"Chinese Democracy: GNR"

Guns N Roses...
1993 + 15 years - SLASH = Chinese Democracy

Rated as One of the greatest Rock Bands Ever...

until chinese democracy...

To be honest... I've been a GNR fan ever since... for me GNR is rock... and rock is GNR... and when I read GNR was planning to release an album... the wait... the desperation...

Was reading a review of the album in rolling stones... only to realise that it took 15 years to make... Since the time the band dissolved... I assumed no more GNR... also since I had a constant track of Mr. Slash... I assumed everyone else would have formed there own bands or moved on... MISTAKEN...

downloaded it... and now...

...CHINESE DEMOCRACY...

K before I begin, GNR without Hish highness,Slash... is just another rock band... with Axl as lead... just like Vevelt Revolver lives on Slash's... I should have assumed GNR to live on Axls... wronged again... I was still expecting magic...

The Band: Axl Rose, Robin Finck and "the buckethead"...

based upon all the reviews I am expecting this to be one of those heavy of on Studio Engineered music than that of the authentic riffs...

Here's a track by track, blow by blow... run down.

1. Chinese Democracy

It don't really matter
I guess you'll find out for yourself
No it don't really matter
So you can hear it now from somebody else

Starts with subtle sirens and some chinese crap... and followed by the riffs... for which I've been desperate to hear... though the riff does sounds a lot like "Rock You Like a Hurricane" by the Scorpions... and slowly the guitars kick in... and it latches on to you... rocks pretty hard.

Rating : 7/10

2. Shackler's Revenge

Don't ever try to tell me, how much you care for me
Don't ever try to tell me, how you were there for me
I don't believe there's a reason (I don't, I don't believe it)
I don't believe there's a reason (I sure, I don't believe it)

More on the digitally worked song's... may be the one... the Rolling Stone described, as te Studio song... I just couldn't get enough of the lyrics...

Rating : 8/10

3. Better

So bittersweet, this tragedy won't ask for absolution,
This melody inside of me, still searches for solution,
A twist of faith, a change of heart kills my infatuation,
A broken heart provides the spark for my determination.

I kinda fell in love with the lines mentioned... but when I heard the song... all the digital noise... makes it more of a pop than a pure rock... but I just love the lyrics of this one...

Rating : 9/10

4. Street of Dreams

To the feelings that I felt I saved for you and no one else And though as long as this road seems I know it's called the street of dreams But that's not stardust on my feet It leaves a taste that's bittersweet That's called the blues

Bring me back the GNR from 90's... and Sweet dreams it is for you... can be classified more of blues than anything... the guitar does give a feel of Slash's... but the words couldn't quite paint

Rating 6/10

5. If the World

I never knew the way that you looked at me Would ever mean so much to me But in my heart I found The feelin's that I've never shown And now they've Got the best of me

No comments

Ratings : 4/10

6. There was a Time

Broken glass and cigarettes Writin' on the wall It was a bargain for the summer An I thought I had it all I was the one who gave you everything The one who took the fall You were the one who would do anything The one who can't recall

A ballad of course... Metal ballad... plays on for almost 7 minutes... Catchy

Rating : 7.5/10

7. Catcher in the Rye

When all is said and done We're not the only ones Who look at life this way That's what the old folks say But every time I'd see them Makes me wish I had a gun If I thought that I was crazy Well I guess I'd have more fun

Just another song... I'd wanna skip through...

Rating : 4/10

8. Scraped

Don't you try to stop us now I just refuse Don't you try to stop us now 'Cause I just won't let you

M gonna skip this one too...

Rating : 4/10

9. Riad n' The Bedouins

All my salvation and All my frustration Caught in the lies And if your at home as well Somewhere in time where only I can tell

I refuse to comment

Rating : I refuse to rate it...

10. Sorry

You like to hurt me
You know that you do
You like to think
In some way
That it's me
And not you

One of the stronger songs on the album... Slower paced... sludge style riff. Perhaps the only negative is that at over six minutes, the track goes just that little bit to long. 7/10

11. I.R.S.

All the reasons that you gave
I'd follow you
To where you'd lead
And if that'd be
The end of time, it's true

This one can almost sit with some of the older Guns 'n' Roses material... remininsence...

Rating : 7/10

12. Madagascar

I won't be told anymore That I've been brought down in this storm And left so far out from the shore But I can't find my way back, my way anymore

the last line says it all... too much effort... but all in vain... GNR in pieces is not GNR at all...

Rating : 5/10

13. This I Love

And now I don't know why
She wouldn't say goodbye
But then it seems that I
Had seen it in her eyes.

And it might not be wise
I'd still have to try
With all the love I have inside
I can't deny

I just can't let it die
Cause her heart's just like mine
And she holds her pain inside

my "november rain" for this album... a piano driven ballad... the best of this album... though November Rain still stays the top... this one's amazing too...

