Madridista

I have come to the conclusión that volcano is officially retarded. Have your head checked buddy. Or get a job or laid. This Axl and Ashba crush you have is not healthy. Tell your mom to clean the basement and while she's at it go see a shrink.

I'm saying Slash was owned by Mayer. Look at ZZ top's reaction....it's not rocket science.

I watched the video and really don't understand what you're talking about. They're both good players and both did a good job interpreting La Grange. Of course you're not going to like Slash's playing because you don't like Slash (and I surmise this is purely based on Axl's own reflections on his former band mate). That's fine in a sense, but to say that one person is better than the other and treat it as fact is ignoring the subjective nature of music and art. The fact that you feel Mayer performed better than Slash on one guitar solo and thus this means Mayer is a much better guitar player says little about their actual playing ability. I suppose that because Michael Phelps lost one race last week in his Olympic qualifier to his teammate that makes him an inferior swimmer. Your logic doesn't add up Volcano (but then again, it rarely does). Apparently every thread for you has to turn into a thread as to why Slash sucks. I serious don't understand your motivations for this but whatever floats your boat. You may feel like that Slash is an embarrassment on guitar, but just remember who wrote the iconic solos that you cheer on when DJ, Bumble or Fortus play them live. Those guy wouldn't have the jobs they now have if it weren't for the man in the top hat. I'm not a John Mayer fan but I can appreciate the fact that he can play; I just think he writes shit songs. Let me give you an example of how to discuss something in a thread that relates to Axl and Slash that doesn't disparage either:

As for the topic at hand, yes, for Axl it certainly was a double-edge sword having someone so iconic move on from the band. I look at someone like Ozzy who had to replace Randy Rhodes with Jake E. Lee and then Zakk Wylde. No one had too much of an issue with this (especially with replacing Rhodes who died) simply because the Ozzy brand was obviously synonymous with Ozzy. The fruitful beginnings and rise to domination of GNR was associated visually by Axl and Slash. Had Axl moved on from Guns N' Roses his eventual lead guitarist would not have received such a spiteful comparison with the image people have of GNR. Very few people have held much contempt for Slash's lead singers over the years because they weren't Axl simply because he wasn't attempting to change, revise or modify people's perceptions of what GNR is or was. As soon as anyone hears the intro to Sweet Child O' Mine or the outro guitar solo in November Rain they will immediately associate visually that sound to Slash. That's not an association that will easily or ever be changed unless Axl was able to stick with one guitar player and produce meaningful and numerous songs/albums. Buckethead obviously has/had a distinct sound a visual representation. Had they been able to work together for a five to ten year period I'm sure some if not most would have moved on from the associations they have of GNR and Slash. Returning to my Ozzy comparison, if you look at Black Sabbath after Ozzy's departure, the fact that they were able to produce relevant and noteworthy music with Ronnie James Dio speaks to how replacing a band member can be done if that's the route one wants to take. I suppose the same could be said with Van Halen and Sammy Hagar. Fans will come around if you give them a reason to. Apparently the public feels like Axl hasn't given enough to knock their old associations of GNR and Slash.

Remember though, like myself, GNR is a band synonymous with their youth. Youth, and its nostalgic influence, is a powerful force. Slash is always going to be part of my association with GNR as it was his playing, along with Axl's voice and piano playing, that had such a profound effect on my musical identity when I was young. I think for a lot of newer fans who weren't into GNR when they were younger (or weren't old enough to know of or appreciation GNR in its classic formation) have an easier time associating GNR without Slash's iconic look and sound. It's a contextual issue that I think is lost on most people. So I understand why people like Volcano and others who weren't big on GNR's formative years disparage the classic lineup like they do, but they ultimately fail to understand why others like myself substantiate guys like Slash, Izzy and Duff on a much higher level than they do.

