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Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
I wonder if its time I just accept GNRs best days are in the past. I bought UYI1 on vinyl today and sat and listened to November Rain for the first time in a long time...wow! Street of Dreams and Catcher sound like a childs attempt at flattery compared to the slickness and precision of every single instrument and note in that song, as well as the others on the album.
I'm a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I definently prefer the Roger Waters era over the Post-Waters era. There are some inspired moments in the 2 albums they made after he left, High Hopes is one of my favourite songs of all time. As much as I like those albums and as good as they are, I know they are weaker to what Floyd produced in their prime.
Thats not something I get hung up on, its just a fact, and I'm happy to have got those other albums after Waters left because they are good albums. I dont even compare them to the others to be honest, its not worth it, I have them in my collection and can give them a spin if ever I feel like it.
I think Chinese Democracy is similar, as is the other guys post GNR material, its good, but just doesnt have reach the same heights as what they produced in their youth and in their prime. It wont have the success that GNR had in their prime - and their prime was past when Spaghetti Incident came out.
It was the huge build up that convinced me it was going to be a genuine masterpiece...getting a plain old decent rock album was a bit of an anti climax.
Casual fans also expected something revolutionary and the anti climax might have made it seem poorer than it actually is.
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
No one I know has bought it or heard it. That says something in itself.
I don't agree though that it is failing because of the music. The music hasn't been heard by the masses. Rock radio played CD religiously for a week, but that's it.
The masses don't want an Axl-only GNR or they don't want GNR period.
I don't have a problem saying CD has failed. It has for the most part. I like it, and that's what matters.
The weird perspective I have is this: It's probably outsold all of Bucket's catalog already, so in that sense, to me it is a rousing success. If Bucket gets any royalties, he's getting some serious coin right now, like nothing he's ever seen. Some Bucket CD sell less than a couple thousand copies. You think I see those as failures? Or that I think the masses have spoken on Bucket's music? No.
So, to me, success or failure is moot. In the past, a huge failure might have hurt GNR's future, but in this day and age, you don't need labels anymore. Just the willingness to create without expectations.
Agreed on all accounts. I'm willing to accept that the sales for Chinese Democracy have been lackluster to say the least but I refuse to accept that the reason is the music is no good. The music is great, people just don't care, that's all there is to it. And I know people claim that the album was released 7 years too late and would've been a rousing success back in 2001. While I'll agree it would've been more successful, I still don't think it would've been anywhere near as successful as any of the bands previous releases. People can't get over the fact that Slash isn't in the band anymore and everyone paints him as an angel and Axl as the bad guy. In 2001 there was definitely more excitement, but I still heard plenty of people saying it wasn't really GNR and who were slightly taken aback from seeing Buckethead onstage and the goth looking Finck.
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
The list does not go on and on. For 100 albums, by big name artists, that might be worldly-accepted.
There's probably thousands from unknowns, that universally people love, and the music could be stronger.
I'm not taking anything away from the artists above, or their great works, but some of that is 'pure luck' from catching on. There's plenty that don't catch on to a big audience, and the music is fantastic. It's not because 'only some like it'... it's because the media doesn't promote it.
If the media had hyped CD, like they hype Linkin Park or Kanye West, it'd probably be double-platinum by now.
Never underestimate the power of mind control, and conditioning.
You're also assuming, those are everyone's favorite albums, just because they sold the most. Favorite U2 albums & Beatles albums vary with just about every person I ask. Same with the Stones & Metallica. Only casuals think the Black Album is Metallica's best. In my circles, the revered album is Master of Puppets. And even though I like it all, i've always been a little partial to Ride The Lightning.
And as far as Nirvana goes... everybody knows their best album is In Utero.
Everyone knows In Utero is Nirvana's best album? You're kidding right. Dude you're so missing the point. No shit favorite albusm vary from person to person but you clearly said the best albums are the ones the diehards like and the casual fans don't. That's so FALSE. The albums that will be considerd the best albums are the ones casual fans and diehards alike agree on. ie: the ones I mention among many, many others. Notce Pop will never be considered U2's best album even though there are some out there who woudl claim it as their own personal favorite? Why do you think that is? It's because casual fans and diehards can't agree on it. And it's definately NOT true that only casual fans think the Black album is Metallica's best album. Try and understand what I mean by "best albums".
And now CD's commercial success or lack there of is based on mind control from the media and it's just an "unlucky album" because it's not catching on? . 
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
I wonder if its time I just accept GNRs best days are in the past. I bought UYI1 on vinyl today and sat and listened to November Rain for the first time in a long time...wow! Street of Dreams and Catcher sound like a childs attempt at flattery compared to the slickness and precision of every single instrument and note in that song, as well as the others on the album.
It was the huge build up that convinced me it was going to be a genuine masterpiece...getting a plain old decent rock album was a bit of an anti climax.
Casual fans also expected something revolutionary and the anti climax might have made it seem poorer than it actually is.
That is an awesome post Olorin and I think the last part holds some serious weight to the situation. Casual fans expected something new, something ground breaking. What's on the mind's of many is what was so important that Axl had to force the break up of the old band? Casual fans wanted to hear this different sound Axl was going for and when they heard CD or Better or even IRS a few years back it was such a letdown to many I'm sure that any and all interest in the album faded. I'm sure when casual fans hear SOD or CITR or whatever they'll feel extremely simliar. It's a poor attempt at creating a similar greatness that came from November Rain, Estranged, Patience and so on.
