People always say paul brings the songwriting but what's the point if Axl won't release the songs.

Maybe they were considering playing it - I think it would be hard to sing given his recent form but then probably easier than some of the other CD choices like TWAT, RIAD, If The World etc.

I suppose another possibility is the band was bored in soundcheck so do rare songs to entertain themselves. I mean you have monster players like bumble in the band and yet they play almost the exact same setlist every show - and even then most of the fun solos and stuff were divided. In some ways a dream job to be in GNR but as a muso it would also get boring pretty fast I guess. One way I'd entertain myself would be to play random shit at soundcheck rather than repeat the same 12 songs you play that night.

Then again it was also listed on the setlist options we saw too - so I guess it was in consideration.

Don't get me wrong I love GNR but these are the sorts of things that bother me over years, so many missed opportunities.Most of the CD songs sounded great live in 2009 - I wish they'd put out something from that era.

Same reason they re-worked Better as an acoustic track with Bumble and a modern rock track with DJ both YEARS after the release.

I could speculate on why that it but who knows, probably just for the sake of doing something I'd guess. Like why not - they have to do something while they wait

I liked Gilby great during the illusion era - he and slash seemed to play every well together - like his wild horses solo spot on the 1993 tour.

I also liked some of his solo / Snakepit stuff - TJ Jail was awesome and my namesake monkeychow!

However since then he's moved strongly into lead guitar, and without wanting to sound disrespectful, his lead playing doesn't inspire me the way my favourite lead players do. For example he was the guitarist in Rock Star Supernova - and I always felt that Newstead and Tommy Lee together was a powerhouse rhythm section that demanded more of a shredder as lead guitarist. The concept for supernova was fun but the music came out pretty flat.

Basically i'd be fine with him involved as a rhythm player but he just isn't a lead guitar hero.

It really would be great to hear some new songs from Axl.

GNR is one of the only bands on earth for me where I've pretty much liked everything they do musically. I mean sure - as I was saying I'd do the production on Chinese differently - but I still love the songs, and of course all the older stuff too.

What worries me is the silence from Slash and Duff suggests Axl is still in charge and things are still being done his way. As we know that's a way that involves very long waits for new music.