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Robin Finck about Axl and Chinese


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Robin left the week after Azoff came on board, maybe it had something to do with Azoff's reunion plan.

The NIN "farewell tour" came up and Janes Addiction had the original members, NIN as a support act and having a no frills setup kicked ass.

We don't know if Robin had a legal obligation to go back, or it was because he felt he owed Trent to take part in it. It's good that Trent and Robin are in a more clearheaded frame of mind these days to work together.

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Would still love to know why he ended up leaving Axl's payroll.

I always assumed it was because he got tired of Axl's shit, and found a solid plan B with Trent. Interesting he totally avoided that topic.

I would have asked about Trent's comment about getting a NIN paycheck while sitting on Axl's couch, how and why he came back the second time, and wound it up with the guest appearance and future possibilities, because Trent had made it known NIN may change band members the way Neil Young does every tour he does. He left the second time to do the farewell tour, so no one really knows what he had said to Axl and how it was left - or if it was because Trent was going to sue his ass off because he had 2 "bosses" to answer to at the time.

He doesn't want to "bite the hand that feeds" at this point, or he'll be back to the circus. Basically, he and Tommy were in similar situations, had a little bit of money and keeping busy, but not really doing well. Not sure if he had mouths to feed and an ex-wife to support.

Wasn't the whole farewell tour announce after Robin was already back working for Trent? Because the whole farewell thing was in late 2009, and Robin rejoined in like April 2008.

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This interview might just explain how GnR ended up with 3 guitarists. Not sure why Ashba got in after Robin left, though it's possible Axl felt BBF would go like BH on the old songs.

Axl Rose: "/.../ so, it's still very new for them, all playing together as a band, with Robin and Bucket. That was a surprise. That was, you know, obviously to me the right decision to make, but it was not something originally planed having three guitar players. /.../"

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Would still love to know why he ended up leaving Axl's payroll.

I always assumed it was because he got tired of Axl's shit, and found a solid plan B with Trent. Interesting he totally avoided that topic.

I would have asked about Trent's comment about getting a NIN paycheck while sitting on Axl's couch, how and why he came back the second time, and wound it up with the guest appearance and future possibilities, because Trent had made it known NIN may change band members the way Neil Young does every tour he does. He left the second time to do the farewell tour, so no one really knows what he had said to Axl and how it was left - or if it was because Trent was going to sue his ass off because he had 2 "bosses" to answer to at the time.

He doesn't want to "bite the hand that feeds" at this point, or he'll be back to the circus. Basically, he and Tommy were in similar situations, had a little bit of money and keeping busy, but not really doing well. Not sure if he had mouths to feed and an ex-wife to support.

Wasn't the whole farewell tour announce after Robin was already back working for Trent? Because the whole farewell thing was in late 2009, and Robin rejoined in like April 2008.

Yes. Robin was part of the Lights in the Sky tour prior to the farewell tour, which took place in 2008.

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Robin left the week after Azoff came on board, maybe it had something to do with Azoff's reunion plan.

The rumor was Azoff fired Robin to get Slash back

I don't understand how that could even be possible. How could Azoff fire anybody from an entity Axl fully owns and operates without, at the very least, Axl's knowledge and consent?

It can't even be considered a rumor. It's a complete lie. Robin left GNR because the band was touring the old hits with no sign of a release for CD.

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Robin left the week after Azoff came on board, maybe it had something to do with Azoff's reunion plan.

The rumor was Azoff fired Robin to get Slash back

I don't understand how that could even be possible. How could Azoff fire anybody from an entity Axl fully owns and operates without, at the very least, Axl's knowledge and consent?

He didn't actually fire him...just filled his head with bullshit.

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Robin left the week after Azoff came on board, maybe it had something to do with Azoff's reunion plan.

The rumor was Azoff fired Robin to get Slash back

I don't understand how that could even be possible. How could Azoff fire anybody from an entity Axl fully owns and operates without, at the very least, Axl's knowledge and consent?

He didn't actually fire him...just filled his head with bullshit.

What else happened that day when you 3 were together? Tell us more...

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Robin left the week after Azoff came on board, maybe it had something to do with Azoff's reunion plan.

The rumor was Azoff fired Robin to get Slash back

I don't understand how that could even be possible. How could Azoff fire anybody from an entity Axl fully owns and operates without, at the very least, Axl's knowledge and consent?

It can't even be considered a rumor. It's a complete lie. Robin left GNR because the band was touring the old hits with no sign of a release for CD.

What else happened when you were with Robin when he quit? Tell us more...

Edited by Damn_Smooth
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Universal did not want to release Chinese Democracy due to the high expectations of the Guns N' Roses album. Former Guns N' Roses Manager Azoff convinced them to release the album with tracks that have already been leaked with some weaker songs. Azoff also promised that for the release of the next album, that he would have Slash and Duff back in the band. Slash would rework all of Robin Fincks parts and Duff would add some filler parts in. The following album was to have a new name instead of Chinese Democracy II. Several names had been tossed around: "Guns N' Roses", "Reloaded", "Black-Out". Universal felt that the tracks for the follow up album would make a very strong rock record.

In the USA, both Wal-Mart and Best Buy were competing for having exclusive rights to sell the album because of it's novelty. When Wal-Mart representatives heard the tracks, they knew it was not going to sell because it was an average album and pulled out. Best Buy had been used as leverage multiple times against Wal-Mart for exclusive album deals. Best Buy was so hungry to get an big exclusive deal that they jumped at the chance even though it broke them for their Holiday advertising and had nothing to promote the album with. Universal and Azoff won big on the deal.

