[sphill]

NOTE: This is not a Guns and Roses bash-a-thon or a cheap shot at the band. It my way of explaining a possible situation.

In 1991 Guns and Roses released "November Rain". It was regarded as a mini rock opera in the vein of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Funeral for a Friend". We all saw the video and were overwhelemd by the massive scale of the tune and the sound that came with this song....then came silence and confusion and now nothing...maybe, but still nothing.

I believe Guns and Roses "jumped the shark" with that song and the two albums. This "shark" quote above is in reference to the "Happy Days" episode were Fonzie jumped the shark on waterskies. From this episode on, it was all down hill and the end of the show was on the horizon. This is what I feel happened to Guns and Roses.

Then, if was the culmination of Guns and Roses, have Van Halen written their "November Rain."
Did they reach their peak in performance and song writing and have they now slid into the music abyss?

I say NO.

What are your thoughts?

 

[SuckaInA3Piece]

VH is not that kinda band that'll write a November Rain, but A Year To The Day, and Feelin are along those lines I think. I'd also throw in Little Dreamer as well.

As for reaching their peak performance, I do think they've done that, but it's a few songs they've done it on. Drop Dead Legs and Beautiful Girls are two songs that represent what Van Halen was all about. Little Guitars is also one that has the great musicianship of the band, along with the lyrical flamboyance of DLR.

I don't think VH is the kinda band to write a tune like a November Rain, but they've had plenty of peak performances in my book.

 

[VHF]

November rain, Stairway to Heaven, No More tears, etc and a few others are basically considered "Epic" type songs....big sounds, lots of passages, long, with huge built-up endings.

I have to agree with Sucka, VH is not really that type of band, but I am sure Ed wants to write one......it's just that you have to throw about 10 sing ideas together and blow your wad by putting them all in a single song....and Ed does not like to do that. Basically about every riff he played on an early demo or in any of his guitar solos eventually became a song.

Ed has a few that start down that direction (Drop dead legs, YTTD, maybe even HFT), but GnR had lots of them (Paradise city, Coma, etc) where there were 3 or 4 songs shoved into one. I think it had to do with the fact that Axhole would write these really involved passages on the piano and Slash would then throw riffs over them.

Has VH jumped the Shark? Many would say yes and point back to the 1984 CD when Ed's playing was so insane he should have been wearing a straight jacket, but I don't think so. Ed is capable of putting out another CD this year that would blow everyone away if he wanted to....at least I would like to think that.

 

[Plstrcast]

Right Now

 

[VanMan2000]

Um, Learning To See?

 

[Lodewijk5150]

I agree , A Year To The Day is the closest they've come ! On record , the song is great , but live , it downright kicks ass ! I'm just sad that because it's a Cherone tune , it's never to be heard from again !

 

[RockGod5150]

oops hit the wrong button......ok i always thought of not enough as like a november rain only becasue of the pianos and they way its set up....but as an epic song i would say learning to see that song is really cool