Chinese era is finally ending?

[jacdaniel]

A few months ago, Slash mentioned that they'd release a handful of material that Axl had leftover and then work on new stuff. Richard has now confirmed the same. 

I'm guessing the handful of songs is Hardskool, Absurd, Perhaps, General and maybe Atlas/State of Grace at some point.

I think it is now safe to say that all the other mentioned song titles are shelved for whatever reasons? 

I personally am quite glad.  A band will always write better songs when they write as a band. Hopefully they do that now or at least spend more time on projects where they can do that. 

[Dummy]

I hope not. There are still a lot of songs left like Seven, soul monster, Berlin, thyme, cuban skies that im hoping to hear sometime

[DSTK]

Well, slash absolutely butchers the Chinese solos (usually) ...they'll always play some, Axl said he prefers playing the newer stuff at the china exchange 

[jacdaniel]

2 minutes ago, DSTK said:

Well, slash absolutely butchers the Chinese solos (usually) ...they'll always play some, Axl said he prefers playing the newer stuff at the china exchange 

He really doesn't. He did a great job to volunteer to learn almost the whole album for the fans considering it's not really his style. 

[AlterL]

5 minutes ago, jacdaniel said:

He really doesn't. He did a great job to volunteer to learn almost the whole album for the fans considering it's not really his style. 

Nahh he does, he might play them out of respect for Axl or to keep the peace within the band, but his solos on Chinese material are usually quite the downgrade on most cases.

[jacdaniel]

6 minutes ago, AlterL said:

Nahh he does, he might play them out of respect for Axl or to keep the peace within the band, but his solos on Chinese material are usually quite the downgrade on most cases.

At the last show they played Chinese, Maddie and Twat and Slash did a good job. 

This I love is the only one they played quite frequently that I didn't enjoy. 

I guess people here are agreeing then that it's best to move on from all that stuff.  

If you don't like his solos on those songs, let him write his own stuff. He's proven pretty legendary at that

[Sweersa]

25 minutes ago, Dummy said:

I hope not. There are still a lot of songs left like Seven, soul monster, Berlin, thyme, cuban skies that im hoping to hear sometime

Best case, and my hope is the remaining CD era songs are left alone and released as they were from that time. I can imagine an album with half a dozen or more CD era songs, and the remaining tracks are actual new songs, mixed and mastered right, could still be a cohesive record.

I'm sure they have at least a few songs that Slash wouldn't fit well at all, that they still want out. (Like Bucket heavy songs) I can't imagine Slash doing a song like Shackler's Revenge, or Scraped justice. I would imagine Axl recorded vocals for at least a few more of the Bucket instrumentals we got from the Village leaks.  

[Sosso]

1 hour ago, AlterL said:

Nahh he does, he might play them out of respect for Axl or to keep the peace within the band, but his solos on Chinese material are usually quite the downgrade on most cases.

How can you be so sure about that? We don't know if Slash loves or hates to play those songs. You are probably just making assumptions based on your own mind.

Slash would never play CD songs at a SMKC gig (he wont even play NR or Estranged for that matter - Axl's songs) but he seems to enjoy them in the context of GN'R.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Sosso

[jacdaniel]

7 minutes ago, Sweersa said:

Best case, and my hope is the remaining CD era songs are left alone and released as they were from that time. I can imagine an album with half a dozen or more CD era songs, and the remaining tracks are actual new songs, mixed and mastered right, could still be a cohesive record.

I'm sure they have at least a few songs that Slash wouldn't fit well at all, that they still want out. (Like Bucket heavy songs) I can't imagine Slash doing a song like Shackler's Revenge, or Scraped justice. I would imagine Axl recorded vocals for at least a few more of the Bucket instrumentals we got from the Village leaks.  

You really need to let that go... 

