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Re: Salon Reunion article
I understand and see your point now. If they do a 3-guitar deal, especially in studio, Axl's not going to allow Richard to walk, and Slash is far more likely to want to write with Kush (if Izzy's not there), than he is someone else.
Still would be curious if Axl would consider moving Richard to Lead 2, and put Tommy Stinson on rhythm to sub-in for Izzy, AND if Slash would be willing to write with Tommy.
Re: Salon Reunion article
The '3 guitarist' thing has always been blown out of proportion and is verging into myth territory. Some fans claim that it was always Axl's vision since the beginning to have 3 guitarists. Finck jumped back in at the last second in 2001 before the LV shows and that led to the concept. It went from Finck and Tobias, Finck bails, Bucket and Tobias, Finck comes back, then its Finck, Bucket, and Tobias.
Had Finck never come back its doubtful that we ever would've seen that 3 guitarist lineup.
Finck has commented on this....
Originally it was gonna be a two-guitar player group. I split forever so I thought and went back to Nine Inch Nails. In my absence they were looking to replace me and Josh Freese, the drummer at the time, had brought Buckethead in to essentially fill the slot I had left. They really liked him but he's kind of a stunt guitar player. He does a very specific thing and he has a real genius sensibility about him. But he rarely plays the same thing twice ever and when you're trying to cruise through "Nightrain" that just makes it a little (laughs) too different. So they needed someone to anchor the songs. They kept Buckethead to do what Buckethead does and they needed someone else to play alongside.
https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/intervi … o_takeover
If it was originally going to be a 2 guitarist lineup then why do some fans think it was originally going to be a 3 guitarist lineup? I understand using 3 guitarists in a live setting but its not really necessary. Its not like SOD, TWAT,etc. cant be performed if there aren't three guys out there. I think a CD song can be played and my ears wont miss Fortus or Huge strumming his guitar and jumping 10 feet in the air. Half the time I don't think that player is even plugged in or is just buried deep in the mix.
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Another reason to not choose Gilby is the fact it would show the implosion really was a total waste. Dropping Gilby in favor of Huge was the beginning of the end. Bring him back what would make ya wonder....what was the point? Couldn't work with him then but you can now?
Could you imagine if Axl's original vision had been released and dreadlocked-Izzy had been on rhythm guitar in 2001-02, instead of Paul/Richard? Supergroup indeed.
Hard to imagine and I wouldn't be surprised if Bucket being in the band was a turnoff to Izzy. I'm sure Izzy knows he's talented but I have a feeling that when Izzy thinks of GNR he isn't imagining a guy who wears a bucket on his head, break dances, and talks to a puppet.
Had it happened we would have seen the hybrid concept already taking place.
Oh and ummm.... Fortus looks NOTHING like Izzy either.
To us? No. A casual fan could be fooled though.
edit: Remember how before Ron came in Finck and Fortus were hoping they were going to be the only guitarists and that no one else would be involved. If either of those guys could play Bucket's material properly they might have got their wish.
Re: Salon Reunion article
I've spent years comparing live boots from the '87-'93 era to the 2001-present era. I primarily grew up in the latter. I personally feel there's a, frankly obvious, benefit to the use of 3 guitars live. The songs pound-for-pound sound richer and fuller in a live setting with 3 guitarists versus back in the day with 2 guitarists. Slash, Duff & Gilby all said how hard some of the Illusion arrangements were to duplicate in a live setting with just Slash & Gilby. Many of the songs sound like they are missing additional rhythm, which they are. Axl allowing the band to all share different solos is simply out of indulgence and being fair to all of them (DJ, Ron & Richard).
Obviously the situation is MUCH different with Slash back on board. He wrote all of those solos and other stuff as well. He's going to be playing all his material and thensome.
The better question is, what happens with the Chinese material. If the rumors are true, they are practicing that material. Is Slash going to revert to Bucket/Ron's role on those songs, and let Richard take lead, with a different guy on full-time rhythm, like Izzy or Dave?
Obviously the plan was simply for the 2 guitarists config with just Robin/Paul, and Bucket changed that. But Axl kept it for a reason, and I don't think it was "Bucket material that Ron could play". Somewhere along the line Axl started to prefer the 3 guitarists config, despite critical and fan disdain for it.
For the record... I prefer just Slash on lead, and Richard/Izzy on rhythm, and going back to the traditional Guns live sound.
Re: Salon Reunion article
The songs much much sound worse, with far less swing & rock n roll with 3 guitarists. It's like rock without the roll. Just White American rock music on steroids.
