Perhaps - August 18. UPDATE IV: A New Hope (Radio Premiere Tomorrow?)

[ZoSoRose]

I am glad the song is coming out. People were FREAKING OUT in 2019 about it. I remember some posters saying the solo was one of the best in GNR’s discography and everyone was convinced it was Brian May.

I was surprised to hear the praise for the solo. I always liked it (partially because there weren’t a lot of great solos on the Village discs) but thought it was vastly overhyped. It always sounded like a cool, weird Robin Finck solo that served the song in an interesting way. The solos from all the Village sections weren’t mixed to cut through, they were all very understated. Very 90s/early 2000s. Glad this changed for the 2008 release, which has tons of great guitar solos that are at the forefront 

Always thought the chorus was fantastic and classic GNR. Piano and verses have early 2000s pop music vibes which is kind of fun. It’s a cool tune, that could still use more variety in the second half. We were all excited in 2019 and probably overhyped it. In hindsight, I can see why it didn’t make the album.

 

Again, I’m glad we are finally getting it though. I’ll gladly take these over nothing

Edited August 14, 2023 by ZoSoRose

[GNR4Ever2024]

1 minute ago, ZoSoRose said:

I am glad the song is coming out. People were FREAKING OUT in 2019 about it. I remember some posters saying the solo was one of the best in GNR’s discography and everyone was convinced it was Brian May.

I was surprised to hear the praise for the solo. I always liked it (partially because there weren’t a lot of great solos on the Village discs) but thought it was vastly overhyped. It always sounded like a cool, weird Robin Finck solo that served the song in an interesting way. The solos from all the Village sections weren’t mixed to cut through, they were all very understated. Very 90s/early 2000s.

Always thought the chorus was fantastic and classic GNR. Piano and verses have early 2000s pop music vibes which is kind of fun. It’s a cool tune, that could still use more variety in the second half. We were all excited in 2019 and probably overhyped it. In hindsight, I can see why it didn’t make the album.

 

Again, I’m glad we are finally getting it though. I’ll gladly take these over nothing

Finally a reasonable take

[YourRocketDing]

Having the single only available at bars on the jukebox seems very G'n'R to me I guess.

[metalavenger99]

1 minute ago, GNR4Ever2024 said:

Who's everybody?

I haven't read a single post yet about someone that heard the Village solo but likes Slash's better lol but ok - not everybody  

[GNR4Ever2024]

2 minutes ago, metalavenger99 said:

I haven't read a single post yet about someone that heard the Village solo but likes Slash's better lol but ok - not everybody  

I can't judge because i haven't heard the proper version just a shitty cellphone quality. Im waiting.

[BucketEgg]

omg, look at these non-gnr-fan reaction to the news about Perhaps being released on jukeboxes

https://old.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/15q8ip4/guns_n_roses_new_song_perhaps_accidentally_leaks/

damn, no excitement from that side of the general public at all. maybe other general public audience might be slightly interested.

[Appetitefordiscussion]

At the end of the day it’s like we’ve been spoiled by the demos that we weren’t even supposed to hear. That being said, Perhaps is one of my favorite unreleased songs and I can’t wait to  play the shit out of it 

Also I look forward to hearing the lower harmony voice during the chorus on proper speakers. I’ve always enjoyed songs like Locomotive and Chinese Democracy for that reason 

[NachoLZ]

Anyone else waiting for the official release go to hear it? 

[Ak1nney]

Just now, NachoLZ said:

Anyone else waiting for the official release go to hear it? 

I half paid attention to a terrible cell phone audio of it just to get a taste. Reserving any real opinion or feel for it until it's put out in full quality. Also, I haven't listened to any early versions to compare/complain about the new one.

[-W.A.R-]

Take a shot every time Axl says Hey.

[ZoSoRose]

3 minutes ago, Appetitefordiscussion said:

At the end of the day it’s like we’ve been spoiled by the demos that we weren’t even supposed to hear. That being said, Perhaps is one of my favorite unreleased songs and I can’t wait to  play the shit out of it 

Also I look forward to hearing the lower harmony voice during the chorus on proper speakers. I’ve always enjoyed songs like Locomotive and Chinese Democracy for that reason 

It is easy for us to act entitled to leaks because Axl does not put out music in a timely manner, but it is easy to see why he and the GNR camp would get upset with leaks. We weren’t meant to hear the old versions, so is it fair to compare? 

