BangoSkank

Except for giving an exact date on a new album, which is always bad until shit is finalized, Axl's answered all of these questions a billion times.

He does not want a reunion, he can see a one-off gig with ex-players here and there, there was a lot of legal issues, record company BS, band members leaving, his general perfectionism and more that caused the delay of Chinese Democracy and the list goes on.

Outside of use die-hards, who want specifics on minute things he probably doesn't care about (What did Slash do? What influence does Beta have? What happened in 2002?), he's basically covered everything else in the general media (which usually bashes him no matter what he does).

I'm shocked there was no "All Of The Above."

Ultimately, I went with "It would diminish his work with NewGNR," because it would and then all of the other reasons become valid.

NuGNR and Chinese Democracy become even more "Axl's other band thing" if he just goes and reunites with the others, which would reignite interest in the old band. Plus, as best as I can tell, Slash did some shitty things to him that he's not really willing to just drop (nor should he if it's true).

I have to go with the new one or really the ’06 one if we’re getting more particular.

It’s hard for me to watch stuff from deep into the Illusion tour because I know they were all so fucked up and miserable. Axl’s voice usually seems a bit blown and the band’s not as tight as they could be.

I’d love to see ’06 Axl sing it with Buckethead, but that will only exist in my wet dream.

Can only find it via archive searches and it's only a thumbnail; https://web.archive.org/web/20070811021500/http://www.merch.com/gnr/products.asp?dept=475 I almost wanna say it's a leftover piece from the Village Gorilla Head tour in 2004/5 but I can't recall what was sold as merch on that tour and my seach to find anything about that solo tour yields next to nothing (and nothing that I need, lol).

Hmm strange, still don't see the Tommy shirt there (though it is using "The Way Back Machine"). The Robin shirt is pretty cool too.

Still scoping the internet for the Bucket shirt, but no real sign. I'm really surprised it hasn't come up yet, even on his dedicated fan sites.

Are you listening, Mr. Security Man?

So now people are complaining that shows are too long. Okay, I get the gripes about no new music, I'm right there with you, but saying a show is too long.... When I saw them in 2011, Axl's voice was great, he was having fun, played over three hours and the time flew by. It was a great show.

I guess you can just chalk it up to experiences are different for people! When I was in college I loved going to all day music fests. But now, I'd rather see a few hours of non-stop rock n roll without all the jams and solos and non-GnR songs.

This is a viable topic, because at the typical GnR show today you'll see half the crowd LEAVE before the show is over. While you may think that's crazy......the fact is that it is happening. So that's why we are chatting about it.

I think much of that has to do with Axl taking the stage after 11 on a weeknight. Something I don't care much about, but can't fault other people for being pissed at.

When you say various positions I keep thinking of this:

Hmm not quite. Pretty certain he had his yellow jacket on.

The simulated motion was (I think) karate moves, maybe nunchucks.

I’ve been on the hunt for this shirt for a while now. I saw it at the Philly show and thought “Oh, I’ll just get it at the next show.” Needless to say, I never saw it again.

Its has “Buckethead” written in red lettering (I think) and images of him in various positions to make it look like he’s moving.


Also, it’s not this one, though it’s pretty rad in its own right:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guns-Roses-T-Shirt-Bucket-Head/dp/B000NDCNKO

I'm so happy there's photographic evidence of this.

How can people complain that the show is to long? When you're there it absolutely flies through and at the end of paradise city i was craving for more.

Word. "The rock and roll show was too long!" is the world's lamest complaint.

I actually think every headliner should do around that much, especially as ticket prices rise. For $65 and a mediocre seat, it's a ripoff to get something the same length as a movie.

After seeing Springsteen (and GNR) many, many times, I usually leave a 90 minute act thinking "okay, they gave me half a show."

"What, you pissed off because 'cause your dad gets more pussy than you?"

I like the song...it was one of the few that I actually liked the first time I listened to CD...and I've always been curious what the story is behind this lyric:

"You know where to put your...Just shut up and sing"

Anyone know? Is this something that Slash (or another band member) said to Axl?

"And I’m not talking change of styles or sounds etc. A lot of people bought that crap and me having gone in other directions seems to many to have verified that. Then you have the mind twisting equally as true horseshit in Slash’s book but I have the rehearsal tapes. There’s nothing but Slash based blues rock and he stopped it to both go solo and try to completely take over Guns. I read all this if Axl would’ve put words and melodies on it could’ve… That was denied and I didn’t walk till several months after having 3 to 4 hour phone conversations nearly every day with Slash trying to reach a compromise. I was specifically told no lyrics, no melodies, no changes to anything and to sing what I was told or fuck off."

