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1. Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun

I bet if you haven't heard the song before, you won't notice the solo at all. This happened in my case, back in 2005 the whole thing sounded to me as just a wall of noisy guitar... it's much different these days, there are times when I can imagine with an ease the horror of the battle. The "Band of Gypsys" album contains the ultimate version of the song. Big credit should be given to mister Eddie Kramer for the mixing.


2. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) - Comfortably Numb

The most destructive of all Gilmour guitar expressions. There are two solos in the song and the one I mention is the second solo - in the end it leaves you half-dead, not to mention the shivers during the opening. Never heard of a Floyd-fan who has not experienced that.
Loved the thing as it is played in original in The Wall album, soon after realized there's another unique extended and painful one on PULSE.


3. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) - Achilles Last Stand

You were expecting Stairway to Heaven, yes it is definitely amazing, but the solo on Achilles Last Stand is, by my opinion, the most complex guitar solo in his Zeppelin carreer. In the beginning it's sounds like a typical Page solo, but it ends in an absolutely different space giving a new breath to the outro. Bow to the man.


4. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) - Time

The space is there thanks to Richard Wright and that opportunity isn't missed by David Gilmour. The solo is a big slap in the face and once or many times in a lifetime - a revelation. If you have the imagination.


5. Jimi Hendrix (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Right there it could have been at number one, the reason it is at fifth place is the enermous popularity of the song. One of those inspired sounds that every guitar player wants to accomplish. Jimi Hendrix did it, a virtuoso who had the talent and freedom of expressing the desired sound. Masterpiece.


6. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) - Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener

Talking about The Straightener, the dual solo, two guitars chasing each other, sounded so beautiful today. A regretful thing, so sad I didn't appreciate this one enough before. At this moment it's my favourite Iommi solo.


7. Kirk Hammet (Metallica) - The Unforgiven

At first I was used to the metal fast solos, but then came the "misfortune" of tuning on The Unforgiven video, seeing Kirk Hammet make the guitar cry, reaching a higher ground. It was definitely a special moment. Given the fact that not every Metallica solo brings tears to the eyes.


8. John Frusciante - Unreachable

John Frusciante is keen on the traditional things in rock music and hearing the spacy wah-wah solo really surprised me. I must admit I'm trying to lower my expectations about the future of rock, in a way Unreachable turns out to be the most successful experiment for this decade. One thing is certain - John Frusciante has a lot to offer.


9. Brian May (Queen) - Bohemian Rhapsody

One of the saddest guitar expressions known to man, Bohemian Rhapsody is special song which centers on a couple of completely different emotions. A tune that turns out to be a standard in music.


10. Slash (Guns N' Roses) - Sweet Child O'Mine

I remember it was a kick in the ass when I heard it the first time, such a nice tune which turned into a monster solo dance thing, quite an accomplishment for a debut track.


Jimi HendrixDavid GilmourLed ZeppelinJimmy PageTony IommiPink FloydBlack SabbathMetallicaKirk HammetGuns N' RosesSlashJohn FruscianteQueenBrian MayBand of GypsysThe WallPresenceThe Dark Side Of The MoonElectric LadylandVol. 4MetallicaThe EmpyreanA Night at the OperaAppetite for DestructionMachine GunComfortably NumbAchilles Last StandTimeVoodoo Child (Slight Return)Wheels of Confusion / The StraightenerUnreachableBohemian RhapsodyThe UnforgivenSweet Child O'mine

There's a HUGE number of artists I don't know and I should or I know but I don't have much of their stuff. I'll also put a copy of that list of mine here on Last.fm.

