Fortus on Slash & Duff: 'I Think We All Agree It Clicked Instantly' [Update Page 7 - ''I Don't Think This Band Has Ever Sounded Better Than It Does Right Now'']

[MaskingApathy]

3 minutes ago, Billsfan said:

Again, I've ben consistently saying that this is still Axl's band at the end of the day, Slash and Duff aren't completely as equal. If they were, wouldn't Axl, Slash, and Duff have an equal vote on who plays guitar? Or even, who plays drums? I doubt they even voted on Melissa Reese or Chris Pitman... Idk, I'm sure someone is still massively offensive over me taking this position but, I just find it hard to believe that Slash and Duff have an equal say. If they did, I doubt they would have voted Frank in as the drummer (Richard's comments back that up), hell, I honestly don't think they would have voted in Fortus as a member over Izzy. I truly believe there's things that Slash and Duff would like to do differently but, why speak up to Axl and risk the tour ending tomorrow?! The important thing is getting paid $$$$

I think you're right. Duff and Slash don't have the same kind of decision making power that Axl does.

[PatrickS77]

2 hours ago, Billsfan said:

I'm probably in the minority, which I don't completely understand but, I do wonder what it was like for Slash and Duff to start jamming with Dizzy again, especially for Slash. Not sure if they ever even crossed paths over the years Slash was out of GNR but, idk, that relationship was just always intriguing to me because, we don't know as much about Dizy's relationship...he's never discussed on GNR bio anything

Yes. Me too. I don't think they have very warm feelings towards him. I mean, he's the guy that was forced on them and ended up being in the band longer than any of them (in the position of Axl's little lapdog/charity case) and talked crap about them after they left, instead of just keeping his mouth shut.

[Billsfan]

24 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

Yes. Me too. I don't think they have very warm feelings towards him. I mean, he's the guy that was forced on them and ended up being in the band longer than any of them (in the position of Axl's little lapdog/charity case) and talked crap about them after they left, instead of just keeping his mouth shut.

Yeah but that wouldn't matter now, would it? Axl called Slash a cancer. Dizzy never really never said anything worse than that... I mean I think he was just trying to promote Nu-GNR and should have went about it in a better way but, his comments weren't that bad but... idk, it does amaze me that Slash and Duff never really got asked about Dizzy. Can't imagine there's any heat between the two sides at this point..

[PatrickS77]

10 minutes ago, Billsfan said:

Yeah but that wouldn't matter now, would it? Axl called Slash a cancer. Dizzy never really never said anything worse than that... I mean I think he was just trying to promote Nu-GNR and should have went about it in a better way but, his comments weren't that bad but... idk, it does amaze me that Slash and Duff never really got asked about Dizzy. Can't imagine there's any heat between the two sides at this point..

Yes, but the problem there was, was between Slash/Duff and Axl. It had nothing to do with Dizzy. So he just should have stayed out of it and not comment and take sides (for which the main reason was loyalty to his gravy train). Dizzy was never important enough to have anyone ask about him. Yes. There is probably no heat, but also no real friendship other than him being a co-worker.

[Sosso]

Dizzy seems very friendly with Richard and Frank. 

 But I don't think that he is spending much time with Slash and Duff.

[DieselDaisy]

I am about as intrigued about the relationship between Dizzy Reed and Slash Hudson as I am the procreation practices of the common clothes moth.

[AXL_N_DIZZY]

18 hours ago, RONIN said:

Fair enough. I'd agree with that.

I think NITL just crystallizes for some fans that the classic era band had so much more gas left in the tank and it was all cut short too soon. Even the rock press is changing their tune from GnR being outdated has-beens to..."Damn, they really were amazing...".  When you compare that unrealized potential to what the last 20 years have been with Axl's "nu-guns" - it only highlights what we missed out on.

Nu-Guns was a consolation prize that in retrospect was simply unfulfilling imho. Like getting a pretty good burger at In N' Out when we were used to getting a steak dinner at a michelin star restaurant with classic guns. Had Axl delivered 3 or 4 nu-guns albums with Buckethead, maybe the story would feel less bittersweet, maybe Axl would have won all of us over - but as it stands...the last 20 years seems (to me anyway) like a complete trainwreck. Like a talented artist literally threw away his prime because of his ego and desire to prove his previous bandmates wrong. 

