Civil War. I love the vocals in Twat - the "I would do anything for you" part...but Civil war just has too much cool guitar.

I agree....especially when you consider that in most interviews the interviewer is clearly baiting him and trying to get him to say something negative about Axl.

In the book I thought he went to a lot of trouble to say that although things havn't worked out, that doesn't mean he is ok with other people talking shit about Axl.

I've seen him make the occasional lighthearted joke, like the "singers" comment on the VR doco, and he's put it out there that he doesn't feel alone in the responcibility for letting old GNR die, and he's made known the major ressons he left the band, but overall I think he is far less harsh about axl than he could be if he was intentionally wanting to say something harsh.

I liked franks drumming when I saw them live in 07 - no complaints - in fact I think he handles YCBM and some of the older songs in a better way than what i've seen on brain on bootlegs....so this could be the best of both worlds.

I agree....i'm actually really surprised at some of the negativity around at the moment. I understand people who love every line up. This is my perception of things:

* People who saw Axl and Slash share a stage in person realise what it's like to put two of the most talented, and charasmatic people of the one generation in the one place at the same time. Some fans miss that, and I can get that.

* People who know bucketheads work, and know guitar understand that he's one of the most gifted players in the world, and gives things his eccentric spin. Some fans miss that, and I can get that.

* Robin has a pretty unusual style, he gives things a pretty unique flavour in his own way. Some fans miss that, and I can get that.

So don't get me wrong, I love all those guys. But, what's changed now that suddenly people are upset? People have been comming and going from guns for years now. It's one of the things about the way the band is that people kind of need to accept or you drive yourself crazy. You dont have to like it, but surely it's not like a shock. To me it would be more shocking these days if Axl suddenly brought back Slash or Bucket. I'd welcome them as fans of them, but that would be something surprising, this isn't. It's looked for a while that it was quite likely Robin was gone, from the silence following his departure to the delay in a CD tour. Anyway - it's basicly business as usual for this band - it weathers the line up changes.

Anyway...you guys might call me a nutswinger for this, but I remember reading some buddhist stuff about changing what it you desire being the secret to happiness once, and in a way, it sort of applies here. The loss of robin is not a shock, and people holding out hope for the return of people from the past are not really paying attention to either the history of the band, or the recent remarks from Axl. So in the end, getting upset about it only fucks ourselves over - like to be blunt - Axl won't care who we want in the band - and so that leaves us a choice - we can sit around sad  and miss the old days - or we can say to ourselves that we loved the old days, but take what enjoyment is to be had from the new line up.

So much as Robin had his moments, and Slash and Bucket were kickass...and should always be respected as such, what's to be lost from giving Ashba a fair hearing? I'm not saying we all have to suck up or anything - but like the guy hasn't even played a note yet with GNR and a lot of people are basicly saying that the band is fucked.

I think this band has a lot of potential to be enjoyable: Bumble is under-rated as a guitarist, try playing his song "Guitar's Suck" he's pretty fucking good on his instrument, meanwhile it seems like Ashba has quite a lot of emotion in his playing. I'd give this line up a shot to see what the chemestry is like myself.

This is actually a positive time for the band. Axl released an album last year. He's been chatting online and making occasional statements. We have an official line up that's a full band again. It seems like a tour is about to kick off.  Sure things are happening in their own GNR way - but to me this is a good period for fans - i'm suprised so many of us seem to have given up - I'm starting to feel like the only one around here who's excited about stuff that's happening.