Are There People Who Became GNR Fans Cuz of ChiDem?

[sailaway]

Well... when I saw GnR live a couple of years ago, there were people in the venue who were there because of Ashba and BBF.

ALl attempted iron

this new band just took all the classic songs to a different level.

Indeed.

y

Well... when I saw GnR live a couple of years ago, there were people in the venue who were there because of Ashba and BBF.

All attempted irony aside, GNR has multigenerational fanbase now,as well as worldwide.

IMO as long as nobody is behaving in a cunting manner, I have nothing against the more recent fans,and have had enjoyable conversations with many

[sailaway]

Thank you guardian angels.Wearing Crosses pays off

[bacardimayne]

I was a casual fan of the old band. But once I heard DJ and BBF play the classic songs.............well, this new band just took all the classic songs to a different level. DJ simply owns Slash in every aspect of the guitar. This current band really does make the old band, who were full of drug addicts and alcoholics, look like grade A rank amatuers.

I'm super glad that the old band split up. Judging from the works of Slash and Duff's solo careers, one can only shudder at what a 1996 album would have sounded like from GnR. The mediocrity and chemical dependencies of Slash/Duff and Sorum would have drug Axl down to embarrassing levels. We are SERIOUSLY lucky as fans to NOT have any music from Axl from the 1993-through-1999 time frame. It all would have been horrible. Especially with the way Slash and Duff bullied poor Axl. They constantly enforced their will on him, causing him to be late to years worth of shows and turning him into an egomaniac prick. All because of they way those two abused him. MAKES me so angry.

Luckily Axl hired an excellent group of musicians to replace the old guys. And that band really created a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the majority of the music world was NOT intelligent enough to understand the complexities of Chinese Democracy. Also, the mainstream media are all biased against Axl Rose. And the label chose to screw Axl by ONLY spending 14 million dollars and waiting over a decade for Axl to finish it. Clearly Axl deserved an 19-million dollar budget and 15 years to complete it. The label was so stupid and biased against Axl.

So the album really never got the credit it deserves. Some people say that the songs just didn't excite people............but we all know that is false. People ONLY dislike the album because Slash is not on it, they are mad the old band broke up, and because they are jealous of Axl. Oh, and because they are too stupid to understand it. And it had no label support.

Luckily times two......Axl got rid of some of the dead weight from that second group. He got rid of the overrated Bucket and just terrible playing Robin, and replaced them with powerhouse BBF and DJ Ashba, who is probably the most talented guitar player on the planet. And not only is he a guitar playing mastermind, but he also designs and sells a top-notch clothing line called Ashba Swag. The man is just an all around legend, delighting us with stories of how much alcohol he can drink and how much ass he has kicked. This guy is pure Rock n Roll bad-ass. (If you don't believe me, just ask him - he'll tell you). Dj also sells cars. And was bullied as a kid. Axl also replaced the drummer.

Around the time that Axl put this true dream super group together, he also made a decision that lifted GnR to heights not yet acheived by any band in history (Or as Gary Busey likes to say, a place 10,000 miles higher than the top of heaven).

SOMEHOW Axl was lucky enough to win the career-lotto of having the most succesful and well known manager in the world choose to work with GnR. She also filled out the management team with her children, who are all no doubt extremely qualified for their positions.

Since snagging the super manager and her family, as well as securing the three latest members of his dream-team..............GnR has continue to rock the heck out of the songs created by the former bands. Playing them at a level that the former bands could only dream of. They have also set trends and reached goals that normal bands can only dream of..........playing for weddings, private shows for fashion designers, putting Axl's face on baseball trading cards along side Kip Winger and the girl from the Cherry Pie video. They have also released a killer concert video and a 3-D blue ray video, as well as several music videos from CD................but unfortunately, all the people out there who are in cahoots against Axl, have prevented those things from being released. Luckily though, being a paid member of the band's fan club has given me a chance to earn a one-size only tour t-shirt from last year, or a beach towel.

The band is excellent live and that is where I believe the majority of current fans have came from. DJ's hulk hogan poses and the way the current band plays all the former band's material...........it is all magical!!!!!!!!!! Again, the common rock fan just isn't sophisticated enough to enjoy the music, and that's why the band attendance numbers aren't that great. But to be honest, Axl could sell out 50,000 seat arenas in the US. He just chooses to play 3,000 seaters instead to give the fans a more personal experience. Slash plays small venues because that's all the tickets he can sell, Axl plays them because he wants to give fans their money's worth. Slash is such a media whore, with all his tweeting and playing the super bowl and winning a grammy and wearing his top hat on stage and releasing new music every couple of years!!!!! He could really learn a thing or two from DJ on how to promote your career without going overboard on the media whoring. Swag up baby!!!!!

