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

[Powerage5]

I don't really understand this narrative that it would be tone deaf to release it as a vinyl exclusive track. It's not some new concept for physical releases to have exclusive tracks whether it's a B-sdie, an LP bonus track, or a bonus track on a Japanese release. This stuff used to happen all the time, and plenty of bands still do it that way. I don't think it's really fair to say that it's harsh for the band to not make this mythological song readily available to everybody - we are the ones that built up this myth after all for a song that's only been mentioned in an official context a handful of times over 20 years. 

On the contrary, I kind of like that GN'R are doing this the old school way if it's true it won't be availably digitally. I love opening a new record and being able to dig into a bonus track that I know I can't hear otherwise. 

[ZODIAC]

7 hours ago, TrixAreForKids said:

I do hope we get to hear the demo at some point! I have to say the 2022/23 released stuff has too much production.

So has the 2008 released stuff.. 😉🤷‍♂️

[GNRmello77]

I just want to share with you fellow suckers for this song on here, that I am beyond excited for The General to come out. Every day since I pre-ordered the Perhaps single there's a moment when the desire to hear it comes through me. It's not normal and I never had this with any song by any band before. If what @Powerage5 said is true, I am in for a long wait as it has to go overseas and god knows how long that will take lol. I once received 2 GN'R leather jackets from the online store for the price of one because after 4 months it was still not here, and they sent me a new one. Then they both came one week in-between.

[Gordon Comstock]

14 minutes ago, Powerage5 said:

I don't really understand this narrative that it would be tone deaf to release it as a vinyl exclusive track. It's not some new concept for physical releases to have exclusive tracks whether it's a B-sdie, an LP bonus track, or a bonus track on a Japanese release. This stuff used to happen all the time, and plenty of bands still do it that way. I don't think it's really fair to say that it's harsh for the band to not make this mythological song readily available to everybody - we are the ones that built up this myth after all for a song that's only been mentioned in an official context a handful of times over 20 years. 

On the contrary, I kind of like that GN'R are doing this the old school way if it's true it won't be availably digitally. I love opening a new record and being able to dig into a bonus track that I know I can't hear otherwise. 

 

If this were a small band that released music somewhat regularly, a vinyl-only bonus track would be something cool for hardcore fans. But The General is 100% going to be on youtube, soundcloud, etc. as soon as people start receiving the records, so GNR may as well put it on their official channels and make a few bucks from streaming...

The only logical reason not to monetize it as soon as the vinyl ships, is if the 'album in November' thing is true. But that's even less likely than them releasing the song as a vinyl-exclusive. Either way... I'm stoked to spin the record and I'm gonna download it the second it's posted on discord.

[Arnuld]

Richard said they are looking to add the General to the set list. I cannot imagine that happening if it’s not coming out on streaming first. 

[ZoSoRose]

Who cares? We’re getting The General 

[NachoLZ]

28 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

Richard said they are looking to add the General to the set list. I cannot imagine that happening if it’s not coming out on streaming first. 

When

[kozydogg]

33 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

Richard said they are looking to add the General to the set list. I cannot imagine that happening if it’s not coming out on streaming first. 

They played Absurd before it was available on stream.

[gunsnchalupas]

I read that it is only being released as sheet music.

[Arnuld]

24 minutes ago, NachoLZ said:

When

In that article that just came out. He said that it may be making an appearance in the set list soon. 

20 minutes ago, kozydogg said:

They played Absurd before it was available on stream.

Wasn’t it like 2 days beforehand though? All I was saying is that if they are going to play it they are going to stream it. 

[Amir]

10 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

I could care less about the rehearsal video lol

Hilarious that hoarders think that still has value after we got motherfucking HOB '01. Ship has long since sailed.

[Voodoochild]

11 hours ago, Gordon Comstock said:

 

If this were a small band that released music somewhat regularly, a vinyl-only bonus track would be something cool for hardcore fans. But The General is 100% going to be on youtube, soundcloud, etc. as soon as people start receiving the records, so GNR may as well put it on their official channels and make a few bucks from streaming...

The only logical reason not to monetize it as soon as the vinyl ships, is if the 'album in November' thing is true. But that's even less likely than them releasing the song as a vinyl-exclusive. Either way... I'm stoked to spin the record and I'm gonna download it the second it's posted on discord.

Yeah, and keep in mind that this wouldn’t sit well with the press coverage. It’s way too easy to write that the band is rewarding dedicated fans with a ridiculous condition of having a vinyl player in 2023 - and with a lot of cases having to deal with overseas shipments and taxes for the record itself. It would be a really bad marketing idea. 

[AxlRoseCDII]

Perhaps this makes me a shitty music nerd, but I don’t even have a record player. Move too much and have too small of space for it. Can’t imagine I’m alone. Really sucks to limit a mythical song like that, I hope it just gets a release in streaming services to cover all bases.

[Its Tino]

4 minutes ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

Perhaps this makes me a shitty music nerd, but I don’t even have a record player. Move too much and have too small of space for it. Can’t imagine I’m alone. Really sucks to limit a mythical song like that, I hope it just gets a release in streaming services to cover all bases.

I’m having a record player installed in my truck for it. 

[estrangedtwat]

9 hours ago, gunsnchalupas said:

I read that it is only being released as sheet music.

Beck released an album that way.  He never released any recordings of it either.  Pissed me off.

 

[Blackstar]

Maybe they just wanted to make it special for the fans who would buy the 7'' so that they will be the first to hear it before it becomes available for everyone, and then it will be released in other platforms and formats. It could also explain why there's been no announcement for a Perhaps/General CD yet. Of course it will be ripped and shared as soon as people receive their 7'',  but a vinyl rip is a bit more "difficult" (and also affects audio quality) than a CD rip.