[Blackstar]

I don't know if it ends or not. But I do wish Axl finally closed this chapter of his life and career that has dragged for so long, in a way that would give the fans of that era closure, too. That would mean to release all the songs that have or can be reworked by Slash and Duff either all at once or piecemeal but within a small time window (like a song per month). And then empty the vault of the rest (various versions, outtakes, incomplete tracks, remixes etc, maybe throw in a couple of live shows, too, e.g. one of the 2001 Joint shows and Wembley 2006) and release it as a digital package and/or a limited edition box set - he could call it "The Chinese Democracy Years" or whatever. Then all speculation and toxicity about existing or rumoured hoarded material would finally end and Axl wouldn't have to worry about leaks anymore.

And then everybody would be able to move on. The best case scenario would be, of course, if the band created and released new music. But even if they couldn't or Axl didn't feel like it, he could do something else, like become a producer (for music -  or movies, like Slash) or just continue performing.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Blackstar

[Dummy]

3 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I don't know if it ends or not. But I do wish Axl finally closed this chapter of his life and career that has dragged for so long, in a way that would give the fans of that era closure, too. That would mean to release all the songs that have or can be reworked by Slash and Duff either all at once or piecemeal but within a sort time window (like a song per month). And then empty the vault of the rest (various versions, outtakes, incomplete tracks, remixes etc, maybe throw in a couple of live shows, too, e.g. one of the 2001 Joint shows and Wembley 2006) and release it as a digital package and/or a limited edition box set - he could call it "The Chinese Democracy Years" or whatever. All speculation and toxicity about existing or rumoured hoarded material would end and Axl wouldn't have to worry about leaks anymore.

And then everybody would move on. The best thing would be, of course, if the band created and released new music. But even if Axl didn't feel like it, he could do something else, like become a producer (for music or movies like Slash) or just continue performing.

That sounds like the dream...

[YourRocketDing]

I'd prefer they work on stuff for the modern times. The eventual 25th anniversary Super Deluxe Version of Chinese is going to be interesting. I was suprised that the Illusion re-release had bugger all outtakes new tracks or b-sides on it.....

[The Matinator]

1 minute ago, YourRocketDing said:

I'd prefer they work on stuff for the modern times. The eventual 25th anniversary Super Deluxe Version of Chinese is going to be interesting. I was suprised that the Illusion re-release had bugger all outtakes new tracks or b-sides on it.....

My guess is they're saving all that for a Spaghetti Incident reissue.

Back on topic, i doubt the CD era is 100% over. Even if theh recorded a new record I'd bet my bottom dollar something like Atlas would pop up on it.

[rocknroll41]

57 minutes ago, jacdaniel said:

A few months ago, Slash mentioned that they'd release a handful of material that Axl had leftover and then work on new stuff. Richard has now confirmed the same. 

I'm guessing the handful of songs is Hardskool, Absurd, Perhaps, General and maybe Atlas/State of Grace at some point.

I think it is now safe to say that all the other mentioned song titles are shelved for whatever reasons? 

I personally am quite glad.  A band will always write better songs when they write as a band. Hopefully they do that now or at least spend more time on projects where they can do that. 

When did Richard say that?

1 minute ago, The Matinator said:

My guess is they're saving all that for a Spaghetti Incident reissue.

Back on topic, i doubt the CD era is 100% over. Even if theh recorded a new record I'd bet my bottom dollar something like Atlas would pop up on it.

Could that be why it’s not out yet? Maybe Axl feels like that song “belongs” on an album for some reason.

Edited September 6, 2023 by rocknroll41

[Tomek1985]

54 minutes ago, Dummy said:

I hope not. There are still a lot of songs left like Seven, soul monster, Berlin, thyme, cuban skies that im hoping to hear sometime

agree, too much time passed with that shit around to just let it go

[Blackstar]

Just now, rocknroll41 said:

When did Richard say that?

