Your friends and family opinions of Guns n Roses through the years

[Ericstacey]

I'm often interested in the opinion of more casual Guns fans, casual music fans, ect... and their opinion of GNR, especially from about 1999 until now. I think a lot of people were into AFD and UYI, of course, but  I'm talking about the people who would have no idea who Beta or Team Brazil is, who Chris Pittman is, have probably never heard of the General, know about the remix album. Here are some things I remember through the years.

  2002-a female friend of mine, about 22 or 23 on the MTV awards-her first comments when I asked were "what the hell was he wearing?"

          My older brother and I went to a 2002 show-he liked it, but I remember afterward walking out, said "it's just not the same without Duff and Slash"

  Chinese Democracy-it was honestly hard to find a lot of people who listened to it, or had an opinion-older brother liked it, and played it for a while in his truck, ect...Nephew at the time was 17 or 18 and said he liked it, and I think listened to it a lot for a month or so.

 

Buckethead-this surprised me-I had never heard of him before he joined GNR-I was surprised at the following/fan base he had/has. I have an Uncle and cousin who went to his shows, and liked his music. Said at the time they might go see him with GNR (they never did, I'm pretty sure).  Went to a friends party and he had a Buckethead CD playing in the background. Went to some of his concerts. I don't think he went to any GNR or bought CD also. I would be curious how much of the Bucket fanbase liked CD, or went to a lot of shows.

 

NIYL tour. My spinning instructor and her husband went to the same 1st show in Detroit I did. As she put it, " we figured we better see them before they start fighting and break up again during the tour". She used to play Slither in Spin class, btw.   They were both blown away and loved the show. Esp. Slash. She said it was the best concert she had been to. Another friend went here in Cleveland, thought it was ok. She was annoyed at how many times Axl left the stage...lol.

 

[Ninjapie24]

My parents turned me on to GNR. They were fans and liked the band until Slash and Duff left. I then introduced them to Slash solo stuff (that they play all the time now) and they took me to see them in Foxboro 2016. They each went to about 5 GNR Concerts in the Appetite/UYI eras. 

I was wearing the sweatshirt I bought at the Foxboro show while I was in school. The principal stopped me, and I thought I was in trouble. Turns out he went to the exact same show.

My uncle has Appetite/Lies. He likes them but doesn’t really like the Illusions.

just about every teacher I had in high school told me about seeing the band. One teacher was even at the show with the “Get in the Ring” chant.

[Chester 524]

When the hits from appetite come on, everyone still loves the songs.

However casual fans tend to ask me how I could spend so much money going to the NITL shows when Axl looks and sounds so bad (based on YouTube views as well as the show at the o2 arena (pre reunion) that is on TV sometimes).

So in my experience casual fans still love AFD, but think GNR is kind of a has been thing.  And none of them have ever heard of Chinese Democracy.

Kinda sucks that I only have one friend who likes GNR almost as much as I do, but thats why Im glad this board exists so I know that there are others out there like me that love this band.

[Gibson87]

-One of my friends is somewhere between a casual and a hardcore fan. My best friend likes WTTJ and Paradise City and thinks Slash is cool.

-My mom has been a die hard Bon Jovi fan since Slippery When Wet came out and she didn't like when Axl said "Bon Jovi can suck my dick." She likes GN'R tho.

-My dad isn't a fan of their sound/lyrics but he thinks Axl's range is incredible. He said that almost 6 octaves for a 2nd baritone is unheard of. He went so far as to say that Axl's is one of the most talented rock musicians ever.

-I turned my younger brother onto them. He loves Nightrain and Don't Cry. I'm gonna take him to a show if/when they come back to the US

Edited July 11, 2018 by Gibson_Guy87

[MJRemastered]

My parents don't listen to rock in general and they dont care about Guns.

Friends, i have one that likes some of their songs, i have another one that likes the afd popular trio but completely hates axl for his attitude in the shows, even though i tried explaining him that axl had his reasons, nope, anyway, and thats it. Most of my other friends dont listen to rock in general.

[jacdaniel]

Most of my friends and family didn't realize that Guns were still a band between 1999 and 2015.   Most of them don't even know what CD is.  They barely did an interview or any PR work.  They didn't make it to Europe until 2006.

Others saw posters in town for Guns gigs and wondered why I wasn't excited.  They assumed it was my favorite band playing.  Had to explain the story a few times about how I wouldn't go without Slash and Duff there.

 

[Bitchisback]

I was pretty embarrassed to tell people Guns was my favorite band during the CD era tbh.  Most people though they had become a big joke.

 

Thankfully the wife enjoys CD and Guns and would go to shows with me and understood my bad obsession.  

 

Ask redeemed himself for sure though.

