Mr. Dude

Yes I would, because a) I like the idea of being a rich and influential man and b) anything sounds better than the drudgery of housework and child rearing. However I imagine in time I would realise that just like everyone else Axl has his crosses to bear although I do feel I might bear the weight of his struggles slightly easier in his private jet than my battered old Vauxhall.

C'est la vie.

Je n'aime pas la vie.

I hope GNR never "pulls a Beyonce."

You forgot about the performances with Kid Rock and Sebastian Bach.

Personally I'd rather hear unreleased CD material than brand new songs or....

I'd settle for Spaghetti Incident II

Look at Your Game Girl resonates with me deep in my soul.

Dot return see like fee prussia nice two aid six rye store hot....

There has to be material from the old band. They used to record their shows, rehearsals and behind the scenes extravaganzas. There is at least one album worth of material that Duff commented on that they had worked on. It wasnt 2000 intentions but one with the old line up mostly intact.

Legally speaking this GNR is not structured the same as the old GNR and id bet that there is some behind the scenes legal suites to block access to any and all of the old material. Axl cockblocked the old band from capitalizing on the idea that the old music could be utilized in movies..even went so far as to have the new band record the whole AFD material ..(and did so under the guise that they had to learn it in the first place)The real reason was to reduce actual revenue streams to the old group. Its complicated but the actual playing and using of the song increase in % depending on who is playing on the recording.

But take for instance the use of WTTJ in BlackHawk Down...that would have been a bonanza for old GNR to make some revenue off of but Axl flat out denied the use of it.

That legal manouver is so common in the US. A corporation can disperse and cease to exist legally and then turn around and restructure with the same name, same CEO,Same board and same players/employees etc BUT dump its stockholders and its pension plans and benifit policies.It can even change the terms of employment. It declares that it has gone out of business when in fact all it has done is shift laterly. It has dicked millions of people out of their retirement pensions and investment portfolios while consolidating its assets under another legal entity.Most of our car manufactures have done it, major electronic firms and manufacturing firms like Whirlpool. Its a shitty and unfair thing to do but it is legal.Insideof that manouver is also the protection of any of the old assets and business affairs from lawsuits. It absolves any wrongdoing of the Ceo and board from further legal threats to their assets etc...(for Axl that could have been a motivating factor given the myriad of legal issues he commented on in 08)

This is exactly what Axl did with GNR. He got the name, ended the old corporation and then turned around and made former memebers of that corporation ..hired employees and it changed thier ability to capitalize on OLD GNR ASSETS.

So many in this forum dont understand when they say "Slash quit the band" No Slash was reduced to a minor player and hired hand for AXLS new GNR entity.He and Duff and the rest of the crew were no longer able to make any decisions or choices in the direction , execution and image of GNR. Axl stated that way back in 95 when he said that Slash hadnt done business with GNR for something like 2 years.

When a band is signed they form a legal entity that defines who and what their business is about. Depending on the structure.. often its equal imput from the members. This was true of OLD GNR. TO make financial and business decisions required a vote. Just as in any and all corporations do. That was eliminated when Axl "quit" and legally disolved the old GNR legal entity and turned around and formed new GNR. That is what Paul Huge was doing on the record without consultation to the rest of the newly formed GNR entity but at that time the same band structure of old UYI era GNR. It was a shot across the bow of Slash and the rest of them that they would have NO SAY in the future business of GNR. That was Axls legal right. Thats what was behind him seeking out Fink before Slash departed. Absolute control over the GNR empire and its future enterprises.

Consider how controlled the present era is on band exposes like magazines features,photoshoots, cross over promotions, celebrity functions particularly when it is GNR related. Notice how squimish some of them get when asked about the future of GNR. Evasive to a large degree or vague about concrete plans. Im betting that none of them feel tremedously secure in thier positions. That isnt because the band doesnt want recognition or promotion individually as rockstars and music makers- that is Axls doing. The take home message is teh band...are employees and will remain in the background until further notice.

You have got so much wrong, it's hard to know where to start, guess I just wont bother, pal.

I agree, way too much inaccuracy there to even begin to try to refute.

I'm hoping they play Spaghetti Incident in its entirety. Maybe they can throw in a few covers on top of that too.

I think it would benefit him critically. I think critics and fans would/could judge the material and performances more objectively if he went solo. Personally I've never had a problem with him continuing with the name. He never gave up or quit on Guns and just because others did I don't feel like he should be obliged to as well. He named, founded, and was always the band's creative catalyst. I'm glad he's kept it alive. I would love to hear a solo record though- whether it be piano based songs or more industrial, but it seems he's past his industrial phase at this point.

Cornshucker

That tweet is clearly about Pitman.

I agree with the sentiments expressed in this letter.

