THE GENERAL - MONSTERS - Official Discussion Thread. NO LINKS OR ASKING FOR LINKS

[Blackstar]

6 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

Not to throw my hat into the "whose playing guitar" discussion... but to my ears it's Buckethead in the outro of the General, Slash throughout Monsters, and Fortus at the tail end of Monsters.

The General outro is pretty consistent with Bucket's wah sound/tone, fast picking, and half bends he does. I'm surprised so many people are 100% convinced it's Slash (which it very well could be)

I'm no musician or expert but I think I can recognize Slash. I heard a clip that had isolated the guitar in the outro of The General, and it totally sounds like Slash.

[pbj_jam]

The General lyrics aren't exactly the song's strong suit, wish he could've been more direct, almost feels like he holds back, which could be deliberate, anywho not comparable to Illusions, like use the OIAM approach.

Monsters is that spitting venom which is a welcoming return, foolish on my part to try to compare to Illusions, we won't get that ever again as it's likely Axl writes heavy through experiences solely, unlike sitting in a dark room and channeling from within.  

[timoteo]

The last year has made me appreciate the disagreements on the music even more. 

[Caught_in_a_Coma]

5 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

 I could have done without the whole daddy don’t part.

I know what you mean.  I feel and hear pain when he sings that line (especially with the hurt/angry cat-like backing vocal).  It makes listening to the General half of the song feel sad rather than enjoyable.  But I think it gives the song bite and does whatever Axl wanted it to do.

The Monster half of the song moves away from that and I feel that half of the song a more enjoyable experience.

I think they're great tracks (or a singular great track) and remind me a bit of Coma (and a bit of Oh My God).

Edited October 28, 2023 by Caught_in_a_Coma

[Skamos66]

So Monsters is The General after all. Not two songs it seems.

[ZoSoRose]

12 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

Not to throw my hat into the "whose playing guitar" discussion... but to my ears it's Buckethead in the outro of the General, Slash throughout Monsters, and Fortus at the tail end of Monsters.

The General outro is pretty consistent with Bucket's wah sound/tone, fast picking, and half bends he does. I'm surprised so many people are 100% convinced it's Slash (which it very well could be)

That’s definitely Slash at the end of Monsters. He plays similar on The Last Fight

Agree on the rest. 

[gavgnr]

Hearing rumours that there are two versions of the songs: demo versions and final versions.

Can anyone confirm?

[Cosmo]

21 minutes ago, JimiRose said:

Because they didnt. stop thinking the dumbest thing ever.

It's not the dumbest thing ever. I think it's as dumb as thinking both tracks leaked by a third party on the very day the single was supposed to be released coincidentally, being that one was supposed to be on that single and the other wasn't, supposedly. 

Edited October 28, 2023 by Cosmo

[Bulldog]

4 minutes ago, uzi your illusion said:

If that was the case though wouldn't Bucket be listed in the writing credits?

Maybe - but it could be a similar situation to absurd, where Pitman and a lot of the NuGuns guys weren't listed even though they wrote it. I'm just not sure I trust the writing credits from GNR to be factual.

6 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

I'm no musician or expert but I think I can recognize Slash. I heard a clip that had isolated the guitar in the outro of The General, and it totally sounds like Slash.

Isolated would definitely help, as it currently stands its quite buried under heavily distorted vocals and effects.

[Skamos66]

7 minutes ago, Arnuld said:

I could have done without the whole daddy don’t part. 

Yeah, gives me early Korn vibes.

[DSTK]

1 minute ago, axlweave said:

Shine a light

The obvious online video streaming site

[Flayer]

Just now, axlweave said:

Shine a light

Use the search filter option for Today or last 24 hours for best results

[gnrjanus]

4 minutes ago, Skamos66 said:

So Monsters is The General after all. Not two songs it seems.

So. What song is the general? 

Leave me alone? Perhaps...

[JimiRose]

Just now, Cosmo said:

It's not the dumbest thing ever. I think it's as dumb as thinking both tracks leaking on the very day the single was supposed to be released coincidentally, being that one was supposed to be on that single and the other wasn't, supposedly. 

It is the dumbest thing ever. it's dumber than people thinking it isnt slash. It's dumber than the gun laws in america. And that is REALLY dumb. 

Let's go through your thought process as fernando. 'Ah shit the vinyl is delayed because the sound quality isnt good enough. we cant release this, people will send it back and say it sounds shit, we'll lose money. I know, i'll leak the song in this shit muffled quality, even though the whole reason the vinyl is delayed is the muffled quality. I'll also leak it for free, not on platforms, because even though all i care about is money, im happy for this to make us no money. I'll also do it because in 20 years of shouting at fans, taking leakers to court, spending my life taking down leaks on Youtube ive had a sudden change of heart and i am going to leak it.'

