Theory and Analyzes: Axl's Music Based in Books.

[MrSpaghetti]

 In a chat with fans Axl Rose revealed your favorite books: Zodiac(Neal Stephenson), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, James Dean: The Mutant King(David Dalton), The Stand(Stephen King), A Scanner Darkly(Philip K. Dick)
Everybody knows that the Chinese Democracy track "Catcher in the Rye" is based in the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the music show some references 
from the book like the feeling of being revolted, confused and alienated(that is what the main character felt), references to murdering of John Lennon  and personal ideas from Axl like what him felt about the murdering of Lennon.

 Recently Tom Zutaut, former executive from Geffen Records, said in interview that Atlas Shrugged is based in a jew-russian writer and philosopher called Ayn Rand, she was authoress of a philosophical fiction book called Atlas Shrugged, that explore the idea of a United States where the private businesses is super regulated by a progressive and corrupt government. The title Atlas Shrugged makes reference to Atlas a titan from the greek mythology that was condemned by Zeus to hold the skies on his shoulders for the eternity, The significance of this reference appears in a conversation between the characters Francisco d'Anconia and Hank Rearden, in which d'Anconia asks Rearden what advice he would give Atlas upon seeing "the greater [the titan's] effort, the heavier the world bore down on his shoulders". With Rearden unable to answer, d'Anconia gives his own response: "To shrug".

 In 2008 Axl confirmed the existence of a music called Zodiac the track name match the title of the book Zodiac by Neal Stephenson, book that Axl include in your favorite books list, the book tells the story of an environmentalist, Sangamon Taylor, uncovering a conspiracy involving industrialist polluters in Boston Harbor. The "Zodiac" of the title refers to the brand of inflatable motor boats the hero uses to get around the city efficiently.
His opponents attempt to frame him as an ecoterrorist. The protagonist is inspired by environmental chemist Marco Kaltofen. Taylor is a recreational user of nitrous oxide, justifying his choice of drug by the eponymous Sangamon's principle: "the simpler the molecule, the better the drug".
 
 Also in 2008 Axl confirmed the existence of a music called Elvis Presley and The Monster Soul(Soul Monster/Leave Me Alone).
"Elvis Presley and the Monster of Soul aka The Soul Monster (working title Leave Me Alone)" which will no doubt end up "Soul Monster".
- I think it's our most Black Sabbath moment. Sang it on a Christmas eve. In my opnion the meanest section of anything I've sung to date. Which having said that I'm sure when it's heard others may disagree but we felt it was a Christmas card of unadulterated venom so to speak. I felt a lot better afterward.
(Axl Rose, Here Today… Gone To Hell Forum, Dec. 2008)
 The title seems be a reference to the book Mary Shelley's Frankestein taking into account the two words MONSTER and SOUL, in the book Frankenstein is a MONSTER created by Victor Frankenstein described as being a big and horrendous creature but with a sensitive and emotional personality(SOUL), the creature was rejected and criticized by the society (maybe this has something to do with the alternartive title Leave me Alone). Another interpretation I can do is about the book James Dean: The Mutant King by David Dalton
another favorite of Axl, despite the name The Mutant King, the book is actually James Dean's biography, he was a actor well known for your Rock N' Roll(Rock always remember Elvis Presley) life style, in the 50s(1950 remember Elvis Presley too) he was a symbol of rebellion, the badboy that everybody wanted to be.
 

So it's my theories and analyzes, what is your opinion and analyzes?

[soon]

Atlas Shrugged and Catcher are easy to see the reference, I agree. I didnt know about Axl listing the Zodiac as a favourite book. The story certainly fits with some of the themes Axl had rattling around for CD era lyrics. So thats promising. Im not as convinced about Soul Monster, but its possible.

Yeah, I think Axl is often pigeon hold as someone who writes about supermodel ex girlfriends and partying. But he takes inspiration from novels, film, news, historical events, social location, speeches and even models of governance.

Im not sure what all the books are. But if I can expand to include history, politics, and film for a moment.

Madagascar alone has quotes from movies like Cool Hand Luke, Mississippi Burning, Casualties of War, Braveheart and Seven. It quotes two MLK speeches. And is possibly inspired by/makes reference to the historical plan of the Nazis to exile Jewish people to Madagascar.

 Heres where the talking part in Breakdown comes from:

Not to derail about the focus on books, sorry  

Edited December 30, 2018 by soon

[MrSpaghetti]

4 hours ago, soon said:

Atlas Shrugged and Catcher are easy to see the reference. I didnt know about Axl listing the Zodiac as a favourite book. The story certainly fits with some of the themes Axl had rating around for CD era lyrics. So thats promising. Im not as convinced about Soul Monster, but its possible.

Yeah, I think Axl is often pigeon hold as someone who writes about supermodel ex girlfriends and partying. But he takes inspiration from novels, film, news, historical events, social location, speeches and even models of governance.

