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Ex-GUNS N' ROSES Guitarist GILBY CLARKE Offers His Opinion Of 'Chinese Democracy'
- Feb. 8, 2009
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Former GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Gilby Clarke was recently asked by a fan if he's hard GN'R's new album, "Chinese Democracy" and what he thought of it. "Yes, I listened to it on a long drive to Phoenix, Arizona," Gilby replied. "I think it's very good and very imaginative. Axl's [Rose] vocals sound great and there's some creative guitar playing on it also. But there was too many slow-to-midtempo songs on it for my taste and some of the solos are a little overdone; they don't match the song. Some of the lyrics are a little redundant. I expected some resolution since it's taken so long."
Clarke joined GUNS N' ROSES in November 1991, replacing Izzy Stradlin, who quit the band in the middle of a 28-month world tour. He toured extensively with the band on their "Use Your Illusion" tour between 1991 and 1993 and appeared on the GUNS N' ROSES covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?", "Live Era: '87-'93" and "Greatest Hits".
Shortly before GUNS N' ROSES recorded a cover of THE ROLLING STONES' "Sympathy for the Devil" for the film "Interview with the Vampire", Clarke was replaced by lead singer Axl Rose's longtime friend Paul Tobias.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/8/2009 8:51:26 PM
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This guy is such a plug...
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COMMENT | I think that's a pretty fair review, myself.
posted by : Tama Basher
2/8/2009 9:10:13 PM
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I think the album is near brilliant in terms of all the playing and production quality, but with only a handful of songs that are really memorable.
Sad thing is, I think Chi-Dem could be made much 'better' (pun intended) just by picking out the 4 or 5 weakest songs and cutting them from the album. Would also have loved to have 2or 3 more heavy tunes like the title cut, which I dig.
Funny to watch the ex-Guns guys choose their words so carefully when asked about Axl's new music..
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COMMENT | Well
posted by :
2/8/2009 9:17:36 PM
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Chinese Democracy is a masterpiece.
Gilby Clarke is a great guy.
Too bad all the haters won't get to hear "THIS TOTALLY SUCKS ASS" out of Gilby's mouth, hm?
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COMMENT |
posted by : Meatal
2/8/2009 9:49:37 PM
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"This guy is such a plug..."
Why? Because he's a successful honest musician, nice guy, has played in great bands all over the world? I guess you're so much cooler sitting on the Bbmouth boards doing SFA on your PC in your room. laugh...
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COMMENT |
posted by : TheUnchosenOne
2/8/2009 9:54:23 PM
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i like a couple songs off of it.
but i must say, i do agree with Gilby on this one (never thought i would say that!)
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COMMENT |
posted by : RiotAct666
2/8/2009 10:00:32 PM
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Chi - Dem is a amazing album. That was a good interview from Gilby, and he has the right to say that it is his opinion. and he's entitled to it.
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COMMENT | Gilby's a great guy...
posted by :
2/8/2009 10:01:12 PM
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But he was being WAY TOO NICE in his judgement of there being too many "slow to mid tempo" songs. It's ALL ballads! Who the fuck needs an album of ballads? GnR is now just a wannabe Billy Joel or Elton John....
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COMMENT | Translation
posted by :
2/8/2009 10:08:31 PM
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Some of the solos are overdone = those guys blow me away.
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COMMENT | Gilby...
posted by : RikkiRockettsRolex
2/8/2009 10:23:45 PM
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What a funny name.
Good guitar player.
Typical opinion. That 's pretty much what everyone says about the Chinese Democracy.
I don't care, I love that album.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/8/2009 10:24:02 PM
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Axl owes me money.
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COMMENT | IT IS THROUGH THE EAR OF THE LISTENER...
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/8/2009 10:39:44 PM
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ALL THE HATE,OPINIONS,BLABBERMOUTH,RETAIL SALES=
NOTHING WILL MATTER UP TO GOD AXL.
GILBY IS JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN NEXT TO GOD ROSE.
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COMMENT | I'M SORRY
posted by : cliffburt
2/8/2009 11:14:29 PM
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T Bone but you are such a fucking Tool !
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/8/2009 11:26:46 PM
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I agree with Gilby. But this album is definitely in my top albums for 08. It could've been a bit better, since it took so long, but it was a great hard rock album.
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COMMENT | So true -- I was thinking the exac same thing
posted by : Tama Basher
2/8/2009 11:41:07 PM
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COMMENT | Translation
posted by : DESERTPLAINS
2/8/2009 10:08:31 PM
Some of the solos are overdone = those guys blow me away.
