GnR Rumors to Return

So Guns n Roses are "confirmed" to reunite at Coachella. I put "confirmed" in quotes because this is GnR so it's a crap shoot that it actually happens. I would bet it will, because there is a shitload of money at stake and even Axl has to appreciate that. But again maybe not.

I for one won't be going to Coachella to see this. Nor would I pay the astronomical price a ticket to the show would cost once they go on tour. Again, assuming they do. It's Axl and it's Slash and it's Duff, so that makes the reunion. Matt Sorum on drums is fine; it'd be nice to see Steven Adler, but for me Izzy Stradlin was the secret weapon in GnR. Gilbey Clarke is a good guitarist (his Pawnshop Guitars record is really good) but Izzy really brought that 70s Stones vibe to the band. GnR get lumped in with metal but they are not a metal band. They are a heavy rock band. They wanted to be the Rolling Stones. Izzy is so under-rated as a guitar player and song writer. He's doing his thing now and god bless him.

I got to see Guns n Roses in 1991 in Dallas at Starplex Amphitheater. This was right before the Illusion records came out. I don't remember much from the show except that Axl was late and water bottles and beer bottles were being thrown everywhere and girls were lifting their tops whenever the camera panning the crowd would show them on the big screens. To a 17 year old, it was awesome. Skid Row opened and they were adequate. When GnR hit the stage Axl said "If another bottle hits this stage we walk." Naturally three bottles landed at his feet but happily the band played on and it was a great show.

The thing about GnR is that with Appetite For Destruction they really sounded dangerous.  When the record came out I was listening to Iron Maiden and Metallica and Rush and Pink Floyd and Zeppelin. But GnR sounded so raw, crazy. My brother played me Appetite on tape and it was unlike anything I had heard. I was 13. Dangerous music. That opening riff to "Welcome to the Jungle". What is this?!? "You in the jungle, baby! Yur gonna diiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee in the JUNGLE!!!" This sounded real and heavy.

Appetite still stands up today. Every song is great. "Pretty Tied Up" is the weakest track because it's lyrically dumb, but at least it fits the record. "Paradise City" might be my LEAST favorite track on that record, just because it's overplayed. "Mr Brownstone", "My Michelle", "Rocket Queen." FUCK! Those songs are just killer.

I'm not going to see them though. I wish I could have seen them in 87 or 88 but I saw them in 91 with Izzy and that is good enough for me. It won't be the same. Maybe it will be great. I was totally wrong about the Zeppelin Celebration Day reunion show. Maybe I will be wrong here. But GnR have a lot of baggage, and Axl just doesn't sound the same.  I hope it goes well for them, because I hope the people who do go and were too young to see them at the top have a great time. Plus I am old and cranky and am tired of big stadium shows.