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GUNS
N' ROSES: CHINESE DEMOCRACY 2008
By
Anthony Kuzminski and Mark Strigl
For
the last 9 years, we have been anticipating the release of 'Chinese
Democracy.' This will be Guns N' Roses'
first album of new material since 1993.
Despite
the years of waiting, and the departure of 4 of 5 original members,
the public has not abandoned this band. Gn'R's
'Greatest Hits' record, which had virtually no promotion, hit
Billboard's top 100 at #3
in March of 2004 and hasn't dropped off the charts since. Online
discussions about the highly anticipated 'Chinese Democracy' have
been going on for years. Over the past few years, live performances
and a few rough mixes of new songs that have leaked to the net
have whipped both devotees and cynical journalists into an excited
frenzy. It is evident that the craving for a new Guns
N' Roses record is so intense that fans will buy or
do almost anything to feed their appetites for destruction.
Today
we would like to go on record by saying that just because there
is no longer an iconic guy wearing a top hat on lead guitar, doesn't
mean we can disregard the current incarnation of Guns
N' Roses. Axl Rose
is a brilliant artist who defies the norm with his unrelenting
willpower. New cuts such as "Better" and "Madagascar"
confirm that Guns N' Roses
still have thunderous artistic expression inside of them. In a
day and age where rock has become way too safe, Axl
Rose brings back uncertainty and danger to art form
that has been lacking it for far too long.
A
massive league of loyal fans continue to keep the legacy of Guns
N' Roses alive, and whenever 'Chinese Democracy' finally
drops, the fans' patience will be rewarded.
GUNS
N' ROSES: REVOLUTIONARY ILLUSIONS
By
Anthony Kuzminski
I'm
out here on my own, an drifting all alone
-"Estranged"
Despite
anyone's surroundings it's inevitable we all feel that we are
"drifting all alone" at some point during our teenage
experience. Every teen finds their own way to deal with these
illusions and mine was music. When you dropped that needle, put
the cassette in the deck or hit play on your CD player, we all
found and hopefully continue to find something profound within
these records that don't just distract us from life, but truly
take us across the universe and into our own psyche. All of a
sudden whatever pain we are feeling isn't quite as bad because
we are reminded there are others out there having the same experience.
The year 1991 may have been one of the greatest years in the history
of music. R.E.M., U2, Ozzy Osborne, Tesla, Richie Sambora, Metallica,
Bryan Adams, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Skid Row and Van Halen all released
commercially and artistically important touchstones this year,
however none caused a bigger stir and more anticipation than the
simultaneous release of 'Use Your Illusion Volume I and II' by
Guns N' Roses. In a day and age when records leak sometimes months
in advance, I don't think I will ever be able to explain to someone
younger than me how momentous the anticipation was for these albums.
For me, the wait was unbearably agonizing and when they were finally
released; I had to be the first to hear it.
Everybody
needs some time…on their own
-"November Rain"
I
was a model child growing up. Don't get me wrong, I still felt
angst, thought the universe misunderstood me and often felt that
impending doom enveloped our existence. However, I didn't distress
my parents with the customary teen troubles; drinking, smoking
or taking the car out for a spin before you're sixteen. I think
the worst thing I did in my teen years was break curfew a few
times. My parents did a rather extraordinary job of raising me
and my younger sister; they were strict but were always fair and
surrounded us with more love than any kid could ever dream of.
However, when either of us did anything inappropriate, even though
it was a footnote compared to what other kids were doing, they
came down on us hard. It apparently worked because we usually
never did it again. Except for one time when I bucked the system.
This would be something my sister would never let me forget.
At
some point in high school, my younger sister was caught for something
unbecoming and she felt my parents were being unjust in administering
her punishment. I don't even remember what she did to reap my
parent's stare of disappointment, so it could not have been anything
"that bad". Nevertheless, in the midst of this discourse
she lashed back at my parents trying to extinguish the flames
(and throw me under a train at the same time) when she blurted
out "At least I don't sneak out in the middle of the night
to buy CD's like Tony used to". My parents paused for a moment,
reflected on what she had said and immediately redirected the
conversation back to my sister. A few hours later, my father stopped
by my sister's room, peeked in and asked her "Did Tony really
sneak out in the middle of the night to buy records?" She
responded "yes" and apparently my father had some kind
of giddy smirk on his face in relief that I did indeed break the
rules every once in a while. I didn't know about this conversation
until years later and in truth, to this day I am not even sure
how my sister knows of this story, because I never shared it with
her. I did indeed sneak out of the house to buy CD's after midnight…once.
The only time this occurred was because I couldn't wait a minute
longer to hear 'Use Your Illusion I & II'.