It could have been worse. Like if, for example, it was a Nightrain exclusive before being released for everyone (now that would have been a real ripoff); or if they trolled everyone and released it exclusively on cassette

We also have to always keep in mind that the mythical status and importance of this song is only limited to a few hundred people, and that's mostly because of something Bach said many years ago. So expecting it to be released with a lot of fanfare is like thinking that the small world of diehard fans is the "world at large".

 

[bumbleslash69]

4 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

Maybe they just wanted to make it special for the fans who would buy the 7'' so that they will be the first to hear it before it becomes available for everyone, and then it will be released in other platforms and formats.

If it really doesn't find its way on a streaming service, it could be something like that. If there is an EP/LP of Chinese leftovers on the horizon, maybe they hold it until then. I'm thinking we're up in arms over nothing. It'll be out on streaming services.

I did have a dream though that it was an instrumental :| there were just horns and it sounded like a film score. 

[ZoSoRose]

22 minutes ago, estrangedtwat said:

Beck released an album that way.  He never released any recordings of it either.  Pissed me off.

 

Holy shit is this for real? What an asshole 

[Spoon87]

2 minutes ago, bumbleslash69 said:

 

I did have a dream though that it was an instrumental :| there were just horns and it sounded like a film score. 

I would laugh and cry simultaneously until I drop down and die.

[Barlog]

11 hours ago, gunsnchalupas said:

I read that it is only being released as sheet music.

with all the lyrics being replaced with hay hayyys

[UYI4]

What’s going to be awesome is if the evader version is damn near on the nose the same but with cleaner vocals.  
 

As far as Slice goes.  I look at that from me being a musician as well.  I assume those guys were shown demo versions of the songs.  Slash probably would have done something very similar to Robin in HS or Perhaps.  Not wanting to copy it he did what he felt was best off of feel and didn’t want to mimic.  Had Robin’s parts not been there I would bet it would have been super similar from slash.  Axl obviously did his best to mimic the members he lost.  Down to the styles and amps used.  You watch Fortus rig rundowns, and if you know Izzy’s it’s almost 6’s. If you show an average fan the demos they’d think the solos in HS and Perhaps weren’t.  Also how do we know they weren’t originally Slash solos.  Some of these songs on lockers and probably others may have sat around since the old band.  It’s been brought up by members that they were working on things that old members were a part of.  I think it’s all cool.  I’m a huge slash mark, but I agree the Robin parts carried far more depth.  Slash’s parts aren’t bad.  I just think they would’ve been similar to Robins parts had they not been there. 
 

I still really wonder if the general is a Bside because maybe Slash and Duff didn’t track on it or they don’t really plan on playing it live at all or if so, maybe a couple times. 
 

after that I’d assume digital release and or physical cd release around February 2024 just like last time with HS.  Maybe some other songs or live crap. 

[Nick85]

15 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

I don't really understand this narrative that it would be tone deaf to release it as a vinyl exclusive track. It's not some new concept for physical releases to have exclusive tracks whether it's a B-sdie, an LP bonus track, or a bonus track on a Japanese release. This stuff used to happen all the time, and plenty of bands still do it that way. I don't think it's really fair to say that it's harsh for the band to not make this mythological song readily available to everybody - we are the ones that built up this myth after all for a song that's only been mentioned in an official context a handful of times over 20 years. 

On the contrary, I kind of like that GN'R are doing this the old school way if it's true it won't be availably digitally. I love opening a new record and being able to dig into a bonus track that I know I can't hear otherwise. 

You’re not wrong in that it’s certainly nothing new to throw exclusive tracks on physical copies. I think the annoyance comes from the idea that, while you and I might love our vinyl and see it as special, the vast majority of fans in 2023 consume their music digitally and they’d be left scrambling for ripped YouTube videos that would likely be pulled off quickly anyway. 

Edited September 8, 2023 by Nick85

[DingBat]

15 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

I don't really understand this narrative that it would be tone deaf to release it as a vinyl exclusive track. It's not some new concept for physical releases to have exclusive tracks whether it's a B-sdie, an LP bonus track, or a bonus track on a Japanese release. This stuff used to happen all the time, and plenty of bands still do it that way. I don't think it's really fair to say that it's harsh for the band to not make this mythological song readily available to everybody - we are the ones that built up this myth after all for a song that's only been mentioned in an official context a handful of times over 20 years. 

On the contrary, I kind of like that GN'R are doing this the old school way if it's true it won't be availably digitally. I love opening a new record and being able to dig into a bonus track that I know I can't hear otherwise. 

Yeah plenty of bands do it, but those bands release more than 4 songs in 14 years. Burying one of those 4 on a vinyl only single release is nonsense and I hope it doesn't happen. 

[AtlasIllusions]

I am going to try fighting listening to it online (someone will upload it to YT 100%) until my vinyl gets here. I remember when the 7inch vinyl came out for preorder, I was super high lol. Midnight struck and I went to GNR website to see if any merch was there, I went to preorder the vinyl and saw the General was the bside and flipped my shit. It was before logging onto the forum or anything. I can't wait to experience hearing it for the first time! I think all that is left on my bucketlist for GNR stuff is honestly somehow, someway, hearing the Vegas shows from the end of 01. The pictures are so damn cool, and everyone says Axl was on fire that night. Does anyone have any idea if a hoarder would even have this? I mean, we knew HOB was recorded so we knew there was a chance one day we'd see it. Do we know anything about the other vegas stint GNR did? 

[Cosmo]

17 hours ago, LandOla said:

I kind of wish it wouldn't. It would be this gem from the Chinese era that can be only heard from the vinyl. Of course people will rip it and upload to Youtube etc but would be kind of cool.

I love hidden and rare tracks like that