SWINGTRADER

On 10/17/2017 at 9:02 PM, Tonto said:

Axl Rose and Bill Murray partied in the same place after their Manhattan concerts on Monday.

Rose, 55, was at the new Fifteen Stories rooftop lounge at Mondrian Park Avenue after Guns N’ Roses’ Madison Square Garden show, “surrounded by women,” a spy said. Rose was overheard telling pals that “he and Slash are ‘getting along great’ and having so much fun rocking all of their old stuff and putting together some new stuff,” the spy said. “And that once he and Slash got past ‘stubbornness’ and talked to each other, everything became cool again really quickly, and reuniting was a simple decision after that.”

https://pagesix.com/2017/10/17/axl-rose-parties-after-madison-square-garden-show/

Very unfortunate that it took over 20 yrs for these 2 to talk to each other and work things out. I sometimes wonder what would have happened had Axl allowed Slash into his home when Slash went to visit him years ago. They might have worked things out then and we would have gotten a proper reunion with better Axl vocals. Who knows? We might have gotten Izzy in the reunion as well. Axl was just too stubborn.

They wasted over 2 decades of potentially great tunes over stupid shit. 

18 hours ago, ironmt said:

I attended the Pittsburgh show and there couldn't have been more than 8-9,000 people there. There Is no mystery IMO  as to why the tour was a failure. You have a guy on stage calling himself Axl Rose who was absolutely unrecognizable, along with a guy wearing  a bucket on his head and a mask on his face along with Robin Finck  and you have the balls to call that band Guns N Roses? It was an Insult to the fans, who at one time made them the biggest band on the planet. 

It was a disgrace and It Imploded. The fans have made It crystal clear that there Is no such thing as Guns N Roses without Axl, Slash and Duff. 

Exactly.

I find it silly that some people here, who experienced that debacle of a tour, are now trying to rewrite history in order to fool the young fans into thinking it was a great period. 

The tour was a disgrace. The Philly riots gave promotion the green light to end it. Had the Philly show gone on without a riot, the tour would have probably gone on for 2 more shows at best. It was going to end, the ticket sales were atrocious. They were the laughing stock in music at the time. And the media,as well as rock fans, let them know it. I remember after the cancellation of tour, the band had been declared dead. I remember the MTV report. 

The VMA performance killed any chance of good ticket sales for the 2002 tour.

The same way MySpace killed any chance for Chinese Democracy to have decent initial sales.

Slash is badass

15 minutes ago, Guigsdaddy said:

I’m a huge Howard fan and have never heard of this...not to say it’s not true. Maybe it makes sense because Axl has never been in the studio to be interviewed by Howard.  Maybe he will show up in studio tomorrow.

It is true. I heard the show the following day after the concert. To be honest, I also expected Howard to say something nice, but that wasn't the case.

Howard saw Axl as a big douche at that point, and he always blamed Axl for the GNR break up.  He never hesitated to bash Axl whenever Slash visited the studio. Slash to his credit, never took the bait.

13 minutes ago, mikeman5150 said:

Axl said somewhere that after the MSG show, the band was as good as it could get and it was time for them to cut their losses. 

The promoters had already decided early on that the plug would be pulled after MSG.  Axl had no say on that matter.

I do remember that soon after the MSG show, the press reported that Axl was devastated by Howard Stern's reaction towards the show. The word is that Axl couldn't wait to hear what Howard had to say about the show, as he was expecting positive comments from Howard, what he got instead was Howard bashing the hell out of the show. Particularly on how ridiculous Axl and his band looked.

11 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

Doesn't matter, that lineup was mainly responsible for Chinese Democracy and it would have been cool. The 2011 show I saw had a closed upper deck, too. Still a good show

That is what was so unfortunate. They were responsible for that mess. It doesn't matter since I did not consider that band to be GNR

This is how I see it:

Great GNR= 1987-1990

Good GNR=1991-1993

Shitty GNR= 2016-2017

11 minutes ago, RussTCB said:

Haha "arenas 1/4 full"... Not even close to the truth, but then again I'm only saying that because I was actually there in person. 

You must have been at MSG or Boston. The attendances were atrocious everywhere else and that is why the plug was pulled. The only reason the tour lasted as long as it did was because promotion was trying to hang on till they made it to the MSG show( since it was sold out). The philly riots were the final nail in that coffin.

I had bought tickets for the San Diego show, but the tour never made that far and I got refunded by Ticketmaster.

4 minutes ago, ZoSoRose said:

I wish I was old enough for this, I would have loved to see the 2002 lineup in person

You would have been one of the few at the time since most arenas were only 1/4th full. Nobody gave a fuck about this new band, and they got tore to shreds by the press. It was not a pretty period for Axl.

That being said, I would have preferred this version of Axl(absent the braids) than the one we have now. Would have made for a better reunion. I think Rock in  Rio 3(2001) Axl with his 2010 voice would have been superb next to Slash. 

5 minutes ago, Goran4 said:

So far seems to be the best concert of NITL tour for 2017.

Crowd is on fire and the band is motivated by this.

