Easily my favorite long track by Guns, and the only one I can bear to listen to on UYI consistently (sorry, "November Rain," "Coma," "Locomotive," "Estranged," and even, to a lesser extent, "Civil War" aren't my speed).
I think it reflects Axl's state of mind at the time. Slash said in his autobiography that during the UYI recording process he became detached and very seldom came to practice on time. They almost never saw him in the studio. He was having obvious emotional conflict but became impossible to speak with. It was during this time that he rearranged the contract so he owned the Guns N' Roses name. A legal battle ensued, and with Axl's controlling impulses becoming higher and higher (including the addition of studio musicians, synthesized effects, pay cuts, a legal battle within the band) Slash decided to leave the band. Not late after, Duff McKagan quit, and Matt Sorum was fired soon after.
What could have caused all of this? Slash seemed to ignore the music's lyrical value in his book. The only times he went into the lyrical aspects of GNR's music were when mentioning the story of Michelle (a real person) in "My Michelle" and Slash's input on the chorus of "Paradise City." Maybe Axl was dealing with family problems, or maybe he lost a very important friend, though no such thing was mentioned in the book. Maybe he was losing control of his life in a hundred ways, and he tried to control the only thing he had left: Guns N' Roses. I think if the band had paid more attention to Axl's lyrics, they could have helped in some way, and maybe they'd still be together. But maybe they tried.
Well, Axl's still a dick. (A great songwriter, but a dick.)
Easily my favorite long track by Guns, and the only one I can bear to listen to on UYI consistently (sorry, "November Rain," "Coma," "Locomotive," "Estranged," and even, to a lesser extent, "Civil War" aren't my speed).
I think it reflects Axl's state of mind at the time. Slash said in his autobiography that during the UYI recording process he became detached and very seldom came to practice on time. They almost never saw him in the studio. He was having obvious emotional conflict but became impossible to speak with. It was during this time that he rearranged the contract so he owned the Guns N' Roses name. A legal battle ensued, and with Axl's controlling impulses becoming higher and higher (including the addition of studio musicians, synthesized effects, pay cuts, a legal battle within the band) Slash decided to leave the band. Not late after, Duff McKagan quit, and Matt Sorum was fired soon after.
What could have caused all of this? Slash seemed to ignore the music's lyrical value in his book. The only times he went into the lyrical aspects of GNR's music were when mentioning the story of Michelle (a real person) in "My Michelle" and Slash's input on the chorus of "Paradise City." Maybe Axl was dealing with family problems, or maybe he lost a very important friend, though no such thing was mentioned in the book. Maybe he was losing control of his life in a hundred ways, and he tried to control the only thing he had left: Guns N' Roses. I think if the band had paid more attention to Axl's lyrics, they could have helped in some way, and maybe they'd still be together. But maybe they tried.
Well, Axl's still a dick. (A great songwriter, but a dick.)