Jump to content

Hard Skool

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hard Skool
EP and single by
Guns N' Roses
ReleasedJanuary 28, 2022
Genre
Length15:52
Label
Producer
Guns N' Roses chronology
Appetite for Destruction: Locked N' Loaded
(2018) 		Hard Skool
(2022) 		Use Your Illusion Super Deluxe
(2022)
Guns N' Roses singles chronology
"Absurd"
(2021) 		"Hard Skool"
(2021) 		"Perhaps"
(2023)
Audio
"Hard Skool" on YouTube
Lyric Video
"Hard Skool" on YouTube

Hard Skool is a single and the fourth extended play by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses. The single was released on September 24, 2021, with the EP following on January 28, 2022.[7] The EP consists of two singles and two live tracks, and is their first EP release with guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan since they rejoined the band in 2016, as well as the first works to feature new keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Background

[edit]

Slash and McKagan left Guns N’ Roses in the late '90s, with Slash and vocalist Axl Rose having a longstanding public feud until repairing their relationship in 2015. A year later Slash and McKagan rejoined the band for the record-setting Not in This Lifetime… Tour, with the band stating they intended to make new music.

The tracks "Absurd" and "Hard Skool" were initially recorded during the Chinese Democracy sessions, although an earlier version of "Hard Skool" might have been written in 1996.[8][9] A snippet of "Hard Skool" was posted online in 2006 under the title "Checkmate". In 2008, Rose mentioned that the working title of the song was "Jackie Chan".[10] The full version from the Chinese Democracy sessions, under the name "Hard School", leaked in 2019.[4][11]

"Hard Skool" was first performed by members of the band at soundcheck before the last concert of the canceled — due to the COVID-19 pandemic — tour on March 14, 2020, and then in August and September 2021.[12][13][14] It was then released as a single on September 24.[15] The track peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.[16] The official lyric video of the song debuted on Good Morning Football on December 3, 2021.[17]

The Hard Skool EP was announced on September 25, 2021 and slated for release on February 25, 2022.[18] Exclusive to the band's online store, it features live versions of "You're Crazy" and "Don't Cry", songs originally released on 1987's Appetite for Destruction and 1991's Use Your Illusion I, respectively.[19][20] The Hard Skool CD and cassette, as well as the 7-inch single featuring a live version of "Absurd" as B-side, eventually became available earlier than originally announced, on January 28, 2022. A second 7-inch vinyl version was released June 2022 to the Nightrain fan club. It features "Hard Skool" and a new live version of "Shadow of Your Love".[21]

Reception

[edit]

"Hard Skool" was well received, with several publications describing it as "vintage" Guns N' Roses.[4][22][23]

Track listing

[edit]
CD, cassette
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hard Skool"Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, Robin Finck, Josh Freese, Tommy Stinson, Paul Tobias[24]3:41
2."Absurd"Rose, Dizzy Reed, Slash, McKagan3:23
3."Don't Cry" (live)Rose, Izzy Stradlin4:24
4."You're Crazy" (live)Guns N' Roses4:24
Total length:15:52
7-inch vinyl
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hard Skool"Rose, Slash, McKagan, Finck, Freese, Stinson, Tobias3:41
2."Absurd" (live)Rose, Reed, Slash, McKagan3:40
Transparent vinyl
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hard Skool"Rose, Slash, McKagan, Finck, Freese, Stinson, Tobias3:41
2."Absurd" (live)Rose, Reed, Slash, McKagan3:40
3."Shadow of Your Love" (live)Rose, Stradlin, Tobias2:55

Charts

[edit]
Weekly chart performance for "Hard Skool"
Chart (2021–2022) Peak
position
Hungary (Single Top 40)[25] 25
Japan Hot Overseas (Billboard Japan)[26] 13
Japan (Oricon)[27] 18
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[28] 9

Personnel

[edit]

Guns N' Roses

Additional credits

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Reilly, Nick (August 6, 2021). "Guns N' Roses release explosive new track 'Absurd'". NME. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  2. ^ Horsley, Jonathan (August 6, 2021). "Guns N' Roses release high-octane new single, Absurd". MusicRadar. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Hill, Stephen (August 6, 2021). "Our first reaction to the new Guns N' Roses single ABSUЯD". Classic Rock. Louder. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Rolli, Bryan (September 26, 2021). "Watch Guns N' Roses Play 'Hard Skool' Live for the First Time". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  5. ^ Guitars (September 24, 2021). "The 'new' Guns N' Roses song Hard Skool is a rocking return". MusicRadar.
  6. ^ "Guns N' Roses Release New Song "Hard Skool"". September 24, 2021.
  7. ^ "Hard Skool CD". GN'R Merch. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022.
  8. ^ Lewry, Fraser (August 6, 2021). "Guns N' Roses release new single ABSUЯD". Classic Rock. Louder. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hard Skool". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  10. ^ "Hard Skool". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Richards, Will (September 24, 2021). "Guns N' Roses return with new song 'Hard Skool'". NME. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  12. ^ "2020.03.14 - Vive Latino Festival, Mexico City, Mexico". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  13. ^ "2021.08.27 - Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV, USA". Appetite For Discussion. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  14. ^ Schaffner, Lauryn (September 17, 2021). "See Video of Guns N' Roses Rehearsing 'Hard School' Before Show". Loudwire. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  15. ^ "Guns N' Roses Officially Drops New Song 'Hard Skool'". Blabbermouth.net. September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  16. ^ "Mainstream Rock Airplay – The Week of November 27, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  17. ^ "GUNS N' ROSES Shares Official Lyric Video For New Song 'Hard Skool'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. December 3, 2021.
  18. ^ "Guns N' Roses To Release 'Hard Skool' Four-Song EP In February". Blabbermouth.net. September 25, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  19. ^ Richardson, Jake (September 26, 2021). "Guns N' Roses to Release New EP 'Hard Skool' in 2022". Loudwire. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  20. ^ Triscari, Caleb (September 28, 2021). "Guns N' Roses announce new four-song EP 'Hard Skool'". NME. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  21. ^ "Guns N' Roses - Limited Edition Vinyl Available With 2022 Nightrain Fan Club Memberships". BraveWords. January 10, 2022.
  22. ^ Peacock, Tim (September 24, 2021). "Listen To Guns N' Roses Exhilarating New Track, 'Hard Skool'". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  23. ^ "The 'new' Guns N' Roses song Hard Skool is a rocking return". MusicRadar. September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  24. ^ "Hard Skool". umusicpub.com. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  25. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  26. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Overseas – Week of August 24, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  27. ^ "週間 シングルランキング 2022年08月29日付". Oricon. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  28. ^ "Guns N Roses Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  29. ^ mel bio
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hard_Skool&oldid=1295813871"