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Axl Rose On Why He Shouldn't Have Been On the Use Your Illusion Tour


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On March 16, 2019 at 12:21 PM, killuridols said:

Bottom line is that if Axl had not gone on that tour, he wouldn't have increased his fame, bank account and all the financial security that came with it. For his lazy ass, this was a bless, even if he thinks it was a curse and that he shouldn't have done it.

What other moment in the 90s would have been the right time to do it? GN'R was already considered a dated band... they were in their limit, as other bands and other genres were becoming more popular than hard rock.

The lyrics for Bad Apples seems to have Axl agreeing with you, maybe save for describing himself as lazy, but rather someone who just wants to be left alone.

"Yeah you got to make a living
With what you bring yourself to sell

I got some genuine
Imitation, bad Apples
Free sample for your peace o' mind only $9.95"

Full lyrics:

Spoiler

Diamonds and fast cars
Money to burn I got my head in the clouds
I got these thoughts to churn
Got my feet in the sand
I got a house on the hill
I got a headache like a mother
Twice the price of my thrills
An it's a cold day
It's a continental drift
I said this traffic is hell
Can you give me a lift
An I'll try to paint a story
Got your pictures to tell
Yeah you got to make a living
With what you bring yourself to sell

I got some genuine
Imitation, bad Apples
Free sample for your peace o' mind only $9.95
I got my camera back from customs
Got my law fees up to date
Hell they musta seen me comin'
Ain't this life so fuckin' great

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch

Gold and caviarnow why'nt you pour my apathy
I'd have all my bases covered
If I could teach my hands to see
But now we're down in the deep end
Where they'd love to watch you drown
I said your laundry could use washing
We'll hang it up all over town
I said Hollywood's like a dryer
An we're down on Sunset Strip
An you'll be suckin' down the Clorox
'Til your life's all nice and crisp

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch
Boy

 

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27 minutes ago, soon said:

 

The lyrics for Bad Apples seems to have Axl agreeing with you, maybe save for describing himself as lazy, but rather someone who just wants to be left alone.

"Yeah you got to make a living
With what you bring yourself to sell

I got some genuine
Imitation, bad Apples
Free sample for your peace o' mind only $9.95"

Full lyrics:

  Reveal hidden contents

Diamonds and fast cars
Money to burn I got my head in the clouds
I got these thoughts to churn
Got my feet in the sand
I got a house on the hill
I got a headache like a mother
Twice the price of my thrills
An it's a cold day
It's a continental drift
I said this traffic is hell
Can you give me a lift
An I'll try to paint a story
Got your pictures to tell
Yeah you got to make a living
With what you bring yourself to sell

I got some genuine
Imitation, bad Apples
Free sample for your peace o' mind only $9.95
I got my camera back from customs
Got my law fees up to date
Hell they musta seen me comin'
Ain't this life so fuckin' great

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch

Gold and caviarnow why'nt you pour my apathy
I'd have all my bases covered
If I could teach my hands to see
But now we're down in the deep end
Where they'd love to watch you drown
I said your laundry could use washing
We'll hang it up all over town
I said Hollywood's like a dryer
An we're down on Sunset Strip
An you'll be suckin' down the Clorox
'Til your life's all nice and crisp

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch

When the shit hit the fan
It was all I could stand
Yeah, well I'm a frequent flyer
My body's breathing while it can
But what I don't understand is that
My world ain't gettin' no brighter
If I could touch the sky
Well I would float on by
While everybody's talkin'
Hell I'm just another guy
If it were up to me
I'd say just leave me be
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch
Why let one bad apple
Spoil the whole damn bunch
Boy

 

I always thought them to be some of the best lyrics that Axl has written, not exactly couplet for couplet but rather in terms of the overall picture they paint.  Few have agreed with me on this point. 

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15 minutes ago, Len Cnut said:

I always thought them to be some of the best lyrics that Axl has written, not exactly couplet for couplet but rather in terms of the overall picture they paint.  Few have agreed with me on this point. 

I never thought much of the music, which similarly few have agreed with me about. Its definitely been my least listened to Guns track. So i had never really focused on the lyrics. But I agree, they are great! Very honest in many ways including low brow similes such as "Hollywoods like a dryer" or the cliched title. But it puts it all to good use here. He's a lot more self aware here then the Axl who rants about Warren Beaty on stage at a PPV concert.

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2 hours ago, soon said:

The lyrics for Bad Apples seems to have Axl agreeing with you, maybe save for describing himself as lazy, but rather someone who just wants to be left alone.

I guess Axl is aware that he's not produced enough.... I derive this from one interview when he was fronting AC/DC and he mentioned the amount of discography they have versus his discography, lol

But that's why I say he's a lucky man and he had people to push him release the album and do the touring, even if he was not ready, imagine if he had gone Chinese Democracy on that too..... waited 10 years to tour the Illusions?? :lol:

No way.... he should be thankful things got that way and not his way......

