The Best Videos Of 1989 - 'Patience'

One of my favorite Guns n' Roses songs is "Patience." It was released as a single in 1989 and the promotional video just immediately grabbed me. The first time I saw it, I knew I would have a life-long love for Guns n' Roses. "Patience" is on the G N'R Lies EP. I think the clip for "Patience" is when I noticed Axl Rose's signature hip swing for the first time. Iconic.

Comments

[Him]

Not their best; not their worst. Wildly popular though. I grant you that.

Now . . . Hijack!!!

But, circling back to the album G N'R Lies. What do you all (Allyson too) think about their decision to omit _that_ other' song from recent releases? No, not "Patience." _THAT_ song. For a band founded on raunchy rock n roll, it seems a bit odd. Do I get the omission? Of course. Do I think it makes a lot of sense since it was, well, a song on an album that they released? Not really. Far worse things--even if people involved now regret them--have been committed to wax or digital and still remain in the world as we know it, for good and ill. Perhaps I am just one in a million. But that is my point of view.

And don't even get me started about the way Dire Straits have been edited so as not to stir controversy . . . noting, again, of course, that the song is stuck in amber, for good and again ill. But it is still the song that they released.

I guess my point is this: I hate censorship. It is bad form when others do it to bands or other artists. And I find it particularly bad form when a band censors themselves. Perhaps I just need a little patience?!?!

[EddieLongHair]

Yes! Allyson, I was going to comment on yesterday's post with several suggestions I had for 1989 videos and this was def one of them! Instead, I decided to let your week's additions play out and perhaps, if I remember, I will add more of my thoughts on Friday. Until I began researching, I hadn't remembered what a great year for rock videos 1989 was!!! And to Him, as far as that other song goes, meh. Never really loved it. I do remember being kinda shocked at the time with some of the lyrics. While I do completely disagree with censorship, I think that the word/concept is rather overused and maybe misunderstood. The origins are really that of an "official capacity", as in a government censor. That is absolutely no bueno. But I think what would be described as "self-censorship" might better be understood as personal growth.

Now, if you really think that GnR has become a bunch of nice boys... you're crazy! I think in many ways they're still kinda living their own reckless life.

[Him]

Good points, Eddie. Appreciate the reply.

I totally understand that the band that wrote _that_ song back in the day is not the band now, nor are the artists either (and, to be fair, it was Axl's song). It was a cringey song then; still is. My point was that removing that song now doesn't make it go away; if anything, it draws attention to the song by its absence. But it is part of their canon, so to speak.

And I agree, to a degree, about your views on censorship. It was an official position in Rome. But, more generally and far earlier, some Greeks were worried about people like Protagoras and Socrates . . . and people like Plato (Socrates' student) advocated for censoring viewpoints not in accord with his wise views.

More to my point, it is etymologically-speaking, an appraisal or evaluation of this or that as good or bad, relating to conduct, morals, etc. The removal of the song is, perforce, a demonstration of self-censorship. That said censorship can be seen as 'growth' is entirely plausible. But an artist's catalog is a history of that artist, good and bad.

And, as relates to GnR, they are a bit all over the place on the issue of what is and is not acceptable (now, not then). They bent over backwards defending the Robert Williams art that graced AfD, going so far as to include it as a poster, with a narrative justifying its inclusion in the recent re-release. But they couldn't have done some sort of apologia for _that_ song, defending it on the grounds that it was a 'youthful mistake' or a now 'tone-deaf' attempt to court controversy? Instead, they fall all over themselves in interviews--past and fairly recent--trying to explain the song. This, again, simply amplifies _that_ song as something of value, even if it is educational and not musical.

However, all of the remaining classic members could get behind the reworked "Silkworms" song "ABSUЯD" and its erudite expression of . . . what? Full disclosure: I actually enjoy that song's nonsense more than I enjoyed _that_ song. I guess constancy isn't GnR's strong suit. Actually, I know it isn't.

But, again, Eddie, thanks for engaging my point. I appreciate it. And I appreciate the other readers on here showing a bit of patience with my ramblings on this topic. I am done now.