Conferme x il Cile, nn x i Jane's Addicition...

Sembra ufficiale anke la data cilena x il tour sudamericano dei GN'R. Dovrebbe trattarsi del 22 marzo, all'Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos di Santiago del Cile.

Ufficialissima invece la notizia che NON saranno i Jane's Addiction a far da spalla ad Axl e soci in giro x il Sudamerica.

La smentita è arrivata tramite la pagina Twitter ufficiale dei Gunners.

Data x il Perù

Stando a qto sostiene un promoter locale, i GN'R suoneranno a La Explanada Sur del Estadio Monumental di Lima, in Perù, il 25 Marzo 2010. Anke in questo caso, apriranno x loro i Jane's Addiction. WOW!


CREDITS: estebanf & HTGTH

More Sudamerica!!!

Altre conferme x il tour sudamericano!!

Stando a qto riportato da questo sito, a fine marzo la band sarà al Simon Bolivar Park di Bogotà, Colombia, mentre si parla di date anke in Perù, Chile e Argentina, oltre a quelle di cui s'è già detto in Brasile e Uruguay

Guns N' Roses to rock Brazil!!

Secondo l'edizione verdeoro di 'Rolling Stone', sarebbero state fissate le date brasiliane della tournèe sudamericana della band, reduce dal trionfale passaggio in Taiwan, Corea e Giappone e pronta, dopo le feste, a riscaldare il freddo e innevato Canada.

Ecco quale dovrebbe essere il programma dei concerti nella terra del Carnevale:

7th March - Brasília
10th March - Belo Horizonte
13th March - São Paulo
14th March - Rio de Janeiro
16th March - Porto Alegre

Pare inoltre che, subito dopo il Brasile toccherà all'Uruguay. Per precisione, alla capitale Montevideo, il 18 marzo...


CREDITS: GNRDaily

19 Dicembre 2009 - Tokio, Japan

Quasi 4 ore di concerto, x salutare il pubblico asiatico e chiudere la prima fase del nuovo "Chinese Democracy Tour". Con l'eccezione di "Rihad N' The Bedouins", suonato tutto il nuovo album, più la solita lunga serie di classici. Axl in formissima, la band ha spaccato e la nostalgia s'è fatta meno forte...

SETLIST:

Chinese Democracy
Welcome To The Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr Brownstone
Catcher In The Rye
Sorry
If The World
Richard Fortus Solo
Live And Let Die
Dizzy Solo (Ziggy Stardust)
Street of Dreams
You Could Be Mine
Rocket Queen
My Michele
DJ Ashba Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Shackler's Revenge
IRS
Axl Piano Solo
November Rain
Whole Lotta Rosie
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Scraped
Prostitute
This I Love
Drum Solo
Out Ta Get Me
Bumblefoot Solo (Pink Panther Theme)/Don't Cry)
Nightrain

ENCORE

Madagascar
There Was A Time
Tommy Stinson sings 'My Generation'
Better
Patience
Nice Boys (Don't Play Rock And Roll)
Paradise City

16 Dicembre 2009 - Osaka, Japan

Più di 3 ore di concerto x la prima data giapponese dei GN'R!! Hanno tirato fuori cose assurde come la cover dei "Dead Boys" e "Whole Lotta Rosie", che erano millenni che i Guns nn facevano più (se nn ricordo male, la fecero una volta durante lo "Use Your Illusion Tour")!!!

Setlist:

Chinese Democracy
Welcome To The Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr Brownstone
Shackler's Revenge
If The World
Richard Fortus solo
Live and Let Die
Sorry
Rocket Queen
Prostitute
Dizzy Solo
Street of Dreams
Scraped
Drum Solo
You Could Be Mine
Axl Piano Solo
November Rain
IRS
DJ Ashba Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Catcher In The Rye
Out Ta Get Me
Bumblefoot Solo (Pink Panther Theme)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Whole Lotta Rosie
This I Love
Nightrain

ENCORE

Madagascar
Better
Sonic Reducer (dei The Dead Boys)
Patience
Don't Cry (intro)/Paradise City

13 Dicembre - Seul - Corea del Sud

Set List :

Chinese Democracy
Welcome To The Jungle
Its So Easy
Mr Brownstone
Shackler's Revenge
There Was A Time
Richard Fortus Solo (James Bond Theme)
Live and Let Die
Drum Solo
Sorry
Rocket Queen
DJ Ashba Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Dizzy Solo (Ziggy Stardust)
Street of Dreams
You Could Be Mine
Band Jam (Black Betty)
My Generation (In G with Tommy Fuckin' Stinson on Vocals)
Band Jam
November Rain
Take A Walk On The Wild Side

Encore:
Better
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Bumblefoot Solo (Pink Panther)
Paradise City

Axl & Co. Rocked Taipei

E' finalmente partito questo nuovo 'Chinese Democracy Tour", che attualmente è destinato a toccare Asia, Canada e Sudamerica.

Il debutto è avvenuto venerdì a Taiwan, con un Axl già in discreta forma ed una band che ha raccolto molti più consensi rispetto alle precedenti incarnazioni post-Slash (x capirci). Il merito sembra essere in particolare del nuovo chitarrista solista DJ Ashba, che ha sostituito il nn certo amatissimo Robin Finck, e a molti è parso cm la cosa più vicina a Slash che abbia imbracciato negli ultimi dieci anni una Gibson a fianco di Mr. Rose...

