BangoSkank

I originally posted this in The Jungle and it got some interesting replies so I thought reposting it here might garner some more discussion. There's also so little happening until 7/31 so I figured I might as well post it. Mods feel free to delete or move or whatever. 

Anyway, I know it's been talked about ad nauseum whether or not GNR '98-'14 is really GNR and I'm not trying to have that discussion now. 

But as I listen to the CD leaks, watch Axl now, see how semi-broken he probably is from the whole CD experience, I can't help but wonder if anything would be different if everything post-Slash was just labeled Axl solo. Would we have more music released? Would we have had CD sooner? Would he have had an overall easier time? Would people have been more receptive to the music? He wouldn't have felt the enormous weight of the GNR name and he probably would have felt more free to do whatever he wanted. 

I know there are no real answers, but I'm curious if anyone thinks things would be different and, if so, how?

So real talk, MetLife is at about 50% capacity. What will realistically be happening with it? I can't see them playing to a half empty stadium. Will it be moved to a different arena? Tickets prices cut?

2 hours ago, allwaystired said:

Does anyone else feel as I do- that Axl's voice isn't as big a problem to them? 

Obviously I'd rather it was great....but if they brought the energy, new songs, looked like they weren't really bored etc, Axl not singing that well would just wash over me. It's low on my list of problems with their current situation really. 

Anyone else feel this way? 

I mean, his voice would be good on an album. He brings the rasp when he wants to (see: AC/DC, a few sweet moments in the shows, 'It's So Easy' with Foo Fighters), but he's said it hurts him to sing that way so it's better for him to sing clean. He knows fans prefer his rasp, but not much can be done.

2 hours ago, RussTCB said:

Yeah, I totally agree they shouldn't be protesting and I hoping it doesn't happen. I'm just guessing it will based on everything I saw go on across the US over the past year or so with people protesting over masks and so on. 

Yeah, regrettably you're probably right.

1 hour ago, RussTCB said:

Wow. I'd be surprised if that actually gets enforced. 

To be clear before I say the rest of this....I am vaccinated and everyone I know is as well:

I'll be VERY surprised if there isn't a huge uproar if any of these venues try to enforce anything regarding vaccination proof. If so, a lot of concerts could end up being the target of large scale protests / demonstrations. 

Maybe, but on what grounds would they protest? The venues are private businesses that can choose the requirements of who come in (and they don't want unvaccinated for insurance reasons). 

If you don't want to be vaxxed, that's fine, but there are consequences.

I saw Dave Chappelle at Radio City last night - had to show proof of vaccination. I bet all major places start it soon.

(Also, I recognize you're not making this argument. I've just been thinking about this too and wondering how anyone could protest it if they thought about it for two seconds).

Putting this here because it's I'm sure the mods will consider this a reptitive topic.

I know it's been discussed ad nauseum whether or not GNR '98-'14 is really GNR and I'm not trying to have that discussion now. 

But as I listen to the CD leaks, watch Axl now, see how semi-broken he probably is from the whole CD experience, I can't help but wonder if anything would be different if everything post-Slash was just labeled Axl solo. Would we have more music released? Would we have had CD sooner? Would he have had an overall easier time? Would people have been more receptive to the music?

I know there are no real answers, but I'm curious if anyone thinks things would be different and, if so, how?

1 hour ago, Towelie said:

People are just willfully ignoring how bad he sounds these days. During most 2018-19-20 shows you were hard pressed to get more than 3 or 4 listenable performances per show. The majority of songs in the set were just terrible vocally. And a terrible vocal performance ruins the entire show for me. I can't appreciate what the band are doing when the singer is sounding shit - it's just too distracting.

Yeah, and in some ways I feel guilty even thinking that because, Jesus Christ, it's Axl, Slash, and Duff on stage together. It really is crazy to think that this even happened. But when one of my favorite performers sounds like this I just get underwhelmed, especially when you look at the prices they're charging for decent seats.

Honestly speaking, me and a friend are going to buy $50 nosebleeds to MetLife ($80 after fees probably). This is for a night out post-COVID and to see one of my favorite bands.

But I just cannot justify anything higher than that given the state of Axl's voice and virtually the same show I've seen three times since 2016 (and similar to the one I've been seeing since '06).

I am a massive Axl defender, I think he got the short end of the stick in a lot of ways as far as the break up and other things are concerned. And I say that because if someone like me is feeling this way about GNR, there are definitely issues. 

Getting an error code when I try to buy tickets for MetLife.

The setlist will be the same and Axl's voice will be loud, but clean. Up to you if you want to go. I'm likely buying cheap seats for MetLife.

Don't care how he looks, I just want that voice powerful as fuck. 

17 hours ago, denin said:

Ax left leaving for the venue for too long, again. Must've been a Kodak moment when he decided to dive out of the car and get chased by first his handlers and then venue security.