Azoff told Finck that he was fired, leaving Axl short a guitarist. Axl had no clue that this happened. Azoff tried to convince Axl that it made good business sense to bring in Slash. It would have helped album sales. Then Azoff told Axl that he was working on a Mega Tour with Van Halen and to make things work They wanted Slash in Guns N' Roses. Axl said he might be open to it, if the tour can be worked out. The tour never materialized, Axl went on a search for another guitarist. Azoff and Universal were not happy with it. Axl along with other management brought in Ashba and set new tour dates with the intention of releasing Chinese Democracy II in the near future.

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Universal did not want to release Chinese Democracy due to the high expectations of the Guns N' Roses album. Former Guns N' Roses Manager Azoff convinced them to release the album with tracks that have already been leaked with some weaker songs. Azoff also promised that for the release of the next album, that he would have Slash and Duff back in the band. Slash would rework all of Robin Fincks parts and Duff would add some filler parts in. The following album was to have a new name instead of Chinese Democracy II. Several names had been tossed around: "Guns N' Roses", "Reloaded", "Black-Out". Universal felt that the tracks for the follow up album would make a very strong rock record.

In the USA, both Wal-Mart and Best Buy were competing for having exclusive rights to sell the album because of it's novelty. When Wal-Mart representatives heard the tracks, they knew it was not going to sell because it was an average album and pulled out. Best Buy had been used as leverage multiple times against Wal-Mart for exclusive album deals. Best Buy was so hungry to get an big exclusive deal that they jumped at the chance even though it broke them for their Holiday advertising and had nothing to promote the album with. Universal and Azoff won big on the deal.

Azoff told Finck that he was fired, leaving Axl short a guitarist. Axl had no clue that this happened. Azoff tried to convince Axl that it made good business sense to bring in Slash. It would have helped album sales. Then Azoff told Axl that he was working on a Mega Tour with Van Halen and to make things work They wanted Slash in Guns N' Roses. Axl said he might be open to it, if the tour can be worked out. The tour never materialized, Axl went on a search for another guitarist. Azoff and Universal were not happy with it. Axl along with other management brought in Ashba and set new tour dates with the intention of releasing Chinese Democracy II in the near future.

Is there any actual proof of this? Or is it just a theory?
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Awesome interview.

What strikes me is how Axl approached all this. This was being treated as the second coming of Jesus... The effort and luxury lavished onto the recording of ChiDem is phenomenal.

Even more phenomenal is just how utterly mediocre the album turned out to be.

And then you have countless other bands who go into the studio for a few weeks and knock out albums which stomp all over ChiDem, for a fraction of the cost to produce (in terms of dollars, time, and energy).

Really fascinating stuff.

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Awesome interview.

What strikes me is how Axl approached all this. This was being treated as the second coming of Jesus... The effort and luxury lavished onto the recording of ChiDem is phenomenal.

Even more phenomenal is just how utterly mediocre the album turned out to be.

And then you have countless other bands who go into the studio for a few weeks and knock out albums which stomp all over ChiDem, for a fraction of the cost to produce (in terms of dollars, time, and energy).

Really fascinating stuff.

Opinions are like assholes right? CD was not mediocre IMO.

I'm curious, which album do you think in at least the last decade "stomps" all over CD?

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Awesome interview.

What strikes me is how Axl approached all this. This was being treated as the second coming of Jesus... The effort and luxury lavished onto the recording of ChiDem is phenomenal.

Even more phenomenal is just how utterly mediocre the album turned out to be.

And then you have countless other bands who go into the studio for a few weeks and knock out albums which stomp all over ChiDem, for a fraction of the cost to produce (in terms of dollars, time, and energy).

Really fascinating stuff.

Opinions are like assholes right? CD was not mediocre IMO.

I'm curious, which album do you think in at least the last decade "stomps" all over CD?

I think the fact that they had to re-record everything (a few times) really took away from it (Tommy seemed really frustrated in one interview about it). I'd love to hear the album they initially handed as we can't really judge from the low-quality leaks.

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Awesome interview.

What strikes me is how Axl approached all this. This was being treated as the second coming of Jesus... The effort and luxury lavished onto the recording of ChiDem is phenomenal.

Even more phenomenal is just how utterly mediocre the album turned out to be.

And then you have countless other bands who go into the studio for a few weeks and knock out albums which stomp all over ChiDem, for a fraction of the cost to produce (in terms of dollars, time, and energy).

Really fascinating stuff.

Opinions are like assholes right? CD was not mediocre IMO.

I'm curious, which album do you think in at least the last decade "stomps" all over CD?

Exactly right about opinions! IMO - Contraband, Apocolyptic Love, Slash, both Halestorm Albums, all Alter Bridge Albums, and a few others stomp all over ChiDem - to me ChiDem didn't have enough angry axl on it, don't get me wrong I thought it was a good album and more ambitious than anything any of the gnr alumni did since the mass exodus from the AFD/UYI days, I just found it to be a pretty boring album, with very few songs that'll get you fired up

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Awesome interview.

Opinions are like assholes right? CD was not mediocre IMO.

I'm curious, which album do you think in at least the last decade "stomps" all over CD?

In the time around ChiDem?

Any album Muse released. Hot Fuss and Sam's Town by The Killers. Victime of Love by Charles Bradley. This Is It by The Strokes. The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.

All of those albums were quick in the studio, quick out. No concierges, no butlers, no limos, no Beta, no wallabies, no dolphins, no chicken coops. Just go in and record and release.

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