Ecco la setlist del concerto:

Chinese Democracy
Welcome To the Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. BrownStone
If The World
Live And Let Die
Richard Solo (James Bond Theme)
There Was a Time
Frank Ferrer Drum Solo
Tommy Stinson Bass Solo
My Generation (Tommy on vocals)
I.R.S
Rocket Queen
Dizzy Reed Piano Solo
Street of Dreams
DJ Ashba Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Band Jam
November Rain
Bumblefoot Guitar Solo (Pink Panther Theme)
You Could Be Mine
Shackler's Revenge
Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Encore:
Dizzy Reed Piano Solo #2
This I Love
Band Jam
Better
Paradise City

--

Piccola nota: non sono state inserite nella setlist "Nightrain", "Patience", "Out Ta Get Me", "Think About You" e "Madagascar", che c'erano in quasi tutti i precedenti tour dei "nuovi" Guns N' Roses.

Ma ciò nn significa che nn ricompariranno nelle prossime date.

Axl picchia un paparazzo all'aeroporto di L.A.!!!

CREDITS: TMZ.com

New Album for Izzy!!!

Il mitico Izzy Stradlin', chitarrista ritmico originale dei Guns N' Roses, si appresta a pubblicare un nuovo album solista. Il disco, intitolato "Smoke", sarà disponibile entro questo mese su i-Tunes, come tutte le ultime pubblicazioni di Izzy.

Oltre a lui, ovviamente, ci suonano i fidati Rick Richards (chitarra solista), JT Longoria (basso) e Taz Bentley (batteria), oltre a Timo Kaltio, coautore di alcuni brani del disco ("Seems To Me" e "Box"), storico amico dei GN'R, essendo uno degli autori di "Yesterdays".

Qui sotto trovate una clip con due anticipazioni: un pezzetto di "Breathing" e uno di "Nothing On Me".

Enjoy it!

GunsNRoses.com conferma il Sudamerica!!!

Dopo un lungo silenzio, è tornato ad aggiornare il sito ufficiale della band!

E' l'ha fatto con notizie sicuramente interessanti...infatti, nel "box" delle Tour Dates, oltre agli impegni in Asia e Canada, sta scritto ke dal 10 marzo a 10 aprile 2010, la band sarà impegnata in Sudamerica!!!

Ora nn resta ke aspettare x l'Europa, no?!

GN'R Rehearsals Update

Nice update from the rehearsals for the upcoming tour:

I was at one of their rehearsal's a few weeks ago and then todays was the full production run at a arena here in LA. I have to say, these guys got it together! All three guitar players are just monsters who each stand on their own as players, and then play really well as a unit. What's also cool is the fact that they are all quite humble and good people. For any skeptics, I can assure you that they treat the early hit's with respect by keeping the parts true to the record, yet with their own vibe and flare.

On to the fun stuff....

Richard Fortus is using his Jose Marshall ('73 I think) paired with a Friedman Marsha as well as Friedman modded Randall Modules...powered with a Randall RT-2 poweramp. He has a few pedals incorporated and all of the above is racked and switched via a custom system built by Dave. He is using two iso cabs with Golds and G12H's. He has a load of cool guitars including a Chet A. Gretsch, 335, tele's, and LP's.

DJ Ashba is their newest guitarist and sounds amazing as well. He also nails the 'classic' GN'R tones via another Marsha paired with a Boogie Dual Rect. The Boogie feeds a 4x12 with Golds while the Marsha is using V30's. He plays a variety of LP's. He's also quite a talented businessman as his graphics company did a lot of artwork for the Virgin Mega Stores and another one of his clients is Ovation (plus many others). Not bad for a rock star!

Many here know Bumblefoot and his playing famously sick! He relies on his Engl heads through Marshall 4x12 (may be using and iso but I did not have a tour of his set up. Guitar wise he sticks with is Vigier's....both standards as well as his double neck with the fretless.

They all share lead duties and then rhythm wise, Richard covers the "Izzy" vibe with his various guitars. DJ nails the Slash vibe, and Bumblefoot sits between them.

The rest of them are very solid as well.

CREDITS: TGPWebzine & GNRDaily

Guns N' Roses anche in Sudamerica?!

Dopo l'ufficializzazione del mini-tour asiatico e della tournèe canadese, nuove voci riguardanti l'impegno live di Axl e soci.

Si fanno infatti insistenti le voci su un possibile passaggio in Sudamerica, dove la band ha sempre suscitato grande interesse, e che -Brasile in primis- ha davvero un legame sentimentalmente forte con Axl e con in Guns N' Roses in generale.

Perù, Argentina, Cina e Brasile (appunto), paiono le mete predestinate, con partenza subito dopo la conclusione del passaggio nella terra della foglia d'acero.

Ecco l'articolo apparso sulla versione online del cileno TERRA:

Luego de 17 años

GUNS N´ ROSES VIENE A CHILE EN 2010

La reformulada banda ya tiene pactada una gira sudamericana para febrero y marzo de 2010. Será la segunda visita a Santiago de los norteamericanos. (TERRA.cl)

SANTIAGO, noviembre 10.- A la inminente oficialización del retorno de Metallica para fines de enero en el Club Hípico, los productores locales ya guardan otro nombre de alto voltaje para la cartelera musical del próximo año: Guns N’ Roses, los estadounidenses que han sobrevivido a tropezones el paso de los años, la banda reformulada una y otra vez por el eterno Axl Rose.
Los promotores que manejan al conjunto ya tienen amarrado un tour latino que pasará por la región en febrero y marzo de 2010. Así también lo anunció el pasado sábado 7 el diario peruano “Perú 21”, afirmando que la agrupación aterrizará en febrero en Lima, en un recinto masivo, con capacidad para más de 40 mil personas.

