Bright Eyes 2005 wrote:

the lead singer may have issues singing and writing melodies

That's actually Dave Lank, the co-writer of Don't Damn Me from Axl's and Izzy's Lafayette posse.

Bright Eyes 2005 wrote:

a few of these riffs on various songs could serve as a foundation for a nice rock song with someone able to write melodies over them.

It's interesting you should say that, because that was Axl's original intention when he brought Paul onboard. Basically, he wanted someone who could effectively replace Izzy, and since Paul was from the same Lafayette stock as Izzy and Axl, he was, theoretically, the best man out there. His background and musical history might've resembled Izzy well enough for Axl to think he would've had the chops to come aboard and maintain the specific mix that they'd so far used to write songs.

Bright Eyes 2005 wrote:

I am wondering, as many have insisted (Billy Howerdel, Josh Freese, Sean Beaven, Chis Vrenna, A&R folks, etc,) that the 1998/99 album had major potential if completed.

They were completing songs by then.

Various bits and pieces that would later be compiled in Pro Tools from ground up like the DJ Shadow record were mainly recorded in 95-97, with Paul, Robin and Dizzy. They had most of the basic song structures of what we've been hearing completed with Sean Beavan in 98/99.

00/01 saw the music re-recorded and produced in a more classic rock fashion with Roy Thomas Ba

ker. At that point, they also wrote new songs with Bucket, Brain and Pitman. Therefore, the 98/99 album would've lacked the Bucket solos, the heavier presence of synths and would've sounded grittier than anything heard since. Beavan has a tendency to pull all stops with his rockers, while the ballads may sound thread-bare.

My guess is, it would've been a very brutal, honest album, with Axl screaming his hatred and anxiety towards the music industry, former band members and lost loves. It's hard to say how it would've managed when set against NIN's The Fragile which came out just at the same time. Axl and the band would've had the songwriting props to take on the critics, but the sound would've dated quite rapidly and there would've been no-one to properly replace Slash.

It would've been a controversial album, no question. It's nature could've been such that people would've either loved or hated it. It would've been a definite step down in terms of mass appeal and Axl would've had to win a lot of crowds over by providing a solid live band, which I think the lineup could've well been. Based on what I've heard and read, the album at the time certainly reflected Axl's state of mind at the time; the red-headed stepchild of the industry reaching puberty; feeling stranded yet ready to take on an uphill battle, no matter the cost.

Neemo wrote:

from 1999 onwards

1993, in fact.