They think if there's no solo that Phil wasn't there. When in reality he's there to serve the song and play what it needs. Or in maybe most cases what Jon wants to hear. I saw him as a full member when I see the shows, but recently with how the songs are coming out I'm seeing him as more of an exclusive session guitarist that's in the promos and artwork.

Yeah this is the best take I've seen on the situation. I don't know what kind of "control" he has over his parts but he's a session guy. He plays what needs to be played. If people have issues WHAT he's playing it feels more of a Jon issue than a "this is something no one played on but Jon and Shanks" rhetoric. The band is so watered down now sadly but it doesn't necessarily mean it ain't them.

After listening to it again, I feel it's like the direct lovechild of I Got the Girl and Because We Can with a tinge of Who Says....

It's certainly the first single that's been in my head still a week after release in a long time.

Someone said Friends earlier.


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Limitless is the best song of the four (for me).

is it wrong for " American reckoning " to have grown on me ..... thought was awful on first few listens on release, then never played since but somehow I find my self singing it :eek:

No, I'm with you.

It come on the other day after Do What You Can and it got me straight away. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect and Jon's vocals sound a bit weak in chunks of the song but the melody and the harmonica solo get me everytime.

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SO weird, I felt the same thing! I visited my parents house that I grew up in and went for a night walk like I did so much growing up and listening to this band and it always kind of steered me in the right direction. I listened to all 4 songs in the album order and I oddly got goosebumps when the harmonica hit and it just felt like being a teenager again.

It really is odd...I didn’t like them when they came out....and I still don’t like them....


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Chasing new audience is possible but finding it is not. Young people do not want to listen to the bands that their grand parents did. Young people haven't been doing that for a hundred years since at least swing. Young people want to differentiate themselves from their parents. Rock and roll is dead, and so is hair metal, grunge and all that - and it is never coming back. It will be finally put to rest with us. There is demand for it, but it is from us. Old people. And yes, I know there are exceptions and everyone loves it when their kid is excited seeing their dad's favourite band - but ultimately he will still stream a song by Pop Smoke. And by the way. Rap is due as well. It has been here for so long that it will be quite dead by the end of the decade.

Trying to find a new audience might be possible when the artist is 30. It is not possible when you are old and out of ideas and half assing it. Upgrading the sound of hair metal to 2020 will do nothing but alienate the people that do stream such material these days. The same people that bought the records in the 80's.

The whole finding new audience and staying relevant is a big joke.