- Symphony X
- Deep Purple
- Nirvana
- Dream Theater (listening...)
- Grave Digger
- Renato Tribuzy - Execution
- Within Temptation
- HammerFall
- Twisted Sister
- Def Leppard
- Accept
- Pantera
- BETO VAZQUEZ INFINITY
- Sonata Arctica
- Altaria
- Shaaman
- AC/DC
- Primal Fear
- W.A.S.P.
- Uriah Heep
- Alice Cooper
- Bruce Springsteen
- Bob Dylan
- Black Tide
- Cinderella
- CRASHDIET
- Europe
- Hanoi Rocks
- Motorhead
- Poison
- Rainbow
- Rob Halford
- Ronnie James Dio
- Saxon
- Sex Pistols
- Skid Row
- The Doors
- The Darkness
- Tigertailz
- Van Halen
- White Lion
- Stormwarrior
- Velvet Revolver
- Queensrÿche (listening...)
- Timo Kotipelto
- Steve Vai
- Power Quest
- Maladaptive
- Labyrinth
- Aerosmith
- Dire Straits
- Tool
- Overkill
- Boston
- The Black Crowes
- Blackmore's Night
- Whitesnake
- kenzeneke
- Electric Eel Shock
- Dragonland
- Mike Oldfield
- Luca Turilli
- Bruce Dickinson
- Brian May
- Freddie Mercury
- Pink Floyd
- Bob Marley
- R.E.M.
- Extreme
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Black Label Society
- Vision Divine
- Ayreon
- Scorpions
- Nightmare (listening...)
- Maximum the Hormone
- Joe Satriani
- Kiuas
- Fiaba
- Persuader
- Kreator
- Therion
- Apocalyptica
- Lauren Harris
- SYMBOLS (OF TIME)
- ALMAH (album)
- Turisas
- Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
- Dark Tranquillity
- Angelo Branduardi
- Naglfar
- Visions of Atlantis
- Sinergy
- Magnum
- Bob Catley
- Opeth
- ABBA
- Krypteria
- Bal-Sagoth
- Agalloch
- Death
- Motorhead
- Jorn Lande
- Loudness
- Sex Machineguns
- Earthshaker
- Jason Becker
- van Canto
- X JAPAN
- Ludwig van Beethoven
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Trivium
- Kamelot
- Amon Amarth
- 883
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- White Skull
- Cristina D'Avena
- Jimi Hendrix
- Buckethead
- Beholder
- Lacuna Coil
- Frank Zappa
- Quiet Riot
- Sepultura
- Soulfly
- Candlemass
- Arch Enemy
- Obituary
- David Bowie
- Mastermind
- Eric Johnson
- Prophilax
- Trick or Treat
- Meshuggah
- Epica (listening...)
- After Forever (listening...)
- Arthemis
- Gojira

This list will probably grow bigger before I manage to cut one name out.
Anyway, if anyone has any name to suggest, feel free to do so.

After more than 30 years which he spent as a member of one of the world's most successful bands, Queen guitarist Brian May has finally finished his PhD thesis which he began as a student in the 1970s, The Times reported on Thursday. May, 59, earned a degree in physics at Imperial College London but after years of studying interplanetary dust, he abandoned work towards his doctorate when Queen took off . "For the last nine months, I've done nothing except slave over my PhD, which is now written up, thank God," May reportedly told students at a ceremony at Exeter University in south-west Britain when he received an honorary doctorate. "But there are times when you really want to give up. There are times when you go, 'Why on earth did I take this on?'" May worked on the PhD between 1971 and 1974, and kept all his hand-written notes on the subject through the years, finally discovering them in his loft recently. article

Here's my [pretty modest] bootleg collection, along with a rating for sound quality:
If anyone wants to trade or anything, just ask.

A+ : Official release quality/radio broadcast, near flawless
A : Almost flawless sound quality, but perhaps slightly faded
B : Very good sound quality, but perhaps a little quiet or dulled.
C : Good sound quality, but maybe noticably faded or patchy
D : Noticably flawed sound quality, but still very much listenable
E : Reasonably poor sound quality, just about listenable
F : Terrible sound quality, barely worth listening to, and for completists only

Basically, anything from D (inclusive) upwards is good.

Aerosmith
-Cincinnati, OH (1973) - A
-Live in Winterthur (1990) - A+
-Night at the Rainbow (1994) - A

The Alan Parsons Project
-International Forum, Tokyo (1997) - B
-Riverbend Music Theatre (1995) - A+

Albert King & Stevie Ray Vaughan
-In Session: Hamilton, Ontario (1983) - A+

Blackfoot
-Live in Denver, Colorado (1979) - B

Blue Öyster Cult
-Empire Theater, Cleveland (1991) - A+
-The Thing (1981) - A

Bob Marley
-Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh (1980) - B

Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
-Back In '72 (1973) - A+

Bon Jovi
-Acoustic Journey (2002) - A+
-Keep the Faith Tour (1993) - B

Boston
-Greatest Hits Live (1997) - C
-King Biscuit Flower Hour (1977) - A

Bryan Adams
-Straight From the Heart (1988) - A+

Buckethead
-Flagstaff (2008) - A

Creedence Clearwater Revival
-Fillmore West, San Francisco (1971) - A
-Forum Los Angeles (1970) - D