I was wrong. I dont think i have heard anything dumber in my entire LIFE

[Cosmo]

My opinion is that it was registered as "The General And Monsters" like a single track is because, somehow, Monsters was supposed to be a secret hidden bonus track in the single, that got played right after The General, in the same (physically speaking) track.

[Outofgascar]

The one guitar part sounds like it’s the guy from the credit card commercial. I think it’s him and perhaps two seconds of bends by The Colonel on The General. 

[Judezki]

26 minutes ago, Miden34 said:

i would love to have heard the intro to the general be a little heavier, same riff just deeper, with some "When the levy breaks" sounding drums instead of a pro-tools drum machine.

I feel the same way 110%. Even though I like the song already this would add a bit more organic feel to it and it could make the song sound even heavier.

[Bansidhe]

25 minutes ago, axlweave said:

I get a Black Sabbath feel with monsters

Portishead vs  Dio era Sabbath 

[The Matinator]

This whole one song or two songs thing is interesting. I could definitely see them work as two tracks or as one with a dip in the middle like November rain. I'm wondering if Monsters was supposed to be a hidden track on the perhaps vinyl & thats why its being counted as the same song in copyright strikes & such. Does anybody know how other hidden songs are counted on releases? Like Gravedancer/Don't Drop That Dime for instance?

[Cosmo]

Just now, JimiRose said:

It is the dumbest thing ever. it's dumber than people thinking it isnt slash. It's dumber than the gun laws in america. And that is REALLY dumb. 

Let's go through your thought process as fernando. 'Ah shit the vinyl is delayed because the sound quality isnt good enough. we cant release this, people will send it back and say it sounds shit, we'll lose money. I know, i'll leak the song in this shit muffled quality, even though the whole reason the vinyl is delayed is the muffled quality. I'll also leak it for free, not on platforms, because even though all i care about is money, im happy for this to make us no money. I'll also do it because in 20 years of shouting at fans, taking leakers to court, spending my life taking down leaks on Youtube ive had a sudden change of heart and i am going to leak it.'

I was wrong. I dont think i have heard anything dumber in my entire LIFE

Your logic depends on:

- Really believing it got delayed because of "sound quality"

- Thinking they'd actually lose a significant amount of money by leaking the track

- Not taking into consideration the fact the problem was "leaking" out of the hardcore fanbase, and taking over their social media and communication channels

- Not considering the fact the vinyl was put on pre-order for months, and could have been likely almost sold out, or selling quickly

- Not considering the fact people were cancelling their orders and this could turn things around

 

The reason you think it's so dumb is because you're not capable of analysing the situation in an intelligent manner.

[Mr Mini Mite]

I'm enjoying them a LOT. Been listening to them for hours and I think they're amazing., both parts (or songs, who knows). So heavy, dark, "haunting". This and Perhaps, the best releases, for sure

And it's definitely Slash on lead guitar. 

[uzi your illusion]

8 minutes ago, Bulldog said:

Maybe - but it could be a similar situation to absurd, where Pitman and a lot of the NuGuns guys weren't listed even though they wrote it. I'm just not sure I trust the writing credits from GNR to be factual.

Isolated would definitely help, as it currently stands its quite buried under heavily distorted vocals and effects.

Help me undertand. If Pittman wrote stuff, but his parts were recorded over would he still be listed on the credits.

 

is it possible that his contract in Guns paid him as an independent contractor who forfeited any writing credits in leiu of say a bonus if material was recorded and distributed? Is that a possibility?

[Nick85]

So Monsters is actually The General? So confused.

[colonizedmind]

10 minutes ago, Skamos66 said:

Yeah, gives me early Korn vibes.

But then the point or the song and theme would be gone...this is why it's not a commercial single and B-Side. It's dark shit! Axl has always had a darkness in him due to abuse. This song, he has probably carried with him his whole life. Think about that for a second....maybe why "that mix" has to be right...(how throwback to Chinese does that "issue"/excuse sound...)

[Underhardy]

36 minutes ago, TheDemocracyRose said:

Not the Guns N' Roses I like. Sounds like a mess and fits with a b-side...

The vocal minority saying this is better than ‘blues based cock rock,” is.. absurd.. a song about daddy and another Seymour song presumably about how she hurt and abused him emotionally… the lyrics to monster are fucking cringe. The rasp part lyrics are cringe. It’s clear why these stayed on the shelf for so long.. instrumentals are epic… Axl not so much.