I think I need top 10 bands as the top 5 (in no order) are: GNR, Nu-GNR, Snakepit, Slash Solo, VR.

So basically all GNR

I hear you on the bit about new music.

I think what the reunion needs is to drop a single or preferably an album.

I was thinking yesterday. It needs something fresh and some innovation.

Like in a way it's shit-cool that Slash played the godfather that was a classic sequence every time back in the day. But that's kinda also the lame bit kinda - like rather than have the spirt and the kickassness that made cool ideas like the godfather happen first time around, they're just replicating those specific set pieces.

To really blow the world away again they need to record.

Two problems with this:

Firstly, lets go with the premise that you are right and the CD songs are better than the UYI songs. That's highly debatable, but assuming for a moment that they are, there's no way that it would be because of the drum parts. Lets say a person like Madagascar better than Estranged, I can't possibly imagine it would be because of the drumming. Chinese Democracy is full of horrible 8 bit sounding drum loops followed by average as hell sounding forgettable irrelevant drum parts. Where's the air drum moment? For all that they redid them bunches of times while recording in the roof of a mosque or whatever it was it hasn't worked. Chinese is an album with great songs and terrible production and the drums didn't escape that issue.

Secondly, even if somehow one thinks the drum parts on Chinese Democracy were its highlight....Frank only plays on three songs. I think it's actually more like 2.5 with the drum editing going on.

So your premise that CD is better than UYI and therefore Frank is the best drummer just doesn't add up to me.

Ok firstly....you didn't originally compare Dizzy to Matt (I'd entertain an analysis along those lines) - you said that Dizzy was equivalent to SLASH in terms of his importance.

Slash has become THE player of his entire generation, he plays the solos on AFD which is not only GNR's best selling record, it's known for having some of the most important guitar solos in MUSIC HISTORY. Slash's entire stage image has become iconic. I could go on and on but it's absurd to, especially in this era where GNR is again all about the return of Slash and I'm sitting here pointing out that his position as lead guitarist in a famous hard rock guitar band is more important than an additional keyboardist (to Axl).

I'm not here to bash Dizzy. I actually happen to quite like the guy. Like i'm sure many here I've met him and he seemed cool, and he's been in the band for ages, and he plays on some records I like. So i'm not trying to diminish Dizzy.

I'm just saying you can't say he's equivalent to Slash.

Dizzy doesn't really have a public consciousness "sweet child of mine solo" like slash. In fact the piano parts that most know in GNR like November Rain are actually played by Axl - and low and behold - what's the iconic moment in that clip - oh yeah - Slash out the front of a church

Again though Dizzy is cool, no issue with Dizzy, just saying it seemed silly to me to equate him to Slash. He deserves to be in the hall of fame and he is - but he is not anywhere near as important to the GNR legacy as Slash - nor will be ever will be - if Slash quit again tomorrow and Dizzy stayed another 20 years - that won't change....additional keyboardist just isn't as important as lead guitarist....

Well I admit I'm a fan of sorum. But trust me for all the Frank bashing of late there's always a ton more Sorum bashing.

As to your point I think it's legal bullshit.

I went on about this in another thread. But copyrights in songs is usually attributed to who wrote the lyrics, and who wrote the music melodies. Drum parts do not usually attract copyright. The exception to this is when bands have a partnership agreement to divide copyright amongst themselves - many do this to keep things civil and to be fairer to the bass players and drummers. Good example is AFD - steven has his 1/5th share of copyright even though we all know he only wrote the drums not the melodies - but the band back then was more of a brotherhood. By Matt's era it was more about business.

So...sure Matt didn't write the songs on the legal basis. But a good example is YCBM. Legally it's written by Izzy and Axl. That's cos they wrote the lyrics and melody. But we all know matt contributed that awesome drum intro...and how distinctive is that...it basically makes the song....

So i'm a bit tired of the "matt didn't write anything" arguments people keep saying. From the very first drum hit on "Right Next Door to Hell" he is all over those Use Your Illusion albums.

I think Frank is a good dude and he's obviously a capable drummer, but I disagree with your concept that he's the best ever, I think Matt is a far better match to the bands hard rock sound.