But Pandora’s box did open so it is easy to say we prefer an older version of a song because we are used to it or for whatever reason (not saying that’s the case for me here)

Absurd, Hard Skool, and Perhaps don’t sound 100% as complete as all of the other Chinese songs to me. It feels like they could use more parts in their arrangements. Maybe that is why they were left off? I don’t think Axl is putting these out expecting them to hit number 1 on the charts. It almost feels like a nod to fans who have been wanting them. I appreciate that and these songs finally coming out in some capacity. Looking forward to more and taking them for what they are- Chinese leftovers. Bring ‘em on 

Edited August 14, 2023 by ZoSoRose

[Live Like a Suicide]

4 minutes ago, BucketEgg said:

omg, look at these non-gnr-fan reaction to the news about Perhaps being released on jukeboxes

https://old.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/15q8ip4/guns_n_roses_new_song_perhaps_accidentally_leaks/

damn, no excitement from that side of the general public at all. maybe other general public audience might be slightly interested.

It's to be expected. GNR is little more than a legacy act in the eyes of most people.

[GNR4Ever2024]

6 minutes ago, BucketEgg said:

omg, look at these non-gnr-fan reaction to the news about Perhaps being released on jukeboxes

https://old.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/15q8ip4/guns_n_roses_new_song_perhaps_accidentally_leaks/

damn, no excitement from that side of the general public at all. maybe other general public audience might be slightly interested.

The internet is NOT the general public besides most of those people prefer taylor swift(great artist) to GNR

Edited August 14, 2023 by GNR4Ever2024

[TiedHands]

Always been a fan of the song, I actually really dig this version, they did the best with this out of the 3 they've redone, but my God, what were they thinking with this Slash solo?? This song begs for an epic Slash solo, but instead, we get 15 seconds of him where it sounds like half his strings are breaking and the other half are way out of tune. How did they hear that and think "that's the one!"?? I didn't expect it to top Brian May's solo (I LOVED his original one), but this is AWFUL. The rest of the song sounds pretty fantastic. 

[WhazUp]

6 minutes ago, TiedHands said:

Always been a fan of the song, I actually really dig this version, they did the best with this out of the 3 they've redone, but my God, what were they thinking with this Slash solo?? This song begs for an epic Slash solo, but instead, we get 15 seconds of him where it sounds like half his strings are breaking and the other half are way out of tune. How did they hear that and think "that's the one!"?? I didn't expect it to top Brian May's solo (I LOVED his original one), but this is AWFUL. The rest of the song sounds pretty fantastic. 

If I may add, I don't think Brian May ever played on Perhaps, at least the Village Session demo that leaked - I am pretty sure that is Robin taking the lead and Brian only having done Catcher and Atlas, as well as according to Tommy some preliminary stuff on Riad way back when

Edited August 14, 2023 by WhazUp

[jacdaniel]

It's a typical CD era song.  Quite boring and plods along with piano and no real interesting guitar parts. 

Robins original solo started off quite nicely but failed to go anywhere. 

Slash starts off pretty much the same but in a lower octave and then gives a better ending. 

Neither solo is particularly great but it's a song that doesn't really lend itself to an epic solo and can't really be saved.

 

This band could really do with having a strong manager to just tell them it's boring and write something fresh.

[TiedHands]

8 minutes ago, WhazUp said:

If I may add, I don't think Brian May ever played on Perhaps, at least the Village Session demo that leaked - I am pretty sure that is Robin taking the lead and Brian only having done Catcher and Atlas, as well as according to Tommy some preliminary stuff on Riad way back when

Really? That is insanely clear to me that it's Brian May playing on that original demo. His guitar sound is unmistakable to me. Its sooooo something he would play. I might be imagining it but I was thinking he had confirmed that it was him playing on there. I remember the very first time I listened to it, I was like "that's one of the Brian May songs!!"

[Martin Riggs]

17 minutes ago, Live Like a Suicide said:

It's to be expected. GNR is little more than a legacy act in the eyes of most people.

I mean it’s hard not to be seen that way when you hardly ever release music. Even when they have recently, it’s always accurately prefaced in the media as being an old “CD era” song. Probably makes most people not care that much as it comes across as a half ass effort as that era was 15-20ish years ago at this point. 

[Gordon Comstock]

2 minutes ago, TiedHands said:

Really? That is insanely clear to me that it's Brian May playing on that original demo. His guitar sound is unmistakable to me. Its sooooo something he would play. I might be imagining it but I was thinking he had confirmed that it was him playing on there. I remember the very first time I listened to it, I was like "that's one of the Brian May songs!!"

 

People ran with that theory when it leaked because the mix date is the same as Atlas and Catcher, and it kinda sounds like something Brian would play, but it sounds closer to Robin's playing on The Blues imo. And Tommy confirmed that Rhiad was the 3rd song Brian played on.

[zombux]

2 minutes ago, TiedHands said:

Really? That is insanely clear to me that it's Brian May playing on that original demo. His guitar sound is unmistakable to me. Its sooooo something he would play. I might be imagining it but I was thinking he had confirmed that it was him playing on there. I remember the very first time I listened to it, I was like "that's one of the Brian May songs!!"

it's most likely really Robin, not Brian.

and yes, the new Slash "solo" is one of the worst abominations he ever made, it just sucks hard.

the rest of the song sounds fine - better drums, fatter bass, stronger vox...

