hellobeatle Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Hi MarcNever hear much about Mike Clink - or even hear from him. Producers are so important to a band's sound and he did all the classic GNR albums.Any comments on him? How were the band in the studio with him? Did he take control of the sessions? Did the band leave the debauchery at the door when he was present? Did he socialize with them and partake? Given the number of albums with him, was there a certain studio chemistry? The "sixth Gunner"? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post recklessroad Posted September 15, 2014 Popular Post Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) Hi Marc Never hear much about Mike Clink - or even hear from him. Producers are so important to a band's sound and he did all the classic GNR albums. Any comments on him? How were the band in the studio with him? Did he take control of the sessions? Did the band leave the debauchery at the door when he was present? Did he socialize with them and partake? Given the number of albums with him, was there a certain studio chemistry? The "sixth Gunner"?Mike is the nicest guy you'll ever meet. He did take control of the sessions as far as how things needed to be done in what order and there was no fulling around with drugs or alcohol in the studio at least for AFD. Because the band already had the songs written and arranged, and they were perfect the way they were, Mikes job was really only to record it the best way he could and that is exactly what he did for the band. He was smart enough to know that the band knew what they wanted as far as how they put the songs together. His job was to see that and know how to record it without trying to rearrange things like every other producer would have tried to do. He did hang out with the band a few times out of the studio but is in no way the partying type. I still see him a few times a year at Canter's when he stops by for a 1/2 of Corned beef sandwich. He also helps me with ideas on how to market my book. Edited September 15, 2014 by recklessroad 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellobeatle Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
appetite4illusions Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 To your knowledge, was Mike ever considered to produce Chinese Democracy? Or was Axl focused on finding someone who could really shape the direction of the sound and give it that "modern" edge he felt was so important to the evolution of GN'R? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snooze72 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 My take on it... maybe Marc can tell me if I'm right. Mike was brought in very early on to record what would become CD, but there was a greater need for a 'song doctor' (or in this case, song surgeon, or a song Frankenstein to stitch together the pieces) and Mike wasn't that guy. But Axl still wanted him involved so he was offered an A&R role to liaison with the label or something else else more administrative. Mike always had Axl's respect, which meant he was a good 'handler'. Ultimately that didn't work out, either. I don't recall the exact timing, if the changes at the label affected that or if the change of bandmembers, producers or if it was just one of many things that died on the vine from lack of follow-up. Marc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessroad Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I don't really remember that much about that. Maybe he was there in 1995 1996 and maybe some of 1997/98. It may just be that Axl realized that because he didn't know what he wanted for sure, that he wanted to work with some others to see if they had some ideas that Axl might like. I remember once asking him how come Jimmy Page put together the first Zep record in 3 days? Axl said Jimmy knew what he wanted. Also Mike may have not had all the time that it was going to take to get it done. I do remember when Axl started working with the different producers. At some point he even brought in Tom Zutaut when Axl realized that Tom sort of helped produce AFD and UYI from a distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 would Mike Clink ever consider working with GNR if a reunion record ever came up? Does he have any negative feelings about that kind of thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessroad Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Mike would work with Axl again, there is no bad blood between them but even if the old line-up were to do something, I don't really think there would be any new music out of it. Just some sort of turing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovim Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Very interesting the Page thing. Axl knew he didn't know what he wanted, but his desire to rebuild the Gn'R sound with new influences still was the driving force.Marc, do you know at what point Axl knew what he wanted musically? was it a song, or a specific producer? A song like Better seems to marry enough new influences and old Gn'R elements to be that moment or one of those? or was it something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Why no music? Slash and Izzy seem to generate a lot of songs between them, with some Axl and Clink production it would be as good as UYI surely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessroad Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) Very interesting the Page thing. Axl knew he didn't know what he wanted, but his desire to rebuild the Gn'R sound with new influences still was the driving force. Marc, do you know at what point Axl knew what he wanted musically? was it a song, or a specific producer? A song like Better seems to marry enough new influences and old Gn'R elements to be that moment or