Promise of New GNR Album Rings Hollow Lacking Original Lineup
Sunday May 28, 2006
If Chinese Democracy is actually released as promised by Axl Rose this year (and that's probably a big "if"), it's bound to pale in comparison to the still-astounding 1987 Guns N' Roses debut, Appetite for Destruction. That probably would be true even if the original lineup remained intact, but without Slash and Izzy Stradlin and their signature dual-guitar attack, I just don't see how any music bearing the GNR brand name could be anything but a disappointment.
While it's obvious that Axl's lyrics, vision and vocal delivery contributed greatly to the band's sound, I wonder if people sometimes forget just how innovative and skilled that guitar work is on Appetite. All of this just makes me wonder why more bands don't just accept compressed careers (a la the Police) instead of pressing forward with either reduced creative spark or a splintered lineup.
Anyway, this is an '80s music website, not a 20-years-later-desperate-attempt-to-avoid-obsolescence site, so for a look back at two albums that showcase the best of that decade passed, check out my review of Appetite here and my review of a Police compilation you might want to avoid right over here.
Comments
Apparently you didn’t see any of the 2002 Chinese Democracy shows because the new GnR is just as good, actually better than the old one. Axle hired three guitarists for that tour, all of which can play Slash’s parts, without the sloppy heroin addict mistakes. The new songs are also more epic ala Use your Illusion, but Estranged and November Rain are some of the best stuff they put out. Its a great album. Watching old GnR videos shows how sloppy Slash and Izzy were. Axle was smart to fire them or let me depart. Don’t dismiss the new GnR without seeing it.
Dude, your a fool for thinking Slash and Izzy were sloppy and needed to be fired.. obviously you have a poor taste in music and its quality.. new GnR are NOTHING compaired to the original lineup. I ask you this… what was it that got you into GnR?? was it just the new material or .. or was it… the music that was written by the very people you detest? hummmm
i love slash n izzy, evenduh there’re ’sloppy heroin addict ‘… they just looks cool… i guess Axl get jealousy on slash… slash rocks… izzy dizzy… so unfortunated slash n izzy didnt be include in this new line up…