Blunoze

Just what was needed, another 'Axl's voice' thread.

Ron gives the best interviews of anybody in the band, hands down. Always seems honest and informative.

Sad that this band can't get together and record an album. Thousands upon thousands of touring bands have been able to find the time to write and record, but for some reason this band cannot? Lame.

As for the HOF being brought into this conversation. Funny how the Axl cult members all now hate the HOF, just because Axl chose not to participate. I guarantee you that if Axl had showed up, performed, and said what a huge honor it was, Volcano and is ilk would be on here praising and saying how they've always loved and respected the HOF. So sad that your opinions in life all revolve around Axl Rose and Slash.

Nailed it. Whatever Axl does or supports, is apparently the right thing. I wonder how Axl actually feels knowing that people follow him blindly? Actually, I don't need to answer that question. Just look at the people he surrounds himself with, and read the three books from his former band mates. That says everything.

Would I be right in saying, that only Axl and Dizzy from the current band has direct writing credit for any songs on Chi Dem?

To be honest, I was really disappointed when I first listened to 'Right Next Door to Hell'. I thought 'what the fuck is that?'. But admittedly, I did listen to it on a pretty crappy tape deck with average speakers. I still get the impression today that the song was badly mixed or EQ'd. It then led into 'Dust N' Bones' and 'You aint the first', which was even MORE 'what the fuck?'. Bad Obsession then kicked in, and I really started to enjoy it. But, due to the fact there was SO MUCH material to listen to and absorb, it took me a couple of months to really appreciate the albums. Especially considering it was all on tape, so it was hard to remember which song was which sometimes. I spent what felt like hours fast forwarding or rewinding trying to find a track. The UYI's were definitely a 'grower' in terms of albums for me. And they were also very relevant music for that era. Everybody around seemed to be talking about it. There were people wearing the GNR t-shirts all around the towns and cities. It was always on the tv music shows, magazines were full of GNR. I remember some magazines coming out that were dedicated to GNR (entitled '100% unofficial' to avoid lawsuits). Every music shop had t-shirts, badges, bandana's, flags, posters, everything you could imagine. And it just felt normal, because that band deserved all the credit. They weren't overhyped, or commercialized, they were just a rock band on top of their game.

Could not agree more, this guy is seriously talented. And is definitely more blusey than Bumble, which is a sound which I feel fits the GNR heritage more than shredding the shit out of pentatonics. And I won't even make a comparison to Ashba, he is quite simply the worst guitarist that has ever played in GNR. In my humble opinion of course.

Its a very sad moment in my life. That was the first time I actually turned off a Youtube video of my favorite all time band, because it was quite simply awful to listen to. Fucking awful.....

I think you have WAY overthought this. Guns N Roses songs do not generally have any specific meaning, they are songs based on a certain feeling or emotion. This is normally expressed by the music that the song is attached to. Axl has always been very talented at writing lyrics that match the songs general musical composition. In this case, the words fit the music excellently.

I believe the reality is, Axl thinks about Slash a lot less than you think. I certainly don't believe that Axl would be that full of emotion, he would sit down and write a song about Slash. It makes him seem like some kind of possessed freak.

Fortus Is great live and Ron is always the reliable workhorse, dj brings the showmanship.

You have a fair point about Ashba, to the untrained ear he sounds good, and he looks the part. He certainly gets the crowd going, you have to give him that. But are you going to get anything creative out of him? This illustrates my point better than any words can:

Put side by side, you can see clearly just how far behind Ashba really is.........

I was at the show, and Axl and all the band seemed to be having a great time, I think he threw the mic in disgust at his own sound crew, as there were a few problems on the night. I have a video of the end of the concert, I will upload it when I get a chance.

My assessment of the show, was that Richard Fortus is probably the most underrated member of that band. Whilst he certainly doesn't have the technical ability of Ron, I simply love Richards tone and scales that he uses, it sounds much more bluesy and less 'robotic' (for want of a better word) than Ron.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Ashba, as he is light years behind Ron and Richard in terms of style and ability. It is even embarrassing the way Ron has to take over when the solo's get too difficult. But that said, whatever Ashba plays, he plays it perfectly, even if it is basic pentatonics and power chords.