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/9/2009 1:58:59 AM
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of all the people gilby talks about guitar solos. the world luckiest guitar player.. god knows how he got in gnr,... never played a solo that worth a penny and says some of the solo on chi dem are overdone. Gilby go learn to play a guiar.. the guy got dropped from gnr for lack of talent. gilby is clearly jealous that buckhead, robin are a million times better than plain joe gilby.. go back and do that shitty rock thing with tommy lee .. gilby lousy clarke..
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COMMENT |
posted by : steinibomb
2/9/2009 2:19:01 AM
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what does Gilby no.
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COMMENT |
posted by : Brutal Judgement
2/9/2009 2:34:24 AM
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The album was a critcal,and retail failure.
Just a few Axl fanboys dragging it out,its not very good,deal with it.
All the ex members are picking their words so cry baby Axl doesnt try to sure them or some other antics.
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COMMENT | I.R.S. is the only good song on the disc.
posted by : ThrashMaster
2/9/2009 3:31:52 AM
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The rest of it is mediocre at best. It probably would have been better if he never released it. The build up was such that he'd have to mach AFD to justify it.
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COMMENT | .
posted by :
2/9/2009 8:17:09 AM
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Ha, Chi Dem.
'member all that hubub?
Ah the good ol' days. I'm nostalgic already.
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COMMENT | Average
posted by :
2/9/2009 10:13:45 AM
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Was expecting more from Axl on this one!
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COMMENT | The Axl Rose Band Cd sucks
posted by : JJJB
2/9/2009 10:17:23 AM
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now he can go away fro another 13 yrs
PERIOD
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/9/2009 10:21:07 AM
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2.6 million copies sold world wide. Not a failure.
From the billboard interview ---
"We never intended a huge public rollout."
"The plan all along was to work the album over the following tour cycles." Which have not even started yet.
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COMMENT | Who cares
posted by : VelveetaRevolver
2/9/2009 10:22:59 AM
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what this lick-knob has to say about anything? This is the same tool that called Lucas Rossi "the real deal. As far as I am concerned, Gilby will always be a second rate musician and a hired gun.
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COMMENT | exhaling scarlet
posted by :
2/9/2009 10:43:43 AM
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You remind me of the guy Damon Wayons used play on In Living Color who used all the big words incorrectly and sounded freaking retarded. That was actually the dumbest post I have ever read on Blabbermouth!
1. Just because someone can't afford to buy a cd does not make it ok to steal it. By your logic I can walk into the nearest Porsche dealership and take a fre 911. I never would have bought one so I guess its ok!!! Moron.
2. "It's not stealing because it's not a fixed product in a store!" So by you're logic, I can hack into your checking account and wipe you clean and it wouldn't be stealing! Idiot.
3. Your point about Metallica and AC/DC's sales figures proves how much fewer cd's are being sold. Compare those to equal period totals of comparable releases from the 80's and 90's.
4. You're "bands make money on the road" argument holds no water for many reasons. First, most bands need record company support to even have a tour. Do you think those t-shirts just appear as if by magic Mr. Potter? How about everyone that has to be hired, all the equipment that neeeds to be purchased, etc. etc. Touring has always been made possible from record sales. This is why you used to always see the tour start about a month or two after the record dropped. The other issue is that the costs of touring are way higher and the record companies are taking higher percentages of the tour profits to make up for the record sales that aren't happening. This has forced so many more package tours and club tours than the 80's and 90's. There is much less of an opportunity for you to see the band you like nowadays, and when you do, it's usually a shorter set because they're on a bill with 3 other bands. This also means even less of a percentage of tour receipts and more competition at the merch table. Everyone loses.
It is a sad fact that piracy is ruining not just the recording industry, but the motion picture industry as well. There is never a justification to take music or a movie without paying for it. To justify it either makes you an idiot, an asshole, a criminal or all three.
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COMMENT | IT IS THE WORLD OF W.AXL ROSE...IT IS NOT TO BE NORMAL!
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 11:17:16 AM
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IT HAS AND WILL FOREVER BE:
WEIRD, FUCKED-UP,CRAZY, ECCENTRIC,
YOU WANT NORMAL? GO LIKE JONAS BROTHERS!
AXL IS LIKE AMERICA-
LOVE HIM OR LEAVE HIM... HE IS MORE CULT THAN TOOL NOW!
TOOL IS MAINSTREAM TO THE MASSES, EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER LIKES TOOL NOW!