[Len Cnut]

Liked em since early 90s, like 92 I think.  Anyway my fuckin' family HATED em   Like despised em.  My sister was probably alright with a few of their poppier songs like Nov Rain SCOM but the amount of overplay they got in my house put her right fuckin' off.  She says to this day that she knows most of the lyrics to GnR songs just from having the bedroom next door to mine.  Fair dues, for a long while they were about all I listened to.  My brother just hated em, 'greasy metallers' and all that.  That kind of music was never popular round my way, never cool, metallers were always like a group of 6 to 8 lads in each year in school, everyone else was into like, the cool music of the day, Hardcore and Jungle and all that, people weren't givin' a fuck about Guns n Roses.  Also like, junkies and that, their on that lower tier of humanity in the eyes of street people in them days, on a level with poofters and fuckin'...I dunno, weirdoes (I'm talkin' about prevalent attitudes of the times here).  And Axl Rose, to my brother, having to hear second hand about his antics was, in his words, 'a fuckin' pussy'  

So yeah, not very liked.  But time has been kind to them in that respect, I sometimes clock my brother listening to GnR now he's nearly fuckin' 40 and I'm sure my sister owned the Greatest Hits.  As for my parents, they couldn't give a fuck, it was all a fuckin' racket to them.  My old man probably knows the name and knows its a band but, honestly, I don't think he gives a flying fuck.  He's sort of more into Motown and soul and that, a lot of black music. 

[F*ck Fear]

Most people I know thought Axl had lost "it" since re-emerging in 2001.

The band was a joke, and Chinese Democracy would never get released.

As for today, I haven't asked their opinions on the last few years.

[Dusty Bone]

First of all, it was through my sister I got to know GNR. They sung Patience in the school choir some years ago and she showed me the video. I liked it. Then I found out about their feud with Nirvana (I was into Nirvana at that time) and I became even more interested and bla bla bla that's not the right thread for this so I'm gonna cut this short.

Many acquintances of mine like the Appetite songs and Patience, but I haven't really asked them more about it. I don't think most of them are aware of what's going on at the moment.

My dad always mistook them for another band and thought he didn't like them but it turned out he does like some songs like You Ain't The First.

My mum also likes some songs, especially November Rain and other slower songs but she hates Used To Love Her.

My sister's favorite songs by GNR are November Rain, Yesterdays and This I Love - yep, she's a CD fan  but I can't count my sister as casual fan.

Edited July 11, 2018 by Dusty Bone

[EvanG]

I only have one memory of watching the Paris show on VHS as a kid with my dad in the room, and he was not amused... spent half the show criticizing them and I believe he called Axl a demagogue.

[Eric Cantona]

2 hours ago, Len Cnut said:

Liked em since early 90s, like 92 I think.  Anyway my fuckin' family HATED em   Like despised em.  My sister was probably alright with a few of their poppier songs like Nov Rain SCOM but the amount of overplay they got in my house put her right fuckin' off.  She says to this day that she knows most of the lyrics to GnR songs just from having the bedroom next door to mine.  Fair dues, for a long while they were about all I listened to.  My brother just hated em, 'greasy metallers' and all that.  That kind of music was never popular round my way, never cool, metallers were always like a group of 6 to 8 lads in each year in school, everyone else was into like, the cool music of the day, Hardcore and Jungle and all that, people weren't givin' a fuck about Guns n Roses.  Also like, junkies and that, their on that lower tier of humanity in the eyes of street people in them days, on a level with poofters and fuckin'...I dunno, weirdoes (I'm talkin' about prevalent attitudes of the times here).  And Axl Rose, to my brother, having to hear second hand about his antics was, in his words, 'a fuckin' pussy'  

So yeah, not very liked.  But time has been kind to them in that respect, I sometimes clock my brother listening to GnR now he's nearly fuckin' 40 and I'm sure my sister owned the Greatest Hits.  As for my parents, they couldn't give a fuck, it was all a fuckin' racket to them.  My old man probably knows the name and knows its a band but, honestly, I don't think he gives a flying fuck.  He's sort of more into Motown and soul and that, a lot of black music. 

Completely unrelated, but you should write a biography mate

[Len Cnut]

25 minutes ago, AslatIE said:

Completely unrelated, but you should write a biography mate

OR...I could not

[sl4yer]

2 of my friends likes GnR and my best friend was not one of the biggest GnR fans but we went to Chorzow and he is delighted and so is my dad who likes GnR a lot, I forced him to listen to Chinese Democracy and he said this is really good album. And my sister is GnR fan too.

So GnR has a good opinion in my family

 

[soon]

I lived on a Mennonite commune when I got into GNR. So, yeah, there were some conversations to be had lol. Everyone already knew about and supported my love of audio. But this was different.

Over the years most of my friends have respected GNR as one of the greatest rock bands ever, but never were huge fans themselves. 

[killuridols]

1 hour ago, soon said:

I lived on a Mennonite commune when I got into GNR.

What? Really?! I need to know more about that! 

How did you get into GNR being in that commune.... I thought you weren't allowed to have any technology around 

[Tom2112]

My brother gave CD a listen when it came out, thought it was a mixed bag. He actually enjoyed some of weirder songs more like if the world. But it took 'til the NITL tour for him to see the band live. No interest until then, same with the majority of people I know. Bandwagon jumpers.

[31illusions]

New GN'R was an embarrassment, a circus and a joke. I would never recommend it to anyone. Having Slash and Duff back is the only thing that gave GN'R it's credibility back.

