Sky Dog wrote:

plus the ultimate mind fuck solo on Madagascar....my faves from that show.

Rio Madagascar is the peak of new GNR.

Buckethead is channeling Satan here.

It's unfortunate we'll never get the story on what led to this unconventional version of the solo.

If new GNR had become popular, released albums, etc...this performance would have found its way into the zeitgeist and would be looked upon as one of the most iconic solos.

Instead...only a handful of people give a shit.

I'd love to see the alternative universe where the album comes out a few months after this show.

Legitimately forget if there was a version of this before the album. Not sure if it was part of Skewrl or some other leak.

Only thing I’ll say is I’m kind of shocked Axl left Bucket’s solo (which is fantastic). I do wonder what the science was (or lack thereof) of which Bucket solos got re-recorded and which didn’t.

Sky Dog wrote:

Tommy has backed that up...RTB didn’t work and they thought the album was done.

In hindsight that is the point of no return.

You could make a case for the Ezrin "3 songs" fiasco but the damage hadn't been done yet. That can be walked back, everyone take a breather, and negotiate a release with the label.

He couldn't/wouldn't stick to his guns and all momentum was lost. They never got it back.

The project needed competent management from day one...or at least at the moment that the album was ready in 2001 and 2002.

Someone like Azoff would've had the album on the launch pad before the opening Jungle scream at the VMAs.

Baffling levels of incompetence allowed a major rock band on a major tour launching a comeback on national television to not have a single song....much less an album...to be in stores....and then allow the singer to shit can the idea of a coming album in an interview right after the performance.

Then it gets worse....

He abandons his own band in Philly to fend for themselves.

A year later they accidentally stumble into a nationwide buzz when IRS leaks on the Trunk show. Literally within hours, they stomp this buzz to death in its cradle.

Just unbelievable stupidity.

I can't imagine how frustrating this shit must have been for people like Tommy and Robin.

The situation was so much worse than fans believed at the time.

Like I said...they needed real management.

It’s weird to me that Axl wanted Bumble in there after Bucket left.

Fortus could easily play all of Buckets parts. Between him and Finck, I can see how all the guitar parts would be covered. But then Fortus was put back to rhythm player behind Bumble and Finck.

For someone with talents that he has, I can see how he’d not be happy with the addition of Bumble

If you've seen What Dreams May Come then you'll know that "This I Love" would've been absolutely perfect for it.

Who knows what the old version was like. A poppier version could've helped cut the saccrine moping but it still fits.

But it's also a cult flick. Maybe big money wasn't on the table and Axl wasn't about to let one of his precious babies go.