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Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
If that happens, I wouldn't buy CD or the new AFD out of respect for the old band. We've lived in the past long enough. If Axl wants to make some sort of bizarre artistic statement with a new AFD, leak it and distance himself from it.
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
What James said. That's just blatantly disrespectful to the line up that recorded that landmark album. There's a morbid curiosity to hear this re-recorded AFD, but let it leak and let it be. The hardcore can seek it out. Don't confuse the general public anymore than they already are.
- mister saint laurent
- Rep: 31
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
i've wanted to hear the re-recorded AFD for a very long time and if it was ever released in any form i would be very excited.
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
If that happens, I wouldn't buy CD or the new AFD out of respect for the old band. We've lived in the past long enough. If Axl wants to make some sort of bizarre artistic statement with a new AFD, leak it and distance himself from it.
Same.
That would be horrible thing for Axl to do. It is a huge slap in the face to the old band. He would be BEGGING for criticism from litterally everyone. And it's a very poor way to promote Chinese Democracy. He would just be playing off the fact that AFD is one of the greatest albums of all time to sell his solo album.
That would be Baz-like. 
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
Included the re-recorded Appetite For Destruction as a bonus disc inside Chinese Democracy? I know we'd all love to hear it, but would u consider that living off the old to promote the new?
I'm really glad you raised this as I've been considering this same senario for a few months.
Firstly on just a personal level:
The pros:
I LOVE the original AFD. But when playing it compared to a newer album....the recording quality itself (NOT the peformance) sounds very anagolue and tape based or whatever. Now to an old school fan like me - in a way that is part of the magic - the same way when you chuck on an old vinal and the hiss and pop just adds a bit of flavour it it all. However...that said...I listen to the instrument seperation on something like The Spagetti Incident (which is still old now) or more modern albums like Angel Down and so forth, and I can't help but wonder how bad ass AFD would have sounded if it was a modern album in the sence of modern productin values.
The Cons:
I don't mean this as a bash. But what would we get? Love him or hate him now - the AFD record is what launched Slash as an iconic blues rock guitarist with signature licks. Studio versions of the AFD tracks without Slash is like removing a very strong part of what made them awesome songs - so that's a bad start. Then there's axl. I love him to death - but is his voice as strong in 2008 as in the early 1980s? I'm not saying his voice is bad now at all - I really dig him live still - i'm just saying - is it an idea to record note for note the same songs you did 20+ years ago for comparision. Part of the character in those songs came from Axl's young man anger I would have thought. So we'd get an axl with maybe a higher range...but slightly weaker tone...yet produced better...but more relaxed as a human?
Then what else would be added? Orcherstation or Synth parts? On songs from the sleazy LA Streets of the 80s? We know if fink is on there he'll add a bunch of industrial dischords and dissonece...which is cool on like the leak of CD...but which will really excentuate the removal of the classic blues lines. What else would be added? Some awesome shred outros on nighttrain from BBF or Bucket...and a bunch of guitar tapfests? Would be kinda cool in a rock out way...but given the historical brillaince of these songs...I dunno...to be honest I can see these versions being an utter mess and disgrace.
Which would create a condundrum. Listen to the nicely recorded version that sounds pretty but with the wrong peformances or listen to a ancient tapey recording of the 'true versions' of the songs. I'd be going for the latter I think.
The problem is - unless they played it nuiance for nuiance - note for note - what's the damn point - I keep trying to explain to people - the guitar lines are like the lyrics in these songs - fans know them phrase for phrase - when you get to the solo and its not as the air guitar version in your head plays out - a part of the mind rebels - and that's why people hate fink. I refrence that SCOM version on big daddy. It just sounds "wrong" to me - its like a cover thats scarily close to the original in places and its just a mind fuck. Immagine how much worse that will be when Axl redoes the entire vocal lines. maybe he says a few words with different emphasis this time around - which version will you sing in your head !! FUCK THAT!