We might not hear a new GnR album this year, and all the band members might be confused about when one might happen.......but that is all just part of the Beta and family master plan!!! Trust them, people. Their background in the music industry should calm all your fears and worries. They know what they are doing.

So to answer the question........yes, I'd say that the new band has drawn in millions of fans to the GnR fanbase.

bolded parts are true

[maynard]

as true as a 3 dollar bill.

[TombRaider]

I wasn't being ironic

[volcano62]

I was a casual fan of the old band. But once I heard DJ and BBF play the classic songs.............well, this new band just took all the classic songs to a different level. DJ simply owns Slash in every aspect of the guitar. This current band really does make the old band, who were full of drug addicts and alcoholics, look like grade A rank amatuers.

I'm super glad that the old band split up. Judging from the works of Slash and Duff's solo careers, one can only shudder at what a 1996 album would have sounded like from GnR. The mediocrity and chemical dependencies of Slash/Duff and Sorum would have drug Axl down to embarrassing levels. We are SERIOUSLY lucky as fans to NOT have any music from Axl from the 1993-through-1999 time frame. It all would have been horrible. Especially with the way Slash and Duff bullied poor Axl. They constantly enforced their will on him, causing him to be late to years worth of shows and turning him into an egomaniac prick. All because of they way those two abused him. MAKES me so angry.

Luckily Axl hired an excellent group of musicians to replace the old guys. And that band really created a masterpiece. Unfortunately, the majority of the music world was NOT intelligent enough to understand the complexities of Chinese Democracy. Also, the mainstream media are all biased against Axl Rose. And the label chose to screw Axl by ONLY spending 14 million dollars and waiting over a decade for Axl to finish it. Clearly Axl deserved an 19-million dollar budget and 15 years to complete it. The label was so stupid and biased against Axl.

So the album really never got the credit it deserves. Some people say that the songs just didn't excite people............but we all know that is false. People ONLY dislike the album because Slash is not on it, they are mad the old band broke up, and because they are jealous of Axl. Oh, and because they are too stupid to understand it. And it had no label support.

Luckily times two......Axl got rid of some of the dead weight from that second group. He got rid of the overrated Bucket and just terrible playing Robin, and replaced them with powerhouse BBF and DJ Ashba, who is probably the most talented guitar player on the planet. And not only is he a guitar playing mastermind, but he also designs and sells a top-notch clothing line called Ashba Swag. The man is just an all around legend, delighting us with stories of how much alcohol he can drink and how much ass he has kicked. This guy is pure Rock n Roll bad-ass. (If you don't believe me, just ask him - he'll tell you). Dj also sells cars. And was bullied as a kid. Axl also replaced the drummer.

Around the time that Axl put this true dream super group together, he also made a decision that lifted GnR to heights not yet acheived by any band in history (Or as Gary Busey likes to say, a place 10,000 miles higher than the top of heaven).

SOMEHOW Axl was lucky enough to win the career-lotto of having the most succesful and well known manager in the world choose to work with GnR. She also filled out the management team with her children, who are all no doubt extremely qualified for their positions.

Since snagging the super manager and her family, as well as securing the three latest members of his dream-team..............GnR has continue to rock the heck out of the songs created by the former bands. Playing them at a level that the former bands could only dream of. They have also set trends and reached goals that normal bands can only dream of..........playing for weddings, private shows for fashion designers, putting Axl's face on baseball trading cards along side Kip Winger and the girl from the Cherry Pie video. They have also released a killer concert video and a 3-D blue ray video, as well as several music videos from CD................but unfortunately, all the people out there who are in cahoots against Axl, have prevented those things from being released. Luckily though, being a paid member of the band's fan club has given me a chance to earn a one-size only tour t-shirt from last year, or a beach towel.

The band is excellent live and that is where I believe the majority of current fans have came from. DJ's hulk hogan poses and the way the current band plays all the former band's material...........it is all magical!!!!!!!!!! Again, the common rock fan just isn't sophisticated enough to enjoy the music, and that's why the band attendance numbers aren't that great. But to be honest, Axl could sell out 50,000 seat arenas in the US. He just chooses to play 3,000 seaters instead to give the fans a more personal experience. Slash plays small venues because that's all the tickets he can sell, Axl plays them because he wants to give fans their money's worth. Slash is such a media whore, with all his tweeting and playing the super bowl and winning a grammy and wearing his top hat on stage and releasing new music every couple of years!!!!! He could really learn a thing or two from DJ on how to promote your career without going overboard on the media whoring. Swag up baby!!!!!

