"Well, have you been to, uh well, let me see... Santiago, Chile?"
www.fotolog.com/gnr2000/28549538
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
A Prickly Statement by Rose
A prickly statement by Rose and Guns N' Roses
Ann Powers, Los Angeles Times
No pop star has built a fortress as maze-filled and ironclad as one W. Axl Rose. Not Michael Jackson, whose retreat was forced by scandal as much as by artistic crisis and who seems ever more weakened by his reputation's slide. Not Zack de la Rocha, who (like Rose) went down countless collaborative roads before revamping the Rage Against the Machine template with his new project, One Day As a Lion. Not Garth Brooks, who also turned hermit but craved the crowds too much to stay inside.
Rose, the most ambitious hard rocker of the late 20th century — shout-outs to your Trents and your Bonos, but Axl is the most vividly driven — essentially quarantined the Guns N' Roses brand for 15 years, unable, perhaps, to reconcile the sounds in his head with what is humanly possible. "Chinese Democracy," the title track from the album finally coming out November 23, hits like an offering pushed through a crack in a locked gate, hinting that those sounds, never completely apprehended, have now coalesced into something Rose can face.
The sound is murky, ugly and evocative of a dark cityscape; you could call it —"Blade Runner Rock," because like that 1982 film, it's a very dirty vision of the future. On one level, it's a protest song about Chinese state oppression. More important, it's a spit back at the audience that's been waiting for what has to be a masterpiece, if Rose is to survive artistically.
The song builds like bile. It doesn't behave the way radio-friendly singles usually do. The chorus is just an extension of the verses, rising a little in pitch and compression. There isn't really a proper hook; the sweet release that Slash's solos always brought to the mix never comes. But the refrain sticks after several listens.
"It would take a lot more ..." is the key phrase, the one that Rose sings in still-powerful midrange. More hate, more time. These are the points when the song sounds the most like Nine Inch Nails — a shot of aggression that somehow contains its own alienated retreat.
"Chinese Democracy" also recalls "I'm Afraid of Americans," David Bowie's 1997 foray with NIN. Both songs have a suffocated quality, as if their makers are pushing through smoke to express these thoughts. It's the sound of florid, romantic rockers aiming for something cold and modern.
But Rose can never really be cold. He's a Heat Miser — whatever he touches starts to melt in his clutch. That's why these paranoid rockers never quite satisfy the way his grandiose ballads can. As real as Rose's anger may be, in song it starts to feel overly put on, in need of a sweeping chorus or Slash-like ringing solo to relieve the tension of the pose.
San Jose Mercury News
Friday, October 31, 2008
Reduced Charges for GnR Leaker
Reduced Charges for Guns N' Roses Uploader, Deal "in the Offing"
By David Kravets October 30, 2008 | 3:51:19 PM
Federal authorities said Thursday they are reducing the criminal charges levied against Kevin Cogill, the Los Angeles man accused of uploading nine pre-released Guns N' Roses tracks from the aging band's upcoming Chinese Democracy album.
Los Angeles federal prosecutor Craig Missakian declined to say why the US attorney's office has changed the charges from a felony to a misdemeanor, a move limiting Cogill's maximum prison exposure from five years to one.
Cogill's attorney, David Kaloyanides, said prosecutors "decided that a misdemeanor was more appropriate."
On Tuesday, the authorities and Kaloyanides are expected to pick a trial date. However, "A deal may be in the offing," he said.
According to court records, Cogill, who runs the music site antiquiet.com, uploaded nine songs from the 14-track album on June 18. Court records allege he confessed to the FBI. The case was cracked by an investigator with the Recording Industry Association of America, according to court records.
Cogill also faces monetary damages if the band sues him.
The felony Cogill was charged under requires the authorities to prove the distribution of pre-released, commercial material over the internet for financial gain or commercial advantage.
Under the misdemeanor statute, the authorities must prove copyright infringement of the right of performance, distribution or reproduction accomplished for commercial gain or financial advantage. Using the internet is not required and the material does not need to be pre-release.
Chinese Democracy is to debut next month.
The nine tracks Cogill allegedly uploaded are: "Chinese Democracy," "Better," "The Blues," "Madagascar," "There was a Time," "IRS," "Rhiad and the Bedouins," "Prostitute" and "If the World."
Wired
Thursday, October 30, 2008
DJ Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith
W. Axl Rose plays the voice of Tommy "The Nightmare" Smith, former lead singer of the 1970s rock band Crystal Ship and radio DJ of Classic rock radio K-DST, in the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
This is by no means all of Axl's audio - but it is a great deal of it.
Thanks go to: pixel1980
Winehouse Album Not Coming "Soon"
The 3rd album from Amy Winehouse will not be rushed, a spokesperson for the singer has said.
Winehouse, who was in hospital with a chest infection this weekend, has not been given a deadline for the follow-up to Back To Black.
"The last album's still selling. She's in and out of the studio working but the record company hasn't seen the final result yet. Amy's fine," said the representative.
It has been reported that the new album is inspired by the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz.
The album will allegedly sample the score to the film which includes the classic Harold Arlen songs, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead" and "You're Off To See the Wizard."
Winehouse's rep is quoted as saying, "She loves the surreal look, sound and score. One of her new songs heavily samples the theme tune. And the soundtrack and score will be a theme running throughout the record.
"It's really interesting, if a little bizarre, but I suppose that's what you would expect from her at the moment."
Her rep added, "When Amy was writing Back To Black she was surrounding herself with 1960s soul music and girl groups and that was obvious in the record. This time it will be sounds from The Wizard Of Oz.
Black To Black was the biggest-selling album in the UK last year.
Digital Spy
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)