Guns 'n Roses - Appetite For Democracy

Benson

So as a life long GnR fan I got this for Xmas on BluRay. Thoroughly enjoyed it, despite Axl being slightly (?) more rotund than I'd like to remember it was a great trip down memory lane. Some superb musicianship on display but I'm not sure what the fuck DJ Ashba was doing there. Shockingly average guitar player, especially compared to the majesty of Ron Thal and even moreso to the uber underestimated Richard Fortus who stole the show.. I was struck with how cool DJ thought he was yet how poor his vibrato and string bending intonation was. Fortus is seriously good apart from his "I am punching my guitar and it will suffer" move, which frankly looks a bit daft after a while.

joeyowen

I watched them live a fair few years back in Manchester, about 08/09 I think

The songs were great, but they were over an hour late starting, and it was song, 5 min guitar solo, song, 10 min guitar solo, song etc.. etc...I've never seen such self indulgence, especially when people were there for Axl and he spent a lot of time nowhere to be seen.

Izzy joined them on stage mind, which was cool

From what I've seen online, that show looks cool enough, might check it out!

underdog

I found it quite sad, Axl just can't sing anymore, the band is a group of good musicians who couldn't give a toss about each other and they (this band) have never come up with a decent song together.

Now I type that they're essentially a poor covers band. If they were serious they'd have insisted on using a new name to go with the new band and tried to earn a following.

Seems to the rest of the original line up are having more success than Axl in life, even Steve who's not had the best of health.

ElectroDan

underdog said:

I found it quite sad, Axl just can't sing anymore, the band is a group of good musicians who couldn't give a toss about each other and they (this band) have never come up with a decent song together.

Now I type that they're essentially a poor covers band. If they were serious they'd have insisted on using a new name to go with the new band and tried to earn a following.

Seems to the rest of the original line up are having more success than Axl in life, even Steve who's not had the best of health.

I've watched the post Slash GNR twice, and Axl was brilliant on both occasions. The band sounded great (although I agree with the earlier comments about Ashba). I also like Chinese Democracy. I don't care how much it cost to make, or how it compares to Appetite. I just enjoy it for what it is.

By comparison, Velvet Revolver were awful when I went to see them. They had the worst sound imaginable. I don't recall leaving a gig early (like I did that day) before or since.

thomasross20

Fortus is great, just watching some of his country licks on youtube now - something I've got to learn!

Ashba - not into him. 

Bumblefoot - great!

All together as a band? Doesn't do it for me - Guns were great because they worked together and complemented each other so well - I don't get that here and they shouldn't have used the name G N' R. I actually liked their new album but haven't listened to it too much since I got it. The new Slash stuff is good and while Myles is a great guy, there's a grit missing in his voice. VR did some ok songs but never 100% did it for me. Slash's Snakepit (both incarnations) were great. The singer off "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" was amazing and the songs on that were outstanding. 

underdog

Agree that snakepit were good, never got in to VR at all though.

thomasross20

I wish the original members would all just get back together but deep down I know it'd probably be a disaster. 

Fortheloveofguitar

Guns are my favourite band of all time.

It's a shame Axls voice doesn't hold much weight any more. This lineup should not have used the GNR name really

Some good musos in the lineup but I agree that DJ Ashba shouldn't be there. I'm my opinion the guy is utter shite and no better than your average pissed pub guitarist. He clearly got the gig on the image factor that Rose was looking for.

Benson

Great Fortus video @thomasross20

thomasross20

Guns are also my fave band and the reason I got into guitar. Nuno & Van Halen my other top guitarists. 

Cheers, @Benson! I love those country-style licks... something I've really got to start looking at!!

dafuzz

thomasross20 said:

I wish the original members would all just get back together but deep down I know it'd probably be a disaster. 

This. I won't be seeing GnR until at least 4 original members are in the line up again.

Seen VR twice who were okay and will see Slash this summer. I would go see Axl if he performed under his own name or as a new band, but not as GnR. It seems wrong.

underdog

dafuzz;461060" said:

thomasross20 said:

I wish the original members would all just get back together but deep down I know it'd probably be a disaster. 







This. I won't be seeing GnR until at least 4 original members are in the line up again. Seen VR twice who were okay and will see Slash this summer. I would go see Axl if he performed under his own name or as a new band, but not as GnR. It seems wrong.

I think seeing Slash and co is about as close as you're going to get to the GnR flavour. Watched them earlier in month and they were excellent, and all members of band were clearly happy they were performing and were tight.

I never got VR at all but that could be due to my dislike for Scott, he also seemed to try his best to an Axl Rose tribute act.

dafuzz

underdog said:

I never got VR at all but that could be due to my dislike for Scott, he also seemed to try his best to an Axl Rose tribute act.

Oh I have time for Scott - I was a STP fan back in the day and bought a couple of his solo albums too. Apparently he's a nightmare to work with but given his smack habit I can't fault his work ethic. Might be way off though, I've never met the guy

ElectroDan

thomasross20 said:

Guns are also my fave band and the reason I got into guitar. Nuno & Van Halen my other top guitarists. 

Cheers, @Benson! I love those country-style licks... something I've really got to start looking at!!

Nuno got offered a place in the new Guns N Roses. Rihanna has to be better to stand behind from a non-musical perspective.

underdog

Maybe of interest to some in here MTV live have Slash and Myles in Scotland (from last month) on tomorrow night.

thomasross20

Let me know when that's online, might see me in the audience!

Never knew Nuno was offered a place with G N' R!

Flink_Poyd

Saw them on the UYI tour at Wembley in August 91 so it was the full fat original lineup, NIN and I think Skid Row supporting. GnR were fucking awesome as its always better seeing bands live but I remeber a certain Trent Reznor kicking over a stack of amps which made me sit up take notice.
 
Awesome day out and glad I saw them at their peak, after that they fell off my radar.

ThePrettyDamned

thomasross20 said:

Fortus is great, just watching some of his country licks on youtube now - something I've got to learn!

Ashba - not into him. 

Bumblefoot - great!

All together as a band? Doesn't do it for me - Guns were great because they worked together and complemented each other so well - I don't get that here and they shouldn't have used the name G N' R. I actually liked their new album but haven't listened to it too much since I got it. The new Slash stuff is good and while Myles is a great guy, there's a grit missing in his voice. VR did some ok songs but never 100% did it for me. Slash's Snakepit (both incarnations) were great. The singer off "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" was amazing and the songs on that were outstanding. 

THIS is awesome.  I love how you can take a 'boring' progression and turn it into something that's very musical.  

I've been trying to work out how you do stuff like that, I do enjoy using the 3rd or 5th in the bass, which can give you interesting melody ideas. But he's clearly very good at it. 

underdog

thomasross20;462599" said:

Let me know when that's online, might see me in the audience!

Never knew Nuno was offered a place with G N' R!

@thomasross20 noticed on my YouTube channels that someone has uploaded the edited MTV version of the gig to YouTube, I can't link from my mobile, but takes 2 seconds to find it on there.