Yesterday:

https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/music/st-louisan-richard-fortus-of-guns-n-roses-finally-makes-it-to-biggest-hometown-stage/article_48d6409a-48dc-11ee-8ab3-2731484c4382.html

[Nick85]

If there’s really only two tracks left “in the can” after The General, one will almost certainly be Atlas. The big question is what will that 6th track be. You’d hope they picked it based on whether Slash and Duff could/have elevated it with their sound(s). I’m hoping it’s Oklahoma/Berlin, but certainly wouldn’t be disappointed if it’s Soul Monster.

[rocknroll41]

9 minutes ago, Nick85 said:

If there’s really only two tracks left “in the can” after The General, one will almost certainly be Atlas. The big question is what will that 6th track be. You’d hope they picked it based on whether Slash and Duff could/have elevated it with their sound(s). I’m hoping it’s Oklahoma/Berlin, but certainly wouldn’t be disappointed if it’s Soul Monster.

I think it’s Soul Monster. I know Axl supposedly wrote lyrics to Berlin, but I don’t think he ever got around to recording them. Same with Seven, Zodiac, etc.

Soul Monster is the only other remaining one that he specifically said he RECORDED vocals for (not counting sketches like State of Grace or supposedly “weird” songs like Cuban Skies).

[Blackstar]

The leaked version of State of Grace was a completed song that basically only needed a proper vocal take, which Axl very likely did. So I think it's one of the strongest contenders besides Atlas.

[jacdaniel]

I think it would be awesome for Axl to just take a back seat. No overthinking, no layers, no thinkering, no stress. 

Just let Slash, Duff, Richard and Frank get in a room and belt out some monsterous songs. 

Add vocals and just release it. 

Will never happen obviously. Axl has spent close to 3 decades just overthinking too much.

[DarkLotus1111]

3 hours ago, Dummy said:

I hope not. There are still a lot of songs left like Seven, soul monster, Berlin, thyme, cuban skies that im hoping to hear sometime

The big question is... do those even have vocals? Would be cool to hear what "Seven" sounds like even if it's just an instrumental. 

[2020_Intensions]

Atlas and State of Grace are the strongest contenders for the next releases, considering they are the last of the unreleased songs that we know have vocals. You can all keep believing in Soul Monster having recorded vocals, but Axl does not have a good track record on honesty so it's just conjecture. 

[thunderram]

3 hours ago, jacdaniel said:

A few months ago, Slash mentioned that they'd release a handful of material that Axl had leftover and then work on new stuff. Richard has now confirmed the same. 

I'm guessing the handful of songs is Hardskool, Absurd, Perhaps, General and maybe Atlas/State of Grace at some point.

I think it is now safe to say that all the other mentioned song titles are shelved for whatever reasons? 

I personally am quite glad.  A band will always write better songs when they write as a band. Hopefully they do that now or at least spend more time on projects where they can do that. 

 

Let's hope so.

It's pretty funny (and ironic) how stuck in the past AXL seems to be with all the CD leftovers. I mean, this is a guy that once semi-mocked AFD and how he wanted to move on from it and bury it.

Sure wish he had the same attitude toward all this content that was created and worked on 20+ years ago.

I mean, if he's really hellbent on resurrecting unfinished projects from the ancient past, the "Lost Illusions" era stuff makes more sense to dig up and work on given the current cast of the band.

I'm not advocating for that, just saying it makes more sense than convincing SLASH and DUFF work on projects they had nothing to do with originally and that represents a genre/style of music they were never into creating in the first place.

[Blackstar]

4 minutes ago, 2020_Intensions said:

Atlas and State of Grace are the strongest contenders for the next releases, considering they are the last of the unreleased songs that we know have vocals. You can all keep believing in Soul Monster having recorded vocals, but Axl does not have a good track record on honesty so it's just conjecture. 

Why he doesn't have a good track record on honesty? If you mean the trilogy stuff, it's one thing to say something about future plans that eventually doesn't materialize (he probably really believed that at the time he said it, so he wasn't being exactly dishonest). And it's another thing to talk about something that has already happened (e.g. having recorded vocals on Soul Monster).

[moreblack]

Chinese ended when Ashba, Bumble, Pittman and Tommy got booted.