The Darkness
-Quart Festival, Norway (2004) - A+
-Tokyo, Japan (2006) - B

David Lee Roth
-Eat Em' Tour (1987) - B

Deep Purple
-Live at Expo Genova (with Joe Satriani) (1994) - B

Def Leppard
-On the Eighth Day (1992) - B
-The Circus Comes To Town (1993) - A

Dick Dale
-Ann Arbor, Michigan (1997) - C

Dire Straits
-On Every Stage (1992) - A+
-Solid Rock (with Eric Clapton) (1986) - A

Dokken
-Live in Yokohama (1988) - B
-Live Without Warning (1985) - B

Dr. John
-Bottom Line (1978) - A+

Dream Theater
-Dark Side of the Dream (2005) - B
[This isn't a bootleg, strictly speaking, but oh well...]

Emerson, Lake & Palmer
-Live at Anaheim (1973) - A+
-Live in Munich (1973) - D
-Mid South Coliseum, Memphis (1977) [incomplete] - A
-Uniondale, NY (1978) [missing one song] - A

Eric Clapton
-Les Trois Mousquetaires (1988) [with Elton John and Mark Knopfler] - A

Eric Johnson
-ACL Live (1984) - A
-Acoustic Bootleg (2003) - A
-Boulder Treater Live (1990) - A+
-Live in Iowa City (2005) - B

Fleetwood Mac
-Live at Fillmore West (1970) - C
-Record Plant (1974) - A+

A Flock of Seagulls
-Grand Ole Opry (1983) - B

Foreigner
-Live Zenith Paris (1986) - B

G3
-Live in Santiago [Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Robert Fripp] (2005) - A

Gamma
-

Garbage
-Berlin 04/04/2005 (2005) - A+
-Boston (2005) - A

Gary Moore
-Belfast 1989 (1989) - B

Genesis
-Palais des Sports (1978) - A

Grand Funk Railroad
-What's Funk Lives? (1982) - B

Grand Slam
-1984-05-10 - Live at SFX Hall, Dublin (1984) - C
-BBC Sessions (1984) - B
-Final Slam [Marquee Club/Nostell Priory Festival] (1984) - C
-Glasgow Kiss (1984) - B
-Live Document '84 (1984) - B
-A Whiter Shade of A Rolling Stone (1984) - B

The Grateful Dead
-Swing Auditorium (1977) - A

The Greedies
-Camden Electric Ballroom (1978) - D

Guns 'N' Roses
-The Ultimate Live Era (1987-93) - A

Huey Lewis & The News
-Portland 1987 (1987) - A+

Jaco Pastorius
-Live in New York (1984) - A

Jethro Tull
-Thicker Than A Thousand Bricks (1972) - B

Jimi Hendrix
-Woke Up This Morning And Found Myself Dead (with Jim Morrison) (1968) - B

Joe Perry
-Live at Webster Hall (2005) - D

The Joe Perry Project
-Live at Uncle Sam's (1982) - D

Joe Satriani
-Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater (2002) - A
-Seattle 1993 (1993) - B

Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Brian May, Joe Walsh, Extreme
-Guitar Legends Expo (1992) - A+

John Fogerty
-Live at Glastonbury (2006) - A

John Lee Hooker
-Golden Gate Park, SF (1985) - B

Journey
-1981-07-31 Tokyo, Japan (1981) - A
-Another Night In Any Town (1986) - D
-A Night At The Spectrum (1986) - A
-Comisky Park, Chicago (1979) - A+
-Eastern Frontiers (1983) - A
-Live in Florida (1986) - E

Kansas
-Canada Jam (1978) - A
-King Biscuit Flower Hour (1989) - A+
-Milwaukee, Power Tour (1987) - D

Led Zeppelin
-Live at Knebworth (1979) - B

Lynch Mob
-Live in Atlanta (2001)

Marillion
-Live at Donington (1985) - B

Megadeth
-Live Bs As (1995) - C

Michael Jackson
-1996-11-09 - Auckland (1996) - A+
-Live and Dangerous (1992) - B

The Moody Blues
-Amsterdam 1972 (1972) - A+
-Hard Rock Live (1999) - A+
-Louisville 1973 (1973) - D

