If Axl takes DJ so much in consideration, shouldn't we?

[axlrod]

Edited: Instagram link http://instagram.com/p/lCfYZen6YE/#

Edited March 11, 2014 by axlrod

[arnold layne]

dj is a horrible person in every way and i hate him and i hate axl for choosing him

How can you say he's a horrible person?

That's a little extreme. I mean, there are circumstances when it's safe to say someone is a horrible person but upon my knowledge, DJ hasn't hit that level yet.

I'm not advocating for DJ Ashba. Personally I don't give a damn either way, but that's just a little too much.

If he comes online and calls someone a cunt though then yes, by all means he's probably a piece of shit loser.

[SlashisGOD]

That pic is too funny.

[highvoltage]

No.

I have ears, and I would rather use them to form my own opinion regarding his worth as a guitarist... rather than rely on someone else's.

We don't even know the reason Axl "takes DJ so much in consideration"... is it his musicianship, or his ability to market himself that Axl values?

[Nosaj Thing]

No.

He's a terrible guitarist.

[Amir]

I can understand, or at least understand the logic, behind most of Axl's creative choices. I'm all for the creation of more Chinese Democracies.

The decision to hire DJ and the eagerness to do so is the one thing that baffles me.

[robin2002]

No, he is a sub-standard guitar player and there is currently no released GN'R music with his playing on it, so for me he is (a sub-standard) touring guitarist.

[Intercourse]

This is about as interesting & relevant as discussing Beyonce's touring guitar player...

The guy has had about as much input

[stumbleine]

Wrong. Robin, Buckethead, Pitman, Stimson were all hired because Axl had an album to make.

They were all young, it was the 80s, they had an image of course, but their music mattered more, IMO.

DJ is a 40 years old emo girl who has yet to record a note for GNR. If you're ok with that good for you, try to understand some people aren't. It will change when DJ leaves the makeup behind and records a rocking tune with Axl.

We all started following a band with names like Axl, Slash, Izzy and Duff. Who all dressed like comic book characters and acted accordingly.

Seems we are getting pretty high and mighty late in the game on what is silly, what is forced, and what is all image, no?

Do I care about DJ? Simply put, no. I don't care about any of them. This "band", if you can even call it that, is Axl and a bunch of dudes. All this hand wringing over who is in his touring band is silly to me. Who the hell cares? It matters what the latest guy looks like that Axl has hired to play on 'Nightrain'?

agreed.

No.

He's a terrible guitarist.

agreed.

[James Bond]

DJ is the weakest of the three guitarists whether Axl loves the guy or not. I'm a fan of Axl's music and enjoy the current live shows but that also doesn't mean I need to approve of everything that the man does. I imagine he went for DJ more for the potential of his writing than anything. Like Ashba's music or not - and I'd agree with the consensus that most of it is pretty generic - he can write a memorable hook or melody. Combine that with some more complex ideas from Axl or Bumblefoot or whoever else and you'd probably have a killer song. The problem is we haven't heard anything yet.

I don't care about Ashba's image or all his marketing and whatnot, even though it's easy to pick on the guy. What it comes down to me is his playing, and like I said, he's the weakest of three. He often simplifies some already simple solos and trades off to Ron for the more difficult bits.

[Bards]

If Axl takes him so much in consideration, shouldn't we?

Let's extrapolate that logic, shall we?

If Axl hates Slash so much, shouldn't we?

If Axl hires his former maid to run his business affairs, shouldn't we?

If Axl never shows up anywhere on time, shouldn't we?

If Axl disappears for 10 years, shouldn't we?

If Axl gets fat, shouldn't we?

If Axl has a halloween tree, shouldn't we?

The answer to all of the above is no. Except maybe the halloween tree. Jury's still out on that one.

[LTD]

No.

[volcano62]

If Axl takes him so much in consideration, shouldn't we?

Let's extrapolate that logic, shall we?

If Axl hates Slash so much, shouldn't we?

If Axl hires his former maid to run his business affairs, shouldn't we?

If Axl never shows up anywhere on time, shouldn't we?

If Axl disappears for 10 years, shouldn't we?

If Axl gets fat, shouldn't we?

If Axl has a halloween tree, shouldn't we?

The answer to all of the above is no. Except maybe the halloween tree. Jury's still out on that one.

Someone is upset

[Nosaj Thing]

If Axl takes him so much in consideration, shouldn't we?

Let's extrapolate that logic, shall we?

If Axl hates Slash so much, shouldn't we?

If Axl hires his former maid to run his business affairs, shouldn't we?

If Axl never shows up anywhere on time, shouldn't we?

If Axl disappears for 10 years, shouldn't we?

If Axl gets fat, shouldn't we?

If Axl has a halloween tree, shouldn't we?

The answer to all of the above is no. Except maybe the halloween tree. Jury's still out on that one.

Great post.

[Facekicker]

I created this topic a while ago and it got deleted. I don't know what mod did it, but I know he thought I was trolling. This is not a trolling thread and I think it's an important discussion and I would like if it remained open. Thanks in advance.

Well, I don't know if Axl is a genius. He has brilliant moments as a songwriter, as a singer, as a frontman, but maybe "genius" is a little too much. I hope he proves me wrong one day, though. But something I'm really confident that Axl is, is a visionary. He and the band killed the 80s hard rock by transcending it with the best album on the genre. Of course, later Nirvana helped burry it very down, but Guns N' Roses opened the way.

Axl saw that grunge and industrial were the next big thing as soon as it popped. He's an artist who can very well see where the wind's gonna blow before it does. He has worked with a series of excellent guitarists: Slash, Buckethead, Robin Finck... And from all of those, it seems that DJ Ashba is the one he likes the most, not just as a friend, but from what it's being said on interviews, even as a musician. If Axl takes him so much in consideration, shouldn't we? After all, one thing we can't deny is that Axl has an hability to gather great musicians to work with.

No I think it is the best evidence yet that he has lost all touch with reality.

[Yesterdays-Civil-War]

If Axl takes him so much in consideration, shouldn't we?

Let's extrapolate that logic, shall we?

If Axl hates Slash so much, shouldn't we?

If Axl hires his former maid to run his business affairs, shouldn't we?

If Axl never shows up anywhere on time, shouldn't we?

If Axl disappears for 10 years, shouldn't we?

If Axl gets fat, shouldn't we?

If Axl has a halloween tree, shouldn't we?

The answer to all of the above is no. Except maybe the halloween tree. Jury's still out on that one.

This isn't the point the OP is trying to make at all. This is not a case of "If Axl jumps off a cliff, would you?"

I understand the reductio ad absurdum technique, but let's compare apples to apples, please.

Manets point was that Axl Rose was at one point a musical genius, and that maybe we should think twice before disregarding Ashba. Manets, nor anyone else from what I've seen, was saying that we should be Axl's copycats.

[niceguy]

George Lucas created Han Solo.

He also created Jar Jar.

Go with that.

[jmapelian]

DJ honestly has more in common with Slash than people give him credit for. The focus on image, the hat, the self-promotion, the social media, the loose playing style live.

Minus the timeless classics and some of the best riffs, solo's and being a big part of one of the biggest bands of the time.

[maynard]

DJ honestly has more in common with Slash than people give him credit for. The focus on image, the hat, the self-promotion, the social media, the loose playing style live.

Minus the timeless classics and some of the best riffs, solo's and being a big part of one of the biggest bands of the time.

I still don't know what saber means by focus on image. Of course he cares about his image like any other artist does, but I'm yet to see any Slash act that's not related to music. Self-promotion is a given, the guy is an independent artist.

When Slash was in VR, with label and media support, he was just the guitar player of the band. No clothing line, no make-up... That makes me think that in fact they have very little in common. Even with DJ copying a lot of Slash's moves, clothes, etc...

Edited March 14, 2014 by ProstituteComa

[Amir]

DJ honestly has more in common with Slash than people give him credit for. The focus on image, the hat, the self-promotion, the social media, the loose playing style live.

Minus the timeless classics and some of the best riffs, solo's and being a big part of one of the biggest bands of the time.

I still don't know what saber means by focus on image. Of course he cares about his image like any other artist does, but I'm yet to see any Slash act that's not related to music. Self-promotion is a given, the guy is an independent artist.

When Slash was in VR, with label and media support, he was just the guitar player of the band. No clothing line, no make-up... That makes me think that in fact they have very little in common. Even with DJ copying a lot of Slash's moves, clothes, etc...

I think he's talking about the top hat, cigarette dangling from mouth, power stance while soloing schtick. Which I think is partly put on, and is partly just Slash being himself. None of it is as exaggerated as what DJ does with all his instagram/twitter stuff, though. I get that DJ sees himself as a businessman/entrepreneur, but some things...

Wish I could find that photo of DJ burning holes in his Les Paul with his cigarette backstage. Thousand words.