[soon]

44 minutes ago, killuridols said:

What? Really?! I need to know more about that! 

How did you get into GNR being in that commune.... I thought you weren't allowed to have any technology around 

In some cases there is a total rejection of technology. Sometimes certain sects have a very strict, legalistic isolationist principal. Many of the sects that moved to South America and Mexico were strict isolationists who separated because they disagreed with the more integrative sects who remained here. There are many urbanized Mennonites who live just like anyone else - it is an ethnicity of sorts. In some cities in Canada there are Mennonite churches next to strip malls and car dealerships and they play rock music at the services. Its a huge spectrum of lifestyles.

This commune was much more curious and interested in the world. We all travelled to a church with other mennonites on Sundays, whereas some sects would have church only with family. Some kids were home schooled but I went to public school and thats where I was exposed to listening to music on head phones and rock music. There was a few gas powered generators that the adults could use at the discretion of the community. I remember chainsaws too. But it was still very simple life with lots of hard work and solitude.

The community was supportive of my love for audio and discerned that I should be nurtured in that. Now that I think of it, I wish I had a picture of me with as a kid with some old clunky, hand-me-down headphones while wearing a very typical Mennonite, homemade, blue button-down shirt, brown slacks and suspenders, lol!!

Edited July 11, 2018 by soon

[TheGeneral]

My dad got me into rock music. He's seen all the big bands like AC/DC, Queen (his favorite), the Stones etc in concert, but never GNR. He owns UYI II and thats about it. He said they were just "after his time of discovering new bands" and that while he likes the music Axl's voice is hard on the nerves after about 5 songs. 

That being said, when I heard they were coming to Europe last year he was the first person I asked if he would come with me. He said "Only if they are playing in Hannover" because it's very near to where we live.

I was thinking they were coming to Hamburg, Berlin etc, but no they really came to Hannover.

And hell yeah, we went. We saw Angus with GNR. He was very pleased with the show and said it was great seeing them together after all the bad stuff  

[dgnr]

My friends think they have some cool songs, but they really just know the hits. I remember one night I showed them Coma and they were amazed. But the overall opinion is that the band is fine, Slash is cool and Axl is crazy because of the amount of drugs he took. No matter how many times I try to explain that Axl wasn't like that because of drugs, they always say I'm in denial. I gave up on that subject already  

[killuridols]

28 minutes ago, soon said:

In some cases there is a total rejection of technology. Sometimes certain sects have a very strict, legalistic isolationist principal. Many of the sects that moved to South America and Mexico were strict isolationists who separated because they disagreed with the more integrative sects who remained here. There are many urbanized Mennonites who live just like anyone else - it is an ethnicity of sorts. In some cities in Canada there are Mennonite churches next to strip malls and car dealerships and they play rock music at the services. Its a huge spectrum of lifestyles.

This commune was much more curious and interested in the world. We all travelled to a church with other mennonites on Sundays, whereas some sects would have church only with family. Some kids were home schooled but I went to public school and thats where I was exposed to listening to music on head phones and rock music.

That's so interesting! We have Mennonites in Argentina but I guess they belong to that very strict, isolationist faction that you mentioned. The journalists visit them from time to time to check up on them, so that's how I know of their existence. I just hope they respect our laws, though.

I wonder how your family coped with the GN'R music you were listening to, like the lyrics, drugs, excess and imagery seems contrary to their beliefs? I don't know much about Mennonites, so I might be talking shite!

[zepsun]

My parents are into country music mostly. I play guitar, and in my teens I played it super loud. 120watt amp that was turned up loud enough to hear outdoors - so I could generate feedback for Estranged of course. Mom hated Estranged (probably because she could only hear the leads and not he overall song melody), but she loved SCOM. The softer songs like Patience, Don't Cry, etc., were tolerated, but I wouldn't say they liked them. Used to Love Her and You Ain't the First would get interesting reactions, because they didn't think GNR made songs that country-ish.

My friends liked GNR in high school during their mainstream success, but after 93, it was clear that only a few people were still aggressively into them like I was/am. I think they became over-saturated. They needed a clear break between Estranged, and what would have been a 1996 album. People were starting to wonder around then, if another album was coming out. They were still getting top 10 placement in year-end "best of all time" shows - so they definitely could have come back with a popular album.

[acor]

Those who are not die-hards, or nostalgic people who were growing up when GnR were in their prime (and now are prime target of so called "reunion") usually don't even know who Axl Rose is (let alone Izzy Stradlin, or Steven Adler). Some of them know who Slash is, though... They know some of most popular songs, like Paradise City, or Don't Cry, as those songs are often on the radio.

 

 

Edited July 11, 2018 by acor

[killuridols]

No one in my family or friends take them seriously, and most think of them as "has beens", so I am alone in my fandom

What I've noticed is that people in general, like casual fans or people who just know them from the early 90's hits, think that Axl is too ugly and fat now, so they don't want to see him or attend a show. They prefer to keep the memories of the young Guns and listen/sing to the songs when they come up on the radio.