We might not hear a new GnR album this year, and all the band members might be confused about when one might happen.......but that is all just part of the Beta and family master plan!!! Trust them, people. Their background in the music industry should calm all your fears and worries. They know what they are doing.

So to answer the question........yes, I'd say that the new band has drawn in millions of fans to the GnR fanbase.

bolded parts are true

There is more truth than what you just bolded.

Edited April 24, 2013 by volcano62

[sailaway]

Plenty of twentysomething and thirtysomethings that weren't around for the earlier incarnation,or weren't interested at the time, blah,blah.

BUT some have an excellent knowledge of the history, I was guilty of feeling +elite+ for being Hardcore since 88' but some of the younger Fans are a pleasure to talk to/party with.

I wasn't being ironic

I know, im cognizant of That, wasnt directed at you

its all good, man

[Sweersa]

Well, sort of. I was only a casual GN'R listener until I heard the Better leak around 2006. Then I became a fan.

[ManetsBR]

Yes. Me.

[Amir]

Me. I liked a few songs before ChiDem but hadn't even taken the time to listen to the albums completely. CD made me a hardcore GnR fan and boosted GnR to favorite band status.

I'm 20 years old, 21 this year. I knew GN'R before Chinese, but I become fan after the release of it. The story about Axl building his new band after all what happened interested me a lot!

This and this. Had maybe 5 GNR songs on my iPod before ChiDem. Hated Axl Rose. Then became obsessed in last month or so leading up to ChiDem's release.

[sailaway]

Well, sort of. I was only a casual GN'R listener until I heard the Better leak around 2006. Then I became a fan.

Cool, random way to become a gunner,but we r all one big dysfunctional family.

Me. I liked a few songs before ChiDem but hadn't even taken the time to listen to the albums completely. CD made me a hardcore GnR fan and boosted GnR to favorite band status.

I'm 20 years old, 21 this year. I knew GN'R before Chinese, but I become fan after the release of it. The story about Axl building his new band after all what happened interested me a lot!

This and this. Had maybe 5 GNR songs on my iPod before ChiDem. Hated Axl Rose. Then became obsessed in last month or so leading up to ChiDem's release.

Honestly? In 2008, did you then start listening 2 back catalog? How did ur interest progress?

[Cosmo]

Well, sort of. I was only a casual GN'R listener until I heard the Better leak around 2006. Then I became a fan.

Cool, random way to become a gunner,but we r all one big dysfunctional family.

>

Me. I liked a few songs before ChiDem but hadn't even taken the time to listen to the albums completely. CD made me a hardcore GnR fan and boosted GnR to favorite band status.

>I'm 20 years old, 21 this year. I knew GN'R before Chinese, but I become fan after the release of it. The story about Axl building his new band after all what happened interested me a lot!

This and this. Had maybe 5 GNR songs on my iPod before ChiDem. Hated Axl Rose. Then became obsessed in last month or so leading up to ChiDem's release.

Honestly? In 2008, did you then start listening 2 back catalog? How did ur interest progress?

Well, I was gonna buy Death Magnetic and saw CD on a shelve next to it so I picked it up too out of curiosity. I had listened to DM before because of the leak so when I listened to CD, it blew me away to the point I didn't even listen to DM anymore. TWAT became my most played song. It was instantly my favorite off the album and I thought it was pure genius. Only songs I didn't like at first were Scraped and Riad. The rest was all 4 or 5/5 stars in my book. That's when I bought AFD, UYI I and UYI II all at once and started listening one at a time going to school. GnR became my favorite band! Up until then I liked SCOM, WTTJ and PC but I didn't even know songs like Estranged, Civil war, YCBM, etc... It was awesome. Wish we got the trilogy.

[machinegunner]

Are There People Who Became GNR Fans Cuz of ChiDem?

A fan when I was 17 and AFD came out, later out of the loop for about 15yrs. But ChiDem restored my faith.

[themadcaplaughs]

Have at least one friend who casually enjoyed "Welcome to the Jungle" and "You Could Be Mine," but was completely floored when he listened to it in my car out of curiosity. He was floored by the first three songs. I believe he ended up buying it on vinyl.

