What you are about to read are just my views and opinions. If you can´t handle that, go watch Cartoon Network.
...or at least of two of its original members, plus longtime frontman Axl Rose. I remember back in 2008, when Chinese Democracy finally saw the light of day, how excited I was. I must have heard the thing a million times. I was fine with Axl being the only original member left in the band. Then, for some reason, I asked myself: "Why can´t at least Slash and Duff be around?". I stopped believing what I told myself for so many years: that GN´R could actually be GN´R without at least three original members. Even though I respected what the new lineup of the group was doing and acknowledged the awesome musicians it had had over the years (Robin Finck, Buckethead, Bumblefoot. Monster guitarists), I secretly longed for a reunion, or at least the return of a couple of its original musicians.
Be careful what you wish for, they say. This week, after months of endless speculation, it was confirmed that Guns N´ Roses will play Coachella with Slash and Duff back in the picture. Am I happy? Hell yeah!!! Been waiting for the gang to get back together and do something since 1996. Will I miss Bumblefoot, Tommy Stinson, DJ Ashba? Absolutely not (This is the part in which you, Chinese Democracy era fans, can start cursing at me...or turn on your TV and watch Ren & Stimpy). I won´t miss them because I -except for a very brief period of time- never saw them as really being "gunners". I grew up with the Guns N´Roses 87-93 lineup, and when all of them but one (two, counting the always loyal Dizzy Reed) left, I thought that was it and the band should have ended. Then, Axl came back with a bunch of new guys, which was extremely hard for me to accept. Again, realizing after a while they were great musicians, they just were not my GN´R.
Slash, Duff, and Izzy became so iconic in so many ways, that it was nearly impossible for me to accept the band could carry on without ´em. I, however, looked the other way and believed GN´R was still GN´R. I´ve talked about this with many fellow fans. Some have agreed, some haven´t and have hated me. Oh, well, I´d rather be hated for speaking my mind, than loved for saying what people want to hear. One thing has always annoyed me: the fact that some modern day GN´R fans hate that a semi-reunion is happening, but they still sing the Appetite for Destruction songs at the top of their lungs. They hate the old band members, but love their music. How does that work exactly? Anyway, as of today, only Slash and Duff have been confirmed from the original five. Would love to see Izzy and Steven, but I doubt it´ll happen, at least not on a full-time basis. I won´t complain, three out of five is pretty good. I´ve read some people bitching because is not the original lineup. It will probably happen at some point. Maybe Frank Ferrer (whom, by the way, I have never enjoyed as a drummer) and Richard Fortus will quit one day, opening the door for the return of Adler and Izzy. (Don´t forget about Matt Sorum and the underrated Gilby Clarke) Who knows. All I know is old Guns fans have to stop moaning and whining about the lineup not being the Appetite guys. I, for one, will enjoy everything they will offer, even if it´s at least a couple of shows, even though what I want is a full-scale tour, new music, videos, reissues. I want it all. Guess we´ll have to wait and see.
