Jump to content

DJ Ashba Wanted To Back Out Of Guns N' Roses Audition, Manager Convinced Him To Go


Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Malcolm Malcolm said:

The problem with DJ Ashba is he has no artistic credibility and is incredibly uncool. Ashba joining GNR signalled that Axl had effectively gone in the direction that led to Vegas

This, I've nothing against the guy on a personal level but him joining GN'R suggested Axl had pretty much given up.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, AlexC said:

So Dj never even spoke to Axl since joining until the first show? How the fuck did Axl know he was good enough to get the gig if he never heard him play any Guns material?

Maybe Dj being hired was a giant mistake after all and Axl didn't know until he saw him onstage o_O

It's likely he saw some recordings of his, can't expect the man to meet every guitar player that wants to join GN'R

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was never a big fan of DJ, but I didn't hate the guy. I can't hate him because he was into pushing his solo projects because, let's face it, it's not like Axl was actually going to ever release anything with the previous lineup or have them be anything more than a cover band playing material they had nothing to do with. The main thing I took from this is just how checked out Axl really is from the band. How the fuck you schedule a rehearsal with a guitarist, don't show up to see him rehearse, yet somehow he gets hired speaks volumes about this band. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

He didn't wear the top hat until after he was hired by gnr, though.

Are we sure about that? And if so, who's idea was that?

3 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

number one hit? Probably Life Is Beautiful, I guess?

Yeah that's what I thought. I know Silent Jay mentioned Lies of the Beautiful people but Ashba said he had a number one hit around the time GNR called him to audition and Lies of the Beautiul people didn't come out til 2011..

Edited by Billsfan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't dislike Ashat until about 2012 when he started to take the piss of those classic solos, etc.

At first he seemed to bring out a positive vibe out of Axl that we hadn't seen in years, which was refreshing.

As for comparing DJ to other Axmen that have come and gone over the years, he was better than Robin in a live setting, but Robin's writting credits in Guns alone are better than anything I've heard from DJ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, wasted said:

I think he gave something away there. He took Slash's spot? He took over from Finck. Unless Slash was lined up by Azoff and it fell through. 

I watching you. 

Tommy comments when DJ left made the whole shit suspect for me. Now I think DJ tries to always say what he thinks people want to hear. I don't trust his sellout words filled with lies. He wants to look cool just like Slash. Doesn't mean it's all lies, but douchey to say now that you thought about backing off from the gig. "Too much work". Shut up DJ.

Edited by Rovim
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, PsychoKiss344 said:

Did they even really count?

Slash is playing tunes Paul was responsible for or helped a lot with. And since Chinese came out and features many Huge credits that were credited by Huge to himself, it really counts.

So it's got his seal of approval and he basically replaced Izzy in the studio and did his job. Fortus never got the chance to really be a part of an Axl album like Paul did and they are old writing partners, collaborators. Much like how it was with Axl and Izzy.

Edited by Rovim
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

Note more affirmation on Axl's work ethic... why the fuck doesn't he rehearse regularly?

Because he sees not point doing it. He said that in the video interview with AC/DC last year. He was rehearsing with AC/DC. It was at that moment he understood what rehearsal was about. He said that himself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Rovim said:

Tommy comments when DJ left made the whole shit suspect for me. Now I think DJ tries to always say what he thinks people want to hear. I don't trust his sellout words filled with lies. He wants to look cool just like Slash. Doesn't mean it's all lies, but douchey to say now that you thought about backing off from the gig. "Too much work". Shut up DJ.

I kind of give them a pass because they wanted it to be real or do the right thing. But in the end Axl just wanted Slash back. So Dj and Tommy have to sort of rationalize something that didn't work out for them. Ron either said the truth or nothing until he realized. Fortus is a CIA agent. I keep expecting someone to say the trigger word and he'll go into a trance "must kill Axl, must kill Axl".  Pitman went out in style calling everyone no no words. I respect that. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, AlterL said:

It's likely he saw some recordings of his, can't expect the man to meet every guitar player that wants to join GN'R

No of course not. It's not like it's his band or anything... fuck me. Seriously?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, AlexC said:

No of course not. It's not like it's his band or anything... fuck me. Seriously?