It
has now been nearly fourteen-years since GNR released 'The Spaghetti
Incident' and somehow, the agonizing time in between that record
and what will eventually be 'Chinese Democracy' appears to be
shorter than the wait between 'Appetite For Destruction' and 'Use
Your Illusion'. Yes, I know you think I'm off my rocker, but think
about it, once the band got off the road in December 1988, they
were constantly appearing at award shows, in magazines and occasionally
in concert. There was even an EP released in December of 1988
that fans relished throughout all of 1989, 'GN'R Lies', but this
album was merely something to satiate our hunger until a proper
follow up to 'Appetite' could be released. During the summer of
1989 in Chicago, I spent many nights listening to WVVX (103.1)
to possibly hear about sightings of the band that were in town
rumored to be recording. Then in early 1991, the announcement
was made that Guns N' Roses would embark on their first headline
tour. I thought to myself, "This must mean that the album's
release date can only be around the corner"…right? I
was wrong as was every other rock fan, magazine editor and Geffen
Records employee. Even though the 'Use Your Illusion' tour launched
in May of 1991, the album would not be released for another four-months.
I remember eventually thinking I'd have the album before the school
year was out and low and behold, I didn't have it in my possession
until after the next school year had been in session for three-weeks!
I
used to attend record shows just outside of Chicago and two pro-shot
video bootlegs kept me company over the summer of 1991. The first
was from the band's appearance at Rock in Rio in January '91 and
the other one was from Deer Creek, Indiana in May 1991, the second
stop of the tour. What made the latter so revolutionary was that
it showcased a large portion of the 'Illusion' albums months before
their proper release. I remember been dazed watching "Right
Next Door To Hell", "Dust & Bones", "Live
& Let Die", "Bad Obsession", "Double Talkin'
Jive" and a pair of epic ballads; "Estranged" and
"November Rain" months before these songs could be bought
in stores. I had been listening to "November Rain" for
years via bootleg from the bands 1986 demo sessions but this time
the song was so wildly ambitious that it was downright majestic!
But even with a top notch bootleg, it could not fully stop my
craving for the completed albums.
I
bought me an illusion
And I put it on the wall
I let it fill my head with dreams
And I had to have them all
But oh the taste is never so sweet
-"Locomotive"
So
how did I become the coolest kid in school for one day? I decided
that I'd had enough cover stories and bootlegs to wet my appetite
and it was time for the main course. I wasn't even old enough
to be driving when these renowned albums were released on September
17, 1991. I can't explain it, but I needed these albums the second
they were available to the public which meant 12:01am on a Monday
night. This was a ludicrous time to be selling albums but I needed
to be there. So what was my plan? My parents were both school
teachers and usually were in bed before 11pm. We had a basement
that had a back storage room that had a door that led to the outside
where I could enter and exit with minimal noise. No one would
notice because this was two entire floors below everyone's bedrooms.
So before I went to bed, I put some extra clothes downstairs by
the back door and waited for 11pm. I left my bedroom for the basement
and luckily for me, everyone was asleep, so I ventured to the
basement unnoticed. I made my way to the backroom, changed clothes
and went out into the chilly September night on a quest. I quietly
opened the garage door where my ten-speed bicycle was housed and
I began my trek to Rolling Stones Records in Norridge, Illinois
(approximately five-miles from my house).
At
this time in my life, I was 115 pounds drenching wet and had a
baby face so I was terrified I would be picked up by cops for
breaking curfew. I fortunately made it to Rolling Stones Records
without issue so see there were already hundreds in line which
had been forming for twelve-hours. Even though it would be a short
time before the discs would be in my hands, the wait seemed excruciating.
I chatted with a number of fans in line and we all couldn't believe
we were so close to enlightenment. I finally got inside the store;
bought my 2 CD's and rode home. I immediately loaded the CD player,
threw in a cassette to tape it for my walkman and let the music
take me away. The whipping of Duff McKagen's bass opened 'Use
Your Illusion I' followed by Izzy Stradlin and Slash's scorching
guitars, the sweltering smack of Matt Sorum's drums and the ominous
shrieks of the one and only Axl Rose. It was as if a new world
was being opened to me. As I listened to both discs, I felt a
noir-ish aesthetic overtake the music. This was more than just
an album full of inconsequential songs but something cinematic.
The four-years that followed 'Appetite' were legendary and the
maturity and progression could be heard on each track; Izzy was
channeling Keith Richards with his rag tag songwriting which while
not as loud as 'Appetite' was equally dirty and sexy. Then there
was Slash's searing guitar which intensified every track along
with the pseudo-angst Axl incorporated into each of the thirty
songs which poured like a cascade out of my stereo with awe-inspiring
abandon. When the final notes of "My World" had faded,
I was dizzy…and tired as hell. What I listened to wasn't
just an album, but an experience.