Mr. Big
-Get Bigger - Live USA (1992) - A

Pete Tosh
-Live Bootleg (1981) - B

Peter Frampton
-Elmira, NY (2007) - C

Phil Lynott
-Live in Sweden [this one actually went on sale] (1983) - A
-Various TV/Live Tracks (1976) - tracks come from various different sources
-Palace Theatre, Paris (1982) - D

The Police
-Park West (1979) - A+

Power Station
-Live From Houston Texas - The Southern Star Amphitheater (1985) - B

Premiata Forneria Marconi
-Live at Reading Festival (1973) - C

Procol Harum
-British Biscuit (1976) - B

Queensrÿche
-Anarchy-X (1990) - B

Rainbow
-Osaka, Japan (1980) - A

Ray Charles
-Basel, Switzerland (2000) - A+

Ritchie Blackmore & Jackie Lynton
-American Blues Legend Fulham (1987) - C

Rush
-A Desert Passage (1978) - A/B
-Bigger & Better in Texas (1996) - A
-Birmingham '88 Remastered Edition (1988) - A
-Careful with That Axe, Alex (1995) - A
-Countdown Platinum Edition (1983) - C
-Exit Stage Right (1981) - B
-The Fifth Order of Angels (1974) - A+
-Hartford (2002) - C
-Here Again at Agora (1974) - A
-Live in Baltimore (1986) - D
-Live in Birmingham (1980) - F
-Live in Maryland (1984) - A
-Mirrors (1992) - A
-Nuts and Bolts (1994) - A/B
-Richfield, OH (1991) - D
-Rockford Armoury (1975) - D (music)/F (vocals)
-Visions and Illusions (1986) - A
-We Are The Priests (1976) - D

Santana
-Stuttgart, Germany (1996) - A+

Skid Row
-Live at Wembley (1991) - B

Steve Miller Band
-Live Like An Eagle (1975) - A

Stevie Ray Vaughan
-Live at the Stone Pony (1989) - A
-Westwood

Thin Lizzy
-The Berlin Shows (1973) - D
-Birmingham '73 (1973) [Disc 1 Only] - F
-Birmingham Breakout (1976) - B
-Dallymount Park (1977) - D
-Dublin '75 (1975) - A
-Edinburgh '76 (1976) - D
-Farewell Lightning (1983) - C
-Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle (1972) - D
-Gary's Jig (1974) - B
-Germany 1974 (1974) - C
-Glasgow Apollo (1979) - D/E
-Got to Give It Up (1980-82) - Varies
-Hitchin, UK (1983) [video] - A+
-If Six Was Nine (1974) - Varies
-Kokusai Hall, Japan (1980) - C
-Leeds University (1976) - C, but deteriorates and has tape noises
-Live and Dangerous in Paris (1978) - C/D
-Live in Chester (1973) - E
-Live in Gothenburg (1976) - D/E
-Live in Philadelphia (1977) - A+
-Live in Preston (1979) - B
-Live in Rock City (1976) - C
-Live in St Austell (1981) - B
-Live in Stockholm (1977) - D
-Liverpool 1974 (1974) - E
-Ludwigshafen '75 (1975) - C
-The Man And His Music Vol. I - VIII (1996-7) [includes demos, unreleased live tracks and rarities]
-Memory Pain (1980) - B
-Out on Bail (1980) - C
-Paradise by the Soundboard (1978) - B
-Renegade Tour 1982 (1982) - A+
-Riviera Theater, Chicago (1976) - A/B
-Sydney Opera House (1978) - B

Toto
-Energy (1992) - A
-Seventh Heaven (1988) - B

UFO
-Chicago 1980 (1980) - C

Uli Jon Roth
-The Sky Academy (2006) - B

Ultravox
-Live in Dortmund (1983) - A

Van Halen
-Monsters of Rock 1984 (1984) - B

White Lion
-When the Lion Cries (1991) - A

Winger
-Heartbreak in Detroit (2004) - B

The Yardbirds
-Filmore West (1968) - F

Yes
-Gothenburg/NewHaven (1971) - A
-Hard Rock Live (1999) - A
-Live at Wembley BBC London (1978) [incomplete] - A
-Live in Phoenix (1984) - B
-Madrigal Mystery Tour (1978) - B
-Siberian Khatru (1974) - A+

Yngwie Malmsteen
-Atlanta Masquerade (2001) - B
-Live at Wolfgang's, San Francisco (1983) - B
-Live in Singapore (2006) [Disc 1 only] - D
-No Mercy "Fire and Ice World Tour" (1992) - C

1) How does the world see you?
Razorlight - Golden Touch

2) Will I have a happy life?
Clawfinger - Biggest and the Best
I'm looking forward to it.