En Chile, hoy son tres las productoras que han lanzado ofertas para su regreso. Pese a los trámites, uno de los involucrados dice que es casi seguro su paso por la capital para marzo, aunque aún no se ha analizado el reducto.

Hoy, el conjunto es liderado por Axl Rose, quien ha fichado a una serie de músicos para extender el legado del grupo: Tommy Stinson, Chris Pitman, Frank Ferrer, Richard Fortus, Ron ´Bumblefoot’ Thal, Dizzy Reed y DJ Ashba son los que completan la formación actual. En las próximas semanas, la banda iniciará una gira por Asia, luego partirá a Canadá y rematará el primer semestre del próximo año en Sudamérica, con fechas en Perú, Argentina, Brasil y Chile.

Todo para mostrar “Chinese democracy” (2008), el mayor despilfarro de la historia del rock, un álbum abortado durante años que finalmente recibió tibias críticas y un éxito regular de ventas. Si se cierra su paso por la capital, será el segundo show de Guns N’ Roses en el país: ya estuvieron acá en diciembre de 1992, en una recordada cita en el Estadio Nacional.

Claudio Vergara

Derechos Reservados Terra Networks Chile S.A

LINK

Canadian Tour Promotional Video

GUNS N’ ROSES Announce Chinese Democracy World Tour Canadian Concerts

Guns N' Roses will bring their Chinese Democracy World Tour to Canada in January 2010. The Winnipeg, Manitoba concert at the MTS Centre on January 13th is the first of thirteen Canadian concerts on the GN’R world tour, which begins in Asia on December 11th, with tour updates and announcements planned throughout 2010.
Guns N’ Roses – Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Dizzy Reed, and Chris Pitman – welcomed guitarist Dj Ashba into the band earlier this year and are scheduled to begin rehearsals in Los Angeles shortly.

The upcoming worldwide tour promotes the band’s latest album, Chinese Democracy, which debuted at #1 on the charts in thirteen countries including Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, as well as the European Top 100 Albums survey.

Chinese Democracy was released on Black Frog/Geffen Records in November 2008 and reached 3 times Platinum in Canada, Platinum in Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, UK, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa. The album is Gold in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, Holland, Sweden, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Brazil and Colombia. In the U.S., the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 3, 2009.

Guns N’ Roses last toured the world in 2006 - 2007, performing 60 concerts in 26 countries playing to more than a million fans.

Canadian Chinese Democracy World Tour concert dates are:

January
13 - Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
16 - Calgary, AB - Pengrowth Saddledome
17 - Edmonton, AB - Rexall Place
19 - Saskatoon, SK - Credit Union Centre
20 - Regina, SK - Brandt Centre
24 - Hamilton, ON - Copps Coliseum
25 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre
27 - Montreal, PQ - Bell Centre
28 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
31 - Ottawa, ON - Scotiabank Place

February
1 - Quebec City, PQ - Colisee Pepsi
3 - Moncton, NB - Moncton Coliseum
4 - Halifax, NS - Metro Centre



CREDITS: HTGTH

Taipei & South Korea Show Announced!!!

Avevamo detto ke, oltre al Giappone, si parlava anke di altre date in Asia?! Beh, eccole!!!!

4 dates has been announced so far on Guns N' Roses Asian Tour 2009. GN'R will perform in South Korea for the first time on Sunday December 13 at the Olympic Park Gymnastics Stadium in Seoul.


Guns N' Roses Asian Tour 2009:

December 11 - Taipei

December 13 - Seoul
December 16 - Osaka
December 19 - Tokyo

Ready to play live!!! Asian tour announced

Dopo mesi e mesi di silenzio, eccoci finalmente a quelle che pare una svolta reale.

Dopo un falso annuncio di un live in India a Novembre (e che in verità doveva essere tenuto da uno dei tanti project che coinvolge gente che, in un modo o in un altro, ha gravitato nella "galassia GN'R"), ecco ke arriva l'annuncio ufficiale del tour asiatico!!!

I Guns N' Roses, non si sa ancora bene con quale formazione, suoneranno nelle seguenti date e location:

11 dicembre 2009 a Taipei/Taiwan
16 dicembre 2009 a Osaka, Giappone
18 dicembre 2009 a Tokyo, Giappone

Si attende inoltre l'annuncio di alcune date in Corea del Sud...

SLash & Friends is comin'...

Con puntuali aggiornamenti sul suo profilo Twitter, Slash ci comunica di come stiano procedendo le registrazioni per il suo album solista.

Da segnalare, tra le altre, l'ospitata di Steven "Popcorn" Adler, che suona la batteria in un brano.

Nella stessa canzone, al basso, c'è Flea dei Red Hot Chili Peppers...

No news...bad news... :(

E' da un bel po' di tempo ormai che non si hanno notizie dal "MondoGuns"...

Pareva "imminente" ormai la partenza del tour, dopo l'ingresso nella band di DJ Ashba.

E invece...

:(

The newest man in town: DJ ASHBA!!!

Ecco, ci siamo ragazzi!

Dopo alcune audizioni, i Guns N' Roses hanno ufficializzato l'uscita di Robin Finck dalla band e, contemporaneamente, il nome del suo sostituto...

Si tratta di DJ Ashba, già nei Beautiful Creatures e nei Sixx AM, il progetto collaterale di Nikki Sixx dei Motley Crue.

Welcome to the Jungle, man!!!

Del James intervista Axl!!