OK...so i want to move onto the philosophical level:
What is Axl's motivation for doing this? Does he really hate the old guys so much he wants to undo history? OR is it just he was never happy with the recording process at the time? I could understand the latter but not the former.
What would it do for the band's credibility? I think axl felt having them record and play the old songs makes them more GNR. I think to most fans though it makes them less so - and more posing. They didn't do AFD and we fucking know it. Move On. Release albums like the CD leaks with the kickass songs they DID do - tour those - (with the obivous greatest hits covers they'd be expected to add in live as GNR) and then they'll be legit as GNR. So i feel pulling a stunt like this would just make the absence of Izzy, Slash and Duff more noticiable.
Philosophically I think it's evil to confuse newer fans to. Immagine in 2017 - does a kid who hears anything from the old school past (the way i'll hear an ancient Robert Johnston track) get to hear Slash on Paradice Ciry or Robin and Richard? This becomes especially important if someone gets hold of the rights to the old versions in the future (after the deaths of band members) and hoards them or soemthing. I guess thats a bit paranoid. its just like I don't think tis a cool idea to fuck with history.
Then again - could this be like the movies? How would it be recieved? When psycho was remade shot for shot - the critial reaction was like 'Why did you bother" and i suspect it would be like that again. Then again i have a friend who will only watch that version of psycho. But contrast that with reboots. Sure the old fans like us bitch about them, But many of the movie reboots have been accepted as commerical successes - and now would borderline replace the original in the minds of young fans who don't know better. Like ask the average 15 yo about Amityville and I'd guess they'd know the Ryan Reynolds version. Is axl some kind of bizzare genius idea - to take that same model - of a concept you can reboot - from storeis to music - is AFD going to be the rebooted music album? Where you take the same songs - add modern special effetcs, pacing and some new actors and introduce it to a whole new generation? And if he does - would he con the general public into it? Or would more people react like me above and think of it as a peversion of nature?
I can't lie...i'd have to listen to it for the macarbe interest value..so i'd end up getting it...but its beyond insulting to the old band...and a terrible idea....Axl has so much new music that's interesting...like Catcher in the Rye...he'd be better to finish that stuff off and blow us all away with it!
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
It's not only a slap in the face to the old band, but it is to the new band for constantly making them live under the shadow of the old band. I know that's somewhat unavoidable since they are using the name the own band made famous, but let their music stand on its own.
Not to mention I'd be pissed that we got ripped off with some cover tracks as the bonus rather than new material/unheard demos.
I don't want to hear this anyway. What's the point in a re-recorded AFD? To see if they can play it note for note?
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
I would be curious to hear it but I wouldn't pay squat for it.
As a few others have said, it's just disrespectful. I see it no different to the original four members getting another singer and re-recording the album saying they never liked the way Axl's voice sounded on the original etc.
It would be a stupid move, it would be like Dark Side of the Moon being re-recorded with a bunch of hired musicians. Why would you screw with something that was so universally loved and critically acclaimed.
If this were to be offically released then this would be like a red rag to a bull for the critics and blow up in Axl's face badly. He would look like a total dick for doing it (if it's possible for people to think any worse of him than many already do).
If he really wants to re-record it and then release it, unfortuantely the only guys that he can do this with is the original 5 if he wants any level of acceptance of it.
- monkeychow
- Rep: 661
Re: Would you lose respect for the band if they.................
I would be curious to hear it but I wouldn't pay squat for it.
As a few others have said, it's just disrespectful. I see it no different to the original four members getting another singer and re-recording the album saying they never liked the way Axl's voice sounded on the original etc.
If he really wants to re-record it and then release it, unfortuantely the only guys that he can do this with is the original 5 if he wants any level of acceptance of it.
Toally agree with everything you've written. Even the old band re-uniting to redo parts would be odd...i wonder how that would go down with critics even. Or fans...like when the tone of voice or guitar is slightly sifferent...a phrase or note just a touch changed...it could really headfuck with fans I think!
