GET IN THE RING: The crowd, a mulleted bunch sporting stone washed jeans, stirs with an excited anticipation. Suddenly, the lights dim and five shadowed figures appear to the frenzy of the audience. The lights burst open to the shrill of a distorted guitar wail. Fists pump violently in the air, while sweaty fans scream out the familiar chorus of "Welcome to the Jungle."
Many Guns n' Roses fans often reminisce on these club shows, nostalgic for a time when Gn'R blazed through classics such as "Paradise City," "Mr. Brownstone" and the crowd favorite "Sweet Child O' Mine." These fond memories have slowly eroded after years of internal band conflicts, lineup changes, and stadium tours that cannot match the intimacy of a club show. These original diehard fans have reached an unfortunate conclusion: the magic of Guns n Roses was left to die on Sunset Strip in 1987.
In the fall of 2000, a group of music students began to pick up the pieces of this fallen rock dynasty. The result is Mr. Brownstone, a quintet of dedicated Guns n' Roses fans whose recreation of the original sound and appearance is unmatched by any other cover band. The intensity and precision by which Mr. Brownstone perfom will give you what you thought was extinct: front row seating at a Gn'R club show. Close your eyes at a Mr. Brownstone performance and you will find yourself at the Whiskey in Los Angeles, circa 1986.
Frontman Sean Greenhalgh supplies Mr. Brownstone with the atmosphere and attitude of the mysterious rock star Axl Rose. Swaying back and forth and beckoning the crowd, Sean has mastered Axl's patented stage moves. Sean's vocal ability allows him the range to flawlessly mimic every element of Axl's voice, from the low grumbles to the high-pitched wails.
The cornerstone of Mr. Brownstone is Gerard Egan, who pulls off Slash with amazing precision. Playing a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall stack just as Slash does, Gerard has perfectly recreated that sweetly distorted tone that made Guns n' Roses a world-wide phenomenon. Gerard also possesses a unique ability to perform Slash's solos note-for-note, a craft he perfected after years of studying blues guitar.
Not to be overlooked is Izzy Stradlin, represented in Mr. Brownstone by Dave Godowsky. Dave himself is an accomplished guitarist who perfectly characterizes the cool, laid back attitude of Izzy. Dave's rhythmic chugging and occassional blazing guitar solo perfectly complements Gerard's flashy guitar work, forming a flawless recreation of the famous guitar duo.
The rhythm section of Mr. Brownstone is expertly handled by Drew Thurlow (Duff McKagan) and Mac Furey (Steven Adler). The combination of Mac's thunderous drumming style and Drew's low-end punch creates the ideal backbone for an unforgettable Guns n' Roses experience. Pianist Chris Joyce (Dizzy Reed) provides the lush rock melodies that help support the classic GnR sound.