3) What do my friends really think of me?
Serj Tankian - Money

4) Do people secretly lust after me?
Red Hot Chili Peppers - She's Only 18

5) How can I make myself happy?
Relient K - More Than Useless

6) What should I do with my life?
Brian May - Driven By You

7) Will I ever have children?
Lupe Fiasco - Hip Hop Saved My Life

8) What is some good advice for me?
Lostprophets - Shinobi Vs. Dragon Ninja

9) How will I be remembered?
Foo Fighters - Best Of You

10) What is my signature dancing song?
My Chemical Romance - Vampires Will Never Hurt You

11) What do I think my current theme song is?
30 Seconds to Mars - The Story

12) What does everybody else think my theme song is?
Zebrahead - Playmate of the Year
hahaha brilliant

13) What song will be played at my funeral?
Linkin Park - In Between

14) What type of women do I like?
Foo Fighters - Over and Out

15) What is my day going to be like?
Jimmy Eat World - Sweetness

16) What would be my wedding song?
Green Day - Give Me Novacaine

17) What would be the last words coming from my mouth?
Suicidal Tendencies - Join the Army

18) What will be the first thing to say to my unknown love-to-come?
Strata - Piece by Piece

19) What will be the song I sing to my lover on the first date?
Spoon - Black Like Me
I'm not black but okay and I don't know the words to this song that well.

20) What will be the song my lover will sing to me?
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Don't Forget Me
If she sung any song by that band she would be perfect.

21) How will my life end?
Gym Class Heroes - So Long Friend

22) Will I be reborn?
Story of the Year - Cannonball
Reborn as a cannonball??

Guns N' Roses / Sorry / Chinese Democracy (9) / Nov 2008

So. At last...here 'tis. We've been waiting 15 years for it (the album, not this review*), or else 17 if you want to exclude an album of cover songs (The Spaghetti Incident?, which I don't cuz I liked some of it). Still, either way, I kind of agree with the PR for this album that says things like, "The Most Anticipated Album of All Time!" And for some of us, it has been. That doesn't necessarily mean it's been worth a wait of 15 years. (If saying that twice in one paragraph doesn't make you feel old, consider that Appetite for Destruction was released almost a generation ago...)

In an "April 1st" column written by Chuck Klosterman in 2006 which I have pointed to more than once in the past, he says, "There is really only one way for Chinese Democracy to avoid utter and absolute failure: It needs to be the greatest rock album ever made. (dramatic pause) Chinese Democracy is not the greatest rock album ever made." Even before listening to it, anyone and everyone knew there was absolutely no way it would be - could be - the greatest rock album ever made. Not even if this was a true GNR album - meaning with a complete original GNR lineup, not Axl and a cast of scores - could it be the greatest ever.

I say it's been a wait of 15 years only "for some of us" because anyone who has been unable to wait could have heard most of the album in recent years via countless leaks, or at least tracks that were somewhat close to the final versions. One of the complaints I don't get at all is crabbing about how much of the album was the same as the contraband tracks that have been out there for a decade. You want it to be completely new stuff? Then don't listen to the leaks! I managed to remain master of my domain for the entire 15 years! So for me, it was 14 totally new tracks that I had never heard until I freed the disc from the jewel case.

So, it's not the greatest album ever. Is it merely a great GNR album then? No, not that either, because it really isn't a GNR album. Not just because it has only Axl. Or Axl and Dizzy Reed if you want to count him, too. (I do, since he's stuck with Axl all this time and earned his stripes, and I liked his great work on the UYI albums.)

No, it's also not a GNR album because it doesn't even sound like a GNR album. But I have no issue with Axl calling it that even if it is just him & Dizzy and a whole slew of other people. I figure he's been keeping the flame of the GNR madness and mystique going this long, it SHOULD be called a GNR album even if it doesn't sound like one.

I also don't get people slagging on this album because of all kinds of other things that have nothing to do with the music, such as Axl's looks or his cornrows, or comparing it to Velvet Revolver or who knows what else. But then, I've always evaluated the music on the merits of...the music. So what does it sound like then?

