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Do you think Axl ever regrets keeping the name?


Vincent Vega

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Do you think Axl has ever regretted keeping the GN'R name--even just for a moment? IMO, it's hurt him more than helped him.

At every turn, EVERYTHING he does will ALWAYS be compared to the old band, whether it be live shows, the members of the band being compared to Slash, Izzy, Duff, etc, CD being put up against the old albums etc.

It limits him musically because he's forced to tailor his music to make it sound more like GN'R.

He's forced to rely on setlists which heavily feature old GNR songs because most people going to a "GUNS N' ROSES" show will want and expect the old songs; If he doesn't play all the old hits from the old band, people would be disappointed. When the new band does play them, they're criticized and bashed if they don't play the songs note for note like the originals.

Every band member he hires has and will be negatively compared to the old band members--And they get tons of abuse, hate and negativity thrown toward them just for joining the band.

Not only that, but if he ever decides to make another record, he has the immense pressure of making a record that lives up to and is worthy of the GN'R name. He has to "show" Slash and the others that he can succeed as Guns because of his psychological complexes.

If GN'R had just broken up in 1996 and Axl had started a new band or went solo, he would've been much freer to make whatever kind of music he wanted, play whatever songs he chose to live, we probably would've had several albums from him by now, there wouldn't have been as much anticipation and label pressure, members of an Axl band wouldn't have been as compared to Slash and the others. He wouldn't have had the burden of "being GN'R" all by himself. He could've fully indulged all his creative desires without the pressure of making a "GN'R album", which might've resulted in some really awesome stuff which was made more organically. And he wouldn't be as hated as he is. People don't hate him so much for GNR's breakup, but for continuing to use the GN'R name after everyone else left. It's like the Beatles break up. Paul arguably was the main force in the Beatles' break up but no one hates him because he went on to make some good music on his own and he didn't tour with faceless musicians as The Beatles. If GNR had formally broken up in '96 and Axl started his own project, it'd be the same.

In the end, keeping the name has cost him more in terms of creative freedom, in terms of expectations, in terms of his reputation and legacy, and in terms of label bullshit than if he just went solo. Yeah he makes more money but surely as a musician all the other problems outweigh the money aspect. I do wonder if it ever crosses his mind and if he ever does feel the GNR name is more a curse than a blessing?

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I would agree with you a little the band had broken up after Lies, or if UYIs hadn't have been released, however since that huge mixture of material on UYI (from Perfect Crime to Dont Cry, RNDTH to Estranged etc) I think it is obvious the bands direction could be anything it wanted to be.

Axl could have released an album full of different versions of songs just using a piano like Nine Inch Nails did with Still, or he could have made a Heavy Metal Concept album like Iron Maidens 7th son of a 7th son and it could fit in, thats the beauty of Guns N Roses for me.

Also when you consider that Axls biggest influences contain Elton John and Freddie Mercury, is it a surprise, you can pick either of those 2 artists and cherry pick song vastly different (Dragon Attack to Bohemian Rhapsody, March of The Black Queen to Don't Try Suicide etc) and for Elton (Yellow Brick Road - to Bitch is back to Can you feel the love or your song)

I think Axl is as talented as any of his influences and far more talented than any of his contemporaries its just remains to be shown

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I'm not too sure where the topic went because essays are usually an attempt to sound intelligent by using way too many words to reiterate opinions that have been stated a million times before.

I do think that Axl would have been more successful and productive without the name though. He wouldn't have been fighting the stigma without the name.

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Do you think Axl has ever regretted keeping the GN'R name--even just for a moment?

Axl has made it abundantly clear that periods from 1994 to 2008 was really hard on him, and I believe that parts of the hardships he has faced comes from his decision to not quit the band, too, like so many other members did. So it would be sensible to at least occasionally regret the decision to soldier on. Whether Axl is the type to regret stuff, I don't know and is impossible for me to answer.

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His bitterness toward Slash and life in general wouldn't be there if he didn't keep the name. Slash being associated with GNR so heavily.... and him trying to do GNR without Slash... is where the bitterness comes from. If he just went solo there'd probably have been a reunion by now and lots more new Axl songs. His whole life seems to be a woe-is-me tale and there's so much hate in him. I think he'd be happier if he freed himself of the heavy burden of "Guns N Roses".

I'm sure he regrets it more than once a month. It's too late now though, isn't it?

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Guest Satanisk_Slakt

Yes, I think he regrets it a lot, but is too stubborn to show it. He wants to show that he's the last man standing and prove a point. But deep inside I think he regrets it.

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Guest Satanisk_Slakt

I'm glad Axl has the name I would hate to have seen GNR with a replacement singer

I don't think they'd ever replace Axl. I think they'd just start up a new band if Axl quit.

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I'm glad Axl has the name I would hate to have seen GNR with a replacement singer

I don't think they'd ever replace Axl. I think they'd just start up a new band if Axl quit.

It was hard enough hearing Myles sing at the RRHOF under the band name

Edited by ThinkAboutYou
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AXL ROSE - no wife,no kids,most of the fans dont care about CD

the GNR name is the only thing he has :violin:

and Axl has you ... talking about him and taking care about his life :kiss:

Are you really retarded or do you pretend to be? Because you are one of the weirdest people I have ever seen.

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That's how I feel seeing DJ play Sweet Child O Mine or Better. Ron playing Estranged. It wouldn't be so cringeworthy if they weren't pretending to be GNR while doing it. Under Axl solo playing these songs wouldn't be bad.

