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Appetite for Distortion - Ep. 97 - Gary Sunshine talks Oh My God, Chinese Democracy, and recording with Axl Rose


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NEW! Ep. 97 - Gary Sunshine talks Oh My God, Chinese Democracy, and recording with Axl Rose

After Slash and before Chinese Democracy, for Guns N' Roses there was 1999's "Oh My God." Only appearing on the "End of Days" soundtrack, much about the song and this time-period remains a mystery. One of the many puzzle pieces of that era of GNR is guitarist Gary Sunshine.

Gary tells us how his relationship with Axl Rose started, the unique process of making music with him, and how he feels about the song today. Gary also describes the competitive nature he had about "Circus of Power" coming out just before GNR in the late 80s.

Special co-host Art Tavana also joins us to speak about his new Billboard article, "The Divisive Legacy & Surprising Future of Guns N' Roses' 'Chinese Democracy'"

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Listening now. Gary comes off as a really cool dude. I sometimes feel bad for some of these guest though. Most or all of these people work on SO much more than GNR and we're all so focused on just the GNR aspect. I'm only about halfway through right now but kudos to you and the users who knew so much about Circus of Power. I wasn't even aware of that band prior to listening to this episode but I'll definitely check them out now. 

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8 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

Listening now. Gary comes off as a really cool dude. I sometimes feel bad for some of these guest though. Most or all of these people work on SO much more than GNR and we're all so focused on just the GNR aspect. I'm only about halfway through right now but kudos to you and the users who knew so much about Circus of Power. I wasn't even aware of that band prior to listening to this episode but I'll definitely check them out now. 

That's why I always give plenty of time to other subjects, not just GNR, so we know everything about them. But you know that :)

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great interview! Not to diminish Gary's role in OMG but I always imagined him having a much larger role during that time period in teaching/coaching Axl and playing on OMG/Chinese. I was totally fascinated in hearing Gary talking about hanging out with Axl at his house and I would love for him to expand on that some more next time. I would also love to hear if he had any interaction with Tommy and other band members, his initial impressions on Axl versus what the public makes him out to be, and more. 

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21 hours ago, RussTCB said:

Listening now. Gary comes off as a really cool dude. I sometimes feel bad for some of these guest though. Most or all of these people work on SO much more than GNR and we're all so focused on just the GNR aspect. I'm only about halfway through right now but kudos to you and the users who knew so much about Circus of Power. I wasn't even aware of that band prior to listening to this episode but I'll definitely check them out now. 

I thought the main song of theirs was "call of the wild". I remember seeing them on a magagine compilation album here in oz i think around 89 or so.....

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Gary Sunshine must’ve worked with Axl in 99 for a few months and then recorded for two days in August 99 along with Dave Navarro, after Robin leaving the band for the first time.

Then again if he saw Buckethead’s chickencoop he must have been on the scene in spring 2000 also.

 

People’s memories are usually sketchy on dates it seems

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19 hours ago, DeperilsofrockNRollDekednz said:

Gary Sunshine must’ve worked with Axl in 99 for a few months and then recorded for two days in August 99 along with Dave Navarro, after Robin leaving the band for the first time.

Then again if he saw Buckethead’s chickencoop he must have been on the scene in spring 2000 also.

 

People’s memories are usually sketchy on dates it seems

yup I also think that Dave Navarro and Gary Sunshine came there right after Robin's contract expired, that was August 99 I think.

the Buckethead thing... yeah, he joined the band somewhat after Christmas 99, so spring 2000 is likely :) 

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22 hours ago, DeperilsofrockNRollDekednz said:

Then again if he saw Buckethead’s chickencoop he must have been on the scene in spring 2000 also.

 

People’s memories are usually sketchy on dates it seems

I think Gary said he saw the coop when he visited and was off the project, somewhere in 2000 or 2001.

