The evolution of the 02 songs this summer

[A Private Eye]

Since the leaks a couple of weeks ago I've heard a lot of people say they were recorded a few years ago and probably sound different now to how they do on the demos, which is obviously a possibility. Just wondering if you expect to hear any differences in the new songs we heard in 02 like Madagacar or Chinese Democracy, this summer on the tour if they play them? The 02 songs were probably written around the time of the demos we have heard and people seem to think they will have changed since they were recorded, even TWAT which I think sounds great already so why not alter The Blues? Would you be surprised if at RIR Axl introduces Rhiad and the Bedouins and it sounded a lot different to in 02? Or do you think because these songs have 'officially' been played to people before they should keep them the same as they were heard in 02?? ?

[estranged.1098]

The songs changed already, just compare Rio to one of the 2002 US tour bootlegs.

Madagascar will obviously sound different. 

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Im sure some of the songs have evolved since then. To what degree?? Who knows.

[Voodoochild]

I would love to hear a new version of Silkworms (for real) and Chinese Democracy. IMO, they could play Rhiad the way it was in 2002, it was already perfect to me.

[WhosGilby?]

Yeah, I hoped they worked more on Chinese Democacy

[Steel_Angel]

Yeah, I hoped they worked more on Chinese Democacy

that song sucks baaalllzzzzzzz. IMO. i hope they change the lyrics and everything 

[Eduardo]

I hope they maintain the Rio solo fot Madagascar (even if BH is not in the band), that was AWESOME

I hope that they improved the solo on CD

They should play The Blues faster as well, like the Rio version

[Ax]

I hope they maintain the Rio solo fot Madagascar (even if BH is not in the band), that was AWESOME

I hope that they improved the solo on CD

They should play The Blues faster as well, like the Rio version

Yeah, the Rio Madagascar solo was way better than the way it was played during the 2002 tour. And I think the Rio version of the Blues was better than the 2002 version as well.

CD seemed to still be a work in progress when it was played live. The guitar work just sounded rough and unfinished.

[jimmythegent]

hard  to say, that will be one of the most interesting things to look out for with these show (if they happen). Along with the 3rd guitarist, the inevitable rants but mostly, how is Axls voice going to sound? Hopefully a darn sight better than most of 02

[oneway23]

Maybe a few phrases here and there, or a guitar line or two, but I'd imagine that the songs would largely stay the same.  Should be interesting to take note of.

[Neemo]

I'm sure they'll be tweaked a bit. Light shows and shit will be figured out to a tee. I'm more interested to hear what new songs they play and What old ones are cut from the performance

[Eduardo]

I'm sure they'll be tweaked a bit. Light shows and shit will be figured out to a tee. I'm more interested to hear what new songs they play and What old ones are cut from the performance

Yeah, I hope they dont play songs like Think About You, My Michelle, Out Ta Get Me, KOHD and even Patience anymore... I hope they play Civil War, Estranged, Locomotive...

[lul]

its pretty hard to imagine them new songs evolving without that reallly fast guitar player

[estranged.1098]

its pretty hard to imagine them new songs evolving without that reallly fast guitar player

Specially the Blues.

Oh wait, Fortus picked up a guitar and did just that...

[ClintroN]

Yeah, I hoped they worked more on Chinese Democacy

that song sucks baaalllzzzzzzz. IMO. i hope they change the lyrics and everything 

you know somethin'....you suck!!

those words r' fuckin' unreal man!!

[CAFC Nick]

They should play The Blues faster as well, like the Rio version

. And I think the Rio version of the Blues was better than the 2002 version as well.

Agreed. However, on the Rio version Axl didn't take the ending up an octave which IMO makes the song so much more powerful.

[anythinggoes]

the songs may not not sound that different from 02 as they are live i cant wait to hear better live and i hope they keep Silkworms as for some reason i love that song its so fucking out there.

the best o2 versions of the blues imo is Leeds and Albany both sound so cool

[CAFC Nick]

the best o2 versions of the blues imo is Leeds and Albany both sound so cool

Yeh totally agree the Leeds one I just think sounds so good and the albany one has the fortus amazing outro on it.