Even Axl vocally at least for what i hear is great.Raspy Queen on some 1st parts of the song...little bit of rasp here and there on YCBM.

Cant wait for coma to come!

It is Mickey Mouse. But the band sounds good.

Goes to show the power of Slash.

Even with Mickey Rose they are doing those numbers.

Imagine if Axl had a voice and it was a full reunion. Imagine had they done interviews and TV appearances. It would have been even bigger.

1 hour ago, comboguns said:

 

The band and Axl were such badasses back then that even the 2016 voice would have made for a good performance. 

The big problem with Axl now is his stage presence. He has none and when you add his weird looks to the picture, it makes his bad voice stand out even more. 

2 hours ago, Dar97 said:

Hahaha that's a complete joke right?

It has to be a joke, he sounds better than Axl.

7 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

So you think it's disrespectful that he sounds better with AC/DC than with GN'R? Because that's not at all what your first post said; you said, and this is a direct quote "To announce that the band is reuniting and then going to another band is as disrespectful as it gets".

 

Listen - I'm not disagreeing that Axl sounded better with AC/DC than with GN'R, particularly this year, but I think there's more to it than he cares more about AC/DC than GN'R. I think there's two components at play here. First of all, Axl seems to put in more effort on material that's new to the set - this has been true all through the NuGN'R era. Going back to 2001-2002, the CD songs being played were by far the strongest vocally. 2006 and 2010 are outliers, since Axl was in excellent shape vocally during both these eras. In 2011, Estranged, Civil War, and Riff Raff were some of the stronger songs vocally - all new to the set that year. On the UCAP tour he put in the most effort on the unusual songs like You're Crazy, Mama Kin, Dead Flowers, etc. 2013/2014 didn't really have many strong vocals at all - there were no new songs in the set until the very end of the 2014 residency, when Axl was on fire all of a sudden again. Even last year, Coma was one of the stronger moments vocally, despite the fact that it's one of the most difficult GN'R songs to sing. Yesterdays sounded great, but this year now that it's a regular it's been weaker. TWAT has always been incredible anytime it's been played, even during weak vocal eras - look how infrequently it's been played. So I think Axl seems to give more effort when he's singing material he's not used to singing night in and night out - and look at AC/DC; it's all songs he's not used to singing. Now, I'm not saying he isn't to blame for this one, since he's most likely the reason GN'R setlists don't see more variety. 

 

The other thing I think is at play is Axl has an easier time singing the AC/DC songs than GN'R songs these days. They're generally in a very comfortable range for him to bring the rasp on. Also, generally speaking, vocal finesse isn't as important as it is in GN'R - in AC/DC it's more about attitude and power. Keep in mind there are a few songs where Axl sounded weak with AC/DC; namely TNT, Dirty Deeds, Dog Eat Dog, and Touch Too Much. These songs are a lot closer in range to most GN'R songs where Axl sounds weaker too - his strongest songs vocally with AC/DC were the early Brian songs, which are way up in the stratosphere. 

 

As for the promotion thing, in AC/DC he doesn't have a choice - it's not his band, he's got to follow Angus' rules. GN'R has always been pretty quiet when it comes to promotion, so this is a non-issue in my mind, it's just two different ways of functioning. 

 

Finally, here's something to think about. If he truly does hate GN'R, and is only doing it for the money, are you surprised, and can you blame him? GN'R has caused him years, decades of personal hell. Lawsuits, animosity, record label blockages - GN'R has never been an easy ride for him. The current lineup is becoming increasingly clear to be a working relationship - they function fine onstage as a tight live band, but there's not a lot of interaction, and what they're like offhand is a mystery. So the AC/DC opportunity presents itself and it's a band where he can go out and just enjoy himself. There's no pressure from a business perspective, he doesn't have to run the show, and he gets to sing for a band he's always idolized - can you really blame him if AC/DC is more fun than GN'R is for him? 

There is no excuse to intentionally sing like shit when people are paying to see you perform. You are making excuses for him. As for 2011 and Estranged, I disagree with you, he sounded awful. He sings the first part ok, but the 2nd part is a weak mess. It has been like that ever since he reintroduced the song. He hasn't sung that song properly since the 90's. 

I think you made the point in your post for Axl's unprofessionalism and disregard for his GNR fanbase. 

  Axl didn't sing well in 2010 because he was in great shape vocally, he sang well because he gave a fuck. For whatever reason he felt he had something to prove that year. Just like he had something to prove for ACDC. You don't go from sounding like you do in 2010 to then sounding atrocious just a few months later. Those drop offs don't happen in that short of time. That is Axl just refusing to sing properly. Axl turns it off and on whenever he wants. That is why people get angry.  

6 hours ago, ZoSoRose said:

If Axl sounded like this in GNR last year and tore it up with ACDC, I would have been furious.

Instead, he killed it with both. I think he had a fire in him knowing he had to kill it with both bands. Now the microscope is off of him, it explains why this year hasnt compared to any 2016 show

Axl did not sound as bad as he does now last year but it was not that great either.  Not even close to the quality of AC/DC.  There were even threads on the topic. Let's not attempt to rewrite history. There were many angry posters during the U.S shows complaining about this. The only time Axl sounded somewhat decent was when he was sitting in Grohl's chair. His voice never reached 2010 levels. 

