really don't understand the love for catcher. to me it sounds out of place thematically and it just sounds too messy compared to the fabulous fluidity and pristine presentation of the rest - and not messy in a good way, messy in an expensive, rubbish way.

by the looks of things you should have no problem getting to the front..

saying that, i'm looking forward to the tour as well.. though if they hit europe it'll be next year, summer at the earliest. but the possibility that Guns will be around somehow makes my job bearable. if i didn't have that to save money for, i'd probably quit... so in a way i kinda want the asian and canadian tour dates to be cancelled and Guns to just go away... so i can go away too and spend my money on videogames and sit in my room and not have to do this shitty job with these idiot people.

ahem. sorry about that. sorry for me.

did you guys ever try that alt tracklist that was published on here a month or 2 back?
the one with CITR & with a different running order (& with Stardust & The Lies They Tell)?

i think it's an even better album. seems to flow better - seems more accessible, like Shacklers makes more sense after Riad & the introduction of the new band with 3 rockers is more assertive..
it's the version i listen to these days... i've never been keen on CITR and that situation has only exacerbated with CD's release.. and also because my actual CD cd needs replaced, already!

have to disagree on this point, simply because Guns is a guitar band and it's still essential it is lead instrument. the orchestra is special (& spectacular) & beltrami hasn't been given enough praise for his work on CD (i'm indifferent to what else i've heard of his - e.g. i enjoyed that tommy lee jones 3 burials of melquiades estrada score but was pretty bored and turned of by 3.10 to yuma - which, coincidentally was a shite remake), but i reckon you can hear the orchestra well enough..

looking forward to the day they play it live with an orchestra..

i do agree it is a masterpiece. it was a long time talked about, but it's more incredible than i ever would have imagined - or dared hope. it's an amazing achievement by axl, it sounds like so much different shit - and stuff i'd never have linked to GnR like its lullabye quality and it's lush disney sweep (and then i see THAT youtube video of the world pole dancing champion! - which made a lot more sense..) - but it still only sounds like Guns N Roses.
it'd be a perfect single. it's what fans of November Rain (and fans, especially female, of axl) have been waiting for for 14 years. they just don't know it's out there. - i don't think the public are so dismissive as Communist China does, i think there are still people willing to give him a chance, people are still fond of the kid sinead o'connor wanted to bring home for a bowl of soup, if he cared enough to seek their affection any more... but as long as he retreats and keeps the world at such a distance the loudest voices will be those deriding thye 'freakshow' axl. but TIL is strong enough to bridge that gap if they could just get it out there.. there are still Guns fans out there and TIL is one of the songs that'd most likely reconnect people..

i'm not blaming me, i've never spoken to him. but there are hundreds, maybe thousands of gnr fans who email ron as soon as the smallest rumour hits. for the first two years of his being in the band he was the only contact we had until he couldn't be fked answer the crap anymore. me, i'm perfectly behaved. i don't actually really give a shit if they talk or not, just as long as i can hear their sound..