Im not sure what all the books are. But if I can expand to include history, politics, and film for a moment.

Madagascar alone has quotes from movies like Cool Hand Luke, Mississippi Burning, Casualties of War, Braveheart and Seven. It quotes two MLK speeches. And is possibly inspired by/makes reference to the historical plan of the Nazis to exile Jewish people to Madagascar.

 Heres where the taking part in Breakdown comes from:

Not to derail about the focus on books, sorry  

Thanks for your opinion and analysis, so you quoted Seven the movie and this remembers me the unreleased track Seven, but I heard the name was choosen 'cause the music was written by seven musicians. Madagascar is a show of references. Studying Axl's lyrics I've realized that he likes to create music mixing references from art like books and movies with references from the real world like governmental and social questions.

[soon]

13 hours ago, MrSpaghetti said:

Thanks for your opinion and analysis, so you quoted Seven the movie and this remembers me the unreleased track Seven, but I heard the name was choosen 'cause the music was written by seven musicians. Madagascar is a show of references. Studying Axl's lyrics I've realized that he likes to create music mixing references from art like books and movies with references from the real world like governmental and social questions.

And I guess paintings too? Although Im not sure if the paintings used as album art inspired the music, or if its more the other way around? With AFD the painting was brought in after music iirc. Its inspired the title of the record though. When Axl sings "I bought me an illusion nd put it on the wall/I let it fill my head with dreams/in my dreams I have them all" in Locomotive, is he singing about the Raphael painting that a section of was used on the cover of UYIs?

Oh wait! I got another literary reference - Without You! The short story by Del James that inspired the trilogy of ballads.

[Padme]

22 hours ago, soon said:

Madagascar alone has quotes from movies like Cool Hand Luke, Mississippi Burning, Casualties of War, Braveheart and Seven. It quotes two MLK speeches. And is possibly inspired by/makes reference to the historical plan of the Nazis to exile Jewish people to Madagascar.

I don't think so. Those movies have nothing to do with the Nazis. Only Mississippi Burning but to some degree only. Because it is about the Civil Rights Movement just like the MLK speeches.

As for the books, I read CITR and A Scarnner Darkly. I didn't like either. I see the point those books make. But both are boring.

[soon]

12 minutes ago, Padme said:

I don't think so. Those movies have nothing to do with the Nazis. Only Mississippi Burning but to some degree only. Because it is about the Civil Rights Movement just like the MLK speeches.

I didnt suggest those movies were about Nazis. Id point out that those movies also arent about Madagascar. And Madagascar wasnt really a subject of the Civil Rights movement, certainly not in the very direct way that Algeria was. Axl is none linear often times with his lyrics - its all these things and more tossed in a blender a lot of the time. The link I posted to a previous thread contained the info about the possible reference to the Nazis plan. Im not sure that Id say the song is about Civil Rights more than it is about healing from and rising above the misery of oppression and exclusion in general.

[Padme]

3 minutes ago, soon said:

I didnt suggest those movies were about Nazis. Id point out that those movies also arent about Madagascar. And Madagascar wasnt really a subject of the Civil Rights movement, certainly not in the very direct way that Algeria was. Axl is none linear often times with his lyrics - its all these things and more tossed in a blender a lot of the time. The link I posted to a previous thread contained the info about the possible reference to the Nazis plan. Im not sure that Id say the song is about Civil Rights more than it is about healing from and rising above the misery of oppression and exclusion in general.

One of my problems with CD is that I have no idea what the songs are about. In some cases I can guess. But again it's just a guess. Madagascar seems to be about Axl himself and his loneliness/isolation. Keep in mind he is talking in first person. "I won't be told anymore..."

Why all those quotes? One of the many mysteries I find in CD 

[soon]

10 minutes ago, Padme said:

One of my problems with CD is that I have no idea what the songs are about. In some cases I can guess. But again it's just a guess. Madagascar seems to be about Axl himself and his loneliness/isolation. Keep in mind he is talking in first person. "I won't be told anymore..."

Why all those quotes? One of the many mysteries I find in CD 

Well said. Same here.

But I do keep looking at those lyrics. I dont think they are just random. I think that to Axl they are statements. Just in Axl speak. I think its worth exploring. And like you say, just guess at the end of the day.

Its true he's talking in the first person and even the quotes start with something like "let me tell you" or "Im gonna tell you" so is that suggesting Axl is utilizing those words as his own?

Its sung in the first person and I believe it to be a very personal statement from Axl, but at the same time Axl seems to have taken on the character of 'old man' with the voice he uses to sing the song. Iirc he spoke to that choice in the chats but didnt go deep because the questions was posed in an apparently negative sense. Is it old man Axl? Axl. Or a character? And this ties back to Axl being inspired by books, because I just took a quick Google and Axl has said that the old man voice is because "...one of the influences is Hemingways 'Old Man and The Sea'..."

At around 7:38

 

that info from this thread: