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![Chinese Democracy [CD] [PA]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9111/9111016_sa.jpg)
Posted by: Rocknroller
from Texas
First of all, Chinese Democracy isn't and never will be a true GNR record. Axl can put the GNR name on the cover because he has the legal right to do so, however in my opinion, GNR doesn't exist without Slash, Izzy and Duff.
I'm a long time fan of GNR. I have all the classic GNR albums and most of the original members solo records and side project albums. I love what they did individually. My problem with Democracy is that Axl put the GNR name on it and it fails to live up to the name. I wouldn't be so hard on it if it was called " The Axl Rose Project " or something.
I'm a long time fan of GNR. I have all the classic GNR albums and most of the original members solo records and side project albums. I love what they did individually. My problem with Democracy is that Axl put the GNR name on it and it fails to live up to the name. I wouldn't be so hard on it if it was called " The Axl Rose Project " or something.
Here's what I think of classic GNR ( with Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff ) versus Axl's GNR ( aka Rose N' Posers ).
Classic GNR :
1. The music was instantly classic. Songs like Sweet Child, Paradise City, Patience, Don't Cry, Novermber Rain, Estranged and many, many others are instantly recognizable and just great songs. Why ? Because they have catchy melodies, great lyrics, and people love to play, hear, and sing these songs.
2.The classic GNR sound was defined by Slash and Izzy's incredible guitar tones and distinctive rythym and lead guitars. Try listening to any classic GNR song with just the right or left speaker turned on. You'll hear Izzy's rythym guitar on the left and Slash's on the right. A perfect compliment to eachother.
3. Which brings me to Slash's guitar solos. Incredible and beautiful and always complimented or enhanced the already great songs.
4. Slash and Izzy were the real hit-making songwriters of GNR. Axl was inspired by what they were doing and vice-versa. All of the classic GNR songs we know and love wouldn't exist without the incredible guitar riffs that made them so popular. Guitarists around the world are still learning and covering these songs. I know, I'm one of them !
5. Duff's bass playing was something special. His distinctive bass runs , tone, and overall musical talent made GNR better.
6. Classic GNR is Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff ! If you take away even 1 member and it isn't GNR anymore. Slash and Izzy were the Guns. Duff was definetly a Rose. You take those away and what you have left is Rose N' Posers. When Izzy quit, Gilby Clarke filled in as one of the Guns, but he was playing what Izzy had already written. The Spaghetti Incident was a punk and glam-rock cover album (mostly).
Classic GNR :
1. The music was instantly classic. Songs like Sweet Child, Paradise City, Patience, Don't Cry, Novermber Rain, Estranged and many, many others are instantly recognizable and just great songs. Why ? Because they have catchy melodies, great lyrics, and people love to play, hear, and sing these songs.
2.The classic GNR sound was defined by Slash and Izzy's incredible guitar tones and distinctive rythym and lead guitars. Try listening to any classic GNR song with just the right or left speaker turned on. You'll hear Izzy's rythym guitar on the left and Slash's on the right. A perfect compliment to eachother.
3. Which brings me to Slash's guitar solos. Incredible and beautiful and always complimented or enhanced the already great songs.
4. Slash and Izzy were the real hit-making songwriters of GNR. Axl was inspired by what they were doing and vice-versa. All of the classic GNR songs we know and love wouldn't exist without the incredible guitar riffs that made them so popular. Guitarists around the world are still learning and covering these songs. I know, I'm one of them !
5. Duff's bass playing was something special. His distinctive bass runs , tone, and overall musical talent made GNR better.
6. Classic GNR is Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff ! If you take away even 1 member and it isn't GNR anymore. Slash and Izzy were the Guns. Duff was definetly a Rose. You take those away and what you have left is Rose N' Posers. When Izzy quit, Gilby Clarke filled in as one of the Guns, but he was playing what Izzy had already written. The Spaghetti Incident was a punk and glam-rock cover album (mostly).
Now, compare that to Axl's new GNR, Rose N' Posers :
1. The songs are mostly instantly forgettable. There are a couple of good songs in Democracy like Better and Sorry and 1 or 2 others, but there's nothing here that'll be remembered a year from now, much less 20 years from now. A true GNR album would have those instant classics, so to speak.
