Guns N’ Roses – “Hard Skool”
Guns N’ Roses long-awaited comeback album Chinese Democracy came out about 13 years ago, and it’s not the kind of record that inspires most GN’R fans to go into nostalgic reveries. But lately, Guns N’ Roses have been revisiting the songs that the band wrote during that Chinese Democracy era, and now they’ve gone back to those Chinese Democracy sessions and released a couple of songs — their first in 13 years.
Last month, Gun N’ Roses released their single “ABSUЯD,” a reworked version of a song that they were playing live back in 2001. A few days ago, they shared footage of themselves playing another older song called “Hard Skool” at a soundcheck. “Hard Skool” dates back to Chinese Democracy, as well, and a demo of the song leaked when the band was working on the album. Today, GN’R have released a straight-up studio version of “Hard Skool.”
On “Hard Skool,” all the members of a previous GN’R lineup — including former Replacement Tommy Stinson and former Vandal Josh Freese — have songwriting lyrics on “Hard Skool.” This one is especially intriguing because classic-era GN’R members Slash and Duff McKagan are back in the band, and yet it seems to find Axl Rose singing spitefully about exactly those ex-bandmates: “As tempers fade and lies forgiven/ No cause embraced could break what we had/ In its place, a storm is liftin’/ I would’ve thought you could be more of a man.” Musically, it’s a big, extremely produced rocker, and it’s got some real riffs on it. Also, it’s just cool to hear Axl screaming again. Listen below.