As for 'Bad Apples', I have always loved the lyrics and the music, it is one of my fav GN'R songs, along with Don't Damn Me, Coma, Estranged... all those songs with long lyrics and a strong social/personal message :)

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41 minutes ago, killuridols said:

I guess Axl is aware that he's not produced enough.... I derive this from one interview when he was fronting AC/DC and he mentioned the amount of discography they have versus his discography, lol

But that's why I say he's a lucky man and he had people to push him release the album and do the touring, even if he was not ready, imagine if he had gone Chinese Democracy on that too..... waited 10 years to tour the Illusions?? :lol:

No way.... he should be thankful things got that way and not his way......

As for 'Bad Apples', I have always loved the lyrics and the music, it is one of my fav GN'R songs, along with Don't Damn Me, Coma, Estranged... all those songs with long lyrics and a strong social/personal message :)

Haha, UYI released in 2001! With Nu metal elements layered in, lol.

He is lucky in that sense that his financial security and legendary status was cemented. And not a moment too soon. And hey, being Axl, he still managed to squander his fortune on over time, penalties and parties. And what was left he spent out of pocket on the last yeas of CD :facepalm:

Its really interesting to compare this push to release UYI and Axls absolute stubbornness to get CD moving. Almost like it was related, like "Never again will I be forced." Maybe? I sure wish someone could have pulled it off!

The song is certainly growing on me. I agree when Axl goes long form on vocals its always something special. :headbang:

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35 minutes ago, soon said:

Its really interesting to compare this push to release UYI and Axls absolute stubbornness to get CD moving. Almost like it was related, like "Never again will I be forced." Maybe? I sure wish someone could have pulled it off!

I think that was not entirely his fault, not sure, I mean.... he once said that lots of things prevented the album to come out in a reasonable spare of time, like the record company rejected the album.... and I can see that happening because if you see it from a commercial point of view, the whole rock scene was being erased from the face of earth during that decade and Guns N' Roses being only Axl with 'freaks,' was not appealing to the music buyers anymore. Also, the Internet taking over with the new way of commercialization of cultural goods....... GN'R was a band of the 80's trying to survive in the 00's.... I can see it... after so many years I have a clearer picture of what happened with all that too... I mean, obviously Axl delayed stuff but when you take a look at the context, you realize that there was no room for GN'R and no room for a freak GN'R either :lol::facepalm:

His moment was the 80's & early 90's. After that, the world was shifting towards something completely different and they/him did not fit.

Edited by killuridols
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30 minutes ago, killuridols said:

I think that was not entirely his fault, not sure, I mean.... he once said that lots of things prevented the album to come out in a reasonable spare of time, like the record company rejected the album.... and I can see that happening because if you see it from a commercial point of view, the whole rock scene was being erased from the face of earth during that decade and Guns N' Roses being only Axl with 'freaks,' was not appealing to the music buyers anymore. Also, the Internet taking over with the new way of commercialization of cultural goods....... GN'R was a band of the 80's trying to survive in the 00's.... I can see it... after so many years I have a clearer picture of what happened with all that too... I mean, obviously Axl delayed stuff but when you take a look at the context, you realize that there was no room for GN'R and no room for a freak GN'R either :lol::facepalm:

His moment was the 80's & early 90's. After that, the world was shifting towards something completely different and they/him did not fit.

Agreed, it was many factors and a struggle between Axl and Lable.

I think NuGuns would have been huge in the early 2000s, personally, though.

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4 minutes ago, killuridols said:

Would have been huge if Axl had presented them as his solo band.

Most people and die-hard fans were not going to accept that lineup as real GN'R.

I find that to be an interesting thing to explore, about the solo act thing. The Label would never give him the huge budget for a solo album. With out the huge budget he doesnt land any of the players, who were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars (monthly in some cases!). An Axl solo album would have started with Ashbas and Franks, not Finck and Brain. 

I love the 2002 lineup. I think they would have won people over! Maybe with out the die hard fans even?

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20 minutes ago, killuridols said:

Would have been huge if Axl had presented them as his solo band.

Most people and die-hard fans were not going to accept that lineup as real GN'R.

I don't know if it would have been huge but probably more accepted.. A lot of people didn't think CD was any good solo band or not though.

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34 minutes ago, soon said:

I find that to be an interesting thing to explore, about the solo act thing. The Label would never give him the huge budget for a solo album. With out the huge budget he doesnt land any of the players, who were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars (monthly in some cases!). An Axl solo album would have started with Ashbas and Franks, not Finck and Brain. 

oh. wow. that's a nice logic :smiley-confused2:

BUT..... didn't he get Yoko On... err... Paul Tobias to "write" many songs of CD? :lol:
What was his resumé? :ph34r:

I think Axl could have afforded some people who would have accepted to work with him for less money, only because he is Axl Rose.

