What is it people fail to understand about Chinese Democracy?

[russtcb]

because of another thread @ deadhorse section i found this interesting article at wiki regarding a masterpiece.

Upon release, Sgt. Pepper received both popular and critical acclaim. Various reviews appearing in the mainstream press and trade publications throughout June 1967, immediately after the album's release, were generally positive. In The Times prominent critic Kenneth Tynan described Sgt. Pepper as "a decisive moment in the history of Western civilization". Others including Richard Poirier, and Geoffrey Stokes were similarly expansive in their praise, Stokes noting, "listening to the Sgt. Pepper album one thinks not simply of the history of popular music but the history of this century."

One notable critic who did not like the album was Richard Goldstein, a critic for The New York Times, who wrote, "Like an over-attended child, "Sergeant Pepper" is spoiled. It reeks of horns and harps, harmonica quartets, assorted animal noises, and a 41-piece orchestra", and added that it was an "album of special effects, dazzling but ultimately fraudulent" . On the other hand, Goldstein called "A Day in the Life" "a deadly earnest excursion in emotive music with a chilling lyric".


sounds familiar, huh?

I was honestly shocked to shit to see all the positive reviews of CD upon release. Obviously I adore the album and gave it my own glowing review, but I thought for sure the mainstream rock media would be just waiting for the chance to dog it. The postive reviews made me even more puzzled at the lack of promotion by anyone.

[younggunner]

you know what...fuk it. Who cares about the rest of the world? Yea, we would all like Axl and the band get the credit they deserve and would love to see some videos and touring but overall we are very lucky.

Put Chinese Democracy on your lil Ipods, blast it, lay down and shut the lights. And just enjoy. Enjoy a truly amazing masterpiece. Is it perfect? No, but its pretty close. Why do we want it to be perfect anyway? thats what makes Axl, Axl. Rock n Roll needs that wtf element. Certain parts of the album have that. And that is a good thing.

We are truly lucky because we love an artist that gives a dam. The lyrics, the musicianship, the thought that has been put into this album shouldnt be taken for granted. I might come across as a "whiner" when discussing certain GNR issues, but you know what, when it comes down to it, I have Axls back. No matter what. Would I want to see a reunion? Sometimes. Mostly no, but sometimes. Do I wish he would have handled the new era of GNR differently, of course. But for whatever reason its just not going to go down like we all thought. And as for a reunion..if Axl is not ready or will never be that is perfectly fine with me. I can feel his pain in the lyrics. I get what hes saying on this album. Axl is a man of principal. And that is why I have always felt connected with his music. The guy is the epitome of cool. Case closed.

Do not take CHinese Democracy for granted. The leaks spoiled the release for 99.9% of us. Imagine if we had hear all these songs fresh? Forget it. Despite that, the album still hits home and still plays in my Ipod and in my car everyday. Thats says something. Fuck the drama, whether its caused by Axl or not....just enjoy this wonderful album.

Axl delivered us what we care about most....the music.

Forget the rest of the world. Let them get dragged down by the medias agenda. Let them disregard great music because it doesnt have Slash. Fuk them. Axl doesnt need Slash. Case Closed. It would be nice to see them one day clear shit up and do something because life is too short. Other than that....Axl doesnt need Slash when all is said and done. Axl doesnt need the support of the media. Axl doesnt need soaring approval ratings. He doesnt give a fuk...why should we?

[Gargh!]

1- Were you born into a broken home, abusive dad, maybe parents separated when you were young? Mom and dad fought a lot?

No.

2- Are you a fan of the Beatles.

Yes.

3- Are you or have been a hard drug/alcohol addict?

No.

4- Do you think Bon Jovi is really douchie?

Not really.

5- Level of education. College Graduate?

Just done first year of uni.

6- Do you have someone a girlfriend/boyfriend or wife/husband?

No.

7- Do you still live with your parents or other guardian?

Yes.

8- MSNBC or Fox News

I live in Scotland, I have no idea.

9- On a Shit Scale. 10 being the most shitty, how shitty was X-Men Origins: Wolverine?

I didn't think it was that bad, I'd say a 4. Never read the comics though.



That test was for people who don't "absolutely love" CD right? I'd say I like it a lot, but "absolutely love" is pushing it for me.

What do I win?

Pretty much the same answers for me - right down to living in Scotland and having just finished first year at Uni.  I do have a girlfriend, I don't live with my folks and I never saw the X-men film.