Rating : 9/10

14. Prostitute

If my intentions are misunderstood
Please be kind
I've done all I should
I won't ask of you
What I would not do
Oh, I saw the damage in you
My fortunate one
The envy of youth

A perfect album closer...

Rating : 8/10

In summary

It's really not fair to compare Chinese Democracy to any of the previous Guns 'n' Roses albums, largely due to the fact that this is not the same band. It's Axl Rose with some top class hired guns.

Lets be honest, there's nothing on this album that stands up against tracks like Don't Cry, Sweet Child 'O Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise city or November Rain... but it does sport a few good ones... esp the This I love... Shackler's revenge

But for the casual Guns N’ Roses fan or the general public, this is a very solid modern rock. Does it have its flaws? Of course it has... Is it worth the Money... download it ...

smiles

"FIGHT CLUB"

FIGHT CLUB

One of my all time favourite movies... was bored at home... saw this movie one more time... and couldn't resist... postin this one... couple of key lines from the movie...

The Philosophy :

to begin...

“Nothing is static. Even the Mona Lisa is falling apart. Since fight club, I can wiggle half the teeth in my jaw. Maybe self-improvement isn’t the answer … Maybe self-destruction was the answer.”

... read on....

“Nothing is static. Even the Mona Lisa is falling apart. Since fight club, I can wiggle half the teeth in my jaw. Maybe self-improvement isn’t the answer … Maybe self-destruction was the answer.”

The completeChuck Palahniuk hypothesized about the virtues of self-destruction in his novel “Fight Club.” While just about any college student is familiar with the movie or book, and many enjoy it, Tyler Durden’s underlying philosophy is very rarely taken seriously. It’s a difficult notion to digest, given the idea that education and application are the essence of improving oneself.

But what the Palahniuk work—and I, for that matter—suggest is that the obliteration of self is necessary to improve. It doesn’t have to involve basement brawls or self-mutilation. Those avenues are tired, lined by the less than ideal adolescent role models with too much black in their wardrobe, and habitually lead to other interruptions into any semblance of growth. Rather, deconstructing the world around you through introspective thought and analysis can greatly improve your well-being and, frankly, your worth to those around you.

Zen Buddhist philosophy emphasizes the importance of meditation and self-examination. What distinguishes the “Zen” from the rest of the dogma is a stressing of sudden enlightenment, an emphasis on the here and now. At one point in life, every man is capable of reaching a sudden realization, an enlightenment, which will allow him to grow. In a sense, it’s like a lifetime’s second wind.

Unfortunately, we as a community are too often content with who we are, shirking introspection for diversion. When Joe Sixpack realizes he’s got a drinking problem, he habitually fumbles with his addiction. When Jane Doe’s grades drop because she’s partying too much, she’ll inevitably fall back into the habit after a week or two. There are tons of self-help sessions offered on campus, seminars designed to aid with your time management, drinking problem, problème du jour. Like enrolling a peewee gangster into AYSO soccer, it doesn’t fix the issue more than it just provides another distraction.

Many people don’t get that second wind. You might know them from high school. They’re working for their dad or uncle and, after a few years of community college, resigned to a career that they hate. But they cling to their hobbies and pastimes, drink too much and reminisce about their high school days. As UC students, we wouldn’t dare categorize ourselves with those types. Unfortunately, we’ve fallen in love with our ideas so much that we fail to objectively critique them when it is absolutely necessary.

Dr. Sam Vaknin’s “Malignant Self Love” contests that the narcissist actually doesn’t hold any love for himself. Because he lives in an illusionary world, full of illusion and projection, and predictably earns the admiration of his peers because confidence is valued so highly by our insecure culture, he can’t love himself because he rightly does not know who his real self is.

The solution lies in self-deconstruction. While Fight Club espouses self-destruction, and other works like I Heart Huckabees adopt the promise of enlightenment through nihilism and emptiness, it’s the removing of layers that allows for growth. Self-improvement is, in fact, masturbation. Partly because the idea connotes creepy images of Richard Simmons and Tony Robbins, but mainly because it masks underlying problems with supposed and accepted social norms, like Kathy Griffin caking on the makeup and pretending everything is all better.

Through self-examination, you’ll probably feel pretty horrible. It is an exhaustive process, one that requires questioning practically every personal practice and relationship. But when that point of realization comes, that sudden enlightenment, it will all be worth it. Most don’t ever try. Many fall into a state of self-loathing and depression. Those that succeed understand its necessity; the deconstructing of a world based on illusion and skewed priority. Too often, it is horrific. Consistently, it is Zen-like sudden. Usually, it comes from an unexpected slap in the face, usually from someone whose judged through a transparent and insecure appearance. It’s a traumatic experience, but one that can yield dividends and ultimately lead to true self-esteem and awareness.