IMHO, I think it sounds great. By now, it shouldn't sound like Use Your Illusion III. Who the hell wants that? We have Appetite, it was one of the greatest hard rock albums ever, and there's no need to try and go anywhere near recreating that. All that was so "last century" and it's time to move on. So he did.

Who knows exactly why Axl made the choices he did? I'm not even sure Axl himself knows. I myself would have liked to have heard some of Brian May's contributions, but what do I know? May not have fit**. On the other hand, some of these songs sound kind of like Axl STILL couldn't make up his mind after all this time about which pieces to use and decided, "Let's just use all of the guitar parts!"

The vocals are everything I hoped they would be. I have never seen GNR live, either back in the day or in recent years, so I don't know whether he can still deliver live, but it all still sounds as wild and acidic and sarcastic and defiant as ever, and the lyrics are the scathing screeds he's so suited to writing and delivering.

Here, for what they're worth by now †, are my thoughts on my favorite tracks from this album:
Chinese Democracy: This album couldn't have opened any better! After a slow, full-minute build, one lone guitar - sounding like it's being hammered from on high, swirled in echo - announces that "it's...finally...here!" A fine prelude to the shrieking entrance of the classic, unmistakable Axl voice full of spite and power. How ya like the stuttering, bubbling work of Buckethead on this? I like the bang on the final "out of...time!"
Best lyric:
"'Cause it would take a lot more hate than you /
To end the fascination /
Even with an iron fist /
More than you got to rule the nation /
When all I've got is precious time"
(The album and this title track are certainly hitting all the right nerves!)

Better: I like the bizzaro voice that opens this, though I hated it at first. This one wouldn't sound entirely out of place on UYI-I, though I find Buckethead's parts a bit distracting on this.
Best lyric - and couldn't be sung better by anybody else, and better than the way Axl sings it:
"I never wanted you to be so full of anger /
I never wanted you to be somebody else /
I never wanted you to be someone afraid to know themselves /
I only wanted you to see things for yourself"

There Was a Time: If you can get through the first two-and-a-half minutes of this, it's richly rewarding from that point on. It's really the guitar work that makes this track, though I could do with a little bit less bleeping-and-blooping from Buckethead at that one point. If there was one - and likely, at most only one - song on this album where Slash was meant to be, it's this one. But I'm sure I'll go to my grave still harboring a fantasy of hearing Axl and Slash do this one together.

Sorry: This one is my favorite (thus its selection for the SotD...) Even - no, especially - the line "But I don't want to do it" sung in the "Mexican vampire accent" (see real Klosterman review via link below). And also the way he leans into "I'm not cavin' in" This song is the best example of how Axl could write such scathing passive-aggressive lyrics and deliver them with such venom, and the music is suitable in the way it's almost understated.
Best lyric:
"You've got all the answers /
You know everything /
Why nobody asked you /
Is a mystery to me"

Madagascar: How could "The Epic" not be in my Top 5 from the album? I'm sure plenty of people don't like the brass. Tough. I do. And I like the sampling. And I find it a happy coincidence that I realize I am finally publishing this, my own Chinese Democracy, in the night between MLK Day and Obama's inauguration. Though I may be very late and sometimes inexplicably absent, synchronicity still keeps working.
Best lyric:
"Oh, I... /
Forgive them that tear down my soul /
And bless them that they might grow old /
And free them so that they may know /
That it's never too late"

So...final verdict: I like it. A LOT. (71.4% RDF, with at least three infrared dots and maybe more in time.) I liked Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, but not all of the tracks from either of them, especially the first one. It took some time for me to like as many of them as I do now. But this album, I like a higher percentage of the tracks sooner. (This scored a higher RDF than the UYI albums, either combined or separately - we'll get to those when we get to the AotY Award for 1991.)

Was it worth a 15-year wait? Well, maybe not. But it's not like I haven't had plenty of other music to serve as a soundtrack to all the other things I've had to do with my life the last 15 years, and now I'm happy to add this to it.

Most of all: did it fulfill expectations? Did it even come near matching the impossible-to-match hype? No. But yet, it's actually not too far off. And you know what? If there was anyone‡ that could come near to matching impossible-to-match hype, especially after all this time, it's Axl.

