Guns 'n' Roses - Chinese Democracy

[Guest idol_wild]

Have Guns 'n' Roses ever genuinely been relevant anyway?

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

I'd say they were exciting from 87-89, relevant depends on your vantage point, in retrospect I would say that the only 'relevant' music at that time was the birth of modern electronic dance music, a new form that spawned many new forms. That does not mean it was the only good music at that time, but that it was where the genuine innovation of the age was, musically and socio-culturally. Equally someone could come along and say that some crazy avant-garde shit was the most 'relevant'. Where was I, em, oh yes; it was good dirty rock fun at the time.

[Guest idol_wild]

I'd say they were exciting from 87-89, relevant depends on your vantage point, in retrospect I would say that the only 'relevant' music at that time was the birth of modern electronic dance music, a new form that spawned many new forms. That does not mean it was the only good music at that time, but that it was where the genuine innovation of the age was, musically and socio-culturally. Equally someone could come along and say that some crazy avant-garde shit was the most 'relevant'. Where was I, em, oh yes; it was good dirty rock fun at the time.

A reasoned, measured response. I like.

I once asked a Metallica fan if Metallica were ever relevant (I was genuinely curious) and his response was "I really don't need to talk to you, you stupid person". The guy posts on here from time to time actually.

I've just never appreciated all the posturing and posing associated with acts like G 'n' R, Motely Crue, and the like. It seems so insincere and gimmicky.

That said, I am always prone to a good listen to Def Leppard and AC/DC, so maybe I am a big fat hypocrite

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

Some posture for fun, and I suppose I can understand that, but some really mean it, which is well strange.

[french_disko]

Some posture for fun, and I suppose I can understand that, but some really mean it, which is well strange.

[Pierre Von Mondragon]

This years Mister Which-Universe-was-it-you-meant line up.

[Metarie]

How on earth can Axl's voice be knackered? What the hell has he been doing for the past 17 years?!

I've not heard it yet but I agree that it was never going to be brilliant. You leave it that long to release and album and it's bound to be a disappointment. If you didn't like GnR back in the day then of course you're not going to like it, it's like listening to St Anger to get into Metallica. GnR are like Motley Crue, people love them or hate them but when they're on form they do cockrock very well. In my opinion anyway.

[Alkaline]

How on earth can Axl's voice be knackered? What the hell has he been doing for the past 17 years?!

I'm going to assume that you're not stupid and that you know that several decades of heavy drinking, large amounts of recreational drugs and smoking might have been detrimental to his singing voice.

[Indie King]

I heard the album was pretty good - I've not given it a listen yet, though I was expecting it to be a little bit wank. I was surprised when my mate said it was good.

[Monster Zero]

Guns 'n' Roses were quite good in their time for that kind of thing, pissed all over Motley Crue etc. At least their music is listenable. I think I actually like them more now than I did then....

Making an album for this long and keeping songs from over the whole period is bound to sound weird and inconsistent, every report I remember about this album-in-progress over the years has mentioned Axl's latest influences.

[delboy]

just got my copy today, really bought it out of curiosity more than anything else. the Karaoke version rose has put together was never going to make anything as interesting as 'appetite for destruction' or the 'use your illusion' albums.

some of it is not too bad, there is the occasional hint of the former band in some of the tracks but in general its a very average (shit i sound like simon cowell!) album. still only heard it once all the way through so maybe it'll take a few plays. there is some nice guitar leads on it but i agree with what others are saying about rose's voice, it does sound considorably weaker than on previous albums but well it has been a mighty long time since releases and rose is middle aged now!

[TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH]

I just heard Chinese Democracy and it is fucking grim listening.

[black_matter]

If there's any chinese folk on these boards wondering what this albums like well thank your government for banning it. Honestly, they're looking after your hearing.

[delboy]

listened to it a few times and its ok but not up to G n R standards. but what did rose expect, if you spend 14 years making an album with that kind of budget, expectation is always going to fail!

[Flash@TMB]

Never thought I'd say this but I have to disagree with the majority of the opinions on this thread.

Firstly lets be clear, I am not and never have been a GNR fan. The only tune of theirs I like is "Think About You". I did buy Appetite (like everyone else) back in 89 or 90 and enjoyed it at the time, but it's gotten jaded by being overplayed everywhere.

I barely listen to any rock these days (well voluntarily), going through a doo wop, 70s disco, and funk phase at present. Also tend to prefer music with the minimum of production, am a big fan of live albums, and dislike excess.

Been following the story of the making of this album in the press since the mid 90s and IMO Axl's been crawling up his own asshole and been funded $zillions to do so.

So was expecting that this would be some over produced, bland, piece of self indulgent shit of epic proportions with every FX thrown in for good measure. But seeing as how it was less than 10 curiosity got the better of me and I listened to the first 5 1/2 tracks on the way home from the supermarket.

Well fuck me sideways (so far) it's very, very good, but in a very, very strange sort of way. It's not in the slightest bit like Appetite. It's very hard to describe but here's my best shot. Take into account that I'm less than 1/2 way through it. I'll repost after I've had it on in the car for a week or so:

First off all the tunes are epic. They're all of the sort of scale of November rain, but much deeper and more layered. Secondly my assumption was correct in that it is an over produced piece of self indulgent shit of epic proportions with every FX known to man thrown in... but not in the way that I expected it to be. It does actually sound like there were $zillions and eons of time spent on it. It's like they went out and polished every freakin beat and note and then applied FX to them individually for good measure. It's the most processed thing I've ever listened too but it didn't hurt my ears. It's very cleverly done.

There's (obviously) a big wall of sound thing going on, think Good Vibrations produced by the Art of Noise. It's the sort of thing you could listen too for days and still discover more shit going on in there.

Axl's voice is used as an instrument rather than a vocal in certain passages. Get over it LOL.

So overall despite being the brainchild of a self indulgent and deranged little dick head this is in my honest opinion a very good and interesting album. It's completely different to anything else out there and that's probably due to the amount of time, effort, money, and clock cycles invested in it. This is a crap record in the way that the Bugatti Veryon is a crap car, if you see what I mean. I really want to hate it but have to admit to being blown away by it.

Of course this is so far and I reserve the right to retract that opinion once I've listened to it a few more times...