A temporary diversion (Spaghetti Incident - Guns n' Roses)

Member Name: rabidbadger

Product:	Spaghetti Incident - Guns n' Roses
Date:	06/10/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some great tracks

Disadvantages: Not as good as some of the original versions

Track Listing:
1) Since I Don't Have You
2) New Rose
3) Down On The Farm
4) Human Being
5) Raw Power
6) Ain't It Fun
7) Buick Makane
8) Hair Of The Dog
9) Attitude
10) Black Leather
11) You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory
12) I Don't Care About You
13) Hidden Track - Look At Your Game Girl

Having seen Duff McKagan singing The Misfits' song, Attitude, on stage in 1991, I wasn't completely surprised to see it appear on a GnR album, but one thing I never expected was a whole album full of 70s/80s punk-era covers. The Spaghetti Incident was bound to attract criticism; not only from GnR fans who were shocked by the sudden deviation in style, but also from fans of the original bands whose hits they are covering. Being old enough to remember most of the original versions myself, I feel well-placed to offer my judgement... This was never going to go down in history as a classic GnR album but the stalwart fans will all own a copy.

Since I Don't Have You - Originally a hit in the US in 1958 for the Skyliners, its only appearance in the UK charts was a 1979 version by Art Garfunkel. Considering the underlying theme of the album, this is the one track that doesn't really fit in - it is more bubblegum rock n roll than 70s punk. Nonetheless, it is a melodic love-song, given its own dimension by Axl's own brand of screeching and swearing (8/10)

New Rose - Written by Brian James and originally recorded in 1977 by The Damned. GnR's version would not have sounded out of place on one of the Use Your Illusion albums (6/10)

Down On The Farm - Originally recorded by UK Subs in 1980, although never a chart hit. Quite a faithful version - although not as punky and aggressive as the original (7/10)

Human Being - Written by Johnny Thunders but originally released by The New York Dolls in 1974. Axl Rose brings a whole new level of energy to this version, leaving the original version sounding flat in its wake (8/10)

Raw Power - A cover of the 1973 Stooges track, this version sounds much too polished when compared to Iggy Pop (5/10)

Ain't It Fun - Originally recorded by The Dead Boys in 1978. This version - with guest vocals from Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks - is not far from the original at all (7/10)

Buick Makane - An old T-Rex song that has curiously been fused with the 1989 Soundgarden song, Big Dumb Sex. Not as glammy as Marc Bolan's original and, odd as it might appear, the Soundgarden ending does suit the song quite well (6/10)

Hair Of The Dog - When you listen to the original 1975 Nazareth version, you will realise that only Axl Rose's voice could ever do a cover version any justice (8/10)

Attitude - A very fast-paced, energetic cover of the 1980 Misfits song but the vocals lack the original feeling of Glenn Danzig's (7/10)

Black Leather - Written in 1980 by Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and covered in many guises by Joan Jett in her various bands. This is not a great version in my opinion (5/10)

You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory - Originally released by Johnny Thunders in 1978, this version is practically a solo performance and personal tribute by Duff McKagan (7/10)

I Don't Care About You - Sounding like he has swallowed a bag of gravel before the performance, Axl does a good job of covering this 1982 Fear track (8/10)

Look At Your Game Girl - Not listed on the inlay card, this "bonus track" is a cover of a song written and performed in 1970 by the convicted killer Charles Manson (6/10)

Summary: By all means enjoy the album but have a listen to the original versions too