2. The classic GNR sound is gone, of course, replaced by Bucketheads and Robins ( and like 3 other guitarists ) clashing heavy metal tones and "rythyms". Yes, it took like 5 guitarists to replace Slash and Izzy. The result is pretty horrible. Sounds and styles collide as the guitarists try to out-do eachother. Really, I found the guitars to be over-bearing and harsh. There are few songs that get it right and I think I mentioned them.
3.Oh and the guitar solos... sigh. They sound out of place on most songs. Why ? Take a look at the album credits and you'll see that they were hacked-up, re-amped, and re-engineered ! What a slap in the face to the guitarists ! No wonder Buckethead is long gone. As a side note, Slash was asked why he left GNR and he said the troubles began when Axl had Paul Tobias overlay a guitar solo over his on Sympathy for the Devil. Shame.
4. The album credits list Lyrics N' Melodies by Axl Rose. Problem is, Axl isn't GNR all by himself. His song writing talents and his voice are undeniable. The songs just aren't catchy enough. As a whole, here's what I think of Democracy and I'll use Axl's own words: " It don't really matter, gonna find out for yourself ... " It's not bad, but it's not GNR.
5. Where's the bass in these songs ? I think I'd like Tommy Stinson's bass playing if I could hear it throught the heavy-metal muck and over-bearing sound effects and voice processing. Hey, there's a song in Democracy that starts with sound effects of an empty '80's arcade. Good going Axl, way to bring us back to when GNR was great !
6.Axl wants us to beleive that this is GNR. Problem is, like I said before, it's not GNR and it never will be. Unless, Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff can sort things out and make a new record. Then, together, they can once again acheive where this album fails : GREATNESS. As it is, in my opinion, it's just good.
2. The classic GNR sound is gone, of course, replaced by Bucketheads and Robins ( and like 3 other guitarists ) clashing heavy metal tones and "rythyms". Yes, it took like 5 guitarists to replace Slash and Izzy. The result is pretty horrible. Sounds and styles collide as the guitarists try to out-do eachother. Really, I found the guitars to be over-bearing and harsh. There are few songs that get it right and I think I mentioned them.
3.Oh and the guitar solos... sigh. They sound out of place on most songs. Why ? Take a look at the album credits and you'll see that they were hacked-up, re-amped, and re-engineered ! What a slap in the face to the guitarists ! No wonder Buckethead is long gone. As a side note, Slash was asked why he left GNR and he said the troubles began when Axl had Paul Tobias overlay a guitar solo over his on Sympathy for the Devil. Shame.
4. The album credits list Lyrics N' Melodies by Axl Rose. Problem is, Axl isn't GNR all by himself. His song writing talents and his voice are undeniable. The songs just aren't catchy enough. As a whole, here's what I think of Democracy and I'll use Axl's own words: " It don't really matter, gonna find out for yourself ... " It's not bad, but it's not GNR.
5. Where's the bass in these songs ? I think I'd like Tommy Stinson's bass playing if I could hear it throught the heavy-metal muck and over-bearing sound effects and voice processing. Hey, there's a song in Democracy that starts with sound effects of an empty '80's arcade. Good going Axl, way to bring us back to when GNR was great !
6.Axl wants us to beleive that this is GNR. Problem is, like I said before, it's not GNR and it never will be. Unless, Axl, Slash, Izzy, and Duff can sort things out and make a new record. Then, together, they can once again acheive where this album fails : GREATNESS. As it is, in my opinion, it's just good.
Some of you'll be p*ssed at what I wrote here. You'll say " Give it a chance, let it grow on you. You're p*ssed 'cause Slash, Izzy, and Duff aren't in Guns anymore ... yada , yada."
I'll already answer by saying this:
I bought the album. Axl's making money. I'm not p*ssed about Slash or any of those guys because they are all still making music and I'm more than happy to buy all of it. I'm a fan of Axl Rose and I bought this album to satisfy my curiosity. For that alone, I got my money's worth. And I got a couple of songs there that I really like, too.
It's just not a true, classic GNR record.
What's great about it: It's Axl Rose
What's not so great: It's not Guns N' Roses
I would recommend this to a friend!
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