There are 2 songs I'm 100 % sure that partly a drum computer was used:
- Brokenpromiseland - the bass drum noticeably changes from 2:48 to 2:49
- Whats Left Of Me - ok, it's more the bass line from 3:10 onwards. That cut is just so incredibly bad...

Right, but read back what I said, I'm not saying no drum computers are being used. Shanks uses them the exact way Ebbins did for It's My Life. Tico does a take and samples go on top of it to beef it up, give it dimension. In my opinion it makes them sound fake as hell but the argument that Tico's not there and it's all computerized is one I can't get behind.

The production on WAN was brutal. Hand to heart I believe What's Left of Me was recorded live off the floor with all the guys present and then worked on. Jon's ad-lib before the first verse kind of leads well to that theory. Apparently Born to Follow was recorded the same way and that's not a popular song around here.

You're right, I hear you ;)

Hard Letting You Go had a confirmed drum machine on it. I'm not saying that Tico isn't playing on tracks, all I'm saying is that Jon (in the current situation) may be open minded to either going for a programmed track or leaving it out at all, if that's what would hinder the track from being released. Maybe he doesn't even envision a full band track on it, much like the story he told with Lower The Flag where they flew Tico in, only for Jon to tell him after a few takes that the drums hindered the lyrics.

Fair point on Letting You Go. Had Richie not been there it would have been VERY close to a solo Jon song on a BJ album. I think if it fits the vibe of the song I don't mind but when used to replace humanity I hate it.I agree.

You said "semi completed" but I guess you meant before the Jersey 4 Jersey version, sometimes it's hard to understand you.
At the end, there was a physical release (the Japanese version)...
He said on Do What You Can: "I can't wait to perform this one with the band."
Anyway, I get your point.

Who says: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoVF...ature=youtu.be

i'm afraid it sounds more like the intro of This House Is Not For Sale

I really like the melody.

I have always said that,Tico does not play on Because We Can,its all the song a drum machine.

Thinny,I miss Tico sounding like Tico too.
I thought about it the other day,and the last time Tico sounded like him was on the Bounce recordings.

It's a theory but far fetched, we have documented proof he played on it with that article. I get band members covering up things to protect the band's secrets, hell I get producers covering things up, but mixers and engineers? Sorry, it's Tico on the track, you can see the waveforms they used.

I often wonder what would they have sounded like had Patrick Leonard produced the next band album as was the original plan. Tico's drum sound in Wanted (TLFR) was massive. Obviously the whole thing was a Kashmir homage but still.