Some bands, when drastic change is forced upon them, decide to end it simply because they feel like what they lost was too instrumental to continue without it. Look at Zeppelin, without Bonham's drums the band felt it just wouldn't be the same and decided to end it. Axl obviously felt differently with respect to GNR and Slash's departure. It's a tall order to fill on his part and some respect is deserved in attempting something so ambitious and what many would consider a fool's errand. Like I mentioned earlier, had Axl been able to hold on to Buckethead and produced a meaningful body of work I think he might have been able to achieve what he envisioned when he decided to regroup back in 1996 and 1997 with Slash and Duff's departure. Since that didn't happen and the man is now past the half-century mark, it doesn't seem like he'll ever escape Slash's shadow in the public's eye.

Cheers,

Andrew

EPIC POST.

Congratulations guys. you managed to hijack my thread.

The forums members that have an unhealthy man crush on Axl are as unbearable as the ones who have an unhealthy man crush on Slash.

SCOM

It saddens me that every single thread in this forum turns into a flame war. To quote some guy that just passed away "Can't we all just get along?". This place would be way better without all the constant fighting. Let's all talk about our favorite band without jumping at each other's throats all the time.

Well, don't piss on Axl, and don't piss on anyone that is/was involved with the band.

Can't we have a normal discussion like normal people without it turning into a flame war? what are we 12 years old????

Thanks for your replies guys ... I am glad I'm not the only one who does not get that Knocking on heaven's door part

Now, I have another question. What does Axl say in Breakdown:

"When there ain't enough of me to go around I'd rather be left alone" or "When there ain't enough for me to go around I'd rather be left alone"?

I always thought he meant when there is nothing going on in his life, he'd rather be left alone, hence when there ain't enough for me. But, and correct me if I'm wrong, if he sings when there ain't enough of me to go around, I'd rather be left alone. does he mean he'd rather be left alone if he can't please everyone around him?

Please, don't turn this into I HATE SLASH thread. Is that too difficult?

Well Im not going to let it turn into a piss on CD and Axl thread either...see it goes both ways.

Who's pissing on Axl and CD? Jesus Christ... Are you in love with Axl?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A GUITARIST'S IMAGE AND SOUND BEING DIFFICULT TO REPLACE !!!

Please, don't turn this into I HATE SLASH thread. Is that too difficult?

If you look at the history of most famous bands out there, chances are you will find one or two major lineup changes somewhere along the line. I will give you two examples, Dave Mustaine replacing Marty Friedman in Megadeth after making their best albums (Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction) and Adrian Smith leaving Iron Maiden in the early 1990's, after making their best albums ever in the 1980's.

Depending on who you ask, those bands were somewhat succesful at finding a replacement, though it did take their fanbase a long time to accept the changes. And in the case of Iron Maiden, Adrian Smith rejoined Maiden in the late 90s and he's still there.

I don't want this thread to turn into an anti DJ Ashba thread, or into a we all hate Slash thread. That is not my intention. I just want to know what you guys think about the following question.

Was having an iconic guitarist like Slash, a guitarist whose image is well known around the world, even by those who are not into rock/metal scene a double-edge sword for GnR? You know, Marty Friedman was a great musician, but image wise he was not that impressive. I mean, he did not stand out. Slash on the other hand, with that iconic hat, the hair, his guitar, the pose... I think it all created an iconic image that got imprinted on everyone's mind, at least the general public's. And it's not just that, it was his sound. You may hate the old lineup, which I will never understand because they created the songs and albums that made GnR who they are, but anyway... His solos in classics like SCOM or Estranged or November Rain and his riffs on songs like Mr. Brownstone have Slash written all over them. They're examples of the sound we (most of us at least) grew up loving.

Did all that make it even arder for Axl to find a replacement that would be readily accepted by everyone or most of GnR's fanbase? What if GnR had had a guitarist whose image and sound were not so recognizable? Would that have made it easier to find a replacement? You know, just a good musician, but someone without such a strong image and such a personal style in his guitar playing.