Does that prove anything?

[D]

so lets see Buddha

U are insulting people for not liking CD but yet u are the God that decides whether fox is better than CNN, Wolverine is great and Bon Jovi's doucheness?

bit hypocritical eh?

[GypsySoul]

He doesnt give a fuk...why should we?

I agree with mostly everything else you said except this ^


I think he does give a fuck ... big time ... about the quality of the band and the music and everything else GNR and is and has been working tirelessly behind the scene to get all the drama and bullshit under control and out of the way (as much as is humanly possible).

Yeah.  I think he DOES give a fuck ... and that's why we do too!!! 

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

so lets see Buddha

U are insulting people for not liking CD but yet u are the God that decides whether fox is better than CNN, Wolverine is great and Bon Jovi's doucheness?

bit hypocritical eh?

He has brain damage, leave him alone.

[BlowUpYourVideo]

More threads should have the word "doucheness" in them.

[norway]

I guess Britney Spears fans are allowed to call her albums masterpieces and classics then, but not GN'R fans. Interesting.

Pop-godess vs rock-god.

Her latest albums been pretty good, I think Axl will blow the world with his next move/music. Not CD.

[peter7411226]

i agree the built in promotion was huge, but at the same time the media would make it very clear that it was axl rose & not guns n roses. when ever they spoke about cd they refer  to why didnt axl do this, or what took axl so long. never once did i hear the media say this band worked there asses off, or they have a unique sound in that song. no it was always what a strange song by axl. & i know he will get a majority of the topics, but at the same time give the rest of the band some credit. they never gave it a chance, just kept dismissing it. i remember asking nicole alverez at kroq why they wouldn't play better, & her response was it a. it doesn't fit our format , b. i think it sucks, & c. if slash int in the group its not guns n roses, then she hung up on me. also at the inland invasion, they made a big deal how axl wasn't  there on time it took them forever to come out & play, which was b.s. axl got there at 6pm. alice in chains came on late & ran over. they had problems putting guns stage together, when everything was set guns came out 14min later. thats what i mean, with negative outlooks like that. that did not help cd at all. & as far as promotion & the tour we have no clue what goes on at all. it's easy to point fingers. so everyone that says axl isnt doing anything, honestly none of us have a clue what he does & doesn't do.

You see but thats exactly the reason he has to go out and promote. Promote the band, the music. Change peoples minds. Show them Slash isnt in the band and that hes recruited people more than capable of carrying the GNR torch. If he doesnt do this the media and most of the public at large will see this as Axl's guns n roses. Theres a great saying "with great power comes greater responsibility". He decided to continue under the GNR moniker and with it will come consequences. Thats why he has to promote the hell out of his band and music.

[ppbebe]

because of another thread @ deadhorse section i found this interesting article at wiki regarding a masterpiece.

Upon release, Sgt. Pepper received both popular and critical acclaim. Various reviews appearing in the mainstream press and trade publications throughout June 1967, immediately after the album's release, were generally positive. In The Times prominent critic Kenneth Tynan described Sgt. Pepper as "a decisive moment in the history of Western civilization". Others including Richard Poirier, and Geoffrey Stokes were similarly expansive in their praise, Stokes noting, "listening to the Sgt. Pepper album one thinks not simply of the history of popular music but the history of this century."

One notable critic who did not like the album was Richard Goldstein, a critic for The New York Times, who wrote, "Like an over-attended child, "Sergeant Pepper" is spoiled. It reeks of horns and harps, harmonica quartets, assorted animal noises, and a 41-piece orchestra", and added that it was an "album of special effects, dazzling but ultimately fraudulent" . On the other hand, Goldstein called "A Day in the Life" "a deadly earnest excursion in emotive music with a chilling lyric".


sounds familiar, huh?

I was honestly shocked to shit to see all the positive reviews of CD upon release. Obviously I adore the album and gave it my own glowing review, but I thought for sure the mainstream rock media would be just waiting for the chance to dog it. The postive reviews made me even more puzzled at the lack of promotion by anyone.

maybe not so many well known reviewers would want to be quoted as 'that critic' at wiki and laughed at by some strangers 4 decades later.   

[D]

this is a big reason I feel Axl has sort of done a disservice to the album though

in 20 years people won't talk about how great of an album it is, they will just talk about the mystery and just off the wall shit associated with it and that is really unfair and undermines what should go down as a classic.