So, he runs / jogs / huffs for a few blocks, gets in, gets mic'ed up... I doubt there was any time for him to let it all sink in, that here he is, debuting his new lineup. Let alone voice warm-up...

The same routine of avoidance & procrastination as it was with the concerts, only there he could let them wait some more after showing up to the venue. Nerves more than stamina, really.

 

Good point, didn't even consider that he was running there. 

5 hours ago, Underhardy said:

I mean, he sang the song basically the same way in 01-02 lol... yeah he was out of breath on MTV but if he had his 88 or 92 voice it would’ve been an all timer. 

Yeah, but I don't recall him getting winded like that at any show.

Awesome, loved the first one - checking it out this weekend.

I meant to message you before you recorded this and ask if you could get David's thoughts on what happened at the VMAs and what went down in Philly 02 - will definitely still listen though.

On 5/13/2021 at 4:28 PM, Gordon Comstock said:

Was it during the Eddie Trunk radio interview that Axl gave an explanation for the VMA performance? He said something like, he was a bit late (shocking!) so he literally had to run from his trailer to the stage, which is why he was out of breath.

As he was running to the stage, some guy yelled "there goes Kid Rock!"

Based on his interview at the '06 VMAs I always thought it was anxiety that caused him to feel overwhelmed/overextend himself/lose his breath. 

On 5/11/2021 at 5:53 PM, 19AT5 said:

But you actually know what was. It was a fucking car crash! 

Yeah, but if his voice is good shape there (as was rumored), the performance itself might have been stronger. Also I love this era of Guns and wish it lasted longer, was managed better, that the record company let Axl put CD out around this time like he wanted, touring behind an actual album instead of forcing the general public to accept the band on old songs, maybe the press and fans being more accepting of the whole thing.

Again, what might have been. 

I'd want to see it, but it might be painful and cause me to think "what might have been."

Wait, I thought you meant Melissa on backing vocals. What the hell did I just vote for?

8 hours ago, GNRfanMILO said:

Everywhere, basically. I don't have a link ATM, but it's been mentioned by Slash multiples times. Axl asked Fernando for Slash's number, and he called him during the time Slash was touring South America with MK&C back in early 2015. I believe it was specifically in Peru, so the call was done sometime between March 8th and March 10th, 2015.

And of course, later that year in October, Slash went to Axl's to have dinner.

EDIT: you can check this thread for a more detailed answer.

 

Awesome, thanks. Reading it now.

15 hours ago, GNRfanMILO said:

Fernando's Discord call being recorded and shared online
Walker getting a backstage talk with Angry Fernando
Axl actually being the one that phoned Slash first for the reunion and not otherwise

Had not heard of these. Where's the info. that Axl actually called Slash first?

Man, imagine if Axl went solo and had hired Bucket or Bumble to be in that band. We might be in a totally different place.

Whatever they do, I hope they do not leave off a song that is deemed offensive ala "One In A Million."

On 2/13/2021 at 6:40 PM, Draguns said:

I've stated this before in other threads. My opinion is that Axl should have explored different genres as a solo artist and not under the GNR name. When you think about GNR, you associate them with a hard rock sound. Right from the get go, they were known as the next Rolling Stones/Aerosmith type of band. It's ok to make  one or two songs from another genre. However, changing the sound of the band to try to fit with the times isn't good. You dilute your brand and you don't play to your strengths.  GNR should have gone on hiatus while other members of the band did their own thing for awhile. 

Completely agree - I think CD wouldn't have been such a burden for Axl, it would have been released more easily, and people would have been more generous with it. We would probably have more of that material officially released. Maybe even a reunion sooner and maybe even Axl's solo project happening at the same time as the reunion.

2 hours ago, Euchre said:

From personal experience that statement is only half true - well at least in Oz so may be different in the US.

When i was young and naïve I was forced to sign a contract in a similar kind of situation - certainly a difficult position in that I was told I needed to sign it or affected my job.

Fast forward about 2 years and when it came to the crunch and I was briefing the lawyer, I was told failure to act for two years basically meant I had tacitly accepted the contract - so I could fight it on the duress point but my chances weren’t good.

Basically the advice amounted to if you sign something under duress you need to fight it right away.

As mentioned US is different legal system to Oz but there are a lot of similarities and case law can be used from each juristiction in the other - but if US is like Oz and you wait 3-4 years to challenge a contract based on duress, which I’d guess was the timeline in the GNR case, based on what I’ve been told, your chances aren’t good.

Sure, and that may be true for GNR too. But as it relates to the band I don't think Slash & Duff ever challenged that contract formally, did they?

Either way, the moral of the story is that that situation is probably a lot more complicated and grown up than "Axl's oh so bad he would not go on stage unless he got them to sign the name." And there are probably a lot more situations in GNR history like that where his input would be pretty revelatory, which is just one reason I want him to write his autobiography. Probably a lot of light he could shine on the early NuGNR years too.

As an aside: that really sucks your employer (or whoever) made you do that.