I wouldn't be so bothered by all that if I'd seen more evidence of actual guitar ability. Besides a couple of catch riffs in 1AM and This Is Gonna Hurt, I haven't heard anything great. Then again, I hadn't even heard of Robin Finck or Buckethead before ChiDem and I love their work on that. I do believe Axl brings the best out musically speaking in the guitarists he works with; while I like Bucket's solo material, I think his best stuff is on ChiDem (TWAT solo, Prostitute solos, Sorry solo), and I think Slash has never bettered his GNR work.

[maynard]

I don't always agree with you, but you're one of the best posters here Amir. Spot on!

[Amir]

I don't always agree with you, but you're one of the best posters here Amir. Spot on!

Hah, I'll take that as a compliment and give you a useless Internet point

[jmapelian]

DJ honestly has more in common with Slash than people give him credit for. The focus on image, the hat, the self-promotion, the social media, the loose playing style live.

Minus the timeless classics and some of the best riffs, solo's and being a big part of one of the biggest bands of the time.

I still don't know what saber means by focus on image. Of course he cares about his image like any other artist does, but I'm yet to see any Slash act that's not related to music. Self-promotion is a given, the guy is an independent artist.

When Slash was in VR, with label and media support, he was just the guitar player of the band. No clothing line, no make-up... That makes me think that in fact they have very little in common. Even with DJ copying a lot of Slash's moves, clothes, etc...

I think he's talking about the top hat, cigarette dangling from mouth, power stance while soloing schtick. Which I think is partly put on, and is partly just Slash being himself. None of it is as exaggerated as what DJ does with all his instagram/twitter stuff, though. I get that DJ sees himself as a businessman/entrepreneur, but some things...

Wish I could find that photo of DJ burning holes in his Les Paul with his cigarette backstage. Thousand words.

I wouldn't be so bothered by all that if I'd seen more evidence of actual guitar ability. Besides a couple of catch riffs in 1AM and This Is Gonna Hurt, I haven't heard anything great. Then again, I hadn't even heard of Robin Finck or Buckethead before ChiDem and I love their work on that. I do believe Axl brings the best out musically speaking in the guitarists he works with; while I like Bucket's solo material, I think his best stuff is on ChiDem (TWAT solo, Prostitute solos, Sorry solo), and I think Slash has never bettered his GNR work.

I guess I was pointing out that Slash actually has some music related accomplishments on his resume in addition to having his own image and being a successful businessman as well

[maynard]

DJ honestly has more in common with Slash than people give him credit for. The focus on image, the hat, the self-promotion, the social media, the loose playing style live.

Minus the timeless classics and some of the best riffs, solo's and being a big part of one of the biggest bands of the time.

I still don't know what saber means by focus on image. Of course he cares about his image like any other artist does, but I'm yet to see any Slash act that's not related to music. Self-promotion is a given, the guy is an independent artist.

When Slash was in VR, with label and media support, he was just the guitar player of the band. No clothing line, no make-up... That makes me think that in fact they have very little in common. Even with DJ copying a lot of Slash's moves, clothes, etc...

I think he's talking about the top hat, cigarette dangling from mouth, power stance while soloing schtick. Which I think is partly put on, and is partly just Slash being himself. None of it is as exaggerated as what DJ does with all his instagram/twitter stuff, though. I get that DJ sees himself as a businessman/entrepreneur, but some things...

Wish I could find that photo of DJ burning holes in his Les Paul with his cigarette backstage. Thousand words.

I wouldn't be so bothered by all that if I'd seen more evidence of actual guitar ability. Besides a couple of catch riffs in 1AM and This Is Gonna Hurt, I haven't heard anything great. Then again, I hadn't even heard of Robin Finck or Buckethead before ChiDem and I love their work on that. I do believe Axl brings the best out musically speaking in the guitarists he works with; while I like Bucket's solo material, I think his best stuff is on ChiDem (TWAT solo, Prostitute solos, Sorry solo), and I think Slash has never bettered his GNR work.

I guess I was pointing out that Slash actually has some music related accomplishments on his resume in addition to having his own image and being a successful businessman as well

Absolutely. I just think this "focus on image" is a myth about Slash, even in the 80s when you had all those blondie long haired girl-looking guitar players, Slash just wore a freaking tophat. And he was never much into make-up either. This "focus on image" is bullshit, honestly.

[saber_]

Absolutely. I just think this "focus on image" is a myth about Slash, even in the 80s when you had all those blondie long haired girl-looking guitar players, Slash just wore a freaking tophat. And he was never much into make-up either. This "focus on image" is bullshit, honestly.

Uh...the tophat... is... part... of his image. Which y'know, might be why he's still wears it a lot. I know you're conditioned to think that everything I say is some huge slight against Slash, but I'm just calling a spade a spade: Slash carefully manages his image- which encompasses more than just how he dresses, by the way.