Hoe does Bumblefoot "pretend to be GNR"? He IS a member of Guns N' Roses and there is nothing about his dress or playing style that reminds me of ANY former members. Hence, he both IS part of GN'R and he IS clearly distinct from any predecessors with no apparently inclination to imitate them.

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Guest Satanisk_Slakt

I'm glad Axl has the name I would hate to have seen GNR with a replacement singer

I don't think they'd ever replace Axl. I think they'd just start up a new band if Axl quit.

It was hard enough hearing Myles sing at the RRHOF under the band name

Imagine how the rest of us feel when we hear Finch play SCOM or Bumblefoot play Nightrain. It's terrible.

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That's how I feel seeing DJ play Sweet Child O Mine or Better. Ron playing Estranged. It wouldn't be so cringeworthy if they weren't pretending to be GNR while doing it. Under Axl solo playing these songs wouldn't be bad.

Hoe does Bumblefoot "pretend to be GNR"? He IS a member of Guns N' Roses and there is nothing about his dress or playing style that reminds me of ANY former members. Hence, he both IS part of GN'R and he IS clearly distinct from any predecessors with no apparently inclination to imitate them.

:violin:

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That's how I feel seeing DJ play Sweet Child O Mine or Better. Ron playing Estranged. It wouldn't be so cringeworthy if they weren't pretending to be GNR while doing it. Under Axl solo playing these songs wouldn't be bad.

Hoe does Bumblefoot "pretend to be GNR"? He IS a member of Guns N' Roses and there is nothing about his dress or playing style that reminds me of ANY former members. Hence, he both IS part of GN'R and he IS clearly distinct from any predecessors with no apparently inclination to imitate them.

:violin:

You're not going to explain your cryptic claim that Bumblefoot "pretends to be GNR"? Perhaps he plays Estranged too close to how Slash played that song, is that it?

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Yes, I think he regrets it a lot, but is too stubborn to show it. He wants to show that he's the last man standing and prove a point. But deep inside I think he regrets it.

This. Its just his personality. Never caves in, nothing of the sort. Actually owning the name itself is fine IMO, if thats where the buck stopped. AFAIK, it was Axl that came up with the name. Kudos to him. He shot himself in the foot when he actually created the new band itself.

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IMO, it's hurt him more than helped him.

At every turn, EVERYTHING he does will ALWAYS be compared to the old band, whether it be live shows, the members of the band being compared to Slash, Izzy, Duff, etc, CD being put up against the old albums etc.

It limits him musically because he's forced to tailor his music to make it sound more like GN'R.

He's forced to rely on setlists which heavily feature old GNR songs because most people going to a "GUNS N' ROSES" show will want and expect the old songs; If he doesn't play all the old hits from the old band, people would be disappointed. When the new band does play them, they're criticized and bashed if they don't play the songs note for note like the originals.

Every band member he hires has and will be negatively compared to the old band members--And they get tons of abuse, hate and negativity thrown toward them just for joining the band.

Not only that, but if he ever decides to make another record, he has the immense pressure of making a record that lives up to and is worthy of the GN'R name. He has to "show" Slash and the others that he can succeed as Guns because of his psychological complexes.

If GN'R had just broken up in 1996 and Axl had started a new band or went solo, he would've been much freer to make whatever kind of music he wanted, play whatever songs he chose to live, we probably would've had several albums from him by now, there wouldn't have been as much anticipation and label pressure, members of an Axl band wouldn't have been as compared to Slash and the others. He wouldn't have had the burden of "being GN'R" all by himself. He could've fully indulged all his creative desires without the pressure of making a "GN'R album", which might've resulted in some really awesome stuff which was made more organically. And he wouldn't be as hated as he is. People don't hate him so much for GNR's breakup, but for continuing to use the GN'R name after everyone else left. It's like the Beatles break up. Paul arguably was the main force in the Beatles' break up but no one hates him because he went on to make some good music on his own and he didn't tour with faceless musicians as The Beatles. If GNR had formally broken up in '96 and Axl started his own project, it'd be the same.

In the end, keeping the name has cost him more in terms of creative freedom, in terms of expectations, in terms of his reputation and legacy, and in terms of label bullshit than if he just went solo. Yeah he makes more money but surely as a musician all the other problems outweigh the money aspect. I do wonder if it ever crosses his mind and if he ever does feel the GNR name is more a curse than a blessing?

All that you're saying here is, I would say, correct. Does he regret it? The dude took a gamble and lost. (Not entirely; some good has come out of it; overall though he undoubtedly lost) When you gamble and lose you're unhappy, of course, but that doesn't mean you regret the gamble itself. It may have seemed like a good decision at the time. :shrugs: There's really no way of knowing but it would be interesting to hear him answering this question.

On another note:

It limits him musically because he's forced to tailor his music to make it sound more like GN'R.

This may not necessarily be a bad thing. Think of the George Lucas effect.

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It seems fairly obvious that the label were pretty adamant about how a "GNR" album should sound. It makes me sad to think about the great music we may very well never get to hear...

Edited by lornz
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Regrets keeping the name? Hell no. It is the only thing that is keeping the revenue generating. I guarantee his ticket sales would drop if it went from "Guns N' Roses" to the "Axl Rose Band." I guarantee it.

Of course. Case in point being Slash: he went from playing to tens of thousands to playing to a few hundred (?) after quitting GN'R and starting his "Slash Band".

I honestly believe Axl continued with the band despite losing Izzy and Slash because he had a vision, not by greed. He obviously isn't motivated by cash primarily, because then he would just reunite with the UYI lineup. So to all those that say he "kept the name" because of money: what do you base this on? Where is the evidence that he was motivated by greed and not by an artistic vision or a feeling of responsibility?

Edited by SoulMonster
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