Better (Guns N' Roses song)
Encyclopedia
"Better" is a song by American rock
band Guns N' Roses
, featured on their 2008 sixth studio album Chinese Democracy
. It was released as the second single from the album, after "Chinese Democracy
", on November 17, 2008.
circa 2001–2007, before the band headed out on tour in 2006, by that time the song had already been recorded, later however, most of former drummer Bryan Mantia in drums on the track were edited by drummer Frank Ferrer
. Prior to the song being released as a single, "Better" had been played live by Guns N' Roses on their Chinese Democracy Tour
in 2006 and 2007. In February 2006, a demo of the song "Better", along with demos of "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S.", and "There Was a Time", were leaked on the internet through a Guns N' Roses fan site. The band's management requested that all links to the MP3 files and all lyrics to the songs be removed from forums and websites.
Beginning in October 2006, the song was featured in an internet advertisement for Harley-Davidson. However, the ad was short-lived, as the company quickly pulled it from the site because the group did not allow for its creation.
Better was released as a single in the UK on January 5, 2009.
for "Better" directed by Dale "Rage" Resteghini
would be released "soon". Shortly after, Rose wrote that Lars Ulrich
stated that he makes an appearance in the video saying, "There’s a shot of me and Axl embracing backstage at some concert, and I signed off that, and hopefully it’ll make it in the final cut.” Ulrich was later blamed by Rose's associate, Fernando Lebeis, to be the reason the video has been delayed, since "the Metallica
drummer needed to sign a release". Ulrich responded by saying “I have heard about this, yes. There was a couple of clips of me in the video and they asked if I would sign off on it. When it got to me, I signed off on the one clip… I don’t know where [the rumor] came from. I’d love to be in a Guns N’ Roses video. It’s my favorite song on the record — I think it’s a great song." On December 30th, 2008, Rose wrote on the message board "Lars isn't holding anything up with our video. Our message board comments were meant casually, in fun and amongst friends...We hope to have our video out shortly." (Almost 3 years after the album and single's release and over a year since any mention whatsoever), there has been no mention by Rose or any other Guns N' Roses member as to the video's status; but in June 2010, a mini video was released on the group's Facebook page containing tour shots and the song playing. This is said to be a preview of the video due out soon.
in New York
. It has been played at almost every show since.
concluded, "Like 'Chinese Democracy
', 'Better' feels like classic Guns N’ Roses — Rose’s growling croon in the verses could have floated out of the Use Your Illusion sessions." The song was officially released as a single on November 17, 2008. On Rolling Stones "100 Best Singles of 2008" list, "Better" placed at number 19.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, featured on their 2008 sixth studio album Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released in November 2008 on Geffen Records. It is the band's first studio album since "The Spaghetti Incident?" , released exactly 15 years before Chinese Democracy, and their first album of original studio...
. It was released as the second single from the album, after "Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy (song)
"Chinese Democracy" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, and the title track from their sixth studio album of the same name. The song was released as the band's twenty-first radio single on October 22, 2008 and was released on the iTunes Store on November 9, 2008...
", on November 17, 2008.
Background
"Better" was written by lead vocalist Axl Rose and former Guns N' Roses guitarist Robin FinckRobin Finck
Robin Finck is an American guitarist of Nine Inch Nails and former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"; Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses .-Career:Finck grew up in Marietta,...
circa 2001–2007, before the band headed out on tour in 2006, by that time the song had already been recorded, later however, most of former drummer Bryan Mantia in drums on the track were edited by drummer Frank Ferrer
Frank Ferrer
Frank Ferrer is an American rock drummer and session musician. In October 2006, Ferrer became an official member of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses after serving as the band's emergency substitute drummer for Bryan Mantia on several occasions during the band's summer 2006 European tour...
. Prior to the song being released as a single, "Better" had been played live by Guns N' Roses on their Chinese Democracy Tour
Chinese Democracy Tour
The Chinese Democracy Tour is a current worldwide concert tour by hard rock band Guns N' Roses to promote the group's long-delayed album Chinese Democracy....
in 2006 and 2007. In February 2006, a demo of the song "Better", along with demos of "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S.", and "There Was a Time", were leaked on the internet through a Guns N' Roses fan site. The band's management requested that all links to the MP3 files and all lyrics to the songs be removed from forums and websites.
Beginning in October 2006, the song was featured in an internet advertisement for Harley-Davidson. However, the ad was short-lived, as the company quickly pulled it from the site because the group did not allow for its creation.
Better was released as a single in the UK on January 5, 2009.