\m/ (ò_ó) \m/

*For a whole variety of reasons/excuses that I have lamented apologetically elsewhere, I've been inconsistent with my SotD Journal going back to late summer, and then basically vanished the last two months since the most recent SotD entry. (Not for lack of desire, just a mixture of priorities and circumstances.) Well then, as I try to put myself back on track for 2009 leading up to the two-year anniversary of the SotD, consider this post/review my own Chinese Democracy (which some of you cheekily have!). It's no longer useful, because anyone who wanted to hear even the official disc has had two months to do so now, and untold amounts of reviews have been written elsewhere. But this is my take for the record, and besides, what other album would I possibly choose a song from for the SotD for November 23, 2008?

**Actually, it's better Axl didn't include what he wanted to include, since it was very bizarre: "Brian's solo itself is a personal fave of mine and I really couldn't understand, as he's such a rock legend, why it wasn't openly appreciated more at the time...It's entirely constructed from edits based around one specific note Brian hit in a throwaway take." (?!?! Well, duh! Yeah, why wouldn't Brian appreciate that?!) See here...scroll down to the question on "Catcher N' the Rye"

†This long delay in getting these thoughts posted up has proven beneficial in a way, because it's given me the time to read some of the other reviews that are out there. There's probably been more written about this album than any other for 2008, except for maybe Death Magnetic, and those two albums together probably generated more press/media/blogorrhea than everything else released last year, and certainly gave everyone more to chew on than any albums released in the last several. The only other album that has generated this much press recently was perhaps Radiohead's In Rainbows, and half of that was only interested in the "pay what you like" experiment, not the music itself. For reference then, here are those reviews which I found most interesting:

Chuck Klosterman reviews Chinese Democracy: I eagerly anticipated Chuck's "real" review more than any other ever since reading that pre-review almost three years ago. If you only read one of these, and especially if you pooh-pooh my thoughts, at least read this one. It most accurately captures how I feel about this thing.

David Fricke: I know it's published in RS, but I would read Fricke's reviews if they were sent to me on a roll of toilet paper. He's my favorite rock critic. See for yourself why.

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic: "Axl's intent is oddly simple: he sees GNR not as a gutter-rock band but as a pomp-rock vehicle for him to lash out against all those who don't trust him, whether it's failed friends, lapsed fans, ex-lovers, former managers, fired bandmates, or rock critics. Chinese Democracy is the best articulation of this megalomania as could be possible, so the only thing to quibble about is his execution, which occasionally is perplexing..."

‡Death Magnetic may or not be the better of the two behemoth releases of 2008, and it certainly wins on a sales basis. (My review of DM is here, but you'll have to stay tuned for my AotY Award for 2008 to get my comparative take. It's a weird twist of the calendar that they're going head-to-head again *17* years later...)

But even though everyone was demanding everything from Metallica, few were expecting much of anything for an entirely different reason than people were skeptical of Axl. With Metallica - especially after St. Anger and Some Kind of Monster - many figured Metallica couldn't deliver because they no longer had it in them to do what it took, while with Axl, I think many/most figured he DID have it in him and could, but for whatever reason, wouldn't. Mostly because he would never be able to get to exactly what he wanted and was incapable of getting it all out. Says Klosterman, "Sometimes it seems like Axl believes every single Guns N' Roses song needs to employ every single thing that Guns N' Roses has the capacity to do...It's as if Axl is desperately trying to get some unmakeable dream song from inside his skull onto the CD, and the result is an overstuffed maelstrom that makes all the punk dolts scoff. His ambition is noble, yet wildly unrealistic."

Anyway, as disparate as the record may be, I don't hear/read of anyone complaining about its sound, and apparently the recording sessions went well...it's just that there were so MANY of them.