[Butch Français]

I don't think they'll sound incredibly different live, apart from the solos of course..

[A Private Eye]

So now we have heard the 02 songs in the new shows how have the 02 songs changed? Have The Blues, Madagascar and Chinese Democracy improved or have any changes made the songs worse? Those who heard them played live in New York what are your thoughts?

[kunzerd]

chinese democracy - now played with a really cool organ intro, with the main riff jammed out a couple times by itself before the whole song kicks in, sounds a lot cooler to me.

the blues - now more piano driven, starts out with piano as opposed to piano and guitar, continues like that until far into the first verse. again, like it better.

there was a time - the keyboard part sounds different live, everything is a lot heavier and i liked it a lot. live version is ten times better then that demo. shame we dont have a good bootleg of it.

[1987]

i thought madagascare, cd, and twat all sounded "heavier"
the blues sounded better than the 02 version.. but i can't really put my finger on why.. maybe his voice just sounded better
i liked the new versions of all songs much more than the 02 versions..
i would really like to see what the band would do with rhiad or oh my god..
i thought better and irs sounded very similar to the leaks. 
i'm really looking forward to hearing clean versions of the new songs.. we should have some pretty high quality boots from rock in rio.

[Voodoochild]

IRS has an extra solo, but I didn't like Axl's vocals. Pretty much every version I heard he fucked up.

Better is almost the same as the demo and Robin and Axl nailed!

TWAT sounded cool (the intro too), but the chorus is with different chords and sounded weird to me. I dunno with a better bootleg, tho. Robin rocked in this song!

Madagascar now has some new guitar work. I couldn't tell who, but seems like there's some extra licks here and there. Also, the song sounds a lot heavier.

The Blues lost the guitar riff, but it sounds way better with Axl's voice now. Robin's solo is slightly different in the end. Richard's outro follow Axl's voice for a bit, then starts to shred.

Chinese Democracy is way better now. The intro sounds good, Robin's guitar tone sounds powerful. There's now some effect (I dunno if its Pittman's keyboard or just Bumble shredding) that sounds really cool.

[imsorry]

For me chinese democracy from rir3 is the best its only missing a really good solo
check this out http://www.sendspace.com/file/dy17gx i enhanced,remastered whatever u wanna call it last week   

[GnR-NOW]

ive heard the new songs from 02, and after hearing them live on the 15th, id say they sound a hell of a lot better.

[misterID]

The Blues was always my least favorite song of the 3 '02 new songs. It wasn't that it was bad, I just couldn't get into it... The new version has changed my opinion and I like it better than Maddy now. The new piano intro is great. This is now the song I want to hear the most on CD.

[HoldenCaulfield]

I was at the 17th show, and loved all of the new songs:

Chinese Democracy - It has a new techno-like intro, they  play a lot of weird strings and synths and Chinese-inspired sounds and music, then Robin starts his guitar intro, stops halfway, does it again, stops halfway, plays it all the way through, then the rest of the band jump in. His guitar is a bit more distorted than the last tour, which sound great. It sounded really rocking. Also, I know some nights (at least the 12th) Axl didn't do the first "It don't really matter..." after the intro, but he did when I heard it.

The Blues - Dizzy plays the intro, sounds the same, but there aren't any guitars that come in, it's just the piano. Then Brain jumps in with the "All the love in the world couldn't save you", just drums, base, and piano. The rest of the song sounds the same that I can remember, I just remember the guitars seeming a little heavier than before. Also, Fortus doesn't do his little 4-note thing he used to do before and after the first verse. I also think they took a few of the synths out. It has more of an organic, simpler sound to it.

Madagascar - First thing is during the organ intro, Robin does this cool guitar effect. During Axl's screaming part, lots of pretty heavy guitars. Most of Robin's parts in the song have changed, I think he played through most of the song instead of just here and there like he used to. The solo has changed, too. Fortus did the solo during the quotes, it was a lot of really heavy, "wah-wah" playing, pretty cool.

TWAT - Didn't get to hear it live 

Better - Sound a lot like the version we've heard. The chorus ("Now I know you better, etc.") wasn't quite as heavy as in the leak, but it still sounded cool. I think it would've been cool if Axl sang the intro in falsetto like in the leak, but he didn't. He kept singing it in different ways.

