Swedish Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 It's a good album, not bad, not amazing just a good record! It definitely has it's low points but it's overall good! There Was A Time and Better are great! Those two are in GN'R's top 20s for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 The reasons it wasn't successful is that it wasn't a classic line up from the 90s. That had knock on effects to actually believing in the material and getting label support for a release. With the original line up and videos the next GNR album in 2000 would have done better or even a reunion record in 2008. But it wasn't GNR's time, other band's like VH needed to do a reunion. Another off shoot question is why do we expect GNR to have hit after hit album. I doubt VH's Different Kind went through the roof. Because it wasn't the line up then there was more focus on will it be successful and also Axl was seen as to have stlone/ruined the band so that drew attention. I think it was actually a good thing because it made CD a more interesting and exciting release if shrouded in negativity and bad publicity. But hey this is GNR. And it also helped set up this reunion scenario we are seeing now. We all get the story now. We can reap the benefit of world tours. But could CD be more successful? i think with an early 2000s release and some vids and a successions of albums it could have been a more successful era, on the surface. Would it have been more profitable or artistically focused is a whole another thing. The fact it took so long to make justified what it was about. You can't write about all these struggles and then be moonwalking across a wave of sexy success. Axl against the world is the back drop. So it kind of makes sense it didn't have mega bucks chopper support from the label or was fully accepted by all fans. But the fact Axl went through with it anyway is kind of cool. He needed to make this record. Obviously financially Axl was probably able to bomb a little. Really we should be asking why we think CD should have been huge? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Jay Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 It could have been more successful right at 2008. Axl should have done a better deal with Azoff it's simple. The thing with Chinese, is that it has everything the sound, the legacy and the legendary status but lacks the image. It was a record with nobody behind it, take it nobody care. No interviews, no videos, no behind the scenes footages, no exclusive interviews, artworks were scrapped... People probably thought that buckethead did all the solos and he was still in the band or any misguided thoughts. People got scared with the songs, and ran away. It was also the year where rock bands were back to their roots, Black Ice, Death Magnetic available everywhere and not only at best buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serial Killer Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 it sucks except This I Love Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 38 minutes ago, Silent Jay said: It could have been more successful right at 2008. Axl should have done a better deal with Azoff it's simple. The thing with Chinese, is that it has everything the sound, the legacy and the legendary status but lacks the image. It was a record with nobody behind it, take it nobody care. No interviews, no videos, no behind the scenes footages, no exclusive interviews, artworks were scrapped... People probably thought that buckethead did all the solos and he was still in the band or any misguided thoughts. People got scared with the songs, and ran away. It was also the year where rock bands were back to their roots, Black Ice, Death Magnetic available everywhere and not only at best buy. But the band was broken up. Why? Because Axl couldn't finish the record or the label wouldn't support it properly? It wasn't focused project it had this stigma surrouding it, and that is completely understandable. To nip that in the bud in 2000 would have been better. By the time it came out it was hard to market as a normal album, it had become this myth type of thing. The Brian Wilson thing. Or as hyped as Apocalypse Now. The Better video is obviously home made it's not a proper video like Magnificient or The Day that Never Comes. The line up had no visual presence because it didn't exist. Azzof wanted a reunion tour right then. That just shows how cohesive everything was. it's interesting and unique but it's far from normal. But the music still has an emotional honesty that is appealing. I feel like they didn't capitalize on the appeal of songs like Shackler's, If the World, This I Love with videos and visual media image. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Jay Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) 37 minutes ago, wasted said: But the band was broken up. Why? Because Axl couldn't finish the record or the label wouldn't support it properly? It wasn't focused project it had this stigma surrouding it, and that is completely understandable. To nip that in the bud in 2000 would have been better. By the time it came out it was hard to market as a normal album, it had become this myth type of thing. The Brian Wilson thing. Or as hyped as Apocalypse Now. The Better video is obviously home made it's not a proper video like Magnificient or The Day that Never Comes. The line up had no visual presence because it didn't exist. Azzof wanted a reunion tour right then. That just shows how cohesive everything was. it's interesting and unique but it's far from normal. But the music still has an emotional honesty that is appealing. I feel like they didn't capitalize on the appeal of songs like Shackler's, If the World, This I Love with videos and visual media image. We never saw Axl's face in 2008. yes the idea for If The World was to see the hungry third world and the greed of the fortunate ones. Shackler was pure Marv meeting Louis Cyphre. Then the Sorry video that leaked last year not very cohesive with the song. It could have been fun, maybe feel very dated by now. Axl's feeling in the TMS episode was that all over the world people react to different songs and the album is gonna do more over the years. Edited March 23, 2016 by Silent Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovim Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 51 minutes ago, Silent Jay said: We never saw Axl's face in 2008. yes the idea for If The World was to see the hungry third world and the greed of the fortunate ones. Shackler was pure Marv meeting Louis Cyphre. Then the Sorry video that leaked last year not very cohesive with the song. It could have been fun, maybe feel very dated by now. Axl's feeling in the TMS episode was that all over the world people react to different songs and the album is gonna do more over the years. Chinese will test the stand of time. It has a sound that Axl put together from all kinds of rock styles, killer guitar solos, amazing vocals like in If The World, and classics like There Was A Time, Better, Street Of Dreams, and Catcher. His nu melting pot worked artistically. It's as clear