Huh? He was a fan of DJ for many years, he had already met him before. Why did he need to watch his audition in person? Axl said if DJ even showed up for the audition he could have the job. You think he would say that without knowing the guys guitar playing?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, MADDOGJONES said:

Huh? He was a fan of DJ for many years, he had already met him before. Why did he need to watch his audition in person? Axl said if DJ even showed up for the audition he could have the job. You think he would say that without knowing the guys guitar playing?

My comment was aimed at the point of not expecting Axl to meet all of the guitar players who auditioned. Why the fuck not? He should be there and rehearse with them. Every single one. What could possibly be more important than choosing a lead guitarist to fill an iconic position?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, AlexC said:

My comment was aimed at the point of not expecting Axl to meet all of the guitar players who auditioned. Why the fuck not? He should be there and rehearse with them. Every single one. What could possibly be more important than choosing a lead guitarist to fill an iconic position?

I get your point, but he knew DJ from before and  Tommy always ran the auditions. I don't see any problem with it as it's not as though he's just hiring random guitar players. He was a big fan of DJ and was very excited to have him in the band.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, MADDOGJONES said:

I get your point, but he knew DJ from before and  Tommy always ran the auditions. I don't see any problem with it as it's not as though he's just hiring random guitar players. He was a big fan of DJ and was very excited to have him in the band.

Yeah if it was simply him not showing up ONLY to Dj's audition because he knew he was gonna hire him anyway. But the attitude of not minding Axl not bothering to show up to most other auditions by other players as well is ludicrous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, PsychoKiss344 said:

Did they even really count?

Yes, I think they DO count. Paul especially, he has his hands all over CD. Sunshine, played on Oh My God, so I think he counts. But then I suppose Axl's gardner or whatever that played on Look at your game girl might also count.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Funky.Monkey said:

DJ Ashba was recently interviewed for HANGIN w LAVS  in Las Vegas.  I've transcribed some of the interview below.

HANGIN w LAVS 4 DJ Ashba 

Published on Feb 7, 2017

TJ Lavin: What band do you play for (when we first met)?  

DJ Ashba: At the time I played for Guns N' Roses. I did about 6 years with them, I was the guy that came in and took Slash's spot. To have somebody like Axl believe in you and give you a really great shot in life is something I'll never forget.

When I was on my way down there, Katie McNeil great longtime friend, gave me a call. At the time she was working with Irving Azoff who managed Guns and she gave me a call and said hey, would you want to audition. I said yeah of course. So I went down, I never thought anything of it, I didn't think I was going to get the gig. I didn't really think much I just wanted to go jam some Guns song who cares and meet the guys it would be great. I had met Axl years before when I was doing the Beautiful Creatures album on Warner Bros. and Sharon Osbourne walked me in and introduced me to him. And we're both from Indiana so we kinda had a cool little bond that way.

The night before I remember calling Katie my manager saying, you know, I think I'm going to back out, I was just kinda getting cold feet, you know it's going to be a lot of work, I don't know. She said you can't screw me over you've just gotta show up. I said OK for you I will. I showed up and I get in my car and she calls me and she basically said you got the gig. And it didn't set in for a while, it was very surreal. And then I remember going into rehearsals it was still surreal because Axl never showed up I was just jamming with the band it's cool. And I think the first show Tokyo Dome sold out like 60,000 people I can't remember, it was a massive show. Still no Axl, I was like this is kinda weird, you get used to rehearsing with the guys without Axl there. Sure enough, the lights go down and here comes Axl. That started a six years journey, we played a ton of show, had a lot of fun. It's a time in my life I'm never going to forget and I'll always cherish.

 

 

Good job! :thumbsup:

https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/dj_ashba_what_it_felt_like_to_get_the_gnr_gig__replace_slash.html

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...