Guns N'Roses Rumbo Tapes demos

thegreengoblin

Just wondering if many GN'R fans are familiar with these studio demos. I remember buying the tape on O'Connell Bridge around 1990 and being thrilled that I had a sneak preview of songs that were going to be on the next GN'R album after Appetite.

Some of the songs are so different as to be almost unrecognisable from what eventually appeared on Use Your Illusion but I think they still sound fascinating. Just pure, raw GN'R....with a drum machine!

DrumSteve

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Just wondering if many GN'R fans are familiar with these studio demos. I remember buying the tape on O'Connell Bridge around 1990 and being thrilled that I had a sneak preview of songs that were going to be on the next GN'R album after Appetite.

Some of the songs are so different as to be almost unrecognisable from what eventually appeared on Use Your Illusion but I think they still sound fascinating. Just pure, raw GN'R....with a drum machine!

Ah, a step up from Matt Sorum so.

thegreengoblin

Yeah, they probably should have kept the drum machine.

Motley Crue

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Just wondering if many GN'R fans are familiar with these studio demos. I remember buying the tape on O'Connell Bridge around 1990 and being thrilled that I had a sneak preview of songs that were going to be on the next GN'R album after Appetite.

Heard them, and will agree they are quite different, a lot of the production is stripped away and it sounds a lot rawer. If you have ever heard the Days Of Thunder version of Knocking On Heavens Door, with the slight changes, that is also another example of over production on GNR's behalf

They recently released, or rather a fan got hold of and then shared, the Q Sound demo's - when GNR were experimenting with Q Sound (like Pink Floyd) used on the wall and asked for all of their songs to be produced both with Q Sound and without...to be honest, doesn't ad much, and I can see why they never went with it.

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Some of the songs are so different as to be almost unrecognisable from what eventually appeared on Use Your Illusion but I think they still sound fascinating. Just pure, raw GN'R....with a drum machine!

I suppose you can't blame them for using a drum machine, since Adler had checked out at this point, and despite Slash's insistence that he remain there was always problems with Axl wanting less heroin in the group - and in that sense, who can blame him. Axl saw people turning up at the studio at late hours dealing with Adler and he didn't want that for the band (or his band) and wanted to eradicate that kind of rubbish.

In fact, from what I know, Adler wasn't supposed to appear on the 'Civil War' on Use Your Illusions 2 since Sorum had already recorded everything else. They did that as a means of goodwill, to allow Adler some money from performance rights

thegreengoblin

Motley Crue wrote: »

Heard them, and will agree they are quite different, a lot of the production is stripped away and it sounds a lot rawer. If you have ever heard the Days Of Thunder version of Knocking On Heavens Door, with the slight changes, that is also another example of over production on GNR's behalf

They recently released, or rather a fan got hold of and then shared, the Q Sound demo's - when GNR were experimenting with Q Sound (like Pink Floyd) used on the wall and asked for all of their songs to be produced both with Q Sound and without...to be honest, doesn't ad much, and I can see why they never went with it.



I suppose you can't blame them for using a drum machine, since Adler had checked out at this point, and despite Slash's insistence that he remain there was always problems with Axl wanting less heroin in the group - and in that sense, who can blame him. Axl saw people turning up at the studio at late hours dealing with Adler and he didn't want that for the band (or his band) and wanted to eradicate that kind of rubbish.

In fact, from what I know, Adler wasn't supposed to appear on the 'Civil War' on Use Your Illusions 2 since Sorum had already recorded everything else. They did that as a means of goodwill, to allow Adler some money from performance rights

From what I've read, Adler just couldn't lay down one decent performance of Civil War so they just took bits from various takes and strung them together.

Have you read Adler's book? It's interesting and very entertaining to hear his version the whole thing although of course you really have to wonder how much of it is true and how much is actually in his head. But he was a way better drummer than Sorum, he just had the groove.

I hadn't heard about the Q Sound thing but I do recall Slash talking about how the original mix of the UYI albums was what should have been released before Axl had them over-produced.

As far as the Rumbo tapes, I love the version of Bad Obsession sung by Izzy. It's so sleazy, as is the unreleased Bring It Back Home.

Motley Crue

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Have you read Adler's book? It's interesting and very entertaining to hear his version the whole thing although of course you really have to wonder how much of it is true and how much is actually in his head. But he was a way better drummer than Sorum, he just had the groove.

Haven't read it, tried to avoid Mustaine's book as well for the same reason, didn't want to discourage the myth. I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of "famous" people in what I do, and few (if any of them) have ever lived up to the expectation set out before me

Having said that, the nicest person was Corey Taylor (which came as a real shock), a genuinely down to earth and humble man who deserves every success. I won't tell you who disappointed me the most, but I actually stopped listening to their music for a year, such was the impact it left on me.

Seth Brundle

Motley Crue wrote: »

Haven't read it, tried to avoid Mustaine's book as well for the same reason, didn't want to discourage the myth. I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of "famous" people in what I do, and few (if any of them) have ever lived up to the expectation set out before me

Mustaine's book isn't a bad read. He admits to being an a**hole towards everyone but then goes on to say how he tries to be a better person now. Can't fault that really.

Motley Crue

kbannon wrote: »

Mustaine's book isn't a bad read. He admits to being an a**hole towards everyone but then goes on to say how he tries to be a better person now. Can't fault that really.

I guess so. Have seen him live twice, once was supporting Judas Priest, and he was better than the headliner for me. He is a phenomenal guitarist and I'd even go so far as to piss off most of the dedicated Metallica fans here (and I've been one for years) and say that, yes, he is better than Metallica live.

thegreengoblin

Apart from Metallica and the odd bit of Slayer, I've never been much into the thrash side of life. Anyone recommend a good place to start with as far as a Megadeth album?

Motley Crue

thegreengoblin wrote: »

Apart from Metallica and the odd bit of Slayer, I've never been much into the thrash side of life. Anyone recommend a good place to start with as far as a Megadeth album?

You can't go wrong with Rust In Peace or Peace Sells





You can't go wrong with the live version of Rust In Peace as well, comes with some bonus tracks on the CD and also features a great DVD



And, for Thrash Metal in general, check out Sepultura



and for sort of new school Thrash, yet more Metalcore...but still fantastic, check out...



The original release of that got me through the Leaving Cert