Olorin I had the same experience about two weeks ago. Listend to Chinese Democracy while I was online. the album played through with out much notice from me but when Use Your Illusion I kicked in with the open notes of RNDTH it was like a wicked slap in the face but a real good slap(kinky ). I don't hear anything on CD that has anything near the ferocity or emotion or passion that the old albums have. Rather an artificial attempt to recreate those qualities. 
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
This whole thread is full of a lot of hot steam, coming from hot-headed blowhards who seem to think their opinion about music is universal and absolute. Well, I hate to break it to you, but music and art are subjective. There is no right or wrong, and that is the only thing I can say. Saying something is a failure because of early sales #'s is a joke, as is saying something is a success because of huge sales. Doesn't really matter.
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
This whole thread is full of a lot of hot steam, coming from hot-headed blowhards who seem to think their opinion about music is universal and absolute. Well, I hate to break it to you, but music and art are subjective. There is no right or wrong, and that is only thing I can say. Saying something is a failure because of early sales #'s is a joke, as is saying something is a success because of huge sales. Doesn't really matter.
Very true, apparently though we are wrong for thinking CD is good. Because it hasn't blown up the billboard charts and some people don't view it as mind blowing or earth shattering, I guess it must not be good. I guess I should go burn my copy of CD, since it's such a worthless piece of garbage. Thank you all for helping me see the light.
I must be crazy. I actually thought I liked it. I've been listening to it nonstop since I got it a month ago. What was I thinking? How could I possibly have liked music that Britney Spears and Kanye West fans don't approve of?
- Bright Eyes 2005
- Rep: 27
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
For the past week, all I have read on a few GNR boards is that the 1.5 million people who have bought the CD are retarded, and especially idiots if they like it. Those who dis-like it, seem dead set on posting for days on end trying to justify and prove that people who like the CD are total morons, abject of minds, ears, and the ability to correctly judge music. Much of what I like, others do not, and I am fine with that. Does not make me dumb, or my neighbor dumb, or mean they have bad taste, because we like different music. I mean, outside of trying to argue that capitalistic manipulated Muzak (a la Milli Vanilli) is good or bad, this pretty much is like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg?
BTW, imho, the list Bono put together of what he believes are great albums seems boring, and blaze blaze to me. But I do enjoy his posts, and respect his opinion.
- Communist China
- Rep: 130
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
This whole thread is full of a lot of hot steam, coming from hot-headed blowhards who seem to think their opinion about music is universal and absolute. Well, I hate to break it to you, but music and art are subjective. There is no right or wrong, and that is only thing I can say. Saying something is a failure because of early sales #'s is a joke, as is saying something is a success because of huge sales. Doesn't really matter.
Obviously it's subjective, but you can't totally ignore public opinion just because you want to. Actually I'd even be okay with that if you were consistent with it. But you wouldn't be.
If you were arguing for AFD being one of the best rock albums ever you would cite its mass appeal, huge sales, and longevity on rock radio and games like Guitar Hero. While those are all valid arguments, by the same token, ChiDem is not a great album at the moment because it has very bad sales, mediocre reviews, and seems to appeal to a very select few.
You can't have it both ways. Sales, radio airplay and major media publications are really the only close to objective ways to measure success and greatness. Either I can say Adler's Appetite is a superior band to AFD-era GnR or you can't say ChiDem is as good as AFD in the eyes of the world.
I love the album, I think it's the best of the year, but it's a failure and the music is certainly to blame on some level.
Re: Whats the opinion people in your life have on CD?
Bright Eyes 2005 wrote:This whole thread is full of a lot of hot steam, coming from hot-headed blowhards who seem to think their opinion about music is universal and absolute. Well, I hate to break it to you, but music and art are subjective. There is no right or wrong, and that is only thing I can say. Saying something is a failure because of early sales #'s is a joke, as is saying something is a success because of huge sales. Doesn't really matter.
Very true, apparently though we are wrong for thinking CD is good. Because it hasn't blown up the billboard charts and some people don't view it as mind blowing or earth shattering, I guess it must not be good. I guess I should go burn my copy of CD, since it's such a worthless piece of garbage. Thank you all for helping me see the light.
I must be crazy. I actually thought I liked it. I've been listening to it nonstop since I got it a month ago. What was I thinking? How could I possibly have liked music that Britney Spears and Kanye West fans don't approve of?
Who is saying that? I don't see those sorts of things here. No one is asking people to throw the album in the garbage can.
The GNR name has always been at a certain standard. Before this album was released, everyone would have agreed. Now that it didn't set the world on fire, all of a sudden album sales and the legacy mean nothing. The Billboard charts don't dictate what I listen to. Santogold shits all over this album in my opinion, yet she has less sales than CD. However, nothing is expected of her. She doesn't have a band name to live up to.
You can like whatever it is you like. There's nothing wrong with pointing out this album went over like a walrus turd for Thanksgiving dinner. It doesn't change the hardcore fans opinions regarding the music itself.
