TheSeeker

As someone who's listened to a ton of bootlegs:

-2002 was lazy, nasally falsetto

-2006-2007 was Axl regaining the rasp. It seemed like he strategically planned out what parts of songs to use falsetto on, but he primarily used rasp.

-2009-2010 was Axl fucking going for it like he hadn't since 1993. Full rasp on most songs.

-2011-present is back to the lazy falsetto of 2002, but he still retains some vibratto from 2006-2010 that he didn't have in 2002. Kind of the opposite of 2006-2007 where he now sings primarily in falsetto and strategically uses rasp at some points.

Bet he won't post the numbers from the South American tour. Whoops.

I think GNR didn;t play SA in 2012...Also they played Europe...

And yes probably in next years we can except 6000 shows and festivals

Right, but since he was comparing tours from 2002 to present, I think it would be more representative to look at the worldwide numbers during those years. The 2011 South American tour put up some big numbers.

Ok, let's do that:

(Worldwide touring data not available from 2008 and before)

2009 Top 50 Worldwide Tours (source)

GNR did not break the Top 50 worldwide touring acts

2010 Top 50 Tours (Source)

29. Guns N' Roses

Gross: 39.7 million dollars

Average ticket price: $71.81

Average tickets sold: 9,370

Total tickets sold: 552,847

Average gross: $672,881

Cities/Shows played: 59/60

Booking agency: CAA/International Talent Booking

2011 Top 25 Worldwide Tours (source)

GNR did not break the Top 25 worldwide touring acts

2012 Top 50 Worldwide Tours (source)

GNR did not break the Top 50 worldwide touring acts

...doesn't the fact that they've been reduced to clubs and theaters bother you all?

It bothers me. It especially bothers me that they try to play it off like "ONCE IN A LIFETIME CHANCE!! CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE EVEN DOING THIS FOR OUR FANS!!"

And look at how much they had to jack up the ticket prices in 2012 to make up for the lesser crowds.

...doesn't the fact that they've been reduced to clubs and theaters bother you all?

This band has to downsize to match its dwindling crowds, apparently.

Yes but you're ignoring a few key points, which are that the ticket sales depend in how many shows were played and how big the venue is.

Pollstar doesn't even give out the additional data if the band fails to break the Top 100.

This is the first year GNR has fallen out of the Top 100 since 2002.

Anyone else notice the downward trend?

Holy shit.

2002 Top 100 Tours (Source)

75. Guns N' Roses
Gross: 6.5 million dollars
Average ticket price: $46.72
Average tickets sold: 8,660
Total tickets sold: 138,564
Average gross: $404,611
Cities/Shows played: 16/16
Booking agency: Creative Artists Agency

2006 Top 100 Tours (Source)

39. Guns N' Roses
Gross: 21.6 million dollars
Average ticket price: $58.91
Average tickets sold: 8,730
Total tickets sold: 366,649
Average gross: $514,286
Cities/Shows played: 42/49
Booking agency: Creative Artists Agency

2010 Top 100 Tours - mid-year (Source)

46. Guns N' Roses
Gross: 6.3 million dollars
Average ticket price: $74.45
Average tickets sold: 6,500
Total tickets sold: 84,494
Average gross: $483,895
Cities/Shows played: 13/13
Booking agency: Creative Artists Agency

2011 Top 100 Tours (Source)

73. Guns N' Roses
Gross: 11.2 million dollars
Average ticket price: $52.65
Average tickets sold: 6.446
Total tickets sold: 212,725
Average gross: $339,394
Cities/Shows played: 33/35
Booking agency: Paradigm

2012 Top 200 Tours (Source)

143. Guns N' Roses
Gross: 5.7 million dollars
Average ticket price: $91.14
Average tickets sold: 3,481
Average gross: $317,214

The Manyards took hundreds of thousands of dollars from Axl to read aura's of Polaroids? Jesus. They charged him 100,000 for an exorcism. He had the crew go on weekend retreats they'd have to pay 10,000 to attend.

I feel really bad for Axl. I know that he had been abused as a child, and the combined with his level of fame must have been an extremely hard transition. I'm glad that Axl seems to have found his center these days. Even if he's a bit heavier and doesn't use rasp... it's good to know he's in a healthier place these days.

Beta does the same faith-healing shit, and she's on Axl's payroll along with the rest of her family.

That's not a healthy place.

Same tour every year until Axl needs to incorporate the cane into his act.

You think us not attending to the concerts would put an end to the Greatest Hits Tour and make him focus on new music?

If the attendances fell, Axl would probably cancel this tour. He cancelled the tour on 2010, but I believe Team Brazil made him change his mind.

If that happened, he would be pessimist, and feel like shit, and then would lock himself in his house for another years.

Ok good - then we'll get an album of Axl whining about the fans leaving him.

At least he'll have motivation to write!

And do you think that would stop Axl? He's a lunatic, that would in max make him cancel the tour - again, he did it on 2010 but Team Brazil made a pathetic damage control - and make him lock himself on his house for another 5 years feeling like shit.

I can't understand anything you've written here.

Why are we begging Axl for new music again?

If he had anything good he would have released it.

We know the 2008-2013 lineup hasn't written anything.

How about you stop buying tickets and supporting his Greatest Hits tour. Then he'll have incentive to actually do something different.

All the tours have been successful,

Um, if they've had 50 sellouts in their last 500 shows I'd be shocked.

They weren't even in the Top 100 worldwide touring gigs last year.

Riddle me this...

Why do they continually tour if the touring hasn't been successful? And tell me... how many concerts have been cancelled?

Why are you ignoring that outside of small venues, they can't sell out arenas or stadiums anymore?

They tour for cash grabs. I think the last wedding or two they played has cemented that.

All the tours have been successful,

Um, if they've had 50 sellouts in their last 500 shows I'd be shocked.

They weren't even in the Top 100 worldwide touring gigs last year.

Alan says that at one point Axl had a giant picture of GNR performing live above the mantle in his house with a gold-plate below it that read "MY BAND".

That kind of says it all.

Amazing interview.

Alan saying that most people get into Rock and Roll to mold and create families that they weren't afforded in childhood is a great way of looking at Axl and what he's done. But at the same time, Alan points out that everyone else from those days has moved on and got married/had children while Axl still hasn't moved past that phase of his life.

Sad but true.