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
November 17, 2008 |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
January 5, 2009 |
Music video
Breaking a two month silence by posting on a message board on December 11, 2008, Axl Rose revealed that a music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Better" directed by Dale "Rage" Resteghini
Dale Resteghini
Dale Anthony Resteghini better known as Rage is a renowned music video director. He is also a film director and music producer...
would be released "soon". Shortly after, Rose wrote that Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich
Lars Ulrich is a Danish drummer, and one of the founding members of the American thrash metal band Metallica. He was born in Gentofte, Denmark to an upper-middle class family. A tennis player in his youth, Ulrich moved to Los Angeles, California at age sixteen to pursue his training; though rather...
stated that he makes an appearance in the video saying, "There’s a shot of me and Axl embracing backstage at some concert, and I signed off that, and hopefully it’ll make it in the final cut.” Ulrich was later blamed by Rose's associate, Fernando Lebeis, to be the reason the video has been delayed, since "the Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
drummer needed to sign a release". Ulrich responded by saying “I have heard about this, yes. There was a couple of clips of me in the video and they asked if I would sign off on it. When it got to me, I signed off on the one clip… I don’t know where [the rumor] came from. I’d love to be in a Guns N’ Roses video. It’s my favorite song on the record — I think it’s a great song." On December 30th, 2008, Rose wrote on the message board "Lars isn't holding anything up with our video. Our message board comments were meant casually, in fun and amongst friends...We hope to have our video out shortly." (Almost 3 years after the album and single's release and over a year since any mention whatsoever), there has been no mention by Rose or any other Guns N' Roses member as to the video's status; but in June 2010, a mini video was released on the group's Facebook page containing tour shots and the song playing. This is said to be a preview of the video due out soon.
Live
"Better" debuted live on May 12, 2006 at the Hammerstein BallroomHammerstein Ballroom
The Hammerstein Ballroom is a two-tiered, 12,000 square feet ballroom located within the Manhattan Center Studios on 311 West 34th Street in Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States of America. It is known for its elegant appearance and excellent acoustical design...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It has been played at almost every show since.
Reception
The song has received a mostly positive reception from critics. Consequence of Sound has written, "While there’s the industrial-like swagger that’s prevalent in “Chinese Democracy”, the bite and harmony is classic GN’R. In fact, this might actually be the best song on the record, out of all three singles released from the record it has been considered to be the lead single." Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
concluded, "Like 'Chinese Democracy
Chinese Democracy (song)
"Chinese Democracy" is a song by the American rock band Guns N' Roses, and the title track from their sixth studio album of the same name. The song was released as the band's twenty-first radio single on October 22, 2008 and was released on the iTunes Store on November 9, 2008...
', 'Better' feels like classic Guns N’ Roses — Rose’s growling croon in the verses could have floated out of the Use Your Illusion sessions." The song was officially released as a single on November 17, 2008. On Rolling Stones "100 Best Singles of 2008" list, "Better" placed at number 19.
Personnel
- Axl RoseAxl RoseW. Axl Rose is an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist and only remaining original member of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he enjoyed great success and recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before disappearing from the public eye for several years...
- lead vocals - Dizzy ReedDizzy ReedDizzy Reed is a contemporary rock musician, and occasional actor. He is best known for his tenure as the keyboardist & pianist for the rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has played, toured and recorded since 1990...
- backing vocals - Tommy StinsonTommy StinsonThomas "Tommy" Eugene Stinson is an American musician best known for his work as the bassist for The Replacements and Guns N' Roses as well as the post-Replacements groups Bash & Pop, where he performed guitar duties, and Perfect...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Chris PitmanChris PitmanChris Pitman is an American musician best known for his involvement with hard rock band Guns N' Roses. A multi-instrumentalist, Pitman is known to play keyboards, guitar and drums, in addition to his role as a lead or backing vocalist...
- sub bass, backing vocals - BucketheadBucketheadBrian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
, Robin FinckRobin FinckRobin Finck is an American guitarist of Nine Inch Nails and former lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"; Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses .-Career:Finck grew up in Marietta,...
- lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
s - Paul TobiasPaul TobiasPaul Tobias is an American guitarist best known for his involvement with hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he has collaborated since 1994.-Guns N' Roses:...
, Richard FortusRichard FortusRichard Fortus is a professional guitarist who is most famous for being rhythm guitarist in Guns N' Roses.Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Fortus cut his teeth throughout the Midwest with his band, The Eyes. The four-piece alternative band independently released "Freedom in a Cage", which was...
, Ron "Bumblefoot" ThalRon "Bumblefoot" ThalRonald Jay Blumenthal , better known by his stage name Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, is a Jewish-American guitarist, songwriter, recording artist and producer. Thal adopted the name Bumblefoot from the bacterial infection of the same name, which he learned about while helping his wife review for her...
- rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
s - Bryan MantiaBryan MantiaBryan "Brain" Mantia is a contemporary rock drummer. He has played with bands like Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Godflesh, and with other popular performers such as Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead...
, Frank FerrerFrank FerrerFrank Ferrer is an American rock drummer and session musician. In October 2006, Ferrer became an official member of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses after serving as the band's emergency substitute drummer for Bryan Mantia on several occasions during the band's summer 2006 European tour...
- drums - Dizzy Reed, Chris Pitman, Robin Finck - keyboards
Chart positions
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
| Ecuador Super 9'49 Radio Top 20 Ecuador Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border... |
2 |