I.R.S. - Has changed the most of any song. During the intro, I didn't really notice any of the smooth, accoustic stuff. The little bluesy breaks were gone, just straight guitars, I think. Axl was singing it pretty fast, but unfortunately, it didn't sound as hard as the demo. They could really tear it up with this song if they wanted to, they just didn't. Robin does a really cool solo about 1/3rd into the song. The rest of it was pretty much the same. I really liked it, it was just different.

[1987]

For me chinese democracy from rir3 is the best its only missing a really good solo
check this out http://www.sendspace.com/file/dy17gx i enhanced,remastered whatever u wanna call it last week   

you do great work.. thanks.. the rhiad from vegas sounds like a soundboard now... the orginal recording was pretty bad... crowd noises ect...and the blues, cd and madagascar almost sound like studio versions.. thanks again.. can't wait to hear your work on the 06 versions..  there will prob be some good recordings of rock n rio to work with. 

[parisrocks]

The new beginning to the Blues is horrible!!! 

All I can think of is NV and it ruins the entire song. 

The guitar cruch at the start was where all of the power came from, I give a fuck about how raspy his voice is.

[-Jack-]

The Blues intro is botched.... but it still sounds good...

The Chinese Democracy intro sounds lammmeee.... (I seriously loved the '02 version.. just needed a better solo)

TWAT sounds much heavier and I like it.. but where the hell is a 3rd verse? Not enough Axl time in the song...

IRS.. I like the new solo part..

Havent listened to maddy yet.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

The new beginning to the Blues is horrible!!! 

All I can think of is NV and it ruins the entire song. 

The guitar cruch at the start was where all of the power came from, I give a fuck about how raspy his voice is.

Disagreed, the new intro to The Blues is fine.  But the best version would be the Pittsburgh 2002 version with the 2006 vocals 

Pittsburgh 2002 is still the only show I've heard Robin hit the solo to perfection

[Voodoochild]

Pittsburgh 2002 is still the only show I've heard Robin hit the solo to perfection

As much as like this version, Robin didn't hit the solo to perfection at all.

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Pittsburgh 2002 is still the only show I've heard Robin hit the solo to perfection

As much as like this version, Robin didn't hit the solo to perfection at all.

The ending of the solo was perfectly clean.  Maybe I should've elaborated, but the end of the solo is hit perfectly, I've never heard him hit it that well before, it sounds awesome 

[F*ck Fear]

From the boots I've heard Chinese Democracy sounds better than it ever did. The Blues is only better than 02' because of Axl's voice,but I like the 02' intro with Fortus' guitar more.

[jimmythegent]

having not really heard any boots, Id like to know how 06 Appetite songs sound compared to 02?

IMO, many AFD songs in 02 sounded too clean and sterile - the raw feel was lacking.

Are they loosening these up a bit now?

[Jim Bob]

having not really heard any boots, Id like to know how 06 Appetite songs sound compared to 02?

IMO, many AFD songs in 02 sounded too clean and sterile - the raw feel was lacking.

Are they loosening these up a bit now?

yea dude.  They are doin a longer intro to Mr Brownstone like the band used to do back in the day.. shit like that, they sound so much tighter now.

[andypa1]

Just listened to the blues on the 15th on flac. oh wow. Well a great tune from 02 so i was expecting the same, i was suprised by the piano but felt the intro blended in better. Also before the first solo when the band cuts out and piano and axl really slows down, and axl hits "I dont know just what i should do" flips the temo, so much passion. I couldnt imagine this song could be improved but what a musical genius axl is. It blew me away the hairs on my arm stood up. This evoloution of the songs reassures me that axls perfectionism over the last 4 years since the last shows WAS NOT A WASTE OF TIME

[FortusGNR21]

I LOVE the new intro to Chinese Democracy, although I dunno If I like the way Axl goes straight in to the "You think we're visionaries" bit.? ?

The new Blues intro is cool too, but I think I prefer the 02 version with the guitars playing over the top of the piano!