Ha. I really like the burger v. steak analogy. I've had many a good hamburger (Chinese-era Guns) along the way- and enjoyed them- particularly in the moment- but a great steak (Classic/NITL Guns) is savored and remembered...

[Silent Jay]

10 hours ago, PatrickS77 said:

Yes. Me too. I don't think they have very warm feelings towards him. I mean, he's the guy that was forced on them and ended up being in the band longer than any of them (in the position of Axl's little lapdog/charity case) and talked crap about them after they left, instead of just keeping his mouth shut.

Richard actually never said anything bad about old guns, despite the fact that Slash once asked Richard to join his band in the 00's.

[PatrickS77]

5 hours ago, Silent Jay said:

Richard actually never said anything bad about old guns, despite the fact that Slash once asked Richard to join his band in the 00's.

We're talking about Dizzy. And I know, this gets thrown around a lot here, that Slash supposedly asked Fortus to join his band, but where's the proof?? "I don't know how much Slash was familiar with me" doesn't make it sound likely that this really happened.

Edited May 15, 2017 by PatrickS77

[Silent Jay]

4 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

We're talking about Dizzy. And I know, this gets thrown around a lot here,that Slash supposedly asked Fortus to join his band, but where's the proof?? "I don't know how much Slash was familiar with me or" doesn't make it sound likely that this really happened.

A few yes. Sorry about the confusion.

Quote

 

Asked how he and Slash connected, Fortus tells KSHE: “I had actually been asked to join Slash’s band a while ago, at a Thin Lizzy show.“We were playing a festival and his manager came up and said, ‘Man, we’d love to steal you.’

“I couldn’t do that to my friend. That would be such a slap in the face.”

He says of working with Slash: “We clicked really quickly – we have a great rapport. We come from a very similar background, as far as classic rock and punk rock.”

 

 

[PatrickS77]

@Silent Jay

Well. Then I wonder why he says "I don't know how much Slash was familiar with me". Either he was lying then or he is lying now. And even if a manager had asked, who knows whether Slash knew about that? Either way it smells like bs. Why would Slash ask a guitarist, who's playing with Axl, to join him?

Edited May 15, 2017 by PatrickS77

[Rovim]

Vagnoni had no idea what he was talking about. Easy to find tiny reasons and get very upset if you already dislike Richard. Slash seems happy as fuck to me. His noodling freedom is still there and they sound great together imo. Instantly clicking all over the place.

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by Rovim

[AxlRoseCDII]

22 minutes ago, PatrickS77 said:

@Silent Jay

Well. Then I wonder why he says "I don't know how much Slash was familiar with me". Either he was lying then or he is lying now. And even if a manager had asked, who knows whether Slash knew about that? Either way it smells like bs. Why would Slash ask a guitarist, who's playing with Axl, to join him?

Or...he simply made a mistake on an on the spot interview.

[Sosso]

3 hours ago, PatrickS77 said:

@Silent Jay

Well. Then I wonder why he says "I don't know how much Slash was familiar with me". Either he was lying then or he is lying now. And even if a manager had asked, who knows whether Slash knew about that? Either way it smells like bs. Why would Slash ask a guitarist, who's playing with Axl, to join him?

It's also possible that Richard has talked about personal things, not about his career as a guitarist.

[moreblack]

"pop music's not really attractive to me because it follows a formula"

 

But that didn't stop him from cashing those Enrique Iglesias and Rihanna paycheques did it? A gig's a gig. I can't imagine he didn't enjoy those tours or playing that stuff

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by moreblack

[ohmygod]

2 hours ago, moreblack said:

"pop music's not really attractive to me because it follows a formula"

 

But that didn't stop him from cashing those Enrique Iglesias and Rihanna paycheques did it? A gig's a gig. I can't imagine he didn't enjoy those tours or playing that stuff

 

Making your living by playing music and enjoying your work isn't the same thing as doing what you love when creating... he can still enjoy playing it.  Maybe he'd prefer to write different material for his own projects though. I dont know for sure, but the guy probably isn't as well off as say Slash or Axl, so during GNR downtime a nice paycheck playing music probably isn't so bad on his pocket. 

