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Re: AXL ROSE with RAPIDFIRE
If Axl can't get out CD II, do you really think these are coming soon?
j/k
If I remember correctly there was some C&D thing Axl sent out to try to keep it from being released. He did the same thing with the Hollywood Rose release awhile back. Tried to threaten lawsuit, but they released it anyways because Axl didn't actually own the masters. One of GNR's earlier bassists did.
Re: AXL ROSE with RAPIDFIRE
I heard the same stuff a while back. But everything got quiet about it for the last couple years. I know Kevin pulled an axl and year after year saying it was going to come out no matter what evan if axl can't agree on how to put it out. I would like to here them hell I'm sure everyone here would like to here em LOL.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: AXL ROSE with RAPIDFIRE
It's a long story told by the guy's attorney. You can read it here:
http://www.rapidfire1983.com/Rapidfire- … s-Web1.pdf
Ultimately they are refusing to release the tracks because they can't make enough money to deal with the lawsuits from Axl's attorneys. Here is the best part of the story:
"Ready to Rumble": This would have been the title track had the songs been released in the 80s. A “call and response” style rock anthem which was Rapidfire’s signature song. Of the four straight-up hard rock tracks, “Ready to Rumble” is arguably the catchiest, and is the perfect “opener” for the album. In it you will hear the first recorded example of Axl’s signature rising, multi-octave wail. It gives me goose-bumps to this day. Honestly.
"All Night Long": Another strong hard-rock tune, “All Night Long” commemorates the age-old rock themes of sex, and the hard to get girl. It also offers a window into Kevin’s “mini-dictatorship.” It seems that Axl preferred to exercise his vocal range, and use his falsetto wail. Here, Kevin kept him entirely in check, insisting on a more toned down delivery. Years ago, Kevin gave an interview in which he said that Axl’s vocals reminded him of Rob Halford’s. My uneducated ear hears that most here.
"The Prowler": Probably the most complex song of the five, both in terms of the music and the vocal delivery, “The Prowler” is more subdued than the other traditional hard-rock tracks. It contains a contrasting, almost “deep-purplesque” bridge, bracketed by bass-heavy riffs and preceded by a piercing descending scream from Axl – who adds additional character in the form of a wickedly evil sounding laugh.
"On the Run": Another hard-rock toe-tapper, in “On the Run” Kevin again seems to hold Axl back. You can almost hear Axl straining against his vocal bonds. A solid piece of early-80s metal, the song leaves me wondering what it could have been had Axl been free to use his full range.
"Closure": This is the unexpected treasure in the collection. “Closure” is a simple, unadorned ballad featuring just Kevin’s guitar and Axl’s vocals. Bittersweet and charming on its own, this is where you hear pure, undisguised, unmistakable, Axl Rose vocals. It’s a haunting preview of the voice that would go on to give us songs like “Patience,” “November Rain” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”
More telling than any information I can provide about the songs themselves are the reactions people have had when they heard them. I do not make a habit of playing Rapidfire for people, but over the years, I have done so on a handful of occasions. Without exception, everyone has been impressed with both the production value of the recording, and the quality of the songs.
An old friend from law school, who is also a highly skilled musician, said he would not hesitate to release them as is. A cousin, who is a top music producer with over thirty years in the business, was shocked by their caliber. He had known about the Recordings long before he heard them, but something he presumed to be a low-fidelity novelty didn’t pique his interest. He’d had enough experiences with such things. When he finally listened to them, his comment was something along the lines of “Wow! That’s a heck of a lot better than I could have done back then.”
By far the most memorable “screening” of the songs was also the least likely. I have rarely played them for anyone who is not somehow associated with the music industry. Friends, colleagues and acquaintances who have a measure of professional interest (usually, to educate me) are the typical audience. I almost never play them for friends. I’m not sure my own brother has heard them, and he’s been friends with Kevin almost as long as I have. With one notable exception, I have never played them for a stranger who was merely curious. That exception came just over a year ago when I had a business meeting with someone I would have to characterize as a Guns N’ Roses “super-fan,” and an ardent admirer of Axl Rose. There was no particular reason to play the songs for him, and he was respectful enough not to ask to hear them. Cognizant of his interest, I offered, then sat quietly while he soaked up this exceedingly rare opportunity, clearly enjoying the music immensely. When “Closure” came on, I happened to look over at him. There were tears welling up in his eyes.
Kevin often emphasizes that the Recording are “just demos.” He is also a rabid perfectionist, and his own worst critic. He is the first to deride his own ability to wield a guitar. He fails to do himself and his music justice. Yes, you can tell that the Rapidfire Recording are “of an era.” No, it isn’t likely Kevin was going to be the next Angus Young. But these things are not the point, and they do not diminish the significance of what Kevin accomplished. He formed a band and created songs which were far better than many those on many albums which were released commercially. These five songs cannot be compared to “Appetite for Destruction” as a debut. Only a handful of albums can. Still, it’s easy to imagine the Rapidfire Recordings being many people’s favorite record of all time had it been released.
Today, the Rapidfire Recordings still stand on their own, but they have even broader appeal. They are a long hidden and nearly forgotten piece of the past, which embodies a tantalizing preview of Axl Rose’s monumental vocal ability, created years before Guns N’ Roses took the world by storm.
Another part of the story also corroborates the fact that Axl used to be very humble and professional in his early years. Kevin told his attorney that Axl was always on time for every rehearsal/show and helped put up flyers to promote the band. There is a 1986 GN'R bootleg of them playing Don't Cry acoustically and Axl politely asks for the lights in the room to be dimmed before they start playing the song. This was around 2 years before Sweet Child blew up and the band became a global phenomenon. It's hard to imagine him ever showing that kind of humility during the UYI Tour or any of his tours since that time. Axl is a classic case where success brought out the absolute worst in a person's ego.
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