Apex dropping the knowledge, as always.

I'm skeptical about the interludes thing for the obvious reason - we never heard them. The other reason is the basic math of 12 songs x 5 minutes = ~60 minutes for your baseline album. An interlude heavy, seamless playback version of the album was probably out of fashion by 2002 and probably would incur additional production cost piecing it all together. The closest thing we have to this concept is the CD intro. The record company would have incentive for maximum song choice to throw everything at the wall in hopes it hits.

There you have it. Beltrami worked on 8 songs, straight from the horses mouth.

I'm glad the Thyme = TWAT schizo theory can finally die.

The Blues, TWAT, Maddy, TIL, Prozzie.
The General, Soul Monster, Seven

(Thyme is 9)

I don't vant to do eeet!

Ok, I vaguely remember that. I do remember Brain talking about Freeses post-TWAT drum solo and always wanting to hear that.

I think two albums 2000 Intentions and Chinese Democracy that are 8-10 songs long with extended sections and then cut into radio singles would be about honest with the quality of the past present and future material. That said, I don’t think it probably exists. I was disheartened to see so many discredit the Hard School intro on the Village intro. The worst thing about Silkworms to Absurd change is the cool bass line and drum section was dropped.

The problem is all these songs are too ranty and not sing songy, Axl is trying to catch up to material he can’t really fit into.

I’d love for it to be wrong.

1. Monsters

2. Hard School (Village)

3. Perhaps (Village)

4. Absurd

5. The General

6. Perhaps

7. Hard Skool

8. Silkworms

They ruined Hard School, diminished Perhaps, and dramatically improved Silkworms.

There's a lot to like about The General but it's too cluttered, too many direction changes.

I'll get shit for ranking Absurd so highly but it sounds like if Axl, Slash, and Duff recorded Axl's ideas in 1997 or whatever. It's got the classic dirty Gn'R vibe to it with some newer elements. I really like how it turned out.

If you're trying to depress me, you're doing a great job.