 

[AXL_N_DIZZY]

As the last "holdover" during the Chinese-era- I'm sure Dizzy felt like he had some responsibility to "return fire"- particularly with Axl not really engaging or telling his side of the story all that much. As far as I know Dizzy did it in a way of building up whatever the current line-up was at the time (i.e. "best line-up yet") though as opposed to directly running down Slash/Duff.

Anyway- I can't imagine it's that much of an issue between Dizzy and Slash/Duff in 2017. To me they seemed friendly with each other (playing on their solo records, etc.) by the end of the UYI-era but never "best buds". More like friendly professionals part of a much larger machine/effort IMHO. Guessing it's probably pretty similar during NITL too...

[soon]

4 hours ago, moreblack said:

"pop music's not really attractive to me because it follows a formula"

 

But that didn't stop him from cashing those Enrique Iglesias and Rihanna paycheques did it? A gig's a gig. I can't imagine he didn't enjoy those tours or playing that stuff

 

I watch the video, Fortus masterfully plays this intense solo, and just as Im thinking "whoa thats pretty great, I can see doing that..." He starts doing an Avril Lavigne jumping fist pump while singing "For! For! For!"  Brought me right back to square one.  I get why he does it and imo its fine the he does.  I also think its fine that I fell out of my seat laughing.

 

[Nikki_Sixx]

On ‎14‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 1:02 AM, Sosso said:

Richard and Frank were in several bands together. Love Spit Love, The Psychodelic Furs, The Dead Daisies... that duo has a history similar to Slash/Duff or Buckethead/Brain.

Yeah, very successfull bands you named there.  They really made a name for themselves  ...

Those 4 guys' history is nowhere near similar to Slash/Duff.

Ok, they were in several bands together.  But the only 'band' that was even remotely successfull ... was the one started by Slash/Duff !!!

[Sosso]

14 minutes ago, Nikki_Sixx said:

Ok, they were in several bands together.  

That's my point

Edited May 16, 2017 by Sosso

[Nikki_Sixx]

6 minutes ago, Sosso said:

That's my point

I have been in several bands with my friend.  I must have a similar history to Slash/Duff ?

Nobody cares ...

[Sunset Gardner]

richard is fine… i'm glad he's been retained as a touring employee by axl and team yes… of all the guitarists from axl's solo years richard is the one and ONLY that would and could work, i don't know if it's an accident or somebody figured it out, but richard is a great fit and no doubt could one day write and record with the band and become a real member.    

my issues are with frank and this interview seems to suggest there were issues for slash and duff as well.  while he seems like a excellent human being it's hard for me to watch shows and not think how much better the whole thing would be with adler/sorum trading off.  adler is guns, matt came in after steven's four bandmates abandoned him and did a really good job and earned the right to be a real member of the band, but the further you get away from steven the less guns it gets.  while matt is fine, frank is a bridge too far.  frank should be let go by axl's company, given a really great severance package, thanked and praised for his service and let go to make room for the two real members.

anything that doesn't include adler while adler is living and able sucks.  steven and matt should both play on a new record and tour behind it.    

[Tom2112]

I think there is WAY too much emphasis put on whether or not the old guys or Richard were fans of the band before they joined. Do they do a good job? yes. If frank was a HUGE GnR fan before he started with the band would that make people who hate Frank love him?? doubtful, because it really doesn't matter.

Most of the guys throughout the history of Guns have shared many common interest bands so that's where the crossover occurs. I know some of you might look at it like this "he took the GNR gig as just another session or job, and now he gets do the reunion instead of Izzy" well that's BS, if Richard wasn't interested in GNR he had ample time to leave, just like every other member, the fact that he stayed says a lot in my opinion. 

Most important thing to remember is that Richard is a great guitar player - fantastic rhythm player and tremendous lead player... I couldn't care less about his influences.

[RONIN]

No one cares about Dizzy Reed including Dizzy Reed.

[Sunset Gardner]

Just now, RONIN said:

No one cares about Dizzy Reed including Dizzy Reed.

who?