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by Tim Cashmere It's nigh on impossible to accurately piece together a Guns 'n' Roses compilation truly showing every angle to the band, lest you literally throw every complete album in there. But a best of, featuring singles and nothing more on one disc is still a decent chance to get a good idea of the band for G 'n' R 101. The album opens back in 1987 from their debut album "Appetite For Destruction", 'Welcome To The Jungle', followed up quickly by 'Sweet Child O' Mine'. Together these tunes contain two of the most recognizable riffs hard rock in the 80s produced. The album skips forward to 1988's "Lies" for the brilliant acoustic ballad 'Patience' before returning to a G 'n' R signature tune, 'Paradise City'. Five covers adorn this collection, Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door', from "Use Your Illusion II", Wings' 'Live And Let Die' from "Use Your Illusion I" and from the "Interview With A Vampire Soundtrack" comes the Rolling Stones cover, 'Sympathy For The Devil'. While the first two examples here are great renditions of classic tracks, the latter, while a creative selection of song, is a rather uncreative version. The last two come from the largely unnoticed (and rightfully so) covers album "The Spaghetti Incident?" 'Ain't It Fun' is the old Dead Boys tune off their ballsy second album and the far more interesting 50s rock ballad 'Since I Don't Have You', originally recorded by The Skyliners. The original version of 'Don't Cry' (as opposed to the alternate lyric version of Illusion II) strips it right back after the air guitar donning 'You Could Be Mine'. It's the ten or so minute epic 'November Rain' that truly encapsulates Slash's great soloing. The guitar solo outro is as much an epic in itself as the entire song! So there you have it, the Guns 'n' Roses best of that the band tried to ban. It might be against the bands wishes and it might not quite be the band to a tee, but as far as summing them up on one disc goes, this ain't such a bad job. Now if only Axl would get off his arse and finish this now seven year overdue "Chinese Democracy"! - Tim Cashmere Track
Listing Label:
Universal |
Guns 'n' Roses : Greatest Hits