LEAST ONLY LARZ LOVES & NAME DROPS AXL;-)
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COMMENT | AXL SOLD MILLIONS BY STAYING AT HOME...NO INTERVIEWS, NO PROMO, NO NOTHING- BUT HERE IS MY ALBUM
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 11:29:32 AM
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KEYACK WEST WENT ON TALKSHOWS,VIDEOS,AWARD SHOWS BLAH AFTER BLAH... HE IS THE 'IN THING' NOW,
BUT WONT BE HERE IN 20 YEARS.^^^^
AXL SOLD TO HIS CULT FOLLOWING.
WOULD YOU RATHER SELL TO TENNY BOPPERS?
THAT WILL NOT BE THERE FOR YOU IN YEARS?,
CAUSE
THAT KEYAC WEST GUY WILL NEVER BE EVEN ONE SWEAT BALL CLOSE TO ELVIS's NUTSACK! LIKE HE IS DREAMING AND SPOUTING OFF AT THE MOUTH ABOUT:-)
DUDE IS THE FLAVOR FOR A FEW YEARS AND BAM!!! GONE TOMORROW!
OR
WOULD YOU WANT A TRUE,
HARD CORE,
NO SELL-OUT,
CULT FOLLOWING BE THERE FOR YOU AFTER 15 LONG YEARS TO SHOW THEIR PRIDE????
YOU TELL ME????
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COMMENT | LARZ^
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 11:31:34 AM
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"TEENY BOPPERS"
SUE ME LIKE LARZ ON MARZ
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COMMENT | HAVING SAID THAT^ GILBY IS AWESOME
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 12:01:39 PM
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LOVE EVERYTHING BY HIM ,
EVEN DUG ROCKSTAR SUPERNOVA,
AND
ALL HIS SOLO SHIT RULES.
BUT
DONT BECOME BITTER LIKE TRACII GUNS,
JUST BE HAPPY- YOU WERE ONCE, IN YOUR LIFE ABLE TO MAKE MUSIC WITH AXL, ...
SAME WITH MATT SOURASS... BE THANKFUL
(AND I THINK MATT IS NOW) TALKING ABOUT HOW AXL USED TO "FLY HIM AND THE BAND ON JETS" ;-)
AXL BRINGS THE PIMP;-)
THEY MISS AXL WHEN HE IS GONE,
THEY DREAM OF THE DAYS OF OLD.
BUT
KILLS THEM INSIDE THEY CAN NEVER GO BACK.
JUST BECAUSE THE BON JOVI SONG SAYS-
"WHO SAYS YA CANT GO HOME"...
ON THE FLIP-SIDE-
THE MICHAEL MONROE SONG SAYS "I CANT GO HOME AGAIN, IM A LOSER IN THE END"
I SIDE WITH MIKE MONROE!
SO!!!!
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COMMENT | pact
posted by :
2/9/2009 12:22:05 PM
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it seems as though the ex guns members have some sort of pact not to bad mouth Axl, well other than stevie adler, but he can't help it because he is clinically retarded.
Slash always says nice things in the press, sorum is a little quiet but no bad mouthing... gilby is cool with it, duff is up there with adler however he is so completely retarded that i think he may not even be able to speak...
anyway... cummon guys cause some drama, let everyone know what kind if piece of shit that cd really is
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COMMENT | desertplains
posted by : BSlash24
2/9/2009 12:41:09 PM
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you've drank the Axl Koolaid, with TBoner, you should be on his payroll. "I wasn't planning on doing a full roll out". Oh no? Did you tell Geffen that, or Best Buy when they sank all that $$ in? 2.6 mil. What about where it counts in the USA? A commercial failure by all accounts. You can try to manipulate the facts, but its not selling, there's little interest. "Well, in the demographic of people 35+, from Layfeyette IN, that worship Axl, its selling like hot cakes"...Gilby gave his pluses & minus, which i for one agree with, some techinically good playing but it doesn't fit that well.
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COMMENT | IM GLAD THERE WILL NEVER BE A REUNION
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 1:20:35 PM
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YOU PEOPLE SAY "THE EAGLES SAID THE SAME THING"
BUT YOU ARE DEALING WITH AXL HERE... THERE WILL NEVER BE A ORIGINAL GUNS N' ROSES REUNION,
IM GLAD THAT SHIT WAS PUT TO BED ONCE AND FOR ALL.
&
THAT IS THE GREATEST!