Axl Rose Insists Original Guns N' Roses Lineup Is Dead and Buried

Since releasing the long-awaited Guns N' Roses album 'Chinese Democracy' this past November, Axl Rose has said very little about it, taking to message boards and e-mails for the few comments he has made. But if there's one person who could get him to break his silence it's Del James, Rose's longtime friend, road manager and the man whose short story, 'Without You,' inspired the epic clip for 'November Rain.'

James, a music journalist who has covered G N' R for years, dating back to his days at metal mag Rip, as well as in several Rolling Stone articles, spoke with Rose and is sharing the results of that one-on-one exclusively with Spinner. Yes, here he is, W. Axl Rose, letting loose on Slash, answering whether he was trying to make the best album ever and waxing philosophically on when the original G N' R lineup really died.

Del James: As reported, were you, either in your mind or otherwise, trying to create the "best album ever made"?

Axl Rose: No. That's f---ing ridiculous and more negative media nonsense. We were all just trying to do our best for the fans and ourselves.

At any point did you feel or say either you or the band had to make a "masterpiece"?

Of course not -- more unaccountable nonsense. Obviously, media, elements of the public, fans and our detractors had all kinds of things going on such as high hopes, expectations, pressure, naysayers, etc. I don't think anyone would mind discovering a diamond mine and I don't think anyone in any competitive field would get very far if they didn't have dreams, aspirations or simply hope to do well. That said, these types of comments are more from our detractors, pulled out of their ass if not thin air.

Do you feel that your alleged sense of perfectionism has delayed the release of the album?

No. Guns in any lineup wasn't going to release anything all that great any sooner. And no matter how any of us tried, that didn't happen, and often while any number of us were pushing to try and do so with whatever we had going at the time. In regard to so-called perfectionism, I feel that has a lot to do with your goals or requirements with whatever one's doing or creating. Different levels may be required for different objectives. If you're making brakes for a vehicle, what's required? It's all relative, right? You try to make the best calls you can at any given moment and go from there. Generally, when this term is used by others in regard to me or how I work, it's said in a negative way or as an excuse for their shortcomings -- and again by my detractors. Whether they are open about such or not, some people love putting others in a negative light; helps them feel better about themselves. Too many ears and too many stupid comments have proven that.

Did you break up the old Guns?

It is my belief that the commitment to end old Guns came long before the band started in the heart and soul of one man. After that, it became more visible sometime before/during [the 'Use Your Illusion' albums], when the others opted for personal reasons to change our approach, styles and methods of working together. At the time, I unwittingly chose as a means of what I felt was both my own and Guns' survival to adapt, and threw myself into whatever I could get out of that to support and promote our efforts.

The group shot of the band in front of the piece 'Dead' was not a coincidence but not something I felt could be talked about openly, and something I hoped would change. I couldn't reach Izzy [Stradlin] and couldn't manage or curtail Slash and his personal objectives to take over Guns anymore than I did at the time, and I'm lucky to have survived, got what we did out of it and some still enjoyed the results. But for all intents and purposes, the 'Appetite [for Destruction]' lineup and approach was already dead, and with the addition of Matt [Sorum], the end of the then-lineup and what Guns was really about was only a matter of time. Only heartfelt choices by the others could or would change that. Unfortunately, nothing did.

I'm generally blamed for the time it took to release 'Illusions,' but again the reality of my fault would be in not finding a way to manage Slash complete with his addictions and bring both him and Izzy together either similar to 'Appetite' or in some other progression more conducive to Guns than how 'Illusions' was accomplished. Unfortunately, that never truly happened, and both Guns and the public suffered for it. I'll take the responsibility in the sense that had I known how to achieve those goals we would have made what I feel would've been a more effective and powerful album at the time.

See? There's the catch, right? All this time, most thought I changed the direction with 'Illusions.' A lot of nonsense theories, speculation and complete nonrealities put together by others, based on Slash and others' crap and off one interview taken out of context I did with Kurt Loder where I said I hated 'Appetite.' That sentence has been used and twisted in every conceivable way since to vilify me and purports to prove my guilt and responsibility, when I wasn't speaking to the music itself but the overwhelming and at that time seemingly drowning success of our record.

My statement was in specific response to the feelings I had listening to DJs at the L.A. hard rock station KNAC at the time complaining about having to play the entire record for the umpteenth time for fans. I simply wanted to make another record and have it be as good or better. If you don't think I would've liked to have five 'Appetites' and been living like the Stones at the time, you're high. With that, any other avenue I hoped to pursue musically would more than likely been available as well. This was something I could never get through to the others with. Personal need to dominate in Guns was very important to them. Izzy has to be in charge or he's not comfortable, same with Slash. Duff [McKagan] tries convincing himself he's equal partners with Slash. Each to their own.

Why didn't you write 'Appetite'-style songs yourself then?

Part of what destroyed Guns was the battle between those guitars that works so well for 'Appetite.' I have no concept how to duplicate that with either the old guys or anyone else. I liked it then but can't say I truly understood their nature as I feel I do now. Make no mistake: That was a war and the efforts of one man to "successfully" remove another in his path between him and I. Neither player wants to deal with each other in those ways again. Those battles have already been fought, both sides went their prospective ways. Regardless of if they were to work together or not, the true dynamics of back then aren't something Izzy has an interest in or would allow himself to actually be in to such a degree other than for appearances, if that. Also, anything I had written I felt was in similar directions then, during and after the 'Illusions' tour was more than rejected by both Slash and Duff at a time, which greatly helped destroy whatever confidence I may have had at the time.

Why so many guitars on 'Chinese Democracy'?