as day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 On March 21, 2016 at 1:16 PM, estranged_85 said: Very underrated album IMO. a bit to overproduced but very good. Albums aren't underrated. Or overrated. You just like it more than most people do. That doesn't mean it's underrated it just means your thoughts on an album differ from the majority of music fans CD was fhe most anticipated album of all time. Every GnR fan in the world listened to it. The majority of rock fans out there gave it a listen. Every major rock media reviewed it. MySpace streamed it and got something like 20 million downloads. CD's popularity level is exactly what it earned. The song CD was a very minor "hit" that quickly disappeared off the charts. No matter how much WE loved the album, the majority of the rock world didn't care for it. It is what it is. CD is rated exactly where it should be. I personally think it is just as good as either Illusion. I think CD was a terrible choice for a lead single. Boring rock song that had no excitement. I think The Blues, Madagascar, Catcher and TWAT sound like classic GnR and easily could have fit on the Illusions. IRS, with better lyrics, could have been a huge hit I was surprised that the album basically flopped. It has some really great songs on it. Better is awesome. The five songs I mentioned are awesome. I love that half the album sounds like classic GnR. And then Axl took some chances and experimented on songs like Shacklers and Rhiad. I was quite shocked that GnR fans didn't love and adore the album. I rank it 9 out of 10. Like everybody has said the reasons it tanked our pretty obvious. It would have been a kick ass ROCK album if it had cost 3 million dollars and been released ten years earlier. Axl should have released it in a more raw version. CD ended up way toooo polished and that turned off old school fans who loved the rawness and danger and excitement of Appetitite and songs like You Could Be Mine. Axl could have had a masterpiece on his hands if he had stopped tinkering with it for a decade. People think he sucked the life and soul out. For me the album is fantastic. I hope CD2 is exactly like it. But it is understandable why most rock fans didn't care. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rd Wheel Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Good album. Some quality stuff. A bit like UYI with some inconsistency in song-to-song quality. Was released three years too late. By 2009, iTunes had taken over and diminished the value of song-to-song album storytelling/psychology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Broue Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) Quote The reasons it wasn't successful is that it wasn't a classic line up from the 90s Anybody who STILL thinks this, should be checked at a mental institution My thoughts? It's a good Axl solo album with god awful production and not enough "catchy" songs or memorable riffs and solos so therefore it can't win under the GNR name. The ZERO promotion from the label and from Axl not helped the record either.... That being said i do like the album Edited March 23, 2016 by Strange Broue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philipm787 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 CD is a good record, few real stinkers of tunes, couple of great tunes. Solid enough album. Doesn't sound like the Guns N' Roses we know and love, but its the name on the cover so there's fuck all we can do about it. Seems simple to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 2 hours ago, Silent Jay said: We never saw Axl's face in 2008. yes the idea for If The World was to see the hungry third world and the greed of the fortunate ones. Shackler was pure Marv meeting Louis Cyphre. Then the Sorry video that leaked last year not very cohesive with the song. It could have been fun, maybe feel very dated by now. Axl's feeling in the TMS episode was that all over the world people react to different songs and the album is gonna do more over the years. Yes I think it's true that as a record just thrown in a pile of rock albums it's pretty great music. What he was doing mixing alternative productions with hard rock and classic rock is interesting and it works. Obviously success is an illusion. UYI was promoted, millions spent on videos etc. to be successful you have to do the leg work it's no reflection on the music. There's very few bands that are huge that don't do promo and work on it and present a cohesive package. Delaying albums in pursuit of art generally leads to commercial failure. But mega sales aren't everything. I'm sure there's classic albums that sold less than CD anyway. It's just within the context of GNR it didn't sell enough to be deemed a smash hit. Not that they made many good decisions about making that happen. But I still think the orginality of the music and songwriting will have longevity. It's just great rock music. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6lake sa66ath Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Apollo pretty much nailed it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 16 hours ago, Strange Broue said: Anybody who STILL thinks this, should be checked at a mental institution My thoughts? It's a good Axl solo album with god awful production and not enough "catchy" songs or memorable riffs and solos so therefore it can't win under the GNR name. The ZERO promotion from the label and from Axl not helped the record either.... That being said i do like the album I'm already posting from the asylum. What you don't think that in 2004-8 a record from the AFD line up would have sold like Black Ice. GH sold more than CD. Some source said 13 mil copies? But how many people thought this isn't really GNR and didn't buy a physical copy? But now maybe even with just Slash and Duff the same people will buy the Reunion record even if it is CD II in disguise. GNR fans don't really want an Alt rock record from GNR they just want the 8/90s line up playing just about anything. Basically what ever Slash plays 99% of people are fine with that. Axl singing Annatasia would be a huge hit. I think it sucks structurally or whatever but guitar work with Axl's vocals probably classic. there's a spare cell. Mine's padded but they got straight jackets for new arrivals. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voodoochild Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 (edited) On 23/03/2016 at 9:23 AM, Silent Jay said: We never saw Axl's face in 2008. yes the idea for If The World was to see the hungry third world and the greed of the fortunate ones. Shackler was pure Marv meeting Louis Cyphre. Then the Sorry video that leaked last year not very cohesive with the song. It could have been fun, maybe feel very dated by now. Axl's feeling in the TMS episode was that all over the world people react to different songs and the album is gonna do more over the years. What Sorry video? Didn't see that. Edit: nevermind, found it: Edited March 25, 2016 by Voodoochild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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