The War on Drugs can never be won. Hip hop has regressed into paltry, repetitive spoken word over monotonous bass beats. Epic Movie was the nation’s top grossing film last week and America’s Funniest Home Videos is still on the air. This nation, as has the media-saturated contemporary world, has accepted base distraction with open arms. We delude ourselves willingly to avoid having to deal with our own issues. And when we choose to finally face them, we too often half-ass it, preferring to not actually fix anything and just distract ourselves with trifling entertainment and supposed “self-improvement.”

“Only after disaster can we be resurrected,” writes Palahniuk.

Malcolm Gladwell, the author of bestsellers “Blink” and “The Tipping Point,” recently defended Enron in an article for The New Yorker. His argument was inspired by the idea that the warning signs for the company’s unethical practices were right in front of an audience enamored with Enron’s surprising growth. All it took was Jon Weil of the Wall Street Journal, looking at reports accessible to anyone interested, to break the story and expose Enron’s crimes. The same pattern exists with the individual. To improve oneself, it doesn’t take a self-help book, counseling, structure or distracting externalities. A dedicated, consistent approach to self-awareness and, accordingly, self-deconstruction are the answers.

While not exactly the best basis for a life-changing philosophy, “Fight Club” still gets a few things right.

“It’s only after you’ve lost everything,” Tyler says, “that you’re free to do anything.”
Rather, I contest, that it is only after you have realized that improving the self first comes with finding its true entity that you are free to grow. As students of different schools of thought, it is first our responsibility to study ourselves and quit playing the tourist of life."

“It’s only after you’ve lost everything,” Tyler says, “that you’re free to do anything.”

THE END...

OR

THE BEGINNING...

[Chuckles]

been thinking.......

You smiled, you spoke, and I believed
By every word and smile deceived
Another man would hope no more
Nor hope I what I hoped before
But, let not this last wish be in vain
Deceive, Deceive me, once again

- Walter "Savage" Landor

Don't you thing that sometimes life teaches you more lessons than you need to know???

"What doesn't Kill you, Makes you Stronger"

Too many times...

I've just had too much of this axiom "What doesn't Kill you, Makes you Stronger"...

The occasions differ, the essence differed... and so did how I interpreted it... and if ( at all) it made any difference to me... or not...

But still... I guess I'm still to come to terms with this axiom...

Hmmm...

In many cases, dealing with life's problems will indeed help create a stronger person... there are times, however, when this may not be true.

In the course of our existence... some of us have encountered devastating losses... heartbreaking experiences... and tumultuous issues. In the moments facing challenge... when our concentration is focused on overcoming obstacles or coping with loss... I'm not very sure how many of us think / ponder upon the idea of what we can achieve or what it has in its offing. Especially when most of our disappointments are merely the result of discovering or confirming that expectations or assumptions were incorrect.

Challenges in relationships, career, and personal development... constant fight against time... for every new step... calls for time, effort... and money ( in some cases).

I wonder... how many of us study the obstacles and adjust accordingly... how many are willing to take a new path... Hell... how many of us have the option for a new beginning... how many are left to chance for personal discoveries...

How many are ready to cope with their heartbreak (seriously... how many times can one go through this...)... how many have that back up plan... ( for your insurance has just died off... and you are left broke)... how many of us have the chance to correct that decision of a split second... for what has resulted can be corrected / worked around)...

I admit setbacks and challenges cannot beat you, but you can't always use them to make you stronger.

On a much more personal level, how often do we let the little things get in our way?

How many of us train ourselves... to adjust our perception... to manage the minor inconveniences and seemingly devastating small challenges of day to day life... and consider them as training/ stepping stones to overcome bigger challenges that we may (hopefully may never) encounter tomorrow?

To end, I read these lines somewhere :

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know that just to be alive is a grand thing." - Agatha Christie

But my Question is..

Is this enough ...??

[P.S: I'm not trying to be cynical... I've had my shares of ups & downs of my life... I've learnt my lessons from a few and hoping to recover from few... right now, I'm just Questioning the relevance ...]

- 100th one

Wild Wadi

Wild Wadi is situated by the Burj Al Arab and the Jumierah Beach Hotel... access to WW is complimentary for residents of either ones...

The views from the park of both hotels absolutely amazing...

WW is a water park with close to 15-20 rides, only condition children need to be at least 1.1 M to ride... ( there is a separate kid's section as well) ...

To be honest... there are only about 5-6 rides worth going on on ( esp. if u are a thrill seeker)... Otherwise, to me it seemed like a swimming pool with a few slides. WW has sunbeds, but these are usually taken up and are mostly crowded...

Wild Wadi costs AED 195 pp entrance, addtional costs are lockers AED25 , and towels AED 25, so in case you are planning... save some money and bring your own...

Tips
- do load up credit on the wristbands, it allows you to buy food without having to carry your wallet around, and is refundable on unused credit.
- Sun screen a definite Yes

rating: 7/10
close to 6 hrs spent... didn't get bored... there were more factors to it than the rides...

smiles