Why not?

Seriously, past Guns records have only two. Why did you feel the need for more on this endeavor?

I understand it's for whatever reason a bit of a challenge for most people to feel comfortable in their minds with any band having more than two guitarists, but technically, as far as our recording goes, we're a bit more alike with the older recordings than one might think. On the older records, though, it's very distinct that there are generally two guitar parts -- each part is actually performed and recorded twice, giving a fuller sound, so in effect you have four guitars. Leads and fills are another pass, and often songs were originally written and demos were done with other guitarists as well.

On 'Chinese,' instead of having the same player double his part, we chose to add another voice and either each player's own take on the part or their take of another's, then there's leads and fills which vary from one person or a few on a track. Also on this record, though, you may have one player playing more than one part in a section; they generally tend to be two distinct parts and not overdubs or harmonizing with their own leads or fills. No way is better than another; it's just whatever works for what you're trying to do, what you personally want or for whatever reason you feel you either need, choose or like.

For this record, I wanted a blend of different-style sounds and approaches; some at least a bit unique to the individual players and their takes on these songs. I feel the different personalities and techniques give the material its own sense of originality. Live, I prefer the more solid approach of the three guitars now, especially as the performances with the rhythm are more energetic, consistent and reliable. It was fun having Izzy on board a bit adding yet another voice to the mix and seemed to work better for the songs this way, as opposed to having him by himself.

Would you consider a reunion with the 'Appetite' or 'Illusions' lineups?

No.

Why not?

A lot more reasons than I'll get into here now. Different reasons for each version and each individual. The Izzy bit was fun -- and also fun because we didn't have to rely on him in any way, which is how he prefers things and works better for everyone. That said, you never knew if Izzy would be there or not or if he'd remember the song or decide to leave early. It didn't cause any problems, because we were doing our show regardless and didn't have to depend on anything, but it did open everyone's eyes a bit and blow minds.

He called, asked to come out and negotiated a deal with management that it's probably best that none of us knew about or the fun would've seemed a bit more like being used or taken advantage of spoiling the moment. As it was, we had a great time.

It'd be highly doubtful for us to have more than one of the alumni up with us at any given time. I suppose Duff could play guitar on something somewhere, but there's zero possibility of me having anything to do with Slash other than by ambush, and that wouldn't be pretty. He wrote that whole bit about not having his guitar in Vegas, I'd assume, to save face. I was told by both the Hard Rock and different Guns industry people who had come out to be supportive of the new band and were a bit surprised to see him there, especially guitar in hand, but just assumed it was a surprise for the show and we were in on the arrangement.

Steven [Adler] brings assorted ambulance-chasing attorneys and the nightmare of his mother. One gig, or even a couple songs, could mean years of behind-the-scenes legal aftermath.

Wouldn't you make more money?

If the music was there, meaning new music, I can't say for sure right now -- and there have been market surveys, and various promoters have put together different projections and analysis that in areas where there could be more, it's not enough to sell your soul and live in hell the rest of your life for, that's definitely certain. But that's the catch, right, the music? If I believed in that as a reality which, no offense meant to anyone, I haven't seen anything in all these years to convince me or we'd be doing this interview under different circumstances of some sort, to say the least.

It's not some place I want to be or have any interest in being. If I believed in it in regard to the music, not in direction so much but in how it feels and to what degree, then maybe it'd be another story. I'm in no way trying to be offensive to anyone here, and I'm allowed to have my own feelings in regard to what inspires me, not someone else. Other than a one-off or something, I don't really do songs because someone else likes them.

There is the distinct possibility that having his intentions in regard to me so deeply ingrained and his personal though guarded distaste for much of 'Appetite' other than his or Duff's playing, Slash either should not have been in Guns to begin with or should have left after 'Lies.' In a nutshell, personally I consider him a cancer and better removed, avoided -- and the less anyone heard of him or his supporters, the better.

Didn't you say you loved him in what -- '06?

No. I said "loved," as in past tense. It was a misquote by a writer I mistook as a fan.

Do you think he can play guitar?

I prefer listening to others in general, especially those who both push their talents and infuse them with a level of energy that I've seldom heard in his efforts over the years. I'm not taking anything away from the man that are his to claim for his past efforts; it's just that for whatever reason for me, whether the approach, style or basic hands-on technique is there, the passion and true dedication to the art of guitar in his chosen area other than being, in my opinion, a whore for the limelight has generally seemed absent or lacking with most efforts for a long time. To me, it's sad. I don't get it. Where does it go? Is it a choice? Sometimes it's there on covers; I think Clive [Davis, legendary record executive] fell for that.

It wasn't there with me on 'Sympathy [for the Devil]' or ['The] Spaghetti [Incident?'] and it took years for me to get there again, in my opinion, and in the ways I wanted it to be. Will I keep it? Who knows? I'd like to, but who can say?

Who's your favorite drummer you've worked with?

I've liked elements that each brought in. Josh [Freese], [Brian] "Brain" [Mantia] and Frank [Ferrer] have been the easiest to work with and get along with, as well as it being fun to hang out with any of them. I do feel that all three were the right drummers to make this album. The rehearsals with [Dave] Abruzzesse and Pod as a duo were really cool; it was a shame then that it didn't work out but seemed for the best once we found Josh. In regard to old Guns, I don't listen much and for different reasons -- more because of the drums than anything else.

With 'Appetite,' for me the parts, playing, etc., timing flaws, whatever, are perfect, and as a moment in time for me, the whole record is. That said, the sound of the drums, which at the time in our niche of the woods was a bit of a bold statement and a somewhat successful effort to change things from the current flow at the time, and so may have been necessary but for me sound the most dated of anything there sound-wise.

