#oneweekoneband

[oneweekoneband]

Wow, do you guys still check this blog or is it obsolete now?

Music is forever and so is our passion for it. I certainly hope it’s never going to be obsolete!

The archive is here for everyone to read up on hundreds of takes on our collective musical passions and stories of fandom.

But it's been (oh god) five years since the last regular entries, so it is difficult to argue against this blog being inactive. Sorry! I wish it were "2012 on Tumblr" forever, but (music) blogging is almost entirely not a thing anymore, (music) writing is on life support, and social media's never been less social. But at least the Dow hit 50,000 points for the first time ever!

Maybe one day the empire of dirt that the internet was turned into will collapse upon itself and we'll feel like getting together to have fun on here again. Until then, keep the music playing. x

[oneweekoneband]

It’s a wrap, folks!

Today I’m signing off One Week One Band. Its been an absolute blast sharing my love of Guns N Roses with everyone. Thanks for following along, thanks everyone who’s written to me with feedback and suggestions (my email, my instagram), and thanks most of all to our fearless leader, Hendrik!

In the 21st century, GNR adopted the Beyoncé tactic: earning half a billion dollars without granting a single interview (as far as I can tell). To me, that indicates that they still hate each other’s guts, which saddens me.

As a fan, I sincerely hope that one day Axl and Slash can look past their differences. I think a good place to start might be to revisit the glory days: the recording of their first and greatest album, Appetite for Destruction. The intense burst of creativity the five displayed during the writing and recording of this album is mind-bending.

Luckily, when the magic struck, those five explosive personalities got it on tape. Unfortunately, they were never able to fully recover that magic, but we as fans are still grateful for what they left us. If you haven’t listened to any of the songs I’ve posted this week, I urge you to at least listen to this one, the final track off Appetite. On Rocket Queen, GnR really swings for the fences: they’re rockin, blues-y, melodic, sweet and scary- all wrapped into one. This song proves the stratospheric heights that they were capable of, but some combination of personalities, drugs, and other factors prevented them from recreating. Take it away, boys.

[oneweekoneband]

So happy together....

Things fall apart, the center cannot hold, and the greatest rock and roll bands are destined for the greatest fallings-out. John vs Paul, Simon vs. Garfunkel, Noel vs. Liam — the never ending cycle of lawsuits, sniping through the media, tell all biographies.

But as inevitable as the break-up is the inexorable march toward reunion. All bands pass through the same Behind the Music trajectory and it all ends in the same place:

Rise from nothing

Superstardom

Fall from grace caused by

addiction

greedy managers

 plane crash

All of the above

PHOENIX LIKE RISE FROM THE ASHES+REUNION = $$$$$

In the 21st century Axl and Slash made up and got the band back together, embarking on a world tour that is now the 4th highest earning tour in history, grossing almost half a billion dollars.

I would like to go on the record once and for all that I do not consider this a true reunion because of the exclusion of  “classic” lineup members Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum and “original” lineup members Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler. But hey, half a bili don’t lie I suppose.

[oneweekoneband]

Since I don’t have you...

Taking yet another move from the rock n roll playbook, Slash & Axl’s final album together The Spaghetti Incident (1993) was a covers album. And of course, in the esteemed tradition of as Rod Steward, Bob Dylan, Barry Manilow et al, GNR inexplicably covered some 50s doo-wop standards......

Personally, I choose to imagine Axl is serenading his long-lost BFF Slash here in a longing break up anthem. The truth is, this album comes immediately before one of the most acrimonious rock n roll break ups of all time. Please enjoy the.... IS THAT GARY OLDMAN IN THIS VIDEO! WHY IS HE NAKED?

[oneweekoneband]

The calm before the storm....

The 2008 release of Chinese Democracy clued us into something we’d all learn for real a short 8 years later: sometimes a certain kind of democracy works better as an idea than actually put into practice. Nonetheless, let’s conclude our review of Chinese Democracy with track #3 — “Better,” the one track from the album that can swing with any of GnR’s old school material.

See everybody tomorrow, for the final day of Guns n Roses week on One Week One Band, and don’t forget to share, retweet, reblog, etc! Tomorrow we tackle GNR’s dramatic denouement: the reunion.

[oneweekoneband]

A TALE OF TWO VIDEO GAMES

After a decade and a half of rumors, leaks, delays, and more delays the rollout strategy for Chinese Democracy was so painfully 2008 that it needs some revisiting.

I’m not sure I could make this story more 2008 if I tried, but here goes. After fifteen years and a cool $13 mil down the drain, Axl inked a deal with Best Buy (yes that Best Buy) as Chinese Democracy’s exclusive retailer. At the same, the soft drink company Dr. Pepper tried to create viral interest in their product by promising a free soda to everyone in the country if the album came out before the end of the year. Uh?

But it gets more 2008: the twenty-first century update on the ancient Slash v Axl feud. In 2007, Slash, was featured as a playable character in Guitar Hero III because of course he was. (Yes, I waited in line to buy that video game at its midnight release.) Moving on. Axl sued, because he objected to the game’s use of “Welcome to the Jungle.” Yet only a year later, in the run-up to Chinese Democracy’s impending release, Axl’s Guns N Roses version 9.0 opted to release the album’s single “Shackler’s Revenge” as a playable song in Rock Band II.

So nearly two decades after the release of GNR’s previous studio album, GNR fans could finally make their way to their local Best Buy, pick up a copy of the new album on CD (remember those!), along with Rock Band II for their Wii (remember those!), and redeem their free Dr. Pepper promotion in the check-out line.

Sometimes, the cosmos just aligns, I suppose.

So, in honor of a true nadir in the history of Guns N Roses lets compare two video game playthrough videos: one for Chinese Democracy lead single “Shackler’s Revenge” and one for the boss battle versus Slash. Enjoy, if you’re into that kind of thing.

[oneweekoneband]

And on Bass Guitar.....

With lead guitar taken care of, Axl turned his attention to the four-string, and to his credit did a similarly admirable job finding an identical stand in for Duff Mckagan.

GNR’s original bassist Duff was always the punkiest of the bunch. With his chops from the Seattle punk scene he contributed one of the most melodic bass lines all time on the intro to “Sweet Child o Mine.” Ignore Axl & Slash and focus on the bass from 0:15- 0:45

ANYWAY with Duff out of the picture, Axl needed a new hired gun. And who did he settle on? Tommy Stinson from The Replacements, another bassist with punk sensibilities (told you The ‘Mats would return).     

Can you tell the difference? Be honest…….

[oneweekoneband]

Just kidding!

Yes, that was how Axl and the gang signed off. No I can’t explain why that song exists. And yes, next time we’d hear from GNR it would be Axl and whoever he could find in the yellow pages (again, more on this tomorrow). 

But let’s remember the happier times of yore. I submit, for your viewing pleasure, what I believe to be the greatest performance by a rock n roll frontman of all time, Axl singing at the Freddie Mercury tribute show in ’92. The whole video is great but Axl takes over the world at 3:20. Ta ta for now everybody, and don’t forget to share & reblog, me gusta, etc!