Guns N’ Roses have announced the new Hard Skool EP, arriving February 25th. The band also played the new song “Hard School” live for the first time on Sunday (September 26th) at a concert in Baltimore.
The four-song EP includes “Hard Skool,” previous studio single “ABSUЯD,” and live versions of “Don’t Cry” and “You’re Crazy.” It will be available on cassette, CD, and digitally. A 7″ vinyl version will be available on June 24th, featuring just “Hard Skool” and a live version of “ABSUЯD.”
“Hard Skool” is the second previously unreleased Chinese Democracy-era track to be officially released as a single in 2021. Unlike the more industrial sound of “ABSUЯD,” Guns N’ Roses go old-school on “Hard Skool.”
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As the footage from the Baltimore show attests, the track is an uptempo rocker in the vein of their late ’80s material. Slash lays down gnarly riffs while frontman Axl Rose gives it his all, nailing the song’s demanding vocal parts.
We previously reported that GN’R had soundchecked the song (without Axl) prior to a Chicago show earlier this month. It was speculated that the track would’ve made its live premiere that night if Rose hadn’t contracted food poisoning, hampering his voice.
Watch footage of the live debut of “Hard Skool” and see the EP’s full tracklist and artwork below. Pre-orders for all the various formats are available here.
Hard Skool EP Artwork:
Hard Skool EP
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Hard Skool EP Tracklist:
01. Hard Skool
02. ABSUЯD
03. Don’t Cry (Live)
04. You’re Crazy (Live)