I was the only person in my area of the floor that knew any of the words of Democracy songs, but I think the crowd still enjoyed them. All the people I was with were complaining about the fact that Slash wasn't there, a few people even refused to go to the gig on the basis that it was only Axl Rose and hired hands. But I have to say, Richard won them ALL over by the end of the show, everyone was singing his praises. I am pretty sure that nuGNR won over a lot of fans tonight, but until they produce music on the same parity as the Illusions and Appetite they will simply not be recognised by the general public (not die hards) as a genuine band.

But my honest feeling is, that this current band could not write anything musically that would come anything close to Appetite or the Illusions. Richard is probably the only one who would come close to that natural vibe, but Richards own studio work is not exactly inspirational. I have the same feeling with Ron's work, its just not the right sound. I mean, 'So gald to be here' sounds like something off Monty Python for fucks sake. It has no relevance whatsoever (in my eyes) with GNR and if thats the best solo material he can pick out, it just reinforces my previous statements about this band being incapable of writing something that could give you that feeling you had the first time you heard the illusions or Appetite.

It was great concert, and I would definitely go again given the chance. But it is more based on nostalgia than anything else.

Glad To Be Here is certainly not the best song he had to pick from, in fact I'm still a bit surprised he decided to go with that song.

A friend of mine who is a huge Ron fan (but not that bothered about GNR) was actually disappointed with Ron's solo spot. But he is now converted to Fortism, thats for sure rock1

I was at the show, and Axl and all the band seemed to be having a great time, I think he threw the mic in disgust at his own sound crew, as there were a few problems on the night. I have a video of the end of the concert, I will upload it when I get a chance.

My assessment of the show, was that Richard Fortus is probably the most underrated member of that band. Whilst he certainly doesn't have the technical ability of Ron, I simply love Richards tone and scales that he uses, it sounds much more bluesy and less 'robotic' (for want of a better word) than Ron.

I actually feel a bit sorry for Ashba, as he is light years behind Ron and Richard in terms of style and ability. It is even embarrassing the way Ron has to take over when the solo's get too difficult. But that said, whatever Ashba plays, he plays it perfectly, even if it is basic pentatonics and power chords.

I was the only person in my area of the floor that knew any of the words of Democracy songs, but I think the crowd still enjoyed them. All the people I was with were complaining about the fact that Slash wasn't there, a few people even refused to go to the gig on the basis that it was only Axl Rose and hired hands. But I have to say, Richard won them ALL over by the end of the show, everyone was singing his praises. I am pretty sure that nuGNR won over a lot of fans tonight, but until they produce music on the same parity as the Illusions and Appetite they will simply not be recognised by the general public (not die hards) as a genuine band.

But my honest feeling is, that this current band could not write anything musically that would come anything close to Appetite or the Illusions. Richard is probably the only one who would come close to that natural vibe, but Richards own studio work is not exactly inspirational. I have the same feeling with Ron's work, its just not the right sound. I mean, 'So gald to be here' sounds like something off Monty Python for fucks sake. It has no relevance whatsoever (in my eyes) with GNR and if thats the best solo material he can pick out, it just reinforces my previous statements about this band being incapable of writing something that could give you that feeling you had the first time you heard the illusions or Appetite.

It was great concert, and I would definitely go again given the chance. But it is more based on nostalgia than anything else.

I will be going to the gig in Toulouse France, my place is just around the corner from the venue so I will be having a pre-after party!

As a guitarist, that was quite a bad performance in all honesty. Very sloppy, and not exactly putting his heart into it.

Has Axl pissed his pants??

Knowing how direct Axl is, we won't see an autobiography before the reunion tour. As if he releases it before, the other guys probably won't work with him, and he will lose his big pay day....

I really doubt Axl could do the last verses justice. Its an extremely tough song to sing.

I'll bet 100 bucks if you put Sorry, IRS, Street Of Dreams, Catcher or This I Love along with UYI songs and shuffle, he'll say they're gold, If you put Locomotive, Pretty Tied Up and The Garden with CD songs and shuffle, he'll say they suck. If you let him listen to a live SCOM with DJ and one with Slash, he won't know who's who.

