Hey guys

Hadn't checked this thread in a loooonnnng time, but saw your comments.  Appreciate your words and thank you for taking the time to read the story.  I had a lot of fun working on the PN, even tho it took me over a year to complete.  Seems like a lifetime ago!  But it is always cool to see my work live on for others to enjoy.

Been thinking about making another PN in a different era recently. 

I've listened to a few songs and I'm mixed. I did like the Chinese Democracy single. But I'm a huge fan of the original GnR, not the watered down version of Axl and his revolving door band. I just can't get past the fact that Slash is not he guitarist and that just kills it for me. I know it shouldn't but it does. GnR with all the changes just isn't GnR anymore. This just doesn't have the GnR feel to me...it's got some good music, don't get me wrong. I think though a number of people (me included) are trying to compare this album to previous GnR albums and maybe we shouldn't. The band is different and we are 15+ years after the last true GnR albums. Maybe it would be better to compare CD to the other current rock/metal albums out right now.

BTW, if you want a really good read on one perspective of what happened to GnR, read "Slash". Obviously it's Slash's insight into his life and what ended up happening to the band after UYI came out and how they fell apart.

Sorry, ROB, but I know if I like music when I am constantly choosing to hear it.

I've listened to songs like Better, IRS, There Was A Time, The Blues/Street Of Dream, & Catcher in the Rye for the past couple of years.  Not b/c I "thought" it was good, but b/c I liked it.  The final album is only half new to me, and while I love the classic blues-rock sound of AfD, that was a completely different band playing and writing those songs.  Those were 5 kids living day-to-day, and their music reflected that.  If you really want that, then look for the next starving rock band, b/c that will never again be Axl, Slash, Duff, or Izzy. 

This new sound is still great for me.  First, it starts with Axl.  I am a fan of his voice and vocals.  No one else sounds like him.  And while I am big fan of Slash and his music, I can still hear Slash in these songs.  Honestly, what has Slash done since leaving GNR?  Played for anyone that has paid him?  When you compare all the GNR-related albums by Duff, Matt, Steven, Izzy, Gilby, and Slash, this GNR-Axl record is far better IMO.  If Axl wants to call it GNR, so be it.  No one was ever fired - they all quit.  And you see what they've done.

Axl's music is still better and to me, what defined GNR.  My biggest problem with this curent GNR is the fact that Axl is STILL IN HIDING and the band is in limbo.  No Buckethead?  A freak to be sure, but a guitar player that could rival SLash in mastery.  No Finck?  He was my favorite new member of the band and somone who had been with axl for over 10 years.  No Brain?  No Freese?  Hard to really get excited about the "band" when you don't know who is in the "band".  Unless Axl comes out of his Malibu house, this GNR album (despite how great it is) will be better known as "Axl & Friends" since so many people worked on it, but never supported it as one band.

Well, there is a strong rumor that the new GNR will perform this Sunday at the AMAs:

Is Guns’N’Roses Going to make a Surprise Appearance at the American Music Awards this Sunday?

According to one well placed music industry Deep Throat, there is a very good chance you’ll see GNR onstage at the American Music Awards this Sunday on ABC

 
“Axl wants to be the conquering hero,” says the source who has worked closely with some of the biggest acts in the world including Guns’N’Roses. “The timing of the show on the night he brings out his masterpiece is too good for him to pass up. He knows it’s a good way to get in front of old and new fans in one swoop.”

In a heavyweight line up of Christina Aguilera, the reunited New Kids on the Block (both of whom are managed by Irving Azoff), Beyonce, Coldplay, the Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys and Kanye West, among others, Guns’N’Roses would still emerge as the champion.

 
The band is likely to be introduced by Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry.

I seriously doubt it will happen.  As an ole GNR fan, whenever something makes sense, it usually doesn't happen.

But if they do, maybe we'll know who is actually in the band.

The whole album is streaming on the GNR MySpace page.

So you like 15%, ROB?  I'm a die-hard GNR/Axl fan, so I love the whole album.  Some songs rank higher than others.  Still can't fully embrace the industrail rock songs completely, then again I've never been a NIN fan either.  ALthought Robin Finck has impressed me with his playing, which I prefer compared to Buckethead or Bumblefoot.  Not saying he is better that either of them, just prefer his Slash-like style.

The industrial rock songs (Shackler's Revenge, Chinese Democracy, & Rhiad & The Bedouins) are great songs, but I wish they weren't put the industrial blender.  The more pure rock songs like Better & I.R.S., I've enjoyed those for years, and glad to have the final versions.

The majority of the songs are ballads, but they are still ringing in my head.  My favorite leak/song still has to be Catcher In The Rye.  The melody and Lennon/Chapman/book lyrics are very memorable.  The new songs like If The World, This I Love& Sorry are all very unique and sound nothing like anything GNR has ever done.  And I think that is a good thing.  All have killer guitar solos.

Looking forward to picking up my CD this weekend.  And my free Dr Pepper!

Track listing revealed. I hope they changed the name of The Blues or it is a hidden track because its a great song.

