Guns N’ Roses
Words: Michael Rabinowitz
Photos: George Chin

It happened.  It really fucking happened.  Twice, Tampa was Charlie Brown to Axl’s Lucy.  Well, we are Charlie Brown no more.  Now, we are Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka finally let us into the factory.

With new, and unlikely, sidekick/vocal coach Sebastian Bach blowing his feudal horn, Rose was in rare form.  That is in flawless form.  While the years have not been kind to his follicles, the long term rest has done wonders to his pipes.  As often predicted and written, G n’ R opened with “Welcome To The Jungle.”  This was more than a clichéd answer to the cynics who declared Axl could never work or play well with others enough to endure a loud, lengthy tour.  No, this opening track was more literal than that.  It was an opportunity for Rose to show off his restored shrill and prove he is back.  

Chinese Democracy, the now mythic album 8 years and 15 million in the making, has always been Axl’s golden ticket toward relevancy; his fans holy grail that metal, pure metal (not this nu-metal shit) would return to the throne.  Now, the rumors (and internet leaked tracks) are swelling to such a noticeable rancor that the album’s debut is set to drop in a clandestine Normandy-like invasion sometime before the next lighted globe falls upon Times Square.

And, the few tracks of Democracy were worthy of their inclusion to the set.  Highlighted on piano, Axl presented the wistful (yes, Axl can be wistful!) ballad “The Blues” while the title track "Chinese Democracy" was a return to pure sleaze rock form in the vein of Judas Priest.

The great street philosopher, Carlito Brigante lamented about being a long term badass, "You don't get reformed... you just run out of wind. You can't sprint forever."  The same can be applied to Axl.  Having learned his lesson from prior failed tours, he wisely scheduled breaks with strategic guitar solos to save his vocal chords.  While the strategy was sound, the effect was droning at times.  Some were inventive (cover of Aguilera's "Beautiful"), some are inspiring (Dizzy Reed's piano solo), and others were just a waste of time (Ron Thal's guitar solo barely touched the angelic chords of "Don't Cry").  
 
The lyrics (and autobiographical video) to "Welcome to the Jungle," epitomize Axl's rise and fall,  "When you are high girl, you never want to come down."  Having come down so hard in the late 1990's Axl now practices moderation, trusting the talents of his supporting cast.  Like Dizzy Reed’s keyboards, often thought by hard core fans as pacifying G n' R, are now joined by Chris Pitman performing a more progressive dub form of the catalogue.  This was never more evident on "Knocking On Heaven's Door" which aligned itself more with Bob Marley's version than Bob Dylan's.  Even "Live and Let Die" delved deep into island kettle drum reverb on keys to the bridge, "when you got a job to do/you go to do it well/you've got to give the other fellow hell!"  Thankfully, the trademarked Axl sway remained.

With Pitman on congas and Tommy Stinson punching up his bass guitar for more bite, Gn'R ushered in a more post-punk version of its classics.  This change in course is reminiscent of Johnny Lydon's post Sex Pistols emergence in the band Public Image Ltd.  Both artists eager to show they can still carry a band on their own, branching out of their simple origins.  And, both embraced black culture for a more nuanced sound in their rebirths.  Axl, no stranger toward appreciation of the rebellious nature in hip-hop, borrowed heavily from the fashion sense of fellow compatriot ‘90’s bad boy Ice-T by donning dreads, bling, and Kool Moe Dee shades. 

Is this the biggest act in metal right, now?  Even after an eight years hiatus, I have to answer yes.  What diminished the popularity of metal wasn’t the audience growing tired of the hedonistic, self-parodying antics of its stars (Mr. Rose included).  The plain fact is metal was absorbed, like electronic and trance, into mainstream rock.  If you wanted to find a hard guitar riff, you no longer had to seek out the Aqua Net bands to find it.  Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The Breeders, and The Pixies all absconded with hard riffs (or reclaimed it in the name of punk).  The rise of math and indie during the digital revolution further rendered the metallic form even more vestigial.

So, can Axl save metal?  I don’t have the answer probably because the question that needs to be asked first is: Can Axl save himself?  Despite being a declared bipolar, homophobic, racist (see “One In A Million”), Charles Manson obsessed (see “Look At Your Game Girl”) megalomaniacal recluse, he remains the underdog in a nation of metal heads seeking their own return to the roost.  For many it is the Midwest sincerity that Axl exudes in his singing.  (Only Axl can sing a ballad about a pimp and make him appear sympathetic.)  So, despite the baggage Chinese Democracy and Axl carry, it’s the man’s performance that makes even a cynic pray for hope. 

After all, how can a cynic turn their back on Charlie Bucket?