You are right, I have never heard anyone able to copy what Slash has written so effectively. But is that a plus? A least Bucket and Finck tried to put their own slant on it, DJ plays it note for note.

I don't think any of the band have ever had their ability questioned, with exception to Axl when he has his bad singing days. In reality, this current band are the most technically accomplished version of GNR that have ever existed, without doubt.

But this misses the point that some of us adored. Stevens sloppy drumming on AFD was a joy, because it didn't feel overly processed. It was as close to rock n' roll as you could truly get in my eyes, as it was natural, and they were playing their own material. The AFD album should never have seen the light of day, given the extraordinary way in which GNR came to be in existence, never mind they were all fucked up on heroin at that time. This is what was special to some of us, and why we still hold it in such high regard today. The original GNR meeting was on par with how penicillin was accidentally discovered. It was a one in a billion shot that these guys would meet each other at that time, and all have the desire to make music. But it happened. Somehow.

The current incarnation are all 'hired', in a kind of Rock version of 'X factor' where people audition and see if they fit Axl's tastes. Thats not to say they can't play good music, because they surely can. But it takes the edge off it somehow when you have a kind of 'Real Madrid' of hired hands, compared to the original Guns that came from the lowest division possible and worked their way up to the top through just having some kind of magical spark between them.

Apologies if this offends anyone, but this is genuinely my view.

I think its clear to many people that Slash is no longer in the band. Sure, you will always get the odd people that dont follow the band news, and dont realise. Just like there are many people that would go to a GNR concert out there, that has never heard a single second of Chinese Democracy. Tickets are not bought by hardcore fans only, I have been to see many bands, that I honestly know nothing about.

But one thing is clear, that things have significantly changed in the GNR world since slash left. The last show of the slash/duff line up was in Argentina in a 57K capacity stadium. Today is mostly 10-15K attendances. I do not see GNR ever having a high level of popularity again, unless of course a reunion tour was announced, which does not look likely.

It depends what is sacrificed in order to make these songs fit in the set-list. I would estimate most concert going fans go to see the old classics played, based on the reception the songs get when they are played. For the hardcore, they would appreciate a whole 2 1/2 hours of new material, although I don't think that would suit the majority. Personally, I'd love to hear a couple of new songs thrown in, as it would then give something to look forward to in the polished album version. But in all honesty, there has to be a short time limit in the live playing and album release. Chi Dem was already known inside out before it was actually released, so this tarnished the experience for some fans.

When I listen to music, I enjoy knowing the manner in which it was made. To me it adds to the flavour, knowing the inspiration and the circumstances it came about in. Appetite is full of sleaze and rebellion, it's basically an album that should never have seen the light of day. The 5 guys were all completely fucked up at the time, yet managed to put together something that oozed originality and swagger. The intricate way that Izzy and Slash almost traded off riffs, produced something seriously special in my eyes considering the circumstances they were in.

Chi Dem has some wonderful hooks, licks and melodies, but thats where it ends for me. Individually for the artists involved it is a great score of music, but it just doesn't seem to fuse together in the way that Appetite did. There was a hidden quality in some of the sloppiness inside it that made GNR real, and something you can identify with. Chi Dem just doesn't have that. Perhaps this is because I am a musician myself, and I look at music with a completely different perspective than the average listener. Chi Dem is without a doubt much more technically advanced when trying to play along with it, but damn playing appetite stuff is just so much more FUN.

It just shows how sad things are in GNR land, that all we can do is specualte about songs that we have never heard? I mean, if your part of the 'I'll love a new song regardless of whether it is good or not just because Axl made it' brigade then no doubt you will be happy with all those tracks.

My concern is that the names quoted have been kicking around for a long time, so must not have been considered good enough to get on Chinese Democracy? Unless its another 'masterstroke' of commerical management, in that the best songs were not used on Chi Dem, for whatever reason.

I hope I am going to be proved wrong, in that there is music out there that blows our minds. But at 49 years old, it doesn't strike me as particularly wise to keep all you best music locked up as mother nature inevitably has to catch up with Axl's singing ability.

One thing I could definitely foresee though, is Axl being loaded with Cyborg implants with a built in Pro-Tools device that can replicate his voice, so he can go on trying to prove he still has it until the end of the world. Something like 'Rosocop' style....