Not sure, though, why the company gave him so much $$$ and at the same time rejected the album.... I wonder if they ever suggested Axl to call Slash back, at the least :shrugs:
How did Axl justify all that money to the label? Did they really think the mistery around CD would equal the sales?

lol....... I have so many questions :lol:

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1 hour ago, Tom-Ass said:

I don't know if it would have been huge but probably more accepted.. A lot of people didn't think CD was any good solo band or not though.

Totally agree with you. I would still have bought the album , accepted it for what it was and then look forward to a new Guns album. I just wish Axl got the nu metal idea out his system by going solo. 

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43 minutes ago, killuridols said:

BUT..... didn't he get Yoko On... err... Paul Tobias to "write" many songs of CD? :lol:
What was his resumé? :ph34r:

His resume includes writing 2 of the songs that were circulated on demos to get them a record deal. On of which is a song on UYI. He wrote on a majority of the tracks on an album which represents 1/4 of their original LPs. And he wrote their "brand new single" :P

43 minutes ago, killuridols said:

I think Axl could have afforded some people who would have accepted to work with him for less money, only because he is Axl Rose.

Yeah, like Ashba and Frank. Even the artists getting the big money quit. Took Wylde just two weeks to see it wasnt going anywhere soon. Imagine you get no salary but are an equal partner trying to deal with Axl. Youd loose your home and default on your car while you waited for your income.

43 minutes ago, killuridols said:

Not sure, though, why the company gave him so much $$$ and at the same time rejected the album.... I wonder if they ever suggested Axl to call Slash back, at the least :shrugs:
How did Axl justify all that money to the label? Did they really think the mistery around CD would equal the sales?

It really is weird, like maybe the label gave him so much money and time to hope slash would return? I think its more to do with an 'old school' record biz outlook being applied to the digital age. Instead of thinking in terms of the current market the label said "this Guns album will save us from the losses of the digital age." It was the hail mary. And once they were in for 10 mil, what was 4 more?

43 minutes ago, killuridols said:

lol....... I have so many questions :lol:

I have so many questions as well! :lol:

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1 hour ago, soon said:

His resume includes writing 2 of the songs that were circulated on demos to get them a record deal. On of which is a song on UYI. He wrote on a majority of the tracks on an album which represents 1/4 of their original LPs. And he wrote their "brand new single" :P

lol I know what his resume is... I was being sarcastic because you said Axl without the big bucks could have not afforded that quality of players :ph34r: but then he wanted Paul Tobias replacing Slash :facepalm:

1 hour ago, soon said:

Yeah, like Ashba and Frank. Even the artists getting the big money quit. Took Wylde just two weeks to see it wasnt going anywhere soon. Imagine you get no salary but are an equal partner trying to deal with Axl. Youd loose your home and default on your car while you waited for your income.

:o

Well I didn't mean that they were not going to be paid, just that I think he could have gotten good musicians for less money.

I don't think the problem was the money, though. Like you said, even the ones receiving big bucks quit... and that's because those artists were not there just for the money, they wanted to play with Axl, have their name in a Guns N' Roses album, but Axl was unable to give them that, aside from money..... so yeah.... bottom line is he didn't need millions of dollars to make a good GN'R album.

2 hours ago, soon said:

I think its more to do with an 'old school' record biz outlook being applied to the digital age. Instead of thinking in terms of the current market the label said "this Guns album will save us from the losses of the digital age." It was the hail mary. And once they were in for 10 mil, what was 4 more?

Maybe.

Argh, how I'd love to know those details, discussions, debates between Axl and the label and the other managers that were not TB :smiley-confused2:

2 hours ago, soon said:

I have so many questions as well! :lol:

The CD era is the Dark Ages of Guns N' Roses :lol:

We need Enlightment and Answers!!! :headbang:

 

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27 minutes ago, killuridols said:

lol I know what his resume is... I was being sarcastic because you said Axl without the big bucks could have not afforded that quality of players :ph34r: but then he wanted Paul Tobias replacing Slash :facepalm:

Technically Tobias replaced Gilby and assumed the Izzy role. :) 

30 minutes ago, killuridols said:

The CD era is the Dark Ages of Guns N' Roses :lol:

We need Enlightment and Answers!!! :headbang:

:lol:

Yeah, I wanna know it all :headbang:

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

My take on it is that Axl wasen't ready to tour in mid 91 and he was forced to tour which made Axl's life difficult. Getting ready to do great shows (if they shows are medicore, the band wouldnt have made it this far) So he had huge pressure, mixed with mental health stuff which led to starting shows late, and letting the band go to a uncomfortable situation that eventually made Izzy quit.

And looking back i think Axl knows that if the Illusion tour would have started in lets say late 91. Izzy could have stayed longer and the band would have had a different path. Or not. It all worked out in the end.

Edited by rebeldhipi
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