Originally Posted by skeg
What a load of rubbish. Axl wrote the songs, plays guitar and piano. He with slash was the most exciting part of GNR. The original drummer and rythym guitarist were replaced anyway years ago by the now Velvet revolver drummer and no one batted an eye lid back then. So as dizzy the keyboardist and Axl are still there all your missing from the original line up is Slash and Duff on bass. WOW.
Slash is great but Buckhead is far better technically, he makes him look like James blunt and the other guitarist is from Nine inch nails and also amazing. He did leave at one point but axl has proved it doesn't matter who playes the tunes as long as he is there and look at that Wally velvet revolver have at the front. Below you can see him on the GNR mtv awards 2001 performance and in brazil buckethead doing a solo on his fret-markerless guitar to about 200,000 people. Who knows what Axl has up his sleve.
As for the album well he has about 60 songs and not even the die hard fans are sure of what will be on the final release.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...+to+the+jungle
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...3&q=buckethead
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...7&q=buckethead 
Sorry, I thoroughly disagree. The majority of the songs written musically, were the product of Slash, Izzy, and often Duff's, creation, Axl did contribute of course, and songs like November Rain, Patience, etc you can hear a LOT of Axl's involvement, but when you look at the majority of songs from the albums, he didn't contribute a lot musically, other than lyrics and arrangements. I have a number of documentaries, official and unofficial, along with rare interviews and footage on video, so I ain't just making it up, but whatever.....
Buckethead IS an amzing guitarist, but he is also a session guitarist. He has VERY little feel - what he can do with his fingers is amazing, but if you have no feel, then you aren't best suited for life in a band. How do I know? I played in bands for many many years and have toured with hundreds of bands, so I think I am slightly qualified to judge musicians... The difference between Slash and Buckethead might be speed and technical ability, but Slash brought a huge personality with his playing, and you could HEAR the difference in his playing. Buckethead is a machine, very robotic and cold....
Steven Adler (the original drummer who played on Appetite) was kicked out the band, alledgedly for drug problems, which is ironic for a band like GnR, but in reality it mainly boils down to the fact Axl didn't get on with him. his replacement, Matt Sorum (ex, The Cult) is a FAR more talented drummer...
Izzy Stradlin, original rhythm guitarist, played on Appetite and both the Illusion albums, left shortly after the recording of the Illusion records, and was replaced by Gilby Clarke, who has played with and along side Nancy Sinatra, MC5, Kill For Thrills, Micheal Jackson, Steven Tyler (aerosmith), Jeff Beck and Lenny Cravitz. Naturally Izzy contributed far more musically to the band than Gilby, who was basically only a hired gun - playing live, and the only two GnR recording's he appeared on was the Spaghetti Incident and Live Era.
Dizzy Reed was also a hired gun tho - Axl arranges all the keyboard and piano parts and Dizzy plays them. Originally hired to be a tour musician, he was then present through the Illusion Sessons and has been in the band ever since. Dizzy is actually a very talented musician and plays guitar and bass along side keyboards. He has played with many bandss, including all the GnR Spin Off's (Slashes Snakepit, Duff McKagen Expirience, Gilby Clarkes solo project, Hookers & Blow, and even played with Motorhead...
So please don't try and tell me anything about Guns N Roses, as I probably already know it
They were my utmost favourite band in the world for many many years, and I own virtually every release ever to have the Guns N Roses name on it. But the jury is still out on whether I will bother with Chinese Democracy, as from what I have heard is bad....