Yeah I agree. The sad thing is all of the parts of the original GN'R combined is one of the greatest hard rock bands in history, and imo easily the best hard rock of the past 30 years.

But apart it always seems like something is missing. Adler has a great guitarist and a good vocalist w/ Steven, but seems to be missing a prescence of a Duff or Izzy. Duff's album had great attitude, and in some cases sounded like GN'R B-sides, but needed Axl & Slash. Slash's stuff has had Izzy & Duff & Steven show up, but has failed to find a vocalist even close to Axl since Axl. And Axl's CD has all the GN'R attitude, replaced successfully Steven (Frank) and Duff (Tommy), but the lack of Izzy & Slash is so glaring that in some places it doesn't even sound like GN'R. It had to be a completely rebooted thing to even survive. It'd be like Chris Nolan doing a Batman movie with Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. Keaton might be back in the suit, but it's not the same ingredients around him.

This has remained a problem with this band since 1990-93 and the gradual dissolving of the actual Guns N' Roses.

That's tough man. I can't say that i'm too far removed from it.

My life could be ALOT worse than it is. But when you spend years and years being thankful, thinking positive that you forget to kind of look at yourself in the mirror, then you do, and you have that "what the fuck is wrong" moment, then everybody turns around and goes, "you're just not thankful enough, you don't think positive enough".

I was literally, and still am the guy that helps everyone else. Keeps everyone else's head above water. Saves others from themselves, from life, bails people out. That's me. And for now it's been enough, but unlike Bruce Wayne, I don't feel as if I owe them. I ask myself why I do it, when I never ever am given the same consideration in return.

That's where I struggle.

Agreed. Steven called them a bunch of hacks and scabs as well. That's not cool, which is weird because DJ once as in Adler's Appetite.

But they've all stayed pretty cordial to each other. Ron talks up Slash & Bucket, Tommy seems to have mad respect for Duff and vice versa, they all get along with Izzy, and there was some awards show awhile back where Slash & DJ got along.

Even with the new band, this STILL only comes down to one thing --- vs.

Nothing's changed.

In some ways I wonder if God loves grunge. I mean it seems like the divine is on the sides of these bands and their comeback albums.

Absolutely fucking destroying other bands from the LA scene. Seattle has kept it's head above water, and basically performed and written like no time has past. Even when Pearl Jam aren't pretending to be a pop folk band, they can easily throw a Ten/Vs.-type track on a new album around cut 4, and probably do it in a day and just go "oh yeah, we can still do that btw".

I listened to King Animal again today, and it sounded even better again today. My only complaint would be that it might be a tad too upbeat for me sonically in several places, and needs to be a bit darker... but that's just my tastes.

Don't know if Soundgarden will immediately dress a new album, or take a look at spit shining that vault, or maybe drop a couple singles in 2013, but God I hope so. Really pumped to hear AIC's new stuff. They're supposed to drop a new album next year.

The other night I was actually thinking of... "why can't these guys tour together?"

Imagine this -- a North American tour that features a Pearl Jam/Soundgarden double headline, with some Temple of the Dog features, with Alice In Chains opening the entire tour? Why couldn't that happen? SG will be supporting KA I assume in 2013, PJ is working a new album, AIC's new deal is supposed to drop next year. Then I thought about Cameron... and fuck. They really need a touring drummer or something. It spoils everything.

One more thought -- I just wanted to re-affirm how well written and well-structured this album is. Lyrically, I don't know if i've heard anything this good in a long time.

That's absolutely horrible. People think it could be a great thing, but the reality of it is it'd have to be a horrible affliction.

I know one time, for whatever reason, I had a raging boner for DAYS, and did have to go to the bathroom because "it was coming regardless". Needless to say I was miserable by Day 4, because I was in intense pain having that many orgasms by the 3rd day or so. It'd take forever, I couldn't properly go to the bathroom or anything, swollen and having blood pressure issues because of it.

To have that constantly... I don't blame her for making the decision she made.