[Tyler Drama]

groghan just made the post of the century. well done!

+1

+2

+3

[sailaway]

Cool, excellent! Thanks 2 everyone for sharing their "conversion" stories! I love hearing these, so have u Guys been/are going to a gig yet? Do you belong to backplane, r nightrain?

Im a few years late in some cases, but welcome newer gunners, I havent been r round as of late, no matter- here now.

W.

[Amir]

Honestly? In 2008, did you then start listening 2 back catalog? How did ur interest progress?

I think from 2007 or so I first started hearing about ChiDem (apart from reading some article circa the VMAs in 2002 lambasting Axl and his band). I played Guitar Hero II and really liked Jordan, so I checked out Buckethead on Wikipedia, and saw he was in Guns N' Roses. I only knew it as the band with Slash (who I liked) and that Axl guy (who I didn't really like). I had 5 GNR songs on my iPod at the time, WTTJ, LALD, KOHD, SCOM and November Rain (which was, and still is, one of my favourite songs ever). So I read a bit about the story, found it interesting, and then forgot about it.

Then in September 2008, I was reading a review for Rock Band 2 on the Xplay site, and they said they hated the ChiDem track (Shackler's) on that game. So I checked it out on YouTube, thought it was batshit insane, but kinda dug the outro. Then started reading about ChiDem again, and then a few weeks before the release ChiDem was streaming on the band's MySpace page.

Madagascar was the song that really blew me away at first. I loved the horns intro, and Axl sounded like an old black female singer, not what I was expecting (I didn't like how high-pitched he was on the old stuff, and still prefer his lower voice on stuff like ChiDem and Sympathy). I checked out Sorry after reading Bach's description of it as a "doom metal" track (again on Wiki); not a doom metal fan, but thankfully for me it was nothing of the sort, and I really liked it, though I found the lyrics a little cheesy. Then I went through the album. The title track seemed like half a song to me, missing something, but now I love it. Better I couldn't get into at all at first, and thought one of the solos (the tappy one) was too short, but now I love it. Street of Dreams I didn't like and still don't like, it sounds to me like a poor man's November Rain. If the World I really dug at first, so different, listen to it less than now but still like it. TWAT I just couldn't get into for ages. Now it's one of my favourite songs of all time. Catcher, my feelings haven't really changed. The song is way too busy at the beginning, and should be building up/crescendo to the ending, but I still like it (think I've always preferred BBF's solo, too). Scraped, I like the lyrics. Riad, I couldn't get into, though a student at the school I was teaching at at the time said it was the only track he liked, weird. I.R.S., I love, though the rhythm guitar is overbearing on the track for me, and I liked the prominent synths on the demo which I checked out (though I still prefer the album version for a lot of the other guitar bits). This I Love, I just found so cheesy at first, but then I found its sincerity touching and I love it now. Prostitute grew on me over time, absolutely love it now.

Bought a copy of ChiDem off eBay (need to buy a new copy, the Prostitute track skips in one bit, was waiting for alternate artwork release, oh well), then when I was in London for Xmas I bought AFD, Lies, and the UYIs. I remember playing AFD, WTTJ being familiar to me (first time I'd really heard it was a couple of years back in an ad for San Andreas), but when Nightrain came on, I was like, "Where has this song been all my life?!" Same with hearing Estranged when playing UYI II for the first time. Got Spaghetti Incident a few months later, underrated album. Refuse to buy Live Era, though, the overdubbed vocals kill it for me.

So yeah, ChiDem got me into GNR. For a while, Axl could do no wrong in my eyes, but recently I've been a disheartened and seen where he is to blame, etc. I still think the media is way too biased against him. I remember at the Geneva gig I went to, doors opened at 7pm, opener came on at 8:30, finished at 9:40 or so, and Axl came on at 10:30. The paper the next day said he was 3 and half hours late??!! I've checked out Velvet Revolver again, but can't get into them beyond Slither and a couple of other tracks. Checked out Slash's solo albums, think I prefer the first, I like both, but I still prefer ChiDem to them all.

I think it comes down to 2 things: 1) The myth definitely got me intrigued and contributes to understanding what the album is about, and 2) it's the only album I know that combines classic rock that I love with the kind of epic film score-type music that I also love (wasn't surprised to see Axl say in a chat that he listens to a lot of film scores, it shows).