I think if Chinese Democracy II is anywhere close to as good as CD I that it will cement Axl's legacy . If they never release another note he's already proven that he's one of the greatest frontmen of all time though. I haven't lost faith, but if Axl ever puts promotion and/or money ahead of the art/performance then I would lose faith. Not showing for RROF, not reuniting despite the shit storm and big money offers only reinforced my faith in Axl and his integrity.

Yeah the lyrics and vocals are my favorite part of the record. They're honest, authentic, and passionate.

No promotion did work for Chinese Democracy, because it let the songs speak for themselves. I could care less what it sold... and what it sold and why it sold what it did is a whole other debate that I don't think you can necessarily pin on the promotion or lack thereof. Whoring himself out to various media outlets would have detracted from the artistic merits of the record imo.

I hope Axl doesn't do any promotion. TV interviews and talk shows humanize him which detract from his mystique. I feel like Slash has overexposed himself at this point and now I just think of him as some sort of barker. Axl is still an artist because he has never made himself a commodity.

Chinese Democracy didn't fail. The songs speak for themselves and will stand the test of time. They already have.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse "Walk Like a Giant" from Psychedelic Pill.

Just finished listening to "The Jesus Chariot" from Americana - also by NY & CH

Axl comes here to personally answer unfiltered questions and is attacked, berated, and insulted. Slash (or Perla? or publicist?) answers a few pre-approved softball questions and is hailed and lauded.

If GNR ever operates like a normal band I will lose interest instantly.

Example- Pearl Jam's last 3 records. They used to be my favorite band, but now they're hypocritical media darlings. While they may cater to their fans (to a certain extent) they no longer challenge their audience. They're a BRAND concerned with moving product and have long since ceased being a BAND.

Sure I'd love to hear new music from GNR, but I'd rather Axl keep his integrity and never hear another note of new music as opposed to him going through the motions in the name of profit. Say what you will about Axl and there are certainly relevant criticisms to be made, but I don't think being motivated by money is one of them. Basically any approach other than the one Axl has operated under since 1993 would make him more money. If his primary concern was money he'd obviously reunite with the old lineup and really cash in or at the very least, release music and work with the big promoters- which he has repeatedly demonstrated an unwillingness to do over the past couple decades. He could make things much easier on himself with critics and fans alike by doing things on someone else's terms. There's a certain integrity in choosing the hardest path possible and refusing to bow to the perverse reality of the music industry today.

Its on like Donkey Kong.

I think Chinese Democracy a complete and utter masterpiece. Without a doubt, the greatest album of the 2000's and certainly the most underrated album of the 2000's. To me, its the last real rock n roll masterpiece. No other artist will ever have the clout or be given the leeway to even attempt an undertaking the scope of Chinese Democracy. People complain about the production, but I think that is one of its strengths- the time it took to record, the layers of sound, and plethora of musicians involved- all contributed to the epic, grandiose feel of the album. The musicianship is first rate and the lyrics are authentically autobiographical. CD is about coming to terms with pain, loss, betrayal, and finding a way to rise above, overcome, and forge ahead. It's intense, intelligent, and romantically stimulating in both a literal and figurative sense.

Yes, I'm an Axl fanatic, but its Chinese Democracy that made me that way. I grew up with GNR, but was always more into the alternative/indie scene back then- Nirvana, Pearl Jam, AiC, Sonic Youth, Neil Young, Pixies, NIN, etc. When I was younger I thought GNR was too cartoonish for my taste, but CD made me reevaluate and appreciate the entire catalog. Now I love the entire anthology, but its Chinese Democracy that really drew me in enough to get past the misconstrued images of Axl/GNR and appreciate the music for what it is. I think most people's misperceptions are already too constructed to let them make an objective, unbiased evaluation of the album. As someone else said, the songs are pretty bulletproof. You can tell someone really cared for and pored over the material and took the time to perfect all the elements of each song down to the finest details. As I mentioned previously, I feel like that is CD's strength, not its weakness.

Axl founded GNR, named GNR, and has always been the creative catalyst. I think GNR is about a certain spirit/attitude. Axl emodies that feeling.

Neil Young... he and Axl are basically the only two authentic people left in rock n roll. Robert Plant's still pretty genuine too. I'm a longtime fan, but Pearl Jam sucks these days. Lightning Bolt is bland, boring, and sterile though Pj is selling lots of records and getting critical acclaim now that they've shifted their target audience to teenage girls. Sirens sounds like it was ghostwritten by Taylor Swift.

Chinese Democracy is unquestionably the greatest rock n roll record of the 21st century.

Guns N Roses is clearly the best touring band in the music business.

Axl has kept his integrity and retained his rock star mystique.

What will he do for an encore?