Back when they were auditioning singers they would send singers instrumentals to put down some lyrics over, a few of the singers leaked out their audition tapes publicly.

One of them that was going around was a song called Pleasin' on the mp3.

It was the main riff from Ghost. Song was arranged differently overall - like different middle 8 etc but it's absolutely the main riffs in the verses.

Not sure who the singer actually was...but his lyrics were catchy in a kinda cheesy way....like being alone as a loaded gun and it being time for pleasing...and about a sad girl he met at the bar or something.

There's something quite dramatic about the end of state of grace though, like the "now, more than ever, I still remember your name" is awesome...and the way Axl goes into scream mode is very cool. A guitar version of that song to me would be eouc.

But I agree something like Perhaps is the most UYI sounding - it's basically a 'breakdown' kinda song.

Atlas to me is good, but it needs something to lift it - sort of like estranged would have without Slash's guitars...but I Dunno if they're going to rework these songs in that kinda way or if slash is just overdubbing solos.

I mean i guess that's what has to happen given they make their money touring.

But on an art front...the records live on well after they die.

So like i kinda want the studio versions to remain impressive even if they never do it live.

Take IRS...epic scream on the album that Axl never did live. I'm ok with that. Worth having it on the album.

So here we are with songs like Eye On You and State of Grace that have cool high pitched vocals. Even if Axl can't do it for shit live anymore I would be really sad to see them not released that way on record. One day there will be no live shows and GNR will be a band like hendrix and so on that some kids will get into as a nostalga-dead act. I want them to be able to hear monster super human vocals given some of them live on tape already...not like toned down vocals that were developed to facilitate a retirement tour.

I don't mean to sound like a dick saying that.

He still can sound great but it's pretty limiting creatively for him is what I mean.

Like half what makes the old songs cool is the passion and dynamics, beautiful tone, angry tone, rasp, loud screams, high pitches on the edge of human abity, low pitches that are spooky, midrange sweet sound - there's a whole story going on with his vocals alone usually.

I just think musically if he is locked in a certain range and can't use a few of his trademark sounds that would be a shame,  he's talented enough that we'd still get something good, but there's more limits than there used to be.

Another concern is if he would record things in such a way as to make it easier to peform in the future or not. Like for example, sometimes his voice cracks on screams now - that's no worries in the studio he could just do it a few times until he nails one and then uses that - but in a way would be smarter not to even add a scream at all as that way he wont have to worry about doing it live. I remember that interview where he played back YCBM after recording and said to himself "what have I done to myself?" hahahaha.

Anyways, I know he can sound good in the studio still, but I do think the way his voice has declined between 2016-2022 it would be wise to get recording asap not in late 2026 or something after another 4 years of tour abuse lol.

I'm not trying to shit on him, i'm just saying if you play a boot from 2016 or 2017 and then a 2022 boot you can see the difference and you can also see that he's still trying and busting his ass for us in 2022...so like it's grounds to record before they hit 70 is all