With 'Illusions' several years ago, something came on the radio and I realized how the energy in the drums, though solid and consistent, brought me down in a way I feel damaged the material in the long run, if not from the get-go. Maybe it's there with some, most or all of us in ways, but I specifically notice it more with the drums. And when listening in that sense of analyzing how something feels to me in regards to its involvement or inclusion in the song, whether anyone disagrees I'm somewhat capable of removing myself and events from the picture.

For me it's more about certain energies and feel, and I'm not into what we did there for a good bit in regard to the drum work. To actually have a drummer that could play at the time, though, was a bit too overwhelming. The public has no idea what went into Steven's parts and the notion of getting through songs in rehearsal if ever, with no exaggeration, was unfortunately a nightmare that neither I or Izzy could take, and eventually the others as well, though they lasted longer for other reasons.

What do you think of Steven being on the VH1 rehab show?

I wish Steven the best; unfortunately Steven's given us the spoiler for that. I hope people are able to find answers and get the help they need; other than that, I'm not the biggest fan of the show.

Who's in the band?

I think we'll go with a combo of who's around and who's on the album for now and worry about that when we get ready to tour.

Is Robin [Finck] in the band?

Last I was aware, he had some interest in touring, though I can't say what that means until then. In our opinion, he's made things a bit awkward publicly, but that's just his way.

Is Brain in the band?

Last I checked. Brain works on several things with Guns either from his home or in the studio.

So you have two drummers? Will they both tour?

Yes, and who knows?

When's the next album?

Have no idea and don't care. Hopefully, we'll be working 'Chinese' for a good bit. Of course there's the same idiots that have been around forever already demanding release dates.

How much material is there?

Not as much as Baz [Sebastian Bach] thinks he heard! Really, it doesn't matter. If things go well enough, we'd like to get another out at some point in our lifetimes.

Is anything finished?

Depends how you look at it.

How do you look at it?

Not something we've focused on.

You're not saying much.

You got that? What I can say is if you don't like this, then you probably won't like that. Same people, lots more approaches, bit meaner in places and darker in some. Robin does a really great Stevie Ray Vaughan-type solo on one track.

Slash has said that the sessions they did with Izzy before Velvet Revolver were the best Guns album ever. What do you think of that?

Politics.

In what way?

Old Guns promotion.

What happened between you and [photographer] Robert John?

Hmmm ... I don't know anyone who knows. Anyone whose opinions I trust seems to thinks he lost his mind, lives in a fantasy world and knows everything.

What's that about, if you don't mind me asking?

Have no idea. This is a guy that I got in the business, got him gigs, paid and treated well, promoted, etc. Helped him get a house, helped him keep his house, bought his photos, and when Merck [Mercuriadis, former G N' R manager], for whatever reasons took forever to pay him, Robert sues me ... but I didn't know anything about it. Next thing, I'm the Antichrist because I didn't like some photos. F--- if I know.

I called Robert out of the blue back when, because I felt I knew something was wrong. Finally, he says he was gonna kill himself. I put up about 60-something-K on the mortgage, got a couple payments, but that wasn't where the trouble started. It was that the bank was foreclosing on that money, so he was pissed at our accountant, who kept on him trying to sort out what we should do and Robert avoiding him -- who was the others' accountant as well. I only learned of any of this near the end. He and Robert knew each other for years. He's one of the guys who allegedly saw Slash with his guitar in Vegas. And it seems genuine because he didn't know anything was going on. He's like, "Why was Slash there with his guitar?" And the Hard Rock people -- what did they have to lie about? They deal with all the bands ... friends, enemies, whatever, so it's just business. As far as I know, we're all good with that.

Credits: GunsNRoses.com & Spinner.Com

Beta smentisce il tour?!?

Secondo Eric Romano, amministratore di MyGNRForum, Beta avrebbe detto che le voci di un tour europeo con le date riportate nel post precedente, sarebbero false...mah...

Smentite ufficiali nn ne sono arrivate, nè da Axl nè dal management, x cui possiamo continuare a sperare...

European Tour?!?

Da una decina di giorni, vari fan site e siti specializzati di musica, parlano di diversi appuntamenti europei per i Guns N' Roses.

Secondo i rumors, i Guns dovrebbero esibirsi in queste date e luoghi:

20 Giugno - Kobetasonic Festival, Bilbao, Spagna
26 Giugno - Stavanger, Norvegia
1-2 Agosto - Knebworth Festival, UK

Inoltre si parla di concrete trattative per un'apparizione tra maggio e giugno a MILANO!!!

CHECKMATE Lyrics

In Rete è apparso questo post con il presunto testo di "Checkmate/Soul Monster". La prima frase è sicuramente attendibile, essendo quella ke si sente nella clip apparsa on line, il resto...ai posteri l'ardua sentenza...

CHECKMATE
Guitar Intro

All cautions made, every chance was given, no effort spared, to save what we had*
or it would take, away the light we given, once it is ours, were free from this land
dont ever expect me to turn up this late
mother fucker' in this game, its checkmate

*interlude*

as I then ran, as fast as I could, memories both friends, escaped from my hand
I've got a gun, now the bloods on my hands, everything you see is here till the end
dont ever expect me to turn up this late
mother fucker' in this game, its checkmate

*solo*

lies that I've told, lies that I've given
lies that I've sold, lies that have driven
me mad to the top of my own head
me mad to the top of my head
at night sugar, I'm sorry if I turn up late
well now honey, my turn, check mate

all dozens slayed, every chance, one given, don't ever spin ,just say what we had
or it would take, away the light we given, once it is ours, were free from this land
dont ever expect me to turn up this late
mother fucker' in this game, its checkmate

Outro + Solo

All Thoughts in lane (all thoughts in lane)
every chance we gave (ever chance we gave)
don't ever spare (don't ever spare)
I'm here till the end (checkmate)
I'm here till the end
I'm here till the end

About 'Silkworms'...