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will listen to it now!

after reading the "izzy article" i had a really not great impression of Art Tavana as a journalist because he basically repeated all the Axl crap about Izzy on that article

i have to tell that after reading the "billboard article" i have a much better impression on him as a journalist, it seems like he is getting a little deeper in GNR world and he is finding a more balanced view on things

i like how he likes to learn and find more about GNR stuff and knowing that i'd recommend him (and everyone) to read OVER THE TOP by mark putterford. a book which was written "in the heat of the moment" in 1993 or 1994 and has great info not available on any other GNR book about the breakup of the band -- which is instrumental to understand the "road to chinese democracy"

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On 1/5/2019 at 11:56 PM, ludurigan said:

i like how he likes to learn and find more about GNR stuff and knowing that i'd recommend him (and everyone) to read OVER THE TOP by mark putterford. a book which was written "in the heat of the moment" in 1993 or 1994 and has great info not available on any other GNR book about the breakup of the band -- which is instrumental to understand the "road to chinese democracy"

I have that Mark Putterford book, but I don't share the same opinion on it. I guess in its time was something for a fan to read, as there were few other books out there and not many sources available, but I don't think it has anything to offer now. Plus, there are many mistakes in it, especially in the first part (early and AFD eras) about incidents that happened at shows, dates etc. The second part (UYI era/tour) is mostly based on articles/reviews of the time (that now can be found on the internet) mixed with gossip/rumours that were floating around which can't be verified (and some of them are confuted by other, more reliable sources) and the writer's opinions/comments (nothing wrong with that, but I don't see how it could be useful for anyone who does research to write a new book).

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2 hours ago, Blackstar said:

I have that Mark Putterford book, but I don't share the same opinion on it. I guess in its time was something for a fan to read, as there were few other books out there and not many sources available, but I don't think it has anything to offer now. Plus, there are many mistakes in it, especially in the first part (early and AFD eras) about incidents that happened at shows, dates etc. The second part (UYI era/tour) is mostly based on articles/reviews of the time (that now can be found on the internet) mixed with gossip/rumours that were floating around which can't be verified (and some of them are confuted by other, more reliable sources) and the writer's opinions/comments (nothing wrong with that, but I don't see how it could be useful for anyone who does research to write a new book).

fair enough

i read in in the mid90s and it seemed real informative specially about how Axl & Slash hijacked the band

no other GNR book even touchs the subject

can you give an exampĺe of gossip/rumours that were floating around which can't be verified and some of them are confuted by other, more reliable sources?

 

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2 minutes ago, ludurigan said:

can you give an exampĺe of gossip/rumours that were floating around which can't be verified and some of them are confuted by other, more reliable sources?

On top of my head:

- Putterford wrote that the Skin and Bones tour happened because Axl needed the money to buy out Stephanie Seymour's share of the Malibu Mansion and he gives a rumoured amount too. However, there's no source verifying that Axl bought the house with her. Coincidentally I was reading a report of the time yesterday from when Axl bought the mansion not mentioning anything like that and giving another price. Moreover, all the sources say that that tour was booked to break even losses of the previous year, like concert cancellation fees etc, and most likely before the Axl-Seymour split.

- He wrote that Slash had called Izzy to replace Gilby for the 5 shows in 1993 without telling Axl. Izzy though stated in 1993 that Axl had phoned him, and I think Izzy is more reliable than a writer who most likely never talked to anyone from the band.

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38 minutes ago, Blackstar said:

On top of my head:

- Putterford wrote that the Skin and Bones tour happened because Axl needed the money to buy out Stephanie Seymour's share of the Malibu Mansion and he gives a rumoured amount too. However, there's no source verifying that Axl bought the house with her. Coincidentally I was reading a report of the time yesterday from when Axl bought the mansion not mentioning anything like that and giving another price. Moreover, all the sources say that that tour was booked to break even losses of the previous year, like concert cancellation fees etc, and most likely before the Axl-Seymour split.

- He wrote that Slash had called Izzy to replace Gilby for the 5 shows in 1993 without telling Axl. Izzy though stated in 1993 that Axl had phoned him, and I think Izzy is more reliable than a writer who most likely never talked to anyone from the band.

yeah i agree with you these facts may be wrong on the book

- about the skin and bones it surely looks like it was booked to make money to cover for all the losses caused by axl during 1991-1992

- about the izzy thing yeah sure i would rather believe in izzy than mark putterford considering izzy said that in 1993 ( i dont remember reading it anywhere)

what fascinates me on that book is how the author explains the hijacking of GNR by Axl and Slash in a way that no other GNR book, to this day, remotely touches 

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