On Chinese Democracy

I'll include a link this time after the jump. Why bother with formal interviews that assist in the sales of publications when you can talk directly to your fans via the net? Axl's been doing exactly that. Here's a few more excerpts that I find interesting...

Q: Just wanted to ask this: out of all of the music you have written, what song are you most proud of?

Axl: Right now, a lot on this album "Chinese Democracy". For me, musically, it would have to be the orchestral arrangement in the bridge of "This I Love".
Q: Which song on "Chinese Democracy" do you feel was your best work vocally?

Q: I find the verses on "Shackler's Revenge" to remind me of "The Sopranos" theme tune in certain ways. Should they do? Furthermore, any chance of getting the complete album on Rock Band? That would be swell.

Axl: Never thought of that with "The Sopranos", but a big fan of that song. And I think that's a yes on Rock Band.
Q: Which is the most emotional song for you too sing on "Chinese Democracy"?

Q: Outta the whole ["Chinese Democracy"] record, what is your favorite part of music on it? Like a breakdown at some point, strings, anything.

Axl: Bucket's blues fill at the beginning of the last verse in "Prostitute" and his "eventide" bits in the outro, the guitars in the bridge of "Better", Robin's [Finck] solo in "There Was A Time", for a few of them.

Q: Do you think "This I Love" is still the heaviest thing you've written, or has another song popped up that now holds that title?

Axl: That's still it and ultimately a great healing experience to compose something you have no real idea you're capable of such as the bridge. It's a lot more intricate than I think most realize yet as the guitar and vocals are placed as they should be so dominant. The main string melody in that section I had originally written to a hip-hop loop as well.

Q: What part of guitar work for "There Was A Time" is yours?

Axl: I wrote Robin's bit in the second verse. There's microscopic bits throughout usually woven down in the other guitars. The bits throughout the end, the basic power chord bit was originally mine. There's a ghost-like bit that formed the basis for the end vocal melody right before Robin's riff in one side in the outro before Bucket's solo and as it gets to the very end there's lots of little overdubbed bits woven in and out — very small, but structured bits.


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