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Scraped
3. Shackler's Revenge
4. Street Of Dreams
5. If The World
6. Better
7. This I Love
8. There Was A Time
9. Riad N' The Bedovins
10. Sorry
11. I.R.S.
12. Catcher
13. Madagascar
14. Prostitute

Part of the lyrics in "The Blues" does include 'street of dreams', so it is most likely the same song.  All 9 leaked tracks in June are on this list, with most thinking the Untitiled #2 Song is called 'Prostitute'. 

'Scraped' has another name, but is completely new.  Rumors that is could be Silkworms or Checkmate.  'This I Love' is supposed to be the epic song long discussed, but no one has ever heard publically.  'Sorry' is a songs that features Sebastian Bach on vocals - he metioned with was an angry, bitter song.  'Catcher' will probably be 'Catcher In The Rye', a long-time favorite of the leaked tracks, but only one bad demo version has ever been heard.

IGN reviews "Shackler's Revenge"

Quote

Forget the GNR you remember from when you were in high school. "Shackler's Revenge" is a brooding, industrial riff with a catchy chorus and only a hint of Axl's classic high-pitched vocals that gets buried at times under heavy distortion. Once you get past the first 30 seconds, "Shackler's Revenge" picks up quite a bit, with one good hook that will keep it bouncing around in your head for at least a couple of weeks.

Everyone wants to know if the new GNR song is any good. I would say that it's an acquired taste, and that the opening half-minute feels a tad self-indulgent. But the song gets better from that point. The more I listen (and play) "Shackler's Revenge" the more it grows on me. Plenty will be turned off by the fact that this doesn't sound at all like classic GNR, but if you want a classic, just go buy Appetite for Destruction. This is the new Guns N' Roses, deal with it or get off the planet.

"Shackler's Revenge" is the second original song "Guns N' Roses" has officially released since the Illusion albums came out in 1991.

There is another review by IGN that was positive.  But this guy criticizes the song as sounding 10 years old, yet would be a success on today's rock radio.  All the while he complains that it doesn't sound like the original GNR, which is over 20 years old. 

He would make a good politician.

From the YouTube videos I've seen, the song lokos to have a great bass line and a challenging guitar part.  Elephant-noise and all.

Amazon Gold Box is running video game deals all day, including Gran Turismo 5: Prologue for $23.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/

Up right now is Blazing Angels 2.  I guess we'll see what the rest of the day holds.

From PS3Fanboy.com:

Amazon is having an All PS3 Gold Box event today. To kick things off, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is on sale for $22.99 today only or while supplies last. According to ZappDeals, who is usually correct, the following selections will be the Lighting Deals for the rest of the day. The deal goes live at each corresponding time. We'll update this post throughout the day with the price and if there are any changes, so stay tuned:

6AM PST | 7AM MST | 8AM CST | 9AM EST: Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII $23.99

10AM PST | 11AM MST | 12PM CST | 1PM EST: Logitech Driving Force GT Racing Wheel
12PM PST | 1PM MST | 2PM CST | 3PM EST: Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
2PM PST | 3PM MST | 4PM CST | 6PM EST: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
4PM PST | 5PM MST | 6PM CST | 7PM EST: Devil May Cry 4
6PM PST | 7PM MST | 8PM CST | 9PM EST: Haze

I just want to know why the hell it's taking so long if the record company has the album and when the **** we're going to get it in our hands.  I think all the hype that's surrounding this album may in effect kill the willingness of fringe fans to buy it. This may end up being a case of trying to hype something because it's really not that good.

I haven't listened to all the tracks that have been "made available", but from what I have listened to, I'm not all that stoked or excited about this album. For whatever reason, a lot of the stuff just doesn't have that GnR sound to it...at least in the traditional sense of remembering AFD and how badass that album was, some of the stuff doesn't even compare to the mediocre stuff from the Illusions albums.

That's the biggest misconception.  That GNR was built and made by 5 guys living day to day.  Read Slash's book.  It will never happen again, even if the original 5 reunite.

A current day GNR would sound like a mix of VR and this new GNR.  The sound has changed, but we knew that already.  However, Axl & Baz have said that CD "will have something for everybody", so there is still hope for a bluesy-rock track.

The latest leak is called "Chicken Dinner".  The original leaker (MisterSaintLaurent) says the file was called that.  The June leaker (Skwerl) says that his info says it is 'Shackler's Revenge'.  We'll know for sure in less than a month whn RB2 is released, but most likely sooner.  I don't know who or how MSL got ahold of this track, but he posted at MyGNRForums.com that he leaked it, and he has a lot of creditability over there for stuff.  His website also has a new release date: November 25, 2008. Take it for what it's worth.

This leak is very different from the other in that reportedly this file was ripped from iTunes.  The file is an MP4, not an MP3, and the file contained the following artwork:



I didn't like it at first, but it is growing on me.  Can't imagine trying to sing, strum, or bang the drums to this song in RB2.  Defintetly harder and crazier than anything else leaked.

Now here is the other strong rumor circulating outside of the GNR websites - the new GNR will perform Sept 7 at the 2008 MTV VMAs.  Anyone see the Britney Spears VMA commercial?  (Who the hell is Russel Brand anyway?)  No explaination as to the elephant in the background, but there is a lot of mention of an elephant sound in 'Chicken Dinner/Shackler's Revnge' at the 2:25 mark.  It could be a very subtle, wierd way to signify GNR's performance. 

Too many things happening this year for the album to NOT be released.