Abbath Doom Occulta of Immortal
Ace Frehley of KISS
Adam Jones of Tool
Akira Takasaki of Loudness
Alex Lifeson of Rush
Alex Skolnick & Eric Peterson of Testament
Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom
Andre Olbrich of Blind Guardian
Andy James
Andy Timmons (Danger Danger, Andy Timmons Band)
Angus & Malcolm Young of AC/DC
Bernie Versailles (Agent Steel, Redemption)
Bill Steer of Carcass
Bjorn Gelotte & Jesper Stromblad of In Flames
Brett Garsed (Planet X)
Brian May of Queen
Brian Tatler of Diamond Head
Carl Roa
Chris DeGarmo & Michael Wilton of QUEENSRŸCHE
Chris Impellitteri (Impellitteri)
Chuck Schuldiner of Death
Daron Malakian of System of a Down
Dave Murray & Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden
Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman of Megadeth
Dave Weiner
Devin Townsend (Strapping Young Lad)
Dimebag Darrell of Pantera & Damageplan
Dino Cazares of Fear Factory
Donald Buck Dharma Roeser of Blue Öyster Cult
Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake, Dio, Hurricane, Burning Rain, Lion, House of Lords, Bad Moon Rising)
Eddie Van Halen of Van Halen
Fast Eddie Clarke of MOTÖRHEAD
Frank Hannon & Tommy Skeoch of Tesla
Gary Hoey
Gary Holt & Rick Hunolt of Exodus
Gary Moore (Thin Lizzy)
George Lynch of Dokken
Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce of Alice Cooper
Glen Tipton & KK Downing of Judas Priest
Gus G (Firewind, Mystic Prophecy, Dream Evil
Guthrie Govan (GPS)
Hank Shermann & Michael Denner of Mercyful Fate
Head & munky of Korn
Jake E Lee of Ozzy Osbourne & Badlands
Jason Becker of Dave Lee Roth
Jeff Beck
Jeff Waters (Annihilator)
Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains
Jim Martin of Faith No More
Jim Matheos of Fates Warning
Jimi Hendrix
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin
Joe Perry & Brad Whitford of Aerosmith
Joe Satriani
Joey Tafolla (Jag Panzer)
John Christ of Danzig
John Kay & Michael Monarh of Steppenwolf
John Petrucci of Dream Theater
John Sykes of Thin Lizzy & Blue Murder
Jon Donais & Matt Backhand of Shadows Fall
Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth
Jørn Viggo Lofstad (Pagan's Mind, Jorn)
Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray
Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman of Slayer
Kiko Loureiro & Rafael Bittencourt (Angra)
Kim Thayil of Soundgarden
Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield of Metallica
Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer
Leslie West of Mountain
Mantas of Venom
Mark Morton & Will Adler of Lamb of God
Marten Hagström & Fredrik Thorndendal of Meshuggah
Mattias IA Eklundh (Freak Kitchen, Jonas Hellborg)
Michael Amott of Arch Enemy
Michael Angelo
Michael Romeo of Symphony X
Michael Schenker of MSG & UFO
Mick Mars of MÖTLEY CRÜE
Mikael Åkerfeldt & Peter Lindgren of Opeth
Neil Young
Nick Bowcott of Grim Reaper
Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap
Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme
Oystein "Euronymous" Aarseth of Mayhem
Paul Gilbert of Mr Big & Racer X
Pepper Keenan & Woody Weatherman of coc
Pete Townshend of The Who
Phil Campbell (Motorhead)
Phil Collen & steve clarke of Def Leppard
Piggy of Voivod
Randy Rhoads of Ozzy Osbourne
Reb Beach of Winger & Dokken
Richie Kotzen (Poison, Mr. Big, Forty Deuce)
Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi
Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple & Rainbow
Robert Fripp of King Crimson
Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink)
Ron Thal (a.k.a. Bumblefoot, Guns N Roses)
Roy Z (Bruce Dickinson)
Rudolf Schenker & Uli John Roth of Scorpions
Rusty Cooley (Outworld)
Sammy Hagar of Van Halen
Scott "Wino" Weinrich of The Obsessed
Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson of Thin Lizzy
Scott Ian of Anthrax
Slash of Guns N' Roses
Stephen Carpenter of Deftones
Steve Lukather (Toto, Los Lobotomys, El Grupo, Doves Of Fire
Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs, Deep Purple, Steve Morse Band)
Steve Stevens (Billy Idol)
Steve Vai of Dave Lee Roth
Ted Nugent
Timo Tolkki of Stratovarius
Tom G Warrior of Celtic Frost
Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine
Tommy Victor of Prong
Tony Bourge of Budgie
Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
Tony Macalpine (Planet X, Devil's Slingshot, Ring of Fire, CAB)
Tore Østby (Conception, Ark
Trey Azagthoth of Morbid Angel
Ty Tabor of King's X
Uffe Cederlund & Alex Hellid of Entombed
Vernon Reid of Living Colour
Vinnie Moore (UFO)
Vivian Campbell of Def Leppard
Warren DeMartini of Ratt
Yngwie Malmsteen
Zakk Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne & Black Label Society


This list is just a jumping off point. There are GLARING OMMISSIONS. Please share your recommendations from all genres...I can't get enough guitar virtuosity!

NOW WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF THE METAL GODS!

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