Questa canzone, una delle cose più strane mai prodotte col marchio Guns N' Roses, continua a ronzarmi in testa...

Il fatto che Axl ne abbia parlato chattando nei fan forum, non ha fatto altro che aumentare la mia curiosità...

ha detto ke "il ritornello" è andato...come e con cosa l'avrà rimpiazzato?!?

Poi su YouTube compare quel supposto "intro" della canzone in versione studio...mah...

E pensare che, qdo l'ho sentita in versione live la prima volta, l'ho frettolosamente bollata come "cagata"...

Però poi ha cominciato pian piano ad affascinarmi, sempre di più...

E il pensiero che, come per 'Riad N' The Bedouins', la versione studio sia mooooolto più accattivante che dal vivo, mi fare certo sperar bene...

Vedremo, semmai sarà pubblicata, cosa mai ne verrà fuori definitivamente...

Nel frattempo, mi trastullo "remixando" il pezzo...magari vi faccio sentire qlc, prima o poi...

Chinese Democracy' Sequel is comin'!!!

L'uscita di 'Chinese Democracy', dopo anni d'attesa, risale solo a poco più di due mesi fa, che già si parla del prossimo album dei Guns N' Roses!!

Oltre a vari accenni fatti da Axl in persona, nelle sue "apparizioni" in vari fanforum e nell'intervista su Billboard.com, hanno cominciato a comparire in Rete leaks veri o presunti di brani o spezzoni di brani, associati ai Guns N' Roses.

Sappiamo che al 99,9% il leak conosciuto come 'Checkmate' è 'The General', brano di cui s'è parlato per lungo tempo.

E' inoltre apparso su YouTube uno spezzone molto industrial oriented, bollato come intro di 'Silkworms', brano che i nuovi Guns eseguirono nelle loro prime performance live del 2001/2002, e che nelle parole di uno dei suoi co-autori, Chris Pitman (gli altri sono Dizzy Reed e Axl stesso), è stata esclusa da 'Chinese Democracy' perchè troppo futuristica.

La verità sui leaks, specie qdo ci sono di mezzo i GN'R, è sempre difficile finchè non c'è un comunicato ufficiale o una pubblicazione, x cui...

Decidete voi...





E' apparsa anke questa, sulla quale è più difficile dare un giudizio...però x dovere di cronaca, eccola...

Chinese Democracy: My Review...FINALLY!!!

C'ho messo un po' di tempo, ma eccovi finalmente servita la mia recensione di 'Chinese Democracy', il nuovo album dei Guns N' Roses, finalmente pubblicato dopo anni d'attesa.

Track by Track

CHINESE DEMOCRACY
Ad aprire l'album, la traccia omonima, la prima nella storia nei GN'R a condividere il titolo con quello dell'album. La partenza, in cui alcune schitarrate seguono un "chiacchiericcio" cinese, rimandano immediatamente a 'Welcome To The Jungle', l'opener di 'Appetite for Destruction', il primo storico album dei Gunners. Dopo l'intro, il brano sfocia in un poderoso rock, dove la batteria (travagliata, dato che quella - considerata perfetta - del coautore Josh Freese, fu cancellata con l'addio del batterista e ke, x rimpiazzarla, sono state mixate insieme le versioni di Bryan "Brain" Mantia e Frank Ferrer) martella forte, le chitarre sventagliano alla grande ed il testo è "furbo" nel parlare di lotte e costrizioni personali tramite la metafora della dittatura cinese.

SHACKLER'S REVENGE
Primo brano di un "trittico" di rock che rimpiazza la matrice blues di Slash con quella industrial amata da Axl ed interpretata bene dai sui axemen. Nata su un'idea del "pazzo" Buckethead, la band ha una ritmica accattivante ed avvolgente, inframezzata da un assolo davvero particolare di Bumblefoot. Il testo è il più corto dell'intero album, e parla delle sensazioni negative del protagonista, che intima a qualcuno (gli ex Gunners?!?) di nn provare a passare x buoni...

BETTER
Il primo vero singolo dell'album, una delle migliori performance canore dell'Axl "cinese", un rock avvolto di modernità ma ke arriva dritto come ai vecchi tempi e alla fine, quello strano intro "alla Rihanna" nn ti esce dalla testa...
Il testo parla di una persona che ha fatto soffrire Axl, che ora può affermare di conoscere meglio la controparte, ma ormai è tardi...ke a Stephanie Seymour fischino le orecchie?!?

STREET OF DREAMS
Già nota come 'The Blues', questa è una ballata bellissima, nel solco di quelle che hanno dato lustro ai mitici album 'Use Your Illusion I e II'. Altra canzone sull'amor perduto, sempre con la Seymour protagonista. Il piano di Axl dolce e scatenato, è magnificamente accompagnato da un assolo di chitarra bellissimo, come le "cuciture" di basso in cui Stinson pare il McKagan di 'Sweet Child O'Mine'. Si può chiedere di più?!?