I remember talking to some die hard Iron Maiden fans back in 1994, when I was starting to get into Maiden and had already been a GnR fan for quite a few years. We were talking about who our favorite guitarists were and of course I said Slash and they said his sound was, quote "dirty" "not clean sounding" like Dave Murray's. I remember saying "yeah, maybe. But his sound fits GnR just fine".

I am sorry if I'm rambling, but just wanted to know what you guys think.

Gnr would have still self destructed by now, even if Slash hadn't left in the mid 90's. It was gonna happen sooner or later. But if he hadn't left, if they had somehow found a way to work out their differences, then we'd probably have a post-UYI album with awesome material. Maybe the songs on it would be even better than the UYI hits. Who knows? It's a shame, really. Because we all know the amazing amount of talent the old lineup had.

I think Slash should not have been so critical of Axl's ballads and synths and keyboards. I love the UYI albums, with all the sound effects and added stuff. As many of you have said, This I love or Sorry or Better or Street of Dreams with the old lineup would've sounded 100000 times better. Those songs are great, but with a Slash solo or with the touch of the old band, they would've been on a whole different level.

And Axl should not have tried to get full control of the band. I am sure Duff and Slash were willing to work with him till the very last second.

But this is all history now. It's sad a reunion will never happen.

If I were a woman I would not learn anyone I wasn't in love with touch me. I mean, you gotta respect yourself. I don't care if we're talking about Axl Rose or about God himself. If you respect yourself, you're not gonna do it.

Since I learned English as a foreign language and I don't understand it instinctively, I sometimes have to sit down and carefully look at songs' lyrics to find out what they're about. And I like singing along, especially when I listen to GnR, so I've always tried to study the lyrics. Now, I don't always understand them completely. So that's why I start this thread. Since most of you guys are Americans, I'm sure you can understand the lyrics way better than I can.

My first question is about GnR's version of Knocking on Heaven's Door. I do understand most of what Axl is signing, but his part of the song makes no sense to me, no sense whatsoever. Anybody cares to shed some light on what it means? Thank you.

"YOU JUST BETTER START SNIFFIN' YOUR OWN

RANK SUBJUGATION JACK 'CAUSE IT'S JUST

YOU AGAINST YOUR TATTERED LIBIDO, THE BANK

AND THE MORTICIAN, FOREVER MAN AND IT

WOULDN'T BE LUCK IF YOU COULD GET OUT OF

LIFE ALIVE"

Well, duh. Because he's an artist and artists like sharing their art?

We really need Axl to release some new music, like PRONTO. We're always running around in circles talking about the same things over and over and over again. Going back to my What'll happen 4 years down the road thread, is this what this place is gonna be like for the next 5 years till we get a new album to talk about? Wow... just wow.

yeah, yeah. Whatever you guys say. They're still relevant.

I'm happy with the albums they made. I listen to them on a very regular basis. And I know they're still around, but they're no longer relevant. But I am definitely happy with the music. It'll always be there.

Maybe, but it's still a great quote.

Reality check: GnR is no longer relevant. Only in the head of forum members.

If you're an Axl yes man you just have to say what Axl wants you to say.

Do you guys think the 14 year wait also affected sales? Like, fans got tired at some point and just said fuck this when the album actually came out?

All I know is that Slash made fun of and picked on Dizzy at the beginning cause he didn't think GnR needed a keyboard player, but then he took to him and they got along just fine. I guess Duff and Matt would tell you the same thing.

So shotgun, the quality of the album wasn't to blame, yet It broke records on MySpace with 25 listeners per second, yet the majority of those that heard It had no Interest In purchasing It after hearing It, how could anyone come up with any other conclusion as to why the album didn't sell as well as the bands previous releases other than It just wasn't up to par and people just didn't care for It.

This x 10000000000.

1. Civil War

2. Nightrain

3. Sweet Child o Mine

4. 14 years

5. Patience

6. Don't cry (alt lyrics)

7. Breakdown

8. Dust and Bones

9. Rocket Queen

10. Out Ta Get ME

11. Coma

12. This I love

13. Sorry.