[fear the juggalo 2]

hey peter, i hear what your saying, but i think he has done enough to prove that this is a band. in the few interviews he's done, he has made it clear that slash is & will never be in this band again. would we all like to see more promotion & interviews? of course, but we should really just celebrate that we can hold this album in our hands.

[jacdaniel]

hey peter, i hear what your saying, but i think he has done enough to prove that this is a band. in the few interviews he's done, he has made it clear that slash is & will never be in this band again. would we all like to see more promotion & interviews? of course, but we should really just celebrate that we can hold this album in our hands.

Well, were is the official photo of the band?  Its not even the same band that recorded CD at this stage.  Saying that Slash is no longer in the band does nothing to say that this is a band. 

[fear the juggalo 2]

what about the numerous shows they did in 2006-2007? do you really need a photo? not like they did a huge amount of photo shoots for the illusions. i mean of course we would like a video, even though nobody shows videos anymore & they are a waste of money. i honestly dont believe they impact sales like they use too. but like i keep saying, we have no clue what goes on behind doors. why cant we be happy we have the cd? enjoy the album. we waited this many years & now that its here we cant be happy with it? i hope there is a tour also, but why complain that theres not one? do you think it was there intention to do nothing after cd came out? i doubt it, things dont go as planed most of the time, & unless you work for the band, or are in it you really dont know whats happening. im sorry, but i get a little frustrated when i see fans want..want..., & want. be happy guns gave us a great album to enjoy, & when they sort everything else out, we will get a kick ass tour!

[jacdaniel]

Im sorry but i dont always buy that attitude.

Its just like lately in  the recession, all people say is, "be happy you have a job".  so employers get away with treating employees badly just cos "we have a job".
And yes, we ARE very happy to have a job but would still like to be treated well.

Translate that into GNR world.  We are very happy to have the album but can we really be blamed for having higher expectations of GNR?

[fear the juggalo 2]

i hear your frustration, but for me, i try & stay positive. i do believe we will get a tour. we may have to wait til the start of the year, but it will come. you gotta believe robin leaving threw a wrench in things. they didnt hire asba for no reason. we just gotta  be patient.

[jacdaniel]

i hear your frustration, but for me, i try & stay positive. i do believe we will get a tour. we may have to wait til the start of the year, but it will come. you gotta believe robin leaving threw a wrench in things. they didnt hire asba for no reason. we just gotta  be patient.

I admire your positive thinking!   
I do think there will be a tour, its more a question of when. 
Hopefully DJ may drop some hints in the chat tonight!

[faldor]

i hear your frustration, but for me, i try & stay positive. i do believe we will get a tour. we may have to wait til the start of the year, but it will come. you gotta believe robin leaving threw a wrench in things. they didnt hire asba for no reason. we just gotta  be patient.

I admire your positive thinking!   
I do think there will be a tour, its more a question of when. 
Hopefully DJ may drop some hints in the chat tonight!

I wouldn't get my hopes up for DJ to drop any substantial GNR news tonight.

[Jdog0830]

Here we have one of the greatest albums in recent times, if not the best, and it is largely ignored by the media and the public in general. This is a mystery to me. Can all the ridicilous bias towards Axl in the media and the public explain all of it? Maybe parts of it, but not all. So what is it? I keep asking myself this. I look at Green Day's last album and the massive attention it gets everywhere, and I'm just puzzled that Chinese Democracy wasn't treated like this, because the overall quality of the songs blows anything out there today out of the water. It's really strange, and you can't just blame this on other bands having had better promotion. A big disservice has been done to Chinese Democracy, and one of the greatest rock n' roll records of all times have largely been ignored. It is a disgrace. What are your theories as to why this has happened?

I can answer that to you right now most Americans now I think have a strong hate of anything to do with Axl Rose and to them CD is not even worth listening to but if they did they would see the magic Axl has made!!!

[GypsySoul]

I can answer that to you right now most Americans now I think have a strong hate of anything to do with Axl Rose and to them CD is not even worth listening to ..........

Say what?? 

You can't honestly believe that most Americans have a strong hatred for Axl. 

I don't even think the American media has a strong hatred for him/GNR/CD.  I think maybe they say a lot of negative shit about anything GNR because Axl doesn't say "how high?" when they tell him to jump.  I think maybe they say a lot of negative shit just because they're hoping to get a reaction from the GNR camp.


It's simple ... If you don't play ball, you're gonna catch shit.  Other artists would rather eat shit than catch it.