IF THE WORLD
Forse il brano più strano, con una ritmica funkeggiante e una chitarra spagnola idealmente legata a quella di 'Double Talkin' Jive'. Il brano, partendo dalla possibilità ke il mondo finisca a breve, serve a fare una sorta di bilancio. E con tutte quelle ke ha passato Axl, è il minimo...

THERE WAS A TIME (TWAT)
Altro brano particolare, con una ritmica coinvolgente ke si fa paradossalmente debole nel ritornello. Peccato perchè la canzone sarebbe altrimenti favolosa, specie x quella lunga coda chitarristica finale che ci ricorda come i Guns N' Roses siano unici nel fare brani di oltre 6 minuti che non risultino noiosi. Altro testo amaro, su quello ke fu e su le cose negative che l'hanno influenzato. La doppia lettura Stephanie/Slash è d'obbligo...

CATCHER IN THE RYE
Primo brano dell'ennesima triologia axliana, stavolta riguardante canzoni con titoli di libri (le altre due sono 'Atlas Shrugged' e 'Zodiac'). Il brano, una ballata più sostenuta rispetto a 'Street of Dreams', vedo ancora il piano a reggere il gioco, ma meno egemone rispetto alle altre ballads. L'assolo di Brian May è stato rimpiazzato con uno di Finck più in tema con le sonorità dei Guns attuali. Il testo è una sorta di omaggio a John Lennon, alla solitudine in cui s'è ritrovata Yoko Ono e si rifà al fatto ke Mark David Chapman, assassino dell'ex Beatle, avesse con sè proprio questo libro ('Il Giovane Holden' in Italia) di Salinger.

SCRAPED
Secondo brano delle "triologia rock strano", parte con un coretto a cappella davvero accattivante, che dà il via poi ad un brano tirato al punto giusto, con un cantato cadenzato tipo "botta e risposta", che parla dell'incostanza di Axl, a volte super carico, a volte depressissimo. Ma sempre battagliero.

RIAD N' THE BEDOUINS
Ed ecco anke il terzo brano dell'appena citata triologia, certamente molto lontano dalle sonorità di AFD, ma che coi suoi cambi di ritmo e le sue sonorità sintetiche risulta cmq gradevole. Axl torna nuovamente ad usare una metafora, quella di antiche battaglie, per parlare dei suoi scontri con Slash e gli altri ex. Ovviamente il vincitore è lui...

SORRY
Ecco la Grande Sorpresa del disco. Un brano che parte lento con un cantato particolarmente abrasivo che ti si piazza dritto nel cervello x nn uscirne più. Nel ritornello si fa pesante ed incalzante e dopo un solo ascolto la adori. Il testo è unanimemente considerato come rivolto a Slash, con passaggi chiari come l'aver imbrogliato i fan avendo raccontato un sacco di frottole...

IRS
Una chitarra acustica e una elettrica sovrapposte, eseguono un riff d'entrata davvero bello, che porta ad un brano tirato e molto ritmato, con un cantato quasi rap che incalza e non può non prendere subito l'ascoltatore. Le parole parlano di una disputa x la quale il protagonista si troverà costretto a coinvolgere l'Agenzia delle Entrate (IRS), Il Presidente, l'FBI, l'investigatore privato...altra interpretazione a doppia lettura Stephanie/Slash?!?

MADAGASCAR
Ballatona alla Axl, molto bella nonostante l'eccessivo filtraggio elettronico e che ha come suo punto di forza il "collage" centrale imperniato sul celeberrimo discorso 'I Have A Dream' di Martin Luther King. Un'altra geniale perla di Axl, qui indulgente contro chi l'ha ferito e abbandonato. Un caso raro...

THIS I LOVE
La più bella canzone di pene d'amore ke sia stata scritta. Piano e voce, straziate e strazianti, che ti entrano nel cuore e nell'anima. Canzone che Axl scrisse addirittura nei primi Anni '90, con un assolo di Slash modello 'Estranged' si sarebbe guadagnata la lode. Ma anke quello di Finck merita, sia chiaro.

PROSTITUTE
Power ballad di stampo moderno, con sapiente alternanza di momenti dolci e picchi d'intensità, sottolineati da un assolo killer che spacca. La canzone porta in sè un messaggio di ribellione contro giudizi, pregiudizi e imposizioni altrui, a fronte di un'integrità da difendere ad ogni costo, invece di prostituirsi metaforicamente x avere qlc in più...pochi ma buoni, caro Axl...


Considerazioni generali

Da più parti s'è detto che intenzione di Axl fosse quella di fare il disco perfetto. Altri sprezzantemente, parlavano di disco solista di Rose col nome Guns N' Roses. In verità, 'Chinese Democracy' ha diversi punti di contatto con gli 'Use Your Illusion', ultima raccolta di inediti prima di questo cd. Certo, l'influenza blues di Slash è stata rimpiazzata da sonorità "industrial" che son sempre piaciute ad Axl, ma le ballate, i brani lunghi che non stufano c'erano anke prima, come pure cose sperimentali come furono allora 'Coma' e 'Locomotive'. Il disco risulta godibile, con punte d'eccellenza nelle ballate, ma che si ascolta volentieri anche nei brani più hard, pur se nn sono "puri" come una 'Paradise City'. Al giorno d'oggi, con dischi fatti di 3/4 singoli (se va bene...) ed il resto NOIA (x nn dire di peggio...), è bello nn dover skippare alcuna traccia. In più, il pensiero ke Axl abbia pronti almeno altri due album di musica di questo livello, non può che farci sperare x il meglio!

GN'R at their best: Live in Paris '92 - Sweet Child O' Mine