Eventually it would just be Axl's brain in a jar, commanding a robot body. But there are always plenty of 'Slash-a-like' guitarists out there, so robots are not needed for that part.

the forums been around since 2002, u can prob count on a hand or two how many of the old posters still frequent here

defending Axl now isnt all that impressive after getting cd, a world tour n tweets, try doing that during 3 years of silence

of course Axl has alienated many fans over the years, his relationship with them could be much better

just because he doesnt owe us anything doesnt make that any less true

not sure why people who dont know him personally take that as an insult

as its always pointed out, Axl doent give a shit about u, whether its to bash him or defend him, were all gonna get the same treatment

swallowing koolaid doesnt earn anyone extra points

Nor does acting like an internet expert,my point was that just maybe the fans added to the rift,there have been unnecessarily cruel remarks made,

And I find it amazing you have psychic abilities to speak for people you don't even know,look at the shitty treatment some of the posters dealt the band members that actually showed up here,its not all one sided as some would have people think

u mean the same psychic abilities you possess to speak on behalf of Axl Rose?

if u only care about ur opinion why do other peoples opinions matter, no one is telling u to leave ur world of make believe

the few members who were rude to Ron dont represent all the people who arent happy with certain aspects of this band

much like the stalker in Axls kitchen doesnt represent all the fans who praise him blindly

Yeah,MY world is delusion but yours is hunky dory?get

Real,ppl were rude to not only Ron,but also axl,and fernando,some of the comments made on this forum and others are uncalled for

Words hurt and wound sometimes,and don't assume I'm speaking for anyone except myself

Having been a fan for over 20 years, I really don't get how fans expect anything else. If you're upset that Guns/Axl doesn't do what you want them/him to do, then you don't understand how this band operates. What blows my mind is how certain "fans" feel like we're living in the dark times of GNR productivity. Obviously you weren't around for the '94 to '01 period where all fans got were a fax about Slash leaving, a mug shot of Axl, one interview on MTV, and a decent but half baked song (Oh My God). In the last two years we actually got Chinese Democracy and a year long world tour to promote it. Maybe it didn't follow what you wanted, but if I think back to when I was 16 this has been an unbelievable time to be a GNR fan.

All Axl and the band owes me as a fan is a hell of a show when I buy and ticket and their best effort when they choose to release new album. Other than that, they can do whatever they want; it really has no impact on my life. As Axl once said about those who wait for Chinese Democracy, go live your life. Yeah it sucks when some of the things intended do not come to fruition, but I don't remember Axl/GNR signing anything with their fans that holds them to it.

I don't know Axl or anyone else in the band personally, so I can't speak to their character. But I seriously doubt that their intentions is to purposely tease fans because it gets them off. The organization strikes me as one of good intentions, but for whatever the reasons are, just don't happen. Thankfully for me, I have my own life to worry about. I suggest you do the same.

Cheers,

Andrew

Excellently put. Axl has no moral obligation to us whatsoever. He's just a guy and so am I.

Right on !

The problem is, you are fundamentally missing the whole point of the original post. What it says, is that its not respectful to make statements about whats happening with the band, and then go quiet. We aren't fucking children, we know that its in business, its not possible to always meet your deadlines. But what is expected, is some common courtesy. Its not difficult to make a statement apologising for a delay to something, or at least explaining what has happened to a degree. Axl Rose is just a human being, not a god. He is not exempt from showing the fundamental basics of humanity, such as showing some decency to those that have paid for his entire fucking life!

I really don't understand people like you, that advocate selfish behaviour as acceptable. Nobody is saying he has to meet his promises, just show some consideration to those who's hopes he got up, by apologising for whatever the delay might be, or explaining if it is something out of his control. Is it really so fucking difficult to do that?

If your ambition is to be part of the popular brigade, then following GNR won't work. Following GNR has not been cool since the 80's. You need to decide what you want. If you like listening to GNR music, then just enjoy it. if you want GNR to be popular again, you need to get the band to make music that people want to listen to. Throwing money at CD is like pissing in the wind.

How come the Soprano's needed 33 discs to get 3 1/2 hours of film onto it???