That said, I don't think it's directed just at Slash, but at other people telling Axl to just shut up and sing as well.

Yeah, I remember reading that quote recently (I think it was in Chinese Whispers, I was just reading that a few days ago) and wondering if that might have been the origin of that lyric...thanks. Personally I don't get why some folks think the lyrics are so bad/cheesy.

The sentiments in it are awesome and you can tell Axl really means what he's saying, I just wish he tried a little harder to not use cliches or overly simple lyrics in it.

I actually remember that, when CD came out, a lot of my friends and acquaintances really loved this song in particular.

Now I really hope the Sao Paulo rumors are true and Axl kills this performance.

Yeah, otherwise we're looking at The Axl Rose Disaster III :/

Seems nearly every pro-shot comes out bad. Only ones from recent memory I can think of that kicked ass were Reading 2010 and Rock Am Ring 2006. While 2006 was a pretty damn good year for Axl vocally, the proshots from Inland Invasion and RIR Lisboa are weak. And just one week after the awful Rio '11 gig Axl turned in a decent performance in Buenos Aires. Performance anxiety? Or just bad luck?

It has to be a combination of both. The stakes are (still) way, way high for Axl, so I imagine there's a lot of added pressure for these widely-viewed shows. Another example is easily the VMAs. Out of breath for a three song medley in front of millions, but able to hold long screams during the tour.

Now I really hope the Sao Paulo rumors are true and Axl kills this performance.

Must they release something where Axl's vocals are not that strong?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say there's no link to this...

Seems like Axl would love to work with Buckethead again.

Which begs the question: what would happen to Ron if that Bucket had interest?

Not really, no.

Despite the revisionist history and fanboyism at work here, no one had any sort of high hopes for that first incarnation the new band.

Buckethead was little more than a curiosity, and Robin was just one of the guys in Trent's touring band. The only one of any sort of pedigree was tommy, due to his Replacements notoriety some 15 years prior.

Its only on this board and other GNR boards like it that the storyline is pushed that first incarnation of the new band was destined for greatness.

Agreed. Even on the GNR message boards around that time there was an overwhelming amount of people hating on the "nu" guys.

Hope so. He was gone for four years after 2002 and came back on fire.

I don't know why he'd need a new one if DJ left - Ron is pretty underused as is.

My quote feature isn't working but from what I've read Axl was upset that the fan base deserted him but couldn't the fan base argue that he deserted them? You simply can't disappear for years and then expect the world to be waiting with red carpet rolled out.

How would the fan base have deserted him with two sold out shows in a row (MSG ---> Philly)?

Buckethead quit in early to mid 2003. It just was not made public until 2004.

Oh damn, thought it was around the same time as the statement.

Do we know we has it, or does it just seem that way? He might be medicated, but I find it a little hard to believe he could accomplish that he has with such a, usually, crippling condition.

I always figured he was completely out of his mind during 2002. He was outright crazy during that time period. He just had an odd feel to him that gave off a weird vibe. I think it was known in advance that Axl wasn't going to show up at Philly. My guess is, as rumored, he wanted the first show cancelled due to poor sales or had something else he had to do that night, and management didn't cancel it.

Wasn't that the show where people said security was increased people were let in late? Or am I thinking of another one?

I can see how he got upset though. He put together his perfect band, and people were still dwelling on Slash and the old guys. If he had actually put the record out in a timely manner, things would've shifted and the band would've been much better received. Even towards the end of the 2002 tour, the new band had began to pick up a good following.

As far as the mental hospital - http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/chicago-sun-times-axl-rose-close-to-checking-himself-into-psychiatric-clinic/

That's an amalgamation of a million things. First night was sold out, the second night was selling poorly and they were offering tickets for $10. The increased security was from the Canada show (where they knew he was going to be late). Also, as a rule of thumb, I really don't trust anything from Blabbermouth. It's seems like what they do is barely above gossip and they've had a pretty obvious bias against Axl (like pretty much everyone in the press) for the last several years.

It's a shame though. I really dug this time period in Guns. It seemed like Axl had a lot of drive and wanted to take the hard rock GNR sound in a crazy, new direction.

I actually can't believe most of the band stuck around after enduring the critical jabs and the cancelled tour. Hell it took Buckethead two years to leave after that.