Having seen GNR 12 times since listening to ChiDem, I think it's safe to say the album made me a fan

[sailaway]

Etxcellent! So you took the trip into GNR via bucket's "Jordan" love it! Yeah, some react to situations differently,but you put thought, feeling and a bit of urself into this detailed Story, nobody could label you a "blind hater", its clear you have an affinity for the music, and The band itself as an evolving entity.

M ovie Soundtracks are indeed often overlooked but great sources of inspiration as you mentioned .

thanx for sharing this

12 times live is impressive as well, pretty soon you'll be sporting GNR ink like some of us "nutters" (detest that particular terminology)

GNR certainly appeals to diverse tastes,and understandably it isnt the band for everyone, because of one issue or another that some cant seem to get past, but its their loss,imo.

I Can also understand how the directions GNR chooses to pursue may be seen as a stumbling block and frustrate many, but people have limited knowledge of what may be going on at any given moment, its Borne out of necessity to keep most nonvital info out of the undeserved scrutiny of the biased media, and from overzealous fans/unfans who dissect every scrap of info, so its a two edged sword at best.

T hese stories, " initiations" are all so varied, but all exude such a radiant fervor for the music, once recognized.

Thank You again for posting everyone.

W.

Edited April 24, 2013 by sailaway

[Robert G Durant]

My girlfriend (now fiancee) was staying the week with me when Chinese Democracy came out. We went and picked the album up as soon as Best Buy opened, and then got in the car and drove until the album was over. She tagged along just because it was important to me, but loved the album and still listens to it a few times a week.

I eventually gave her the Greatest Hits, and she got more into older GnR, but when I get home early I always find her listening to Chinese Democracy while she's cooking or on the computer.

We were lucky enough to see GnR in 2011, at a show where Axl's voice was intact. She cried through ChiDem and Jungle at how good Axl sounded. That's still one of my happiest memories.

[DieselDaisy]

I would say yes but CD didn't sell that much and didn't have a 'big' single/video to draw in newbies and casuals. It only shipped, just over a million and I imagine 90% of them were hardcore Gunners. It if shipped five million it would be a different story.

You cannot, as a newbie, discover new music if there is no chance to discover it: CD had no interviews (that is, no magazine coverage), no music promos, no singles, no personal promotion (bands at record signings, touring). Axl simply disappeared when it dropped and consequentially, the album bombed. How were newbies meant to discover Better and Twat if the radios are not playing them, and if, Axl cannot even be bothered to promote his own album?

[machinegunner]

I would say yes but CD didn't sell that much and didn't have a 'big' single/video to draw in newbies and casuals. It only shipped, just over a million and I imagine 90% of them were hardcore Gunners. It if shipped five million it would be a different story.

You cannot, as a newbie, discover new music if there is no chance to discover it: CD had no interviews (that is, no magazine coverage), no music promos, no singles, no personal promotion (bands at record signings, touring). Axl simply disappeared when it dropped and consequentially, the album bombed. How were newbies meant to discover Better and Twat if the radios are not playing them, and if, Axl cannot even be bothered to promote his own album?

The best publicity this album got was that for 10-15yrs a lot of little kids heard their grumpy older brothers and sisters bitching about how long it was taking while they played AFD and UYIs in the meantime.

[DieselDaisy]

None of this transpired into them, actually going into a record store and buying the album though. I agree that the hype because of the wait, this 'Howard Hughesesque figure constantly re-recording overdubs', was wonderful but it didn't lead to album sales. My mate (who is a metalhead, i.e not a particular gnr fan) was fascinated by the soap opera drama of CD. My sister was even interested in it. The mainstream press, here in England, even were interested in it. CD was the new, Smile, and Axl was the new Brian Wilson only, even more crazy. But none of these people who loved the drama actually handed over their cash and walked out with CD in their hands. CD bombed. There was no single. I suppose these people merely said, 'oh, he has finally released it then' while walking by the record store.

[machinegunner]

None of this transpired into them, actually going into a record store and buying the album though.

Not so sure about that. It was when the grumpy older brothers and sisters whined about "It's not GNR, Slash isn't in it! Slash rules, Axl sux!" etc that the little kids became intrigued. This, coupled with the obligatory thinking that your older siblings are idiots, gave them a chance to dicover something to make their own.

It was THEIR generations' bad-ass album, THEIR afd....Then they made their mum buy it.

[iftheworld]

Chinese Democracy made me realise how much Axl carried the band in the nineties. If anything, Chinese Democracy made me love and appreciate Axl even more which I thought was impossible.

[axlrod]

Me (2008)

My parents were fans of UYI line-up.