I've
worked too hard for my illusions
Just to throw them all away
-"Locomotive"
The
next morning, I brought the CD's with me to school. I was never
the most popular kid in school, nor was I the least popular. But
on September 17, 1991, I was the coolest kid in school. Not one
of the other 1,500 students had these albums…but I did. The
questions came fast and furious asking me if the album lived up
to the hype. Without a doubt, I told them the albums were worth
the wait. In retrospect, many see this as the end of Guns N' Roses
as they have yet to release another proper studio album of original
material since, but the truth is that September 17, 1991 was just
the beginning. Over time I would love these albums, let them collect
dust and rediscover them time and time again. This is the true
essence of a truly magnanimous album; it messes with your mind
and continues to challenge you. Songs like "You Ain't The
First", "Bad Obsession", "Breakdown",
"My World" and "Shotgun Blues" may appear
to be filler at first but over time you wouldn't trade their placement
on the record the same way you wouldn't take "Ventilator
Blues" or "Revolution 9" off of 'Exile on Main
Street' or 'The White Album' respectively. 'Use You Illusion'
was the Gunners stab at making their version of 'Exile' and 'The
White Album'. When the Rolling Stones and the Beatles released
these complex masterpieces, they were widely misunderstood but
over time they have become some of the most important albums ever
released. Guns N' Roses were a band that pushed boundaries further
than anyone ever imagined. Both the Beatles and Stones liked screwing
with the system and GN'R was no different. There hasn't been a
band as viral or dangerous as Guns N' Roses since. Anytime you
saw or heard this band, you felt as if a primal force was at hand.
Guns N' Roses was challenging themselves, their audience and the
industry by expanding their sound, their songwriting and their
mission. Double albums are meant to defy with the norm and at
this moment in time, no one gave the middle finger to the status
quo quite like Guns N' Roses.
Gonna
find a way to cure this loneliness
Yeah I'll find a way to cure the pain
-"Locomotive"
The
'Use Your Illusion' albums continue to invigorate me almost sixteen-years
later proving how audacious these albums truly are. A song like
"Locomotive" gets lost upon initial listens, but just
in the last few years I've come to realize that this is potentially
the most ambitious track on the album. People may think that Dizzy
Reed's shining moment is on "Estranged" or "November
Rain", but his real moment comes six-minutes into "Locomotive"
where the minimalism of his piano takes you over and as every
bit as powerful as a chilling lyric. The final two minutes of
"Locomotive" are so appetizingly good you only wish
that the band had performed this song on a regular basis. They
were actually scheduled to perform it with Jeff Beck at their
Pay-Per-View Paris show in 1992, but unfortunately Beck had to
drop out at the last minute which is a shame as the live broadcast
would have brought the song to the forefront. When you hear the
lyric "I'll find a way to cure the pain" it fills you
with more hope than anyone could ever imagine but I'm guessing
most people never heard this lyric over the swirling mix of instruments.
If you have overlooked it before, I suggest you check it out again.
You
can find it all inside
-"The Garden"
The
lyric above from "The Garden" is my favorite GN'R lyric.
Those six words sum up the 'Illusion" albums and life better
than anything else. The band's emotional psyche is explored profoundly
here and it's inviting, haunting and disturbing as hell but it
justifies our existence. We all seek answers in life and what
"The Garden" is telling us is to look inside ourselves
for the answers just as "November Rain" demands that
we "need some time on our own" in order to "kill
the pain". The emotional depth of the 'Illusion' albums is
far more astounding than anyone has ever given them credit for.
When Axl sings of being "sick of this life" in the Stones-esque
"Dead Horses" I knew exactly how he felt before the
blast-off assault instruments that impeded my eardrums. There
are several layers to the 'Illusion' albums that I'll still be
excavating them sixteen-years later.
Give
me a kiss before you tell me goodbye
-"Don't Cry"
Little
did we know at the time that the length between 'Use Your Illusion'
and 'Chinese Democracy' would be four-times as long, but it too
will be worth the long wait. Last fall when Axl Rose strove onto
stage at the Allstate Arena, just outside of Chicago, I saw a
man possessed with a determination and purpose I have only witnessed
a handful of times in my life. It reinvigorated my passion for
Guns N' Roses and I realized that if Axl put a tenth of that same
energy into 'Chinese Democracy' as he did on the concert stage,
then expect the unexpected. Whether 'Chinese Democracy' breaks
records or sales plateau's is not the point. What is vital is
that Axl Rose is an artist who deserves to decide when his art
is ready for public consumption and I will forever respect his
wishes even if it means it's another five-years before 'Chinese
Democracy' see's the light of day. Guns N' Roses is all about
breaking the rules and only they could have inspired me to ride
a bike in the middle of the night for a pair of albums. When it
finally does arrive I'll listen to it with the same intensity
as I did sixteen years ago with 'Use Your Illusion', albeit I
may drive my car to the store at midnight this time. I wish Axl
the best and hope to take my psyche on another emotional roller
coaster soon, but until then, I'm having a rather great time rediscovering
"Locomotive".
Seems
somehow I've found the will to live
-"Locomotive"
Anthony
Kuzminski can be found at The
Screen Door
TALKING
METAL EPISODE 146 FEATURING
RON
"BUMBLEFOOT" THAL OF GUNS N' ROSES AND GREG PEARSON
OF GOMCO
Credit:
Anna Avagyan
This
episode features an interview hosts Mark
Strigl and
John Ostronomy conducted with
Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron
"Bumblefoot"
Thal during Talking Metal
Live on April 5, 2007. Topics include Mark
St. John, Chris Pitman,
Eddie Trunk, Q*Ball,
and V8 juice. In addition,
the epiosde features an interview Strigl
conducted with Greg Pearson
regarding his Gomco album.
Photo
Caption: Mak Strigl, Bumblefoot, and John Ostronomy
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