That idea of sounding richer & fuller is totally false. They sound oppressed, squeezed of texture or nuances of accommodate something that doesn't fit.
I said it a while back: what I want is the 5 piece band without keyboards or synths. I want a rock n roll band again. Keys & horns are OK for a track or two & maybe some backing singers for the ballads/softer songs. But yea.. The 3rd guitarist actually weakens the thing.
The Finck quote from James explains the necessity of it during the BH era but now with a traditional lead player in Slash we really don't need the 3rd guy taking up space & energy.
Re: Salon Reunion article
The songs much much sound worse, with far less swing & rock n roll with 3 guitarists. It's like rock without the roll. Just White American rock music on steroids.
That idea of sounding richer & fuller is totally false. They sound oppressed, squeezed of texture or nuances of accommodate something that doesn't fit.I said it a while back: what I want is the 5 piece band without keyboards or synths. I want a rock n roll band again. Keys & horns are OK for a track or two & maybe some backing singers for the ballads/softer songs. But yea.. The 3rd guitarist actually weakens the thing.
This, a thousand times this! It gets infinitely harder to get an organic groove going with three guitarists, especially if their roles are ill-defined. Even Slash's conspirators and VR sound so much more coherent and 'fun' than post-Slash GNR ever did. The only exception to this was during certain Bucket solo spots back in the day, when the rhythm guitars just played the same simple riff (Nightrain comes to mind).
Re: Salon Reunion article
From my standpoint I don't care what goes on live, I just don't care. With a few exceptions I find gigs boring.
So for me more is better in the studio, if done right. I love Axl's double and triple vocal layering, I love guitar interplay and I love different instruments playing different melodies. Is it IRS where there is this cool acoustic guitar melody in the background? Love that.
And for those saying back to the roots, this was a feature on AFD too. A defining feature.
Re: Salon Reunion article
So for me more is better in the studio, if done right. I love Axl's double and triple vocal layering, I love guitar interplay and I love different instruments playing different melodies. Is it IRS where there is this cool acoustic guitar melody in the background? Love that.
I agree this works better in the studio. As a hobbyist rock producer myself, I always add extra layers to recorded versions of songs. But you don't need extra personnel for that, it usually sounds more holistic if you get the core band members to do that kinda stuff.
Re: Salon Reunion article
Slash, Duff & Gilby all said how hard some of the Illusion arrangements were to duplicate in a live setting with just Slash & Gilby. Many of the songs sound like they are missing additional rhythm, which they are.
Do you know why they are "missing" rhythm? Because the rhythm guitarist is turned down in the mix to the point of being a dog whistle! There are parts of that Tokyo 92 show where Gilby is rocking out and and you cant even hear him. He might as well be strumming a tennis racket. We all know Axl's comments on how they kept turning Izzy's volume down.
Slash and Izzy can handle any UYI material that is performed. If not Izzy, then Fortus or someone else. That's all we need. Any CD songs other than Riad or Shacklers can be tackled by Slash. I saw a teen do that TWAT outro on youtube so Slash can too. Will it sound EXACTLY like Bucket? No but Ron couldn't sound like him either. Just avoid the handful of tracks that Bucket completely owns and we're good to go.
As far as these layered arrangements go, many bands do this on their albums but they don't go hiring extra guys to mimic it on stage. You loved songs from King Animal. Do you think four guitarists are needed onstage for those songs? I saw them live and I can assure you they do just fine without bringing in Bucketfoot, Bumblehead, and DJ Ashposeur to recreate what is "missing".
Just because you record an album doesn't mean you need to turn into the Doobie Brothers with 3 guitarists, 2 keyboards, and five harmonicas. 
The insane talent of Bucket is the only reason he was needed studio and live. Without him(and its been 14 years since he performed with them) they need to let it go.
If Dust N Bones is performed at Coachella, I only need Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, one drummer, one keyboard player, and if Pitman is there, he's getting ready to unveil a new mind blowing song to be performed next.
Re: Salon Reunion article
They don't NEED them no, and yes it looks insanely retarded to see a GN'R guitarist exit-stage-left, sitting on the sidelines not doing anything because he has no part to play...
But i'm sorry, New Guns, any incarnation, was a WAYYYYY tighter live band, sounded infinitely better than the old band, at every turn, and it was because of the additional musicians, and lack of drug use.
But yeah, the swing was missing, the groove was missing, and sterilizing all took The Blues Brothers-vibe out of it, I agree.
Still sounded better tho
