Why Guns N Roses Dropped Brian May
Producer reveals why Queen guitarist wasn\'t on Chinese Democracy
In an interview with Uncut Magazine May revealed that he recorded a solo for the song 'Catcher 'N The Rye' on Chinese Democracy, but according to producer Roy Thomas Baker post-production work on the song ruined it for the Queen guitarist.
"Brian's solo itself is a personal fave of mine and I really couldn't understand, as he's such a rock legend, why it wasn't openly appreciated more at the time," says Baker. "In actuality, all that feel and emotion referred to now had a lot to do with Sean Beavan - co-producer and I and the parts I chose out of Brian's different runs, versions, practice runs, etc., to make sure we had those elements in one version. It's entirely constructed from edits based around one specific note Brian hit in a throwaway take. And though Brian seems to have warmed a bit to it, at least publicly, he was unfortunately none too pleased at the time with our handiwork. I remember looking at Brian standing to my left and him staring at the big studio speakers a bit aghast saying, 'But that's not what I played.' Sean Beavan and I were not in any way trying to mess with Brian, we just did what we do and then try and do our best to stand up for our decisions."
With the solo ultimately expunged from the album, fans have been clamoring for a listen since it was released in 2008 - something May is not keen to oblige.
"I have rough mixes of these tracks somewhere in my archive, but I'm not going to let anyone listen to them, out of loyalty to Axl," said the rock legend.