SLASH WEPT;-)
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COMMENT |
posted by :
2/9/2009 1:28:43 PM
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No, just like the stance taken. Sold 500K + in the U.S. - I mean hip-hop and hinder nation. Whether the solos fit is opinion. You seem to care more about this than I.
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COMMENT |
posted by : BSlash24
2/9/2009 1:40:53 PM
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I don't CARE about it that much, but you are distorting the truth. It is being reported that Geffen is highly disappointed in the sales & the actions of Axl for not promoting. His take on it is lame rationalization. he's public phobic. (what ever that word is)....and comparing Gun & Roses sales against Hinder Nation, or as you wrote before "it sells better than most Heavy metal acts", again, that's weak argument. GnR were monsters, they were expected to sell with the Ac/Dc's of the world. Best Buy certainly banked on this, Geffen. I'm sure Axl too. 500+ for GnR is a disappointment for anyone that has stake in the matter. I don't care on bit actually, I think its fitting, I quite like it cuz I think Axl is reaping what he sowed. I'm just calling a spade a spade...T Bone, ask any act, I've read it a million times, everyone wants to make it in the US, its where it counts. I'm not making that up, & you know that is what counts....the solo fitting, yes opinion. As I stated.
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COMMENT | "Sold 500K + in the U.S"
posted by : T-Boner.com
2/9/2009 3:34:39 PM
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AS AN AXL... FAN I WILL TAKE IT^
WITH NOT EVERYONE LIKING AXL IT KEEPS HIM FROM SELLING OUT.
SO , HE IS CULT NOW;-)
Sold 500K + in the U.S= CULT
"Ac/Dc's of the world"=
RED-NECK, NAS-CAR LOVING,BEER BELLIED PEOPLE OF WAL-MART.
"everyone wants to make it in the US, its where it counts" =
AXL MADE IT HERE , WAY BACK IN 1987-THE 90s
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COMMENT | TBone
posted by : BSlash24
2/9/2009 4:04:54 PM
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you're a piece of work. There you go! Let's build a 100 ft statue of Axl at the top of Sunset Blvd!...he is a God in your world, can do no wrong. Why even debate it...Ac/Dc was simply an example. I'd say their fans are no more NASCAR rednecks then GnR's. I'm not saying either are, I'm a fan of both bands. Axl did make it HUGE in the US & else where, and that's what Geffen(putting 13 mil in the making of ChinDem) & best buy were still betting on. Had he promoted some, it might have worked...each passing day, there's less interest. Only a big single could save this from being considered one of entertainments biggest flops...and those metal bands that you compare Axl Sales to, they didn't flush away $15-20 million into the making of these CDs. yes, this is a failure by those standards, and the bar GnR raised when they were really a band.
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COMMENT | Chi Dem................
posted by : jt_rocker
2/9/2009 6:03:21 PM
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is the Heavens Gate of the music world. Say whay you wany about VR, but at least what they put out was better and had slightly more integrity.
Chi Dem billed as an Axl Rose solo album would've given it enough integrity for any real GnR fan to give it a listen.
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COMMENT | I felt the way alot of you did...........
posted by :
2/9/2009 8:23:20 PM
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after the first few listens. It felt very disorganized overall. But at the same time each song felt so big. Just so much to take in on each song. I understand where Gilby is coming from as he is more into your typical rock song breakdown. But I must admit I'm quite hooked on it now. There is alot of very good songs on it. Lyrics I think are top notch I don't know what some of you are talking about on lyrics. Sound wise sure it isn't AFD or full blown GNR sound or anything. But it kicks ass in a different way. You guys don't understand that the record company would never allow them to release it under anything except GNR. Don't blame Axl for that. Plus if you really thought it was going to live up to a 13 year wait then your fucking as crazy as Axl. Nothing is worth more then about 6 years to wait for in the music industry.
Sad thing about Chinese Democracy is I think two weeks in the studio with a real producer and Axl shutting up and letting him do his job that it could be just a knock out album and maybe album of the year across the board. Right now its great but has just too much going on for the avg. person to take in on one or two listens.
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COMMENT | mcman
posted by : oPanterao
2/9/2009 10:17:28 PM
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mcman pretty much nailed it
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COMMENT | "hm, well ... "
posted by : donbanania
2/9/2009 10:53:07 PM
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gilby has a point if we're talking old guns, and as for the sales, i t would have blown up if it had been the older line up, how could geffen ever think otherwise??!!
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COMMENT | gilby rox!
posted by :
2/10/2009 8:18:26 AM
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listen to his solo shit! its good stuff!! he cant sing worth a damn but he write some great music!
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