[ChristmasFnatic]

27 minutes ago, NachoLZ said:

Anyone else waiting for the official release go to hear it? 

Never listened to the demos. So it is a first time for me so I hope I will like it.

7 minutes ago, jacdaniel said:

It's a typical CD era song.  Quite boring and plods along with piano and no real interesting guitar parts. 

Robins original solo started off quite nicely but failed to go anywhere. 

Slash starts off pretty much the same but in a lower octave and then gives a better ending. 

Neither solo is particularly great but it's a song that doesn't really lend itself to an epic solo and can't really be saved.

 

This band could really do with having a strong manager to just tell them it's boring and write something fresh.

I hope you are wrong about the boring part lol. I am not a fan of CD songs at all no matter how hard I try.

[WhazUp]

13 minutes ago, TiedHands said:

Really? That is insanely clear to me that it's Brian May playing on that original demo. His guitar sound is unmistakable to me. Its sooooo something he would play. I might be imagining it but I was thinking he had confirmed that it was him playing on there. I remember the very first time I listened to it, I was like "that's one of the Brian May songs!!"

For me the thing to really debunk the rumor would be the missing of his signature Red Special lead tone during the Perhaps solo, I can hear it on Atlas and Catcher but on Perhaps there are some lyrical lines being played but not with the tone and vibrato I would attribute to Brian

Edited August 14, 2023 by WhazUp

[GnR Chris]

3 hours ago, GoodOlJohnnyK said:

Let me tell you about my weekend.

I only visit these forums when the band is touring, as those are the only times I anticipate news about any potential new music. I’m pretty pessimistic about this band. As a result, I’ve been on this board more frequently and have been contributing to the conversations more often than usual.

My girlfriend is a bit younger than me, in her late 20s. Like most younger people, she doesn’t give a fuck about Guns N’ Roses. She hardly knows who they are. She knows Sweet Child O’ Mine from Guitar Hero but wouldn’t be able to tell you who sang it before she met me.

She gets annoyed when we’re watching something on TV together and she looks over and I’m typing away at my phone, debating some internet stranger over the merits of an unreleased song by a band that hasn’t been relevant since around the time she was born.

Her: What are you debating anyway?

Me: (explains a brief history of the band, their place in rock history, the Chinese Democracy saga, the reunion, and all the mishaps in between).

Her: So you’re arguing with people over whether or not a band is going to release a song, a song that you’re excited about but *don’t even like*?!

Her tone cut me down to size immediately. I felt silly and stupid. I spend so much time here typing these silly little posts, all for a band that’s not going to release anything this weekend anyway.

So I put my phone down on Friday night and didn’t touch it again until just now. And apparently Perhaps has been available at local weekends on TouchTunes jukeboxes.

I live in O’Donnell Square in Baltimore. I am quite literally surrounded by bars. There are 10 bars within 30 yards of my house in any direction. Most of them have TouchTunes.

I’m now in flip flops and basketball shorts walking to a local bar to order a beer and see if this song actually sucks, or if perhaps I was wrong.

Also - I think this is the first time I’m realizing that many of you aren’t in the US?

Is this a UK-heavy GnR forum? I was surprised how many of you have no idea what TouchTunes is. They’re all over the US.

Goddamn it, I was out of likes for the day. This was hilarious and relatable as fuck.

I walked across the street to a pizza place to listen. Haha! They asked me what I’d like to order when I walked through the door, and I said, “Perhaps” by Guns N’ Roses. They looked at me wondering if I was an idiot. When I explained to them that the song released early, but only on Touchtunes, and that it leaked in its original form four years ago, I confirmed to them that I was indeed an idiot.

I asked for a tall glass of water and apologized ahead of time for playing it three times in a row. 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by GnR Chris

[jacdaniel]

Perhaps doesn't sound like Brian May to me at all. 

But with Axls style of recording, it's hard to be certain what you are listening to. There could be a lot of copy and paste going on. 

It wouldn't surprise me If guitarists listened to the finished product and didn't remember playing that solo at all.

[TiedHands]

11 minutes ago, WhazUp said:

For me the thing to really debunk the rumor would be the missing of his signature Red Special lead tone during the Perhaps solo, I can hear it on Atlas and Catcher but on Perhaps there are some lyrical lines being played but not with the tone and vibrato I would attribute to Brian

Haha, this is wild to me. You seem to know a little bit about guitar. I hear Brian's tone and phrasing in that original version, painfully obvious to me. Listen to it and listen to his Catcher solo and it sounds identical to me. The tone is unmistakable to me. Like, I would literally bet my life on it lol.