at this. I know the speculated lyrics say "Who did this, to you?" which would make sense. But where did this rumor actually start? There was one mention of a song about child abuse in a release from Globo the day after Rock in Rio 2001. 

"With 18 songs, the group's next album [...] which will be released in June [...] is a collection of songs, which, in Axl's opinion, are as good as 'November Rain'. Among them 'Madagascar', included in the show on Sunday. The CD will include a tribute to John Lennon [Catcher in the Rye], and another [song] about child abuse." (O Globo, 01/16/01)

Did someone just decide to assume, or guess, it was The General being referenced here and run with it? 

Yes, it's just fan speculation relying on that quote (although probably The General wasn't written yet at that time) in combination with Evader's interpretation and attempt to decipher the lyrics from the cell phone clip.

[Underhardy]

And furthermore, I find it interesting that the song is still called "The General." It was named after the chicken the band was eating when Brain wrote the instrumentals. Axl thought it was about Tommy initially. There were no lyrics then. Axl must've heard that song title, and wrote the song based off of it in a way. He had to have been inspired by that title to write a song around it. I'm so fascinated to hear the lyrics. 

[StrangerInThisTown]

37 minutes ago, Underhardy said:

And furthermore, I find it interesting that the song is still called "The General." It was named after the chicken the band was eating when Brain wrote the instrumentals. Axl thought it was about Tommy initially. There were no lyrics then. Axl must've heard that song title, and wrote the song based off of it in a way. He had to have been inspired by that title to write a song around it. I'm so fascinated to hear the lyrics. 

I don't get how you come to that conclusion. Why would it be that way? I simply believe they think it's hilarious to release it with the original General Tsos Chicken working title. I doubt theres someone actually called The General in the lyrics when we know the source of what the title actually references, a joke working title.

Edited August 24, 2023 by StrangerInThisTown

[Sweersa]

Robin's TIL solo existed by the time Patti put her beautiful harp work on it. 

[Underhardy]

51 minutes ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

I don't get how you come to that conclusion. Why would it be that way? I simply believe they think it's hilarious to release it with the original General Tsos Chicken working title. I doubt theres someone actually called The General in the lyrics when we know the source of what the title actually references, a joke working title.

I guess it would be so GNR to have their most anticipated unreleased A-List song be named the working title named after chicken. Kinda like their first single being ‘new material’ being Absurd. With rumors that the songs lyrics are about something as serious as child abuse, especially to Axl, I just can’t imagine him not re-naming the song. 

[Voodoochild]

2 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Robin's TIL solo existed by the time Patti put her beautiful harp work on it. 

Source?

[Sweersa]

1 minute ago, Voodoochild said:

Source?

You're going to have to take my word for it. 

[AtlasIllusions]

On 8/23/2023 at 1:16 PM, Blackstar said:

This was the tracklist that was talked about on the forums after MSL's blackmail video - no Perhaps, Nothing and S.O.G.:

http://www.gnrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?id=11088

Blackmail video? What happened with that? How does this guy even get all this stuff

[General2112]

3 hours ago, bumbleslash69 said:

That's where I'm at. They'll give Perhaps time to breathe. They had the full rollout with it so they'll be trying to sell as many T-shirts and Magic 8-Balls as they can. I'm thinking mid-September will be when it drops. Gives people more motivation to buy tickets, shirts, pre-order the vinyl, etc.

Releasing it when the 7" drops makes zero sense. There'd be no more shows left to promote (which is where the real money is, not in streams and record sales) and Perhaps (the single) will have lost all its steam by then. But it's GnR, so who knows lol. 

I think sometime late September they will play the general. Right before Power trip would even help sell tickets to that. Lots of big places to premier that at really 

[ZODIAC]

The care bear video... 😅 Ridiculous. He claimed, that he got a stick in his mail, anonomously, with all that information on it... 🙄

[Mikey Whipwreck]

Hard Skool was released about 6 weeks after Absurd. Hopefully something similar happens here. 

[drlaban]

3 hours ago, Underhardy said:

It's rumored The General's lyrics center around child abuse. I've never seen anything to hint at this. I know the speculated lyrics say "Who did this, to you?" which would make sense. But where did this rumor actually start? There was one mention of a song about child abuse in a release from Globo the day after Rock in Rio 2001. 

"With 18 songs, the group's next album [...] which will be released in June [...] is a collection of songs, which, in Axl's opinion, are as good as 'November Rain'. Among them 'Madagascar', included in the show on Sunday. The CD will include a tribute to John Lennon [Catcher in the Rye], and another [song] about child abuse." (O Globo, 01/16/01)

Did someone just decide to assume, or guess, it was The General being referenced here and run with it? 

And 18 songs implies a double album. 

[LandOla]

12 hours ago, Jw224 said:

Didn't the better video treatment leak? Something I remember seeing.

Yeah the whole video leaked at some point. Seemed like it was something akin to the Perhaps video, but it was much poorer creation than the Perhaps one.

[The Matinator]

7 minutes ago, LandOla said:

Yeah the whole video leaked at some point. Seemed like it was something akin to the Perhaps video, but it was much poorer creation than the Perhaps one.

I just rewatched it a few days ago. Definitely hasn’t aged well. To be honest the graphics didn’t even look that good for its time.

[CAFC Nick]

Yeah the Better video was utterly bizarre, glad they didn’t end up releasing that.

[megaguns1982]

1 hour ago, CAFC Nick said:

Yeah the Better video was utterly bizarre, glad they didn’t end up releasing that.

The band introductions were so cheesy. I seem to remember GnR blaming Lars Ulrich for it not being released? Something like that