Today's post was initially about VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock," but then I noticed two very amazing, yet different performers were born on this date. Then I posted the other one anyway. Now, I'm finishing this before going to a reading at the 92nd Street Y. Hmm. Wonder what tomorrow's post will be about?
What can you say? One died before his prime, leaving an incredible body of work behind, yet also the sad realization that he could have done so much more.
The other was the voice of arguably one of the greatest rock bands of all time, a band in tact by name only, each year slipping by is yet another year that the band known as "Guns 'N Roses" stays silent.
I guess this post will be more about Axl. He owns the name "Guns 'N Roses" and, as their voice, the GnR sound. Sure, Slash has the guitar, but Van Halen was never true Van Halen behind Sammy Hagar.
Several years ago, in his book Fargo Rock City, music writer Chuck Klosterman joked that the GnR album Chinese Democracy might be released sometime in the near future. When Axl reformed GnR with a bunch of ragtag replacements, and performed some of the new material at Rock in Rio, and at the MTV Video Music Awards, and started to tour, there was hope for Chinese Democracy.
Fargo Rock City came out in paperback, with a new introduction, still bemoaning the long-awaited follow-up to the band's last album of original material. When Klosterman's new book came out (Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs), I asked him if ever thought Chinese Democracy would happen in our lifetime. He laughed. He said he hoped, but it didn't look good.
The rumor mill, now in 2006, optimistically predicts a late '06 release. Their official site, short
on information, is hawking shirts at least, a sign of life. And the theme seems to run with the title.I have heard a lot of the bootleg and unofficial cuts from the album. It sounds amazing, unproduced. Raw, live stuff, echoing studio recordings, amazing potential.
Happy Birthday, Axl, please release the album. Bob Marley's up in heaven, waiting with baited breath.
Most people think great God will come from the sky
ReplyDeleteTake away ev'rything, and make ev'rybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
Get up, stand up,
ReplyDeletedon't give up the fight!
Ahhhh,
ReplyDeletemy favorite professor of all time. Elmer Griffen. The Psychology Prof forced to move to the Religious studies department shortly after I left Occidental. Psych 101 essay... Analyze this very Bob Marley Song using the Nietsche concept that "God is Dead."
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right (3 times)
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Preacher man don't tell me heaven is under the earth
I know you don't know what life is really worth
Is not all that glitters in gold and
Half the story has never been told
So now you see the light, aay
Stand up for your right. Come on
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
(Repeat)
Most people think great God will come from the sky
Take away ev'rything, and make ev'rybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your right, yeah!
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Get Up, Stand Up. Life is your right
So we can't give up the fight
Stand up for your right, Lord, Lord
Get Up, Stand Up. Keep on struggling on
Don't give up the fight
We're sick and tired of your ism and skism game
Die and go to heaven in Jesus' name, Lord
We know when we understand
Almighty God is a living man
You can fool some people sometimes
But you can't fool all the people all the time
So now we see the light
We gonna stand up for our right
So you'd better get up, stand up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight
Get Up, Stand Up, stand up for your right
Get Up, Stand Up, don't give up the fight.
Was it this man's fun and thought provoking assignments or was it is hot dreads? hmmm