You are not logged in. Please register or login.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
I think Bucket just brought some crazy ideas to Better. It wasn’t a fully fleshed out song when he joined the band unlike TWAT, IRS, The Blues, etc. So he probably had a lot of leeway to add what he wanted. Three Dollar Pyramid sounds pretty set to where it ended up, imo.
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
James wrote:I'll go to my grave saying Better was initially two song ideas merged into one.
I think it sounds like that too.
It's kind of a theme on CD I think - a lot of the songs and demos seem to randomly swap genres mid song or incorporate elements you wouldn't expect within the style of song - seems to be something Axl was interested in experimenting with.
I love how the album turned out, but I must say I often find it jarring - when it's done well it works but it can feel bolted on.
It kinda makes sense considering the origins the saga...musicians hanging out recording countless hours of material...working with samples...and of course things like the Giant Robot guys bringing songs/sketches to the table.
I love how the album turned out, but I must say I often find it jarring - when it's done well it works but it can feel bolted on.
It needed a better producer and a proper mix.
I'd love to see Brendan O'Brien take a stab at a remix on an anniversary edition.
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
monkeychow wrote:James wrote:I'll go to my grave saying Better was initially two song ideas merged into one.
I think it sounds like that too.
It's kind of a theme on CD I think - a lot of the songs and demos seem to randomly swap genres mid song or incorporate elements you wouldn't expect within the style of song - seems to be something Axl was interested in experimenting with.
I love how the album turned out, but I must say I often find it jarring - when it's done well it works but it can feel bolted on.
It needed a better producer and a proper mix.
I'd love to see Brendan O'Brien take a stab at a remix on an anniversary edition.
A good example would be
This I Love. Isn't there practically another song buried in the mix?
Catcher and Better. Way too fucking abrasive. Clean it up and let these songs breathe.
CD - Remove the garbage from it.
Oh...and get that bass up in the mix.
It wouldn't take much for someone to improve the album.
- killingvector
- Rep: 21
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
I think Bucket just brought some crazy ideas to Better. It wasn’t a fully fleshed out song when he joined the band unlike TWAT, IRS, The Blues, etc. So he probably had a lot of leeway to add what he wanted. Three Dollar Pyramid sounds pretty set to where it ended up, imo.
Bucket is capable of creating slow, emotive music. It’s a shame they selected his shredding/tapping so often for the original tracks (not the re-recorded album shite).
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
misterID wrote:I think Bucket just brought some crazy ideas to Better. It wasn’t a fully fleshed out song when he joined the band unlike TWAT, IRS, The Blues, etc. So he probably had a lot of leeway to add what he wanted. Three Dollar Pyramid sounds pretty set to where it ended up, imo.
Bucket is capable of creating slow, emotive music. It’s a shame they selected his shredding/tapping so often for the original tracks (not the re-recorded album shite).
It will forever blow my mind that he recorded and released Electric Tears smack dab in the middle of his GNR tenure.
This is probably a GNR song in an alternate timeline....
- elevendayempire
- Rep: 96
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
misterID wrote:Went back and read Brain’s comments on Seven and he turned it and The General in before their first show. The way he described the demo sounds pretty much like Circus. Just an abstract and crazy piece of music around a drum beat. It would make sense they combined it. They did that with Shacklers and Robin talked about Axl cannibalizing demos
I'll go to my grave saying Better was initially two song ideas merged into one.
That's always how Axl's worked, though. 14 Years was two separate song ideas bodged together into one. Coma is basically three or four song ideas bolted together. The outro to November Rain might as well be from a separate song (indeed we know it is because it isn't there on the early demos). It's just more apparent that he's bolting disconnected riffs together on Chinese Democracy because you don't have that tonal through line of Slash, Izzy and Duff stitching it all together.
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
Sudden shifts are the band’s strength, similar to what McCartney does (think of “Band on the Run,” the reggae break on “Live and Let Die,” or side two of “Abbey Road.”
The finales of “Sweet Child,” “November Rain, and even “Paradise City” are not hinted at earlier in the arrangements but they all work brilliantly. Jamming unexpectedly complimentary ideas together is absolute genius.
- tejastech08
- Rep: 194
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
Sudden shifts are the band’s strength, similar to what McCartney does (think of “Band on the Run,” the reggae break on “Live and Let Die,” or side two of “Abbey Road.”
The finales of “Sweet Child,” “November Rain, and even “Paradise City” are not hinted at earlier in the arrangements but they all work brilliantly. Jamming unexpectedly complimentary ideas together is absolute genius.
Rocket Queen might be the GOAT in this department. Pretty incredible shift in the final 2-3 minutes of that song.
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
Rocket Queen might be the GOAT in this department. Pretty incredible shift in the final 2-3 minutes of that song.
Exactly, good call. Sometimes an idea can’t sustain an entire song but it can pull everything else together. Definitely the case here. The mood goes from sleazy and lusty to thoughtful and even regretful.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: If GNR releases nothing in 2023, is this the end for you?
A good example would be
This I Love. Isn't there practically another song buried in the mix?
Catcher and Better. Way too fucking abrasive. Clean it up and let these songs breathe.
CD - Remove the garbage from it.
Oh...and get that bass up in the mix.
It wouldn't take much for someone to improve the album.
Agreed...a good example to me is the title track - the demo of that is so powerful in the verses with Tommy's bass chugging loudly, and its almost totally lost in the final mix.
I know this will be an unpopular idea with you guys as you're big bucket fans etc....but I was listening to Hardschool, Perhaps and Absurd in the car...then swapped over to Chinese - and it was so obvious to me how badly it needs a rock mix to fit with the back catalogue.
It's a wonderful artistic album as it was. But I would love to hear a studio of Slash/Duff on the title track, TIL (with the scream vocals from the dance remix), Catcher and better, with re-recorded parts from Slash/Duff. Make it as like a bonus EP or something to fill in time before their next originals project. It doesn't have to replace the original version in the shops either, more like a special edition disc 2 or something. It's just every time I see Slash and Duff play them live I realise how hollow those recordings sounded in the final mix.
