Here's my 2c.

Really enjoying Shadow of Your Love.

Liking it overall a lot more than previous versions. I think the tempo is slightly slower than on some of the previous releases of it - and much like "You're Crazy" - I think it improves the song to slow it down. I know early GNR played a lot of speed metal clubs but I don't think the speed sound really suited their style. So I think this version is an improvement.

Recording wise I suspect it's mostly just 1986 stuff heavily cleaned up and filtered with modern digital toys. Although I do take SG's comments about Slash's tone to heart - as the dude has like a PHD in Slash tone - so if he says it sounds closer to modern slash amps I take that onboard. Likewise it's curious - this solo is a lot more crafted than a lot of the Slash solos on the other versions - like if you listen to slash's solo on the LALD single version, the live cuts, or the other versions around - on all of those he does a lot more doublestopping and triads and bends and stuff and yet this is all shreddy...so I can see a strong possibility that maybe the solo was re-done. Then again...I could also see that if slash was going to redo it now - maybe he'd make it even more shreddy - my mind is torn. Could be an either. Cool whatever it is.

As for Axl - it sounds like vintage Axl to me. I don't think that's his modern voice. A few people have said to me that the pronunciation of words is more like Axl did later in the 90s. Which is interesting. I know on the LALD single version of Shadow (the "Wake Up" version) he's doing a lot of those vocal tones there. Check out the cool bit he does on the Wake Up mix around 2.20 when he says "love" drawn out in his slightly evil demonic voice. So I'm torn on that - I think it's vintage Axl but just an unheard vocal take. Not actually as cool as some of the later vocal takes on the same song - but overall the remastering and the slash stuff is better on this version - and the slower speed is better - so it makes this one the best version of the song - but I am nostalgic for a few of the weird pronunciations in the other versions. Still - much easier to understand the vocals on this mix too which is a plus.

As for the box set in general. I think the prices are a bit insane - like 1400 AUD is well beyond insanity even for a sicko like me that posts day in and day out about GNR - but that said - I welcome the band doing stuff for collectors and hardcores. I welcome the release of a special version of this album that so dearly deserves it.  I welcome the band treating their history with respect, I've wanted a collection of this nature for decades now - and I will certainly buy one of the forms of it. Not the most expensive cos I just dont have that kinda coin - but I will be partaking for sure and it gets a huge thumbs up from me.

If i want to critique - well there's things missing from this set that I would have liked and I hope see the light some other time - specifically I would have liked cleaned up versions of some of those other early Axl demos like "Too Much Too Soon", "Cornshucker" and "Crash Diet". Love the sound in Axl's voice on some of those old tracks. I take people's point that Cornshucker is a little childish...but then to me that was part of the fun of GNR - they can write soul tearing heavy stuff like Estranged...but then follow it down with some comedy about Anal....it's part of the character of the band back in those days to me....fun, serious, dangerous, emotional, all at once.

I would also like to see some rare video stuff get pro-releases at some point too. It's weird to me that stuff like the 1980s Ritz shows, let alone the gems from the UYI days such as Paris, Indiana and all those proshot shows do not have offical BD-releases. Letalone the rumours of docos and all the vaulted video said to exist. I would have liked some AFD themed stuff of that to find it's way out. hopefully we get a video set in the future.

So overall, it's not perfect, and it's expensive, but come on - i've bitched that I wanted an AFD remaster for 20 years and I've got it....so yeah I'm giving them the thumbs up overall. Can't wait to hear stuff like Brownstone...