2 hours ago, Powerage5 said:

Sorry, but you're way off from reality here, on so many counts. For starters, AC/DC are one of the biggest bands on the planet, most people would probably even say bigger than GN'R. And the guys in GN'R grew up loving AC/DC - any of them would give their left nut to tour with AC/DC if presented with the opportunity, and the same could probably be said for nearly any other member of any other band. There's nothing disrespectful about stepping in to help out a band of their stature who had just been delivered blow after blow for the last two years when and entire tour is in danger of being cancelled. 

 

And lets be honest - the shows last year are as good as you we're gonna get from Axl anyways. The fact that he could turn it on for AC/DC in Europe, turn it off (relatively speaking) and turn it back on for AC/DC in the US is evidence enough for that. He didn't blow his voice out doing AC/DC, every show was stronger than the last vocally. And this year there's no excuse for him to "hold back" on his vocals for GN'R - every show since the reunion started, he's given exactly the vocals he intended to give. 

Let me ask you a question. If Axl/D.C played Rock In Rio, would Axl embarrass himself the way he did with GNR? Of course not, he would make sure he is at his possible best for AC/DC.That is where the disrespects come in.

The man did more promotion and TV with AC/DC than he did for GNR. 

 Had he kicked ass for GNR this Would not be an issue, but if is clear that he holds AC/DC  at a higher regard than he does GNR and his band mates. 

 The man sounds better doing guest appearances for Billy Joel, for goodness sake. It is obvious that he hates performing for GNR, and the money is the only reason why he hasn't retired the band, 

I think it would be great if Izzy and Steven got back together with Slash and Duff and released music with a new singer. That would be interesting to see.

I stil hear Mickey. There is no improvement, Had this show also been pro shot, it would have sounded just as bad as Rio.

Axl is a jerk for doing AC/DC right before the reunion shows. To announce that the band is reuniting and then going to another band is as disrespectful as it gets. You would never see another lead singer pull some shit like that. Not only did he give that band his best vocals, but it took the thunder out of the GNR reunion. 

I hope this thing ends soon so I can see these musicians join up with a singer that actually gives a fuck.

Best 1991

worst 2017

The others were fake GnR(solo band) so I won't consider them.

that 1991 was something special. 2017 has nothing in common with that band whatsoever. The only recognizable thing is Slash, and even he isn't the same.

50 minutes ago, scooby845 said:

Well, I still haven't seen the show. Just bits here and there.

I was disappointed how lame Slash's 2nd Estranged solo was. Yesterday too (even though he's been fucking it up ever since they started playing that song live). It just sucks when he improvises and doesn't play original. On top of that, his timing is off (November Rain) and bending as well (YCBM). 

Well for Axl, it is acceptable that his voice deteriorates as the tour progresses, but still...

It takes a lot more effort in singing than playing.

This band needs a spark. Steven and Izzy.

And less touring. 

They need a spark from their lead singer. I would be bored as fuck at this point if I were a lead guitarist in this band, My lead singer sounding like a tired Mickey every night and the same tired set list. It is getting old. 

The money is the only motivation at this point. I think these guys wish they were doing their own thing. Slash needs to go back with Myles.

A bad lead singer will make any band look bad.   

The "slash and Duff are back!" factor is gone and it can no longer hide Axl embarrassing vocals. 

You watch any old performance from this band, and it is like watching a totally different band. This band aged so badly.

Just look at Aerosmith, that is how it is done. And they are dinosaurs compared to GNR. 

The Who's set put GNR's to shame. It is sad.

They broke up

Axl became Mickey Mouse

and then they reunited, partially reunited.

I would pay more money to see this band play live alongside an old live vocal track of Axl, then I would pay to see them with the current Mickey Mouse. 

The sad thing is that NuGnr was actually more enjoyable when Axl had a good voice in 2010. That is how much he is bringing down Slash and Duff with his horrific vocals. I remember when many said that even if Axl voice was not good, just having Slash and Duff back in the band would be enough to cover up for the vocals. Well it did not.

Awful.

4 minutes ago, Rickodez said:

Axl fucking killed it, what an amazing concert, the whole band was amazing, at this point is clear some people are just internet trolls, fuck the haters.

And the 2011 disaster was the last time my sister saw a GnR concert, she hated it like any sane person, she doesn't follow much music news, so 2011 was still fresh in her mind and fear, lol... she loved this 2017 RiR concert, so fucking good, we saw on tv by the way, even yesterdays sounded good, i ran to the bathroom thinking Axl would fuck this up be he didn't, fucking awesome. One of the greatest moments of this year to me, great concert, my sister was happy, coudn't be better.

Glad you had a good time. 

Unfortunately, the reality is that it was a train wreck. 

It was awful.  Slash can't even save him at this point. It's a totally different person up there now .Not just in voice, but the entire stage presence. 

At this point, replacing Axl with any singer would be a major improvement. 

Mickey Sun 

Mickey Sun