Chinese Democracy update

You will remember my raving review and top ten placing for 2008 for the GNR album Chinese Democracy last year.

It would appear sales have been slower than hoped due to a lack of promotion or a tour. Axl has had to seek a new income source...

Razor Review- G n' F n' R

What a night. Arrived via a Kenny Rogers playing cab driver, which was rather surreal. Into the gig and straight into Angry Anderson and his brothers Rose Tattoo- solid sounding set for the oldies in the crowd (which I almost am now!). Nice Boys Don't Play Rock N Roll!!!

Then came treat number one- Sebastian "Mr Hard Rock Charisma" Bach played a full set of primarily Skid Row songs and if you knew them it was great. If not then it might have been a battle. Sebastian gets 7 out of 10- keep that energy pal! Probably the highlight was the crowd pleasing "I Remember You" which proved to all that his voice still has it and was never faked.

About midnight the first riffs of Welcome To The Jungle started bouncing around the dry ice and it was all on. I had my doubts until recently as to whether Axl Rose could still carry it off, but anyone who saw any of the gigs last week in Auckland and Christchurch will tell you, well, Rose is still a rock and roll legend in his prime.

I won't bore you all with blow by blow detail, suffice to say it was a two hour set of crowd pleasing greatest hits, along with three new songs- Madagascar being the outstanding one there. And the band- outstanding. It may not be Slash, Duff et all but this mob are as cohesive and together as any incarnation of G N R that theres ever been. Robin Finke of Nine Inch Nails fame is virtuoso, Richard Fortus of Psychadelic Furs fame is a treat- and my personal highlight of the night was Ron Thal's outstanding rendition of the NZ National Anthem that morphed into an instrumental version of "Don't Cry" on the "Flyin V" guitar- it was like Jimi Hendrix was in the room.

Best tracks- Welcome to the Jungle, the epic firework driven November Rain, Madagascar and Paradise City to close. And many, many more.

The Razor Review gives this 9 out of 10 and says its the best gig I've seen in 2007. Not quite into the Top 5 of all time, the 1988 version of G N R just cuts this one off at the pass, mainly due to it being my first ever gig!

Wasted Youth

In December 1988 I went to see these guys in the Jaffabowl....my first ever live concert. Its still one of my top 5 gigs ever.

In 1993 I saw them again, with Sebastian Bach's Skid Row in support. That night G N R were too drugged out to make the top 5 gigs list.

Tonight I'm off to see Axl's modern version of G N R here in ChCh, who from all accounts played great gigs in Auckland over the weekend. And funnily enough Sebastian Bach is in support. Ironically the last live act I saw in ChCh was Velvet Revolver 2 years ago....where the rest of the 'old G N R' currently play. Today Velvet Revolver released their new CD, and there are posters of both G N R and VR all over town. I wonder if Axl noticed the irony as he flew into the Garden City.

Its time for one huuuuuuge fucking party!!!!!!!!!!!

Razor Review to follow when the hangover eases........sometime next week probably!

You Know Where You Are?

You're in the Jungle baby........you're gonna diiiiieeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Three weeks left till Guns n Roses hit NZ. Gn'R was the first concert I ever saw, way back in 1987 as a 15 year old. That gig still sits in my top 5 of all time, they quite literally changed the face of popular music that year with the timeless Appetite for Destruction album. I saw them again in 1993, wasn't as good a show as they were drugged out overblown rockstars in decline at that point, but from all accounts the current Chinese Democracy is one of the highest rated (and attended) shows on the planet at the present time, so come on Axl, put the bloody album out!

I have a ticket for the Auckland show, but now theres a ChCh gig announced it'll make more sense to try and go there. Funnily enough the last show I saw at the Westpac Arena in ChCH was Velvet Revolver, where most of the original members of Gn'R now reside- and the day Axl and the boys play there is the same day Velvet Revolver release their new album. I wonder if Axl will notice....

Here's a couple of clips that completely sum up what makes Guns N Roses so interesting. They are such a split personality, one minute balls to the wall punk driven rock, the next minute grandiose epic power rock.

First clip is a real treat- lotsa fun- Lost in the Garden of Eden from Use Your Illusion. Click the pic to play this hidden gem...thank you You Tube!



Second clip is my favourate G N R track of all time, Estranged. It's loosely described as the sequel to November Rain, charting Axl Roses personal drug riddled demons and the path to redemption. So here you go, enjoy one of the most expensive music videos ever made.... no doubt coz the dolphins charged ridiculous appearance fees!