Guns N’Roses released new song "Perhaps"

The US hard-rock band released a new song with the original cast for the first time since 1996.

After a false start, Guns N’Roses released their new mid-tempo, piano-driven song “Perhaps” on August 18, 2023, and it’s the first time in 27 years that Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan wrote a song together.

They debuted their new single on the same day, live during their concert at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. Axl Rose said of the release: “Forgive me if I don’t run around and try to project as much, because I’m gonna try to figure out how to fucking sing it live.”

The song is actually from the “Chinese Democracy“-Sessions (released in 2008), but was revised together with Slash and McKagan.

It wasn’t a given that the three got creative again, after arguments in the past years had ensued.2008 was the last time Guns N’Roses released a studio record, that time without guitarist Slash and bassist McKagan. The band reunited in 2016.

Guns N’Roses also announced the release of “The General”, a new recording but with its roots in the “Chinese Democracy“-Sessions, just like “Perhaps”.

The Apology Theory

Another rock fan student of RSH thinks “Perhaps” is a great release and he made me wonder whether the song is an apology to Slash and Duff McKagan.

Take a look at the lyrics right at the beginning: “Perhaps I was wrong.”      

There are a few other text parts that support this theory.

The student isn’t the only one who thinks that “Perhaps“ could be an apology. In a Rolling Stone article by Joseph Hudak:„Dare we say — it also seems to be an apology.”

I’m just happy that they reunited and I hope I will get the chance to see them live one day.

What do others think about the new song?

The opinions on “Perhaps” are varied. Some people think it’s great for a new release, and others say that it's just taken from “Chinese Democracy“.               

To be honest, I really can't decide if I like this song either. It doesn't have a particularly catchy chorus or special solo, and I don't even like the sound of Axl's voice.

Even some RSH students have mixed feelings.

“I play piano, so I think the beginning was great. I also liked the riff, but that's it.” 

“If I’m honest with you, I don't feel any emotions at all when I listen to this song.”

I wanted to compare these answers to the opinion of somebody that doesn't even listen to rock/metal music, so I showed him the song. I asked him the same questions, and,at first, his answers were a little bit similar to the other students':

“It was new for me. I liked the piano in the background and the voice suited the song.”

"To be honest, I felt a little bit happy when I heard this song.”

It became even crazier when I told him about the “The Apology Theorie”.        

“Yes, it sounds like an apology and it was emotional too.”  

Addendum: The mentioned single “The General” was released on December 7th, 2024.

Sources:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/guns-n-roses-perhaps-axl-rose-1234808408/        (The Rolling Stone: Article by Joseph Hudak)

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/guns-n-roses-perhaps-live-debut-1234809208/    (The Rolling Stone: Article by Daniel Kreps)                                             

https://www.rollingstone.de/hoert-hier-den-neuen-song-von-guns-nroses-perhaps-video-2625727/ (The Rolling Stone)

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slash_(Musiker)#:~:text=Im%20Jahr%202016%20stieg%20Slash,bei%20Guns%20N'%20Roses%20ein.(Wikipedia)