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Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
A kid at work had what he called "The Leaked Chinese Democracy" that he downloaded from Napster or some shit, and burned me a copy of what was, essentially demos and live shit with OMG to boot.
Better
TWAT
IRS
Catcher
The Blues
CD
RATB
Silkworms
OMGMy fucking god. Popping that CD into my car stereo and hearing Better for the first time was like a religious experience.
Imagine.
Remember?
I didn't even get a PC/ an internet connection for like...2 or 3 more years.
But that VMA tape and bootleg CD got me through.
I still have the CD in my truck.
That story takes me right back. Around 1999 - 2000 you could find GNR bootleg CDs on eBay for really low prices, because the band was considered pretty much dead. I filled in some gaps in my collection (like the Perkins Palace gig) and focused on the old days, not even aware of the Chinese Democracy sessions let alone the VMA performance, which I'd never even heard about until afterward. I attended the Tacoma 2002 gig, briefly hoped for it to be a sign of much more to come, but when the tour got cancelled I figured Axl was back to being a hermit.
Then, around 2005 somebody on a Nirvana forum posted a comment about "IRS" leaking but I didn't find it for another year. Eventually I tracked down the first batch of leaked demos ("TWAT" long and short versions, "Better," "Catcher," and "IRS" plus the associated instrumental versions).
You're entirely right: Hearing that early version of "Better," with the "I know you know you know better" bridge, was life-changing. I listed to it over and over again for a good hour straight that first night I found it. The MSL and Skwerl leaks that followed were icing on the cake, additional clues to Axl's imagination and creative process. What a ride it's been.
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
just to correct you a little bit, IRS demo had indeed leaked in april 2005, but was of low quality and spread across the interwebz broken into pieces, with some pieces having a bit different quality than the others, hard to say why.
some people tried to reconstruct and remaster the song (remember the Bloody Roses or White Mouse remasters?), but it hadn't leaked in its entirety (the acoustic guitar leadup was missing and the leaked demo only started right before first heavy guitar riffing began). but yeah, it was something unearthly.
I still do have that one in my collection, even though the proper 2006 leak is the same song (or at least I think so), as a reminder of that glorious era.
- elevendayempire
- Rep: 96
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
They shit the bed with this one. If Axl had come out looking/sounding like he did in 2006, if they'd played a one-two punch of Chinese Democracy and TWAT (or Chinese Democracy and Paradise City, whatever) instead of a medley... it would've been a different story. The buzz around it was insane though.
- elevendayempire
- Rep: 96
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
dave-gnfnr wrote:I already knew all of those lol
There were rumors GNR was playing the VMAs so I remember all of the gnr forums watching, then when it started the band sounded amazing, and Axls opening scream was amazing then he opened his mouth to sing and everyone was in horror and shock.
Then the fuckery began.
Dude...
I wasn't even internet capable at home. I had zero clue.
It was in the local newspaper the next day. I bought the paper on my way to work, and read it during my lunch break.
I completely marked out and when I left work, I immediately went to Wal-Mart, bought a blank VHS, went home, popped that puppy into my VCR, and waited for the replay.
I shit you not.
I recorded it. And must have wore out that tape over the next few years. A kid at work had what he called "The Leaked Chinese Democracy" that he downloaded from Napster or some shit, and burned me a copy of what was, essentially demos and live shit with OMG to boot.
Better
TWAT
IRS
Catcher
The Blues
CD
RATB
Silkworms
OMGMy fucking god. Popping that CD into my car stereo and hearing Better for the first time was like a religious experience.
Imagine.
Remember?
I didn't even get a PC/ an internet connection for like...2 or 3 more years.
But that VMA tape and bootleg CD got me through.
I still have the CD in my truck.
Haha, I remember burning CDs of the early leaks for all my GN'R fan mates. Hell, I gave it to actual rock journalists. Assembling a track order etc. Chinese Democracy was obviously the first track.
And yeah, the first time I got the Madagascar leak from the forums and was able to listen to a studio version on my iPod, walking to work. Holy God, that was a moment.
I wish we could experience something like that again. If those fuckers who've been hoarding the remaining tracks could be persuaded to part with them...
- dalethirsty
- Rep: 20
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
just to correct you a little bit, IRS demo had indeed leaked in april 2005, but was of low quality and spread across the interwebz broken into pieces, with some pieces having a bit different quality than the others, hard to say why.
when all this happened, it was probably the most excited i ever was for chinese democracy. when the clip dropped with the axl scream going into the bucket solo, i must have listened to that a thousand times. after hearing that, i was confident axl was going to release an absolute monster of an album and take the world back over.
the better leak a while after was pretty goddamn exciting, too.
by the time the album actually came out, i was way past giving a shit about any of it.
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
by the time the album actually came out, i was way past giving a shit about any of it.
I was thrilled to actually hold the CD and vinyl in my hand. I woke up early on the release day, thinking there'd be a line of fans wanting to buy Chinese Democracy, and went to the nearest Best Buy store only to find out it wouldn't open until 11 a.m. No damned way I was waiting any longer than I had to, so I drove to another Best Buy that opened at 10. I got there right around 10:02 and thought, "Damn! All of the fans must already be inside!"
I parked, ran inside, and ... I was the only shopper.
I walked over to a big display, picked off the first CD and LP copies, and went to the cashier in a daze, both because Chinese Democracy actually existed and nobody seemed to care.
It was like looking at a U.F.O. that everyone else ignored.
- dalethirsty
- Rep: 20
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
=It was like looking at a U.F.O. that everyone else ignored.
that is an amazing way to put it! 
even if the actual release was underwhelming to me, i am now a proud owner of the vinyl. it's one of my most treasured records in my collection, just because of how invested i was in the whole thing. sometimes, i pour a heavy crown royal, take the record out and just hold it like a newborn baby. the inside artwork is absolutely amazing, by the way. it's a shame that on my version, "madagascar" skips so much to the point of it being unlistenable.
was chinese democracy ever released on cassette?
- FlashFlood
- Rep: 55
- elevendayempire
- Rep: 96
Re: 5 Things You Didn't Know About 2002 MTV Video Music Awards
ClaudeF wrote:=It was like looking at a U.F.O. that everyone else ignored.
that is an amazing way to put it!
even if the actual release was underwhelming to me, i am now a proud owner of the vinyl. it's one of my most treasured records in my collection, just because of how invested i was in the whole thing. sometimes, i pour a heavy crown royal, take the record out and just hold it like a newborn baby. the inside artwork is absolutely amazing, by the way. it's a shame that on my version, "madagascar" skips so much to the point of it being unlistenable.
was chinese democracy ever released on cassette?
Wasn't underwhelming to me. I booked the day off work, bought a Dr Pepper and locked myself in my room to listen to the whole thing without interruption.