one of those? or was it something else?At the end of 2000 there was a lot of songs recored and Axl was very happy with them. That is why the band started turing, they had more than enough songs for a record and CD was going to be coming out soon. The next 8 years had nothing to do with Axl not knowing what he wanted. Edited September 16, 2014 by recklessroad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padme Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 Very interesting the Page thing. Axl knew he didn't know what he wanted, but his desire to rebuild the Gn'R sound with new influences still was the driving force.Marc, do you know at what point Axl knew what he wanted musically? was it a song, or a specific producer? A song like Better seems to marry enough new influences and old Gn'R elements to be that moment or one of those? or was it something else?At the end of 2000 there was a lot of songs recored and Axl was very happy with them. That is why the band started turing, they had more than enough songs for a record and CD was going to be coming out soon. The next 8 years had nothing to do with Axl not knowing what he wanted.So what events took place that stopped all that momentum the band had back in 2000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessroad Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I think it was issues between Axl and the record co Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 I think it was issues between Axl and the record coDo you think it was because Axl still expected to be treated like one of the biggest names around whereas the music industry has long moved on from acts such as Guns N' Roses? Did Axl expect more funding from the record company to tour and make videos or were they being unreasonable with their demands and improper handling of Chinese Democracy release?Because the fact is, taking so long to release 1 album hugely damaged his and band's reputation and in this case Slash cannot be blamed. As much as I think Slash was wrong when he said all the stupid things he said in the press, Axl still brought a lot of negativity upon himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sploit Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 (edited) I think it was issues between Axl and the record coDo you think it was because Axl still expected to be treated like one of the biggest names around whereas the music industry has long moved on from acts such as Guns N' Roses? Did Axl expect more funding from the record company to tour and make videos or were they being unreasonable with their demands and improper handling of Chinese Democracy release?Because the fact is, taking so long to release 1 album hugely damaged his and band's reputation and in this case Slash cannot be blamed. As much as I think Slash was wrong when he said all the stupid things he said in the press, Axl still brought a lot of negativity upon himself.A lot of the negativity about Axl, is purely perpuated by the media. They can either build someone up or try to tear them down, and who they choose to do that to seems totally random.I think 'cause Axl doesn't really entertain the press (like he doesn't put up with their bullshit or try to court them to gain favour)...they just choose to portray him negatively.That is my perception of things.Yeah Slash might have said some stuff in the press (which is not really fair, he should have kept his mouth shut about their personal grievances with each other, as their friendship (or lack thereof) is their business), but let's face it, the press at the time completely baited him to say stuff, and they try to do it with all ex members and current ones.My perception of this is that it actually makes the rift worse. I know from experience with my own fallouts, that when people try to get involved and push things, it often makes situations worse and burns bridges more rather than mending any fences.That is probably one of the things that really made the issues a bigger deal for Axl though, because he pretty much never spoke ill of Slash publicly until Slash did so of him, and although Slash said things, the media definitely gave him encouragement to publicly vent.The other issue, is that the press can print things out of context with everyone, so even though Slash probably did say some stuff he shouldn't have, the media will enhance it, print it in a way that makes it seem even worse and also focus on it as being the main point of the interview. Edited September 16, 2014 by sploit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasted Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 (edited) But in 2000, CD wasn't in the "waited too long" category. From Chinese Whispers it seems like Ezrin/Label thought Axl could do better, they wanted a hit song. They wanted to sell 20 million records not 4 mil? Zutaut said something along those lines. In the end I think they had the songs Shackler's, Better and If the World as great modern singles for GNR.Do you know why the label were supporting Axl as GNR in the first place? I mean were they in to deep to stop it happening? Decent promo doesn't cost that much? Nov Rain cost 7 mil but that was just wasted on shrimp buffets. What would Axl want like a huge 20 mil budget for 3 videos?Basically pay off all the radio stations to play your songs?Why didn't Axl put CD out in 2004? That's G day, was it because the label issued an ultimatum? Then Bucket leaves. Disaster. That could have been avoided.Del said Axl just was never finished with the record. Is that true, right up until he finally switched out a version at the cd factory, CD was never finished.Sorry, these are all the unanswerable questions from a decade. There isn't anyone else to ask. Edited September 18, 2014 by wasted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts