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I'm all for popular rock groups introducing their young fans to bands they might not hear or look into otherwise, but when a band with the power to write rock classics (such as Sweet Child and Paradise City) and original epics (like Estranged and Coma) compiles an entire album of cover songs -more to the point, AVERAGE cover songs- you can't help but feel a little let down.
It seems they've taken advantage of their popularity, cos I doubt any other bands would dare release a record like this. Overall it's a good, fun album... but compared to their previous offerings it's horrible.

Best tracks are probably Black Leather (better than the original with its elevated guitar riffs, but not a patch on the Runaways' version); Ain't it Fun (though, much as I like Hanoi Rocks, was it really necessary to bring out Michael Monroe AGAIN? Despite the strength of both Hanoi and GnR his voice can really grate on the nerves); Buike MacKane/Big Dumb Sex; Hair of the Dog (Nazareth don't get enough credit y'know...); and the pretty little Charles Manson cover (a desperate attempt at controversy perhaps?)
But all are far too similar to the originals, and even these "best tracks" don't compare to the weaker songs on Appetite or UYI 1 &2.

Since I Don't Have You and Down on the Farm are atrocities I won't even mention.
The other tracks are moderately good, but by no means great.

On the whole, a worthwhile purchase if you're already a fan (especially if you're keen to look into which bands influenced them,) and not without a few good tracks and a certain punkish charm.
But if you're relatively new to GnR, STAY AWAY, cos it doesn't truly reflect their good musicianship or songwriting skills.


Old-School Guns swan-song of covers   April 7, 2006
 25 out of 26 found this review helpful

November of 1993 saw the release of Guns N' Roses fifth album "The Spaghetti Incident?" It was recorded mostly alongside the "Use Your Illusion" (1991) albums and featured the lineup of Axl Rose, (vocals) Slash, (lead guitar) Duff McKagan, (bass) Dizzy Reed, (keyboards) and Matt Sorum (drums). Izzy Stradlin's (rhythm guitar) parts were removed and replaced by then current gunner Gilby Clarke.

Guns N' Roses swan song (at least of old-school GN'R) "The Spaghetti Incident?" seems to rub people the wrong way. It unfortunately has the reputation of being one of those albums that "suck." That's a shame because while "The Spaghetti Incident?" is not a timeless classic, it's a good album.

Why do people seem to have such a negative reaction to this album? I think quite simply there really isn't an audience for a GN'R punk-cover album. While there was definitely an element of punk to the GN'R sound (courtesy of bassist Duff McKagan) people, by and large, who like "Paradise City," "Sweet Child `O Mine" and "November Rain" aren't going to dig Iggy and the Stooges, T-Rex, the Dammed, Fear, The UK Subs, etc. Likewise, fans of punk-rock aren't going to like the slick production, added solos, and other perceived bombast of GN'R's interpretations.

While Guns N' Roses renditions on "The Spaghetti Incident?" are nowhere near as raw or unadulterated as the original songs, that's not really a problem. If you went into "The Spaghetti Incident?" expecting a straight-up punk album, I can see why you'd be disappointed. But rather than just paying homage to the artists that influenced them by doing a punk album note-for-note, GN'R gave the songs their own spin, their own interpretation. With "The Spaghetti Incident?" Guns N' Roses made these songs their own by adding their own signature. So while these songs aren't as raw as the originals, they have more melody, color, hooks, and are far more palatable than the originals. While I can appreciate the argument from punk fans that GN'R shouldn't have taken liberties on their beloved classics, I personally really like these renditions.

Highlights include the Damned's excellent "New Rose," The UK Subs "Down on the Farm," (in which Axl Rose puts on a brilliant and somewhat hysterical faux British accent) the Misfits "Attitude" and Steve Jones' "Black Leather." The album's big hit, the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You" is hauntingly morose, yet sublime in its rich melody and killer solos. The album is probably best known for the "hidden track," Charles Manson's "Look at your Game Girl," which is creepy with its bizarre lyrics and eerie sparseness. It should be noted that Manson himself received no royalties from sales of the album.

The timing, however, was really bad for this album. By the end of '93 grunge and alternative rock were all the rage. While Guns N' Roses still had an enormous fan base by the end of '93, the band was seen as outdated, and the backlash spawned by their conceptual videos and over-the-top personas and lifestyles was beginning to set in. While "The Spaghetti Incident?" was meant merely as a stop-gap to tide fans over until the next release, thirteen years later, the next release, the forever in-the-works "Chinese Democracy" still has not yet arrived. "The Spaghetti Incident?" left a bad taste in the public's mouth and temporally took GN'R's legacy down a notch, although with the passage of time the sour taste has all but disappeared.

While "The Spaghetti Incident?" will ultimately be just a footnote in the legacy of GN'R, it is still a good album that is somewhat underrated. If you are new to GN'R, by all means, check it out.






Underrated!   January 8, 2005
 9 out of 15 found this review helpful

I have to admit that while I was immensely in love with Guns N' Roses' music when I was first introduced to them back in 1992 (as a pre-teen, when their _Use Your Illusion_ albums were garnering attention), the love transmutated into strong ambivalence *very* shortly afterwards. And in the decade-plus since then, the ambivalence still remains: the one half of me thought this band had some real talent; Slash was an excellent guitarist, and Axl had a voice with attitude. Their music was *very* primal and visceral, and the perfect music to listen to if you wanted to blow off some steam, or if you just wanted to get energized. It was balls-to-the-walls gutsy, dirty rock n' roll in the vein of The Rolling Stones or Aerosmith, but (arguably) a bit more extreme than both bands. On the other hand, I found the excessive whining, ranting and profanity used by Axl and co., to be nothing more than childish exercises in vulgarity, just for the sake of vulgarity, although some of it was good for comical value; some of it sure made me laugh (and btw, I'm not offended by profanity, but in much of Guns N' Roses' output, this aspect just got a little old and predictable *real* fast.)

To this day, anytime I listen to a Guns N' Roses album, these exact thoughts and feelings (listed above) run through me.

With that said, I own both of their ambitious and diverse _Use Your Illusion_ albums, and I love those more than the raw musings found on _Appetite For Destruction_. Which brings us to 1993's _The Spaghetti Incident?_; an album consisting *solely* of cover versions to many punk anthems of the day. For my money, the cover of classic soul group The Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You" is probably the most interesting and impressive on here: rarely would you expect Guns N' Roses to cover an R&B/Soul song. For them to cover it quite well is even *less* expected. Yet, how they pull it off is quite a testament to the talent these guys had. My other favorites are the cover of The Damned's "New Rose" (where Duff McKagan references Joe Jackson at the very beginning of the song), Soundgarden's "Big Dumb Sex," Nazareth's "Hair Of The Dog" (where we hear a reference to the main riff of The Beatles' "Day Tripper" at the end of the track), and the furious (and hilarious) profanity-soaked cover of Fear's "I Don't Care About You."

Yet, the album doesn't end there: there is a hidden track which is a cover of a Charles Manson song. Some have said that the addition of a song from aforementioned notorious figure was a publicity stunt: something to try to boost the band's diminishing popularity and sales figures. I wouldn't be surprised in the least, if there were any truth to this.

The band says in the liner notes to find and listen to the original versions of each of the songs they covered on this outing. Indeed, I'd recommend the same thing; many of the originals are amazing in their own right (if not more interesting than the cover versions here.) Recommended.


NOT FOR G n R FANBOYS!!!   December 30, 2004
 8 out of 16 found this review helpful

I will keep this short..........You're not going to find any "Paradise City" or "Sweet Child of Mine" on this album (both very over-rated GnR songs), What you are going to find is some really great covers........yes its all covers, this is not Guns n Roses original music, some people think it is and hate it because it sounds different..........I love it.

You got covers of The Misfits, The Damned, New York Dolls, T-Rex, Dead Boys, Nazareth ect. HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG???
I guess if you don't like punk rock you probably won't like a lot of stuff on here, but if you do, you'll love it. Its great songs re-done by a great band.

This album gets bashed all the time and I don't know why, most people who bash it have probably never even listened to it.

I can listen to it start to finish every time, and I have worn it out since '94 when I bought it on Cassette.

Point is........don't listen to the "Greatest Hits" fanboys who knock this album, its a great collection of covers, and its definetly worth buying, BUT...if you are a "Paradise city" ONLY type person then you won't like it. this is for people who like a little loud dirty rock n roll.


dont waste your time   May 28, 2006
 6 out of 16 found this review helpful

this pile of crap, like all poser efforts, was created to make money. after the 91/92 punk revolution via grunge, tons of bands jumped on the bandwagon to cash in. after realizing they had lost much of their fanbase during this period, gnr decided to try to gain some street cred by covering some old alternative songs and a golden oldie, but by doing so they proved just how little musical ability they had. all the songs they covered were played in the exact format as the original with the exact same instrumental accompinament. the old boys from la did nothing new and nothing creative. but i do have to give them credit for one thing they did right, saying in the liner notes to pick up the original records, how true.